My mum and sister were prescribed a stronger version of these, and both of them had to have and operation to have their gall bladders removed and were in a lot of pain... The doctors didn't blame the pills, but we're all sure it was them. They might be ok as it's not as strong a dose, but I personally wouldn't risk it. I don't think enough research has been done into the long term effects. If you are really struggling to lose anything at all, maybe you should try to change what you are doing in some way? Check you aren't sneaking in extra calories through drinks. Check you aren't eating too many carbs. Make sure you get enough sleep. Or sometimes if you aren't eating enough food your body actually needs a little more in order to lose weight. Maybe make a food and exercise diary to try and work out what the problem is.
Also, the pills claim to help you lose a little bit of extra weight added to what you are currently losing at the time. If you aren't losing anything, then the pills won't do anything. Hope you work out what's going on soon
I'm using Alli, & it seems to be helping me a lot. I haven't had any problems with it, but if you do eat too much fat you might get greasy runny stools. Overall I think it's worth it. xx
hum, i will persist with what i am doing for a few more weeks and like bee said try changing my excercise routine and vary my calorie intake but if no luck i will have to speak to a doctor/phamarcist i guess
I tried something similar last year from my doctor - Orlistat. Works the same way. I have the bowels of a snail and was actually looking forward to getting them moving, so to speak! Didn't happen. But I did end up with extremely bad gas and cramp in my stomach.
Hope they work for you though, they do seem like a good idea in theory. Please update us as you go along.
I agree that dieting can be depressing! I have been keeping a food diary and have been sticking to about 1500-1600 calories, I drink a lot of water, and have started using the Biggest Loser DVDs. I have only lost 6 pounds in the last 5 1/2 weeks! It can be very discouraging. Especially when my boyfriend has lost 24 pounds in the same amount of time. Men suck. lol
Last edited by LaughingGirl78; 01-21-2010 at 04:01 PM.
I mentioned these to my doctor, and she said as they work by blocking the fat you absorb from food it's really not worth taking them if you're already eating a low fat diet, which I assume you are. Also, when I started researching into the possible side effects they sound most unpleasant; with them even recommending starting them on a Friday so you can stay close to the toilet over the weekend! Not to say they won't work for you; it's just something to consider.
I always feel like a bit of a lone voice on this subject but I love these pills and have found them hugely useful. I've never had the dreaded 'treatment effects' because I've been really careful about counting fat grams and needing to count fat grams has made me much more mindful about what I eat. I've basically stopped bingeing; I think that there are two reasons for this, firstly, I'm eating more fat that I ever have before, well more fat on a day to day basis, which means I feel more full and secondly I feel a bit like an alcoholic who's been given those pills that make 'em sick to stop 'em drinking, I know that if I pig out, I'll suffer for it. Just thinking about that for a few minutes gets me over my desire to binge.
I know that nothing agrees with everybody but it makes me sad to see this drug dismissed out of hand when it's been so helpful to me. Obviously, they are just another 'tool' and it all comes down to calories in/calories out but I don't think that anything that might be useful to any of us should be written off without discussion.
You're quite right; everyone is different and I'm sure there are lots of people like yourself who have benefitted from them. I would imagine the only way to know for sure is to try them yourself and see if they suit you.
The research I did also backs up what you are saying in that they said the company makes no secrets about the fact that it almost works like aversion therapy; in that people want to avoid eating a lot of fat to avoid the side effects.
im currently on orlistat, the stronger version of alli. I initially had a sore stomach and terrible toilet habits with them.... but there was a good reason for that, i hadnt adjusted my fat intake enough. the whole point of these, as well as alli, is to stop your body absorbing a portion of the fat you intake, so with alli i think its 1/4 of the fat they block, and orlistat blocks 1/3 of the fat. if your fat intake is too high you WILL get stomach cramps and gas, and you WILL pass orange stools - this is the fat passing through that your body isnt absorning. The answer to this? eat a low fat diet with them and you wont experience the bad side effects. in some instances you can experience incontinence ( when breaking wind ) but that only tends to be if youve eaten something seriously high fat! i suspect that previous posters on this thread may have been eatin a little too much fat in their diet and thats why they were sufferin the cramp and stomach disturbances. Technically though if you think about it, if you can eat a low enough fat diet, then you dont need the tablets, though i think its a psychological thing with me. Currently i am eating about 10g fat total a day, probably only 3g of that is saturated. Considerin an "average" person should take in 70g of fat and 20g saturated fat a day i think thats a pretty impressive drop.
Since startin on these tablets ive lost 2stone 11lb. i dont put it all down to the tablets but i think theyve helped. as soon as you experience the stomach gripes associated with eatin fat with these tablets, and the horrible stools, you soon eat low fat so it sorta scares you into eating well.
im thinkin about quitin the tablets now as i feel i have got used to my diet enough that i wont go back, but the tablets have definately been beneficial to me.
i will agree though dieting is depressin! but its only depressing when youre not losin like you want to. im sure you will all of a sudden figure out your way to do it and it will come flying off.
hope that helps
Last edited by xxfoofoolafluffxx; 02-04-2010 at 04:52 PM.
I know they say it's totally safe to take but i just don't trust them. I think diet pills are messing with your body's natural balance. I am desperate to lose weight - but i'm not that desperate.
Before I started dieting again, my doc suggested orlistat to me, but also told me to go away for a month and lose 5lbs first, to prove I'd be able to be stick to a reasonably low fat diet.
Since I was used to the Weightwatchers points system from the past, I went with that and after a month I just decided to carry on. With a past history of IBS I was a bit iffy about orlistat anyway. The diet is working, although it's almost certainly slower. Sometimes I get impatient and want to lose weight quicker, but I know I'll have to work at maintenance this time and not take my eye off the ball. So I'm really trying hard to diet in a way I can live with long-term. That said I don't think there is anything wrong with using it as a tool just to give you a head start.
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