How Long Does It Take for Saxenda (Liraglutide) to Work?

Weight management is an uphill battle for many people, between struggling to maintain willpower and finding the time to work exercise and a proper diet into daily life.

When you’re starting a new weight loss medication, it can be easy to get disheartened when you don’t start to see major results in the first few days or even weeks.

But we’re here to tell you not to worry! Weight loss is a long-term challenge that is largely determined by biological and genetic factors; not laziness and lack of willpower. It takes a combination of living a healthy lifestyle, and for many people, the assistance of weight loss medications to achieve long-term weight management. 

But how long does it take for Saxenda to work? This page will give you all the answers you need to keep you on the path to better health.

Does Saxenda Work Immediately?

This is a difficult question to answer, because it’s both yes and no.

Yes, the medication does start working immediately. However, most people won’t see any kind of changes, until they get to the higher doses of their treatment.

Even then, the first thing most people notice isn’t actual weight loss, it’s either side effects, or the impacts of the medication taking effect (i.e., decreased hunger, feeling full sooner, decreased cravings , and decreased thoughts about food).

When Will I Start to See Results from Taking Saxenda?

In many cases, it will take weeks or months, before you’ll start to notice any major changes in your body size. But that’s normal.

You should continue taking your Saxenda injections as instructed by your healthcare practitioner at Felix, and slowly increase your doses based on the calendar provided with your prescription.

If you have been taking the medication for several months and aren’t noticing changes in your body size, you should talk to your healthcare practitioner at Felix. They may be able to suggest an alternative steady state dosage or medication that will work better for you.

What are the Signs that Saxenda is Working?

The biggest signs that your Saxenda medication is working come from two areas: side effects from taking the medication, and the intended effects of Saxenda.

Side Effects

Some of the common side effects from taking Saxenda include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Indigestion/acid reflux
• Abdominal Pain
• Fatigue
• Dizziness

Saxenda’s Intended Effects

The intended effects of Saxenda that patients often experience before noticing actual body changes include:

• Decreased hunger
• Feeling full sooner
• Decreased cravings for food
• Decreased thoughts about food

How Long Does Saxenda Stay in Your System?

Saxenda begins working immediately after it enters your bloodstream, but it reaches peak plasma concentration in approximately 8-12 hours.

The elimination half life of Saxenda is around 13 hours, which means that’s the time that it takes to begin decreasing in your body.

This is part of the reason it’s recommended to take your Saxenda doses at as close to the same time each day as possible, as it will help maximize the ongoing effects of your Saxenda prescription.

Looking for More Information?

Hopefully, this page has answered all the questions you had about how long it takes Saxenda to work, as well as a few other valuable pieces of information that you can use to improve your weight management knowledge.

There’s always more to learn about weight loss, so why not complete a short online assessment, find out whether you’re eligible, and start your journey to better health with Felix?