Like many other drugs, Saxenda has a half life, so it does leave your body. The drug monograph is available on the manufacturer's website, it comes with the box, and your pharmacy will have it.

The most reassuring thing I can tell you is that I in taking this med I now know what it is like to be full and not be hungry. I've never truly had that feeling, or lack of feeling, before. It's amazing to me.

Like many things in life, you just need to jump in with both feet. There are risks to everything. Being overweight and obese pretty much comes with the worst of the worst side effects.

Good luck with your decision!

I used to take it at noon, then at 3 and sometimes at 5. I have two little guys so, I've been having a hard time being consistent. When I have the doses closer together, I can sometimes feel nauseated. For the most part the nausea has subsided. Exactly like Acacia2India said, I feel full. It's unreal. It gives you the feeling of satisfaction. Where as before the light in my head that should have come on saying, "Hey tubby, you're full! Put the chips down." Well, it never came on. I've never had surgery for obesity, but, I feel as though it's the next best option. I become full on much much less than before. As I've said before, for me, the negative side effects aren't able to counter the positive ones.

I lost almost a pound a day for the first week. Now, it's more like half a pound or so. I would say that you should put less on your plate than usual. I feel extremely full if I eat too much. Sometimes, I only eat a small amount and I feel like I ate a meal for four! I remember feeling that way, regarding feeling like it was a placebo and not the medication.. I can say, for me, it's definitely working.

I am a 5'7" female, 34 years old and as of Day 1 was 220 lbs. When I was in the military and exercising with extreme intensity daily, I weighed 175 (which interestingly, was still considered by uncle Sam to be overweight.) This put me at a US women's size 10 and I felt great! As I had children, aged a decade, and learned that I had PCOS, weight came on and despite having excellent blood pressure, cholesterol, and thyroid levels, I leveled out at 220-225 pounds and a US size 18-20. Due to the PCOS, I essentially have a food addiction, where I am hungry all the time - even 20 minutes after a full meal. I'm willing to exercise and diet, but the hunger is nearly unbearable and very distracting - the same way I see a smoker get relief from a cigarette, I would find immediate relief in eating. And while I'm as strong as an ox, I carry all of my fat around my abdomen. And yes - it totally freaks me out that this is one of the warning signs of being at risk for heart disease- which I hope to never have.

My endo doctor has me on metformin and spironolactone to manage PCOS effects (insulin issues etc..), but I asked for help with weight loss- which when under control, can make the other medications more effective. She prescribed Saxenda which I had a hard time getting approved by insurance. The kicker was proving to my employer's benefit plan administrator that they cover gastric bypass surgery, which requires first attempting a prescription weight loss medication, but that they don't pay for the medication required. By proving that it made sense to cover a required item that would help employees avoid expensive surgery, I was able to get Saxenda ADDED to the covered medications my health insurance plan with my employer covers. It was prescribed in Nov 2015 and I finally received it in Feb 2016. The cost was $150 for a 90 day supply.

I took the first dose in the doctors office. I was terrified of needles. Honestly though, it is painless. It's less than plucking a single hair. But my fear prevailed - it took a good five minutes of staring at the needle in my hand and hearing the nurse say "look, just hold it like you would throwing a dart" (um - not the analogy we need here!) before I finally womaned-up and just did it. I had very little side effects on Day 1. Leg (at and below injection point) felt a little bit tingly for a few moments about 5 times the rest of the day - tingly like it was just starting to fall asleep but never did. But I did notice not needing to eat quite as much - my food intake went down by about 40%. On Day 2 I was equally nervous - about hitting the right spot, about not dropping it on the floor, about not doing it right etc... Day 2 side effects were awful! 5 seconds after the dosage I lost 80% of my hearing (like how your hearing is muffled after you hear a loud noise go off) and 80% of my balance and this lasted for about 30 seconds. I felt like I would heave throw up immediately. I was angry, scared, and disappointed, all while immediately parched for water and desperately thirsty. I did not vomit, and the intense side effects of hearing loss and balance loss subsided within a minute. I did drink water and go back to bed (I should mention I dose at about 7am) for 20 minutes to lay and absorb the feelings of discomfort. I remained very nauseous the rest of the day and friends said I looked ill. My desire for food was very low.

I was VERY afraid to dose on Day 3 because I didn't want to again feel effects like the day before. I was pleasantly surprised that Day 3 had little side effects - just that tingly feeling here and there around my leg for a few moments a few times a day after injection. My desire for food became more controlled. I didn't necessarily want to skip meals - but instead of needing a breakfast sandwich, a yogurt, a large coffee, and a rice krispy treat to subside my breakfast hunger for a couple of hours before a mid-morning snack, I was able to get by on a single egg and a slice of toast with butter for 4 hours and I felt pleasantly full. I began FINALLY feeling like my out of control hunger was finally on a leash.

Day 4 was the same as Day 3.

On Day 5, I decided to go out on a limb and move my injection site (I had been alternating legs) to the abdomen. This went well, and I didn't have any negative changes or effects. I also spent 20 minutes on an elliptical machine this day - the first workout since beginning the medication. I was also beginning to feel a little less fat and round.

On Day 6, I increased my dosage (early - I was supposed to wait a week, but with day 3, 4, 5 going well, I was ready to go from .6 to 1.2.) Things were equally positive - the only real side effects I have experienced were on Day 2. I also weighed in on Day 6. I lost 3 lbs in 6 days on Saxenda with one 20 minute moderate workout. I am very pleased with this result and it has been worth it so far. My goal is to eventually go from 220 (start) to 217 (current) to about 195 (immediate goal) to about 175 (long term goal). The downside is that Saxenda is a temporary drug that I can only take as long as my Dr. okays it or as long as I have insurance (lest paying $1,000/mo). So, I'm working it with exercise and healthier eating hoping that once I reach the end someday, I will be able to maintain it. For now, I just love finally not feeling hungry all the time.

That's all for now - I hope this information is helpful to someone!

Hello everyone today is day 1 for me taking Saxenda. . I didn't have enough nerve to inject myself my daughter had to do it... My ankles felt a little funny but no other side effects. .. April of 2016 I had the Gastric Sleeve I'm down almost 100.. but over the last few months no weight loss.. My surgeon recommended saxenda so we will see what happens.. I still have 85 more pounds to lose..

If your doctor gives you a starter kit, it has a savings card inside that is supposed to get your copay down to $30 a month. The starter kit also includes a one month supply of Saxenda and needles. My doctor was out of starter kits, so I signed up for the savings card on the Saxenda website. I have BCBS and thankfully, they are covering it. I started yesterday. Good luck to you!

The discount card worked for me but it's because my insurance is good so I only had to pay $30 but one of my co-workers on a different insurance was told that she would have to pay $1,000 for the saxenda so the card may or may not help

ChrissyB4848 wrote: »

I wouldn't quit on the medication just yet! I was on it for a year and lost about 90lbs.

That's amazing! What else did you do besides the injections? Diet and exercise? Food journal? Thanks!

Vallerina1 wrote: »

ChrissyB4848 wrote: »

I wouldn't quit on the medication just yet! I was on it for a year and lost about 90lbs.

That's amazing! What else did you do besides the injections? Diet and exercise? Food journal? Thanks!

Hi there! I was really off MFP this summer. I haven't done too much. I watched my calories for a very long time. I am up a few pounds right now, so I am going to get back on track. I have a lot more control over my weight loss and gain now. I used to drink a ton of water too.

I'm a Saxenda failure. I ve been on it for 6 months and lost 5 lbs. I just want to get off it, let my body get Clean and go from there. My primary care doc feels like I'm just one of those people that it doesn't work on. He wants me to see the endocrinologist who prescribed it.
I can't find anything anywhere on how to get off the stuff!

So it seems I am a non responder to Saxenda. I am on my 5th week and now at a 3.0 dose but no reduction on my appetite whatsoever. I have not lost much weight either. Very disappointing.

I have been on Saxenda for around 6 weeks and I've lost 12lbs but the constipation is so miserable that it is making me question continuing to take it. It's so bad its impossible to go to the gym and get remotely hot bc that makes me nauseous and I don't want to vomit on the gym floor. I've been taking ducolax but I can't keep doing that either bc it's habit forming. Any help on what to take or do to ease the only side effect I've had would be of great help. Thank you

jeanjean619 wrote: »

Thank you both for your input. I love reading all the positives! Do you find it works differently if you take it in the morning vs evening? I heard increasing doses can make you nauseous and wondered if night time is best?

I had to start at just 2 clicks of the pen due to nausea initially. Finally after 8 months I was able to titrate slowly up to 3 mg. It made me a little nauseated with each increase until the last month of titration from 2.4 - there was hardly any nausea at all. And if it happened it was very mild and manageable.