ONLINE PRESCRIPTION

Oral Weight Loss Treatment

Ireland’s Award-Winning Online Doctor Service

from

€40

Webdoctor.ie
Customer Review

How Does It Work?

Step 1

Decide to lose weight and use an Oral Weight Loss Treatment as part of your weight management programme.

Step 2

Read our medical information page.

Step 3

Apply for treatment.

Step 4

Access Webdoctor.ie’s resource library on how to make sustainable lifestyle changes. Find out about what sustainable lifestyle changes you can make using the Webdoctor.ie resource library.

Step 5

Start treatment.

Step 6

Online medical review with a verified weight measurement after 12 weeks of treatment.

Step 7

Continue treatment (if suitable) as part of your weight management plan as directed by your doctor. (Please note this is not a long term/ lifelong treatment).

How It Works

Requesting a prescription for weight loss couldn’t be easier with Webdoctor.ie! Simply fill in a medical questionnaire and a prescription will be issued if clinically suitable.

Step 1

Online Questionnaire

Complete a short and secure online questionnaire from your phone, tablet or laptop – it only takes a couple of minutes.

Step 2

Medical Review

One of our Irish-registered doctors will review your request to ensure this treatment is medically suitable and safe for you. If our doctor requires further clinical information to help safely assess your request, they will send you a message via your secure patient account.

Step 3

Prescription Is Sent

Once approved, we will send your prescription directly to an Irish pharmacy of your choice using secure Healthmail.

Important Medical Information

Who is this service suitable for?

This service is suitable for you if you:

  • Are 18 years of age or older.
  • Require a prescription for oral weight loss medication
  • Are motivated to follow a low-fat diet and exercise plan.
  • Have a BMI of 30 or more, and less than 45 
  • Can provide:
    • verified height, weight and blood pressure measurements (confirmed by your pharmacist, nurse or printout from a machine).
    • A copy of your photo ID.

*Weight loss medication should only be used as part of a weight management programme. This means using the medication, as well as adopting a balanced (hypocaloric) diet and taking regular exercise.

Who is this service not suitable for?

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.

How do you take Oral Weight Loss Treatments?

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.

What are the side effects of Oral Weight Loss Treatments?

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.

Are there any drug interactions with Oral Weight Loss Treatments ?

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.

How to lose weight using an Oral Weight Loss Treatment: Is it a replacement for a healthy lifestyle?
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.

Can I use oral weight loss medication if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
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.

Important safety information

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

Weight Loss Treatments That We Can Provide

Need help to lose weight? Request a prescription for oral or self-injectable medication online with Webdoctor.ie. All you need to do is complete a suitability questionnaire, then upload a picture of your height, weight and blood pressure measurements from your local pharmacy and a picture of your photo ID. Once approved, our Irish-registered doctors will send your prescription to an Irish pharmacy of your choice.

Why Choose Webdoctor.ie?

Expertise

All of our doctors are registered with the Irish Medical Council and provide convenient and confidential healthcare to our patients.

Confidential

The same doctor-patient confidentiality exists as in a regular face-to-face consultation, so you’ll be in good hands.

Caring

Webdoctor.ie was created by and is led by medical professionals, so patient safety is always our priority.
R

Convenience

From the comfort of home, avail of instant access to medical expertise, including evenings & weekends.

Value

Affordable healthcare with prescriptions (subject to clinical suitability) from just €25 and video consultations starting from €49.

Irish

Webdoctor.ie is an Irish-based healthcare provider that has carried out over 130,000 patient consultations.

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