I went to WalMart yesterday. I noticed that the Alli stand was more than half empty. It had a little phone on the display for calling to ask questions...wierd.

Any how, I felt really sorry for all the people that bought the pills and will probably loose less weight than people who are doing low carb. Oh and I feel sorry for their oily problems they will experience.

On a positive note, maybe some people will realize that it is not low fat, high carb diets that will help them. Perhaps they will realize that it might be whole foods and veggies that will help them lose weight and that a "magic" pill is only a bandaid.

Wow, I thought you needed a prescription for this.

It just started over the counter on June 13th I think or there approximate. I read an article about it referenced on the forum. It's a reduced potency formula. I was just curious about how many people were buying it.

Now that I do low carb, I see no reason for drugs of course.

Alli is the only FDA approved weight loss drug available over the counter. Its like, half the dose of the prescription (I don't remember the name of it..).

Is the Rx called Xenical? It seems I read that Xenical does the same thing with the flushing of fat.

Alli is suited only for a low-fat diet. It is the OTC version of Xenical (orlistat) and can cause havoc with someone following the Atkins or any other higher-fat, low-carb diet.

Havoc like "oily leakage", "uncontrollable flatulence with spotting", "uncontrolled bowel movements".. ugh.. lol.

Do a google on "Atkins and alli" and you'll get a lot of really informative reading material! (That's how I found this forum, matter of fact!)

The disturbing thing is that they're blatantly advertising that the OTC version, Alli, is exactly half of the prescription strength, Xenical. It's barely subliminal advertising at this point; they might as well just say, "If you want the really effective prescription version, just buy it over the counter and take twice the instructed amount!" Think how much more money they'll rake in this way. Until, of course, their customers realize the downsides. Eek.

Aeryn, I agree totally.. it is scary to think that so many people, desperate to be thin (but not wanting to do it the "hard" way) will double their dosage without medical oversight and end up really, seriously ill.

Orlistat is not a game, its not friendly and it can harm the body when used improperly.

If you want to block ingested fat, why not do it naturally, through dietary changes instead of having some weird chemical floating around inside of you, doing who knows what?

Or heck! Go on a low carb diet and get your body into lipolysis and BURN the fat you already have! lol

The power of marketing.. amazing really.

I guess the marketing is working for them. Just in case stand out of the way if someone is heading for the bathroom when you are in public.

Everybody is looking for an easy way to lose weight. People want to be able to eat thier cake and wear their bikini too. It just doesn't work that way. So they think they can take this magic pill and keep eating the same old crap they have been shoving down their throats all this time, and alakazam their thin. I hope they enjoy their "flatulence with spotting"

I find it rather disgusting that, phonetically, the name of the pill is spelled in such a way that it LOOKS like it should be pronounced "Al-EE", but in reality it is being pronounced "ally". This was a very, VERY purposeful marketing move. Doesn't everyone want an "ally" on their weight loss journey?? Someone who will help you, comfort you, be there for you when it's tough?? Oh LOOK! That little pill is my ally! It's name even says so!

When I first saw the commercial and heard the name pronounced that way, I had to do a double take.

I had the same reaction! In my mind I always pronounced it allee. When I saw the first commercial advertising it as ally, I almost screamed at the TV (maybe I did?). Since that point, I change the station if I ever see it!

I originally thought it should be pronounced like the name short for Allison.

Funny video about Alli on YouTube:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n5rnMbwQb4

Heh heh.

From one of the comments on the Alli video: