Xenical

[Queeny]

I would like to hear from the Nutritionist if its ok to take Xenical and do low carb?

[Atkins_Nutritionist]

Unlike over-the-counter pills that promise to ‘melt pounds away’, Xenical is a prescription medication to be used only under doctor’s supervision and as part of a weight loss program. The weight loss program that has been studied in conjunction with Xenical has been the reduced-calorie diet with no more than 30% calories from fat. There have been no studies looking at a controlled carb approach in conjunction with Xenical.
Since there is no research that has been done on this, I am unable to comment about safety.

But here is my opinion as a Registered Dietitian. Research has shown that following a conventional diet (low-fat, low calories) will only produce around a 10% weight loss in obese individuals, which although is beneficial as any weight loss may reduce disease risk, will not bring these individuals into a normal body weight range.

For someone who has a lot of weight to lose, there are several other options. Surgery is one option. Medications such as Xenical along with a conventional diet is another option. The Atkins Nutritional Approach is a whole different option. The option that it right for the individual who has a lot of weight to lose depends on the individual, as different things work best for different people, and should always be discussed with a doctor.

[Queeny]

I did do xenical just prior to doing atkins for two short weeks. I did not weigh myself so I don't know results. I do think you need to be on it awhile to see results though. When my medical doctor prescribed them to me, he told me to eat as usual. He said NOT to do restricted calories or low carb.

I really did not see anything in your reply that said it would NOT work. Or that it would mess up my low carbing. I need to pick up some loss because it has slowed down do nothing. I lost 0 in the month of September and 5 in October. That averages out to be 2.5 pounds a month. At that rate I will never make it. I would like to lose another 40-50 pounds and weight loss surgery is not an option.

[MOMofMICKEY]

I use Xenical for 3 months and barely lost a thing and I followed it to the T.
The only thing it did for me was send me running to the bathroom at a very fast pace.
One thing that always bothered me about it is that Xenical is also known as Zyban the medication that smokers take to aid them in quiting. My husband used it under the name Zyban and he did quit smoking for 5 months...he did not run to the bathroom.

[tracy pearman]

My Mom is on xenical and following a low calorie diet. She loses about a stone a month and thats from the day she started (shes lost 3st in 3 months). She has got a lot of weight to lose but it does work for her. I agree with the AN that it is a good way to lose the bulk of her weight, but she intends on changing her diet and woe. She is monitored by a dietitian on a fortnightly basis.

[Atkins_Nutritionist]

Xenical is not a quick fix, it does take time for the weight to come off and you need to make changes in your meal planning as well. That’s too bad that your doctor to not provide you with this information.

I didn’t comment on whether it would ‘work’, because you don’t want something that ‘works’. Many things may ‘work’- fasting, liquid diets, following a fad diet where you only eat one type of food, etc, but this doesn’t mean that they are safe and that you will be learning how to eat to lose AND maintain the weight. You don’t want to follow the Atkins Nutritional Approach because it ‘works’, you want to follow it because you want to make serious changes in your relationship with food and health and you want to learn to eat to lose weight and keep it off. And you want to have exercise play an important role in you life as well. You want to lose weight at a rate so that your body can readjust and will work with you to keep it off. This takes patience and commitment but it is well worth it. Whether you choose to take Xenical in conjunction with a low calorie, low fat diet or if you choose to follow the Atkins Nutritional Approach, you can reach your goal!

[Queeny]

I did not think of Xenical as a quick fix nor do I want a quick fix. Also I have already changed my woe and changed my relationship with food. I will reach my goal and have already lost 68 pounds. I do not need weight loss surgery as you suggested nor do I qualify for it, having only 40 more pounds to lose.
I was merely requiring how zenical and low carbing relate to each other.

[gilbabe75]

Since low carb is often higher fat I would be afraid to do the 2 together. If I remember correctly you are not supposed eat more than a certain number of fat grams or it will cause problems. I gained weight on it. It caused me great GI distress too. I did it prior to LC.

[Queeny]

My husband is on xenical and has been for over a year. He does not count grams or calories of anything. His diet is pasta, pizza, and goodies. He has gone from a size extra large to a medium. He does not weigh himself so I can't tell you in pounds. He is now skinny and does not need to lose another pound. He eats what he wants and gets skinny.

[tracy pearman]

Beca I think that you are totally correct. Whenever my Mum has a high fat meal (even a small portion), she certainly feels the effects of it the next day . Xenical blocks 30% of the fat from being absorbed by the body, so I don't see how it would work with a high fat low carb diet.

My mother now chooses healthy foods to improve her weight and uses xenical as a 'boost'. What is the point of taking xenical and eating high carb foods? How is that improving your health in the long term? You may lose weight but you haven't learnt to eat better choices and what will happen when you stop taking the pills? The weight will pile back on. Maybe this works for some people, but I believe in 'changing you way of eating'(-for life) not just 'dieting'.

Best wishes.

PS Please don't be offended by any of my comments.

[Queeny]

Don't get me wrong I am not advocating doing what my husband does. I am just telling you how xenical works for him. I am eating healthy right now and intend to keep eating healthy. I was just pondering doing both. Thank you all for your responses. I don't want this subject to get heated. I prefer to just drop the subject.

[LoriWants2Lose]

Queeny, I tried Xenical for a while (and about everything else too). I noticed when I ate higher fat than was recommended that I had severe stomach cramps and felt horrid. We won't even talk about the other disgusting aspects. I think you've made the right choice to focus on the healthy eating. Our husbands notice too and usually start eating healthier themselves, especially if you prepare the food in the house.

[tracy pearman]

Queenie, I can see how you would be tempted to use Zenical seeing as your husband has lost weight with it (and well done to him!). I would be a liar if I didn't admit to wanting to try it myself at one stage.

Wow look at your stats!- Almost 70 pounds gone- and 10 dress sizes- thats amazing! Keep up the good work!!

[jadefox26]

Hiya, i wanted to give my opinion on this. i took xenical for a year, I lost 4 stone in the time, but it was horrific - it's not nice to become incontinent in the number 2's area (if you know what I mean!! ) secondly it didn't teach me anything about how to eat properly or how to sustain a weight loss. They tell you to eat normally, but that means to most people pizza, pasta and all of the high carb high fat rubbish that we tend to stuff into ourselves. So as soon as you come off of the xemical (it is only safe to take for a short while) all the weight has a tendancy to stack back on mega fast, and then you end up putting on even more weight because essentially nothing has changed in your lifestyle.
I honestly believe, that LC changes your attitude towards eating for the better, it makes you more awair of what you are doing to yourself, and done in the right way it works.

I would never even dream of taking xenical with LC because as previously mentioned, you eat more fat, and the results of eating fat whilst on xenical are devistating. I got nal leakage on a daily basis, to the point where I had to wear protection to stop it seeping through my clothes, it was disgusting!

My answer would have to be under no cercumstances take xenical with LC diet, just be awair that no matter how long it takes you, you will lose weight, and really, on the face of things it doesn't matter if you take two years to get the weight off - it's two years added on to the rest of your life!!

[TigerSmoke]

I tried Xenical once many years ago. With as much fat as I eat doing low-carb I would be doing nothing but going to the bathroom. I ate very low fat when taking Xenical because of the bathroom issues. You couldn't fart for fear that you would crap yourself if you ate more than 10 grams of fat a day (for me at least) . I don't think it would work along with a low carb diet.

[RenoMom]

Okay I have heard people say they took it etc... and all of the bad side effects. Well I have two questions

1. How much weight if any did you lose, in what period of time?

2. Did you take a dose of fiber along with each pill?

My Dr says the Fiber helps. Now I understand what Queeny was asking, its the same as I am asking. After doing lc for a long period of time our WOE has changed and we have good habits now. Well some of us are hitting plateus and have tried everything from fat fast, meat fast, waiting it out etc....I have lost 46 pounds in 9 months very slow and have never tried these drugs. Yet my Dr has offered it to me to get things moving again. What is your opinion on that?

[Queeny]

Reno mom I can't tell you in pounds how much he lost only that he went from an extra large to a medium in a year. He did not take fiber, nor exercise, nor eat healthy............he looks 10 years younger. The picture in my avatar is his before picture.......as you can see he did not even need to lose weight. He went from normal to skinny in my opinion. I hope he does not lose anymore.

[RenoMom]

Queeny, I'm suprised a Dr would put him on that if he didnt need it.

So far I really have not heard anything positive in regards to losing weight on Xenical . Especially in a short period of time. I was thinking of only using it through the end of the year but it sounds like it takes a long time to get to working.

I sure wish someone with positive info would post here.
I would certainly take those pills from your hubby, it does not seem healthy to eat all that stuff and use a pill to dispose of it.
How is his health otherwise?

[tracy pearman]

Well, horses for courses I suppose. My Mum thinks Zenical is great. She is quite overweight and was prescribed it by her doctor. It be eligible for it she had to lose a certain amount of weight in a set time to ensure she was serious about losing the weight.
Well shes been on it for 3 months now and during that time she has lost 3st. Averaging a stone a month. She gets her blood pressure checked every 2 weeks with the dietition. She does't get leakage but she does feel the effects of having a higher fat meal. Now I would never take the pills myself for various reasons, that said I'm happier now that shes has lost 4st in total as surely she is healthier now than before the weightloss. I know that the doctors are monitoring her closely and I'm pleased that she now eats healthy foods/has increased energy/prolonged her life etc etc.

It works for her and shes happy and thats the main thing.

[RenoMom]

Tracy that's great ...

Forgive my ignorance but what is a stone in pounds?

[gilbabe75]

Xenical is a fat blocker. If you are eating low carb you don't need to eat low fat. Kinda messes up the whole plan.

[tracy pearman]

Sorry I forgot you americans only use pounds! 1stone =14pounds. So my Mum has lost 42pounds in 3 months of using zenical. Shes hoping only to use in for a short time- say 6 months, by which time she would have lost enough weigh so as not to be at grossly overweight. I have heared the scare stories too, but I've heard a lot of good too especially in people who could quailfy for surgery but are too scared of the risks involved.

I add that she is on a low-cal diet Gilbabe.

[circus]

I also used zenical at one time and lost a lot of weight about 10 pounds a month.

Before getting my first prescription I had to loss 5 pounds to prove I was serious about dieting and then was to take a pill only if what I was eating was seriously high fat which shouldn't be necessary with each meal. I had to check in with my doctor every month. Binging on high fat was a disaster and the embarrasment that could follow in the seat of my pants kept me from doing this in public LOL!

After about 8 months I reached a plateau and stopped losing. Since then I gained it all back.

I still have two boxes in my home pharmacy but wouldn't think of using them with Atkins. One of the principles of Atkins is that it takes fat to loose fat so why hinder my fat intake? It seems to be contradictory.

[RenoMom]

Hi Kitty,

Thats an interesting wy to look at it. You wont wanna eat high fat due to what may happen in public, LOL I guesss that could be a good mind game.

As for needing fat, it only gets rid of 1/3 so I think we would still get plenty of fat

[TigerSmoke]

I didn't lose anything really, maybe 10 pounds after 2 months. I did lose a lot of time trying to find a bathroom though.

[circus]

As for needing fat, it only gets rid of 1/3 so I think we would still get plenty of fat

I've joined the Banta Challenge and believe me it isn't easy getting enough fat! losing 30% to Xenical wouldn't help. With Banta you're trying to eat 80% fat at every meal.

I guess I'm now trying the extreme of xenical. Hope it works.

[Southern-Dahlin]

.You couldn't fart for fear that you would crap yourself if you ate more than 10 grams of fat a day (for me at least) . I don't think it would work along with a low carb diet.

................

I wonder if this medicine could be used to keep the men in a ladies life, from shootin bunnies in her presence?