New Weight Loss Drug SAXENDA

I'm taking the new weight loss drug Saxenda. Already down 7kg after 1.5 months. Is anyone else taking it, and what are your experiences?

Note: this is a focused thread about Saxenda, not about:

How you think Saxenda is a scam
How you lost weight using a low carb diet
How you think this is a MLM effort
What you feel about obesity and dieting generally.

Thanks!

Edit: please note, I am not affiliated with any drug or drug company and I do not receive payment for discussing my weight or Saxenda (I wish I did!)

Comments

  • +26

    Did this post just really like a really bad infomercial? Or like one of those “fake” testimonials at the bottom of an ad?

    If s drug could fix weight problems, there would be no weight problems…

    • +4

      Did this post just really like a really bad infomercial?

      Ummm, probably?

      • +1

        *read like…

        You replied before I could edit it. :D Terribly sorry for making a typo. I’ll try harder next time…

    • This drug doesn't fix obesity. Most people lose between 2-5kg with it.

      It is usually used in combination with other treat options.

      Most people would not lose 7.5kg in the first few months with the drug alone. But there are a few people who are "super-responders" to this medication.

      • +1

        Most people lose between 2-5kg with it.

        What's your source for that? You're wrong.

        "Those who took Saxenda lost an average of 18 and a half pounds over 56 weeks. Those taking a placebo only lost 6 pounds."
        https://www.cbsnews.com/news/weight-loss-shot-passes-second-…

        • +1

          sorry stand corrected

        • +2

          Gimli comments is pretty much correct. So those taking fake drug that do nothing also lost weight and the difference between the two scenarios was only 12 pounds or less than 6kg

        • @lgacb08: If you want to read real life experiences about Saxenda, go here: https://www.drugs.com/comments/liraglutide/saxenda-for-obesi…

          You'll find many people losing waaaay more than that!

        • 5.4KG in 56 weeks and it costs $1000++??

          wow.

        • @stratbargain: That's what happens when you lump all the participants together, but as you'll see from the case histories at the link above, lots of people have much better outcomes than that. Examples:

          I took saxenda for about a year and four months and had great results. I lost about 50 pounds.

          and

          The doctor put me on saxenda today and I met with another one of my doctors patients that was in the same situation as me. She said when she started in October 2017 she was 250lbs and now she is 190lb (feb 9th) so that 60lbs on the course of 4 months. I don’t know if she exercise or did extreme dieting but I thought the results were full proof. She looked really happy and I’m hoping that I get the same results as she did. Will update in a month , thanks!

          Both those reports selected at random

        • @Joe Sixpack: I don't have much spare weight to afford such a luxury way to lose weight.

        • @stratbargain: Maths needs work

        • +1

          @Burnertoasty:

          "Those who took Saxenda lost an average of 18 and a half pounds over 56 weeks. Those taking a placebo only lost 6 pounds."

          18 - 6 pounds means Saxenda allowed the non placebo person to lose 12 pounds more than the placebo person.

          12 pounds is 5.44KG.

    • +2

      Drugs can fix weight problems, the bikies make a killing off of it.

      • +3

        That's truer than you think. There is a drug call DUROMINE that your doctor can prescribe that is basically legal speed. It works by suppressing appetite, but unlike Saxenda can only be used short term (or SHOULD only be used short term).

        • +1

          I'm currently on duromine and have found it's working really well for me. Since having my babies, I've had a hard time with self-control and overeating, to the point where I couldn't get through the first few weeks of a lifestyle change.

          Since starting duromine a couple of weeks ago, I've been able to maintain a good CICO balance, made a great start to the f45 8 week challenge and, aside from the first few days, haven't had any adverse side effects.

          It's a short term solution but so far is a great kick-start into a healthy life.

        • +1

          Duromine worked really well for me, I lost about 15kg over 3 months and kept it off fine. No side effects. Just too expensive to use. It gets a lot of flack but I think it’s pretty useful.

    • If there was a drug that could fix all weight problems, the pharmaceutical companies would probably price it such that most could not afford, unfortunately :(

  • +70

    I had Indian food some time back and lost 3kg within a few days.

    • +11

      i had some bangkok street food a few years back 11 kilos in 5 days.

      honestly didnt think it was humanly possible to be vomiting and have diarrhea at the same time.

    • +2

      I drank a cup of milk, did the trick.

  • +2

    So Joe what have you been doing to lose weight apart from getting the jab?…is your diet better?…are you exercising more?
    Have you considered the possible side effects? eg.

    Serious side effects may happen in people who take Saxenda®, including:

    Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your health care professional if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rats and mice, Saxenda® and medicines that work like Saxenda® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Saxenda® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people.

    • +3

      Obesity also causes cancer…

    • +6

      Have you considered the possible side effects?

      Yes I have. There is a risk, so let's discuss it. Obesity itself presents a large risk to health. I'm sure everyone here knows all the risks already (gallstones, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides, coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, sleep apnea, even types of cancer).

      But what about Saxenda? The drug insert mentions thyroid tumours, pancreatitis, gallstones, kidney failure and allergy. Let's look at them.

      Thyroid tumours
      Some rats got thyroid tumours after taking high doses of liraglutide (Saxenda). But rats are not humans. In a 5-year trial of Saxenda vs placebo using 9,340 patients (half liraglutide, half placebo), the treated patients had zero thyroid cancers. In fact, no medullary thyroid cancer has ever been detected in humans taking liraglutide.

      Pancreatitis
      A 2017 study showed that in a population with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk, there were numerically fewer events of acute pancreatitis among liraglutide-treated patients (regardless of previous history of pancreatitis) compared with the placebo group. That's good enough for me.

      Gallstones
      The gallstone risk associated with Saxenda is due to the rapid weight loss. Losing weight very quickly may raise your chances of forming gallstones because your liver releases extra cholesterol into the bile. Fast weight loss can also prevent the gallbladder from emptying properly. The literature suggests that one eat oily meals regularly so that the gallbladder keeps getting used (not a problem for most of us). Saxenda itself has no effect on the gallbladder.

      Kidney failure
      In some people, Saxenda can cause vomiting and diarrhea. The fluid loss can effect a small percentage who have pre-existing kidney disease very badly. So obviously if the drug makes you vomit and gives you diarrhea, and you have kidney disease, take care. Why anyone would continue to take the drug if suffering vomiting and diarrhea is puzzling to me.

      Allergy
      You can have an allergic reaction to almost anything. Use common sense.

      In summary, this is a safe drug and most of the warnings are there because the strict requirements for drug approval require all possible negative outcomes to be mentioned, no matter how unlikely.

      • That is good Joe :)
        I am happy for you that your weight loss is going so well…keep up the good work! But I would like to know, as I mentioned above, how much you have changed your diet and exercise at the same time as having Saxenda??

        • +7

          I've always been a calorie counter, but used to struggle to keep it to 2000 cals/day when dieting. Now I stay at 1500-1600 without a problem thanks to Saxenda.

          Exercise: weight training 2-3x a week, lots of gardening on my 4 acre block. I'm 60 years old. I don't find exercise that useful to control weight (e.g walking for a hour only uses about 200 cals)

        • @Joe Sixpack: good boy! and is the sixpack showing yet? lol

        • +2

          @barbarella:

          I started at 104.5kg, now 97kg, goal is about 80kg. I'm 1.8m tall, 6 foot, mesomorph. Sixpack starting to emerge, just

        • +1

          @Joe Sixpack: I'll have a few low carb beers for you later (at happy hour…its too early yet…isn't it????…maybe not haha :D)

        • @barbarella:

          Ta ;¬)

        • @Joe Sixpack:

          Have you made any long-term diet changes these are the best at keeping the weight off.

          Also be careful falling into the body stereotype trap.

        • +1

          @Joe Sixpack:
          Did you actually try to build muscle?
          I've heard stories where people spend an hour on the treadmill everyday and see no results but then once they build up muscle then the body starts burning that fat

        • @Joe Sixpack: lol at thinking you have a six pack emerging at 97kg and 183cm tall. Maybe when you're at 80kg. No way at near 100kg.

        • @Joe Sixpack:

          howdy mate,

          first congrats on trying to get healthy..

          in another comment you said you have a predisposition to high hunger, and Saxender works by controlling your hunger while you're on it.. and you stated here that without the drug you have trouble eating fewer calories.. so just wondering when you reach your goal wait, and you stop using the drug because as you said you "got slim", and you fall back into eating more calories because as you stated you have a genetic predisposition to eating more.. how exactly do you plan to not weight rebound if not using the drug forever when by your own admission I eat less "thanks to Saxenda" and can't do it without it?

          genuinely curious.

        • @ozmian: I don't find a problem maintaining weight, was the same weight all through my 20s, 30s, most of my 40s, but an injury and severe stress (both now gone) made me pack on the pounds. I find my hunger levels make dieting really difficult, but to maintain weight I can eat 2,200 cals a day, which is very manageable.

        • @Joe Sixpack:

          What's the difference between 2k and 2.2k to your brain? Again curious you stated you struggle to keep to 2k without the drug but say 2.2k is very manageable.. That's very different language for such a minor difference in calories. If you told me 2.2k was very manageable I would say so you can probably do 1800 by yourself without a problem too with minor food changes so I wonder how you go from one end of the spectrum to the other over such a small 200 calorie difference.

        • @ozmian:

          Well, I'm surprised I have to spell this out, but when you are 105kg your basic cal requirement is much higher than when you are 80kg, so you cannot compare the two situations.

          See for yourself, play with the variables
          http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html

        • @Joe Sixpack:

          Yep I know that mate I've studied food science before. I was asking about your genetic predisposition to eating more that you said you have and trying to get an understanding of what's driving your psychological thinking between saying one number is very manageable and a number only slightly lower as a real struggle.

          That's got nothing to do with your current weight caloric requirements.. You brought up many times that it was genes that make it hard for you to diet.

          Anyway good luck but I still think you can do it without the drugs too but that's just my opinion. I know and agree genes play many factors in weight not withstanding how they affect ones psychology.. Addictions.. Urges.. Ability to ride the waves of discomfort and of course how we respond to different macro nutrients. And all of these factors play a part but there are countless examples of obese people losing great amounts of weight without drugs every day with only food and exercise regardless of all the different genes these people given they are all unique. The simplest example is the biggest loser and all the contestants over the years losing varying degrees of extreme weight. Yes they are put in extreme situations and exercise with supports that normal people don't have but that's irrelevant when the only question is do they need a drug or is it possible without a drug.

          I also have a friend who runs a body tutor company for over ten years supporting and helping people lose weight with psychological coaching and food accountability with grrat success.

          I'm not disputing the drug makes it easier and given the psychological factors I mentioned above the majority of us humans will always look for the easiest way to our goal because of aversion to discomfort but I don't agree with the implication of genetics say some people can't do it without a drug. I would only agree with the drug acting as an aid to reduce the amount of lifestyle change one is willing (or able) to accept.

          You said you're strong and have good willpower so if you do have a genetic predisposition to eating more and you said science says you cannot reset your base weight then it contradicts your statement that you are able to eat just the amount to maintain your goal weight once there. That very statement contradicts you claiming to habe a genetic predisposition to eating more. What makes more sense is that you said you had no trouble with weight in your twenties thirties and forties but over time you put on weight.. That sounds a lot like being human.. It's common for people to retain fat more so as they get older. Anyway by all means use the drug if it helps your lifestyle choices to make it easier but there's no need to contradict yourself and imply I am strong but my genetics mean I can't diet alone. If someone locked you up in a prison camp and rationed what you ate you would lose weight because of the lack of choice.

          The only difference here is you are choosing to use a drug to aid your hunger levels. Hunger is hunger but at the end of the day it's your actions that decide how much food you put in your mouth and again that's psychological.. ability or inability to withstand the discomfort of hunger or any other emotion so giving in and eating rather than riding the urge.

        • @ozmian:

          Yes of course I could do this without drugs if I devoted a lot of psychic energy to it, but I'd rather be able to lose the weight without too much effort. I've got too much else going on and dieting comes a distant 4th or 5th in my life. The drug makes it easy for me, and therefore I am being successful.

          My hunger genes do not make it "impossible" without a drug, just much harder.

          Yes, science says resetting base weight is hard, but note that for most of my life my base weight has been low, so I don't think I'll have that problem.

          It's common for people to retain fat more so as they get older.

          Largely because our cal requirements fall by 150 cals every decade over age 20.

  • -4

    NONONONONONO

  • +5

    No doubt in a couple of years it'll be proven to cause cancer, or make your balls drop off or something…

    No thanks..

    • +1

      So True…

      • +1

        So untrue. There is no evidence of this, whereas we know obesity causes cancer.

        • +3

          It already has evidence it can cause cancer

          It caused tumors in mouse studies

        • +2

          @Superannuation:
          Saccharin also causes cancer in rodents, but not in humans. Causing cancer in murine models does not mean that humans will also get cancer.

        • +2

          So untrue. There is no evidence of this, whereas we know obesity causes cancer.

          We also know what causes obesity, and it's tooooootally preventable…

        • +1

          @Gronk: Another poster who is unfamiliar with the research

        • +3

          @Joe Sixpack:

          You've surrounded yourself with 'research' which supports your belief system, there's no arguing with that level of ignorance.

        • -2

          @Gronk: I don't have a 'belief system', I simply follow what the science is saying.

        • @Joe Sixpack:

          Uhhh…You might want to re-read that one…

    • +7

      How much do balls weigh? That's still weight lost!

  • Being fat is fun

    • rolly polly fun? :)

    • +2

      Getting fat is fun.

  • +3

    Well done Jo! that is an incredible weight loss. I am doing weight watcher and lost 3 kilos in a month. I exercise a lot but before Weight Watcher just calorie counting would not give me any results. Keep up the good work

  • Out of curiosity what was your starting weight?

    • 104.5kg 1.8m tall male, age 60

  • Recently just heard about this from my doctor but $380 a month is way too much for me I would try it if it was cheaper. On duromine i lost 15kg in 3 months it makes you feel a little funny but the extra energy and not feeling tired is great.

    • Yes, the expense is over the top. I thought about Duromine but I am already a hyper type so to take speed would drive me a bit crazy, e.g. no sleep, shouty etc

      • Honestly, give it a go. I’m a pretty hyper person and it mellowed me out a bit, made me drowsy at higher doses in fact.

        • @Beansbeansbeans:

          Good suggestion … I may have to turn to it for a top-up if I fail at maintenance. Hope not, but it's nice to have a fallback option

    • I went on Duramine and didnt sleep for three days. Then I read the label and youre supposed to take it early in the morning so you dont stay up all night. My god that was awful stuff.

      • Some people have lost a lot of weight using it though….

        • Yeah, I lost weight on it. I don't think it was sustainable though. Its basically like meth but without the enjoyable aspects.

  • +4

    Lost 6kg's after eating KFC 20 nugget pack a few weeks back. Only $9.95

    • Yep sometime KFC don't cook the chicken properly…

      • Either way, I will never eat it again

  • +3

    Drugs for losing weight realy?

    I went low carb,medium protein,high fat ,and at 52 with type 2 diabetes lost 20kg without exercise,have a flat stomach,and am at the same weight as when i was 20yrs old

    Low cal is not sustainable,forcing yourself to exercise long term when you dont enjoy it is not sustainable.

    So you choose which is better,ive been eating this way for 5yrs,and the carb addiction goes away fairly quickly

    • Drugs for losing weight realy?

      Yes really. Drugs can make weight loss easy. I was struggling before I used Saxenda.

      • And you tried low carb when?

        Apologies if im wrong but you sound like an ad for another bullc**p weight loss product.

        • -1

          I've tried calorie restriction hundreds of times. I'm not going to get into law carb/paleo type discussions.

        • +2

          @Joe Sixpack:

          Consider the CSIRO low carb diet.

          Nothing as extreme as a paleo/aktins type diet and backed by scientific evidence. Cut back on rice/bread/potatos, eat more healthy fats like nuts and, um, I cringe mentioning avocados at current prices in this forum. The fat makes you feel full so you wont be starving all the time and the body has to work harder to break them down.

          I'm down 14kg in 4 months and my pre-diabetes has gone away.

          https://www.bigw.com.au/product/the-csiro-low-carb-diet/p/58…

        • @Providence:
          No, no way would I try low carb again. Firstly, it's a boring diet that I hate. And secondly, research proves that high carb diets are actually better for you!
          https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/researchers-discover-optimal…

        • +1

          @Joe Sixpack:

          Well that comment obviously hit it's mark :D

          The point was Joe, if you're going to be successful losing weight long term you need to come to terms with the fact that eating what you want all the time isn't a good idea.

          Let me ask you, if you had a 10 year old child who was becoming obese because all they wanted to eat was McDonalds, would you as a parent allow that to continue?

          And before you fly off into some 'woe is me' rant about me not understanding how hard it is to be obese, I lost over 65kg myself without any medical assistance.

        • @Gronk: Did you read the linked article that proves a high carb diet is healthier than low carb, or is that too much cognitive dissonance for you?

        • -1

          @Joe Sixpack:

          Present as many 'facts' as you like, you're just making excuses for the bad choices you make on a daily basis - and you know it.

        • @Gronk: Oh please, go jerk off somewhere else.

        • -1

          @Joe Sixpack:

          Im not jerking off, I'm telling you what you need to hear in the hopes it will eject you from your bubble of denial.

        • @Gronk
          @Joe Sixpack

          Ok, That's enough name calling and inflammatory comments. Time to move on.

        • -1

          @Gronk: It'll make you go blind, you should try to stop it.

        • @Joe Sixpack: Your definition of scientific 'proof' is extremely weak. A single study on mice doesn't prove anything.

          People always say we have 90% the same DNA as mice but take one look at both species and it is not hard to see that men and mice are very different. More often than not, studies in mice do not translate the same effect to humans. That's why we have to have human trials and research.

          You seem to cherry pick studies to support your lifestyle. You like eating carbs so you find one obscure study that says high carb diets are the best. I bet if you bothered to look you could find 10 studies that say high carb diets are bad for every one that says high carb diets are good. I like carbs too, I get it. I eat a lot of carbs and I would not try a low carb diet. But don't fool yourself into thinking it is healthier to eat lots of carbs just because you like it.

          You should be more critical in how you 'science' if you want to genuinely improve your health.

        • @Xastros:

          A single study on mice doesn't prove anything.

          There is a lot of research linking FG21 with carb:

          https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=FGF21+and+carbohyd…

          Thin people like the Japs eat lots of carbs. The paleo diet thing was thoroughly debunked as the scam it is. http://youtu.be/BMOjVYgYaG8

          so you find one obscure study

          It's not an obscure study. It was in the press all over the world and it has spurred a lot of follow up study
          http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/09/29/this-new-study-p…

        • -1

          @Joe Sixpack:

          So what you are saying is you refused to go on any diet or possibly not eat anything you want.

          So you take drugs.

          Grow up and get some willpower, I feel sorry for you.

        • @Joe Sixpack: None of those links show anything remotely close to conclusive 'proof' of the relationship between FG21 in humans with carb consumption. Where is this 'a lot of follow up study' that you speak of? That Huffington post article doesn't reference any.

          Furthermore linking carbs with the elevation of a single hormone doesn't necessarily translate to better overall health outcomes. It may be good in elevating that hormone but cause other bad effects. There is so much more research into this that is required before we can say there is 'proof' high carb diets are healthier than low carb.

          Japs eat lots of carbs and they are healthy and not fat but that doesn't mean high carbs caused them to be that way. Maybe they eat less calories overall? Maybe it's their high fish consumption. Just saying they eat carbs and are thin is not proof and is not science.

          You skimmed over the research and marketing material for a relatively new drug that you have now put into your body. I think it is not unfair to say that you don't thoroughly research an issue before making a conclusion.

          Anyway I hope you are right because I eat a lot of carbs.

        • @Xastros:

          I think it is not unfair to say that you don't thoroughly research an issue before making a conclusion.

          As you can see from a post I made further up this thread, I looked into the side effects of Saxenda very closely. Yes, I did skim over long term weight maintenance studies, because I'm not too interested in that (I feel I have that covered, as I outline elsewhere in this thread).

          FG21 is an emerging area of interest in research. It's linked to a 'sweet tooth' and liking for carbs

          There are enough healthy populations around the world living on a carb-rich diet for me to be pretty certain that a high carb diet is not unhealthy (the Japs are only one example of many societies that base their diets on a starch).

          Bye.

  • lol good luck

  • +1

    It works
    It also costs close to $400 for a months supply
    At that price you would have to consider it a last resort

    I think it is a much better option than lap band surgery

  • Serious question…..does it kill hunger cravings, increase caloric expenditure or what? Because unless you have a reason you're obese asides from 'takes in too many calories' it seems like this is unnecessary.

    • -3

      Its not all about the calories,ketosis burns fat for energy,

      I eat as much as i want on low carb ,and never gain fat

      Calories in/out is only true on low calorie diets with too many carbs.

      Low calorie with exercising is unsustainable,too many carbs are killing people,and making them ill

      • +6

        Ketosis is ultimately calories in VS out.

        The kicker here is that it's keeping you fuller and you dont feel the need to eat more.

        You need to define low calorie before saying it makes people sick. There is nothing wrong with a healthy deficit. Radical deficits are the problem.

        • Your first point is debatable,have you read the book "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes?

          Low calorie doesnt make people sick,i believe its the excess carbs,sugar/pasta/bread and all the hidden sugars in processed foods thats the cause

          If the claims ive seen that 95% of low calorie dieters fail is correct,then its a waste of time to try to eat that way,

          The dieticians and the businesses have been trying to sell low calorie diets/exercise for ages,look around its a failure,its unsustainable.

          The diet industry is a con game ,and they know its doesnt work,and they bank on that

        • @mrp11:

          I actually don't disagree with you on any points. More that it's the failed individuals interpretation of everything that ultimately results in poor outcome. I haven't read that book, I have a good handle on what effects me in what way though. (gym rat lol)

          The diet industry is a con I agree, what I suggest people do is make informed choices on what they put down their throat.

          There's a healthy balance of foods / macros / nutrients that people need and unfortunately very few have been appropriately educated on it.

        • @mrp11:

          im sorry a book isnt a peer reviewed study

  • +1

    get off drugs. go to lite n easy. it works. im still on it and losing weight slowly, so far 4 kg in 2 months. im happy. my mate has lost so much weight. just do it!! if your serious about your health you will take lite n easy seriously. popping pills and eating shit and lots of it isnt the solution!! companies dont care for you, they just want your money. why cure some1 when they can milk you along.

    • +1

      Do you think you can maintain that for life,and why give your money to a company when you can just lower your carbs ,and break carb addiction?

      • or you could count calories

        restricting carbs does the same.

    • -1

      But lite n easy tastes disgusting. How could you possibly eat those frozen tasteless meals every day? I tried it but couldnt do it. There are so many better alternatives. Youfoodz for example is fresh not frozen and tastes 100 times better.
      Also, 4kg in 2 months is not anything to be boasting about. You could lose that on any diet, not just lite n easy.

    • It's pretty expensive… especially for us tightwads on OzBargain.

      Learning to count calories and shop appropriately is much cheaper.

  • But shouldn't that start with a diet plan too. The only ones I've tried are hydroxycut hardcore, lipo 6 and lipo 6 black

  • +4

    Losing weight is a numbers game. Less in more out. Weight loss is the net effect. Simple…

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