Orlistat vs Mysimba
Orlistat and Mysimba are both oral weight-loss medicines, but they are used in very different ways. Orlistat is linked to how fat from meals is digested. Mysimba combines naltrexone and bupropion in a prolonged-release tablet, so the health checks and medicine-interaction questions are different.
Different medicines, different checks
Orlistat is meal-linked
Start with meals, fat intake, bowel side effects and whether the service explains how to take it clearly.
Mysimba has different checks
Look for blood-pressure, medicine, opioid-use, seizure-history, mental-health and dose-build-up checks.
Price is only one part
Reviewed prices range from £17.39 to £115, but fees, supply length and availability can change.
Price alone is not enough
It is tempting to treat Orlistat and Mysimba as two tablet prices. That misses the useful part of the decision. Orlistat is closely tied to meals and fat intake. Mysimba is a combined medicine with a gradual dose schedule and more medicine-history checks.
A better comparison includes active ingredient, how the medicine is used, review points, side effects to discuss, clinical checks and total cost.
Orlistat and Mysimba side by side
This table keeps the two medicines separate so the comparison is not reduced to a single monthly price. It is not a recommendation for either medicine.
| Compare | Orlistat | Mysimba |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A capsule containing orlistat, a medicine that works in the gut by reducing how much fat from meals is absorbed. | A prolonged-release tablet containing naltrexone and bupropion, with different suitability and medicine-interaction checks. |
| How it is taken | Usually taken with meals that contain fat, alongside diet and activity changes. | Usually built up gradually over several weeks, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. |
| What usually matters | Meal routine, fat intake, bowel side effects, pack size, pharmacy supervision and clear instructions for use with food. | Daily tablet schedule, blood pressure, current medicines, mental-health history, opioid medicines, interactions and follow-up review. |
| Availability context | Orlistat is listed by the NHS as a medicine used for weight management when suitable. Lower-dose pharmacy products such as Alli and Orlos are also mentioned by the NHS. | NICE says naltrexone-bupropion is not recommended for routine NHS use for managing overweight and obesity, so private availability can look different from NHS availability. |
| Review timing | The NHS says orlistat should usually only continue beyond 3 months if enough weight has been lost. | NICE describes stopping naltrexone-bupropion after 16 weeks if at least 5% of initial body weight has not been lost. |
| Reviewed price range | £17.39 to £74.99 across 23 reviewed Orlistat price entries. | £99 to £115 across 11 reviewed Mysimba price entries. |
Orlistat questions usually start around food
The NHS explains that orlistat reduces how much fat from food is absorbed. That is why low-fat eating, meal timing and bowel side effects are central to comparing Orlistat services.
Mysimba checks focus more on medicines and health history
Mysimba contains naltrexone and bupropion. A careful service should ask about current medicines, blood pressure, seizure history, opioid medicines and other health factors before treatment is considered.
Reviewed provider prices for Orlistat and Mysimba
These ranges come from reviewed comparison entries for each provider and treatment. Confirm current prices, fees, checks and availability directly with the provider before relying on them.
| Provider | Orlistat price range | Mysimba price range | Last reviewed | Open provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asda | £44 | £99 | 25 April 2026 | View provider |
| Ashcroft Pharmacy | £23.98 to £26.47 | Not listed in reviewed rows | 26 April 2026 | View provider |
| Bolt Pharmacy | £38.99 | Not listed in reviewed rows | 21 May 2026 | View provider |
| Chemist4U | £33.59 | £99.99 | 22 May 2026 | View provider |
| Click 2 Pharmacy | £33.60 | £109.99 | 25 April 2026 | View provider |
| Cloud Pharmacy | £17.39 | £109 | 25 April 2026 | View provider |
| Doctor-4-U | £38.98 | Not listed in reviewed rows | 1 May 2026 | View provider |
| MedExpress | £38.99 | Not listed in reviewed rows | 25 April 2026 | View provider |
| Medicine Marketplace | Not listed in reviewed rows | £115 | 25 April 2026 | View provider |
| Oxford Online Pharmacy | £29.99 | Not listed in reviewed rows | 1 May 2026 | View provider |
| Pharmica | £21.99 | Not listed in reviewed rows | 25 April 2026 | View provider |
| QuickMeds | £45.99 | Not listed in reviewed rows | 26 April 2026 | View provider |
| Superdrug Online Doctor | £49.99 | £115 | 25 April 2026 | View provider |
| The Independent Pharmacy | £29.89 | Not listed in reviewed rows | 27 April 2026 | View provider |
| Well Pharmacy | £45.99 | Not listed in reviewed rows | 25 April 2026 | View provider |
| Zava | £74.99 | £99 | 25 April 2026 | View provider |
Check what is included before you compare price
A lower headline price is only useful if the service is clear about checks, delivery, repeat supply, follow-up and what happens if treatment is not suitable or needs to stop.
Key sources for this comparison
These sources help explain the broad medicine differences. Price ranges and checked dates come from reviewed comparison data and can change.
Choose what to check next
Weight-loss tablets
Compare Orlistat, Xenical, Mysimba and oral-treatment questions in one place.
Orlistat vs Xenical
Compare generic and branded orlistat options before opening provider pages.
Eligibility guide
Check BMI, health-history and medicine questions that may come up before treatment.
Safety and legitimacy
Review safer online-provider signals before sharing medical details.
Comparison next step
Take the comparison into live route and provider context
The strongest next step is usually the provider shortlist, the treatment pages for each brand, and the main semaglutide guide rather than stopping at one verdict line.
Source checks
Mysimba Prescribing Information
The Mysimba Summary of Product Characteristics was reviewed for medicine identity and prescribing-information context.
Checked: 27 April 2026 Confidence: High
Source: eMC: Mysimba 8 mg/90 mg prolonged-release tablets SmPC
Reviewed to explain why Mysimba should be compared more cautiously than a simple tablet-price comparison suggests.
NHS Orlistat Context
NHS medicines information was reviewed for orlistat background.
Checked: 27 April 2026 Confidence: High
Source: NHS medicines: Orlistat
Reviewed for broad public explanation of the orlistat route and why pack and access details matter.
Important information
This website is an informational comparison hub. It does not prescribe, supply or sell prescription-only medicines. Suitability depends on a regulated clinical assessment.
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