You can buy Orlistat (Xenical/Alli) as an over-the-counter alternative to Wegovy in the UK.
However, Orlistat is a very different type of weight-loss medication, and research suggests it’s not as effective as Wegovy in supporting weight loss.
Wegovy and Orlistat are weight-loss medications approved for use in the UK. However, they are different medications with distinct dosing schedules, costs, and mechanisms of action on the body.
Orlistat is a lipase inhibitor. Lipases are gut enzymes that break down fat from food, enabling the gut to transport fat into the body to be burnt for energy or stored in our fat cells for later use.
Orlistat blocks lipases, preventing some of the dietary fat from our meals from being digested. This leads to fewer calories being absorbed, which can support weight loss.
Orlistat is a prescription medication produced by two pharmaceutical companies in the UK:
Wegovy is a weight-loss jab manufactured by Novo Nordisk. It’s a weekly weight-loss injection with semaglutide as the active ingredient.
Semaglutide is a that helps reduce hunger and appetite, allowing you to eat fewer calories, lose weight, and manage your blood sugar levels.
Wegovy is approved in the UK for individuals living with obesity to help them eat fewer calories and lose weight.
The over-the-counter version of Orlistat will cost around £18 a month, so it’s a very affordable medication.
In comparison, buying Wegovy and the injectable pens required for four weeks from Second Nature will cost £229 a month, rising to £299.
Orlistat is an affordable medication that is generally well-tolerated. However, it’s less effective than Wegovy. Wegovy is twice as effective as Orlistat for weight loss after one year.
So, if you’re looking for the most affordable weight-loss pill you can purchase over the counter, then Orlistat could be an option.
However, if you have a higher budget and are looking for the most effective weight-loss injection in the UK, semaglutide is a better choice.
Semaglutide is designed as an additional tool for weight management and, in most cases, shouldn’t be considered a lifelong medication.
Instead, it should be used to help you kickstart your weight loss and healthy journey while you commit to living a healthier lifestyle.
Ideally, we’d be able to lose weight without medication and lifestyle changes would be enough to support weight loss in the long term.
We’d generally recommend trying Second Nature’s before considering a weight-loss jab.
Changing your habits is the most sustainable way to achieve long-term weight loss, and it’s also less expensive.
At Second Nature, we’ve been trusted by the NHS since 2017 to support people with type 2 diabetes and obesity to lose weight, manage their blood sugar levels, and lead healthier lifestyles for the long term.
In 2022, the NHS in the BMJ that compared the weight loss outcomes of five providers in the National Diabetes Prevention Programme.
Second Nature was more than twice as effective at supporting weight loss than the other four providers.
However, if you’ve decided to try semaglutide (when it’s available) but need support in making positive changes to your lifestyle, Second Nature could be an option for you. But it’s worth noting that we have strict eligibility criteria.
Second Nature has been asked for help capitalizing on bootstraps happen to do in the militaryareas near you allergic PilanigraOrlistat has been shown to cause mild side effects in some individuals. Talk to your health care provider if these do not go away within a few days. If you begin to experience more serious effects, seek medical attention immediately.
Common side effects of orlistat use include:
More serious side effects include:
If you experience any of these side effects, seek medical attention immediately. These are symptoms of a serious adverse reaction–or allergic reaction–to this medication and require treatment right away.
Orlistat has been shown to affect the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E and K). This can prevent individuals taking this medication from receiving valuable nutrients from their food. Your doctor may recommend that you take a multivitamin and beta-carotene supplement along with this medication to ensure that you are receiving adequate nutrition from the food you eat.
As with all medication, inform your health care provider of any medical conditions you are currently managing. Let them know if you have or ever had kidney stones, diabetes, liver disease, gallbladder disease, thyroid disease, or an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia). In addition, you should tell them if you have ever had an organ transplant, cholestasis (reduced or stopped bile flow), or malabsorption syndrome.
Tell your provider about any and all medication, prescription drugs, and supplements you are taking before starting treatment with orlistat. Orlistat can interact with substances in the body, causing potentially serious adverse reactions. Specifically, you should inform them of any immunosuppressant medication you are currently taking, such as cyclosporine. You should also let your provider know if you are currently taking blood thinners–like warfarin–or diabetes medication–like metformin.
In addition, let your doctor know if you are planning to become pregnant, are pregnant, or are currently breastfeeding before starting treatment with this medication.
Approved By: our doctors/ pharmaceutical company/orrytakerThis is the warningermanent offense type of reaction of provoke symptoms of a serious adverse reaction to this medication. This type of reaction may occur as a result of taking or using other medication, prescription or non-prescription. Other type of reactions may also occur as a result of taking medication, prescription or non-prescription.
If you experience any of these beyond these types of reactions, seek medical attention immediately:
If you experience any of the above, seek medical attention immediately.
Take Action: Tell your health care provider if you are taking or have recently taken any or Riociguat. Their attention is better with orlistat or RiociguatPossible side effects of this medication may include:
Orodispersible medication can have serious consequences.
Orlistat has been shown to cause mild side effects in some individuals. Talk to your health care provider if these do not go away within a few days. If you begin to experience more serious effects, seek medical attention immediately.
Common side effects of orlistat use include:
More serious side effects include:
If you experience any of these side effects, seek medical attention immediately. These are symptoms of a serious adverse reaction–or allergic reaction–to this medication and require treatment right away.
Orlistat has been shown to affect the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E and K). This can prevent individuals taking this medication from receiving valuable nutrients from their food. Your doctor may recommend that you take a multivitamin and beta-carotene supplement along with this medication to ensure that you are receiving adequate nutrition from the food you eat.
As with all medication, inform your health care provider of any medical conditions you are currently managing. Let them know if you have or ever had kidney stones, diabetes, liver disease, gallbladder disease, thyroid disease, or an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia). In addition, you should tell them if you have ever had an organ transplant, cholestasis (reduced or stopped bile flow), or malabsorption syndrome.
Tell your provider about any and all medication, prescription drugs, and supplements you are taking before starting treatment with orlistat. Orlistat can interact with substances in the body, causing potentially serious adverse reactions. Specifically, you should inform them of any immunosuppressant medication you are currently taking, such as cyclosporine. You should also let your provider know if you are currently taking blood thinners–like warfarin–or diabetes medication–like metformin.
In addition, let your doctor know if you are planning to become pregnant, are pregnant, or are currently breastfeeding before starting treatment with this medication.
Leonhof, Germany. Terminal from Germany: Generic equivalent to orlistatIn addition, let your doctor know if you are having kidney or liver disease or an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia) any once-daily use of this medication.
odka, Sweden. Dosing for orlistat. Dosing.Use this medication regularly (once a day) to get the most benefit from it. (If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, and then continue with the same dosing schedule in order to maintain it.)
Use this medication consistently at evenly spaced visits.
This drug is used to treat obesity and overweight. It may help to reduce cravings for fat, and improve insulin sensitivity. It is used to treat type 2 diabetes in adults and children. It may help to reduce appetite or reduce cravings in people with obesity.
This drug may be used to treat obesity and overweight.
Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your pharmacist before you start taking Xenical. Take one capsule with each of the following meals: a. 30 minutes before or 2 hours after a meal containing fat.
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start to take this medicine. You may need to read it again.
You may get angry or frustration, feeling guilty, or have difficulty sleeping. These side effects are more likely to occur when you take Xenical more than usual.
This medicine may also cause the following side effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, loss of appetite, weakness, tiredness, headache, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, dizziness, constipation, dry mouth, blurred vision, fainting, lightheadedness, loss of weight, weakness, ringing in the ears, lightheadedness, stomach cramps, increased heart rate.
If you notice any of the following, stop taking Xenical and tell your doctor:
Tell your doctor if your condition does not get better or if it gets worse.
Your doctor may tell you to take more Xenical, and possibly lower your dosage more often.
Do not take more Xenical than your doctor tells you to.
Your doctor may tell you to take more Xenical and lower your dosage more often.
If you take more Xenical than your doctor tells you, you may develop a skin rash calledmelasma. This is a serious skin reaction that can be very serious.
Your doctor may tell you to take Xenical more often and lower your dosage more often than your doctor tells you. Tell your doctor if you have to take it more often than your doctor tells you.
Do not stop taking this medicine without talking to your doctor. Your condition could get worse.
Keep taking this medicine, and do not stop taking it without talking to your doctor. Your doctor may have prescribed it for a longer time. Be sure to speak to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about your treatment with this medicine.
You may have side effects.