Important safety information
What you should know before taking Saxenda.
Saxenda prescription for weight loss
(liraglutide) injection
FDA-approved medication for weight loss
Lose 9% of your body weight on average in 1 year*
Helps you feel full faster, longer
What is Saxenda?
Saxenda is a brand-name version of the generic medication liraglutide. Saxenda is FDA-approved and clinically proven to help with weight loss and belongs to a group of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. These drugs limit your appetite by acting like a hormone that slows down your gut, making you feel less hungry. People on Saxenda lost an average of 9% of their body weight after one year.*
How does Saxenda work?
Saxenda works for weight loss by mimicking the hormone GLP-1, which reduces appetite and slows down the movement of food through your stomach. This may make you feel full longer and therefore eat less, which can lead to weight loss. When paired with healthy food choices and regular exercise, Saxenda can assist you in reaching and maintaining your long-term weight goals.
How do you take Saxenda?
Saxenda is a clear liquid that comes in prefilled injection pens. Each pen contains multiple doses. If prescribed, you (or someone in your household) will administer the injection once daily under the skin of your stomach, thigh, or arm. You’ll also receive clear instructions on using the injection pen, and your Ro-affiliated provider can offer additional advice.
Safety info: Saxenda treats obesity or overweight (with weight-related problems), along with diet and exercise. Saxenda may have serious side effects, including possible thyroid tumors. Do not use if you or your family have a history of a type of thyroid cancer called MTC or MEN 2. Do not use if you are pregnant. Read more about serious warnings and safety info.
How Ro helps you lose weight
We’re pushing every day to get medication to our patients faster. Here’s a quick rundown: It takes 4-6 weeks to start if you’re not using insurance. If your provider orders a lab test, it may extend the timeline depending on how quickly you complete the labs. If you’d like to use your insurance, it can take an additional 2-3 weeks to determine coverage. We’ll handle the paperwork and work hard to get that coverage for you.
Getting started
Answer health questions and complete your online visit
Share your health history and weight loss goals with us online to get started. A Ro-affiliated provider will review your answers and get back to you within a few days. Depending on your health review, a provider may order a metabolic lab test before moving forward with treatment.
Provider writes an Rx (if appropriate)
After reviewing your results, your provider will determine if you’re eligible for medication. If you are, they’ll tailor a program with prescription treatment best suited to your unique biology.
Try to get insurance coverage
If you'd like to try to use insurance, our concierge partner connects with your insurance company to help get the cost of medication covered. If coverage is denied, we'll help you understand your options, including paying cash.
Ongoing monthly care
Access medication
If you're prescribed compounded semaglutide, our partner pharmacy will ship your medication in 1-4 days. If you're prescribed a branded GLP-1 medication, you'll get your prescription from your preferred pharmacy. Medication costs are not included.
Ongoing care and support
You’ll have everything you need during treatment, including on-demand provider access via video or messaging, medication management, and ongoing refill support.
Dr. Pepper lost 30 lbs in 1 year
“I started losing weight almost immediately. To me, truly, this has been a game-changer.”
Dr. Pepper Ro Ambassador who inspired the Body Program, after taking GLP-1 medication
Stacie lost 49 lbs in 6 months
“I used to constantly crave food in general. I was always hungry before starting the Body Program.”
Stacie Ro member after taking GLP-1 medication
Meet our expert
From diagnosis to delivery, our healthcare providers are with patients every step of the way.
Hear from Ro members
Ro members taking branded GLP-1 medications were paid for their testimonials.
Sonia
Ro member
“I’ve had some pretty amazing success. I’m down 15 pounds and I couldn’t be happier."
James
Ro member
“It's really helping handle my cravings better, which is what I really like about this program."
Chaleeta
Ro member
“It was like a switch once I started the medication, I just wasn’t so obsessed with food.”
We hear these questions every day
How is Ro responding to medication shortages?
Ro and Ro-affiliated providers are taking additional steps to support new and existing patients on their weight loss journeys.
If you’re prescribed Wegovy or Saxenda:
Your pharmacy will add you to their waitlist for medication if they don’t have supply.
Your provider may also make adjustments to your treatment plan if they determine it’s clinically appropriate. These adjustments may include prescribing alternate GLP-1 medications (if appropriate), working with you to create a personalized treatment plan, or recommending adjustments to diet, lifestyle, and current fitness activities.
If you’re just getting started:
The first steps in the Body Program are unaffected by the supply shortages — including taking a metabolic lab test and connecting with a provider to review their health history. If a provider ultimately determines Wegovy or Saxenda is a good fit, the sooner you join the program, the sooner our team can send your prescription to get filled at your preferred pharmacy.
Remember that we’re also expanding our medication offerings to include Zepbound and compounded semaglutide. Contact your provider in your Ro account chat if you’re interested in either medication.
What foods should be avoided while taking Saxenda?
There are no specific foods you must avoid while taking Saxenda and there are no known food-medication interactions you have to be aware of. That said, some foods and drinks can cause nausea and fullness, which are symptoms similar to Saxenda’s side effects. These same foods—highly processed, sugary and fried foods—may also make weight loss more challenging.
Generally, you’ll want to limit your intake of high-calorie foods like candy, sugary drinks, and fried foods. It also makes sense to eat slowly and eat smaller meals.
What are the side effects of Saxenda?
The most common side effects of Saxenda often improve within the first few weeks of treatment. Side effects tend to occur when you start the medication or increase the dose. Over time, these side effects should subside once a steady dose is reached.
Some of the most common side effects include:
Nausea
Diarrhea
Constipation
Vomiting
Injection site reactions
Headache
Low blood sugar
Stomach discomfort
Fatigue
Dizziness
Stomach pain
Increased in lipase
Upper abdominal pain
Fever
Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract
More severe side effects are rarer but possible. Serious side effects include:
Thyroid cancer—The FDA has issued its most serious warning (called a Boxed Warning) that GLP-1 medications like Saxenda may be associated with a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). So far, this side effect has primarily been seen in laboratory studies using rodents. However, during the post-marketing period, cases of MTC in people treated with liraglutide (the active ingredient in Saxenda and Victoza) have been reported; this data is insufficient to determine the risk in people.
Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
Severe hypoglycemia (very low blood sugar)
Kidney and gallbladder problems
Fast heartbeat
Serious allergic reactions
Suicidal thoughts or behaviors
For complete safety information, read more here.
How do you store Saxenda?
Unused Saxenda injection pens have to be stored in the refrigerator between 36°F and 46°F. After first use, you can either put it back in the refrigerator or keep it at room temperature between 59°F and 86°F. It is important to not freeze Saxenda, because you can’t use it anymore and have to throw away the pen once it has been frozen.
How much does Saxenda cost?
The price of Saxenda may vary depending on your insurance plan, and our insurance concierge partner is here to provide assistance.
Ro does not accept insurance for the Body Program, which is cash pay only. Our partner will work directly with your insurance provider to help with the process of determining coverage for your GLP-1 medication, which is paid for separately from the Body Program. These insurance concierge services for the cost of medication are provided through the Body Program.
Unfortunately, you cannot join the Body Program if you have government insurance (regardless of whether you have additional commercial/employer insurance or are willing to pay cash out of pocket). This includes those with any form of government healthcare coverage (including programs such as Medicare, Medicare Supplement Plans, Medicaid, or TRICARE), whether it’s your primary or secondary coverage. Certain federal government insurance programs impose mandatory billing requirements on providers when they treat beneficiaries. Because of this, Ro-affiliated providers are unable to work with beneficiaries of these programs.
Federal employees who receive their health insurance through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHB) may participate in the Body Program.
From experts at Ro
Healthy bedtime reading
Saxenda Prescription Online 101
What is Saxenda?
Saxenda is a brand-name version of the generic medication liraglutide. Saxenda is FDA-approved and clinically proven to help with weight loss and belongs to a group of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. These drugs limit your appetite by acting like a hormone that slows down your gut, making you feel less hungry. People on Saxenda lost an average of 9% of their body weight after one year.*
How does Saxenda work?
Saxenda works for weight loss by mimicking the hormone GLP-1, which reduces appetite and slows down the movement of food through your stomach. This may make you feel full longer and therefore eat less, which can lead to weight loss. When paired with healthy food choices and regular exercise, Saxenda can assist you in reaching and maintaining your long-term weight goals.
Do you prescribe Saxenda for weight loss?
Yes. If appropriate, adults can get Saxenda (liraglutide) through the Body Program. Currently, the Body Program is only available for adults 18 years and older.
Is Saxenda FDA-approved?
Yes, Saxenda is FDA approved for weight loss in adults with a BMI of ≥30 or a BMI of ≥27 and at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Saxenda is supposed to be taken in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and greater physical activity.
How do you take Saxenda?
Saxenda is a clear liquid that comes in prefilled injection pens. Each pen contains multiple doses. If prescribed, you (or someone in your household) will administer the injection once daily under the skin of your stomach, thigh, or arm. You’ll also receive clear instructions on using the injection pen, and your Ro-affiliated provider can offer additional advice.
What is Saxenda dosing?
Like other GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy (active ingredient semaglutide), dosing gradually increases with Saxenda. The typical Saxenda dosing schedule starts with 0.6 mg once daily for one week. After that, your dose will increase each week until you reach the max amount of 3 mg per day, also called the maintenance dose.
How much weight can I expect to lose with GLP-1s?
Non-diabetic patients who completed the 56-week clinical trial lost an average of 9% of their body weight.
*In a 56-week clinical trial of 3,731 non-diabetic patients with obesity (BMI ≥30) or with overweight (BMI ≥27) and at least one weight-related condition, the 1,812 patients that completed the trial lost an average of 9.2% of their body weight, when Saxenda was paired with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.