This is a question that is often often brought up and a good one at that. If Alli is so good, why not double the dosage and lose weight even faster? Sounds like a good idea, but you need to understand what Alli really does. Here is a question from an Xenical user.
A couple of years ago I used Xenical for 2 months with great results and no side effect (only noticed that oily discharge in the bathroom) but due to the expensive price tag, I had to stop taking the medication. I am now trying Alli (which only has half the dosage of Xenical and more affordable) with no side effect? Is it possible to safely double up on dosage for Alli (2 pills each time instead of 1) without adverse effect. I could not find any information that I can use to compare the ingredients of or other factors about both medications. I am not having any of the side effects listed and though it has only being a week, I am seeing no difference. I work out 6 days a week (resistance training and cardio) and eat vegetarian meals sensibly. I am also planning to talk to the store's pharmacist about this but wanted to know if anyone else have answers.
There are a couple of answers to this.
1. To be safe, no you shouldn't double up because the Alli version of Xenical is the OTC version and was approved at that dosage, no more than 3 pills a day. There may be good reasons for that, and a person taking these over the counter is not under a doctors' care.
OR
2. Doubling up would be fine. Alli is just a lower dose, exactly 1/2, of the active ingredient, Orlistat. Doubling up would be the equivalent of taking one regular strength Xenical tablet. You can buy Alli much cheaper on this website than in the stores anyway, so the price doesn't have to double on you.
Of course, you may be putting yourself at risk of some side effects.
If you’re going to double up why not just ask your doctor for a prescription or buy the stuff from an online pharmacy? You might as well, if you’re going to be doubling up that is.
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Alli Weight-Loss Aid, Orlistat 60mg Capsules, 120-Count Refill Pack List Price: Sale Price: $43.91 You save: $26.08 (37%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Average Rating: ![]() |
Features
- Only FDA approved over-the- counter weight-loss aid
- Blocks absorption of 25% of consumed fat
- Undigested fat is excreted from the body instead of being turned into fat
- Alli users typically lose 50% more weight than people who use diet alone
Reviews
Two years on Orlistat
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by calyx from bklyn on 2007-06-29
I've been taking this product for two years now. It was prescribed by my doctor after I stopped smoking and gained quite a bit of weight. I lost 60 pounds but also dieted vigorously and exercised regularly at the gym on the treadmill for 35 minutes. Oily discharge sometimes? you bet, but only when I ate meals with a high fat content. Couple bits of advice: if you feel like you need to fart, don't. You can't be sure of what will come out. Restrain yourself until you get to a toilet, just in case. Also, not only fried chicken and fried food have fat. Any kind of red meat has fat content. Rule of thumb for me is if calories from fat are high, I take a pill with the meal. This product is a lifesaver but it only works with diet and exercise.
Works as promised, and keeps you honest
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by AmazonComWoman from Dayton OH on 2008-01-25
I've been using Alli now since the middle of November, and I've lost 12 pounds, on schedule with the promised 1-2 pounds of safe weight loss per week. They have a very robust online support site for people who purchase the pills and it provides useful tracking of weight loss and encouragement in more ways than I can use. The treatment effects that you read about are what keeps people honest with Alli and essentially make it work -- if you eat too much fat at one sitting, you'll be visiting the bathroom quite frequently. You learn quick. I made it through the holidays with continued weight loss, which I view as an amazing feat. I have 13 more pounds to lose on my plan and I'll weigh what I did before I had my two kids. Easy to use, promotes healthy eating habits and lifestyle changes, and self-critiquing when you stray from the plan. I would recommend Alli to others -- it's a little pricy but I'm getting my money's worth out of it.
An honest testimonial.
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by psue-psue-psuedonym from Leawood, KS United States on 2008-03-05
This is not going to make you look like Paris Hilton by tomorrow. If that's what you're looking for, see a psychiatrist rather than an endochrinologist!
This is not going to keep you from being hungry. There's plenty of junk on the pharmacy & "herbal supplement" store shelves for that.
What it will do, is mitigate some of the fat you eat. If you have an extremely low-fat diet, it will do nothing for you. If you have an extremely high-fat diet (i.e. an American) it will do lots.
My credentials: I've been taking doctor-prescribed Xenical for a several years now. I've recently switched to Alli, because it is the exact same chemical ingredient (Orlistat) at exactly half the dose, and is significantly cheaper.
My results: When I started, I weighed 320 lbs. I now weigh 240. Now, I can't give all that credit to Alli, because in the two years it took me to lose the 80 pounds, there were numerous other factors to consider. Mostly, changes in my medication for type 2 diabetes. But the important point is, there was no change in diet or exercise over that period. Makes it a pretty good success story in my book.
Point 1) All of the other diet drugs fall into a couple of categories. One of which is the "appetite suppressant" group. Means nothing to me, because I'm never fighting my appetite. I eat well (and, according to two diabetic dieticians, appropriately) so I seldom get so hungry I have to binge. I understand the phenomenon, (on the rare occasion I miss two meals in a row, I'm ready to main-line Sugar Pops) and feel truly sorry for those who experience constant hunger, but Alli won't help that.
The second group are the "Metabolism Stimulants". You want to take "uppers" to lose weight? You deserve everything that happens to you. It's not for me. And Alli won't help you with that, either.
The point is THEY ARE ALL DRUGS, by definition. They enter the bloodstream and work on some chemical or organ in some way. Problem is, you expose every cell in your body to every one of them. Side-effect galore.
Alli is not a drug. It never leaves your gastro-intestinal tract. Pie-hole to Hershey highway, no destructive stops along the way. The so-called side-effects are identical to the effects of particular foods. Sure, they are real, and maybe you can't live with them, but it's nothing compared to the potential damage from the other drugs & herbs.
So the point is that this food additive stands alone as a non-drug alternative to weight loss. If you're like me and are plagued by half the side-effects listed of about every drug on the shelf, then this (and insulin) won't hurt you.
Point 2) This will mitigate a high-fat diet to some degree. Literally can't live without some bacon in the morning? Some animal must die for you have eaten well? Think of butter as a beverage? Well, stage one is "don't eat like that". Once you determined that your quality of life is more important than the advice of the putz from stage one, move on to stage two. Alli's whole deal is to simply bind with the fat you've eaten and pass it through. So with no change in your diet, you'll be eating less fat. Period. It's tough to imagine a scenario where reducing the fat in your diet isn't a good thing. (Fat soluble poisons collected in your system? You're already Paris Hilton? Macrobiotic? O.K., then move on. Everyone else, line up.)
Point 3) As I said before, the side-effects do exist. With practice and good sphincter muscle control, you will be able to skywrite. Six-hour staff meetings are a thing of the past. In the worst cases, keep a spare pair of BVD's handy. (That one's right from the manufacturer. Believe them.)
Basically, if you've ever had a bowl of my chili, you'll be fine. If your fastidious about your "number two" habits, you might want to give it a miss. Oh, and don't miss a day. I believe the ballistic equivalent would be called a "sabot". I won't go into further detail here. Just trust me.
So, to summarize:
It won't help you with your appetite.
It won't affect your metabolism.
It will remove some amount of fat from your diet.
It will give you the green apple quick step.
It will help with diabetes. (Lowered my average blood sugar by 50 points!)
It will take time to lose weight. (But hey, I should be the "Jarod" of Alli. It does work.)
It will lighten your wallet.
Works great, if you follow the directions and diet properly.
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by Caitlin M. Jordan from Charleston, SC on 2010-06-15
I started taking Alli in January after I went to the doctor and saw how much I weighed.
I don't have the opportunity to work out like I want to since my grandmother has been sick. I have to stay home with her everyday except when my mom is off and I have to do school completely online, so I don't get to get out like I would like to.
Once I started talking Alli, I cut out the foods I ate regularly that were fattening (cheese, 2% milk, beef, etc). I found substitutions for the foods I liked that were not so fattening like fat free/low fat versions of the food. I also enjoy low fat yogurt in place of ice cream, especially the Ben and Jerry's low fat yogurt in grocery stores, I have tried 3-4 flavors and it tastes great. Also, being stuck in the house so much made me eat out of boredom, so every time I went in the kitchen, I thought, "Am I really hungry? Or am I bored?". I have also got into the habit of weighing myself everyday.
As for the price of Alli, it is expensive (especially on my budget) but I found it was worth it. I was so use to just eating fast food, and since I started taking Alli, I have cut down on fast food, and it has saved me a lot of money.
As for how it works, I think it is great. You don't need to worry about the side effects if you follow through with the diet. If you are nervous, just wear a pad or something. If you absolutely cannot avoid eating a fattening meal one day, just don't take the pill.
Since January I have lost about 25lbs. I was a size 12/14 now I am a size 6/8. Since it has gotten warmer, I go swimming every day, and walk and run. (I can actually run much longer without getting winded/tired as fast) I also found out that my blood pressure has improved. I feel much healthier, and more confident. I use to hate wearing tank tops, but now I even feel comfortable wearing a bikini. The best thing for me is when my boyfriend came up behind me and picked me up and said I felt light. :)
I love how I look now, and I can't wait to lose more. I just ordered another bottle, and since my family has seen how it works for me, I have some members that now want to try it to.
I highly recommend it. You can even go to [...] for more stores, faq's, etc. I use to think I could never lose weight, and alli has made it easy for me to maintain a better, healthier lifestyle.
Good luck!
It really works!
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by Angelica Cornett from United States of America on 2010-05-28
I recently went to the doctor and asked him to help me make a plan to lose weight. He suggested that I start taking Alli and follow the Alli program. I have to say, at first I was pretty skeptical. In the past, I've avoided weight loss drugs and supplements like the plague, but I trust my doctor, so I decided to give it a try. I can honestly say, I'm glad I did. I've only been on Alli for three weeks, and while I haven't lost any weight, but I have lost eight (8) inches!!! The doc says that the scales will soon reflect the inches lost! I will continue with the Alli plan, until (and maybe after) I reach my goal weight. Alli even provides an online forum for users, including customizable meal plans and printable shopping lists.
There are some side effects (mentioned in some of the previous reviews), such as greasy stools, and if you aren't careful, when passing gas you could wind up with a grease stain in your underwear. I've noticed that this mainly happens when I go over the recommended fat grams per meal. When weighing pros versus cons, the pros outweigh the cons by far!
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Alli Starter Pack New Sealed 12 2011 US $23.95 |
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