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Orlistat User Reviews & Ratings

Brand names: Alli, Xenical

Orlistat has an average rating of 7.4 out of 10 from a total of 383 reviews on Drugs.com. 64% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 18% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Orlistat

  • George
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 7, 2019

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Been using this medication for a little over a week. My observations are the following: 1. Do not fart unless you are on a toilet. Unless you don’t mind the orange skid marks. 2. Keep a toilet brush handy to clean your bowl after you flush your gross stool. Unless you don’t mind a dirty toilet. 3. Again, hold those farts in until you find a toilet. Just avoid being around people smoking unless you want to cause a fire from the gasses you release."

7 / 10
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  • Gurlo
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • August 21, 2019

Xenical (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "25, female, started off at 15st 7lbs or 99kg or 217lbs (I’m 5’7). Originally was looking for a quick fix but realistically when it comes to weight loss there isn’t one. I gained 70lbs in the last 4 years and finally realized how unhappy I was. 20 days in and I have lost 14lbs/6kg. I am strict on my diet, though to be honest haven’t done the recommended exercise. So I can only imagine how much I would have lost in that time. As for the oily orange stools, I haven’t had any uncontrollable accidents, you can see it in the toilet bowl but haven’t had any embarrassing moments as of yet, but I am keeping within the recommended daily allowance of fats. I would recommend Orlistat to anyone who needs a helping hand, I have found that it has made me really determined to make better choices regarding my health and weight. Co workers and family have noticed a difference in my body and I can feel it in my clothes so I’m really happy."

9 / 10
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  • Mikki
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • March 11, 2021

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Not only am I premenopausal, but I also have no gallbladder to breakdown the bile, so since my surgery and going into menopause, I have gained over 20 lbs. So I needed something to help a little more than most people to eliminate bad fat and flush it out. After just a day or two, I noticed it doing its job, and I actually feel a lot better too. I don't have that bloated or feeling too full feeling. I did make sure to start this on my weekend to make sure everything would go okay and I wouldn't have any accidents. I noticed as long as I follow the Simple Plan of lower calorie or lower fat diet, and just taking one with my higher fat meals, I haven't had any problem. Lost 3 lbs in 6 days so far, so actually pretty impressed. I also think this is a good product to take for those that are trying to lose weight with no gallbladder or going through menopause , those pounds that snuck up very quickly."

7 / 10
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Frequently asked questions

  • Sez
  • March 30, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "So last October I went to my doctor and I begged for help as my weight really depressed me. So he put me on orlistat and now 6 months down the line am 16kg lighter, I've gone from a size 18/20 to 12/14. Best thing I ever did."

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430 Report
  • jojom
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • June 24, 2013

Xenical (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been reading your experiences with Xenical. I have been taking this for 2 months on 3rd July and so far have lost nearly 3 stone. I find it really makes you think about the foods you choose to eat because you don't want any nasty side effects. I can honestly say I have had none at all. Been on a low cal, low fat diet and exercising every day. I started out weighing 14 stone 10lbs and now weigh 11 stone 11 lbs. If I can do it with 3 children then anyone can. Power to you all, you are an inspiration."

9 / 10
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Are you taking this medicine?

  • Super...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • February 10, 2022

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Take home message is that this tackle works, and works well. On the down side, had I known taking a bit of a gamble on an iffy fart whilst walking round Waitrose would turn out to be quite so catastrophic then I’d have taken drastic steps. I also wouldn’t have been wearing white rugby shorts. Low point in my life, the ignominy of having to dash to the toilet with turd-oil down my leg was the turning point. I quickly learned that the way to stop making the back of my boxers looking like a dropped lasagne was to stop eating the rammal that had turned me into a fat idiot in the first place. Within a few days, each fart became less of a gamble and each parting company on the toilet looked slightly less like I’d tipped a bucket of Sunny Delight mixed with 5w30 oil down it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s going to be a good while before I have the confidence to show any level of enthusiasm on the trumping front but I did manage this morning to do one I could hear without washing my gooch."

10 / 10
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  • Banda
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • May 12, 2018

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "People keep saying all kinds of stuff about Alli does not work but it clearly states it is a weight loss aid and you need to exercise and eat right. Don’t forget that weight loss will take the duration your body took to gain weight. Take control of your body and stop blaming and whining. I lost 50 lb with diet, daily exercise and Alli in 6 months"

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366 Report
  • Kentu...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 3, 2019

Xenical (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "This has been a miracle drug for me! I have tried and failed many times at dieting. I could not lose weight. I am type 1 diabetic, and I just kept packing on the pounds. Finally, at 271 lbs, I asked for help. In the U.S., my insurance would not cover the cost of Xenical. It was going to cost me $600 a month. Fortunately, the clinic has a prescription assistance program, and I am able to get it for $15 a month. I found out real quick what I could eat and what I could not eat. There were a few days spent on the toilet, but I learned to modify my eating. Xenical does not make you jittery or fill you up. It works in your stomach and gut. I went to my weight doctor yesterday, and in three months, I have lost 33 lbs without much effort at all!!! I am now 238 lbs, and do not need to sleep with my sleep apnea machine. I feel great and people comment that even my complexion looks better. I am still taking Xenical, and still losing weight."

9 / 10
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269 Report
  • Lucky
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • July 7, 2021

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I've been on orlistat since May 2021 and today (July 2021) I got weighed at my drs surgery and I've lost a whopping 2 stone in 7 weeks!! I feel fantastic and will continue to use orlistat to help me lose my weight. I haven't really changed a lot in my diet except I've stopped snacking on junk!"

10 / 10
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167 Report
  • Donna
  • January 16, 2021

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I've had no side-effects and no weight lost after 3 months, so my Physician told me to stop taking the pills. My labs all came back normal, so no thyroid, Cushings, etc.... it was so frustrating!!! Then, because of the Covid, everything was telemedicine and I got a new Physician via Zoom call and she requested a new set of labs and told me I had pre-diabetic insulin resistance. That changed everything! My diet had to change yet again. I'm following more of a high veggie and low any type of carb diet, PLUS the Alli and I am *finally* losing those darn menopause pounds that, literally, sneak up on you. What am I saying? Take Alli to help with weight loss but if it doesn't work, you need to keep working with your Physician to get the right combination of diet & exercise for Alli to work. For you pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women out there; keep at it! The weight does, eventually, come off and you don't have to starve yourself or have risky surgery to do it."

10 / 10
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  • Kar4em
  • July 1, 2017

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Okay so after reading some of the reviews I was a little reluctant to try Alli. There were comments saying how you would poop yourself etc. Well let me tell you no that does not happen if your eating a healthy diet . I love it and yes instead of losing the typical 2 pounds a week I am losing 3. So happy I tried this and will continue to use it . Down 16 pounds and 24 to go ! Check it out yourself before you read all the ridiculous comments . Eat healthy and yes it works!"

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283 Report
  • blobbzi
  • November 26, 2011

Xenical (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I love Xenical. It is basically making me scared to eat rubbish because of the oily poo side effect, with a very urgent need to 'go' it is making me look at food in a different way. If I see a family size chocolate bar, which previously I would have eaten within 2 minutes, I just see it as a slab of fat. It has changed my attitude towards food. I now eat healthy food because I know what the unhealthy food will look like as it comes out and I am disgusted that all of that unhealthy fat was going into my body, into my arteries, around my heart. It has been a visual education in healthy eating. I am losing weight and it's thanks to Xenical. "

10 / 10
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415 Report
  • Becks
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • October 13, 2020

Xenical (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started this on Xenical the 13.06.20 at 18st 9lbs and now I'm 16st 0.5lbs and lost 2st 8.5lbs so far, doesn't work if you don't eat well. It encourages you to eat well as you are on the toilet all the time if you don't eat well, so far so good! It really has changed my life"

10 / 10
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  • Mesom...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • October 11, 2019

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Ok so I started taking Alli for weigh tloss back in June I dropped 7 pounds in 7 days by exercising, dieting and drinking water . I will admit make the toilet your best friend and if your a female and very gassy grab a pad or pantyliner. It gets nasty . You have to eat for your body type , and do what is needed to shed pounds DO NOT think popping 3 pills a day will magically induce weight loss . FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS"

6 / 10
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179 Report
  • home
  • June 3, 2020

Xenical (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Hi I started on Xenical 4 days ago I had one bad day with my stomach and oily farts, but now I feel that my body is getting used to them now but I do find that i am very hungry in the evening . If anyone has any tips i would be grateful"

7 / 10
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152 Report
  • 1life...
  • August 5, 2016

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I lost 75 pounds when I used Alli. I ate low fat foods like egg whites, low fat yogurt, salads with chicken breasts & low fat dressing, sugar free popcicles, tomato soup, lean turkey, chicken, & turkey. I added salsa, green peppers, onions, & mushrooms to make the food go farther & for taste. Lots of lean protI took one Alli when I ate a meal that contained fat. I also started walking. I walked 3/4 mile at first, then 1 mile, & then 2. If I cheated, it wasn't fun! If I ate a piece of pizza & took an Alli pill, it gave me the oily runs which wasn't fun. That made me not cheat! When I stopped exercising, and not eating right I gained the weight back. It's like any healthy lifestyle, you have to make changes to lose weight!"

9 / 10
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  • Gemmie
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • August 26, 2016

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Worked brilliantly, I cut down my fat intake a week before starting them & continued this whilst on them, I lost 10lb in my first 2 weeks!! Really really pleased with the result & have just ordered my second months supply. You HAVE to reduce you fat intake to stop any unpleasant side effects, I'm now at the point where I don't want to eat high levels of fat because I don't want to suffer the consequences!!! Worked for me!!!"

10 / 10
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218 Report
  • Starley
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • October 10, 2019

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I take Alli on and off, it is helpful; but today was different. As I was sitting in the office, I felt my downtown area wet then I went to restroom. The moment I was doing #1, then #2 started coming out as well and when I looked in the toilet it was oily(red). To tell you the truth I lost 20lbs already"

6 / 10
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147 Report
  • Anonymous
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • August 23, 2012

Xenical (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I was first prescribed these tablets last year but didn't make a proper go of it, I had post natal depression and a baby who never slept, so healthy eating and exercise felt impossible. I'm now heavier than before I was pregnant (I weigh 20 st ) and feel strong enough to make a proper attempt to shift the weight. I am eating 1600 cals per day and walking uphill for 45 mins a day. The side effects are awful (never ever assume its just a fart!!) but I'd rather the fat was in the loo than adding pounds to my body - sorry to be so explicit . I've been doing this for 2 weeks now and starting to feel the difference. I have a phobia of scales so going to wait til my monthly doctor appointment to see the weight coming off. I'll update again."

9 / 10
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284 Report
  • Serial...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 4, 2016

Xenical (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I promised an update so here it is! Just over 3 weeks since I started taking orlistat and I am now a stone (14 lbs) lighter! My clothes feel looser and I'm over the moon! As others have said, this isn't a 'miracle drug', you do have to change your eating habits and get moving. Knowing the (fairly immediate) consequences of having a fatty meal whilst on this medication has really helped me to monitor my intake. I've also found it has helped me eat 3 meals a day, which I have never done in my life, I was always a one meal a day (and junk in between) kind of girl! I've never felt so optimistic about losing weight, and being able to keep it off, thanks to my new found awareness of fat levels in my meals :)"

10 / 10
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205 Report
  • Chris
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • July 19, 2019

Xenical (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "When I started taking this drug I was 235lbs and in a matter of 4 weeks, my weight cane down to 220lbs! 15lbs in a month!! I did not even exercise, so imagine how much more is possible if I did. One thing to be careful with is leakage. It makes it easy to leak orange fats when farting, so be careful with that since it’s oily!"

9 / 10
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135 Report
  • Laras...
  • March 10, 2014

Xenical (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Been on orlistat for 2 months and so far lost 21 pounds. You really have to watch what you eat as the side effects can be very unpleasant. Let's just say I had to buy extra toilet cleaner. Stay away from fast foods and sugary snacks. Stock up on vegetables and fruit. This is not a miracle pill, you have to put work into it, but it helps a lot. Going back to my GP to get my 3rd months prescription. Looking forward to a healthier me."

7 / 10
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226 Report
  • Baby...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • April 15, 2018

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I almost decided not to try Alli because of the horror stories but I'm glad I did. First two days I had minor nausea and slight cramping but it never reoccured after that. I have followed the diet and fat requirements and I have never had an accident or any problems and I am on week 4. The only slight day to day issue is minor constipation and a little gas. Not enough to make me stop taking it. I ate in a restaurant for the first time and did not have access to nutrition content and had no issues. If you are serious about diet and weight loss, give it a try and don't let the horror stories deter you."

9 / 10
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  • blondie
  • March 23, 2014

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I'm on my second month, and or bottle of ALLI. I tried it in the past, but I must admit, I ate fat and yes, had the loose bowel motion, but didn't gain weight. No I only had 15 lb to loose, and so far I've lost 7-9 lbs in a month, eating good. I did go on a week vacation and ate cake, drank cocktails, ribs, etc. Not every day, and yes it came right out. Don't laugh, but I didn't gain a pound during the week. I'm not using it for that reason, but hey, now you can go on that Cruise during your diet and NOT gait weight. Ya, you go to the bathroom a lot, but you know its all coming-out. For the most part 'Im 90 percent on track, with NO side effects. And if I eat Pizza and Nachos on Friday night, so what, I don't gain weight and for once I'm not constipated."

8 / 10
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  • Nora
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • July 13, 2023

Alli (orlistat) for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started taking Alli 3 months ago. After chemotherapy some years ago and being forced into menopause at the age of 44, which plummeted my hormones , hormones help your body combat fat absorption and fat burning, I had to do something. I went from 138 to 172 in a few years of life without normal hormone levels. After one month of ALLI I dropped 12 lbs. I stopped taking them and the weight came back on. Having hypertension i am doing: I take an Alli with meals that have fat content over 10g. Yes I have fluorescent orange oil in my stools that means fat is leaving my body. I cut my food intake by one third, nothing too drastic, and I am not left ravenous. Mediterranean Diet is adhered to and normal daily exercise. I do have a once a month cheat day and Pie is always on the menu that day. Moderation is the key. Don't be hard on yourself, your not lazy , you need to take baby steps and be kind to yourself. Ignore the name callers on here, they are not very compassionate."

7 / 10
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30 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.