How long does a Saxenda pen last?

Saxenda is a self-injectable prescription medicine which is available in a pre-filled pen. It is used as a weight loss aid and contains an active substance known as liraglutide, which acts similarly to a natural occurring hormone called Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1).

GLP-1 is a hormone which controls and regulates your appetite by binding to receptors in your brain and tells your brain that you are full. It is believed that too little of this hormone present in the blood stream can lead to obesity, as a person may still feel hungry after a meal and thus eat bigger portions or snack between meals.

Saxenda acts on receptors in the brain which control your appetite. This action maintains the feeling of being full long after eating, making you less inclined to snack between meals and generally consume less food overall.

When taken alongside a healthy diet and regular exercise, it can effectively help people lose weight who also have:

• A BMI of 30 or greater (obese) or;
• A BMI between 27 and 30 (overweight)
• Weight-related health problems (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal levels of fats in the blood or breathing problems during sleep called ‘obstructive sleep apnoea’.)

Suitable sites for injecting Saxenda include your abdomen, upper arm or upper thigh. Your doctor will be able to instruct you on how to use the pen safely.

Do not inject Saxenda into muscle or veins. If you accidentally inject Saxenda into a vein or muscle, seek immediate medical attention or call 111 for advice. Your injection technique may need to be reviewed in person by your doctor.

While you can use Saxenda at any time of the day, it is recommended to administer it at the same time each day. If you often forget to take your medicine, set a reminder on your phone or smart home device.

Before you use the pen for the first time, your doctor or nurse will show you how to take it appropriately. For further information on how to use Saxenda, consult the patient leaflet supplied with the medication.

How Long Does a Saxenda Pen Last?

How long a Saxenda pen lasts is determined on how much of the medicine is being injected and what stage you are at in the course of treatment.

When you first start using Saxenda, your treatment will start at a low dose of 0.6 mg per day, which will be gradually increased by 0.6 mg over the first five weeks until you reach the recommended dose of 3 mg once a day.

Your doctor will need to monitor you while undergoing treatment with Saxenda. However, the following week-by-week plan is a typical guideline:

Note: You will need 4 Saxenda pens to reach the maintenance dose of 3.0 mg.

Your doctor will assess your treatment on a regular basis and advise you on your dosage accordingly.

If you are unable to tolerate or adjust to the new dosage, your doctor will cease treatment and discuss alternative weight loss treatments with you.

How long should the first Saxenda pen last me?

When you begin your treatment, your first pen should last for 17 days, after which you will need a second pen.

Once you reach the recommended dose of 3.0 mg in week 5 of your treatment, 1 Saxenda pen should last for 6 days. This means that for a months worth of Saxenda, you would need 5 Saxenda pens. If you are already taking Saxenda at the recommended 3.0 mg dose, the above table need not concern you - you can simply order the amount of pens you require for a given time frame.

When you buy Saxenda online from Prescription Doctor, we will provide with an adequate amount of needles for the quantity of pens you order. It is important to use a new needle every time you inject yourself with Saxenda. If you do not have enough needles to administer Saxenda, you can order needles online from us.

Using a needle more than once can result in damage to the needle, either by causing a blockage or by damaging the protective coating of the needle.

This damage can cause injections to be more painful and result in more severe bruising and bleeding. Blockages in the needle, caused by reuse, can make it harder to deliver the right dose of the medicine. With frequent reuse, there is a risk of microscopic fragments of the needle (typically the tip of the needle) breaking off, leaving part of it inside your body.

You should check each needle before administering Saxenda. After putting the needle on the pen, check that it is straight – a bent needle can make administering Saxenda more painful and result in bruising when taking out the needle.

How long does a Saxenda pen last in storage?

Saxenda can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature, though it has a limited lifespan of 30 days.

It is important to store your Saxenda pen and paraphernalia, such as unused needles and sharps containers, out of sight and reach from children and pets. Ideal places include a kitchen cabinet away from the stove or sink, on top of a cupboard or on a high shelf.

Always throw the Saxenda Pen away after 30 days of opening it, even if there is still some solution left in the pen.

You should always check the solution in the pen before injecting yourself. If the solution in the pen is cloudy or discoloured, safely discard of the pen and acquire a new one.

What should I do with a broken Saxenda pen?

Saxenda pens are relatively delicate and must be handled with care. If you accidentally drop your pen, inspect the pen for cracks, leaks or other damage.

Do not use your Saxenda pen if you notice any damage to the body of the pen or if you notice solution leaking from the pen.

Do not attempt to dismantle or repair your Saxenda pen. Any attempt to dismantle, repair or refill the pen may result in damage to the pen or personal injury.

Getting the most out of your Saxenda treatment

Remember, Saxenda is not a quick fix for weight loss. It is only effective when it is adopted alongside a healthy lifestyle, with regular exercise and healthy eating habits.

How much weight should I expect to lose on Saxenda?

After 12 weeks of regularly taking the 3 mg dose (excluding the first 5 weeks to achieve the optimum dosage), 5% loss of total body weight must be noticed before treatment can continue.

If you lose less than 5% of your total body weight, then your doctor will discontinue treatment with Saxenda and discuss other potential weight loss treatments with you.

You should aim to increase your physical activity while undergoing treatment with Saxenda. It’s very easy to overthink the exercise you need to do, which can hinder your progress. Instead of looking at exercise as a separate task, try to incorporate it into your daily life.

Walking more is the easiest way to increase the amount of physical activity and can be very easily worked into your daily life. For example, taking the stairs instead of the lift or escalator, getting off the bus a stop earlier and walking the rest of the way or parking further away from shops and walking across the car park.

Of course, sports and recreational activities such as gardening or dancing can also help you lose weight.

It’s extremely important to take steps to tackle being overweight or obese as it can lead to several serious and potentially life-threatening conditions including:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• Cancer
• Liver and kidney disease
• Stroke

Obesity can also affect your mental well-being and lead to depression and low self-esteem. Therefore, it’s so important that, when using your Saxenda Pen, you bear in mind the commitment you need to make to your diet and exercise plan.

If you are unsure about how to take Saxenda or have any questions about your treatment, ask your doctor for advice.