Today’s review will be about a drug called Saxenda. This is an increasingly popular drug used to treat obesity in the form of a solution for injection.
Saxenda is a drug that helps reduce body weight. It is available in the form of a solution for injection, which must be injected with a special pen. Saxenda contains liraglutide, which in combination with proper diet and exercise is used to treat overweight and obesity. The drug is available with a prescription only and is not refundable. One pack contains three pens, each containing 3 ml of medicine.
Saxenda – What is it and how does it work?
Saxenda is a prescription medicine that is used in adults who are obese or overweight. The drug is used simultaneously using an adapted diet and physical activity. The active substance of Saxenda is liraglutide. It resembles a human hormone that is secreted after a meal in the intestines.Thanks to this, it affects the receptors in the brain that control appetite, thanks to which the feeling of hunger decreases and increases the satiety of the eye. All this causes the patient to reduce food intake and, therefore, lose weight.
Dosage Saxenda – How to use
The use of the preparation is quite complicated and more difficult than taking tablets or capsules. It is a solution for injection that is injected subcutaneously, for example in the thigh, arm or abdomen. The drug should not be administered intravenously and intramuscularly. It is important to use the preparation at a fixed time, but it is arbitrary – you just need to be consistent. At the beginning, the dosage is 0.6 mg once a day. Later, the dose is increased by another 0.6 mg per day, but not more often than weekly. The maximum dose is 3 mg of the drug per day. Do not exceed the maximum daily dose.
Is it safe to use Saxenda? – side effects, contraindications, side effects
Not all patients can use Saxenda. The group of people in whom its use is contraindicated includes:
- after the age of 75
- using other slimming preparations
- with eating disorders
- with hormonal disorders
- with renal impairment
- with hepatic impairment
- in case of allergy to any of the components of the drug
The most common side effects when using Saxenda are:
- Nausea
- diarrhea
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- hypoglycaemia
- dizziness and headaches
- dry mouth
- gastroesophageal reflux
- Insomnia
- dysgeusia
- bloating and gases
- cholelithiasis
The list of general side effects is longer, but these are less common effects. Use the drug with caution and consult your doctor as soon as possible if you experience any undesirable symptoms.
Saxenda – Consumer opinions – forum
Saxenda is undoubtedly an effective drug in many cases and has already helped many people. Here are some examples of patient reviews about it:
“I’ve been using Saxenda for a while now and on average I’m losing about a kilo per week. I feel nauseous, but I am able to accept it. I feel increased drowsiness and thirst, so I try to drink 2.5 liters of water a day. I notice a suppression of appetite, thanks to which I eat much less.”
“Unfortunately, I had to stop taking Saxenda because my initial weight hadn’t decreased enough for me to decide to continue struggling with side effects. Saxenda injections are not a solution for me. “
Pros and cons of Saxenda
Saxenda is undoubtedly an effective drug in many cases. Here are some examples of patient reviews about it:
Advantages
- decreased appetite
- eliminate wolf hunger attacks
- facilitates the maintenance of the diet
- In most cases, it provides satisfying weight loss results
Disadvantages
- very high price
- a large number of side effects
- Prescription-only availability
Saxenda – composition – what components fill the drug?
The active substance in Saxenda is liraglutide. One ml of solution for injection contains 6 mg liraglutide. Thus, one 3 ml pen contains 18 mg liraglutide. The excipients in Saxenda are:
- disodium phosphate dihydrate
- Propylene
- phenol
- hydrochloric acid
- sodium hydroxide
- Water for injections
This is why the drug is only available by prescription – it is an advanced drug that should be used with caution. Read the leaflet carefully before use. Saxenda should be stored in a dry and inaccessible place. If you are looking for more natural ways to lose weight, check out our: ranking of slimming pills.
Where to buy and how much does Saxenda cost?
Saxenda is available in stationary pharmacies, but only on prescription. It cannot be purchased online, but can be booked online and picked up at a stationary pharmacy. One pack contains 3 pens of 3 ml each, therefore. It does not contain needles, which must be purchased separately. Thus, in one package, the total dose of the active substance is 54 mg. The price for one package of the drug depends on the place of purchase.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Your doctor decides how long you will be treated with Saxenda. In general, treatment of obesity should be continued if you lose weight by at least 5% after 3 months of taking Saxenda. However, this is always decided by a specialist.
It depends on your baseline BMI and body weight. However, it is estimated that after the first 3 months of use, a minimum of 5% of body weight is lost.
It is not possible to clearly determine the cost of treatment with Saxenda, because the details of the dosage are determined by the doctor.
Summary – Is it worth using Saxenda?
It is difficult to clearly assess whether Saxenda is effective. Obesity is a serious disease, the causes of which can be different. Therefore, drugs such as Saxenda are used when other weight loss methods fail. For very obese people who have tried all the available options, Saxenda may be the last resort before bariatric surgery, which also carries the risk of complications. Therefore, it all depends on the individual case. We recommend starting with a healthy reduction diet and supporting it with natural dietary supplements that will help gently suppress appetite and speed up metabolism. If you do not know which supplement to choose, check out our ranking of slimming supplements.
