How does Saxenda work?
Saxenda (liraglutide 6mg/ml) is a self-injectable weight loss treatment. It contains the active ingredient liraglutide which is very similar to a naturally occurring hormone in your body called GLP-1.
After a meal GLP-1 is naturally released from your intestines to help regulate your blood sugar levels and reduce the amount of glucagon in your body. Glucagon is a naturally occurring hormone which works by inhibiting the action of insulin. As a result, it makes you feel less hungry, slows down the emptying of your stomach and makes you feel 'fuller' for longer.
Saxenda Weight Loss
Saxenda makes you feel full for longer and therefore less hungry, which helps patients to eat less and in turn reduce their body weight. The reduced appetite helps you to lose weight and keep it off in the long term. When you join PrivateDoc we will assess your individual circumstances to see if we think Saxenda will help with your weight management.
Is Saxenda suitable for me?
Saxenda can only be used as a weight-loss treatment if you have previously tried and failed to lose weight through diet and exercise alone.
You can expect to lose a minimum of 5% of your initial body weight after completing 12 weeks of treatment at 3.0mg liraglutide daily. If you have not lost 5% of your initial body weight after 12 weeks at 3.0mg, then treatment should be discontinued at this stage.
Is there any evidence that Saxenda works?
Saxenda has been studied extensively in multiple clinical trials to establish its clinical benefits (4 x phase 3 trials – SCALE Obesity & Pre-Diabetes, SCALE Diabetes, SCALE Sleep Apnoea and SCALE Maintenance).4
These trials included a total of 5,358 participants and the trials ran between 56 weeks and 160 weeks. Superior weight loss was achieved with Saxenda (liraglutide) compared to diet and exercise alone in obese and overweight patients in all groups studied. More than twice as many people achieved 5% and 10% body weight loss compared to diet and exercise alone.
How do I use Saxenda?
Saxenda comes in a 3ml pre-filled weight loss injection pen. The pen contains a clear and colourless or almost colourless solution. All weight loss pens are supplied with the right quantity of needles you require for injecting. You will need to store your Saxenda pre-filled pen in a refrigerator (2°C to 8°C) before your first use. Once you start using the pen, you can keep it for 1 month either at room temperature (2 to 30°C) or in a refrigerator (2°C to 8°C). Do not freeze.
When you take Saxenda you need to gradually increase your dose in 0.6mg intervals, until you reach what is called the maintenance dose at 3mg daily. This is the dose at which you will continue to take Saxenda. You increase your dose as follows:
- Week 1 – 0.6mg as a once-daily injection
- Week 2 – 1.2mg as a once-daily injection
- Week 3 – 1.8mg as a once-daily injection
- Week 4 – 2.4mg as a once-daily injection
- Week 5 onwards – maintenance dose of 3.0mg as a once-daily injection
You must continue with your new diet and exercise regime while you are taking Saxenda.
Always use Saxenda exactly how your prescriber has told you. Check with your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are unsure.
When you first start Saxenda, a single pen will last 17 days and the first full pack of five pens will last six weeks. Once you have achieved the maintenance dose, a pack of five pens will last 30 days.
The maximum recommended daily dosage of liraglutide is 3.0mg. Try to take it at the same time each day, picking a time that works for you, with or without food or drink.Where do I inject Saxenda?
Saxenda is a self-administered subcutaneous injection that you inject under your skin. The best sites for injecting are the front of your waist (abdomen), the front of your thigh or the upper arm. You must take extra care not to inject into a vein or muscle.
How long before Saxenda starts to work?
Patients on treatment plans are set weight loss targets which they can track within their personal patient portal. In general, patients using Saxenda can expect to lose a minimum of 5% of their starting weight by week 12 of treatment.
How much weight can you lose using Saxenda weight loss medication?
We set qualifying patients a weight loss target for after 12 weeks of Saxenda treatment, typically this is a minimum of 5% of their starting weight.
During studies funded by Novo Nordisk, the drugs manufacturer participants found patients using the Saxenda lost on average 18 pounds. The studies looked at 3700 participants across a 56 week period. The participants were given a calorie controlled diet and exercise regime, alongside either Saxenda treatment or the placebo. The studies found that whilst the average weight loss on the placebo was 6lbs, Saxenda injections enhanced this weight loss achieving an average of 18 1⁄2 lbs across the duration of the study.
At PrivateDoc we will continue to issue treatment and support until we have helped you achieve a healthy BMI.
Saxenda for weight loss: How it works
Saxenda is an injectable prescription medication used to treat adults with weight related medical problems. Saxenda is prescribed alongside a reduced calorie diet and increased activity levels.
Saxenda works by addressing your body’s natural response to hunger. Our bodies naturally produce an appetite hormone known as glucagon GLP-1 that helps regulate hunger; Saxenda mimics this hormone, leading to lower calorie consumption and enhanced weight loss.
How long do I stay on Saxenda?
As obesity is classed as a chronic disease it is likely that you will require long term treatment. How long a patient remains on Saxenda depends on a multitude of factors which are discussed with our prescribers during your consultation. Once a healthy BMI is achieved you will no longer need to remain on the prescription.
What diet should I follow on Saxenda
Whilst on any of our prescription weight loss treatments we recommend following a calorie controlled diet to support your goals.
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