anyone ever used medications to help with weight loss?

lovingthem · **anyone ever used medications to help with weight loss?**

has anyone here ever tried alli or any other weight loss drug? i am mainly interested in alli, as it's the only one that's fda approved.

i am considering buying a starter kit to aid me, since diet and exercise alone is just not cutting it for me. i have drastically changed my eating habits, from junk junk junk to healthier habits, i cut all white rice and breads, drink water, no caloric drinks at all except milk and occassionally tea, i make it a habit to get at least 30 minutes of walking per week (which is tight considering i have an EXTREMELY busy schedule)...and i have lost about 3 pounds.

last year i went on a strict diet and exercise regimine, but that was when i was a SAHM and could better afford to take out hours a day to workout. now i can't--it's just not an option. anyway, i lost almost 20 lbs that way, but the way i did it, as i said, was strict and time consuming. it also was not something that i can pull off doing every day for the rest of my life. *sigh*

i have no problem with keeping the weight off once i lose it, because my changed habits are enough to support healthy weight maintenance. but losing it--well what i'm doing obviously is not enough. i've come to the conclusion that it's ok to need help with losing weight, and i'm not afraid to ask for it. however, all of the doctors i have gone to are complaining about "just diet and exercise more". uhm. that's not going to happen. so here i am, asking anyone if they've ever used products to aid in weight loss.

i have 30 lbs that i want to lose, and i've heard great things about alli. but what i'm wondering is if anyone can share their experiences with it, or any drug, so i can get a better idea of how it works for moms and those in similar situations like me, very little time to exercise, a pretty normal (or above normal) amount of stress, and those who are struggling to improve their diets but don't always eat salad for dinner (sometimes the kids want mcd's, and it's just easier that way, especially for an exhausted mommy).

i am pretty much already set that i am going to try it, and if i don't like it, i am going to quit. i'm not worried about the side effects, as i have worked through all of that and am sure that i can keep my fat intake at around 15 grams, or less, per meal.

guess i just wanted to start a conversation about this route for those of us considering going it.

thanks in advance

sahmof3 · 08-07-2007, 09:58 AM

My understanding about Alli is that it is very similar to the prescription weight loss drug Xenical (I believe) One huge draw back or maybe not...depends on how you look at it is if you consume too much fat in a day or even a certain meal you can have extreme bowel issues (think of the movie Dumb and Dumber when he is sitting on the toilet) Ha! Also, extreme gas. Other than that....I have heard great things also about Alli and I had 2 close friends who had success with the Xenical..

Keep us posted! Good luck!

lovingthem · 08-07-2007, 06:32 PM

thanks so much. i am not worried about the gas or bowel movement issues. not to give TMI (ok but i am

) but my bowels aren't as good as i'd like them to be anyway, and i'd rather POOP out fat than store it LOL!

i understand totally the probability of having a bowel control problem, and that's something i'm willing to work with. in my opinion, it beats the discomfort and unsightliness of having weight on you that you absolutely hate. not only that, but i am told that the bowel issues only become a serious problem when you consume extremely large amounts of fat, which i wdon't anyway, so hopefully i won't have tha tmany prob lems.

so yup, i'd take the toilet over a size 16 any day because this is just NOT the size i want to be, and i'm not afraid to say it anymore--i HATE, hate, HATE my weight. if it were something that didn't bother me so much, i'd consider another route. but at this point in my life, i realize i need help, and medication may not be as bad as i always thought it to be.

thanks so much for the support. it feels good to have someone wish you the best instead of tell you to expect the worst

blessed_with_6 · 08-07-2007, 07:38 PM

I've tried the PRESCRIPTION diet meds, but they don't effect me at all. I may as well take a spoonful of sugar.

debellafunk · 08-07-2007, 09:49 PM

I just have just been diagnosed with PCOS and the only symptom I have of it is the weight and not being able to loose it. The only weight loss recomendation were South Beach Diet, lapband, and Nutrisystem.

I am trying south beach diet, with pcos I would not be able to do the Nutrisystem anyways ( plus we don't have the money) We did talk about diet pills and the out come was started if there was a pill that worked he would percribe it and that all of america would be skinny. HTH

Me&My2girls · 08-07-2007, 10:14 PM

Alli is the same thing as Xenical (perscription) it is a little bit less in strength, but works the same. My DH took xenical for about 7 months and lost weight with no big problems. He said he'd do it ALL OVER AGAIN in a second if he needed to! He loved it! My mom, SIL and a friend of mine are all on Alli (started the day it came out in stores) they all have had success with it. They did have to use the bathroom two or three more times a day, but have had ABSOLUTELY NO problems with leakage or tons of gas. After your body gets used to it (it takes 3 weeks) the bathroom trips are less and it basically teaches you what and what not to eat. If you eat a HUGE in fat meal, then you'll go to the bathroom more- but in my experiance and hearing from others who have actually been on it for months now it is still not a HUGE problem. I TOTALLY RECOMMEND IT!!!! Especially if you don't mind going to the bathroom a few more times a day (which you said that it wouldn't bother you) My mom said that her body has adjusted very well to it and she's very happy to be getting rid of the extra fat. AND she is actually looking and FEELING a TON better! It's well worth the cost and the two or three trips to the Bathroom daily!!!!

araefinn · 08-07-2007, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovingthem

thanks so much. i am not worried about the gas or bowel movement issues. not to give TMI (ok but i am

) but my bowels aren't as good as i'd like them to be anyway, and i'd rather POOP out fat than store it LOL!

i understand totally the probability of having a bowel control problem, and that's something i'm willing to work with. in my opinion, it beats the discomfort and unsightliness of having weight on you that you absolutely hate. not only that, but i am told that the bowel issues only become a serious problem when you consume extremely large amounts of fat, which i wdon't anyway, so hopefully i won't have tha tmany prob lems.

so yup, i'd take the toilet over a size 16 any day because this is just NOT the size i want to be, and i'm not afraid to say it anymore--i HATE, hate, HATE my weight. if it were something that didn't bother me so much, i'd consider another route. but at this point in my life, i realize i need help, and medication may not be as bad as i always thought it to be.

thanks so much for the support. it feels good to have someone wish you the best instead of tell you to expect the worst

Thanks so much for asking this question. I have been wondering if i should try alli too. i havent come across anyone that has tried it, so i didnt know if it was worth it or not. I am planning on getting some with my first full paycheck. Also at that time, I will be able to get myself a membership to our rec. center to help me lose and tone up. thanks again!!

Tricia209 · 08-08-2007, 08:51 AM

Does the weight stay off once you stop Alli?

KyNana · 08-08-2007, 09:18 AM

I used prescription drug for over a year, it took the weight and I felt So much better about myself. Where do I get this Alli? And is it real expensive?

Me&My2girls · 08-08-2007, 10:58 AM

My Dh's weight never came back (like it does with a lot of other "weight loss plans!!!!). He stopped taking Xenical (the perscription version of alli) about 2 1/2 years ago. He actually lost 10 more lbs about within 4 months after he stopped. The Alli pills are sold all over the place now...most drug stores sell it, Walmart, SAM's club, Walgreens, some grocery stores that have pharmacies or just medicine areas in the store.
My mom buys it at Sams and when she gets it there it ends up being 40 cents per pill. It IS CHEAPER at Sam's club. A friend of mine bought hers at Walmart for $60 for 120 pills and my mom pays $60 for 150 pills. In MY OPINION, it is worth the money. I have seen the good effects it has- my mom has lost over 35 lbs since April. Before she started it, she would excersize daily and she even tried other "weight loss" programs- she tried two that didn't work very well for her. Before i found out I was pregnant I went to the Dr. and asked about a healthy way to loose weight and my Dr. told me to use Alli...My husbands Dr. in SC was all for Xenical and my mom's Dr. also told her that it was a great thing to use, as long as you are willing to put up with using the bathroom two or three times a day (to get rid of the fat, it leaves your body through your bowel movements). No one that I know of has had problems with controlling their bowel movements or major leakage. I would wear a panty liner for the first two weeks that you take it (just in case there is a small amount of leakage) but it certainly is not enough (IN MOST CASES) to wear anymore than a panty liner!!!