FAQs

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No. alli is an effective weight loss aid but it’s not for everyone. It can be taken by overweight adults aged 18 or more with a BMI of 28 or over who are willing to adopt a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet and to make the necessary adjustments to their lifestyle to succeed with alli.

There are some people who must not take alli because they have certain medical conditions or are taking certain medicines.

Do not take alli:

•    if you are under 18.
•    if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
•    if you are taking ciclosporin (used after organ transplants, for severe rheumatoid arthritis and some severe skin conditions).
•    if you are taking warfarin or any other medicines used to thin the blood.
•    if you are allergic to orlistat or any of the ingredients.
•    if you have cholestasis (condition where the flow of bile from the liver is blocked).
•    if you have problems absorbing food (chronic malabsorption syndrome).

Other people should talk to their doctor if they want to use alli because they have certain medical conditions or because they are taking certain medicines.

Talk to your doctor before taking alli:

•    if you are taking amiodarone for heart rhythm problems.
•    if you are taking a medicine for diabetes.
•    if you are taking a medicine for epilepsy.
•    if you have kidney disease.
•    if you are taking a thyroid medicine (levothyroxine).
•    if you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars (Only for alli chewable tablets).

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist when taking alli:

•    if you are taking a medicine for high blood pressure.
•    if you are taking a medicine for high cholesterol.

The oral contraceptive pill may be less effective if you get severe diarrhoea, so use an extra method of contraception if this happens.

It is important to read the label before taking alli.

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No. alli is not to be used in those aged under 18 years. alli is used for weight loss in adults (18 years and over) who are overweight with a BMI of 28 or over.

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Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are using other weight loss treatments.

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alli is indicated for use by overweight people 18 years of age or older, including older adults. If you have specific issues or health concerns, please check with your pharmacist or doctor.

A:

Yes, alli may affect some medicines you have to take.

alli is not suitable for those:

•    Taking ciclosporin (used after organ transplants, for severe rheumatoid arthritis and some severe skin conditions)
•    Taking warfarin or other medicines used to thin the blood

Talk to your doctor before taking alli:

•    if you are taking amiodarone for heart rhythm problems
•    if you are taking a medicine for diabetes
•    if you are taking a medicine for epilepsy
•    if you are taking a thyroid medicine (levothyroxine).

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist when taking alli:

•    if you are taking a medicine for high blood pressure
•    if you are taking a medicine for high cholesterol.

The oral contraceptive pill may be less effective if you get severe diarrhoea, so use an extra method of contraception if this happens.

Take a multivitamin every day at bedtime to ensure you get enough vitamins A, D, E and K.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about any other medicines you are taking.

It is important to read the label before taking alli.

A:

No. Do not take alli with this medicine. Ciclosporin is a medicine that can be used after someone has had an organ transplant or if they have severe rheumatoid arthrititis or certain severe skin conditions. You must not take alli if you are taking a medicine containing ciclosporin since alli can lower the levels of ciclosporin in the body. If you have any further questions about this, please check with your doctor.

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No. Do not take alli with this medicine. Warfarin (or other oral anticoagulants) are used to thin the blood. You must not take alli if you are taking warfarin or other blood thinning medicines since your blood clotting function (INR; international normalised ratio) test result could change.

If you have any further questions about this, please check with your doctor.

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No. Do not take alli if you have this condition. Bile is normally produced in the liver and helps the body to digest fats. Cholestasis is a condition where bile cannot flow from the liver into the digestive system. It can develop if a channel where the bile flows becomes blocked, or because the normal process of making bile is disturbed. If you have any further questions about this, please check with your doctor.

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No. Do not take alli if you have chronic malabsorption syndrome (problems in absorbing food). Some people may not absorb food properly for a variety of reasons. As a result, some of the nutrients in food cannot be absorbed. If you have any further questions about this, please check with your doctor

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Please talk to your doctor before taking alli if you are taking amiodarone.
It is possible that alli will interfere with the absorption of amiodarone into your body. Your doctor may need to adjust the dose of amiodarone if you take alli

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Yes, you can take alli if you have diabetes. If you are taking a medicine for diabetes, please tell your doctor before you start to take alli. Your doctor may need to adjust your anti-diabetic medicine if you lose some weight. This is because losing weight can improve your blood sugar levels.

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Please talk to your doctor before taking alli if you are taking acarbose.
Acarbose is a medicine used to treat diabetes.

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Yes, you can take alli if you have high blood pressure. Please tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are using alli if you are using a medicine for high blood pressure. Your doctor may need to adjust the dose of this medicine if you lose some weight. This is because losing weight can improve your blood pressure.

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Yes, you can take alli if you have high cholesterol. Please tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking alli if you are using a medicine for high cholesterol. Your doctor may need to adjust the dose of this medicine if you lose some weight. This is because losing weight can improve your cholesterol levels.

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Yes, you can take alli if you are on a contraceptive pill.
The oral contraceptive pill may be less effective if you get severe diarrhoea, so use an extra method of contraception if this happens.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you need any more information.

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The contraceptive pill may be less effective if you get severe diarrhoea. Use an extra method of contraception if this happens. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you need any more information.

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Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding must not take alli. If a woman discovers that she is pregnant while taking alli, she should stop taking alli and talk to her doctor.

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Yes. There are no known drug interactions with antibiotics.

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Yes but speak to your doctor before you start taking alli. It may be necessary to adjust the dose of your thyroid medicine (levothyroxine) and take it at different times of the day.

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Talk to your doctor before taking alli if you are taking a medicine for epilepsy as any changes in the frequency and severity of your convulsions should be discussed with your doctor.

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alli isn’t a magic bullet which makes dieting easy: it’s designed to be used with a support programme and can reward your efforts by boosting your weight loss. So, for every 2 lb you work to lose, adding alli can help you lose 1 lb more. alli works in a unique way. The active ingredient, orlistat, attaches itself to some of the body's enzymes that break down fat. This prevents some of the fat you eat from being digested and absorbed. alli isn’t a stimulant or an appetite suppressant. It’s formulated to work only in your digestive system and should not affect your heart rate, your brain or cause sleeplessness.