Saxenda:  A Complete Overview

You should not use this drug if:

• You are pregnant or breastfeeding
• You are trying to conceive
• You have cancer
• You have a personal or family history of thyroid cancer or thyroid disease
• You have a personal or family history of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndrome type 2 (MEN2)
• You suffer from liver, kidney or congestive heart failure
• You suffer from pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• You suffer from type 1 diabetes or diabetic retinopathy
• You have a history of an eating disorder (eg. anorexia, bulimia)
• You have a history of gallbladder problems
• You have a history of inflammatory bowel disease or gastroparesis
   

Saxenda is a brand-name version of the generic medication Liraglutide, which is a type of medication called a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist. To keep things simple, we call these medications “GLP-1s” for short. The group of GLP-1 analogues (GLP-1a) mimics the effect of the natural gut hormone GLP-1, helping to balance blood sugar levels and suppress appetite, resulting in reduced body weight.

In a nutshell, Saxenda helps to support weight loss by:

• Reducing appetite - so you are less hungry
• Reducing cravings - so it’s easier to make healthy choices
• Reducing your ‘set point’ - so you can lose more weight before starting to plateau

Weight-loss medication has been used for many years, but the latest generations of medication have significantly fewer side effects and increased effectiveness. It’s important to note that the medicine does not provide sustained weight loss alone. To get the most out of a course of Saxenda, you must consider it as a tool to use in combination with healthy lifestyle changes for long-term weight management. 

When starting Saxenda treatment, make sure you follow your dosage course. The dosage schedule is designed to help your body get used to the medication over time and reduce the chance of side effects.

Week 1: The starting dose
For the first 7 days of taking Saxenda, you will be taking a starting dose which is 0.6mg once daily. Following this, your dose will increase to reflect your treatment plan.

Week 2
Your dosage will increase to 1.2mg once daily.

Week 3
Your dosage will increase to 1.8mg once daily.

Week 4
Your dosage will increase to 2.4mg once daily.

Week 5
Your dosage will increase to the maximum dose of 3mg once daily.

It’s important to track your progress and attend follow-ups with your clinician to ensure the medication is working for you as well as to monitor any side effects.

The maintenance dose
The maintenance dose is the maximum dose you can take. For Saxenda, the maintenance (or maximum) dose you should take is 3mg once per day. Your coach will advise you on how to maintain your weight loss after you stop using Saxenda.
 

• Abdomen (5cm away from your belly button)
• Thighs
• Upper arms

We advise you to rotate injection sites to minimise discomfort.
 

You self-inject Saxenda at home once a day, under your skin, in the subcutaneous fat - don’t worry, it’ll just feel like a pin prick and you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll get used to it. Always administer Saxenda in a safe, clean environment and follow the instructions carefully.

Prepare for the injection

• Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing your pen.
• Make sure that the pen is intact and that the expiration date hasn’t passed.
• Take the lid off your pen and check the solution inside the pen is colourless and clear.
• Attach the needle and discard the inner needle cap, but keep the outer needle cap for when you dispose of the needle later.

Only use this medication if the solution is clear and colourless. If the solution is cloudy or you can see various particles, discard it and speak to your doctor. Never reuse or share needles with others.

Check the flow

• Turn the dial of your Saxenda pen to the flow check symbol - you’ll only need to perform this step each time you use a new pen.
• Hold your pen with the needle pointing upwards.
• Press and hold the dose button until the pointer is lined up with “0mg”.
• At this point, you should notice a drop of solution will appear at the tip of your needle.

If the solution does not appear at the needle tip, repeat these steps up to 6 times. If the solution still does not appear, do not use the pen and contact your healthcare provider.

Select your dose

• Dial your pen to the dose you have been prescribed.
• If you select the wrong dose, you can turn your dose selector backwards and forwards until you reach the appropriate dose.

Do not inject more than your prescribed dose. Always follow your healthcare professional’s instructions.

Inject your dose

• Clean the injection site on your abdomen, upper arm or thigh.
• Line up the pen with the injection site so that you can clearly see the dose counter and insert the needle.
• Press and hold down the middle of the dose button to administer the solution until the pointer is aligned with “0mg.”
• Keep holding down the dose button for an additional 6 seconds to ensure the dose is delivered fully.
• Gently remove the needle from your skin - do not release the dose button until the needle has been removed.

Only inject into the areas mentioned in the patient information leaflet (abdomen, thigh and upper arm). Make sure to rotate the injection site with each dose to avoid discomfort.

Discard your needle

• Put the outer needle cap back on the needle before carefully removing it from the pen.
• Dispose of the needle in the sharps bin provided.
• Use a gauze pad or cotton ball on any bleeding by applying light pressure.
• Do not throw your used needles away in your household rubbish bin. Keep them out of reach of children and pets.
   

• Keep your Saxenda pens refrigerated at a temperature between 2˚C and 8˚C until you start using them. 
• Once you start using the pen, you can store it anywhere that’s convenient for you, as long as the temperature doesn’t rise above  30˚C - it’ll last up to 4 weeks outside the fridge.
• After every use, be sure to place the pen’s cap back on. This protects the medication from light.
• You should store your pen without needles attached.
• Pens in use should be thrown away after 30 days, even if they still have some Saxenda left in them.

If you remember you’ve missed a dose within 12 hours:

• If fewer than 12 hours have passed since your missed dose, take that dose as soon as possible.

If you remember you’ve missed a dose after 12 hours:

• If 12 hours or more have passed since your missed dose, skip it and continue with your dosing schedule, taking your next scheduled dose as planned. Do not double your dosage or increase the dose on the following day to make up for the missed dose.

Before using Saxenda to treat weight loss, you should be aware of potential side effects. Rest assured that these are usually mild and temporary, especially during the initial stages of using the medication or when you up your dose as your body adjusts. 

The most common Saxenda side effects

The most common side effects of Saxenda are:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Constipation or diarrhoea
• Headaches
• Abdominal pain
• Gas, heartburn or indigestion
• Fatigue, weakness or dizziness 
• Insomnia
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

Learn how to manage Saxenda side effects here.

Saxenda contains the following ingredients:

• Liraglutide (active ingredient)
• Disodium phosphate dihydrate
• Propylene glycol
• Phenol
• Water

Hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide may be added to adjust pH
 

It’s important to trust the process - weight loss is a journey, not a sprint. Although you may start to lose weight within the first 4 weeks of treatment, the full effects of Saxenda may not be seen for several weeks or months.

Clinical trials have demonstrated that, when used alongside a calorie-reduced and healthy diet as well as routine exercise, you could lose up to 10% of your total weight in a year.

We’re confident that with Voy’s weight-loss programme combining Saxenda medication and coaching, you’ll lose 10% or more of your body weight in 6 months - or we’ll give you your money back with our Voy Weight-Loss Money-Back Guarantee. See our terms and conditions here.

Saxenda is a licensed weight-loss medication in the UK and is only available via a prescription. To find out what weight-loss treatment might be suitable for you, take the Voy questionnaire.
 

Saxenda is a licensed weight-loss medication approved by the Medicines and Health products Regulation Agency (MHRA), so it’s available through the NHS or via reputable online registered pharmacies. However, NHS prescriptions of Saxenda are available through specialist weight-management services which may have long waiting lists. 

You can buy GLP-1 medications for weight loss, including Saxenda at Voy. Provided you are eligible and suitable, you can obtain a prescription through one of our certified medical experts as part of the Voy weight-loss programme. This is to ensure that only those who have a BMI of 30 or over , or over 27 with certain comorbidities have access to the medication.

Our prescriptions for GLP-1 medication plans start at £199 per month, and these include ongoing support from our dedicated team of friendly coaches. Start the online assessment to see which treatment is right for you.