Saxenda advice

[Billythebear]

Hi All,
I’m going to be starting Saxenda today, hoping this will help me to overcome my awful eating habits at the moment, which has made be gain 2 stone in a year.
Any advice would be great!

you might get it via GP if you are morbidly obese, with diabetes or pre diabetes and one or more of the following:
hypertensive
high cholesterol

the NHS are stringent with who gets it.

I've tried to get this through the NHS as I fit the criteria, but you have to be on tier 3 weight service which i think is the gastric surgery tier. To get on tier 3 i would have to go on yet another low cal diet. Its such bullshit because if a low cal diet worked, I wouldn't still be fat. Went to my doctor in France who prescribed it instantly and was shocked that the NHS wouldn't prescribe it.

Anyway, Saxenda worked for me by cutting my appetite, but also I didn't have the monkey chatter about food all the time. I've stopped for the timebeing as I'm concentrating on coming off ADs, but will start again when thats is done. Lost about 7kgs.

@JoelDommettsTux I noticed after the second dose.

I took my first dose at about 11.30 this morning and spent all day thinking it wasn’t working, was hungry for dinner and half way through eating it, it hit - I was full-to-bursting, and it’s stated that way ever since (4 hours later). Could not be happier 😊

Just had notification from Asda that my order for Saxenda has been approved, should get it tomorrow so hopefully have the first one in the evening so any nausea isn't too bad.

Does it come with instructions for dosage?
Any tips for a newbie?

I have at least 2.5 stone to lose, ideally 3.5.

Can you drink alcohol?

@JoelDommettsTux I got mine from Asda too. No hints really, I'm taking at around 4 each day, side effects appear to have worn off a bit today, feel less nauseous and full. I have drank alcohol with no bad side effects

have a look on the 'day 1 saxenda' thread - ALL the hints & tips are on there. Alcohol, yes, but why would you when you are spending a fortune to loose weight??

I was on it 12 weeks and lost two stone

I then developed gallbladder pain, 2 very painful attacks

I have private medical insurance so I went to see consultant he said it wasn't the drug as such but the rapid weight loss and it would be gallstones which are very common side affect of rapid weight loss

So I then got scanned and they found nothing at all so he concluded that it was actually the drug causing the pain.

So I can't use it anymore, as he looked into further and it seems there is a link between gallbladder issues and Saxenda.

I found this video very useful

Sorry looks like it's not available when copied, if you go on YouTube and put in "Saxenda use video" it'll come up

I’ve had terrible, embarrassing wind! I have taken some peppermint capsules which have helped. Also constipated. Apart from these afflictions I have been fine and am slowly losing at around 2 Ibs a week, which is ok by me. Better than gaining it!

So I have lost 4lb in 4 days. Really pleased. Eating about 1000 calories a day. No massive side effects. I did feel very hungry yesterday, my body felt drained. But my head was staying stong and not craving. So strange. It shows how this medecine works on the nervous system. I have a fitbit and my Heart rate variability has dropped quite a lot which indicates my body is going through some stress, which I do feel. I will keep an eye on it but so far so good.

I want to start on ozempic when I finish these pens as I read it is more powerful but I had already ordered saxenda by then. It would be cheaper and only injection once a week.

Jab one today! I lost about 2 stones earlier this year, but my willpower has gone & I felt hungry all the time.

So, this will, I hope, get me over that. I want to loose another 2 stones.

Today, I weigh 11st 2lb

@ChampagneCommunist I was 11st 2 when I started 10 days ago. I was 10st 11 this morning 😁

I would love to be 11st. That's when I was at my slimmest.

Going to do first injection later this evening. I was exhausted yesterday and forgot

Currently 13 stone 11
Don't think I was that heavy when pregnant

Will keep you posted. Need some willpower but if it stops the craving and the hunger pangs I'm half way there

@SayyestoJRM I'm just under 5'3" so while I'm not hugely overweight my bmi is still 28, I know I look and feel so much better when it's under 25. Good luck getting to your goal x

Hi just joining this thread as it's been helpful to read the experiences everyone is having. I'm 54 on HRT and have a BMI of 30. Need to lose a good 2.5 stone and thinking of starting Saxenda as have lost the belief I can lose weight after failing so many times. Not sure whether to go to Boots or the GP. Are people also following an exercise plan and trying to form good new eating habits as they use saxenda?

@MMC20 your situation sounds similar to mine, I'm 55 on HRT and want to lose around 1.5 - 2 stones, I've lost 5 pounds already. I usually exercise anyway, walk dogs for about an hour most days and run a couple of times a week. I've also started trying to fit in a few weights in the house but struggle to find the time and motivation to do much more! Diet wise I find it easiest to try and eat just one meal a day, I allow myself something I really enjoy but in a smaller portion rather than having 3 'diet' type meals E.g. salad as I just end up feeling bored and deprived! I don't eat meat but try to have plenty of fish and veg, bean chilli, veg curry, halloumi bake. If I've felt hungry I've had a bowl of soup for lunch but so far the saxenda has mostly killed the hunger. Good luck

Week one- weighed myself on Friday - that was end of week one and I lost 6lb - couldn’t believe it. Probably 3lb of that was water as I was bloated. The only side effect has been the odd headache but I think that’s when I’ve been busy and not drinking enough water. I’m going to keep at 0.6 for the second week unless it stops being as effective. The difference it’s made to my sugar cravings is remarkable. The only worry is my paranoia about my thyroid as I already have a problem there but got my blood tests coming up soon so I’m thinking they’d pick up on elevated markers on my thyroid on that. I know thyroid cancer is a very rare side effect but just my luck I’m that rare one. So happy otherwise to have found this and bought it.

I am definitely watching my calories and making the right choices food wise. I aim to stay below 1200 calories ideally sticking to 800. I am aware of the risks of the the medication therefore I would like to use it as little as possible. So I am aiming for fast weight loss and low calories. I eat fairly well, my problem is the constant putting everything in my mouth almost like a reflex....

Thanks alloutofcareunits. Appreciate you taking the time to reply! It's great you've lost 5 pounds. When did you start? Sounds like you have good habits to build on too which must help.

Just had third jab - only side effect so far has been burping! And not too much of that, thankfully.

It's weird to not feel hungry. Great, but weird

Yea agree I've gone 48 hours with no chocolate or cheese, can't remember the last time that happened!