Saxenda

Saxenda (liraglutide 6mg/ml) is a self-injectable weight loss treatment. It contains the active ingredient liraglutide which is very similar to a naturally occurring hormone in your body called GLP-1.

After a meal GLP-1 is naturally released from your intestines to help regulate your blood sugar levels and reduce the amount of glucagon in your body. Glucagon is a naturally occurring hormone which works by inhibiting the action of insulin. As a result, it makes you feel less hungry, slows down the emptying of your stomach and makes you feel 'fuller' for longer.

Saxenda has been studied extensively in multiple clinical trials to establish its clinical benefits (4 x phase 3 trials – SCALE Obesity & Pre-Diabetes, SCALE Diabetes, SCALE Sleep Apnoea and SCALE Maintenance).⁴

These trials included a total of 5,358 participants and the trials ran between 56 weeks and 160 weeks. Superior weight loss was achieved with Saxenda (liraglutide) compared to diet and exercise alone in obese and overweight patients in all groups studied. More than twice as many people achieved 5% and 10% body weight loss compared to diet and exercise alone.

Saxenda is a self-administered subcutaneous injection that you inject under your skin. The best sites for injecting are the front of your waist (abdomen), the front of your thigh or the upper arm. You must take extra care not to inject into a vein or muscle.

If you accidentally use more Saxenda than you should, you must talk to a doctor or go to a hospital straight away. You may experience nausea or vomiting and may require medical treatment.

If you forget a dose, you can inject it as soon as you remember, as long as it is within 12 hours from when you usually take your dose. However, if more than 12 hours have passed since you should have used Saxenda, miss the dose and inject your next dose the following day at the usual time. Never use a double dose or increase the dose on the following day to make up for the missed dose. If there has been more than 72 hours (three days) between doses, you should return to the 0.6mg starting dose and work through the doses as you did when you first started treatment.

What information does PrivateDoc need to know about me?

You cannot use Saxenda if you:

• are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant
• have any known allergies to any of the ingredients in Saxenda
• are under 18 years old or over 75 years old
• have diabetes and are taking other medicines that contain GLP-1 (such as exenatide or lixisenatide) or have issues with hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)
• have severe heart failure
• have liver or severe kidney disease or are on dialysis
• have severe stomach or gut problems such as gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying) or inflammatory bowel disease

If you have any of the following conditions you will need to speak with the doctor as Saxenda may not be appropriate for you:

• Diabetes
• Diseases of the pancreas
• Inflamed gall bladder or gallstones
• Thyroid diseases including thyroid nodules and enlargement of the thyroid gland
• Heart palpitations or a racing heart
• Mild to moderate liver or kidney disease
• A condition that requires you to take anticoagulants such as warfarin

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As with all medication, Saxenda can be associated with unwanted side effects. Although usually mild, some can be more severe, which may result in your treatment being stopped. You should always read the patient information leaflet fully before you begin treatment.

When you first start your treatment, you may experience some stomach upset, such as vomiting or diarrhoea, and may also lose some bodily fluids. Therefore, it is important to drink plenty of fluids to keep yourself hydrated. Most mild side effects will settle once your body gets used to the new medication. However, if any side effect persists, stop the treatment and talk to a doctor.

Sometimes side effects of Saxenda can be very serious, such as severe allergic reactions. If you get any symptoms, such as problems breathing, swelling of your face or throat, or a fast heartbeat, you must get medical help immediately.

Rarely there have been cases reported of inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). Pancreatitis is a serious, potentially life-threatening, medical condition. If you experience any of the following side effects stop taking Saxenda immediately and get medical help: severe and persistent pain in the abdomen (stomach area) which might reach through to your back with nausea or vomiting.

Side effects can include, but are not limited to:

Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 user in 10 users)

• Nausea vomiting (settles after your body adjusts to treatment)
• Diarrhoea or constipation (settles after your body adjusts to treatment)

Common side effects (may affect up to 1 to 10 users)

• Low blood sugar. The warning signs of low blood sugar may come on suddenly and can include: cold sweat, cool pale skin, headache, fast heartbeat, feeling sick, feeling very hungry, changes in vision, feeling sleepy, feeling weak, being nervous, being anxious, confusion, difficulty concentrating and shaking (tremor). Your doctor will tell you how to treat low blood sugar and what to do if you notice these warning signs
• Problems affecting the stomach and intestines, such as indigestion (dyspepsia), inflammation in the lining of the stomach (gastritis), stomach discomfort, upper stomach pain, heartburn, feeling bloated, wind (flatulence), belching and dry mouth
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia). This usually occurs in the first 3 months of treatment
• Local reactions around the injection site, such as bruising, pain, irritation, itching and rash
• Feeling weak or tired
• Changed sense of taste
• Dizziness
• Gallstones
• Increase of pancreatic enzymes, such as lipase amylase

Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

• Dehydration – more likely to occur at the start of treatment and may be due to being sick, having diarrhoea or nausea making you drink & eat less
• Thyroid reactions such as goitres or nodules
• Pancreatitis
• Allergic reactions such as skin rash
• Generally feeling unwell
• Faster pulse rate
• Delay in the emptying of the stomach
• Inflamed gall bladder

Rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)

• Reduced kidney function
• Acute kidney failure. Signs may include reduction in urine volume, metallic taste in mouth & easily bruising

For complete details about all side effects always read the Patient Information Leaflet.

The information we provide to our patients is based on the information provided by the manufacturer of the medication. This information is based on the latest and best, current evidence.

We set qualifying patients a weight loss target for after 12 weeks of Saxenda treatment, typically this is a minimum of 5% of their starting weight.

During studies funded by Novo Nordisk, the drugs manufacturer participants found patients using the Saxenda lost on average 18 pounds. The studies looked at 3700 participants across a 56 week period. The participants were given a calorie controlled diet and exercise regime, alongside either Saxenda treatment or the placebo. The studies found that whilst the average weight loss on the placebo was 6lbs, Saxenda injections enhanced this weight loss achieving an average of 18 ^1⁄₂ lbs across the duration of the study.

At PrivateDoc we will continue to issue treatment and support until we have helped you achieve a healthy BMI.

As obesity is classed as a chronic disease it is likely that you will require long term treatment. How long a patient remains on Saxenda depends on a multitude of factors which are discussed with our prescribers during your consultation. Once a healthy BMI is achieved you will no longer need to remain on the prescription.