Prescribed Orlistat and anti bloating week ago

Posted , 2 users are following.

Been prescribed Orlistat as gained huge amounts of weight after complete hysterectomy and taking HRT

but I feel constipated all the time and bloated, have a very good diet and walk average 7 miles a day over different terain - can't run as I've osteoarthritis in knees and hips

Any advice on anyone having similar experience ?

39 years old

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Gail, sorry to hear about all your problems, not nice at all. You don't say how long you have been taking Orlistat so I can only give you some information about how I have found taking the tablets, and also what I've learnt from speaking with others on these forums.

    In the beginning a huge amount of people, me included, suffered with bloatedness, constipation, and feeling very uncomfortable. I think this is quite normal to begin with and so I wouldn't worry about it. I was like this for about 5 weeks and actually had to either eat a really fatty meal, or take some senokat, once a week in order to unblock myself. You say you feel constipated, but are you actually constipated or just have that feeling and going to the loo normally? Anyhow, the feeling of bloatedness etc is normal and many people have been constipated the few weeks. All of this does sort itself out however. It took about 5 weeks with me and now I am absolutely fine on the tablets (in my 4th month now).

    I am dead impressed with you walking 7 miles a day - that is hugely impressive and will really help you lose weight. I did not exercise before I started all this but after considerable nagging from my husband (he cycles 100's of miles a month) we got a bike and I now cycle 3 or 4 times per week and it has definitely helped me lose weight. I had lost 26.5lbs at my 3rd weigh in but then went on holiday 4 weeks ago (just for 5 days), gained half a stone which shocked the hell out of me as I thought I had been relatively good and had never gained that kind of weight before in my life, not even when holidaying for 2 weeks in the U.S.A where the meals are huge. So for the past 3 weeks I have half heartedly been trying to get back on the straight and narrow, and at last middle of last week got back on track. So, now to lose that half stone and then carry on as another 3 stone to lose! Groan!

    I hope this gives you some reassurance and good luck with moving forward. If you need any other advice or have any questions, please feel free to shout.

    • Posted

      I've been trying to loose weight for over a year and only lost 21 in a year so far, so the tablets are a trial as all efforts have proved non effective, yes have felt I need to loo all day and have taken senokat to make me regular, but I am glad to hear that persistent pays off, that holiday weight must be he's to handle after all the work you have done, did you stop the tablets whislt on holiday ? I've no plans to stop unless they are deemed not to work, I need to get tests to see how my levels of hormones are as they think that's why I can't loose weight effectively
    • Posted

      Hi, don't down yourself on 21lbs loss in 1 year. Who cares how long it takes as long as it's going down - which it is. Pat yourself on the back for that - it's a huge amount of weight and think of it this way, if you hadn't of been dieting these past months you would probably be 21lb up on what you were originally. Honestly, be pleased with yourself, and keep going, it's only down from here!

      I stopped taking the tablets whilst I was away as I didn't want any problems on the plane or round the pool! I thought I was pretty good with my eating too. I skipped lunch and only had breakfast and dinner each day and I had no snacks at any point. Don't get me wrong, I am not claiming I ate like a mouse whilst away because I certainly ate well as it was a 5 star hotel and the food was fab, but it was all healthy with lots of fish, salads and fruits - but I did have dressings on the salads and I ate lots of their fresh bread at breakfast with fruit. I didn't eat any protein during breakfast, just the fruity breads with home made jams (no butter) and fruit and then it was always a 3 course dinner in the evening and I had no control over how it was made. But I didn't snack, I don't drink, ditched lunch and so thought I would be o.k, but I piled on the weight. My husband thinks it is because I ate lots of carbs rather than protein but of course I wasn't doing my usual cycling and so those carbs just turned to sugar/fat without being used for energy. Big mistake!

      So anyway, next time I am away, I will ditch the carbs and try to stick to mainly protein, fruit and veg and see if I can avoid gaining any weight. Oh and I will be taking the tablets next time too - that way I will be too frightened to eat anything that seems remotely fatty.

      So good luck, carry on, and see how things pan out with the tablets. I really hope they help you as I know how depressing it is when you want to lose weight and it just doesn't seem to come off. Bye for now.

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