According to the World Health Organization, there are over 650 million adults suffering from obesity and over 1.9 billion overweight adults in the world. Because it can be difficult to lose weight with diet and exercise alone, Saxenda is one of several prescription weight loss medications that have surfaced over the past decade in an effort to fight the epidemic against obesity.

Saxenda for chronic weight loss management was studied over a one year clinical trial. In this trial, three out of 5 participants experienced a 5% weight loss with Saxenda compared to placebo. In addition, one out of three trial participants experienced a 10% weight loss compared to placebo. Research has shown that a 5% weight loss reduction or more greatly reduces risks associated with cardiovascular diseases, and can improve weight-related health conditions.

It is important to know that all the Saxenda study participants were also enrolled in a lifestyle change program to improve eating and exercise habits.  Saxenda can therefore be an important tool for weight loss, but it may not work well without having other changes in place too.

Saxenda helps you lose weight by acting on the part of your brain responsible for food reward systems and cravings. The drug also works on your stomach to decrease gastric emptying which makes you feel fuller faster and longer. These effects are all driven by Saxenda stimulating the GLP-1 receptor, a major regulator of appetite and calorie intake.

Saxenda may be a particularly effective choice if you have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes as its mechanism of action also can help lower blood glucose.

Related: Nutrition for Weight Management

While Saxenda is a generally safe medication, some users do experience side effects. The most common side effect is nausea, occurring in many patients who take the drug. Fortunately, this tends not to be severe, and generally improves the longer you take Saxenda. The dosage schedule for Saxenda is designed to minimize nausea, starting at a very low dose and gradually increasing week by week with your doctor’s advice.

Other side effects which may occur soon after beginning Saxenda, or more gradually over several months, may include:

• Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, in patients taking Saxenda with other diabetes medication
• Gallbladder disease
• Diarrhea
• Pancreatitis
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Dyspepsia (indigestion)
• Abdomen pain
• Irritation or bruising at the injection site
• Acute kidney injury if nausea and vomiting becomes severe, resulting in dehydration

Saxenda should not be used if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or if you have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN-II). Saxenda should also not be used if you have had a history of pancreatitis or a history of allergic reactions to reaction to GLP-1 medications of any kind. If you are pregnant, you should also avoid Saxenda, as this can harm your unborn child. If you have immediate questions or experience side effects while on Saxenda, please reach out to your physician.

Saxenda is offered as a subcutaneous injection which can be injected into the upper arm, thigh or abdomen using a thin needle. This medication is not meant to be injected intravenously (through your veins) or intramuscularly (into your muscles). Saxenda comes as a liquid in a pen-injector.  Saxenda is supplied as an 18 mg/3mL dose pen.

Tips to self-administer Saxenda include:

• You can administer Saxenda without regard to meals or time of day.
• Change the needle with each administration.
• Make sure to only use Saxenda if the solution appears clear, colorless, and free of particulate matter.
• Do not share pens with anyone as this may cause infection.
• If you are diabetic and use insulin needles, make sure to administer as separate injections (do not mix).
• You may inject in the same body region as insulin, but not adjacent to one another.
• If you have a pre-filled pen, prime the needle before the first injection by turning the dose selector to the flow check symbol and injecting into the air (priming is not required for subsequent injections).
• Use a new needle for each injection.
• Once injected, continue to depress the button until the dial has returned to 0 and for an additional 6 seconds. Then, remove the needle.
• Steps should be taken to prohibit sharing of pens such as labeling pens clearly with your name if stored in a common area.

Saxenda is not offered in generic form; therefore, it is expensive. Currently, there is no therapeutically equivalent version of Saxenda available in the United States. Without insurance, one pen-injection kit costs between $800- $1,300, depending on the pharmacy you visit. Coupons and payment options are often available on the manufacturer website.

If you have insurance, coverage for Saxenda is variable. Oftentimes, your physician’s office may have to request Prior Authorization before you may be able to obtain Saxenda. Even if your insurance does cover the medication, you may find you have a significant copay of up to $1-200 monthly. Calling your insurance company to find out about any applicable copays prior to your visit may be helpful, to give you a better idea of what to expect.