Xenical general information

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

Orlistat 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).

Orlistat may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Xenical dosage and administration

Take Xenical exactly as directed on the label, or as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Xenical comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

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.

Take Xenical with a full glass of water. Take Xenical during or within 1 hour after a meal that contains some fat (no more than 30% of the calories for that meal). Xenical is usually taken 3 times daily.

If you skip a meal or you eat a meal that does not contain any fat, skip your Xenical dose for that meal.

The fat content of your daily diet should not be greater than 30% of your total daily caloric intake. For example, if you eat 1200 calories per day, no more than 360 of those calories should be in the form of fat.

Xenical side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction:

hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop taking Xenical and call your doctor at once if you have severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, and a fast heart rate. These could be signs of pancreatitis.

The following side effects occur commonly with the use of Xenical. They are the natural effects of Xenical's fat-blocking action and are actually signs that the medication is working properly. These side effects are usually temporary and may lessen as you continue treatment with Xenical:

• oily spotting in your undergarments;
• oily or fatty stools;
• orange or brown colored oil in your stool;
• gas with discharge, an oily discharge;
• loose stools, or an urgent need to go to the bathroom, inability to control bowel movements;
• an increased number of bowel movements;
• or stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rectal pain.

Other side effects that may occur while taking Xenical include:

• problems with your teeth or gums;
  
• cold or flu symptoms;
• headache, back pain;
• or skin rash or itching.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.