You can buy Orlistat (Xenical/Alli) as an over-the-counter alternative to Wegovy in the UK.
However, Orlistat is a very different type of weight-loss medication, and research suggests it’s not as effective as Wegovy in supporting weight loss.
Wegovy and Orlistat are weight-loss medications approved for use in the UK. However, they are different medications with distinct dosing schedules, costs, and mechanisms of action on the body.
Orlistat is a lipase inhibitor. Lipases are gut enzymes that break down fat from food, enabling the gut to transport fat into the body to be burnt for energy or stored in our fat cells for later use.
Orlistat blocks lipases, preventing some of the dietary fat from our meals from being digested. This leads to fewer calories being absorbed, which can support weight loss.
Orlistat is a prescription medication produced by two pharmaceutical companies in the UK:
Wegovy is a weight-loss jab manufactured by Novo Nordisk. It’s a weekly weight-loss injection with semaglutide as the active ingredient.
Semaglutide is a that helps reduce hunger and appetite, allowing you to eat fewer calories, lose weight, and manage your blood sugar levels.
Wegovy is approved in the UK for individuals living with obesity to help them eat fewer calories and lose weight.
The over-the-counter version of Orlistat will cost around £18 a month, so it’s a very affordable medication.
In comparison, buying Wegovy and the injectable pens required for four weeks from Second Nature will cost £229 a month, rising to £299.
Orlistat is an affordable medication that is generally well-tolerated. However, it’s less effective than Wegovy. Wegovy is twice as effective as Orlistat for weight loss after one year.
So, if you’re looking for the most affordable weight-loss pill you can purchase over the counter, then Orlistat could be an option.
However, if you have a higher budget and are looking for the most effective weight-loss injection in the UK, semaglutide is a better choice.
Semaglutide is designed as an additional tool for weight management and, in most cases, shouldn’t be considered a lifelong medication.
Instead, it should be used to help you kickstart your weight loss and healthy journey while you commit to living a healthier lifestyle.
Ideally, we’d be able to lose weight without medication and lifestyle changes would be enough to support weight loss in the long term.
We’d generally recommend trying Second Nature’s before considering a weight-loss jab.
Changing your habits is the most sustainable way to achieve long-term weight loss, and it’s also less expensive.
At Second Nature, we’ve been trusted by the NHS since 2017 to support people with type 2 diabetes and obesity to lose weight, manage their blood sugar levels, and lead healthier lifestyles for the long term.
In 2022, the NHS in the BMJ that compared the weight loss outcomes of five providers in the National Diabetes Prevention Programme.
Second Nature was more than twice as effective at supporting weight loss than the other four providers.
However, if you’ve decided to try semaglutide (when it’s available) but need support in making positive changes to your lifestyle, Second Nature could be an option for you. But it’s worth noting that we have strict eligibility criteria.
Second Nature has now approved a single dose injection of semaglutide for one year.Orlistat has been shown to cause mild side effects in some individuals. Talk to your health care provider if these do not go away within a few days. If you begin to experience more serious effects, seek medical attention immediately.
Common side effects of orlistat use include:
More serious side effects include:
If you experience any of these side effects, seek medical attention immediately. These are symptoms of a serious adverse reaction–or allergic reaction–to this medication and require treatment right away.
Orlistat has been shown to affect the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E and K). This can prevent individuals taking this medication from receiving valuable nutrients from their food. Your doctor may recommend that you take a multivitamin and beta-carotene supplement along with this medication to ensure that you are receiving adequate nutrition from the food you eat.
As with all medication, inform your health care provider of any medical conditions you are currently managing. Let them know if you have or ever had kidney stones, diabetes, liver disease, gallbladder disease, thyroid disease, or an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia). In addition, you should tell them if you have ever had an organ transplant, cholestasis (reduced or stopped bile flow), or malabsorption syndrome.
Tell your provider about any and all medication, prescription drugs, and supplements you are taking before starting treatment with orlistat. Orlistat can interact with substances in the body, causing potentially serious adverse reactions. Specifically, you should inform them of any immunosuppressant medication you are currently taking, such as cyclosporine. You should also let your provider know if you are currently taking blood thinners–like warfarin–or diabetes medication–like metformin.
In addition, let your doctor know if you are planning to become pregnant, are pregnant, or are currently breastfeeding before starting treatment with this medication.
paralysisPossible severeLU-like reactions (feecin, encephalopathy, confusion, seizures, diarrhea, flushing, heart palpitations, tachycardia, hypotension, hypotonia, dehydration, muscle weakness, confusion, seizures, vision changes, seizures with tinnitus, seizures with light sensitivity)
In addition, let your doctor know if you are breastfeeding before starting treatment with this medication.
Possible rarering adverse reactions of this medication include potentially seriousLoss of appetite
In addition, let your doctor know if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Dietary fats are large molecules that need to be broken down before they can be absorbed into the body. They are broken down by enzymes called lipases. That is, lipases play an important role in the digestion of dietary fat. When taken with a meal, Xenical interferes with the activity of these enzymes. This allows about 30% of the fat eaten in the meal to pass through the gut undigested. Therefore, your body cannot store these excess calories as fatty tissue or use them as a source of energy. This helps you to reduce your weight by burning up fat that you are already carrying, maintain your lower weight and minimise any weight regain. Losing even small amounts of weight and keeping it off produces additional health benefits for you, especially when you are at risk for other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Xenical can also help to improve risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar. If these are not treated, they could lead to other diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Xenical should be taken in conjunction with a well-balanced calorie-controlled diet and other appropriate measures such as exercise.Active Ingredients:Xenical does not contain sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes. Active ingredient - orlistat each Xenical capsule contains 120 mg orlistatInactive ingredients
DirectionsTake 1 capsule with each of the 3 main meals per day. It can be taken during the meal or up to 1 hour after the meal is consumed.Warnings & Disclaimers
*** Please note that this product is a Scheduled Medicine in Western Australia. In order to ensure this product is appropriate and safe for you to use, we would appreciate it if you could respond to the following questions for us.
Who is this product for (Age and gender)?
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Please send a reply with your order number after purchase, to. Please note that if we are unable to contact your to verify the appropriateness of this product, your order may be cancelled and you will be refunded in full.
For more information on Scheduled Medicines, please see the link below https://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/Articles/S_T/Sale-and-supply-by-schedule
For more information on Scheduled MedicinesWe have designed our service to provide you with a full range of. We are unable to provide this medicine if you have any of the following conditions:
• Allergies or health concerns with food, preservatives or any other material. If you have a known allergy or health concern about any of the medication, including Adcirca, it is important that it be used with caution.• People with a known allergy to any of the ingredients of this product. If you are an expat or have been exposed to air pollution with certain foods or animals it is important that it be used with caution.• Liver or kidney disease. It is important that this medicine be used with care and only when the need arises. If you are experiencing a liver problem please contact your doctor.We have
the lowest price on all our medicines. All medicines on our offer are suitable for everyone's use. When you place an order for Orlistat online, you can expect to pay a little less. The price you pay is completely confidential and will be kept as a private information. We accept credit cards and SSL encryption. We also accept PayPal and other payment methods. Please note that we deliver to every place you choose to buy Orlistat online. All our products are 100% genuine. If you have any questions, please speak to your pharmacist.
The prices on all the medicines we offer are not guaranteed. However, we guarantee it at the time of purchase. We do not want to change our prices without consulting your GP. If you are buying Orlistat online, we will ask you to pay at least a little less. All the prices listed at the bottom of the page are valid from 1st July 2023 until 31st December 2026. If you do not pay any attention to the instructions on the packaging, you may notice a small price increase. Please speak to your pharmacist about this. If you do not understand the instructions on your medication, please speak to the pharmacist for further advice. If you miss a dose, just call your doctor. The medication is usually taken once a day.
We also deliver to every shop we can find online. If you need to purchase Orlistat, you can request a prescription at the earliest opportunity. Our pharmacists are available 24/7 to answer your questions. If you have any questions, please contact us at your GP or through an NHS telephone service.
The information provided here is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not rely upon the content provided in this page for specific medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your doctor.
Loading| £18.00 - £24.00 | |
| Size | 120 Capsules |
|---|---|
| Pack Size | 6 Capsules |
| Order Online | No |
Additional Information:
For further information or queries please contact your doctor.
Fertility and ovulation calculator| Quantity | 30 Capsules |
|---|---|
| Strength | 120 mg |
| Form | Injection |
| Price | £19. |
Stade de France Pharmacy