Question by : Test to determine presence of Orlistat?
My 20 yr old son is NOT obese but is really athletic and into running, but as of recent especially the last 2 to 3 months I have seen weight loss that he doesent need (about 5’8 and 165) I walked in to the bathroom to put laundry away and sae orange oily stool as well and I heard from another parent that it sould be something called Alli?
Can anyone please tell me if there is a test I can have the dr order or suggest to check for the presence of this drug Alli/Orlistat? Or is there a test I can ask the dr about or to do to see how much Alli/Orlistat in his system? I want him to compete but safely and fairly thank you all
Best answer:
Answer by ♥♥The Queen Has Spoken♥♥
To the best of my knowledge there is not such a test.
Alli (Orlistat) works by keeping the body from absorbing at least 30% of consumed fat. This fat passes out of the body through the stool. Some nutrients are fat soluble which means they bond to fats and then absorbed by the body. When Alli is consumed it prevents some of the nutrients in food from being absorbed as well. It’s always recommended that a person take a multi-vitamin when using Orlistat.
The biggest problem with Alli is if the person consumes too much fat, it can cause unintended release of feces. Talk to your son’s doctor about your concerns and follow his advice and suggestions.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Hey Anna,
I received your message on the bindi question and searched for this one since you wished I had seen it….See, wishes do come true! LOL! Just kidding!
Well, you already have some smart people telling you what this is. The other parent and the answerer above me – The queen has spoken. I say telling you what it is and not guessing or assuming, because this is what it sounds like it is to me also. It is used as a weight loss aid among other things.
Orlistat is the generic name for this. The brand names are alli and Xenical.
Orlistat is available with a prescription under the brand name Xenical, and in a reduced strength as an over the counter brand called alli. But other brands may be available as well.
Taking this would cause him to have this orange, oily stool. In fact, that is exactly how it is described as one of the side effects for taking this. Exactly worded that way. The others you may watch for are, oily spotting in his undergarments, gas with discharge, an oily discharge (Well, you can’t watch for this, but it is a side effect), loose stools, or an urgent need to go to the bathroom, inability to control bowel movements, increased number of bowel movements (This is also something you can just observe by noticing if he is rushing to/using the toilet more often), stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rectal pain, weakness, dark urine, clay-colored stools, itching, loss of appetite, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
Other things you can watch for are problems with his teeth or gums, cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, cough, fever, chills, sore throat, flu symptoms, headache, back pain, mild skin rash.
If you come across any type of pills in his room or clothes while you are snooping…Uhhh, I mean cleaning!
hee, hee! They look like this.
Xenical 120 mg-dark-blue, hard-gelatin capsules (This is the prescription one)
alli 60 mg-medium-blue, hard-gelatin capsules (This is over the counter)
Since you can get anything you want over the internet, they may not look that way if that’s how he gets them. The problem with getting them over the net is that Samples of alli purchased on the net have been found to contain sibutramine (Meridia), a prescription weight loss medication that can have dangerous side effects in certain people.
There are dangerous side effects to taking them even with a prescription also though. This is why they are prescribed only if the Doctor knows it is safe to do so.
Well, I don’t want to go on and on with all of the facts. You can look this stuff up further if you want to (Which I’m sure you do…That’s good!) I’d just be typing everything that’s already been done out there somewhere.
So, lastly going back to one of your original questions. Is there a test? Well, you can be tested for anything as far as drugs in your system whether good or bad. There being a specific test for this alone, like the queen said, I don’t think a specific one. Yet a blood test could/might/may show certain amounts of Meridia, Xenical or alli in his system. Could help even more if the lab knew specifically this is what they were looking for. But again, you never know.
The last problem is that he is 20 years old. Unfortunately, you haven’t been able to have acces to his medical records since he was 18 (Unless he has given consent). Again I don’t know where you are or if he has. But after 18, he is considered an adult and these things are confidential. Unless you know the Doctor well, the Doctor is a friend…Wink, wink
It doesn’t sound to me like he is doing this to just be taking drugs. I mean to get “High” and such. He sounds to be a good kid as far as competing in athletics and such. Athletes sometimes get into this type of stuff. Steroids and others. It’s not good, and the only thing you can do is talk to him. I know that everyone says that, but I mean talk to him seriously, yet not condescending and accusingly, and in a confrontational way. Sit down and just discuss your concerns. Hopefully he will open up and express his as well. Listen to them (No, I mean really listen, don’t just hear it). This is what you can do for now.
And hey Anna, hopefully we are all wrong! Hopefully he just had a bad order of orange chicken for lunch that day. I’m not trying to be funny right now, because this is serious. I’m just saying that hopefully we are wrong and jumping to conclusions. I think this is one of the times the parent, you, the queen and me would love to be wrong…Right?
If we are wrong, your question just gave me a case of carpal tunnel! LOL! Sorry, had to throw something in there to lighten it up a bit.
You….And him take care!