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Before Using This Medicine
Older adults¡XThere is no specific information comparing use of Xenical in the elderly with use in younger adults. However, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in
older people than it does in younger adults.
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Drug Interactions
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to c
hange the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking Xenical, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking the following:
- Warfa
rin¡XXenical may decrease the absorption of vitamin K and may change your bleeding time
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Cautions
.For patients with diabetes: Weight loss may result in an improvement in your condition, and your doctor may need to change your dose of oral diabetes medicine or insulin.
Visit your doctor
on a regular basis to check your progressto make sure that this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects
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What special dietary instructions should I follow?
Follow the diet program your doctor has given you. You should evenly divide your daily intake of fat, carbohydrates, and protein over three main meals. If Xenical is taken with a meal very high in fat
(30% total daily calories from fat), you may experience more side effects from the medication.
Xenical blocks your body's uptake of some fat-soluble vitamins and beta carotene. Therefore, wh
en you use Xenical you should take a daily multivitamin supplement that contains vitamins A, E, K, and beta-carotene. Take the vitamin once a day, 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking Xenical, or ta
ke the vitamin at bedtime.
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Side Effects
The most common side effect of Xenical is changes in bowel movement (BM) habits. This generally occurs during the first weeks of treatment; however, it may continue throughout your use of Xenical. Tel
l your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- oily, spotting BMs
- gas with discharge
- urgent need to have a BM
- oily or fatty stools
- an oily
discharge
- increased number of BMs
- inability to control BMs
- orange or brown color of a BM
- stomach pain
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If you experience any of the following symptoms, cal
l your doctor immediately:
- itching
- redness of skin
- skin rash or hives
- swelling
- chest pain
- difficulty breathing
- fever
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How to Use
Xenical comes as a capsule to take by mouth. It is usually taken three times a day with each main meal that contains fat. Each time you take Xenical, your meal should contain no more than about 30% of
calories from fat. Take Xenical during or up to 1 hour after a meal. If a meal is missed or does not have fat, you may skip your dose. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and
ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.
Xenical is in a class of drugs called lipase inhibitors. It works in your intestines, where it blocks some of the fat
you eat from being absorbed and disgested. This undigested fat is then removed in your bowel movements (BM).
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