Pharmaceutical name: Pack: 1 cap (120 mg)
Xenical blocks some of the fat that you eat, keeping it from being absorbed by your body. Xenical is used together with a reduced-calorie diet and weight maintenance to treat obesity in people with certain risk factors (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol or triglycerides).
Xenical may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide. Do not take Xenical if you are allergic to orlistat, or if you have gallbladder problems, or chronic malabsorption syndrome (an inability to absorb food and nutrients properly). Before taking Xenical, tell your doctor if you have an underactive thyroid, a history of gallstones or pancreatitis, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, an eating disorder, liver disease, or if you take other weight-loss medications (prescription or over-the-counter).
Do not give over-the-counter orlistat to a child younger than 18 years old. Xenical should not be used by anyone age 12 to 18 without the advice of a doctor. Xenical should be used only by the person it was prescribed or recommended for and should never be shared with another person, especially someone who has a history of eating disorder. Store this medication in a place where others cannot get to it.
Xenical is only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes diet, exercise, and weight control. Your daily intake of fat, protein, and carbohydrates should be evenly divided over all of your daily meals. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely. While taking Xenical avoid a diet that is high in fat. High-fat meals taken in combination with Xenical can increase your risk of unpleasant side effects on your stomach or intestines.
Side effects
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Headache.
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Oily spotting from the rectum.
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Abdominal pain or discomfort.
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Flatulence (wind), sometimes with discharge.
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Oily or fatty stools.
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Urgent or increased need to open the bowels.
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Diarrhoea.
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Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia) in people with type 2 diabetes.
