liraglutide
Saxenda (liraglutide) is used along with a balanced diet and exercise to help with weight loss in certain adults and children. This prescription weight loss medication is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It works by slowing down your gut and making you feel less hungry. Saxenda (liraglutide) is a prefilled pen of medication that's injected once daily under the skin on the stomach or thighs. You can inject Saxenda (liraglutide) at home by yourself after your healthcare professional (HCP) trains you on how to prepare and use it. Some common side effects include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
What is Saxenda (liraglutide)?
What is Saxenda (liraglutide) used for?
- To help with weight management along with a lower-calorie diet and exercise in:
- Adults with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2, or greater than 27 kg/m2 with a weight-related health problem (e.g., high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol)
- Children 12 years of age and older who weigh over 132 lbs and have a high BMI
How Saxenda (liraglutide) works
Saxenda (liraglutide) is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. This means that it works similar to GLP-1, which is a hormone that your body makes to control appetite.
Saxenda (liraglutide) helps with weight loss by acting like GLP-1 in your body. It slows down your gut, which causes you to feel less hungry.
Drug facts
Side effects of Saxenda (liraglutide)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
Adults:
- Nausea (39%)
- Diarrhea (21%)
- Constipation (19%)
- Vomiting (16%)
- Redness, itching, and other injection site reactions (14%)
- Headache (14%)
- Low blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes (13%)
- Indigestion (10%)
Children 12 years of age and older:
- Nausea (42%)
- Vomiting (34%)
- Diarrhea (22%)
- Low blood sugar levels (15%)
- Dizziness (10%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Stomach pain or discomfort
- Heartburn
- Burping
- Passing gas
- Leg or arm pain
- Dry mouth
- Tiredness
- Feeling weak
- Fever
Saxenda (liraglutide) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Pancreas or gallbladder problem: stomach or back pain that won't go away, nausea, vomiting, fever
- Low blood sugar: shaking, sweating, dizziness, confusion, anxiety blurred vision, feeling very hungry
- Kidney problem: changes in urination, blood in your urine, swollen feet or ankles, smaller appetite, muscle cramping
- Serious allergic reaction: trouble breathing; hives; itching; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Suicidal thoughts or behavior
More on Saxenda (liraglutide) side effects
The following Saxenda (liraglutide) side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Dehydration—increased thirst, dry mouth, feeling faint or lightheaded, headache, dark yellow or brown urine
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Gallbladder problems—severe stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, fever
- Kidney injury—decrease in the amount of urine, swelling of the ankles, hands, or feet
- Pancreatitis—severe stomach pain that spreads to your back or gets worse after eating or when touched, fever, nausea, vomiting
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm, worsening mood, feelings of depression
- Thyroid cancer—new mass or lump in the neck, pain or trouble swallowing, trouble breathing, hoarseness
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Upset stomach
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Pros and cons of Saxenda (liraglutide)
Pros
- Can help you lose weight in addition to balanced nutrition and exercise
- Can take with or without food
- Safe to use for children 12 years of age and older (with certain BMI)
Cons
- Must be given as once-daily injections under the skin
- Can cause stomach upset
- Not safe for use for people with personal or family history of thyroid cancer
Pharmacist tips for Saxenda (liraglutide)
- Saxenda (liraglutide) by itself might not be enough to keep the weight off for good. Make sure to continue to follow your healthcare professional's (HCP) or nutritionist's recommendations for eating lower-calorie meals and regularly exercising.
- Saxenda (liraglutide) commonly causes diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting as side effects. This is because the medication can slow down muscle movements in your gut, causing food to stay in your stomach longer. Make sure to drink enough liquids to stay hydrated.
- Let your HCP know if any side effects you experience while you're taking Saxenda (liraglutide) are very bothersome or if they start affecting your daily life. Your HCP can adjust your Saxenda (liraglutide) dose or recommend ways to manage these side effects.
- Call your healthcare team if you have symptoms of depression or worsening mood while you're using Saxenda (liraglutide). In cases of serious depression, your HCP might ask you to stop taking this medication.
- Let your HCP or pharmacist know what medications you're taking, including over-the-counter products and supplements. They can check for drug interactions and make sure your medications are safe for you to take together. Saxenda (liraglutide) slows down your gut, which can affect how other medications get absorbed.
Tips on how to use Saxenda (liraglutide):
- Don't inject Saxenda (liraglutide) by yourself or help with your child's injections until you understand how to properly prepare and inject the medication. Your HCP or pharmacist will show you how to use the medication for the first injection.
- Before you inject Saxenda (liraglutide), wipe the area that you'll be injecting into with an alcohol swab and let it dry fully. Attach a new needle onto the pen before each injection.
- Each time you use a new pen, check that it isn't blocked. You should see a drop of medication appear at the needle tip when you press and hold the dose button until the number "0" lines up with the dose pointer on the pen.
- Once you've selected your dose on the Saxenda (liraglutide) pen, insert the needle into your skin with the dose counter on the pen facing towards you. Press and hold the dose button until the dose counter says "0" and you hear or feel a click. Slowly count to 6 before taking the pen away from your skin. Remove the needle from the pen and place the used needle in a sharps container right away.
- Throw away all used Saxenda (liraglutide) pens and needles in a sharps container. This helps prevent accidental needle-sticks. Visit the FDA webpage for more information about disposing your sharps.
- Store Saxenda (liraglutide) in the refrigerator when you first pick it up from the pharmacy. After you start using the pen, you can store it at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Throw the pen away 30 days after you first use it.
- Keep Saxenda (liraglutide) away from too much heat or sunlight, which can cause the medication to not work. Don't use the medication if it's cloudy or if it has solid chunks (particles) in it.
- Only use the Saxenda (liraglutide) pens and needles that your pharmacy provides you. Don't share or reuse needles or pens. Otherwise, you might be at risk for getting or spreading infections.
Common questions about Saxenda (liraglutide)
You can inject Saxenda (liraglutide) under the skin on the belly and thighs. If you're helping someone with their injection, you can also inject the medication under the skin on their upper arms. In general, it's recommended to choose a different area to inject to prevent skin irritation.
Each prefilled pen of Saxenda (liraglutide) contains about 18 mg (3 mL) of medication. This means that there are about thirty 0.6 mg doses in one pen. Keep in mind that your dose might be different each week when you first start this medication to get to a maintenance dose. The number of times you can use each pen depends on the particular dose you're taking. In general, the higher your dose, the less times you can use the same pen before it runs out of medication. Ask your prescriber if you have questions about your dose and how often you'll need to refill your Saxenda (liraglutide) prescription.
When you first pick up Saxenda (liraglutide) from the pharmacy, you can store the pens in the refrigerator. Then after you start using a pen, you can keep the pen you're using at room temperature or in the refrigerator. But be sure to throw away the pen 30 days after you start using it.
No, Saxenda (liraglutide) doesn't come with needles. You'll need to get NovoFine disposable needles that are up to a length of 8 mm. NovoTwist needles can also work, but they were discontinued in early 2022. Ask your healthcare team or pharmacist if you need more pen needles; pen needles might require a prescription in some states.
Several clinical studies looked at how well Saxenda (liraglutide) helped with weight loss in addition to healthy diet and exercise in comparison to healthy diet and exercise alone (placebo). In a study of adults with Type 2 diabetes, people who took Saxenda (liraglutide) lost an average of around 5% of their baseline body weight. This was about 3% to 4% more weight loss compared to the placebo group. Another study showed that adults without Type 2 diabetes who took Saxenda (liraglutide) lost an average of 8% of their baseline body weight, which was about 5% more than that in the placebo group. Follow up with your healthcare professional (HCP) if you have any questions about whether Saxenda (liraglutide) is right for you.
One of the most common side effects of Saxenda (liraglutide) is nausea. You're more likely to have nausea with higher doses of the medication. That's why your prescriber will slowly raise your dose over time when you first start Saxenda (liraglutide). This helps lessen your risk for nausea. In general, but nausea should get better over time. To help manage nausea, consider drinking more liquid (e.g., soup) or eating a low-fat, bland diet (e.g., crackers) until the side effect goes away. Talk with your HCP if your nausea doesn't get better after several months.
It's possible that your HCP might prescribe Saxenda (liraglutide) and insulin for you at the same time if you have diabetes. Be careful to check your blood sugar if you're taking these medications together. Taking Saxenda (liraglutide) with insulin puts you at greater risk for low blood sugar levels, which can be life-threatening. Symptoms of low blood sugar include feeling shaky, confused, or very hungry; being nervous or anxious; having a fast heartbeat; sweating; and having body chills. If you're taking Saxenda (liraglutide) and insulin, be sure to carry glucose tablets or fast-acting sugar with you so you can treat low blood sugar when needed. Talk to your HCP or pharmacist if you're concerned about this risk.
Saxenda and Victoza are both medications that contain liraglutide. One big difference between these medications is what they're FDA-approved for. Saxenda is FDA-approved to help certain people lose weight in addition to eating healthy meals and exercising. Victoza, on the other hand, is approved to lower blood sugar levels and lower the risk of heart problems in people with Type 2 diabetes. What's more, the maintenance dose for each medication is different. The typical maintenance dose for Saxenda is 3 mg injected under the skin once daily for weight loss, whereas the typical maintenance dose for Victoza is 1.2 mg injected under the skin once daily for diabetes. Ask your HCP or pharmacist to learn more about the differences between these two medications.
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Risks and warnings for Saxenda (liraglutide)
Saxenda (liraglutide) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Possible risk for thyroid cancer
- Risk factors: History of MTC | History of MEN 2
Animal studies showed that Saxenda (liraglutide) can raise the risk for thyroid cancers. It's not clear whether this medication has the same risk in humans.
To be safe, don't use Saxenda (liraglutide) if you or a family member has ever had a thyroid cancer, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). If necessary, your healthcare professional (HCP) might ask you to get blood work or an ultrasound done to check for signs of thyroid cancer.
Speak with your HCP if you have concerns about the risk for thyroid cancer with Saxenda (liraglutide). Let your HCP know right away if you have symptoms of thyroid cancer, such as a lump in your neck, trouble swallowing, a hoarse voice that doesn't go away, and trouble breathing.
Inflamed pancreas
Although rare, people who took Saxenda (liraglutide) have reported sudden inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). Sometimes, this happened several months after stopping the medication. Some common symptoms of an inflamed pancreas are upper stomach pain, fever, nausea, and vomiting. Contact your HCP right away if you start to feel any of these symptoms. You might need to stop taking Saxenda (liraglutide).
Gallbladder problems
- Risk factor: Losing weight very quickly
In rare cases, people who used Saxenda (liraglutide) during clinical studies developed gallstones or an inflamed gallbladder. Some needed to have surgery to take out the gallbladder. The risk for gallbladder problems is higher if you've had a sudden and drastic weight loss. Call your HCP right away if you have nausea, vomiting, fever, or sudden severe upper belly and back pain while you're taking this medication.
Low blood sugar
- Risk factor: Also taking insulin or medication that raises insulin in your body
Taking Saxenda (liraglutide) by itself or together with certain other diabetes medications, such as insulin or glipizide, can sometimes cause low blood sugar. Very low blood sugar can be life-threatening.
If you have diabetes and you're taking diabetes medications, your HCP might adjust your treatment plan to prevent your blood sugar from dropping too low. Your HCP might also recommend that you check your blood sugar while you're taking Saxenda (liraglutide).
Watch out for symptoms of low blood sugar, including feeling shaky, weak, or confused; being nervous or anxious; having a fast heartbeat; sweating or body chills; and feeling very hungry. Make sure you know how to quickly bring your blood sugar level back up when it drops too much.
Faster heart rate
People who use Saxenda (liraglutide) can sometimes experience a faster heart rate, even while they're resting. Your HCP will check your heart rate during regular follow-up visits with you to make sure your heart is healthy and that the medication is safe for you. Let your HCP know if you have a racing heartbeat or if you feel like your chest is pounding when you're at rest. In rare cases, you might need to stop this medication if your heart rate stays high.
Kidney problems
- Risk factors: Low fluids in the body | History of kidney problems | Taking other medications that can cause kidney problems
People who've taken GLP-1 agonists like Saxenda (liraglutide) have reported serious kidney problems that were sometimes life-threatening. These problems can happen in people with or without any known kidney conditions. Your risk for kidney problems might be higher if you've lost a lot of body fluid from side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Tell your HCP about your medical history and whether you have kidney problems before you start Saxenda (liraglutide). And contact your HCP if you're urinating less than usual while you're taking this medication. This can be a symptom of kidney problems. You might need to stop treatment.
Serious allergic reactions
- Risk factor: History of allergy to GLP-1 agonists
Some people have had serious allergic reactions to Saxenda (liraglutide). These allergic reactions can include rash, swelling, trouble breathing, dizziness, or wheezing. The risk is higher if you've had a history of an allergic reaction to other GLP-1 agonists, such as Victoza (liraglutide) or Ozempic (semaglutide). Before you start using Saxenda (liraglutide), make sure to tell your healthcare team about any allergies or allergic reactions you've had. Stop using Saxenda (liraglutide) and get medical care right away if you have an allergic reaction to the medication.
Possible risk for self-harm
Although the link between the risk for self-harm and Saxenda (liraglutide) isn't clear, a few people who took this medication during clinical studies reported having thoughts of self-harm. Make sure to let your healthcare team know if you experience symptoms of depression or changes in your mood or behavior. Get medical help right away if you have thoughts of hurting yourself.
Saxenda (liraglutide) dosage
Carton| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 pens of 18mg/3ml | 1 carton | $372.45 | $372.45 |
Typical dosage for Saxenda (liraglutide)
The usual starting dose of Saxenda (liraglutide) is 0.6 mg injected under the skin once daily. Your healthcare professional (HCP) will raise your dose every week until you reach a maintenance dose of 3 mg daily.
The usual dosing schedule is listed below.
- Week 1: Inject 0.6 mg under the skin once daily.
- Week 2: Inject 1.2 mg under the skin once daily.
- Week 3: Inject 1.8 mg under the skin once daily.
- Week 4: Inject 2.4 mg under the skin once daily.
- Week 5 and after: Inject 3 mg under the skin once daily.
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Saxenda (liraglutide) contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Saxenda (liraglutide) will not be safe for you to take.
- Personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
- Currently pregnant
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