In the US, over 33% of adult Americans are considered overweight. Another 33% are considered obese.
You might be one of the many who have issues with their weight, and it may be time to take more drastic measures. This may be especially true if you need a medical procedure and the doctor recommended you lose weight first.
For that reason, your physician might prescribe you something like Xenical. Here’s what you need to know about Xenical weight loss prescription medicine.
Xenical is a prescription drug used for weight loss. It’s only prescribed for patients who are 18 or older.
Its generic name is orlistat and Xenical is the prescription strength of this medication. If you want an over-the-counter version, it’s called alli.
Xenical is prescribed to patients who need to lose a significant amount of weight. It can also be given to people who need to keep that weight off, such as those who have been through weight loss surgery.
Typically, Xenical is combined with a low-calorie diet so patients can lose weight in a more efficient manner. Some physicians may also recommend a reasonable amount of exercise.
This medication works by blocking the fat in the foods you eat. More specifically, it blocks the enzymes that break down fat so you don’t process it.
This means it’ll just pass through your body and be eliminated when you have a bowel movement. As a result, it’ll be a little harder to gain weight.
Naturally, you’ll have to avoid eating fatty foods, as this will cause some side effects (we’ll cover them in a section below).
As a prescription medication, this means Xenical is stronger than the over-the-counter alli. While alli only has 60 mg of orlistat in each dose, Xenical has 120 mg.
With both Xenical and alli, you take the medication 3 times a day with each meal. You have the option of taking the medicine during your meal or up to 1 hour after you’re finished.
If you don’t eat 3 meals a day, or if you eat a meal that doesn’t contain any fat, you can skip those doses.
Because Xenical blocks the enzymes that break down fat, this can affect how you absorb other things, such as vitamins. Because of this, you might need to take some supplements while you’re on this medication.
It’s recommended that you take the supplements before you go to bed. Otherwise, take them at least 2 hours before or after you take Xenical to ensure they get absorbed correctly.
If you’ve eaten a meal with fat and missed a dose of Xenical, take it as soon as you remember.
However, if it’s been more than 1 hour after you ate, just skip the missed dose. Take the next dose with your next meal.
Never take extra doses of Xenical to make up for missed ones. If you ever overdose, you need to get emergency treatment right away or call the Poison Helpline.
Again, Xenical affects hows you absorb foods and medications. So if you’re currently taking any other prescription drugs, there may be possible drug interactions.
For example, if you take cyclosporine or levothyroxine, don’t take either medicine within 4 hours (before and after) of taking Xenical.
It may be a good idea to ask your doctor about all possible drug interactions. This includes any herbal products or supplements/vitamins you’re taking on your own.
As with all medications, there are some possible side effects with Xenical. If you’re allergic to the medication, you may experience:
If you experience any of the above, you need to get emergency medical help right away.
Serious side effects you should watch out for include:
These may be signs of kidney and/or liver problems. Stop using Xenical right away and call your doctor so they can advise you on what to do.
It can be difficult to avoid eating fatty foods. Eating foods that are very high in fats will cause issues with Xenical.
Some common side effects you may have are:
These side effects may be alarming at first, but they’re actually signs that Xenical is working to block the fat in your diet. Rest assured that these side effects are usually temporary and the longer you take Xenical for, the less serious these side effects will be.
Now you have all the details about Xenical weight loss prescription medicine. Maybe you’ve determined it’s the right medication for you, and want to ask your doctor about it. Or maybe you’ve had a prescription but weren’t sure if it taking Xenical was the right decision.
Either way, hopefully, this article’s given you peace of mind about moving forward in the right direction. The next step is to get this medicine in a safe, quick, and affordable way.
Today, there are many reputable online pharmacies, such as The Canadian Drugstore. We offer a great range of prescription medications that are very fairly priced.
Are you ready to fill out your Xenical prescription? Then order from us today. We offer free shipping!