Has anyone used weight-loss injections? Did they work?

[DesertCacti]

I am severely overweight and have been for a few years now since youngest DC was born. Keep yo-yo dieting, and losing a bit then regaining. I have started getting ads for Saxenda injections. Has anyone tried them? Did they work? Would really appreciate any feedback. Thank you

Been on it a couple of months now, lost just over 2 stone

I think it's great as a kick start but don't rely on it

Thanks for the reply, did you notice your appetite significantly reduced? I am constantly hungry which is horrible :(

My dear friend was quite queasy and miserable on them, and they were quite expensive. Another person, but an acquaintance, claims they worked for her.

Might be good to get you started, as a pp said.

I tried Saxenda in the hope it would kick start my into healthier habits. It was brilliant for reducing my appetite and I didn't crave cake/crisps at all. I liken it to the equivalent of chemical castration - you could have set a cake in front of me and I wasn't interested in the slightest.

I only intended to buy one pen due to cost and only use the lowest dose, so I got about 6 weeks out of it and lost a fair amount of weight. Sadly the next day after I stopped my hunger and cravings were all back again, so it certainly isn't a quick fix.

I tried it and I kid you not was so ill. I picked up dd from work and actually shit myself in the car on the way home there wasn’t even warning, I was in agony. It was hideous. Wouldn’t do it again.

I'm in a large Facebook group for users. Nobody has claimed they 'shit themselves' in the car or anywhere.

Side effects are in the warnings.

It was like a magic wand with the reduction in hunger. This morning I knew I needed 'fuel' ( physical job) for my day ahead but could manage 1 egg and barely a slice of toast. Lunch is an apple with cheese (1 slice) and 4 breadsticks and I will be stuffed from that. Dinner is veg stir fry with chicken. Maybe a few grapes . Lots of water....lots. And keep moving

It's boring now I don't need to seek out exciting meals but sitting in the cinema wanting nothing was an eye opener!

OP, I'm embarrassed to say this in real life, but I started on saxenda recently. The reason I'm embarrassed is it's not been created for my weight group. I'm overweight but not severely. I was at the top end of my healthy bmi and gained two stone over the pandemic. Between december and feb or march I was diligently exercising and doing 16:8 and calorie counting. I lost 12 pounds. That was great and I'm really proud, but then everything just stalled, I injured myself with the exercise and had to stop and hopelessness set in. I was still doing the 16:8, which I really recommend as a non-invasive way of learning to curb your appetite, that was life changing for me and 'll never go back. You can start it gradually and work your way up by doing a 12:12, then 13:11, then 14:10, 15:9, 16:8. On some days I now do 18:6 quite naturally. But I was just maintaining on the 16:8, the weight wasn't shifting, I needed to take in fewer calroies.

I bought two pens. I stay on the 0.6 (starter) dose, and I use it 6 days out of 7 or 9. So I have a run of using it and then a day or two off it. Saxenda took away my hunger drive. I was nauseated the first few days, so it was partly that, but the nausea went away. At first when I took a break day my hunger would rush back, but now I feel pretty steady, like it's given me time to adjust. I'm on a break day today and couldn't finish my breakfast of peanut butter on toast with an apple. One of my most favourite breakfasts. I eat healthy stuff, homemade, mostly vegetables and lentils and things, but I have BIG portions. I can't eat those big portions anymore without getting really uncomfortable. It's working for me.

How many days did it take to start to work? Am on day 3 and hungry still!

I'm not trying to be controversial, but haven't weight loss injections of some sort been recently made available on the NHS?

@apricotseason Saxenda is available on prescription for those with diabetes. I'm sure others are too. @dudsville thats a really good idea to not use it every day continuously, that's probably the best way to naturally curb your over eating.
@GirlInACountrySong the worst part of it for me was having nothing to look forward to to eat. I usually get so much pleasure out of food and it felt like a huge piece of me was missing!

I tried it but ran out of moneys it’s £50 a week. It worked but not on the low dose. As soon as I stopped I couldn’t stop eating so I’m back to where I started.

@apricotseason nothing controversial about it, but a person has to have quite a high BMI to get it prescribed.

@EachandEveryone , I also balked at the price, but the way I've used it I'm 3 or 4 weeks in to my first pen and it's only 1/4 used up.

I don't see the harm in it being prescribed on the NHS. I thought it might look like I was inviting criticism or debate about that 😵‍💫.

I am on my first week of Saxenda, I purchased it after having a consultation with the tier 3 weight management NHS team for my area. Saxenda is not available within my areas Trust yet, they said it will be around 3 months wait.

I have several underline conditions which make weight loss nigh on impossible.

Anyone who says they have sickness or have shit themselves are either lying or not following the guidance of how to use it properly.

Saxenda works by substituting a hormone in the pancreas, like anything if you don't adjust your lifestyle it won't work and will give you adverse side effects.

Use MyFitness pal or similar to track calories, fats and carbs ensuring you stay under and create a deficit.

I had no side effects until I ate a cookie in a coffee shop on Monday, it made me feel sick and sat very heavy. I also ate half a small portion of KFC popcorn chicken and that made me feel rank.

I've felt fine since not eating anything with the nasty stuff in.

I don't remember a time where I've not had pudding after dinner, so this is the biggest struggle of the day, I've made up some jelly and brought sorbet to have instead.

You can't just take the pen and then lose weight, you've got to make changes alongside it.

My hunger just stopped. My husband couldn't believe it.

I was on it for two months and couldn't afford it anymore. It was very good and allowed me to get off the carbs and develop healthier eating habits. My appetite did return when I came off it, so I'm relying on low carbing and willpower now. It is difficult. I have adhd so crave sugar like no tomorrow. I would definitely go back onto the injections if I could afford it. I didn't experience any side effects, but never went onto the full dose anyway.

I felt a little sick each time I increased my dose, but that went away quickly

At first I was trying to finish my smaller portions even when full. It took a very long time to feel like eating again as I had clearly 'overeaten'

I’ve never even heard of these. How do you get them without prescription?

Some beauty salons supply them.

@DewDropsonKittens or anyone else with an opinion on it!

I'm a T2D & I low carb to keep my blood glucose in range, I don't take any medication.

My diabetes came about after a liver virus years ago, until then I was slim. I have since put on a lot of weight.

I'm vegetarian & I don't eat eggs.

Years ago I lost a bit of weight low carbing but despite very very low carbing now I don't lose weight.

For health (& looks/buying clothes etc etc) I'd really like to.

As I say, I eat very very low carb (basically only the carbs in vegetables, yogurt, almonds, vegetable protein) and so my fat intake tends to be higher. I try to keep the protein levels reasonable but it's not easy without meat & lentils/beans etc.

do you think it would work for me?

I tried. It didn’t work. Think I’m immune to it. Was saxenda I tried. No side effects at all, no weight loss, no loss of cravings, no feeling full up earlier, no nausea. Nothing.

You can't just take the pen and then lose weight, you've got to make changes alongside it.

so is it the pen that’s working or the changes? I get that if the pen makes it easier for you to make the changes that’s great, but it didn’t for me. Plus I thought it’s supposed to work to some extent even without you making changes, something to do with how it makes your body burn/process sugar…..could be wrong but I’m sure I read that somewhere.

The point of the pen is to reduce your appetite and cravings, which is why it works fairly effortlessly for most people. I didn't need to make any changes when using the pen, as the drug was doing it for me.

@JugglingJanuary I would say yes you would have some success with it, you should be able to get it on prescription through your GP as you have T2D. If not, Boots online pharmacy are very good.

@apricotseason this is false.. you can only buy them through a licenced pharmacy. You're likely thinking of other pens marketed for weightloss that do no work.

@QuebecBagnet Your body has to be lacking in the ability to release the hormone that Saxenda stimulates the release off.

The medication in Saxenda is developed to replace the hormone in the pancreas that increases the metabolism.

An increased metabolism helps the body to absorbe fats, carbs etc and thus helps the feelings of fullness.

The weight loss is caused by the replace / activation of the hormones, once weight loss has been achieved and your body is receiving the right amounts of nutrients etc you should naturally maintain loss.

Saxenda has been developed to cure obesity which is now a recognised medical issue.