Saxenda Weight Loss Injection Pen

Saxenda Weight Loss Injections Pen

Saxenda is an MHRA and FDA approved weight loss medicine that is often prescribed when other weight loss efforts have been ineffective.

Since being approved for weight loss in 2014, Saxenda has helped many people achieve their weight loss goals.

Each pen is prefilled with 6mg/ml liraglutide - the same active ingredient found in other weight loss injection pens.

With Prescription Doctor, you can order Saxenda online from our UK pharmacy following an online consultation with one of our doctors. Our pharmacy include free needles and a sharps bin with every order, as well as a stylish carrying pouch when you order more than 3 pens.

Once your item has been approved by one of our online doctors before 3 pm weekdays, our UK based pharmacy will package your Saxenda order in discreet packaging and dispatch it to your door via fast next-day delivery.

Is Saxenda suitable for me?

Saxenda is licensed for weight loss in adults with a BMI greater than 30 kg/m² (obese), or people with a BMI of less than 30 kg/m² with weight-related health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or a breathing condition known as obstructive sleep apnoea.

Saxenda may be prescribed "off-label" to those with a BMI under 30 kg/m²..

Your doctor will provide a diet and exercise plan that you must follow while taking Saxenda.

Weight loss is a journey that takes hard work, with or without the help of medication. Once you finish treatment with Saxenda, you should continue to eat healthily and get regular exercise to maintain your weight.

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How long does a Saxenda pen last?

1 Saxenda pen will last for the first 17 days of treatment (starting from week 1).

You will need 3 Saxenda pens as you gradually increase your dose through the first 4 weeks of treatments.

From week 5, once you are taking the 3 mg dosage, 1x Saxenda pen will last you 6 days.

How long a Saxenda pen lasts depends on what dosage you are on. Higher doses mean using more Saxenda, resulting in the pen lasting a shorter amount of time.

How many Saxenda pens will I need to start treatment?

The typical starting dose is 0.6 mg. Your doctor will gradually increase your dosage of Saxenda by 0.6 mg each week until you reach the recommended dose of 3.0 mg once a day.

Please understand that the following is a guideline. Your doctor will need to monitor you while taking Saxenda. If they feel that increasing the dose is unsuitable - which may happen if a higher dose of liraglutide is not well tolerated - they will not increase the dosage further until they believe it is safe to do so.

Week No.	Dosage (daily)	No. of pens	No. of needles
1	0.6 mg	1	~20
2	1.2 mg
3	1.8 mg	2	~30
4	2.4 mg	3	~40
5 onward	3.0 mg	4	~50

 

As the table shows above, you will need to 4 Saxenda pens to reach the optimum dosage of 3 mg per day. Once you reach the optimum dosage, a single Saxenda Pen will last 6 days.

1 month of treatment with Saxenda at the maintenance dose (3.0 mg) will require 5 Saxenda pens.

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How does Saxenda work?

The active ingredient of Saxenda — liraglutide — mimics a hormone in the body (GLP-1) that is released from the intestines following a meal.

Liraglutide increases the production of insulin, which reduces the amount of glucose in the blood. It also reduces the production of glucagon, which the liver uses to produce glucose.

In the digestive tract, GLP-1 slows down the absorption rate of glucose from the intestines to the blood.

Liraglutide also suppresses your appetite. This makes you less hungry, resulting in you consuming fewer calories.

These mechanisms work together to aid weight loss.

Moreover, liraglutide has been shown to reverse pre-diabetes and significantly reduce the severity of obstructive sleep apnoea.

Saxenda does not speed up the way your body burns calories, or give you more energy to exercise.

While using Saxenda, it is important to eat a varied and balanced diet and exercise regularly. Saxenda alone is not enough to help you lose weight.

How effective is Saxenda for weight loss?

In clinical studies, more than 50% of people taking Saxenda lost 5% or more of their baseline bodyweight after 12 weeks.

After approximately 1 year (56 weeks) of taking Saxenda, 95% of people lost on average 8% of their bodyweight.

Over 3 years on Saxenda, 33% of responders continued to lose 10% or more of their baseline bodyweight.

You can read more about the Saxenda study carried out by the University of Leicester in collaboration with Novo Nordisk.

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How do I use Saxenda?

Saxenda is administered via subcutaneous injection - an injection just below the skin - once a day.

It is important to administer the injection at the same time every day for Saxenda to be most effective.

Saxenda can be taken with or without food, however, you may find it easier to remember to take it at the same time if you take Saxenda alongside a meal, such as breakfast.

Typical sites of injection include the abdomen, thigh and upper arm. You can change the site of the injection if you feel uncomfortable.

Do not administer Saxenda into a vein or muscle - your doctor will show you how to safely inject Saxenda.

A healthcare professional must show you how to use your Saxenda pen.

You can watch the following video on how to use Saxenda, or continue reading for an illustrated step-by-step guide on using Saxenda.

Using your Saxenda Pen

1.) Remove the cap from the Saxenda pen. Look through the window of the Saxenda pen to ensure that the Saxenda solution inside is clear and colourless. If the liquid inside the Saxenda pen is cloudy, or if you can see small particles floating around around in it, Do not use the Saxenda pen.

2.) Take a new needle and peel away the paper tab. Push the needle onto the Saxenda pen and turn it until it is tight.

3.) Check the flow of your Saxenda pen by turning the dose selector clockwise (to the right) until you see the flow check symbol (··-). While holding the pen upright, so that the needle is pointing to the ceiling, press and hold the button at the base of the pen. The dosage counter will return to 0 and a drop of Saxenda should appear at the tip of the needle. If no drop appears, you can repeat the flow check up to 6 times. If the drop does not appear, replace the needle and check the flow again. If a drop still does not appear after 6 attempts, safely discard the pen and use a new Saxenda pen.

4.) Select the dose by turning the dose selector to the dose you need to inject. Double-check the dosage pointer to ensure you have selected the right dosage before injecting Saxenda. If you turn the dosage meter too far, turn it back to the desired dose. Be careful not to press the dose button as you turn the dose selector.

5.) Push the needle into the skin of an application site, such as the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. While holding the needle steady, press and hold the dose button. Once the dose counter reaches 0, keep holding the needle in the skin and slowly count to 6. Remove the needle from the skin by lifting it straight out of your skin. Avoid moving the needle when removing the needle to prevent bruising. Do not inject into a vein or muscle.

6.) After administering the dosage, cover the needle with the outer needle cap to prevent yourself from injury when removing the needle. With the outer needle cap affixed over the needle, unscrew the needle and dispose of it in a sharps bin. Speak to your doctor about how to safely dispose of your needles.

7.) Replace the cap of the Saxenda pen and store it in a refrigerator.

How should I store Saxenda?

Before you use your Saxenda pen for the first time, you should store Saxenda in a refrigerator (between 2°C and 8°C).

Once you begin using Saxenda, you should keep the temperature of the pen below 30°C.

You may continue to store your Saxenda pen in the fridge (between 2°C and 8°C), but do not freeze it. Keep the pen away from the freezer compartment.

While the pen is not in use, the pen should be covered with the cap to protect the medicine from exposure to light.

You should discard Saxenda pens 30 days after the first use, regardless of whether it still contains Saxenda.

More information on how to store Saxenda pens can be found in the accompanying patient information leaflet which comes with your Saxenda pen.

Visit Saxenda's website for further information on using Saxenda.

What should I do if I forget to take Saxenda when I should?

If you forget to take Saxenda when you should, take it as soon as you remember.

If more than 12 hours have passed since your last injection of Saxenda, skip the missed dose and continue to take Saxenda as you normally would.

Do not inject more Saxenda to make up for the missed dose.

What should I do if I inject too much Saxenda?

If you accidentally inject too much Saxenda, speak to your doctor as soon as possible.

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Saxenda side effects and cautions

All medications carry the potential risk of side effects, though not everybody experiences them. It is important to understand the risks associated with your medication before you begin treatment.

Information regarding the safety of Saxenda, including how to use and store the medicine, can be found within the patient information leaflet enclosed with your medicine.

You can view the patient information leaflet for Saxenda online.

Some common Saxenda side effects include:

• Being sick (vomiting)
• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Feeling sick (nausea)

Side effects listed above should go away on their own after a few days or weeks as your body adjusts to the medicine.

If your side effects do not subside after a few weeks of taking Saxenda, or are distressful, speak to your doctor.

Other Saxenda side effects may include:

• Belching
• Bloating
• Dry mouth
• Heartburn
• Indigestion (dyspepsia)
• Inflammation of the lining of the stomach (gastritis)
• Stomach ache
• Wind (flatulence)

This is not an exhaustive list of side effects. Further information regarding the safety of Saxenda can be found in the patient information leaflet enclosed with your treatment.

Managing side effects

The common side effects of Saxenda are nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhoea. While they usually reduce over time, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of side effects.

Firstly, it is important to administer Saxenda at the same time every day. If you find it difficult to remember when to take Saxenda, set a reminder on your phone or smart device.

Side effects such as diarrhoea and vomiting can dehydrate you. You should stay hydrated while taking Saxenda by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

You may find that your side effects become more prominent when you increase your dosage. If you cannot tolerate the side effects, discuss your options with your doctor. Your dosage may need to be reduced. You should always follow the recommended dose escalation as prescribed by your doctor.

Allergic reaction

Do not take Saxenda if you are allergic to liraglutide or any of the other ingredients in Saxenda.

A full list of ingredients can be found inside the patient information leaflet.

Signs of an allergic reaction include:

• Chest tightening
• Dry, red, and cracked skin
• Itchy, red, watery eyes
• Raised, itchy, red rash (hives)
• Swelling of the lips, tongue, eyes or face
• Wheezing or difficulty breathing

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

If you become pregnant while on Saxenda, inform your doctor right away.

Needle Warnings

Saxenda requires single-use, hypodermic needles which must be handled with care.

You should always use a new needle for every Saxenda injection to prevent contamination, infection, leakage and blockages, which may lead to the wrong dose being administered.

Do not use the same needle twice.

Inspect that the needle is not bent before using it. If the needle is bent, discard it in a sharps container and use a new needle.

Always store Saxenda needles out of sight and reach from children and pets.

If you need more needles, you can order Saxenda needles from our UK pharmacy.

Sharps Bin Warnings

Once you have used a needle to administer the dosage of Saxenda, put your used needle into the provided sharps bin.

When moving your sharps bin, you can close the temporary closure to avoid spillages. Be careful not to close the sharps bin fully if you will be using it again in the future.

When you have filled the sharps bin to the fill line, close the sharps bin fully. You should hear a click - this means that the bin is permanently closed and ready for disposal.

Never overfill a sharps bin.

Always put used needles in a sharps bin.

Always store your sharps bin out of sight and reach from children and pets.

Never discard of a full sharps bin in your general waste bin or wheelie bin.

Other safety information

Inform our doctors if you have diabetes. Saxenda is no suitable for people who take insulin or another GLP-1 receptor agonist for the treatment of diabetes. In patients with diabetes, who are currently taking insulin or sulfonylurea, Saxenda may increase your risk of hypoglycaemia. Saxenda is not a substitute for insulin.

During the online consultation, you should list all the medicines you are currently taking, including those on prescription, or bought over the counter from a pharmacy.

Acute pancreatitis has been noticed in patients taking Saxenda. Signs of acute pancreatitis include abdominal pain, which may radiate to your back or feel worse after eating, fever, increased heart rate, nausea, vomiting and tenderness when touching the abdomen.

Inform our prescriber if you have any thyroid issues (hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism) and are taking any medicine for a thyroid issue, such as Levothyroxine. Saxenda may not be suitable for people with thyroid problems.

Please inform our doctor of all medications you are currently taking, including those prescribed by your GP, bought over the counter, as well as health and herbal supplements.

Do not take Saxenda past the expiry date printed on the packaging.

Do not leave your Saxenda pen in your car, or anywhere else where it may get too hot or too cold.

Do not attempt to inject Saxenda if any part of it has frozen.

Do not expose your pen to dust, dirt or liquid as this may damage the mechanism of the pen.

If you need to clean your Saxenda pen for whatever reason, use a mild detergent on a damp cloth and gently clean it.

Do not drop your pen, as this can damage the pen.

Do not attempt to dismantle or refill your Saxenda pen. Saxenda pens are pre-filled and cannot be refilled or serviced. Once you have used up the Saxenda medicine in your pen, discard the used pen and begin a new pen.

Never throw away Saxenda via household or water waste. Take any unwanted or expired Saxenda to your pharmacy and ask them to dispose it safely on your behalf.

Always keep Saxenda pens, needles and sharps bin's containers out of sight and reach from children and pets.

Never share your Saxenda pens or needles with anybody else, even if they are experiencing the same symptoms as you.

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Frequently asked questions

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