Does it Work? - Alli - What is it, and does it work?

What is alli? Alli is the same medication as Xenical, but in a nonprescription strength.

How does it work? Alli blocks part of the fat you consume from being absorbed. It is a "fat blocker" and can block up to 25% of the fat.

Can't I buy fat-blockers on ebay or at the health food store? It's not the same thing. The so-called "fat blockers" that have been available for years are usually chitosan and studies have shown them ineffective. Alli, on the other hand, has been proven to work. You'll probably see a lot of knock-offs hit the market soon, but don't fall for their claims!

Does this mean I can eat french fries and butter again? Sorry! Alli works with a low fat diet to help you lose weight. If you consume more fat, you'll have more unpleasant side effects.

What kind of side effects? Since alli works to block fat from being absorbed, the excess fat must leave your body. You may have oily stools, or an oily discharge, or gas with oily spotting. You may have problems controlling your stools. :o

If I have to eat a low fat diet anyway, why bother taking the pills? A lot of people have problems sticking to a low fat diet, or any diet for that matter. Alli works for you in two ways : First it will help you consume fewer calories from the meals you eat, since the calories from the blocked fat are exiting your system instead of being absorbed. Alli claims you can lose up to 50% more weight than by following the same diet without Alli. Second - Knowing you may suffer unpleasant side effects can help keep you on track so you don't overeat or cheat. It can help to change your eating behavior.

How do I know what I can eat? The alli starter pack comes with diet suggestions. You can also sign up for the alli plan online, which we think is free as long as you have a special code from your alli starter pack. Plus, there are two books you can purchase - One is called Are You Losing It? and is a small book available at drugstores or online at http://areyoulosingit.myalli.com/BuyTheBook.aspx The other is a more comprehensive book with menus and recipes called the alli Diet Plan and is available at Amazon - the link is at the right side of this page.

Does it really work? Yes, it works :) But it may not be for you. And it's not a cheap or instant way to lose weight. You'll spend a lot of money to lose a few pounds. Whether or not you choose to try it is up to you. Like every other diet option, there isn't a 'one size fits all' answer to weight loss.

If you try alli, we'd really appreciate it if you would share your experiences. Does it work for you?

Eww... those side effects... don't sound like a force to be reckoned with, but if I'm desperate enough and my weight hits an unstoppable plateau, then maybe I'll try it.

Do they recommend it for a specific weight range?

Considering the side effects that are possible, including have to make a mad dash to the bathroom, :tantrum: I would think that someone who only wants to loose those 10 pounds before the class reunion would think twice. But then again, who knows!
http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/bar083/slider-ard/lb/0/75/2/.png (http://www.3fatchicks.com/weight-tracker/)

I bought the 90 count Alli yesturday - but will start taking the pills tomorrow. It recommends starting the low fat diet 2 days before starting the pills. Ever since I saw the commercial and researched it online, I have been thinking about getting them. I kinda bought it on a whim, but 2 things made me do it. Number 1 is I need an extra boost and if I eat too much fat at a meal, I will have the "slip slide and away's" and that will teach me really fast to not do that again. :) Number 2 is I had the money and if I didn't do it yesturday, it would be another month before I could afford it.

I looked at the booklets they give you and they have some great recepies and nothing fancy that will break the bank - like some other recepie books I've seen. I'm looking forward to this and I know it's not a "miracle pill". I just wanted some help to give me inspiration. I will keep everyone posted each day.

We've started a new thread in General Diet Plans for those taking alli. If you currently take it, please share your experiences and tips here - http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115809

Me too!

I just bought the starter pack today and have read through the info booklets. It claims to boost your own weight loss efforts by 2 pounds per 5 pounds lost. So I went for it. I've been eating pretty low fat for 2 weeks so I feel ready to start taking it tomorrow. They recommend that you never have a meal over 15 grams total fat in it while you take this pill and NO WAY am I gonna risk those side effects!

For the curious--a 30 day supply starter pack cost me $60.00 Stay tuned! I'll post results here, too.

cuppa

What happens when you stop taking it?

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Hi all, i'm brand new to the site. First of all, i think this a great online community! Good luck to everyone and congratulations to everyone who has already made such progress. I've seen some great inspirational stories and weight trackers on here. I'm excited to get started!

I am 23 and attempting (yet again) to lose the weight that I gained in college. I have been at my current job for almost a year and I travel a lot., which makes it hard to stay on track - but I've been making it a priority! I did South Beach for awhile and lost 15 lbs, which I've kept off. However, I plateaued. I eat pretty healthy usually and just need a kick start. I bought Alli last night and will start taking the pills this week. I think it will keep me on track and give me an extra kick in the butt to get moving at the gym. I started at the YMCA about 3 weeks ago and still going strong!

Has anyone had any of the awful side effects? Are those only associated with the slip-up "burger and fries" or can it happen with low fat foods too?

I'll keep posting my results with Alli...

Hi Nikki,
There is another forum for people taking alli which is really helpful. So far, the people that I know that have had one of the unmentionable accidents has been from eating food that is really high in fat... pizza...bratwurst... hamburgers. I have not heard of anyone having an accident that was following the plan as specified.

I have not had any problems yet and I have been taking the pill for over a week now. I am really careful about what I eat and writing it down.

Good Luck... I hope it works for you!

Hi alli friends!
I started taking alli 2 days ago and am also following WW. So far no problems, except I felt a little queasy last nite. Had chicken breast for dinner, low fat too. I was scared to take the pills, but what the heck, try everything once is my motto!

I just finished my first full week of alli and for me it does work. It's not a magic pill that will melt the pounds off, but the fear of treatment effects kept me honest to my eating plan. So far I've not had any side effects, but I am being very careful and aware of what I eat. I lost 3lbs this week. next week I'm going to add some exercise to my routine, which I totally neglected this week.

Alli really does seem to be a class-act as to totally informing the consumer of what it does and doesn't do, who should and should not take it, etc.

I was seriously considering it for awhile to help me beat this regain and push on to my goal, since I'm struggling so much with it all now. But reading the book that I bought over the counter (Are You Losing It?) and looking at the extensive displays in the store now that it's out, plus looking at the package and the web, I can see that it is NOT for me because I don't weigh the minimum for my height that they specify and because I don't eat that much fat, even though I had always thought I ate a higher fat diet than is usually recommended, but I guess not.

Anyhow, I wish the best of luck to those who are successfully using this program.

I am so sorry if my questions have been answered already. I quickly glanced through the support thread on this. I am always willing to try something new, but I want to know if this is even beneficial to me. I have lost 233lbs since the 1st of January 2006, by dieting, exercise (just started gym/water aerobics at the YMCA), working out, cardio, walking, etc. I have kept a diary of the foods I have eaten, as well as the carbs, and the calories. I havent "watched" my fat intake, but I have switched to fat-free/low-fat choices. My dinner tonight was only 11g of fat.

I mentioned the above items, as this is what people have mentioned that Alli recommends. I know about the "treatment effect", but since I don't eat 15g of fat per meal anyways, will this pill work for me? Should I save my money? I like the part about losing an extra 50% of your weight, but will that apply to me for someone who has already dieted/exercised? Or, is this product intended for those just starting?

Edit: After talking to a pharmacist at a RiteAid, we decided that this would not be beneficial to me. I went back and read my food labels. For breakfast I had 1g of fat, for lunch I had 6.5g of fat, and for dinner a whopping 11g. I walked 6.28 miles today, and that was my "lazy day" (no gym, no aerobics, nothing). Total calorie intake for the day was 1705 calories, and only 202.5g of Carbs( after subtracting out 29g of fiber). I think I will just continue on my own plan.

Those side effects are also in 1/4 % of people. That's extremely high! I would consider one's Omega/flax intake as well.

At my pharmacy, we won't let anyone buy the product before talking to a pharmacist. We are true health care professionals who honestly care about our patients and want them to fully understand what they are taking and that they are commited to dietary and exercise lifestyle changes. We never judge and are there for encouragement.

I encourage everyone to talk to their doctor AND pharmacist before trying this product! And good luck to all!

Hi all! :wave:

I've been on alli for a week - not one problem with 'treatment effects' - prally because it's done a good job of keeping me in check. I've tried many things for weight loss, and this has been the first time I haven't wavered after a couple of days. The biggest plus has been that I feel satisfied/full all the time. Strange! My mind is now off food. I'm usually thinking about my next meal as I'm eating the current one, but now I feel kind of free/able to get on with the day.

AND the myalli.com site is worth its weight in gold to me = Really helpful.

Hey, I'm a big skeptic, but my MIL was on Xenical 3x/day for a year with terrific results and is now only taking 1 pill a day for maintenance. She convinced me to try alli. I'm now four lbs. down after week 1...you know, peeps take a daily pill for blood pressure control and cholesterol reduction, why the hubbub about one for weight control? If it works for people, hurrah.

Jury's still out but things are looking up,
-Bren

I have been taking Alli for 4 weeks and have lost 15 pounds. For 4 weeks, I have been ON PROGRAM. I count calories and fat grams and have not strayed. Alli helped me do this. It has been a behavioral tool for me--I want to stay with in the suggested ranges to avoid te's. It may sound silly, but after 20 years of not being able to stay on a diet for more than two days, it's apparently just what I needed to stay on track. I am eating healthier than I have ever eaten in my life, and I have not experienced one te.

To be honest, I would take it if all it did was keep me on the straight and narrow, but as a bonus, it's helping me lose faster. I take one with each meal and I know it's removing 25% of the calories of fat I consume each and every time.

I would say it is definitely worth a try!

Well the real purpose is to use the pill to "encourage" you to follow a low fat diet so I'd stay under their limit of 15g of fat per meal. The pill itself doesn't absorb enough fat to make more than a slight difference in your weight loss but the fact that it helps you make a behavioral change in your diet is where you will see the weight loss.

A brief warning about Alli.

I started taking it yesterday and had horrible stomach cramps and heartburn. I called the company and was told they do not offer refunds since it was an over the counter product and that the side effects were listed on the bottle. I told her it doesnt say anything about heartburn and said if you experience cramps to contact the Dr. The lady kept pushing me to see the Dr and I told her I was fine before I took the pills and now Im sick. I demanded a refund since I only took 3 pills and supposedly they are sending it to me.:mad:

A brief warning about Alli.

I started taking it yesterday and had horrible stomach cramps and heartburn. I called the company and was told they do not offer refunds since it was an over the counter product and that the side effects were listed on the bottle. I told her it doesnt say anything about heartburn and said if you experience cramps to contact the Dr. The lady kept pushing me to see the Dr and I told her I was fine before I took the pills and now Im sick. I demanded a refund since I only took 3 pills and supposedly they are sending it to me.:mad:

I don't want to downplay your misery, but is also possible that something else made you sick -- just because one thing happened before the other doesn't mean it's the cause... I hope you feel better!

Well all I know was I was fine before I took them up until 45 minutes after taking the pill. I took 2 more that day before the meals and I stayed sick until the next day. Around noon I started feeling better so I do think it was the pills.

Thats kinda the point to the pills, stick to the plan and you dont get side effects. I've never had the side effects. Plus you are supposed to eat lowfat for 2 - 3 days before even starting the Alli. All meds effect people differently. I'm glad you feel better, Alli just isnt for you.

Here's my take, which I posted in the Atkins forum:

"I think Alli's more of a psychological aid than anything else. I did the math. Alli suggests a low-fat, reduced calorie diet in addition to taking the pill--and the pill itself works to block about 25% of the fat you eat. So, I took a 2,000 calorie diet (I'm assuming most women would be eating less). Alli suggests no more than 30% of your calories come from fat--so on a 2,000 calorie diet, that's about 600 calories coming from fat. Alli blocks 25% of the fat you consume, so that's only 150 calories blocked in a day.

If you're a woman and eating less total calories and therefore, also eating less calories from fat, the calories blocked in a day is even less than 150. So, really, you could cut out 1.5 ounces of cheese a day and avoid 150 calories...or two slices of bread. Y'know?

You need to burn 3500 calories to lose 1 pound of fat--and Alli's only going to block 1050 calories per week, assuming a 2,000 calorie diet at 30% fat. If you're eating less calories and less fat--you'll be burning less than 1050 calories per week with the Alli alone.

I know a woman on Alli and she feels it's helping her--I think spending the $$ on the pill and taking a pill helps her to feel motivated. I know there's a eating plan and exercise plan that comes along with the pills, and that's likely doing more for weight loss than the pills themselves. I'm glad Alli seems to be helping my friend feel on track, but I think the actual drug's benefits are pretty questionable, considering how few calories it actually blocks."

Hi again! Alli is doing what it advertises - blocking some of the fat I eat and keeping me in check.

It's easy to assume there's low bang for your buck, or say "it only blocks x amount, so you could just eat less cheese," but the problem comes when you don't eat less cheese, or two slices of bread. Alli is there when you slip. We all slip.

Doing the math and measuring cost of pill vs. fat blocked would make it appear expensive...if that was all it does. But it's more than that for me, so the cost is not a factor. Effectiveness is.

Soooo, from one who has taken it for a month, it's not just psychological aid. It's been a lifestyle change for the good. I'm down 14 pounds since July 4, and it was done with ease. Since I feel better and can fit into my shorts, I was able to start my fitness program yesterday = tennis, a former passion. Alli gave that back to me.

Just my two-cents. :smug: Good luck to everyone, whatever path they choose.

:dizzy:I just bought some and took it for the first time yesterday. I ate a low fat meal and have decided to combine with weight watchers. I have had no side effect yet. I do agree that I think it will be a motivator to me and help keep me on track - especially at work. I lost, gained, lost and am just tired of floundering. Ready to loose it and maintain!!!! :p

Hi,

what is the minimum weight/height to take alli? If it's not listed on the package, how would a person know if Alli is ok for them to take before spending the $?

Thanks

Here's my take, which I posted in the Atkins forum:

"I think Alli's more of a psychological aid than anything else.

but I think the actual drug's benefits are pretty questionable, considering how few calories it actually blocks."

I don't agree. I'm on the prescription strength Orlistat, Xenical and if you look at my ticker I was following a low-fat diet before taking the Xenical. Yes I was losing weight and lost 23lb in 3 months. However 16lb of that was the first month, 4lb the second month and only 3lb the third. I was making a lot of effort for little result.

Following the same type of diet and taking the Xenical I've lost 20lb the next two months. Xenical has made what was before a real struggle into something quite easy.

I too did the calculations and figured out about 145 calories a day not being absorbed by taking Xenical. But I'm sure like any drug, actions will vary depending on the individual and the types of food an individual eats. I would see the 145/150 cals a day as an average rather than an absolute.

I do think there are some psycholocial effects but these are as a result of the success I'm seeing rather than any placebo effect.

Kitty

My father has taken Alli since it came out he has lost at least 20 lbs. He maintains a healthy diet (not overly strict though - he has a piece of cake at a party or soemthing) and exercises at least 3-4 days a week. He has only had one episode with the "treatment effects". I've seen it work so it does. I think I am going to attempt it.

The side effects aren't very bad, but it may cause pre-cancerous lesions of the colon:

What?? I don't recall ever seeing that reported anywhere.

Are these addictive?

I was taking Alli but had to stopped because I was going through a change in prescription drugs that caused my digestive track to be all messed up. I plan on going back on soon. It did seem to help the short time I took them but you definitely can't eat too much fat or you will know it. Though that is the point.
They are not addictive because unlike many "diet" pills it only works in your stomach. It's not mood altering and doesn't effect any other part of your body. I'm no medical expert but I would say there is no way you can get physically addicted to it.

I heard about Alli long ago. Like Azure said it is the diet rather than the pill that makes you lose weight.
I quote some info here Consumers desperately searching for solution to their weight challenges now have easy access to the new FDA-approved over-the-counter (OTC) weight-loss drug Orlistat, marketed under the name Alli. Lest you think this is a brand new drug that will deliver the much sought after solution to the obesity epidemic, think again. This “new” drug isn’t new at all. Orlistat is simply a lower-dose version of the prescription weight-loss drug Xenical, which has had zero impact on moving the fat meter in our society. Making Orlistat available to consumers over-the-counter only means that tens of millions of people will now have false hopes of sustained weight-loss while being exposed to toxic, synthetic chemical compounds.
So this is supposed to be an old drug in a new bottle. A prescription drug made an OTC just for company profits.
the drug interferes with the absorption of essential fatty acids. Given that most overweight people are already extremely deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and other healthy oils, this Alli drug is likely to put them in an even worse state of deficiency.

The drug works by interfering with the digestion of dietary fats, you see. That may sound great if you're eating a diet of fried foods, hydrogenated oils and processed meat products, but even if you block the absorption of those obesity-promoting fats, you're still left in a state of deficiency concerning the healthy oils like omega-3 fatty acids. And if you eat more flaxseed or take fish oil capsules, guess what? Alli will interfere with those, too, causing you to miss out on at least some of their benefits.

there was a funny article on Alli. I cannot post links so do a search for ""Miracle" weight loss drug Alli delivers more than you bargained for (diapers optional)" With the double quotes in google and you will get the article.
After coming to this forum I see that this article might be a little exaggerated.
The truth however is that if you take a high fat diet with alli you might have anal discharge. I think that is the motivating factor like it says in the article. The most motivating factor is that if you have a "side effect" in public then you will have to move to another city and hope no one has taken your video.

I find alli will make you lose only 5 of the 15 pounds you lose with it. The other 10 pounds you lose because of your diet.
But then only "we" know what "we" are going through. And sometimes "we" are ready to take that risk or do anything that will keep "us" on track.
I find only two supplements that actually work. One is Garcinia Cambogia(not recomened for diabetics as it reduces blood sugar levels and a person on insulin might get hypo) which has not side effects at all. This one i can personally vouch for. I have a sort of an eating disorder and I binge for day consuming 5000+ calories of fast food and during one such 10 day binge i actually reduced 3 kgs.
The other one is Fucothin. i cant vouch for it but i am taking it. After the research I have done on it. I find that those that "condemn" it only do so because there are no human test only lab test on mice. The human test that were conducted were not for weight loss but for it effect on cancer and it is really a superfood. So I am not losing anything by taking fucothin. I am going to go by the lab test on mice and the feedback on several forums by users that it works for them. All of them said it got rid of belly fat which is what i am looking for.

Why rubbish a drug that's been properly tested over many years with real clinical outcomes and then promote other products that have not gone through the same rigours?

Kitty

p.s. lost 33 lbs on Orlistat in just over 4 months

I am now on Weight Watchers but I posted to this thread awhile ago, and I just have to respond to Raj. What's with the confrontational tone of your post? First, I don't think you posted anything new. I think most people here are pretty aware that most of the drug's effects aren't due to the fact that it blocks fat absorption.

Your statement regarding the fact that the weight loss is just due to the diet is flawed. I know if I'm taking a pill that's going to make bad things happen to my digestive system if I go off the diet, well, I'll be more likely to stick to the diet. So it's not the diet per se, it's not the fat blockage per se, it's the fact that while you're on the pill you're more likely to comply with the diet plan.

As for the claim that Orlistat hasn't made an impact on obesity rates, how could it? Xenical was a prescription drug, and it was prescribed for a very small percentage of obese Americans. Orlistat has only been available for what, 5-6 months now? And the cost is prohibitive. Many people cannot afford the cost of the drug, so they choose not to take it. Not everyone who's taking it started when it first came out on the market, and if you're losing weight in a responsible manner, you do so slowly. So I think it will take some time to see any effects on the obesity problem.

As for your claim that it's just a drug company trying to make more money, well duh! That's how things work. Allegra did the same thing. I'm there there are hundreds of drugs that became non-prescription, and I'm sure drug companies wouldn't have pursued non-prescription status if it weren't profitable.

And while I applaud your general approach of critical thinking, I scratch my head at this statement:

The other one is Fucothin. i cant vouch for it but i am taking it. After the research I have done on it. I find that those that "condemn" it only do so because there are no human test only lab test on mice. The human test that were conducted were not for weight loss but for it effect on cancer and it is really a superfood. So I am not losing anything by taking fucothin. I am going to go by the lab test on mice and the feedback on several forums by users that it works for them. All of them said it got rid of belly fat which is what i am looking for.

How could you be putting something in your body that you can't vouch for? How can you be taking any pill that wasn't tested on humans? If you're so concerned about the effects of a drug that has gone through many clinical trials, why aren't you concerned with a drug that hasn't even been tested on humans?

I'm gonna try it!

This is not a miracle drug and they let you know right of the bat. If you think that you can eat like a mad man/woman this isn't the case. All this does is allow people the opportunity to add some benefit to your already existing HEALTHY diet. I just started it. This morning, of my 350 cal breakfast,2 waffles with jelly, coffee with creamer and a pear, 130 cals of that is from fat intake. Alli will help block it and send some of it out of the body. But you must watch your fat intake or Alli will give you adverse effects ( pardon my bluntness but it'll give you the runs). The pills aren't addictive and if you want to have a high fat meal on occassion don't take the pill before you eat. No adverse effect. I figure, I'm committed to the program, and this way I can focus on losing 10 lbs and Alli can help me add maybe another 5b to my loss without doing anything else. If it can help keep me on the path and can assist me in getting from 156-@141 instead of 146 why not? Of course, I'm also a short termer on Alli. 2 bottles and I'm done. Everyone has to make their own decision. No miracles here. Don't expect one just hard work.

Hey all,

I wanted to talk about my experience with Alli. I bought the starter pack read all the instructions and informational material and figured that it was pretty easy. It was pretty easy. According to your weight, it tells you about the highest amounts of grams of fat you should be having at each meal. Mine was 18. It worked well when I didn't eat to much fat and there were no unpleasant side effects. However, one day at work, the salad bar where my office usually orders from had a flood and we could not get food from there. I had many bad experiences with other restaurants that had salad so I didn't want to order. So we decided to get beef patties w/cheese for lunch. I thought it was a bad idea to take the pill with this meal because I was certain the amount of fat was over the limit. I took the pill anyway and OMG :o at first everything was okay while I was at work. I had a little gas and that was all. I usually eat lunch around 1 to 2pm. When I left work at 5:30pm I was still pretty okay. As I approached my home, I began to have horrible stomach pains... and I felt like I had to go to the bathroom immediately. I felt as though I could not hold it. The pains were intense and I had to have my husband drop me off in front of my house, so I could run in while he looked for parking. When I finally reached the bathroom, it came pouring out like a faucet. I felt releaved at this point, but didn't know that it was not the end. When I wiped myself, the tissue was orange, and it look like water. I thought Wow :whoo: this is crazy. I got up and proceeded to carry on with my daily home from work routine, but found that my stomach still hurt and I had to go back to the bathroom, this time I unleased so much. When I wiped the same thing happened but it was a lot more. When I looked in the toilet I was shocked.. the orange stuff I had seen on the tissue was all over the toilet bowl. Apparently, the orange stuff was all the grease/fat from my food, it was great to see that the product actually worked, but I was pissed at how many times I had to ****, which was about 3 for the night.

The great thing about Alli is that it works, and the unpleasant effects will stop you from eating the wrong thing and taking the pill. However, if you know you had too much fat, you just don't have to take the pill, which is also not good cause then u may eat it anyway. All in all I took it for 1 month and lost about 5 pounds, without working out.. Just walking a bit more, cutting soda and juice from my diet and eating better. Imagine if I had been working out and not cheating on my diet once in a while....

Well any questions let me know....:):thanks:

I'm on Xenical and its working for me. I've also changed my diet but its little things, like knowing that I am going to crap myself if I pick between meals and that's enough NOT TO!! :D

hello all,

I just was so happy to have found this board, I have started alli today, so am looking forward to seeing how this works. I hope all will share they alli day with me also. I am off to bed, and will check back in tomorrow....nice to have found this site.

nancy

If you are looking for support for Alli, check our general diet plans area
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=10

There is usually a support thread going. This thread isn't for support, just for general questions and discussion.

I started Alli on March 17th. The first two days I took it before all three meals. Then I realized since I do eat low fat anyway, I didni't need to take it for breakfast or lunch so now only take it once per day at supper time. So far, today is my two week point, I have lost eleven pounds.
Yes if you eat to much fat you will suffer with the trots. lol So far I have not had a problem because I am on a low fat diet anyway.
So my pills were just under $60 for 90 and since I am only taking it once per day that comes to $20 per month for a little diet boost that is working for me.
Foe me, I think taking it just once a day is a little psychological boost as well to help me stay within my fat grams allowed per day for myself. I will check in next Tuesday with my weight loss again. we will see if it continues. I hope so.

Annie

I tried this for about a month. I didn't have any of the side effects that they stated, but I found it hard to meet my fat intake per meal. You weren't supposed to exceed more than 15 grams of fat per meal, but you have to eat at least that for the pill to work effectively. I lost about 8 pounds on it, but it was hard to get the fat that was required. If you have no problem eating the fat content, then Alli would be for you. :carrot:

I started taking Alli almost a week ago. I haven't had any problems because (as my dr. said) count your fat carefully. I'm also doing w.w so my question is if my points are 26 per day. How do I know what my calories should be? Any one know the range for this. Thanks

26 POINTS equals roughly 1300 calories. That's a rough estimate.

Thanks so much, I've been looking all over for this info. I'm so used to just counting points (and going over) that I'm hating counting fat grams and calories.

I wish it was sold in my country =(

I wish it was sold in my country =(

what country? can't you buy it on line?:carrot:

Read your blog, your more secure than I am. Very nicely done, I enjoyed reading it.

So let me get this right.... You are told how much fat to eat in order for the pill to be effective? Eat too much and watch out, but what if you don't eat enough fat? Does it not work? Where is the cheapest place to buy it? I saw it for like $69 at Walgreens for like 90 pills, but Sams club had 150 pills for like $63. Is there a better deal? Anywhere online?? Is the diet plan included in the package (I don't want to risk an explosion at work, I may wear a diaper to start). Also any other tips/advise not included in the package but you learned thru trial & error? Thanks so much for any advise, Thanks:dizzy:

I didn't eat enough fat in my meals, so I didn't lose any weight. I didn't gain any weight either. I maintained my starting weight and fluctuated between a two to three pound weight loss here and there, but I always went back to what I started. I didn't have any "explosions," I even tested it by eating something really fatty. Things didn't taste right either. If I ate something with a high fat content, I felt like my mouth was coated in vaseline. There were benefits, but it only helped me switch to a low fat diet. I bought mine at Wal-mart for a fairly decent price. It's all about if you're willing to change your diet.

Has anyone here with a diagnosis of IBS tried Alli? I have IBS usually with the 'D' symptoms as opposed to the 'C'. I am looking for an extra boost as i have hit a plateau after only losing about 15 of the 60 lbs in the 4 months i have been active in my lifestyle change. i hit the plateau about a month and a half ago. Just wondering if the "side effects" would hit me even worse since i already have a bowel problem.

Thanks!

Hey guys. I am thinking of taking Alli because I have heard good things about it. I read that you only get the "treatment effects" when you eat too much fat in your meals. I believe that Alli is to help people who lead an unhealthy lifestyle, and it really makes you aware of the things that are good and bad for you. It comes to the point where you can stop taking Alli once you've become satsified, and then you have learned a healthy lifestyle. It's not a pill for someone to be able to lose weight while eating crap. You have to be dedicated to eating the right choices. The treatment effects are a reminder that you are making bad choices.

I am surprised there isn't a very active post with people using Alli. I have started the program and find that it is helpful. Just need to stick to it like with any diet program.
Any Alli long timers out there?
Roseblush

I am surprised there isn't a very active post with people using Alli. I have started the program and find that it is helpful. Just need to stick to it like with any diet program.
Any Alli long timers out there?
Roseblush

I'm a long time user of the prescription version, Xenical, as its not available OTC in the UK. I'm on my 11th month and will reach my anniversary at the end of this month. I've lost 63lbs on it in those 11 months and 23lbs before taking it. As you say it works if you stick to it.

Kitty

What happens when you stop taking it? According to the information that comes with Alli, all of the fat you eat is digested since there's no pill to block it. You're also advised that you may gain weight after you stop if you're eating an inappropriate amount of fat. You're also advised that you may want to go back on Alli for periods of time if you're having trouble maintaining a new weight. But the idea here is to learn to eat healthy, low-fat foods as a way of life.

I don't know; I love mayonnaise, hard cheeses, and butter. I'm not eating any full-fat cheese, using whipped butter, and fighting the fresh tomato with white bread and mayo urge. At least I'm measuring the mayonnaise, and using a fat-free Vidalia onion salad dressing - which has tons of sugar I'm sure. I hate that so many things that are fat-free and advertised and packaged as healthy for weight loss are so high in sugar and other unintelligible ingredients.

LOL! I tried Alli a few months ago. Oh man. I was at work (I'm a substitute teacher and was subbing for a preschool teacher) and I had to get up to get some crayons or something for the students. When I got back to my seat, I noticed that it was covered with this brownish yellow BILE. I hadn't even NOTICED anything coming out of me or felt anything wet on me at all. Well, I excused myself to the bathroom, grabbing the chair to take with me. My pants were covered with the bile, and it smelled soooo bad. I had to throw the pants away when I got home, and I was in the bathroom for about 20 minutes trying to clean off the chair.

Sooo embarrassing. I think a big part of it though was that I wasn't eating a low-fat diet. So yeah, I suggest to anyone that wants to try Alli, PLEASE don't eat fatty foods with it.

I had a neighbor who was obese and did very well on the prescription form of this many years ago. However, I read in Consumer Reports that Alli was not the strength of the prescription version, and did very little to help lose weight in a healthy fashion, and keep it off. I was bummed because I was going to give it a whirl. On the other hand, I have less than 20 pounds to lose, and it probably isn't the best solution for someone in that situation.

Any thoughts?

Roseblush...I have used Alli for 13 months. Feel great...practically no problems with it. Happily 70 lbs lost!

Sorry, may be repeating stuff but I don't have time to read all the posts. My mom talked to a pharmacist. She's always hoping for a way to lose weight so she can go from about 185 to 105 without doing anything. :( The pharmacist told her that yes, it will work but they strongly recommend wearing a pad as well as dark coloured pants because of how little control you will have over your ability to get to the bathroom in time. Thankfully she decided not to try it.

Sorry, may be repeating stuff but I don't have time to read all the posts. My mom talked to a pharmacist. She's always hoping for a way to lose weight so she can go from about 185 to 105 without doing anything. :( The pharmacist told her that yes, it will work but they strongly recommend wearing a pad as well as dark coloured pants because of how little control you will have over your ability to get to the bathroom in time. Thankfully she decided not to try it.

I'm sorry but that's a load of rubbish. If you follow the dietry advice, 'accidents' will not happen.

Kitty

I was wondering if anybody out there with IBS has tried Alli. Does it make the TE worse?

Hey all! I just started a new Alli support thread in the General Diet forum if anyone cares to join in.

Alli suggests that you take an extra change of clothes everywhere you go. Alli broadcasts itself as a "fat blocker", it does block fat, however they fail to mention that Alli well.... to be blunt... it makes you **** your pants.
Think carefully about using this product before you use it...
Is losing weight worth ****ting yourself?

Alli suggests that you take an extra change of clothes everywhere you go. Alli broadcasts itself as a "fat blocker", it does block fat, however they fail to mention that Alli well.... to be blunt... it makes you **** your pants.
Think carefully about using this product before you use it...
Is losing weight worth ****ting yourself?


I'll repeat my reply above:

I'm sorry but that's a load of rubbish. If you follow the dietry advice, 'accidents' will not happen.

Kitty

Alli suggests that you take an extra change of clothes everywhere you go. Alli broadcasts itself as a "fat blocker", it does block fat, however they fail to mention that Alli well.... to be blunt... it makes you **** your pants.
Think carefully about using this product before you use it...
Is losing weight worth ****ting yourself?

I've been on it for a couple of months, that never happened to me. In fact, sometimes I find I'm kinda plugged up. Strange, but true.

I've been on it for a couple of months, that never happened to me. In fact, sometimes I find I'm kinda plugged up. Strange, but true.

Absolutely Amy, I find if I don't eat enough fat that I get bunged up. I think its really about finding the perfect balance.

Kitty

Like many of you, I picked up the Alli brochure when it first came out and immediatly said "NO WAY" when it described how you should take other sets of clothes with you when you go out, and to wear dark colored pants - just in case! I don't think this sounds all that healthy to me - or NORMAL! :)

Jenn

I put an extra set of sweat pants in my truck "just in case" as the booklet recommends and I have been on the Alli Plan for 2 months not and haven't used them yet, in fact haven't even come close to using them.

I think the book recommends this just to cover their tails because SOMETIMES someone will have a bad reaction. But I really believe if you follow the plan and eat low fat like the plan requires it is far and few inbetween that people will have a bad reaction.

Incidently I have eaten well and stay full and I have lost 25 pounds so far. It is working for me.

Does Alli work for everybody? Evidently not but name one thing that works for everybody???

It works for the majority of people who follow the directions and the only way you will know if it will work for you is to try it.

The horror stories that abound on the web and on forums crack me up.

I'll bet my last dollar that 90% of them are from people who bought Alli and didn't read the books and just kept eating what they always ate (or like my sister THOUGHT she was eating low fat but was not!) and when $#^& in their pants them blame Alli and say it doesn't work.

Well if you eat 10 lbs of fat laden food and you take Alli and they says that you will drop 25% of the fat you eat done blame the plan when you drop that 25% in your pants! :D

I took Xenical for a short while before my insurance stopped covering it and never had a problem. I also took Alli for awhile and again, never had a problem. Most people won't if they STICK TO THE PLAN. Most people will not have "accidents" unless they consume too much fat. If you don't want to deal with the consequences, then don't take Alli. My Da tried Xenical and was rather casual about how much fat he was actually taking in. He had problems. That's the deal. He stopped taking it. Again, you've got to stick with the low fat diet if you don't want a problem. Read labels carefully, don't assume you know the fat content of everything. If you are conscientious of what you are eating, you should be fine.

I just order a 120 pack and can not wait for it to arrive! It does help. Its not a cure all but it helps.

Just a question about fat content. Staying under a set number of fat grams is the only concern, not whether it is a good fat? I love olives and nuts which are considered healthy food items by many people, yet they are very high in fat. Should I decide to take Alli, would I have to limit my intake of both olives and nuts? I know they are high in calories, but fat is high also. Good fat, bad fat. Is there a difference with TEs?

Second, if I decide to go out for pizza one night, if I don't take a pill, will there still be a problem? I read somewhere on this board that you needed to stop taking the pills a few days before a planned high fat meal. I usually don't plan that far ahead.

Alli takes the fat out of your meal, regardless if its good fat or not. If you eat over the recommended grams of fat within a specific meal, then you risk encountering the effects.

Also from what I've read, Alli stays in the body so if you don't take a pill, then go out for a high fat content meal, the alli already in your body will react to it and again you risk encountering the effects.

Remember though that the amount of calories that alli removes from your food on a daily basis is pretty minimal. The power of alli is it is supposed to keep you 'on plan' in regards to a low fat diet.

Webweevil, I believe you do need to consider overall fat, doesn't matter whether it's good or bad. I think I remember reading something in the booklets that you'd have to remember that olives have fat, or something. You could eat olives and nuts, just in moderation!

They also warn against splurging and having a meal with a lot of fat. I think you'd want to be on Alli for awhile so your body can adjust, and then see how you feel about skipping a pill to splurge a little. I would probably recommend skipping the pills that entire day and maybe the next day if you were going to eat a lot of pizza.

I was wondering if anybody out there with IBS has tried Alli. Does it make the TE worse?


I have battled IBS all my life and I was concerned about the TE also. I have been on Alli for 2 weeks and lost about 11 pounds total. I take doxycycline for the IBS (started at 4 times a day but with my improved diet and exercise I find I only need them once a day now).

As far as TE, I have not had any. However, everytime I go there is a little orange oily film. Certainly no trouble with control or spotting or abdominal pain.

Well, I started on Alli on Friday 16th. So far, so good. I'll give it a week or two before posting an update. It seems strange that there are quite a few people that started taking Alli and posted results a week or so down the road, but hardly anybody has posted results a few months down the road. Seems odd.

I used Alli and Xenical off and on for a few years. Alli does work, it just didn't work for me because of the mindset I had when using it. I took Alli when I ate too much fat and it helped me not pack on more pounds. Unfortunately I wasn't eating any better and I wasn't losing any weight. If you are the type of person who will change your eating habits to avoid the side effects, then Alli may be for you. Unfortunately, I realized that I used Alli to support my bad eating habits -- eat a pizza, take some Alli; have a cheesesteak, take some Alli.

Since then, I've found that a moderate/higher fat diet with more protein and less carbs is best for me. I focus on good fats from olive oil, flax, fish and don't want to "eliminate" these with Alli.

I use Alli with Stillman's Protein PLus which IS a low carb low fat plan. I don't eat much fat on Stillmans, but when I have something higher in fat like ground beef then I take an Alli. It seems to work for me and I have no treatment effects. if you stay lowfat then the Alli flushes a percentage of your dietary fat and it is not digested...that equals CALORIES. I got mine on Ebay pretty cheap and I don't take them at EVERY meal, just ones with fat, so it hasn't been very expensive.

what I'm hearing here is that it mainly works because it keeps you compliant...but think about this: even if Alli only blocks 25% of your dietary fat think how much better your food tastes WITH that 25 %. for ME, by blocking that 25% (AND keeping me honest) it makes my lowfat diet that much more palatable.

I was using it, but I didn't have any luck with it. Actually I had the opposit affect, I ended up constipated. So it may work for other, but not for me. I felt miserable while taking it. Alwasy gassy and felt bloated. I had more luck losing weight. But just watching what I ate. I wasn't reaching my 1800 calorie intake, or the 60 grams of fat per day. But maybe I wasnt' doing it right. But its just not for me.

Well, I started on Alli on Friday 16th. So far, so good. I'll give it a week or two before posting an update. It seems strange that there are quite a few people that started taking Alli and posted results a week or so down the road, but hardly anybody has posted results a few months down the road. Seems odd.


I have been taking Alli for over a year. I take it off and on. I don't take the pill when my meal is very low in fat or high in fat. I've never had a problem with Alli, and tend to think that people who do are ignoring the diet restrictions for taking the pill. I calorie count, and I figure the impact of Alli into my count. I like it.

I have been taking Alli for two weeks and have had no side affects. I normally stick to the 15 grams of fat or less per meal. I have friends that has tried the Alli pills before but because they ate too much fat, they had bad experiences. I call this pill my honest pill and it does keep me in line with choosing the right food choices. I have lost 5lbs in 2 weeks so far and I am very excited about the continuing my low fat diet and the pill.

I had taken Alli and it did help and I lost some weight. I just didn't take when I knew I would have too much fat.

The only bad affect it had on me was that my thyroid level went way down. I am on synthroid and have had a throidectomy. So if you have any thyroid problems, check with your Dr. It took about 5 months until my level came back up.

Sue:hug:

I don't think it was answered....what happens when you stop taking it?

Glitterducky, that's a good question.

Glitterducky and Janga,

Depending on the user the weight can creep back on. That is true no matter which method you use for weight loss. I use Alli under the care of a physician and see it like this. If I had a thyroid condition, I would take medication for it. If I was a diabetic, I would take insulin. How is it that weight should be any different? If something is working for someone, more power to them.

Well, I would say that once you stop taking Alli, it is hopefully because you have learned the healthy eating habits you need to maintain a healthy weight. So like with any diet, when you are done losing and are in maintenance, you just have to watch yourself and make sure you don't start gaining again. I don't understand where the confusion is about that.

I used Alli for 5 months and lost 4 pounds. I kept going up and down on it losing and gaining the same 5 pounds. But the stomach problems-it's not just anal leakage, if you don't eat the right combinations, it's also bloating, cramping and digestive problems.
Now it's been over a year since I used Alli, and I am still having stomach problems and anal leakage.

Hmmm, a year after stopping a drug and still having problems? Sounds like you should go to a doctor! I know I would!

Amen sister!

Losing and regaining the same four pounds? The plan is proven to work if it's followed. Taking the pill alone--nope it won't work. How many calories were you ingesting daily? How many fat grams daily? What was your exercise regimen? Side effects occur at least 90% + of the time because of going off plan.

With Alli, you can eat processed low fat products or high sugar/carb items and it'd have no effect. So you'd need to eat a low fat diet along with reasonable amount of calories.

I have taken both Xenical and Alli. Let me tell you NOT to eat anything high in fat and if you do be VERY NEAR a bathroom. Wow, not pretty. I only take it on the weekends occasionally, as I am a teacher and cannot use a restroom at a moments notice. Give it a try, but be very careful with what you eat. I did not have significant weight loss, but I only took it for awhile. I was too nervous to shat myself!! Ugh, sad but true!

Sounds interesting.

To clarify my previous post, I am not confused, just interested in weight management topics in general and participating in the forum and think that's a valid question with any weight loss aid, what happens when you quit taking it? :)

I have no opinion on Alli other than to be honest I have a generally unfavorable view of weight loss aids in pill form in general and nonprescription ones especially. I used to feel that Alli was probably one of the most effective concepts to be found in the drugstore because it didn't seem to be dangerous and addressed the issue of behavior modification.

But in some instances I've heard people say that they indeed modify their behavior with the drug to avoid the effects of overeating but that when they eat the proper diet that goes along with it, they take the pill and that absorbs some of the calories of the healthy meal.

I have that reservation about Xenical also, personally, just my opinion and not for the world trying to tell anyone else they shouldn't do what they want to do as I'm only interested in what I do. :)

For me, it's better to learn (and I'm still learning) how to eat the proper amounts of all the nutrients, including fat, which is essential to our bodies' functioning instead of having calories absorbed that I do eat.

But to each her own.

Glitterducky and Janga,

Depending on the user the weight can creep back on. That is true no matter which method you use for weight loss. I use Alli under the care of a physician and see it like this. If I had a thyroid condition, I would take medication for it. If I was a diabetic, I would take insulin. How is it that weight should be any different? If something is working for someone, more power to them.

Quoting from my above post.

:DFor me, it's better to learn (and I'm still learning) how to eat the proper amounts of all the nutrients, including fat, which is essential to our bodies' functioning instead of having calories absorbed that I do eat.

But to each her own.



...and if a frog had wings he wouldn't bump his *** everytime he hopped...sorry, couldn't resist:D

I don't understand this comment or its intent, Thighs be Gone.

:D



...and if a frog had wings he wouldn't bump his *** everytime he hopped...sorry, couldn't resist:D

never mind :)

Very well.

never mind :)

i used alli last april for about a month alongside a low fat diet and 3-4days a week at the gym, attending water aerobics class/zumba classes... i lost 22lbs in about a month and a half on this plan in preparation for a vacation but as soon as i got home the weight came back and i feel this had something to do with not using alli after.

i feel like it really works when you use it with a low fat diet and exercise as an "extra push."

the side effects only show their ugly head if you stray from the plan, eat less than 15grams of fat per meal and you'll be in the clear...think that you can eat fatty foods and rely on a miracle pill and you'll regret it later. if anything, i love the idea that there are repercussions for straying, it keeps me on track and really kept me motivated.

i just bought another bottle and have started my diet. my goal is to lose 60lbs total by my birthday in november and with alli's help i believe it is possible.

wow! I will have to check this out!


http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wnEhXoy/weight.png
(http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wnEhXoy/)

Hi everyone
I am looking for people who tried alli, in Michigan.
If it work, or did not work, your experience interest me. I am a french journalist making a report on alli, as it comes to France in few weeks. I really like to have a fair view about it.
So please if you know someone, who loose weight, are still on alli diet, or had problems with it. Let me know

Thank u all.

I was going to go buy Alli today, but after doing alot a research, I came across a site where people where saying that Alli caused them to have divaticulitis(sp?) and strokes, now I'm nervous, has anyone heard this or experienced this?

Hello, I am new to this site and hope it has a lot to offer me in terms of help and motivation. I was a little hesitant to try this product. I am gonna officially start taking the pills on 4/13. I wanna get in the habit of a low fat/calorie diet. I'll let everyone know how this works for me! YAY! :)

My two cents on Alli and all of the OTC products: Like most people reading this I have been dieting for many years and think about dieting and weight loss every single. Anyway, I have tried nearly all the OTC products and of course, most did nothing. Alli does work. But not to a great extent. If you use it regularly (I did not say daily) but regularly every time you eat a high fat meal (i.e. whenever you eat out) you will prevent about a pound a month from being gained. And there really is some relief that you can do something about the meal after the fact, even tho the orange oil you see in the toilet each time only represents about 100-150 calories. Yes, if you take alli during or right after a high fat meal, you may have leakage you cannot control within 12-36 hours. If you eat a high fat meal and are feeling brave (and maybe have some Depends on hand) take 2 alli pills with a high fat meal. Even more calories will be released (more orange oil in the toilet). If you are not eating what you feel is a high fat meal, don't take alli. What's the point? The only other OTC product I have had success with, and it is only minor, is SlimShots, which decrease the appetite somewhat. If you take two shots in the morning you will eat less during the day. DO NOT take alli and SlimShots in the same day, as it is couterproductive. Anyway, this is my 2 cents on dieting.. I have been trying to lose 30 pounds for ten years. I have gained and lost 10 pounds dozens of times, but I do feel like if I did not constantly think and worry about it I would be heavier than I am now. I have been approx. 30 pounds overweight for 10 years, but what if I had not worried and obsessed over it all this time? Surely it would be more now, and I find some success in that. Does anyone else ever feel this way?

I have to agree with a lot of the other women. One of the biggest motivators for me is the scare of slipping up, and experiencing "treatment effects". Especially because my family thinks its really fun to offer me really unhealthy food to see if I will cave. With the alli pills, I consider what my family offers, and then think about whether or not I want to be able to make it home with out any emergencies. That helps a lot.

I used Alli for a few months - it helped me lose weight, but I felt horrible. I combined it with WW, and since WW calculates points based on calories, fat and fiber, I don't think I was getting enough nutrients. I gave it up after 2 months and have still continued to lose.

But those side effects... I will say that after the first time I ate too much fat, my experience prevented me from EVER doing it again.

I love Alli! I took Alli back in July before I fell of the bandwagon. I took it AS DIRECTED (NEVER ate over my fat gram allowance) and combined it with doing Turbo Jam daily and lost 12 lbs in 3 weeks which is much more than I'd ever lost with restricting cals & exercise alone. I noticed a HUGE difference and plan on taking Alli again as soon as I get the money (it's a bit pricey for me). Oh, I should also say if you plan on taking it I'd be a good idea to start restricting your fat 3 days before starting the pills as anything you've eaten up to 72 hours before can cause a dreaded treatment effect ;) Just a warning.

I took Alli for about a week and a half after losing 22 lbs on my own watching calories and fat. They tell you not to exceed about 15 grams of fat per meal, but they DO NOT MENTION THAT YOU SHOULD BE EATING AT LEAST THAT. I was already averaging only 6-8 fat grams per meal and when I started the Alli, that was appearently not enough to sustain my body. Consequence: I STARTED LOSING MY HAIR!! Not a little, a lot. Handfuls, I developed very thin spots on the sides of my head in a matter of a week. Suspecting it was the pills I checked the website, Alli claims that hair loss is not a side effect, but others have reported the same problem. Appearently, the science behind it is that if you are not getting enough fat in your diet, your hair can switch from the normal growth phase to the resting phase, causing much more than average hair loss. You then have to wait several months for the growth stage to start back up. Well, it's been about three months and my hair is finally starting to fill in again. I stopped taking the pills when I noticed the effect, so I can't say whether or not they work for weight loss, but if u try them, be sure to get all of your required fats.

I started taking Alli when it first came out and it seemed to work. I took it with a regular diet and exercise plan and lost about 20 lbs. Then I got sick (NOT from the Alli) and gained all that back plus 25 more since. I am now ready to lose all that and more, and Alli is back on the plan.

I have had the Alli effect and have to say that it is not pleasant at all, but it is controllable with proper diet. If you have a lot of negative side effects you may want to rethink your diet plan. Alli is not a magic pill, and can only do do much without your helpl I am the first to admit that I love McD's french fries (I could leave the rest of their stuff) and you will pay for eating things like that. It does make you think before you put anything in your mouth however, and that is a strong motivator for me.