Dear Pharmacist,

Is it safe to assume that if I don't have any treatment effects within 2 hours of taking alli that I won't have any until I take the next pill?

I know that if I stay within my fat grams that TE's should not occur, but hidden fats show up in food I don't prepare.  I will be traveling in two weeks and I want to be sure I don't have any TE's while in route.  So if I take the pill, eat, and wait two hours before getting on the plane, can I be sure not to have TE's until I take the next pill or could I still get TE's if I eat too much fat?  

If you take your Alli and eat WAY over your fat grams .. a TE probably won't happen for anywhere between 24 - 72 hours AFTER that particular meal.  Nothing will happen as soon as 2 hours.

Good luck on your trip.

dv2561:

 

Dear Pharmacist,

Is it safe to assume that if I don't have any treatment effects within 2 hours of taking alli that I won't have any until I take the next pill?

I know that if I stay within my fat grams that TE's should not occur, but hidden fats show up in food I don't prepare.  I will be traveling in two weeks and I want to be sure I don't have any TE's while in route.  So if I take the pill, eat, and wait two hours before getting on the plane, can I be sure not to have TE's until I take the next pill or could I still get TE's if I eat too much fat?  

 Hi,

A treatment effect can occur at anytime.  It depends on your digestive system. If you take a dose and eat a meal very high in fat an effect is possible from the time of the dose to up to 72 hours later. Note that some foods can just make you run once you have eaten them.  With Alli is is most common to see an effect between 12-24 hours later. The 2 hour time frame is the food that is eaten with that meal only.

What you need to do is to make sure what you are eating the day of your flight or even the night before is low in fat or just skip the dose of Alli. The good thing is you will already have been on the plan for a couple of weeks and will have seen the effects or non-effects on your body.

Hope this helps.

Enjoy the trip!

Sophia De Monte RPh

This website says that if you want to enjoy a higher fat special meal (for example a holiday)  just skip the pill for that meal and then continue the plan with your next meal.  It is on the home page under "the truth about treatment effects."  I also know that I had to be on a low fat diet for three days BEFORE I could start taking alli.  Also, you say in your response that a TE could occur up to 72 hours after taking alli.

So let's say I take an alli with my breakfast that is under 12 grams of fat.  Then I skip the lunch and dinner dose because these meals are too high in fat.  The next day I keep my fat intake within the required range.  So I take alli with each meal.  Will the fat in yesterday's meal catch up with me?

FYI: I have taken alli for about one month and have not had any TE's to date.  So my bowel is adjusted to the product.

Hi dv2561,

Let me put you at ease and clarify the answer to your question.

First, since you have been taking Alli and following the program with no problems there is no reason that it should be any different when you are traveling.

Alli will block the absorption only of the fat that has been consumed in that 2 hour window of effectiveness.  The duration and onset of treatment effects, if any, is dependent on the speed of your digestive tract.  If you have daily bowel movements you may notice grease in that day's stool or and increase of frequency in movements.  For people who have a bowel movement every 2nd or 3rd day, the increase in movement is more noticeable and is why a treatment effect can occur so long after a high fat meal.

If you skip a dose with a high fat meal there will be no residual effect.  

Having an effect within 2 hours of the dose means you have eaten something that doesn't agree with you regardless of the fat content.

Enjoy your trip.

Sophia De Monte RPh

Thank you for clearing this up!

I just wanted to make sure I fully understand this concept before I screw up. I'm a college student, and my friends often eat out on the weekends. I was wondering, if I knew i was going to be having pizza or something for dinner, or just take a day off and didn't want to have a treatment effect, I can just skip that particular dose(s)?

You have it right.  When you know that you will be eating a meal that is high in fat you skip an alli dose.  

When following a weight loss plan though, calories do count.  For success you should keep in mind the calories you will be consuming and try to keep them in check with portion control and an increase in exercise.

Sophia De Monte RPh

Thanks for clearing that up. I have been putting off restarting the pills due to a planned occasion. Now I can restart and just skip the pills that day.

What about taking youre pill and knowing that your meal is going to be high in fat. Some Alli userssay that they make sure to take it with high fat meals to make sure that all of the fat is not absorbed. I guess they just deal with the treatment effects. Is this alright  to do and is it safe?

One 60mg dose of alli will block about 25% of the fat contained in the meal.  The excess fat that has not been absorbed will then be eliminated.  The more fat, the greater the urgency.  The treatment effects are not harmful, they are uncomfortable and inconvenient.

To challenge alli and fat levels is not the best way to approach this program. The pill should not be used as a cheater but as a motivator to healthier eating habits.

Sophia De Monte RPh

 I took my last dose of alli with my Friday supper.  Now on Sun am I'm still having treatment effects.  How long before these stop?

It can take up to 72 hours for treatment effects to subside, it depends on fast your GI tracts normally digests and eliminates food.

Sophia De Monte RPh