Drug Uses

Xenical blocks some of the fat that you eat, keeping it from being absorbed by your body.>br> 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.

How Taken

Take a capsule of Xenical during, or up to 1 hour after, each main meal. You should follow a nutritionally balanced, low-calorie diet that provides no more than 30 percent of its calories from fat. If you miss a meal, or the meal contains no fat, you can skip the accompanying dose of Xenical.

Warnings/Precautions

Your doctor will test your thyroid function before starting you on Xenical to make sure that your weight problem is not due to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Xenical is not an appropriate remedy for this problem.
Xenical increases the likelihood of kidney stones. Use it with caution if you have a history of this problem.
If you have diabetes, weight-loss is likely to reduce your blood sugar levels. If you're taking an oral diabetes medication or insulin, your dose may have to be reduced.
Note that the safety and efficacy of this drug in children younger than 12 years old have not been established.

Missed Dose

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember, but no more than 1 hour after eating a meal. If it has been more than an hour since your last meal, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
If you miss a meal, or if you have a meal without fat, you can skip your dose of Alli for that meal also.

Possible Side Effects

Because XENICAL works by blocking the absorption of dietary fat, it is likely that you will experience some changes in bowel habits. These generally occur during the first weeks of treatment; however, they may continue throughout your use of XENICAL. These changes may include oily spotting, gas with discharge, urgent need to go to the bathroom, oily or fatty stools, an oily discharge, increased number of bowel movements, and inability to control bowel movements. Due to the presence of undigested fat, the oil seen in a bowel movement may be clear or have a coloration such as orange or brown.
These bowel changes are a natural effect of blocking the fat from being absorbed and indicate that XENICAL is working. They generally occur early in treatment, particularly after meals containing higher amounts of fat than are recommended. These symptoms are often temporary and may lessen or disappear as you continue treatment and keep to your recommended diet of meals containing no more than about 30% fat. However, these side effects may occur in some individuals over a period of 6 months or longer. In obese adolescent patients treated with XENICAL, the side effects reported were similar to those observed in adults.
If you are concerned about these or any other side effects you experience while taking XENICAL, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Storage

Store at room temperature (77 degrees F, 25 degrees C) away from light and moisture.

Overdose

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US national poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

More Information

Tell your doctor of all prescription and nonprescription medication you use, especially of: cyclosporine, "blood thinners" (e.g., warfarin), drugs for diabetes (e.g., insulin), other drugs used for weight loss. Cyclosporine should be taken at least 2 hours before or after orlistat to assure maximum absorption of the cyclosporine into your bloodstream. Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.

Disclaimer

This drug information is for your information purposes only, it is not intended that this information covers all uses, directions, drug interactions, precautions, or adverse effects of your medication. This is only general information, and should not be relied on for any purpose. It should not be construed as containing specific instructions for any particular patient. We disclaim all responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of this information, and/or any consequences arising from the use of this information, including damage or adverse consequences to persons or property, however such damages or consequences arise. No warranty, either expressed or implied, is made in regards to this information.