Everything You Need to Know About Saxenda

‍If you're exploring Saxenda as a potential treatment option, you probably have questions about the medication and our program and how it works. We've got you covered with the details you need to know.

What is Saxenda?

Saxenda is the brand name for the medication liraglutide used for long-term weight management. 

In clinical trials, 63% of patients lost at least 5% of their body weight after 56 weeks. It’s important to note that Saxenda works best when paired with sustainable lifestyle changes in diet and physical activity.

How Does Saxenda Work?

Liraglutide, the medication in Saxenda, is what’s known as a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. All those scientific words mean it mimics the hormones we already have that control our insulin and glucagon levels.

When you take this medication, it helps decrease your appetite, slows down the emptying of your stomach, and decreases the intensity of your cravings. As a result, many people feel full faster, eat less at meals, and feel full longer. 

By decreasing the intensity of your cravings, it helps with your food choices and eating behaviours. These are the main ways that liraglutide helps you to tackle the biology of weight management.

Results

When studied, those who took the medication and made lifestyle changes, 63% of participants lost over 5% of their body weight, which is considered to be clinically meaningful weight loss. 

Generally, it takes a few weeks, and sometimes a few months, to start seeing the effects of weight loss from Saxenda. You may notice the effects on your hunger and cravings before you notice changes in your body size. This is normal and expected as most people won’t see any kind of changes, until they get to the higher doses of their treatment.

How Do I Start Taking Saxenda?

The starting dose of Saxenda is 0.6 mg per day for 1 week. Typically patients increase the dose by 0.6 mg each week depending on your body's response and side effects. 

Your healthcare practitioner's aim is to find a steady state dose for you — the lowest effective dose, up to a maximum of 3 mg.

It’s important that you do not increase your dose at a faster rate than what your practitioner has advised, including what may be outlined in your medication dosing schedule or treatment guide. This is because the medication was designed to be increased at a specific rate for your safety and in order to minimize side effects. This allows your body time to adjust to the medication. 

Most Common Side-Effects

Some of the common side effects from taking Saxenda include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Indigestion/acid reflux
• Abdominal Pain
• Fatigue
• Dizziness

Saxenda’s Intended Effects

The intended effects of Saxenda that patients often experience before noticing body changes include:

• Decreased hunger
• Feeling full sooner
• Decreased cravings for food
• Decreased thoughts about food

Novo Nordisk’s Saxenda Care Program

The Novo Nordisk Saxenda Care program offers assistance for patients that are making their first purchase of Saxenda. This is up to a maximum of 50% coverage assistance ($225) when the first prescription is filled.

‍To begin, you’ll just need to complete a short form, and agree to the program's terms and conditions. Once that’s done, they’ll send you a one-time discount code that you can upload into your insurance file with Felix. Please reach out to hello@felixforyou.ca if you need any help uploading your discount code. 

‍They also offer Reimbursement Navigation appointments, where a specialist can help you navigate your insurance coverage details, as well as weight management support, and guidance on how to safely and effectively use Saxenda injectors.

Renewing Your Prescription

Your first prescription is written for 3 months to monitor results & side effects. You will renew your prescription with your healthcare practitioner after submitting your labs and then completing a virtual checkup.

Approximately 10 to 12 weeks after your initial treatment approval, you'll receive an email inviting you to a virtual checkup for your upcoming prescription. Once approved, your prescription will be renewed. 

What if I Can’t Take Saxenda?

While weight loss medications are beneficial for many people, not everyone can use them. Some people may not be able to use them because of contraindications or other medications that they’re already taking.

Not to worry if you can’t use Saxenda, there are still a number of things that you can do to help your weight loss journey, including:

Lifestyle Changes

Maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet that includes enough daily protein and fiber is a great way to work towards your weight management goals.

Avoiding foods that you know aren’t healthy or necessary as part of a balanced diet (i.e., alcohol, sugary foods, heavily processed or fatty foods, etc.), can also assist in helping you towards those milestones.

Getting regular exercise is another method of weight management that’s not only beneficial for weight maintenance, but has a large impact on your overall health. It’s recommended to get 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise, a few times a week, in order to promote good physical fitness.

In addition to the benefits to weight management, regular physical activity can help improve muscle strength and flexibility, as well as reduce the risks of things like muscle mass and bone loss.

Behavioural or Psychological Assistance

Weight loss is a long-term process that requires not only commitment, but support as well. No one should have to go through their weight management journey alone.

Sometimes, seeking behavioural or psychological interventions from practitioners in those fields can provide the tools you need to have long term sustainable behavioural changes that are important for weight management.

They may be able to help you find ways to combat food cravings or ongoing food-centered thinking, also called ‘food noise’.

Explore the Collection of Blogs below for All the Info You Need

Saxenda Essentials

Introduction to Saxenda: what you need to know about this medication

Saxenda: Where is the Best Place to Inject: how and where to inject Saxenda

Our Program

Our Weight Loss Program Pricing: how it works and what you need to know about costs

Insurance Coverage for Saxenda: options and information about coverage

Getting Started

Dosing Schedule for Saxenda: how dosing gradually increases during the first 8 weeks.

How Long Does It Take for Saxenda to Work: how will you know it is working and when can you expect to see results

Can You Drink Alcohol While Taking Saxenda: everything you need to know about drinking alcohol, while taking Saxenda.

Still have questions we didn’t cover? Our healthcare practitioners are here to help. Just complete a short online assessment, and we can help you take the first crucial steps on the path to improved weight management, and overall better health.