Orlistat (Xenical)
Information specific
to: Xenical 120mg capsules when used in Obesity. Xenical (Zen-nik-al)
is a medicine which is used in obesity. Xenical contains orlistat. It is
supplied by Roche Products Limited. The information in
this Medicine Guide for Xenical varies according to the condition being treated
and the particular preparation used.
Orlistat (Xenical) tablets and packaging.
Your medicine
Xenical is used in
the treatment of obesity. Xenical prevents your body from absorbing the fat
from the food you eat. By reducing the amount of fat which is absorbed, Xenical
can help you to lose weight more easily. Do not share your
medicine with other people. It may not be suitable for them and may harm them.
The pharmacy label on
your medicine tells you how much medicine you should use. It also tells you how
often you should use your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber
have agreed you should use. You should not change the dose of your medicine
unless you are told to do so by your prescriber. If you feel that the
medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to
your prescriber.
Xenical is not
suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should
only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this
medicine knows your full medical history. Your prescriber may
only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all
if you:
- are allergic or sensitive to
or have had a reaction to any of the ingredients in the medicine
- are breast-feeding
- are elderly
- have cholestasis
- have chronic malabsorption
syndrome
- have epilepsy
- have hypothyroidism
- have kidney problems
- have liver problems
- have risk factors for a
reduced volume of fluid in the body.
Xenical is not used
in children. Over time it is
possible that Xenical can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become
unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Xenical has become
unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.
Orlistat capsules and packaging.
Alcohol can interact
with certain medicines. In the case of
Xenical:
- there are no known
interactions between alcohol and Xenical.
Medicines can
interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your
prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of
Xenical:
- this medicine may reduce
your body's ability to absorb Vitamins D, A, E and K from your food. Your
prescriber may advise you to take a multivitamin supplement
- you should continue on the
diet advised by your dietician or prescriber while taking Xenical. It is
recommended to spread your daily intake of fat evenly over three main
meals as having a meal high in fat with Xenical will lead to an increase
in gastrointestinal side effects.
You need to make sure
that there are enough of these vitamins in your diet. For more information
contact your prescriber.
When taking any
medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive
or operate machinery safely. In the case of
Xenical:
- this medicine will not
affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.
You should see how
this medicine affects you before you judge whether you are safe to drive or
operate machinery. If you are in any doubt about whether you should drive or
operate machinery, talk to your prescriber.
Schematic diagram showing the potential mechanisms of action of Orlistat in preventing fat absorption by the body.
Most medicines, in
some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the
baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that
you have reached when you take the medicine. In the case of
Xenical:
- you should only use this
medicine during pregnancy if your doctor thinks that you need it.
You need to discuss
your specific circumstances with your doctor to weigh up the overall risks and
benefits of taking this medicine. You and your doctor can make a decision about
whether you are going to take this medicine during pregnancy. If the decision is
that you should not have Xenical, then you should discuss whether there is an
alternative medicine that you could take during pregnancy.
Certain medicines can
pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding. In the case of
Xenical:
- women who are breast-feeding
must not use this medicine.
Before you have your
baby you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. If you wish
to breast-feed you should discuss with your prescriber whether there are any
other medicines you could take which would also allow you to breast-feed. You
should not stop this medicine without taking advice from your doctor.
If you are taking
more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber
may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be
appropriate. The decision to use
medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber
may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits
of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be
necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.
Tell your prescriber
the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all
possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been
prescribed by your family doctor, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife
or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you
have bought over the counter without prescriptions. The following
medicines may interact with Xenical:
- acarbose
- amiodarone
- ciclosporin
- iodine salts
- lamotrigine
- levothyroxine
- lithium
- valproate
- vitamin A
- vitamin D
- vitamin E
- vitamin K
- warfarin.
The following types
of medicine may interact with Xenical:
- antidepressants
- antidiabetics
- antiepileptics
- antipsychotics
- oral anticoagulants
- oral contraceptives.
If you are taking
Xenical and one of the above medicines or types of medicines, make sure your prescriber
knows about it.
Medicines can
interact with complementary preparations and vitamins. Make sure you tell
your prescriber the names of all the complementary preparations and vitamins
that you are taking or are planning to take. Your prescriber can
then decide whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are
known to interact. In the case of
Xenical:
- this medicine may interact
with vitamin A, D, E and K.
If you have been
prescribed Xenical you should only take something on the above list on the
specific advice of your prescriber or pharmacist.
Source: NHS Choices.
Source: NHS Choices.