unable to workout while on Saxenda

curvygirly911

I've recently started Saxenda to help me lose weight as my current medication's side effects cause me to gain weight. I am combining this with tracking my calories and watching what I eat as well as working out in the evenings. I noticed that I am unable to push past 20 minutes while working out in the evenings since I started Saxenda. I was able to do 45-60 minutes before easily prior to using Saxenda. I know that the medication can cause a decrease in blood sugar which would explain the lack of energy when I am working out.

Any suggestions other than stopping Saxenda? I am wondering if I can try and workout in the mornings instead.

At the moment I do 20 minutes cardio kickboxing but it barely makes me break a sweat.

Thanks in advance.

Shells918

I guess nobody responded to you. I'm going to be talking to my dr about Saxenda tomorrow. I'm also on a medicine that makes me gain weight. Have you tried working out in the morning? Have you lost anything? I hope it's helping.

SLLRunner

Meds do not make us gain weight, but they increase our appetites so that we eat a surplus and end up gaining weight. Some meds might cause water retention, but that is temporary.

Personally, I'd chuck a med that caused lethargy, set my goals up in MFP to lose a desired amount per week, and stick to my calorie goals by eating some satiating foods. You can also talk to your doc about a med that does not cause such hunger.

kshama2001

I looked up the Saxenda side effects and first thing I see is a big black box warning about thyroid tumors. Then there's a bunch of other Contraindications, Warnings and Precautions, and Adverse Reactions. I'd be scared to take it.

What are the meds you two are on that make you gain weight? My brother takes meds whose side effects include weight gain, but he is able to overcome this with diet and exercise, and has maintained a healthy weight for 18 months.

http://www.drugs.com/pro/saxenda.html

Contraindications

Saxenda is contraindicated in the following conditions:

•Patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]
•Patients with a prior serious hypersensitivity reaction to liraglutide or to any of the product components [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)]
•Pregnancy [see Use in Specific Populations (8.1)]

Warnings and Precautions

Risk of Thyroid C-cell Tumors

Liraglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors (adenomas and/or carcinomas) at clinically relevant exposures in both genders of rats and mice [see Nonclinical Toxicology (13.1)]. Malignant thyroid C-cell carcinomas were detected in rats and mice. It is unknown whether Saxenda will cause thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans, as the human relevance of liraglutide-induced rodent thyroid C-cell tumors has not been determined.

Cases of MTC in patients treated with liraglutide have been reported in the postmarketing period; the data in these reports are insufficient to establish or exclude a causal relationship between MTC and liraglutide use in humans.

Saxenda is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of MTC or in patients with MEN 2. Counsel patients regarding the risk for MTC and inform them of symptoms of thyroid tumors (e.g., a mass in the neck, dysphagia, dyspnea, persistent hoarseness).

Routine monitoring of serum calcitonin or using thyroid ultrasound is of uncertain value for early detection of MTC in patients treated with Saxenda. Such monitoring may increase the risk of unnecessary procedures, due to low test specificity for serum calcitonin and a high background incidence of thyroid disease. Significantly elevated serum calcitonin may indicate MTC, and patients with MTC usually have calcitonin values greater than 50 ng/L. If serum calcitonin is measured and found to be elevated, the patient should be further evaluated. Patients with thyroid nodules noted on physical examination or neck imaging should also be further evaluated.

Acute Pancreatitis

Based on spontaneous postmarketing reports, acute pancreatitis, including fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic or necrotizing pancreatitis, has been observed in patients treated with liraglutide. After initiation of Saxenda, observe patients carefully for signs and symptoms of pancreatitis (including persistent severe abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back and which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting). If pancreatitis is suspected, Saxenda should promptly be discontinued and appropriate management should be initiated. If pancreatitis is confirmed, Saxenda should not be restarted.

In Saxenda clinical trials, acute pancreatitis was confirmed by adjudication in 9 (0.3%) of 3291 Saxenda-treated patients and 1 (0.1%) of 1843 placebo-treated patients. In addition, there were 2 cases of acute pancreatitis in Saxenda-treated patients who prematurely withdrew from these clinical trials, occurring 74 and 124 days after the last dose, and 1 additional case in a Saxenda-treated patient during an off-treatment follow-up period within 2 weeks of discontinuing Saxenda.

It is unknown whether patients with a history of pancreatitis are at increased risk for pancreatitis while using Saxenda, since these patients were excluded from clinical trials.

Acute Gallbladder Disease

In Saxenda clinical trials, 1.5% of Saxenda-treated patients reported adverse events of cholelithiasis versus 0.5% of placebo-treated patients. The incidence of cholecystitis was 0.6% in Saxenda-treated patients versus 0.2% in placebo-treated patients. The majority of Saxenda-treated patients with adverse events of cholelithiasis and cholecystitis required cholecystectomy. Substantial or rapid weight loss can increase the risk of cholelithiasis; however, the incidence of acute gallbladder disease was greater in Saxenda-treated patients than in placebo-treated patients even after accounting for the degree of weight loss. If cholelithiasis is suspected, gallbladder studies and appropriate clinical follow-up are indicated.

Risk for Hypoglycemia with Concomitant Use of Anti-Diabetic Therapy

The risk for serious hypoglycemia is increased when Saxenda is used in combination with insulin secretagogues (for example, sulfonylureas) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, patients may require a lower dose of sulfonylurea (or other concomitantly administered insulin secretagogues) in this setting [see Dosage and Administration (2) and Adverse Reactions (6.1)]. Saxenda should not be used in patients taking insulin.

Saxenda can lower blood glucose [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)]. Monitor blood glucose parameters prior to starting Saxenda and during Saxenda treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes. If needed, adjust co-administered anti-diabetic drugs based on glucose monitoring results and risk of hypoglycemia.

Heart Rate Increase

Mean increases in resting heart rate of 2 to 3 beats per minute (bpm) were observed with routine clinical monitoring in Saxenda-treated patients compared to placebo in clinical trials. More patients treated with Saxenda, compared with placebo, had changes from baseline at two consecutive visits of more than 10 bpm (34% versus 19%, respectively) and 20 bpm (5% versus 2%, respectively). At least one resting heart rate exceeding 100 bpm was recorded for 6% of Saxenda-treated patients compared with 4% of placebo-treated patients, with this occurring at two consecutive study visits for 0.9% and 0.3%, respectively. Tachycardia was reported as an adverse reaction in 0.6% of Saxenda-treated patients and in 0.1% of placebo-treated patients.

In a clinical pharmacology trial that monitored heart rate continuously for 24 hours, Saxenda treatment was associated with a heart rate that was 4 to 9 bpm higher than that observed with placebo.

The clinical significance of the heart rate elevation with Saxenda treatment is unclear, especially for patients with cardiac and cerebrovascular disease as a result of limited exposure in these patients in clinical trials.

Heart rate should be monitored at regular intervals consistent with usual clinical practice. Patients should inform health care providers of palpitations or feelings of a racing heartbeat while at rest during Saxenda treatment. For patients who experience a sustained increase in resting heart rate while taking Saxenda, Saxenda should be discontinued.

Renal Impairment

In patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists, including Saxenda, there have been reports of acute renal failure and worsening of chronic renal failure, sometimes requiring hemodialysis [see Adverse Reactions (6.2)]. Some of these events were reported in patients without known underlying renal disease. A majority of the reported events occurred in patients who had experienced nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea leading to volume depletion. Some of the reported events occurred in patients receiving one or more medications known to affect renal function or volume status. Altered renal function has been reversed in many of the reported cases with supportive treatment and discontinuation of potentially causative agents, including liraglutide. Use caution when initiating or escalating doses of Saxenda in patients with renal impairment [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6)].

Hypersensitivity Reactions

There have been reports of serious hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., anaphylactic reactions and angioedema) in patients treated with liraglutide [see Adverse Reactions (6.1, 6.2)]. If a hypersensitivity reaction occurs, the patient should discontinue Saxenda and other suspect medications and promptly seek medical advice.

Angioedema has also been reported with other GLP-1 receptor agonists. Use caution in a patient with a history of angioedema with another GLP-1 receptor agonist because it is unknown whether such patients will be predisposed to angioedema with Saxenda.

Suicidal Behavior and Ideation

In Saxenda clinical trials, 6 (0.2%) of 3384 Saxenda-treated patients and none of the 1941 placebo-treated patients reported suicidal ideation; one of these Saxenda-treated patients attempted suicide. Patients treated with Saxenda should be monitored for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, and/or any unusual changes in mood or behavior. Discontinue Saxenda in patients who experience suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Avoid Saxenda in patients with a history of suicidal attempts or active suicidal ideation.

Adverse Reactions

The following serious adverse reactions are described below or elsewhere in the prescribing information:

•Risk of Thyroid C-Cell Tumors [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]
•Acute Pancreatitis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]
•Acute Gallbladder Disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)]
•Risk for Hypoglycemia with Concomitant Use of Anti-Diabetic Therapy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)]
•Heart Rate Increase [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)]
• Renal Impairment [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6)]
•Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)]
•Suicidal Behavior and Ideation [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)]

curvygirly911

Thanks for your replies!

My antidepressant is known to cause weight gain due to the way it works on my body's ability to process blood sugar. It is known to cause high cholesterol as well.

My doctors have recommended Saxenda to me because it counteracts my antidepressant's side effect on my blood sugar. I have been on MFP for a while now, regularly exercising and counting calories and have not been able to lose any weight because my metabolism is remarkably slow.
So far I have lost 1 lb in the last week on Saxenda and I've noticed that I am fuller longer.

I am going to try to workout in the mornings prior to taking my medicine so that way I can ensure my workouts continue.

Espressocycle

Saxenda also causes low blood sugar which makes it hard to work out. Especially if your antidepressant also messes with blood pressure, that could be the issue. This is a really new drug. Let somebody else be the guinea pig. Diet and exercise should be enough and, in any case, better fat and fit than skinny and out of shape.