Saxenda (Liraglutide)
Saxenda, an injectable pen containing liraglutide, is produced by Novo Nordisk, a Denmark based pharmaceutical company. It was approved for release in 2014. Upon its initial release, Saxenda received approval from the FDA for treatment of chronic weight management. This was to be combined with a reduced calorie diet, along with exercise.
The drug was designed to treat adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 27 (considered overweight) or over 30 (considered obese). However, the approval required additional medical conditions to be present. This includes:
- High Blood Pressure
- Type 2 Diabetes
- High Cholesterol
- Cardiovascular disease
In 2020, Saxenda received secondary approval from the Food and Drug Administration for use in obese patients over the age of 12. Again, this approval was for chronic weight management. This was great since childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States. It is estimated that 1 in 5 children suffer from being overweight.
How Saxenda Works?
The main ingredient in Saxenda is a Glucagon Like Peptide 1 agonist called “Liraglutide”. Almost all injections are made up of GLP-1 medications. These drugs are in a class to treat type 2 diabetes. However, they also cause weight loss. Saxenda works by mimicking a hormone. When your blood sugar rises after eating, the medicine stimulates your body to produce insulin. How much weight you lose can vary depending on which medication you use.
A lot of patients ask: “How often should I inject Saxenda?” It comes in a pre-filled pen and is designed as a once daily injection. Dosage begins at .6mg a day for the first week. In week 2 the dose is doubled to 1.2mg. 0.6mg is then added each additional week until you get to the maximum dosage of 3.0mg in week 5.
Saxenda Side Effects
As with almost all weight loss medications, Saxenda has its side effects. The most common one was found to be nausea, when first starting the medicine. Others include: Diarrhea, Constipation, Vomiting, Reaction at the Injection Site, Low blood sugar, Headache, Fatigue, Dizziness and Stomach pain. Additional side effects in children were fever and gastroenteritis.
Treatment
If you are suffering from the side effects of liraglutide, you can take the following precautions:
Eat food that contains water. Eat foods which are bland like crackers. Don’t lie down after eating. The dosing schedule of the medicine was designed to limit gastrointestinal symptoms. If you stop using Saxenda you may have additional effects. This is because the hunger hormones may affect your digestive system and cause sickness.
Is there a Saxenda Coupon?
The great news is yes! The manufacturers of most weight loss injection pens offer some type of savings card. And the makers of Saxenda are no different. Novo Nordisk offers a Saxenda coupon where you can get the medicine for as little as $25. However, as is the case with most, there are stipulations. I recently went to get a prescription filled for Mounjaro (Tirzepatide). Eli Lilly, the makers of Mounjaro also offer a $25 coupon. But I didn’t read the fine print and I certainly didn’t get it at the cost of twenty-five dollars!
The Saxenda coupon has the following terms: “If you have private or commercial insurance you may pay as little as $25 per 30-day supply (1 box) of Saxenda subject to a maximum savings of $200 per 30-day supply. If you pay cash for your prescriptions, you can save up to $200 per 30-day supply (1 box) of Saxenda. There are also other restrictions on the savings Card Program for Saxenda. But it doesn’t hurt to try the coupon. Even without insurance, my local pharmacy was going to give me the medicine for half the price of what it would cost without the Monjaro savings card.
You can get your Saxenda Coupon here