A
oral drug manufactured by Roche Laboratories (
generic name: orlistat) prescribed for
weight loss, typically for those people who are more than 20% overweight. Xenical works by attaching itself to the
lipases in the
intestines and prevents them from breaking down
fat. Xenical claims to block up to 30 percent of fat intake, but requires a reduced-
calorie diet for best results. Xenical became
famous, or rather
infamous, for its rather
nasty list of
potential side effects (although most of these actually indicate that the
drug is working):
Side effects may include: spotting, gas with discharge, urgent need to go to the bathroom, oily or fatty stools, an oily discharge, increased number of bowel movements, and inability to control bowel movements. Due to the presence of undigested fat, the oil seen in a bowel movement may be clear or have a coloration such as orange or brown.