Are
there any medicines that can help me lose weight?
The answer to this is yes there are medicines designed
to help you lose weight. The prescription drugs
Xenical and Reductil are the most popular and are
discussed below:-
Treating obesity is not just about giving a miracle
pill to lose weight , it’s all about weight management,
including changes in diet, exercise and lifestyle
changes. The two prescribed drugs Xenical (Orlistat)
and Reductil (Sibutramine) may be used to assist
individuals making these changes.
Xenical, manufactured by Roche, works by inhibiting
the enzyme that breaks down fat in the body, and
therefore blocks the digestion and absorption of
around 30 per cent of consumed fat. This undigested
fat remains in the gut and then is excreted.
Reductil, manufactured by Knoll Ltd, works at the
other end of the body as an appetite suppressant.
It blocks the action of the naturally occurring
chemicals serotonin and noradrenaline that send
hunger signals to the brain. The drug helps patients
to feel full, and causes them to eat less; they
consequently lose weight.
Both these drugs are available online from our
main site. In order to purchase them you will require
a prescription or you may have an online consultation
with our GP. We would also ask you to join our weight
management programme so that you can be monitored.
For further information contact us at: info@PCPdirect.co.uk
Both Xenical and Reductil are prescription only
and meant for moderately obese patients with a BMI
of 30 or more, or for overweight patients with a
BMI of 27 or 28. The drugs may also be prescribed
when the BMI is higher and the patient is at risk
from factors like high blood pressure, diabetes,
or heart disease. If you suffer from any of these
risk factors you are strongly advised to see your
own GP to obtain a prescription for these drugs.
You may still benefit from purchasing from PCPdirect.co.uk
at our very competitive prices.
Xenical should only be used if you have first lost
at least 2.5kg (5.5 lbs) over a four-week period
of dieting alone. This is to ensure that the patient
is sufficiently motivated and inclined to make the
necessary effort to lose the weight required. Prior
weight loss is not required for Reductil.
How long can I take these drugs for?
Xenical treatment should be stopped if you haven’t
been able to lose at least 5 per cent of your body
weight after 12 weeks of taking the drug. This percentage
is regarded as a good indicator that the drug is
not working so is not the right form of weight loss
therapy for you.
With Reductil, treatment should also be discontinued
in patients who regain 3kg (6.6 lbs) or more while
still on the drug, after previously achieving weight
loss.
Our PCPdirect online physician
will only allow a maximum of 3 months supply at
a time. You will need to show you are succeeding
in your weight loss to obtain further prescriptions.
Whichever drug you decide is best for you it is
important to remember that they are not a miracle
cure, they can only help you make those important
lifestyle changes. With Xenical you will need to
follow a low-calorie diet that contains no more
than 30 per cent of calories from fat. This helps
to avoid unpleasant effects, such as loose stools,
increased defecation and oily spotting from the
rectum as a result of large quantities of unabsorbed
fat in the gut.
These drugs are only available on prescription
so that we can make sure you do not experience any
unwanted side effects . Xenical can potentially
impair the body’s absorption of the fat-soluble
vitamins A, D, E, and K. Reductil may give side
effects during the first month of treatment, but
they should diminish over time. These can include
increased heart rate and blood pressure, nausea,
loss of appetite, constipation, dry mouth, insomnia,
headaches, sweating and changes in taste.
There are of course many other drugs for weight
loss including some herbal medicines. They can work
in many different ways. If you wish to find out
more about these contact us at: info@PCPdirect.co.uk
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