| This medication is used to reduce excess body weight (obesity). Take this drug by mouth, generally three times daily during (or up to one hour after) each main meal that contains fat. Your daily intake of fat, protein and carbohydrate should be evenly spread over three main meals. If a meal is occasionally missed or contains no fat, skip that dose of the medication. Because this drug can interfere with absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (e.g., A,D,E,K), a daily multivitamin supplement containing these nutrients is recommended. Take the multivitamin at least 2 hours before or 2 hours after this drug (e.g., at bedtime). The effects of this drug may begin as soon as 1-2 days after treatment begins; noticeable weight loss will take longer. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not "double- up" the dose to catch up. Tell your doctor your medical history, including: allergies, digestive disorders (malabsorption or cholestasis), low thyroid function (hypothyroidism), other metabolism problems (e.g., oxalate kidney stones, hyperoxaluria). Xenical should not be used if you have anorexia nervosa or bulemia-type eating disorders. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant before using Xenical. The manufacturer does not recommend use of Xenical during pregnancy. It is not known whether Xenical is excreted into breast milk. Because of the potential risk to the infant, breast-feeding while using Xenical is not recommended. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding. Xenical medication is used with a reduced-calorie diet to help significantly overweight persons lose weight. It also helps to prevent regaining weight previously lost. Orlistat works by blocking some of the fat normally digested by the intestine. |