Has anyone heard of this "myalli" fat blocker over-the-counter, FDA approved drug? Apparently it's hitting the shelves in mid-June, and helps block fat in the digestive system. I was wondering if people had any thoughts on taking this with LapBand. I'm not sure if I want to try it, as I'm not unhappy how things are going, but wanted to see if anyone else was considering taking this drug. :myscared:

Thanks!

myalli website: myalli.com – home page

I think its Olestra just over the counter. Im not banded yet but honestly I dont think you should take anything without checking with your dr. If its the same as olestra essentially it punishes you for eating high fat foods by giving you the runs and gas with leakies. Personally I dont need to punish myself like that since I do enough mental punishing when I eat overly fat stuff on my own but you know whatever works for you.

I imagine this is a OTC version of Xenical, not Olestra. Olestra is a food additive that mimics fat.

Do a google search for Xenical and you will get all the information you need. Xenical is awful. I was in it for a couple of months before I was banded and I could not stand the out of control fatty diareha. Basically I was afraid to fart for fear of the orange fatty stool.

I would avoid it at all costs.

Andrew

Yikes, this sounds totally gross. I think I'll steer clear. Thanks for cluing me in.

I imagine this is a OTC version of Xenical, not Olestra. Olestra is a food additive that mimics fat.

Do a google search for Xenical and you will get all the information you need. Xenical is awful. I was in it for a couple of months before I was banded and I could not stand the out of control fatty diareha. Basically I was afraid to fart for fear of the orange fatty stool.

I would avoid it at all costs.

Andrew

Yep, you're totally right Andrew. It is OTC Xenical and once upon a time I was put on it too. Oh, how I remember the greasy orange farts...

Oh, yes - it's xenical and boy do I remember it! It's funny that I saw this post because I just read an advertisement for myAlli in the new All About You magazine not 2 hours ago. I wonder if they changed the name of it because so many people DO remember xenical and the greasy orange gas?

...Xenical is awful. I was in it for a couple of months before I was banded and I could not stand the out of control fatty diareha. Basically I was afraid to fart for fear of the orange fatty stool. ...

BUT! Did it work? LOL

Not well enough to put up with that! It was the worst thing I had ever experienced. I had an "episode" once while I was in the car, waiting for me son at karate lessons--how embarassing, and totally disgusting! Definately not worth it!

I was on xenical as well- it is really useless for wt loss and yup, bowel problems, when you least need it!

I just saw an ad on TV tonight for something called "alli". Didn't realize it was Xenical. You couldn't pay me enough to go thru that again. I was on it for about 3 months a couple of years ago. I didn't lose a whole lot of weight on it and the side effects outweighed any possible benefits by a long shot and, of course, I gained the small amount of weight back plus some.

Xenical works on fat, but doesn't help control caloric intake. All it does is attach to some of the fat you eat so it won't digest.

If the only 'extra' calories you took in were fat (not carbs), it might be effective - otherwise, it only looks at part of the problem.

It's supposedly half the dose of prescription Xenical. I never took Xenical, because I heard of the yucky side effects. SUPPOSEDLY, the risk of those side effects are less with alli, because it's a lower dose. However, like someone else already posted, if you're loading on carbs too, it won't help.

I have to crush all my pills for life...according to my surgeon...I see that other's don't....I just wonder if this pill can be crushed or if in capsul form, can be opened and take only the powder....hmmmm????

I was just at GNC and saw a book about this Alli and the guy there told me that when taking it if you go over 11 grams of fat per meal, you get the oily substance in your stomach, which I am assuming means this orange diarrhea stuff? Not sure, but he did say that the three main ingredients that were in when it was sold prescription only are taken out so he really doubts people will stick with it. Deanna

I was just at GNC and saw a book about this Alli and the guy there told me that when taking it if you go over 11 grams of fat per meal, you get the oily substance in your stomach, which I am assuming means this orange diarrhea stuff? Not sure, but he did say that the three main ingredients that were in when it was sold prescription only are taken out so he really doubts people will stick with it. Deanna

I'm not sure the GNC guy is correct. From what I read, it's the same exact drug, only half the dose, to make it OTC acceptable. Either way, that stuff is DARNED expensive!!!!! Even at Walmart it's $50 for 90 pills! With 3 pills a day...that's $50 per month!?!?!?!?!

A friend of mine and I decided to go in halfsies and split the bottle. This will give us a two week supply to see if it really works or not. Her DH and my DH want to try it too. So, I guess that's a one week supply each! Don't know if we'd see results that quickly, but heck, I think we'll give it a whirl anyway.

Interesting that the Alli website doesn't mention Xenical anywhere - it got such bad press from the 'side effects' of people not reducing their fat intake.

Even Alli's label says:

"

alli capsules work by preventing the absorption of some of the fat you eat. The fat passes out of your body so you may have bowel changes.

You may get:

gas with oily spotting

loose stools

more frequent stools that may be hard to control

eating a low-fat diet lowers the chance of having these bowel changes

for every 5 pounds you lose from diet alone, alli can help you lose 2-3 pounds more. In studies, most people lost 5-10 pounds over 6 months"

In the studies, they lost a whole 5 - 10 pounds in 6 months? Probably becaues most folks approach pills as a 'fix it all' solution, and don't follow the diet/exercise regime included in the package.

On the Myalli website, they recommend taking a change of clothes with you because of the "treatment effects" (in other words SIDE effects) because of the oily "discharge".

No, thanks!