Saxenda side effects: How to manage them

Starting a new-to-you medication can come with mixed emotions. You may be optimistic about a successful treatment but also curious about how it will play out. If you’re taking Novo Nordisk’s Saxenda® (a brand name for liraglutide) for weight management, or you’re considering it, you may wonder about what potential side effects can occur with this prescription drug—and what to do if you experience any.

Here’s what you need to know about identifying and managing side effects that can accompany Saxenda.

What to expect with Saxenda

Saxenda, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight loss, is a once-daily injection taken subcutaneously (under the skin). Liraglutide, Saxenda’s active ingredient, is part of the family of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists. These drugs mimic the gut hormone GLP-1, prompt insulin release, and help regulate appetite. Saxenda also slows gastric emptying, which means food stays in your stomach longer, helping you feel fuller for longer. Each of these support weight loss when used with healthy eating, a reduced-calorie diet, and exercise.

The most common Saxenda side effects

Since Saxenda works by slowing how quickly your stomach empties, it may cause an upset stomach—a common side effect associated with this drug. In a 2015 clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine, participants reported that the most bothersome side effects were mild or moderate nausea and diarrhea. 

The most common side effects of Saxenda in adults include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Indigestion (dyspepsia)
• Vomiting
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Stomach pain
• Abdominal pain
• A change in enzyme (lipase) levels in your blood
• Injection site reactions

Saxenda is also approved for children aged 12 to 17 with a body weight above 132 pounds and a BMI that corresponds to 30 for adults, or at or above the 95th percentile for the child’s age and sex assigned at birth. Among teens taking Saxenda, side effects may also include:

• Fever
• Gastroenteritis
  

How long can Saxenda’s common side effects last?

If you’re experiencing nausea and diarrhea, they’ll typically improve as your body adjusts to the medication. In the NEJM’s 2015 study, these side effects primarily occurred within the first four to eight weeks after starting liraglutide. For most people, side effects are temporary and improve with time. But if you experience symptoms that persist or worsen over time, talk to your health care provider. Found clinicians will work with you to find a personalized treatment that fits your needs, medical condition, and health goals. To start the process of identifying a customized treatment plan, take the  MetabolicPrint™ quiz.

Serious Saxenda side effects 

Though rare, taking this drug can cause serious side effects, including:

• Increased risk of low blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes who also take medications to treat type 2 diabetes (such as sulfonylureas or insulin) and in children, age 12 and older, without type 2 diabetes
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• Gallbladder problems, including gallstones and gallbladder disease
• Fast heartbeat
• Kidney function problems, including kidney failure and kidney disease
• Serious allergic reactions
• Depression
• Suicidal thoughts

If you experience any of these side effects, contact a health care professional for medical advice. 

If you are going under general anesthesia or deep sedation, GLP-1s may make you accidentally breathe food or liquid into your lungs (pulmonary aspiration). Tell the providers who will be performing the procedure that you’re taking a GLP-1 so they can give you instructions to avoid this.

Signs you should stop taking Saxenda and seek medical attention

Take note: If you experience any of the following side effects, medical conditions, or symptoms, stop using Saxenda and contact your health care provider right away for medical advice or go to a hospital.

• Pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas): Signs include persistent abdominal pain, which you may feel from your stomach area to your back and may be accompanied by vomiting.
  
  
• Serious thyroid problems, including thyroid tumors: Signs include hoarseness, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or a mass in the neck.
  
  
• Gallbladder conditions, including gallstones: Signs include pain in your upper abdomen, fever, jaundice, or clay-colored stools. 
  
  
• Increased heart rate: Saxenda can increase your heart rate, even at rest. If you regularly feel your heart pounding or racing for several minutes, notify your health care provider.
  
  
• Severe stomach problems that won’t go away: These include abdominal bloating or pain, acid reflux, a feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites of food, nausea, and vomiting. These may be symptoms of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis).
  
  
• Kidney problems, including kidney failure: Some side effects associated with Saxenda, including vomiting and diarrhea, can lead to dehydration, which can cause kidney failure, even in people who haven’t encountered kidney problems before. Contact your health care provider if you have persistent vomiting or diarrhea.
  

• Serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis: Signs include severe rash or itching, swelling (of throat, tongue, lips, and/or face), trouble breathing or swallowing, dizziness, fainting, and rapid heartbeat. If you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention.
  
  
• Depression or thoughts of suicide: Get help if you experience new, sudden, or worsening mental changes, including unusual shifts in moods, behaviors, feelings, and thoughts of self-harm.

Interactions with other drugs

Because Saxenda slows stomach emptying, it may affect how any oral drugs you take are absorbed while using this drug.

Before starting Saxenda (or any drug), share a list of any medications you’re currently taking with your health care provider so they can evaluate potential adverse interactions. This includes prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, supplements and vitamins, and insulin or diabetes medications, including metformin or a sulfonylurea.

Who should avoid taking Saxenda?

People with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 should not take Saxenda. Do not take Saxenda if you have ever had thyroid cancer. Saxenda can cause fetal harm. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant, do not take Saxenda.  Find detailed side effect and risk information for Saxenda on the dedicated Saxenda medication page.

What to do if you have side effects from Saxenda

Tend to nausea. To manage this very common Saxenda side effects, eat bland, low-fat foods (think rice, toast, crackers) and foods that contain water (soup, gelatin), and drink plenty of fluids. After eating, avoid lying down and get some fresh air instead.

Stay hydrated. Dehydration can lead to serious problems, including kidney issues. Drink plenty of fluids to reduce your risk of  becoming dehydrated from gastrointestinal side effects.

Avoid injection site reactions. Switch up the spot where you take your daily injection to avoid reactions. Each day, rotate the injection site between your upper thighs, abdomen, and upper arms.

Seek personalized care

Working with a dedicated obesity medicine specialist can make a big difference when navigating the ins and outs of weight loss drugs and their side effects. If you are taking Saxenda and find the side effects too difficult to manage, an obesity medicine specialist may be able to offer some options for your weight care. (Prescriptions are written at a medical provider’s discretion.)  Found’s clinical team will design a treatment plan tailored to your unique biology and monitor your progress.

While GLP-1s are effective for weight loss, they are not clinically appropriate for everyone. Eligibility for a GLP-1 is based on a provider’s evaluation of your medical history, MetabolicPrint™, and lab work. If a GLP-1 is not appropriate for you, a provider will work with you to determine an effective medication for your health profile.

About Found

Found is among the largest medically supported telehealth weight care clinics in the country, having served more than 250,000 members to date. To discover your MetabolicPrint and start your journey with Found, take our quiz.

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