I was give the tablets yesterday but I am really quite scared to start taking them.
I am always out and about, driving a lot, is the orange oil a problem?
I am sure I will make mistakes at first and dont want them to have the embarrassing effects so many people talk about.
I need to lose 4 stone, at 55 years old I think this may be my last chance. I have tried every diet under the sun, exercised til I am blue in the face but only ever manage to lose about a stone.
Any advice gladly taken
Lyn
I was told to eat a low fat diet before I started on the tablets, and start with just 1 or 2 a day, but everyone has had different advice.
I would strongly recommend you phone the helpline run by Roche, the company who make Orlistat, it's called MAP, and you'll see it referred to a lot on this forum. They send you information, and they are really helpful, the phone number is;
0800 7317138
I keep to a fairly low fat diet, and in 8 weeks I haven't had any nasty side effects. :oops:
Good Luck!
Gill
xx
Hiya Lyn
Don't be scared of all the horror stories you read on here,
most of us have suffered the effects of orange oil, but its not a daily occurance,
I know speaking for myself, when as a newcomer here, I read about everyone's experiences I thought to myself, omg I'm never going to get off the loo, I'm going to stink, I'll never be able to go shopping again in case of accidents, I'm going to embarrass myself somewhere and I ended up putting my tablets in a bottom drawer and forgot about them lol
However I started to take the tablets and I'm now nearly 4 months in and I have had NO accidents,
yes I've had orange oil, but I've always been on the loo,
yes I've had wind and stunk the house out, something I don't want to repeat lol altho the dog comes in handy at such times *grins*
the only time I am careful, arrgh I don't know how to say this without getting a bit crude *blush* but when it comes to breaking wind, either don't force it or make sure your sat on a loo *blushes some more*
If you do as Gill has said .. follow a low fat diet, you shouldn't have any side effects,
I know when I have eaten too much fat and am going to have side effects, altho I'm not always sure which, oil or wind or both *blush*
good luck!
I usually \"know\" when I need to find a toilet quick... Everytime I have been in the house..and its usually when I am still in the house in the morning..I have never had an accident whilst out (and I am out in the middle of nowhere (with no toilet) tending to my daughters pony...and saturdays she has cheerleading and riding lesson so I am out a lot LOL)
I remember when they first started to be available here...and I met a woman (rather large lady) who told me she was starting on them.. I don't want to be nasty but the truth is this wasn't the cleanliest of women.. I read up about them then and all the horror stories and though..NO WAY.. then I saw the woman and she had dropped about 4 stone.. and I thought \"Well maybe\">.. then she crossed the road in front of me..and she had obviously had an accident.....all the way down the back of her trousers...
I decided then not to go near them.. but here I am a year or so later on them.. and I decided that the chance was worth the risk to get my life back.. to enjoy my kids while I and they are young enough to do so..
Strategically placed panty liners or cotton swabs are handy... :oops:
(that woman has either stopped taking them or been taken off them and is back to her before size..maybe the accidents put her off them....)
I'm relatively new to Orlistat, (only 2 months on them) but from previous posts, I think problems arise from doctors just giving out the tablets with little or no additional information, except the info in the boxes.
The MAP helpine number isn't on the information in the box,so they have no source of sensible advice unless they have internet access, and a lot of people still don't have internet access.
I think, as mentioned in previous posts, Roche should put the helpline on the information leaflet, and doctors should make sure people know what a low fat diet consists of before prescribing Orlistat.
As I said earlier, I may sound naiive, and I'm a novice as far as Orlistat is concerned, so if I've caused offence, I apologise, just my humble opinion.
Gill
xxx
HI
I think as everyone says its trial and error (but not too many errors hopefully!!).
I've been on orlistat 2.5 weeks and had no incidents/accidents or orange oil to date, just a bit windy on a few occassions. I gather by reading various peoples experiences that it depends on your individual body reactions as to how often the OO (orange oil) becomes a problem. I can eat eggs by the nest and have never had a problem, but I see other people can't tolerate them. I was worried initially too though and just ate safe foods for a few days!
Trish