Orlistat....talk to me

[Wobblymama01]

As above, has anyone tried these?

The GP has prescribed me them to try to help with weight loss.

I'm 5 foot tall and 14stone4. BMI 39.4.

I have an underactive thyroid which isn't helping matters, it's under control at the moment but is fluctuating. Also the stress of lockdown made me gain weight. Pre lockdown I was 11 stone.

I actually eat fairly healthy but probably too much 😂. I've tried slimming world in the past which worked very slowly eg 8 pounds in 12 weeks but it absolutely wrecked my mental health, I don't have the headspace to plan seperate SW meals for me of an evening. The whole family can't eat SW meals for various reasons.

I could maybe do SW breakfast and lunches but it's the summer holidays now so alot harder to stick to a plan.

I'm so scared of trying the pills incase, quite frankly, I poo my pants. I already have slight bowel incontinence due to a birth injury which the GP knows and says they "might not "give me diarrhoea 😱 I'm mean to be having a review in a month to see how much weight I've lost on the pills but I've already them a week and haven't plucked up the courage to take them yet!

Any advice appreciated!

If you avoid all the things you should then it will reduce the risk of the nasty side effect of pooping your pants.
The hospital info in the first link is good but the second link does also give meal ideas. However, If you are already in the mind set of ‘it’s summer holidays so harder…’ then it may be that your heart isn’t in it. It is never going to be easy to lose weight but, and I know I’m being harsh, you are already using excuses before you start.
I know I also used my hypothyroidism as an excuse for years for the reason for me not losing weight. The reality was I was simply eating too much. Once I admitted that to myself I was able to take control and have been able to lose the weight. Just take it one day at a time, but you know, those tablets aren’t going to help if you don’t take them out of the box!

https://www.uhcw.nhs.uk/download/clientfiles/files/Patient%20Information%20Leaflets/Clinical%20Support%20Services/Dietetics/Dietary%20advice%20for%20patients%20taking%20orlistat.pdf

https://www.theindependentpharmacy.co.uk/weight-loss/guides/orlistat-diet-plan

Thanks @RunningOutOfZzzzzzs they are really good links the GP didn't explain very much tbh

I take this. I try to keep below a fat content of 10 - 15g per meal if I take a tablet or I have suffered with slight oil leak

If the food/meal you are eating has no fat content don't worry about taking a pill as it does nothing.

I have been mainly keeping myself to a small snacky meal about 250 cal around 1pm and then one main meal around tea time. And allow myself calories for a few healthy snacks or protein choc bars on an evening as that is the time I feel more hungry.

It's finding a balance that works for you, as we all have such different lifestyles and wants. I am older for example and it's only me and hubby at home, so it's easy for me to do different meals (he is more fussy).

The times that I have had minor 'accidents' have been when I have put trust in a bit of wind 😊and its just been oil.

Sorry this is a bit all over the place with tips, I'm not only dieting but stopped the nicotine from vaping as I have surgery in August (tummy tuck) so a bit out of sorts lol.

Thanks @BusyCaz I was thinking about how many to take so it makes sense that things that don't have much fat in you don't need one eg my breakfast is usually cereal and fruit so I wouldn't need one then necessarily.

Would you say they work? Have you seen good results?

I would take one if I had milk with my cereal.
There is another Orlistat thread in this forum which you may want to find as has people on it who hade been using Orlistat for a while

I input all my food onto My Fitness Pal, so its easy to see the fat content and act accordingly :)

I have lost weight, but I have also been sticking to around 1100 calories a day and fasting until mid afternoon.

I have gone from 91.8kg to 83kg and I started the tablets roughly 18th may 23. Not sure what would happen if I hadn't gona as head on at it.

Just start it when you know you will be close to a toilet and you will be fine, remembering any effects take quite a while to show depending on how long your natural food passing time takes, mine normally takes around 24 hrs x

Hello. I’m on week 3 with these now. I’ve lost around 3 to 4 lbs so far. Cut out most processed foods, ready meals or higher fat foods (with the exception of dairy) and eating much more fruit/veg. But not calorie counting. Bit of wind but no leaks or tummy upsets. Poo a bit orange but apparently that’s normal. I hoped I’d have lost more than this tbh but I’m bloated as hell with a swollen menopause tummy this week so I don’t think I’m getting a true weight reading. Happy to answer any questions. 😊

Just wanted to add to this thread to say that I've also just started these! Been about a week now and I'm apparently already down 4lbs which is shocking as I've struggled to lose weight for so long. But could also be natural fluctuations/water weight. Hoping it continues.

One tip I'd give to anyone on these is to take psyllium husk (basically fibre pills) every time you take orlistat. So far I've had literally no side effects other than some slightly painful bloating the first couple of days.

<i>Metamucil</i> can help prevent gastrointestinal side effects of orlistat (<i>Alli</i>, <i>Xenical</i>). (therapeuticresearch.com)

Saw this which says the gastro side effects are mitigated by 40% when you take psyllium alongside orlistat! Although I know I am early in so still a possibility for oily sharts in my future... Linked another study which discusses this below. I just got some psyllium husk pills from Holland & Barrett and I take them every time I take orli.

Gastrointestinal side effects of orlistat may be prevented by concomitant prescription of natural fibers (psyllium mucilloid) (researchgate.net)

Well... I've had no nasty side effects after a couple of months either, even without taking the husk so maybe only take it if you feel you need it. I don't need any more fibre! I'm already going to the loo more than ever before in my life. Though no accidents (so far!) so I'm ok with that.

Fair enough! I definitely didn't have enough fibre in my in my diet beforehand so I probably did need it more. I will say psyllium is also meant to be good for diarrhoea so I don't necessarily think it would make you go to the loo more (although who knows). You're lucky to have not had side effects - how have you found orlistat otherwise?

I've found it ok. I had awful nausea and vomiting with Ozempic (previous attempt to lose weight) so it's a relief to me to have found something that keeps me motivated to eat fairly healthily without making me feel ill.

I'm losing slowly but have to be careful what I eat and don't allow myself much fat.

Oh gosh yeah I've heard very mixed things about ozempic. It seems like the wonder drug at the moment but the side effects to me sound awful. I deffo know what you mean about being motivated to eat healthily - I was worried about feeling like I was restricting myself from everything, but actually I've been enjoying it so far.

Slow losses are good tbh - more likely to be sustainable in the long-run from what I know.

I've had the pills for ages but only just taken my first one this morning for fear of the side effects. Everything I read in forums and leaflets has me wondering though if it's worth it. How do you live? It feels like the amount of restriction on fat intake and calories would lead to weight loss without the nasty side effects from Orlistat so I'm trying to decide whether to bother. I ate a small amount of egg this morning, low fat and took the tablet and already I feel my stomach gurgling g and feeling unsettled and nauseated.

It feels quite depressing the idea of eating this way long-term to avoid pooing myself. What about Birthdays and special occasions?

I've tried various things, also have an underactibe thyroid and PCOS which both make it harder to lose weight. Before having my son two years ago I was a lot slimmer than I am now and I exercise generally 4 times a week, mostly eat well and nothings budged. My endocrinologist prescribed me orlistat for now but I hate that things I wouldn't consider unhealthy like avocado, olives, nuts are all things that need be carefully watched. I feel like I would never be able to eat out again and I actually worry ill end up with food anxiety or other mental troubles living in fear of the orange oil!

Does anyone else feel this way? How do you enjoy life while taking orlistat? Is it truly worth it or would I still get good results by lowering my fat but not having to live in fear?

I lead a perfectly normal life while taking Orlistat @Croselle including doing Aquafit twice a week which I admit made me nervous at first! I’ve never had an awful “incident “ only a feeling sometimes that I have to go to the loo quite urgently. Not so urgently I have an accident though!

Im just careful what I eat while taking the tablets. I analyse the fat content of things and avoid anything too fatty. If I get a meal out for example and it includes chips, I will eat some chips but not all of them. I have learnt what I can eat and what will make my stomach a bit upset. I wouldn’t hesitate to eat an egg for breakfast. Is it possible you just feel nauseous because you’re hungry?

Everyone’s different so my advice is to start off cautiously and see how you get on. You will soon learn what your body can easily tolerate.

@Croselle honestly I felt the exact same way before I started taking the tablets, I was soo nervous and unsure whether it was worth it because of some of the horror stories I saw! For me a sustainable diet means one that I can keep up while still eating the foods I love (obviously in moderation) so I hated the idea of having to restrict everything for fear of pooing myself.

Personally though I’ve had the exact same thing as @Twiglets1 in that I really don’t feel my life has changed much on the pills at all. I’ve been on them for almost two months now and absolutely no nasty accidents. The worst side effects I’ve had have been slight urgency after fatty meals (i.e. feeling an urge to poo) but I’ve never been caught short or even come close to it really. The other day I was on public transport far from home and I was able to “hold it” for ages before getting home to go to the loo (tmi maybe, sorry!) - the same way I would if I needed a wee whilst out. Sometimes what comes out is also a bit grim looking but I mean… it’s poo, it’s never going to be nice lol.

When I first started on the tablets I also had uncomfy stomach cramps for a couple of days but they’ve gone completely now. For me it has been well worth it because (snap!) I also have PCOS and an underactive thyroid and have struggled for ages with increasing weight gain. On orlistat I’m slowly but surely shedding weight in a way that I wasn’t able to before. Possibly some of it might be from reducing my calories and trying to eat lower fat but I’ve tried to do that before with 0 results. I’ve also had quite a few cheat days on the pills (e.g. friends birthdays, nice meals out) and still haven’t regained any weight.

If I know I’m going to be having a particularly “fatty” day in terms of my eating I sometimes do skip pills, like if I have a very big meal out. Probably not what you’re meant to do but tbh as long as I take them 80% of the time I’m happy with that for me personally, and like I said I’m still losing weight. I also take each dose of orlistat with psyllium husk supplements which has been proven to reduce gastric side effects whilst on the medication. Overall they’ve worked really well for me so far - definitely given me a kick up the arse to sort my diet out (which I needed to do anyway to lose weight) but I still feel very comfy treating myself and/or eating fat when needs be. At the end of the day dieting and losing weight will always necessitate some sacrifice (I also love avocados, but the fact is they are high calorie and high fat, even if they are healthy!) but I don’t believe in starving or extremely restricting myself and I don’t think that’s sustainable anyway.

I’m still eating avocados as addicted to the chicken & avocado sandwiches at M&S. The fat content of the sandwich isn’t excessively high so again, I think Orlistat is good for allowing you to have a little of what you fancy.
Haven’t tried eating a whole avocado while taking the tablets though. Like @Kaylazoey I skip a tablet (or even a whole week of tablets on holiday) if I want to “cheat” which I accept is why my weight loss is slow.

Thank you both @Kaylazoey @Twiglets1 that's all quite really reassuring and helpful.

I'm prepared to make some sacrifice and already have been doing things but yeh the idea of never being able to have some cake or pastries on odd occasions or a 'cheat' meal that's a bit fatty or junk food made me feel anxious!

I will see how I get on with them and see how things go! I've never been as heavy or wide as I am in life right now and it's fuelling severe mental anxiety, so much so I'm being assessed for body dysmorphia so it would be good to get healthier and feel a bit more comfortable in my body again!

@Twiglets1 those sandwiches are so nice!!

Yeah my weight loss has also been relatively slow I think - I’ve seen some people losing a stone in a month and stuff like that. I’m averaging about 0.5-1 lb a week at the mo which I’m happy with. Marathon and not a sprint after all!

@Croselle definitely made me anxious as well, I’m so partial to pastries lol. Definitely see how you get on, one of the pros of the tablets for me is that I liked the idea of being able to flex around my life and stopping if I needed to. I considered saxenda briefly but didn’t like the idea of a weekly injection I couldn’t then “remove” very easily. Also it’s super expensive and basically completely unavailable in the U.K. atm as well lol. I deffo see and use orlistat as a tool for weight loss as opposed to something I rely on :-)

@Kaylazoey yeah I wanted to try Saxenda or something but like you say it's so expensive! There's no way I can afford it and the fact that if you stop then the weight will just go back on but then maybe that's true for this too. Day one seems okay but give me a week haha I'll know for sure how I feel I can cope or not!

It's so annoying my endocrinologist was going to enrol me in a once a month injection study that was due to start this month but its been pulled form UK research apparently 😔.

On these a couple of weeks now and nothing weight related happening. Maybe expecting too much too soon? Only thing I’m noticing is sore head, probably need to be drinking more. Bit disappointed

I lost 80 lbs in 2 months with this amazing medication. I also made sure I took a good vitamin. I watched what I ate and ALWAYS took orlistat within an hour. I took 120 mg per meal - https://euhealth24.com/drug/xenical-generic

@Lisa4571 are you trying to advertise for them with that link? Because that is probably the worst pricing I've ever seen! £45 for 10 tablets is a complete rip off

Agree it is normally much, much cheaper