Orlistat
Description
Orlistat is a medicine used to treat obesity, which is a medical problem involving an excessive amount of body fat. Being obese may increase your risk of developing other health problems, including diabetes and high blood pressure.
Orlistat helps in reducing body weight by blocking the action of enzymes in your gut that digest fat in the diet. This prevents the fat from being absorbed into the body and allows the undigested fat to pass out of the body via the faeces.
Orlistat can cause side effects like headache, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, increased number of bowel movements, oily or fatty stools, loose stools, etc. Consult your doctor if these side effects persist or worsen. Avoid taking this medicine if you are allergic to it.
Orlistat should be taken with food or within one hour of completing the meal. The dose and duration of treatment will be determined by your doctor based on the severity of your condition. Avoid taking more or less than the recommended dose. Do not stop taking this medicine without consulting your doctor. Follow a strict diet and exercise regime for better results.
Orlistat is not recommended if you have any disorder causing malabsorption (poor absorption of nutrients from the intestine) or have cholestasis (a liver problem in which the flow of bile from the liver is slowed or blocked). Inform your doctor about your current medications and pre-existing medical conditions before taking this medicine. This will help your doctor adjust the dose to avoid side effects. Also, consult your doctor if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding before taking this medicine.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Orlistat
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Unusual tiredness and weakness
- Tooth problems
- Trouble sleeping
- Itching
- Stomach pain
- Abnormal bowel movements
- Back pain
- Oily or fatty stools
Uses of Orlistat
What is it prescribed for?
- Obesity
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe time taken by Orlistat to show its effect is not clinically known.
- Duration of effectThe time duration for which Orlistat remains active in your body is not clinically known.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendencies were reported for Orlistat.
- Usage in pregnancy?Due to the lack of safety information, Orlistat is not recommended for use during pregnancy unless necessary. Consult with your doctor if you are pregnant.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Due to the lack of safety information, Orlistat is not recommended for use while breastfeeding.
Allergy
Avoid taking Orlistat if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Chronic malabsorption syndrome
Malabsorption syndrome refers to certain disorders in which the small intestine is unable to absorb enough nutrients from the diet. Orlistat is not recommended if you have this condition as it can further worsen your condition.
Cholestasis
Cholestasis is a liver condition in which the flow of bile (a type of digestive juice) from the liver is reduced or blocked. Orlistat is not recommended in such cases as it can further aggravate the condition.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Due to the lack of safety information, Orlistat is not recommended for use during pregnancy unless necessary. Consult with your doctor if you are pregnant.
Breast-feeding
Due to the lack of safety information, Orlistat is not recommended for use while breastfeeding.
General warnings
Gastrointestinal effects
Orlistat may increase the risk of gastrointestinal (stomach and intestines) side effects if taken with a meal very high in fat.
Vitamin Deficiency
Orlistat may reduce the absorption of some fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E, and K) and beta-carotene in the body. Hence, this medicine should be used with caution if you have a pre-existing deficiency of such vitamins. Also, if you are taking a multivitamin supplement containing fat-soluble vitamins, take it at least two hours before or after taking Orlistat.
Rectal bleeding
Orlistat should be used with caution as it may cause rectal bleeding in some cases. Consult your doctor in case of severe and persistent symptoms.
Nephrolithiasis
Nephrolithiasis refers to kidney stones. Orlistat should be used with caution as it may cause increased levels of oxalate in the urine, thus increasing the risk of kidney stones and kidney damage. The risk is especially higher if you have pre-existing kidney problems or are volume-depleted (reduced fluid volume due to loss of water and salts from the body).
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose of Orlistat as soon as you remember, unless it is more than one hour after a meal. If it is longer than one hour since you ate a meal, skip the missed dose and continue on your regular dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to make up for the missed one.
Overdose
Never take more than the prescribed dose. Seek emergency medical treatment in case of an overdose of Orlistat.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Warfarin
Antidiabetic medicines
Cyclosporine
Disease interactions
Diabetes
Diabetes refers to high blood sugar levels. Orlistat should be used with caution if you have diabetes as this medicine causes weight loss that may also alter the blood sugar levels. Hence, your doctor may adjust the dose of antidiabetic medicines based on your clinical condition. Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly while you are taking this medicine.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Orlistat should be taken with food or up to one hour after a meal. Follow all the instructions given on the prescription label/packing insert.
Do not take more or less than the recommended dose of Orlistat. Take this medicine for the recommended duration for better results.
Take Orlistat at the same time every day for the ease of remembering. Consult your doctor immediately if you experience any side effects that persist or worsen.
Lifestyle modifications such as a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity are necessary along with taking this medication to achieve better results.
If you take oral contraceptive pills and have severe diarrhoea while taking this medicine, use other methods of contraception to avoid unwanted pregnancy.
Keep Orlistat away from the reach of children and pets. Ensure that the unused or expired medicine is disposed of properly.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Orlistat helps in reducing body weight by blocking the action of enzymes in your gut that digest fat in the diet. This prevents the fat from being absorbed into the body and allows the undigested fat to pass out of the body via the faeces.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Peripherally acting antiobesity agents
Schedule
Schedule H
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Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2022. DailyMed - ALLI- orlistat capsule. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 7 April 2022].
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Information on this page was last updated on 20 Apr 2022
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.