WHO SHOULD
TAKE XENICAL?
Xenical is
indicated for individuals who are obese (BMI over 30) or who
are overweight (BMI between 25 and 30) and have or are at
risk for any of the medical conditions which are related to
their weight or body fat, such as diabetes, high cholesterol,
or hypertension.
HOW DO I
START TAKING XENICAL?
Only you and your doctor can decide if Xenical treatment is
right for you. Questions that should be answered include:
- Are you overweight?
- Are you at risk
for diseases associated with being overweight?
- How much weight
should you and can you realistically lose?
- Can you achieve
this goal with diet and exercise alone?
- Would you benefit
from taking Xenical?
- Are you committed
to managing your weight?
- What kinds of support
will you require to help you manage your weight (such as
nutritionist, dietitian, physical therapist, or psychologist)?
- Are these resources
available?
CAN I USE
XENICAL IF I JUST WANT TO LOSE A COUPLE OF POUNDS BEFORE SUMMER?
Discuss this with your doctor. If you do not meet the criteria
described above, you may be advised to lose weight through
a program of calorie restriction and exercise. Keep in mind
that you should not allow yourself to get into a pattern of
rapid weight loss and weight regain.This "yo-yo effect”
can be dangerous to your health.
HOW IS XENICAL
DIFFERENT FROM OTHER DIET MEDICATIONS?
With the exception of Xenical, all of the current prescription
drugs for weight loss act on the brain to reduce appetite.
You eat less, you lose weight - but at a price. In order to
get to the brain, these drugs must enter the blood stream.Therefore,
these drugs may have side effects (central nervous system
and cardiovascular), ranging from minor to severe and are
indicated only for short term use. But, most important, these
drugs do little or nothing to help people change their eating
habits or lifestyles.Therefore, when they stop taking the
drugs, the weight is quickly regained.
Xenical, on the other hand, does not enter the blood stream,
nor does it act on the brain. Xenical does not reduce appetite.
It simply blocks the digestion and absorption of fat and helps
you to control your fat intake.
COULD I BECOME
ADDICTED TO XENICAL?
No. Because Xenical does not act on the brain, it is totally
non-addictive.
WHEN I TAKE
XENICAL, CAN I EAT WHATEVER I WANT?
Yes and No. For the most part, you can eat all the kinds of
foods you enjoy, but only in smaller amounts. It is recommended
that Xenical be taken in conjunction with a diet that is moderately
reduced in total calories (about 20% - or 600 less calories
per day) and reduced in fat. Please consult your physician
or dietitian for further advice. The daily intake of fat should
be distributed over three main meals throughout the day. These
restrictions are far less than most weight loss diets and,
therefore, are much easier to follow.
DO I HAVE
TO FOLLOW A SPECIFIC DIET?
No. As long as you moderately reduce your calories and fat,
you do not have to follow a specific diet.
DO I HAVE
TO TAKE VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS?
Whenever
you reduce the amount of foods you eat, you may be reducing
your intake of vitamins as well. It is essential that you
eat nutritiously balanced meals, rich in fruits and vegetables.
Discuss with your doctor the need for supplemental vitamins.
MUST I EXERCISE?
Yes. Physical activities are an essential part of any weight
control program and necessary for maintaining good health.
Exercise doesn’t have to mean running kilometers a day
or joining a gym. Slowly increase your level of physical activity
in a way that is easy and fun and which can become part of
a permanent lifestyle change.
IF I STILL
HAVE TO REDUCE MY CALORIES AND XERCISE, WHAT IS THE BENEFIT
OF TAKING XENICAL?
Xenical targets fat. By blocking one third of the fat you
eat, you further reduce the amount of calories you eat without
reducing the amount of food you eat.This makes dieting easier
and far more enjoyable. By targeting fat loss, Xenical has
been shown to promote weight loss, prevent subsequent weight
regain and to lower health risks associated with obesity,
when compared with patients on a calorie-reduced diet alone.
IF XENICAL
BLOCKS FAT, DOES IT REDUCE CHOLESTEROL AS WELL?
Yes. Xenical decreases total cholesterol, decreases LDL (the
bad cholesterol) and improves the LDL /HDL ratio.
ARE THERE
OTHER BENEFITS TO TAKING XENICAL?
In addition to reducing weight, Xenical reduces
- high blood pressure
- the amount of anti-diabetic
medication required (if already diabetic)
- triglycerides
- body fat
- the chance of developing
type II diabetes
HOW FAST
WILL I LOSE WEIGHT?
Weight loss begins immediately. In international clinical
studies with thousands of patients, most individuals using
Xenical lost, on average, 10% of their initial body weight
over a 6-8 month period.
HOW MUCH
WEIGHT CAN I LOSE WITH XENICAL?
It is very
important that you and your doctor work together to set realistic
goals for weight loss. Keep in mind that even a small weight
loss can reward you with a big gain in your health. A loss
of 5 to 10% of your current weight can result in a significant
reduction of risk for disease.
CAN I START
TAKING XENICAL IMMEDIATELY?
This depends
on how quickly you are able to control your diet so that no
more than one third of calories come from fat. In this way,
you minimize the chance of experiencing the dietary events
described below. This start-up period can be vary from a few
days to a few weeks.
DOES XENICAL
HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECTS?
Xenical has
none of the side effects normally associated with diet medications
which act on the brain. Xenical’s side effects are strictly
gastrointestinal in nature and related to its action of blocking
the digestion of ingested fat. Xenical blocks fat absorption.The
fat that is not absorbed into the bloodstream remains in the
intestine and becomes mixed with the stool.The increased fat
in the stool can cause any of the following:
- gas (flatulence)
- sometimes with oily spotting
- increased frequency
of bowel movements
- fatty/ oily stool
How often or how quickly
these effects occur will vary from person to person and will
depend on how much extra fat was consumed.They can occur within
hours after eating or up to a day or two later. These side
effects usually occur early in treatment, last for only a
short period, and disappear over time. Importantly, you can
control the effects if you control your fat intake. Remember:
it’s not the Xenical, its the fat you eat that causes
the events.
HOW DO YOU
KNOW THAT XENICAL IS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE?
Xenical is the most thoroughly tested weight control medication.
Clinical trials with Xenical were conducted with over 7,000
patients in North America, South America, and Europe.
DOES XENICAL
INTERACT WITH OTHER MEDICATIONS?
Clinical studies have shown that Xenical does not interact
with commonly used medications. However, before starting Xenical
it is essential that you tell your doctor of any and all medications
(prescription and non-prescription) that you are currently
taking.
IF XENICAL
IS SO SAFE, WHY IS IT AVAILABLE ONLY BY PRESCRIPTION?
Obesity is a chronic disease which requires continuous, long-term
medical management. Obesity and overweight may be associated
with serious medical conditions, such as hypertension, cardiovascular
disease, and diabetes. The management of weight, therefore,
should be under the supervision of a physician.
HOW DO I
TAKE XENICAL?
One capsule (120milligrams) is taken three times daily with
each main meal - up two hours after eating.Taking a capsule
with each meal is convenient and easy to remember.
IF I TAKE
MORE THAN ONE CAPSULE AT A TIME, WILL IT BLOCK MORE FAT?
No. There is absolutely no benefit to taking more than the
recommended dose.
DO I HAVE
TO TAKE A CAPSULE WITH EVERY MEAL?
If you skip
a meal or your meal contains little fat (note: be careful
of the hidden fats in many foods), there is no reason to take
Xenical, although there is no harm in taking the capsule.
Taking a capsule with each meal will help you to remember
and avoid missing doses.
WHAT IF
I EAT MORE THAN THREE MEALS A DAY?
It is strongly
recommended that you eat several meals throughout the day.
But, you should not take more than 3 Xenical capsules per
day.
WHAT IF
I MISS TAKING A CAPSULE WITH A MEAL?
Nothing. You simply miss the benefit of the medication.
CAN I OVERDOSE
ON XENICAL?
Xenical is
very safe. There have been no cases of overdosing. In experiments,
patients who took doses of Xenical many times over the recommended
dose experienced no ill effects. Remember, taking more Xenical
gives no extra benefit.
WHAT HAPPENS
IF I STOP TAKING XENICAL?
Within 72 hours, the medication will be out of your body.
There are no long term effects.
WILL I HAVE
TO TAKE XENICAL FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE?
One of the benefits of Xenical is that while you lose weight,
you are changing your eating habits and lifestyle. By the
time you have reached your goal, you may be able to maintain
your weight through diet and exercise alone. If, however,
you start to regain weight, you can safely resume taking Xenical.
Xenical has been shown to be safe for up to two years of continuous
use. Xenical can become part of your long-term weight maintenance
program.
drug information
