Saxenda is Liraglutide which belongs to the same family of drugs as Semaglutide. Under the brand of Victoza it is an anti-diabetic medicine for use in the treatment of type-2 diabetes and under the brand Saxenda it’s an anti-obesity and chronic weight management drug. If it’s used on a daily basis alongside a healthy diet and increased exercise it’s a very effective tool on your weight loss journey.

What is Liraglutide?

Liraglutide known under the trade name Victoza or Saxenda can be used for diabetes to improve blood sugar control.

Liraglutide, used for weight loss, is prescribed as Saxenda and is injected daily using a starting dose of 0.6mg and increased weekly by 0.6mg to the maximum therapeutic dose of 3.0mg.

Weight loss injections, how does it work?

Weight loss injections work by mimicking a hormone called GLP1, which is typically released when a person feels full after a large meal. They act on the receptors in the brain that control your appetite causing you to feel fuller and less hungry resulting in eating less food and reducing calorie intake. They also delay gastric emptying resulting in you feeling fuller for longer.

How long does one pen last?

The starting dose of Saxenda is 0.6mg and your first pen should last 17 days if you follow the recommended dosage schedule. The dosage is increased each week until you reach the maximum dose of 3.0mg when one pen will last 6 days.

The starting dose of Wegovy is 0.25mg and is used weekly for one month. This dosage is increased per month and the maximum dose of 2.4mg will be reached at the start of month 5. This maintenance dosage is then used until you are no longer overweight. Each Wegovy pen has 4 doses in it and so lasts for a month. Wegovy became available in the UK in year 2023.

Where to buy needles?

The needles are included in the product you will receive.  Should you require additional needles you can buy these separately from your local pharmacy.