Thyroid Patients Need to Be Careful When Taking Weight Loss Drugs Alli / Xenical / Orlistat
Thursday April 30, 2009
The only FDA-approved over-the-counter weight loss drug is Alli -- which is the brand name for the medication orlistat. (Orlistat in higher dosages is also available by prescription under the brand name Xenical.) Orlistat is a fat-blocking drug, taken with meals to help block some of the fat -- and therefore calories -- from meals, as an aid in losing weight. In late March, 2009, the FDA approved safety labeling revisions for levothyroxine sodium tablets (i.e., Synthroid, Levoxyl, etc.) to advise of drug interactions with orlistat. Levothyroxine's prescribing information will now include a warning that indicates that use of orlistat may decrease levothyroxine absorption and lead to hypothyroidism, and that clinicians are advised to administer levothyroxine and orlistat at least 4 hours apart and to perform regular evaluations of thyroid function.
Xenical's prescribing information (PDF) has already been revised to reflect the potential interaction between orlistat and levothyroxine. Specifically:
- Under "Drug Interactions," they have added "Hypothyroidism has been reported in patients treated concomitantly with orlistat and levothyroxine"
- Under "Adverse Reactions / Other Clinical Studies or Postmarketing Surveillance," they have added, "Hypothyroidism has been reported in patients treated concomitantly with orlistat and levothyroxine."
- Under "Can I take XENICAL while taking other medications?" they have added "XENICAL and levothyroxine should be taken at least 4 hours apart"
Photo: clipart.com
Thanks for that. I take Alli on days I eat more fat than usual – usually just one day a week. But this is good information to know and I will be more careful with it and my thyroid meds.
This is only tangentially related, but the same is true for resveratrol, the anti-aging supplement made from the skins of red wine grapes. I started taking it and had an increase in hypothyroid symptoms. I didn’t associate it with affecting the medication initially, but an online search showed that resveratrol raises TSH and lowers T4–not the kind of result I wanted. So I had to stop taking it.
I’m only posting this here because I hope Mary Shoman reads these.
Does the new research address xenical’s affect on Tapazole treatment for Hyperthyroidism? (I’m not finding an answer by googling.)
Do you like Thyax?
Do you think it really works and if you take
it, do you stop taking your Armour thyroid
medication?
I’ve been taking phentermine for the last 9 months and have lost 30 pounds. I got it from my endocrinologist. I’ve had hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s for the past 13 years. I’ve had a hard time losing weight all those years. You still have to watch what you eat and exercise with phentermine but at least you get some results. Does anyone have any experience with this?
thanks for sharing this info. I just got into the hypo life mid april. I feel like the world is crashing around me. I am always tire and exhausted. My body is just adjusting to my new meds
I am 53 and been diagosed with hypo, taking synthroid but are still gaining weight went from 150 to 172 in a couple of months. I am 5 foot 4 inches about 40 pounds overweight. Going to see Doc next week hopefully to change my meds. Any exercises anyone cares to share. Been hypo since June of 08!
I am 35 years old and have been hypo for over 10 years, it took me about a year and a half to start feeling better taking my meds, during that time I lost alot of weight about 40lbs, but over the course of time I have gained it back by changing nothing, I still exercise the same and eat the same way my Dr. has checked me several times and can’t understand why this is happening, then a couple weeks ago I found out that I am going through premature menepause and that has something to do with it.My husband says I look fine but I don’t like it at all, so if anyone has any advice on weight loss please send it my way. mlsmiss20@AOL.COM. Thanks
I’m 35years old with 2 little kids. I’ve had hypo for 6 years and still trying to fight it.Has had ups and downs inspite of medication as the medication itself have been an issue. Only 3 weeks ago started having carpel tunnel syndrome, not pleaseant, seems lie problems not ending.
Before you people take synthetic drugs for weight lose please look into vitamin/mineral deficiencies and especially eviromental toxicities.
Most likely it is a combination of all three.
On top of it Alli will make those deficiencies worse. I used to work at a “health store” and met some people that began to feel terrible on that Alli garbage.
Does Alli also have that effect if you take your Armour subliqually?
I have been taking Orlistat for a year. Initially it had a great effect, so much so that my GP didn’t believe that I wasn’t doing something else. But latterly it has had no effect. Can anyone suggest anything?
I was sooooo pleased to read this. I started taking Xenical-was eating 900 calories and walking 2 miles every day with the dog and wasn’t losing weight. I’ve just realised that i’ve got all my hypo symptoms back, bad tempered, legs like lead, no cramp etc. I’m going to stop the Xenical and do it the hard way!