Hello everyone,

I just started taking alli about 3 weeks ago. I have been expecting my period for a week now, and for the first time in my life, it is late. For the first time, I have had PMS effects that have lasted for over a week. I keep thinking it's coming, but it doesn't. I know I'm not pregnant and I am not on the pill. I read the article that was suggested by Betty Kovacs http://www.acudoc.com/Healthy%20Cycle.PDF and it stated that lack of vitamins A, E, D, and K, among others can lead to problems. I was taking a regular vitamin before. Now I am taking a "women's" multivitamin which has plenty of A, D, E, K and beta-carotene.  hope I see a difference soon.

My cycle has always been regular, regardless of what I weighed, how much excercise I got or what I was eating. So sorry, but I'm not buying the "even minor changes in lifestyle can affect your cycle" argument. I read on another website that around 10% of all women who take alli have this side effect. I am in my mid-thirties and would like to have a child in the next year or two, so I can't afford to play games with my reproductive system. I hope the people at alli start taking this issue seriously and provide us with some real information. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to stop taking alli.

Julie

I have been taking Alli for 3 months now. I do see some weight lost. But, it is also these several months that I start to skip periods

It seems that I have my period about every 2 months now instead of every month. I have been having my period monthly for 17 years. It is not always right on time. But, it is once a month and I never skip a period.

I used to take birth control. But, I quit that for a year already. My period was fine. So, I don't think it is the birth control.

I take no other medication. 

I didn't take multi vitamins as recommended. Maybe I should.

I have a day or so pills left and I am going finish that and stop afterwards. I will need to resume taking my vitamins. I have the women's one a day multi vitamin

I hope my period resume back to normal. 

I am 29 and I do plan to have kids. I hope this is not going to screw me up. :'(  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello. It is recommended to take a multivitamin at bedtime when on the alli plan to ensure you are getting enought essential nutrients. While it is possible to experience irregular menstruation on the alli plan, and many factors play a part in that possibility, there is no evidence that alli affects future fertility. The medication in alli, orlistat, has been studied in thousands of people, with usage of up to 4 years, and this has not surfaced as a problem. Using medication always involves some risk, so I understand your concern.

You could always ask your doctor to discuss this with you if you's like.

Hope this helps - Maria Marzella Sulli, Pharm.D.

I'm quite the opposite.  The first two weeks I took alli, I was fine.  However, I started to have irregular bleeding and immediately went to the dr.  I took several tests and they could not find a reason for the irregularity, so we agreed it had to be stress.  I stopped taking alli, and I was fine.  I started again the next month, and the irregular bleeding started again.  I stopped and the bleeding stopped.  I tried again and the same thing happened, so I am sure now that it is alli.  has anyone had this problem??

Hi iza_626, Studies have shown that orlistat, the active ingredient in alli, does not affect menstrual cycles. alli only works in the gut by inibiting the enzme lipase (the enzyme that breaks down fat). Each dose is effective for 2 hours when taken. Alli is minimally absorbed into the blood and is not systemically acting. There are many factors that can affect the menstrual cycle : weight loss, exercise, diet, stress are just a few. If you find that your cycles are irreguar you need to check this out with your physician. Alli will not affect your ability to have children. Hope this helps. Sophia De Monte RPh