Oral Weight Loss Treatment

This service is not suitable for you if you:

• Are less than 18 years of age.
• Your BMI is less than 30 or greater than 45.
• Are pregnant/ possibly pregnant or trying to conceive.
• Are breastfeeding.
• Require a prescription for an injectable weight loss medication 
• Take the following medications:
• Warfarin
• Anti-epileptic drugs
• Antiretroviral medications for HIV
• Ciclosporin 
• Lithium
• Have a diagnosis of 
• Chronic Malabsorption Syndrom (when your food is not absorbed properly) 
• Cholestasis (the flow of bile from your bile duct to your liver is reduced or blocked)
• Significant kidney disease (your kidneys are not functioning properly)
• Significant liver disease (your liver is not functioning properly)
• Past history of an eating disorder.

If you are unsure about any of this information or if this service is suitable for you, please email us at info@webdoctor.ie.

You take one tablet three times daily. Take each tablet with water immediately before, during or up to one hour after your breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

You should not take this treatment if you miss a meal, or have a meal that does not contain any fat. 

After 12 weeks of starting this medication, a weight review is required to ensure it is suitable for you to continue using it. A 5% total body weight reduction is required. If this is not achieved, you should stop this medication. 

You will need to upload verified height and weight measurements (confirmed by your pharmacist, nurse or printout from a machine).

This oral treatment should not be used long-term. It is there to support sustainable lifestyle changes like healthy eating, behavioural changes and increased exercise.

If you follow a low-fat diet plan, side effects of this medication should be minimal and mild. The most common side effects are related to extra fat being passed out through the stools – the more fat the more side effects.

• Crampy abdominal pain.
• Oily stools.
• Diarrhoea.
• Stool leaking.
• Urgent need to go to the toilet.
• Offensive wind.

Eating very little fat at mealtimes helps to minimise any side effects. 

Headaches and increased anxiety have also been reported. 

For full details of the potential side effects of Oral Weight Loss Treatments , please read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medication before you start to use it. 

If you develop any side effects that you are concerned about when taking this medication, stop the treatment and speak with a doctor for advice.

The following information is relevant to the Oral Weight Loss Treatment that we can prescribe to our patients.

When completing the questionnaire, please ensure you let us know exactly what medications you are taking (prescribed and over the counter) to enable us to prescribe safely and avoid potential drug interactions.

• There are no significant drug reactions reported with this treatment. However, it can affect the absorption of medications, and therefore how effective they are.  This is especially important for medications that work within a narrow therapeutic range, such as lithium, warfarin, ciclosproin, antiepileptics and antiretrovirals. In these cases, you should speak with your local GP or specialist about starting this medication.
• The absorption of thyroid medication may be affected by oral weight loss medication, so it is best to take these tablets at different times and speak with a doctor if you feel your thyroid symptoms are not as well controlled.

If you are using the oral contraceptive pill it cannot be relied upon for contraceptive cover if taking oral weight loss treatment. and you should use additional or alternative contraception.

No, to successfully manage your weight with Oral Weight Loss Treatment , you will need to use it in conjunction with a low-fat, balanced diet. You should also engage in regular exercise and limit alcohol intake. For more information please refer to the HSE’s Healthy Lifestyle Guidelines.

Once you have stopped taking this medication, it is important to continue with these changes so that weight loss can be maintained.

If you do gain weight again after stopping this treatment, it may be appropriate to consider another course of oral treatment or other weight loss treatments, depending on your individual situation.

Weight loss is not recommended during pregnancy, even if you are overweight or obese. It is advised that there is minimal weight gain.

Oral weight loss medication is not considered safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Do not take more than the recommended daily dose. It will increase side effects and will not provide additional weight loss.

If you experience any bleeding from the back passage when taking this medication, speak with a doctor for advice.

There have been rare reports of serious liver damage in patients using this medication. If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop this medication and seek medical advice:

• Jaundice
• Dark urine
• Light/ pale stools
• Itch
• Loss of appetite
• Right-sided upper abdominal pain