AboutBarbara Judge Expertise Outpatient pharmacy and general health. I have recently completed a Pharmceutical Care Certificate Program offered by Purdue University (Spring 1999 completion). I have personal experience dealing with terminally ill persons and their needs, as well as their families` needs. I graduated in 1984 from Pharmacy School and have been a Licensed Pharmacist since then. I have 18 years retail pharmacy experience. Prior to my pharmacy training I have 3 years hospital experience as a Nurse`s Aide.
Question Can you tell me if this drug causes kidney stones or not? I have had one kidney stone back in 1999. I took this drug (in the form of the over the counter alli) with no ill effects, and I would like to take it again but I have become concerned because I read on the package to tell you physcian if you have had kidney stones before taking. My sister was in the hospital with uro-sepsis caused by a kidney stone and was in very bad shape, so if this medicine acutally causes them I don't want to take it! I have also read that its not actually not the drug that causes the stones but rather the fat that you lose being pprocessed in you kidneys. I dont know which is true. Thank You, Alison Lunceford"
Answer It is very rare, but possible, that orlistat can increase the risk of a very specific type of kidney stones, those which are made by your body from too much calcium oxalate. The doctor that treated you for your kidney stones in 1999 should be able to tell you which type of kidney stones you had. Also, the fact that you have taken orlistat with no problems makes it more likely that you had kidney stones which were not from too much calcium oxalate, but rather another substance which does not interfere with orlistat. It would still be in your best interest to check with the doctor who treated you for kidney stones to make sure.
