Victoza dosage: How to take Victoza for weight loss

If you’re taking Victoza® for weight loss or considering it, you may be curious how this daily injectable medication works and what your new routine may look like. 

If you’ve got questions like, “What if I miss a dose—or accidentally take too much?” or if you’re wondering how to take this medication, we’ve got you. Here, we go over what you need to know about Victoza dosing  for weight loss. As with any prescription drug, it’s important to follow prescribing information and medical advice from your health care professional when taking Victoza. 

What is Victoza?

Victoza is a brand name for liraglutide, a synthetic version of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), a gut hormone that your body produces naturally. This prescription drug, made by Novo Nordisk, is FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus in children (over 10 years of age) and adults alongside exercise and a balanced diet. (It’s not used to treat type 1 diabetes.)

Like other GLP-1 receptor agonists, this medication works by helping your body to reduce blood sugar levels, regulate insulin levels, and slow the rate at which food moves through your stomach (gastric emptying). Clinical trials show that Victoza also reduces the risk of adverse cardiovascular events, like heart attack and stroke, in adults with type 2 diabetes who have heart disease.

Because studies show that liraglutide helps people lose weight, clinicians also sometimes prescribe Victoza off-label for this purpose, too, for patients with obesity or excess weight. (Off-label use—when a drug that’s been FDA-approved for one condition or disease is used for another—is common, legal, and can be effective.)

How do you use Victoza?

Victoza is typically taken once a day as a subcutaneous injection under the skin of your thigh, abdomen, or upper arm (but not into a muscle or vein) with a small needle. The manufacturer recommends that people take the medicine at the same time every day. Make sure to rotate the locations where you take the injection to avoid lumps (cutaneous amyloidosis) from forming under your skin.

How many doses are in a Victoza pen?

The number of doses that each prefilled pen contains depends on what size dose you’re taking. Your health care provider will guide you on how much medication to take. 

Victoza comes in a prefilled injector pen. Each pen holds 3 ml of medication and can deliver doses of 0.6 mg, 1.2 mg, or 1.8 mg.

After your first use, you can store your pen for 30 days at room temperature or in a fridge. 

What is the recommended starting dosage of Victoza?

The manufacturer's recommended starting dose for Victoza varies depending on your age and other factors. 

For adults, health care professionals typically prescribe a starting dose of 0.6 mg to inject under the skin once a day for one week before increasing to a 1.2 mg daily dose. If needed, after another week of treatment, the dose may increase to a 1.8 mg daily dose. For children (age 10 years or older), a similar schedule applies. 

How much Victoza you will need depends on a variety of health and lifestyle factors, including illness, medications you’re taking, and changes in exercise intensity, stress levels, and weight loss or weight gain. Work with your health care provider to determine the right dose for you. 

What happens if you miss a dose of Victoza?

If you miss one dose of Victoza, the manufacturer recommends that you skip it. Don’t take two doses simultaneously or close together, and don’t increase your dose to compensate for the missed dose. Wait until the next time you usually take your dose and simply resume your typical routine.

But, if you’ve missed several doses, the guidance is slightly different. Talk to your health care provider if more than three days have passed since your last dose. To help reduce any unpleasant side effects when reintroducing this medication, your provider may have you take a 0.6 mg daily dose and gradually increase the dose. 

What should you do if you take too much Victoza?

If you take too much Victoza, call your prescriber or health care provider immediately. Taking too much of this medication can make you very ill. It may lead to severe vomiting, severe nausea, and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Some people shouldn’t take Victoza at all due to potential risks, drug interactions, or severe side effects. As noted in the boxed warning on Victoza’s packaging and the manufacturer’s drug information, people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2) should not take Victoza. Do not take Victoza if you have ever had thyroid cancer. Victoza can cause fetal harm. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant, do not take Victoza. Find detailed side effects and risk information on our Victoza medication page.

What are common side effects of Victoza?

The most common side effects of Victoza include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Constipation 
• Indigestion
• Injection site reactions

Changing how you eat while taking Victoza may help manage some of the common side effects. Tell your health care provider if you have severe stomach problems that won’t go away, including 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). Stop using Victoza right away if you experience pancreatitis, hypoglycemia, or hypersensitivity, such as an allergic reaction.

About Found

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GLP-1 prescriptions, filled through your local pharmacy, are now available as part of Found's weight-loss toolkit. While GLP-1s can be effective for weight loss, like all medicines, they are not clinically appropriate for everyone. Eligibility for a GLP-1 is based on a thorough evaluation of your medical history and lab work. If a GLP-1 is not appropriate for you, our providers will work with you to determine an effective medication for your health profile. Prescriptions are up to a medical provider’s discretion. This content does not provide medical advice and does not substitute for a consultation with a doctor or healthcare provider.