Dr. Know: Alli – Friend or Foe (Part 2)
By: Candi Young
For the past two weeks, I have attempted to follow the Alli diet guidelines while also taking the Alli pills. Before I started taking the pills I was a little frightened I might experience some of the scary side effects if I didn’t follow the plan to scale. I had also been strictly on the diet for the two weeks prior to taking the pills and lost 5 pounds. So how good, bad or ugly has Alli been for me? I’ve lost an additional 3 pounds in the past two weeks and thankfully have not experienced any embarrassing side effects.
Even though the weight loss since taking Alli has not been significant, it has only been two weeks and it’s also a learning process. Some very substantial changes have been made to my diet and I am definitely making healthier decisions when eating out and while at the grocery store. Alli has really opened my eyes–eating healthier and being satisfied with what I eat can be in the same sentence. This is not to say that I have had the perfect meal plan for the last few weeks; lets face it: I am only human and a Snickers bar has a powerful force over me.
I have to be honest, though; I really have my reservations about taking a pill to lose weight and I’m not sure that I will be ordering any refills. Personally I haven’t seen any real significant weight loss results as far as numbers go. Also, the fact that I have to take a vitamin every day (Alli blocks many of the nutrients from food) does worry me. In addition, I’ve lost more weight by diet and exercise alone than I have for the past two weeks taking Alli. In doing a little further research on the drug, I found that the FDA is reviewing the product. as it has received 32 reports of serious liver injury, including 6 cases of liver failure. However, no definite link between orlistat and liver injury–as of today–has been found.
So, as the season of layers and winter clothing comes to a close, if you are thinking about shedding a few extra pounds with those layers, are taking pills to help achieve this goal really worth it in the end? There are many other weight loss programs like Weight Watchers that simply teach you healthy ways to eat your way skinny. However, should you decide to go this route, you should probably consult your doctor before taking these pills, especially if you are on other medications. Just a word of caution, it would be wise to start on a weekend where your schedule is free and you can be close to home in case you do experience any unfortunate side effects. Good luck out there! And, remember, we all have those days when we stray from healthy eating and exercise, but luckily every day is a new day!