Prescription-strength weight loss pen you use daily. Saxenda mimics a hormone that regulates your appetite, slowing down digestion and helping to balance your blood sugar levels. Saxenda is designed to be used as part of a broader weight loss plan that involves increasing your activity levels and reducing your calorie intake.
What is Saxenda?
Saxenda is a weight loss injection you take daily. It contains liraglutide, which works by replicating the action of GLP-1, a hormone that helps to regulate your appetite.
Using the injections can help you lose weight by creating a calorie deficit. You usually start on the lowest dose, and then move up through the available strengths.
Who can use Saxenda?
Saxenda is suitable for anyone with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above. It can also be used if your BMI is 27 and you have a weight-relation condition like diabetes or sleep apnea.
How well does Saxenda work?
A 56-week double-blind trial showed that when used in combination with increased exercise and an improved diet, Saxenda can effectively promote steady weight loss and improve blood sugar levels.[1]
What is the active ingredient in Saxenda?
Saxenda pens contain a medication called liraglutide. It mimics the action of Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone that is released whenever you eat.
Liraglutide reduces the rate at which food empties from your stomach, which can help you feel fuller for longer. By wanting to eat less, you can reduce your calorie intake and steadily start to lose weight.
How often do I need to use Saxenda?
You use the pens daily. The injections are subcutaneous, which means they’re applied under your skin. You apply them to your stomach, upper leg or upper arm.
You usually increase the amount of Saxenda you take by 0.6mg each week.
How do Saxenda doses work?
You’ll start on the lowest dosage, which is 0.6mg. Each week, your Saxenda dose increased by 0.6mg. This usually continues until week five, where you reach the 3mg ‘maintenance’ dose.
You’ll continue to use the 3mg daily dose for the rest of the time you use Saxenda. This amount should help you steadily lose weight.
Why are Saxenda doses increased gradually?
Increasing the amount of Saxenda you take gradually gives your body time to adjust to the medication.
Raising your dose each week in this way is also thought to reduce the gastrointestinal (digestive) side effects Saxenda can sometimes cause.[2]
How to use Saxenda
Saxenda is self-administered, and you’ll inject yourself once a day. Use a fresh needle each time you use your pen. The first time you use the pen, make sure you can see the ‘flow check’ symbol so you know the pen is working. It appears as a line with two dots.
Before using the pen, wash your hands. To apply each dose:
- remove the cap from the pen;
- select your daily dose from the counter;
- insert the needle into your skin and press the button;
- hold the button until the dose counter reads zero; and
- carefully remove the needle from your skin.
After each dose, take the needle off the end of the pen. Attach a fresh one each time you use your pen. For more specific guidance on how to use the pen, see the patient leaflet that comes with Saxenda. If you’re still unsure, you can ask your physician.
Saxenda isn’t suitable for everyone, and there are some things you need to be aware of before you take it.
Here’s all the official info. If you’re unsure about anything, send us a message and we’ll get back to you.
Before you use Saxenda, you should always read the package leaflet.
Is Saxenda similar to other weight loss treatments?
Answer:
Saxenda works in a similar way to other GLP-1 agonists used for managing weight loss and diabetes, such as Wegovy, Zepbound and Ozempic.
Ozempic and Wegovy both contain semaglutide, and Zepbound contains tirzepatide, whereas Saxenda contains liraglutide. These medications all work in a similar way, by slowing digestion and making you feel fuller.
The main difference that sets Saxenda apart is how often you use it. Ozempic, Zepbound and Wegovy are weekly treatments, whereas Saxenda is injected daily.
Choosing the most suitable weight loss treatment is usually a case of personal preference; for some people, daily injections can sound less appealing than weekly ones. But using a daily weight loss pen might help you stick to a regular dosage routine.
Will Saxenda cause side effects?
Answer:
All medications can cause side effects, but they tend to affect people differently. This means there’s no guarantee which side effects (if any) you’ll experience.
Common Saxenda side effects include headaches, nausea, diarrhea and dizziness. You might find you get more side effects as you switch to a new dose, but these should hopefully settle down by the time you’re on the 3mg maintenance dose.
If you develop serious side effects, like severe stomach pain, go to your nearest hospital’s emergency department for urgent help.
Does Saxenda affect how well other medications work?
Answer:
Saxenda can affect the way certain prescription medications, vitamins and supplements work. The injections are known to sometimes impact certain diabetes medications, like sulfonylureas and insulin.
If you take these kinds of medications regularly, your physician might recommend a different type of weight loss treatment that seems better suited to you.
Can I use Saxenda if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?
Answer:
You won’t be prescribed Saxenda if you’re pregnant, as liraglutide can potentially harm your baby.
Using weight loss treatments while pregnant isn’t generally recommended. While it’s important to eat a balanced diet and exercise where you can, trying to create the calorie deficit needed to lose weight can mean you miss out on important nutrients.
It’s not known if Saxenda enters breast milk, so using it while breastfeeding might also be avoided. Your physician can discuss with you whether the benefits outweigh the risks.
Does using Saxenda change how I eat?
Answer:
Once you start feeling the effects of Saxenda, you should feel the need to eat less than you normally would. Over time, eating less calories can help you create an energy deficit, which is one of the most important factors for weight loss.
[1]
Saxenda is prescribed as part of a weight loss plan that involves regular exercise and a healthy diet. Because you’re aiming to eat a reduced-calorie diet, choosing low-fat foods, avoiding ultraprocessed foods, and adding more fruit and vegetables to your diet can help you achieve this. Making healthier food choices can ultimately work with Saxenda to help you reach your target weight faster.
Do I need a prescription for Saxenda?
Answer:
You will need a prescription to start using Saxenda. This is so your physician can check it’s the right choice, and whether it’s safe for you to use.
If you regularly use any over-the-counter vitamins or supplements for weight loss, it’s worth letting your physician know in case any of their active ingredients interfere with Saxenda’s.