Hiya!

Have been presctibed Orlistat (Alli to you all overseas!), and had my first tablet this evening. I'm just wondering what the success rate is? I'm 5'4, and weigh dead on 16 stone (oh my God!!). I haven't managed to find a UK forum to post on, and I hope you don't mind me using yours for advice/guidance.

I've been overweight for about 10 years now, having PCOS doesn't help, but neaither does being just plain greedy. Anyhow, I'm a student nurse, 6 months away from qualifiying and have put on 4 stone in the last 2 and a half years.

I'd love to hear any suggestions from anyone.

Thank you!

Nicola

 Hiya, Nicola (on the other side of the pond :) !

I can relate to having been overweight for a while, too.  I'm Sara, and congratulations on your nursing studies!  From what I've heard, nurses (very understandably!!) sometimes eat from the high levels of stress they sometimes face both in their studies and on the job, so my heart goes out to you.  When I've been at the hospital to visit friends and family, I've often seen doctors and nurses clustered around the vending machines.  Stress can have that effect...

I've heard that over-the-counter Alli is not available in the UK.  Is that true?  I'm glad you were able to obtain a prescription for Orlistat, if that's the case. 

Weight must be a difficult battle when one has PCOS :(  If it's any encouragement - and I hope it is - I've got some physical problems which prevent me from doing extended walking, so my exercise is limited to strength-building and flexibility exercises.  So you're not alone, and I really do believe we can lose weight despite these limitations, don't you?

All the best!

Welcome, Nicola.

I had to look it up but now I know 1 stone = 14 pounds. That's one heavy rock! LOL.

Also, I've just come to know recently that "greedy" in Britain is "glutton" in the states. I read a children's book about a boy who was so greedy he ate, or tried to eat, every bit of food he saw. It was published in the UK. It finally clicked with me when I saw your post that greedy must just refer to food in the UK. To us in the states, greed is wanting money and material things but being a glutton is pigging out on food.

I love words and languages so this is interesting to me. I hope I didn't bore anyone.

E

 I had to figure out what your weight was in lbs.  224 for your height has to be hard on your back.  I was close to that but i'm quite taller than you.  i'm 5'11" 

This plan really does work.  I've lost 12 lbs in 7 days!!  You can do it.  You just have to want it bad enough and stick to the plan.

I remember when i was in college i got the freshmen 15 from eatting loads of pizza.  Thats 1 stone to you I think.  :) 

For me pizza, chocolate and ice cream are my down fall.  My husband knows how bad i want to loose weight so he has promised no more pizza, chocolate or ice cream in the house.  He's not supposed to eat any of that stuff anyway because he has very high cholesterol but he's never cared.  He is 6'2" tall and only 165lbs if that.  He walks all day long delivering mail plus he has herditity on his side.  His father and grand father were all thin.  But they all have extremely high cholesteral. 
So my going on this diet is also helping my husband.  I had to crack up laughing because last night my husband said once the icecream is gone he won't buy anymore.  lol   I'll believe it when i see it lol.    My family jokes and calls my husband a high octane guy lol. 

My point is stick to the plan.  YOu can do it.  Just keep in mind that if you stray off the plan you will get those bad side effects. The thought of that alone is enough for me to turn down those high fat foods.  I own a store and would be mortified if I had to rush off to the bathroom in the middle of ringing up a customer or if I suddenly had horrible gas with the oily discharge.

WHen i look at ice cream or pizza i picture the runs lol.  Horrible i know but it keeps me in the straight and narrow. :)

Hiya everyone! Thanks so much for the replies!

I have to say, the weight is really getting to me, especially my back - after a long shift it really aches. I'm really, really hoping that Orlistat works - I've tried everything - all different diet clubs, acupuncture, hypnotherapy and just downright plain starvation. To my alas, nothing works!!!!

16 Stone? Whoops! I've just looked at other posts and realised you use pounds in the U.S. Wow! So, I weigh 224 pounds? Sounds a hell of a lot! Isn't it strange how we use different language to describe the same thing? So, greedy is gluttony? Bet you all wondered what I was talking about ..... stones ...... greedy!!!!

Can I ask? How many tablets do you take a day and what strength? Is Orlistat rate the same as Alli? I take 120mg, 3 times a day.

Good luck to everyone!

Nic x

studentnursenic:

Can I ask? How many tablets do you take a day and what strength? Is Orlistat rate the same as Alli? I take 120mg, 3 times a day.

Good luck to everyone!

Alli is 60 mg capsules of Orlistat. You can get 120 mg but only by prescription and then it's called by another name (can't recall it). The 60 mg is off the drugstore shelf. Some (most?) people take it 3 x a day. I take it usually 2 x because breakfast for me is usually so low fat as to not be helped by alli. The 60 mg capsule is supposed to help eliminate 25% of the fat from that meal. I'm not sure how much more the 120 mg capsule does, I want to say 33-50%, but not sure on that.

E

Hi Nicola,

What your physician prescribed is orlistat, which is the 120mg prescription formulation.  Here in the states is is called Xenical.  Alli is the over the counter (no prescription required) 60mg orlistat formulation which is only available in the states.

Both formulations follow similar guidelines and dosing schedules.

Stress is a major factor in gaining weight and over time an increasing the risk of developing other diseases. Adopting good lifestyle habits (exercise and portion control) and learning how to handle stress better goes a long way. It has been seen with weight loss that the symptoms of PCOS may be alleviated.

Best of luck in your studies and a successful nursing career.

Sophia De Monte RPh