Medication Information Leaflet
Orlistat is used together with dietary changes to treat obesity.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember if it is within one hour after your last main meal. Take your next dose at the usual time. Do not take two doses to make up for the missed dose.
Inform your healthcare professional if:
This medication may reduce the absorption of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and can cause low vitamin levels in rare cases, if taken continuously for a long time. You can take vitamin supplements that contain vitamin A, D, E and K to make sure you get enough nutrition.
You should eat a well-balanced diet and split your fat intake evenly over your three main meals. To find out more about planning a well-balanced diet, talk to your healthcare professional or dietitian.
Taking orlistat with a meal that contains a lot of fat may increase your chance of side effects such as bloating or oily, fatty stools. Avoid taking fatty food between meals.
The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medicine and see your healthcare professional immediately.
Oily stool and/or oily leakage from the rectum.
May cause abdominal distention (enlarged or swollen abdomen) and stomach pain and bloating.
Other common side effects of orlistat include headaches, flu-like symptoms, low blood sugar level (which may include symptoms of shakiness, dizziness, sweating). Sudden or increased number of bowel movements, tiredness, irregular menstrual periods.
If symptoms do not go away or cause significant discomfort, consult your healthcare professional.
Inform your doctor if you are taking:
Store in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Keep this medication away from children.
Pack this medicine into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing into the rubbish chute or bin.
Disclaimers
Please take note that the above is not a complete list of all possible side effects. If you have any concerns about your medication or if you have other side effects that you think are caused by this medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.
If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.
This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.
Last updated on September 2022
This article was last reviewed on Thursday, June 22, 2023