Using Saxenda

Olivia Jackson64 · 2022-10-29T14:32:54+00:00

Just saw some doctor on TV aggressively pitching Saxenda—claiming it’s some kind of miracle cure for weight loss and insulin resistance. Anyone here actually t…

Amy Kim25 Member

49 messages
joined Apr 2023

#121 · May 1, 2023

I’ve noticed that if I skip breakfast, I end up eating twice as much at dinner. To stay on track, I make it a point never to miss my morning meal—I’ll plan ahead or even pack something to take to work, like a couple of small graham crackers and a yogurt. If I wait until lunch to eat, I find myself starving by the time evening rolls around.

I’m really looking forward to my first appointment with the endocrinologist. I’m going to try to bypass the nutritionist if I can; I already have all the calorie counts memorized and just don't have the patience for hand-holding. If that ends up being a requirement, though, it's going to be a real pain.

Ashley Walker56 Newcomer

8 messages
joined Mar 2023

#122 · May 3, 2023

Hey everyone,

Just thought I’d pop in and share a quick update. I started this journey on April 1st weighing in at about 142 pounds (I'm pretty short, so every pound counts 🙂). For the first week, I was on Victoza at 0.6, then bumped up to 1.2. I’ve decided not to go any higher than 1.2; I'm just staying right there. Once I finish this batch of Victoza—which was actually my substitute brand—I'll be switching over to Saxenda.

My appetite is pretty much nonexistent now... I can barely eat much because if I overdo it, my stomach just starts hurting quite a bit. After those initial side effects flared up during the first week, things have been great. Honestly, I feel fine now, almost zero issues left.

My typical daily routine looks like this: a white coffee with milk and just a tiny bit of sugar in the morning, lunch around noon (usually about half of what I used to eat), and then maybe one single square of chocolate after that. Around 6 PM, I'll have some whole grain toast with something on it, or maybe some kefir or cottage cheese. After that, I don't eat anything until the next day 😛.

I haven't really banned any specific foods. Actually, once I started the Victoza, I brought back some carbs and sugar that I had cut out earlier this year (back when I lost absolutely nothing in four months) but I'm keeping the portions very small.

Right now, I'm sitting at 132 pounds, which means I'm down 10 pounds since I started the treatment. 🎉

Amy Kim25 Member

49 messages
joined Apr 2023

#123 · May 3, 2023

So, I just wrapped up my appointment with the specialist—he’s a bit of a character! :-)
Basically, he handed me a list of blood tests to get done, so we'll see where things stand once those results are in. I haven't even officially asked my main question yet! :-)

During my physical, the doctor there told me I have insulin resistance. But this specialist was saying it’s basically a non-issue since anything under an index of 2 doesn't count, and since I'm at 1.7, I'm fine. He even claimed insulin resistance isn't a disease and doesn't need treatment. On the flip side, the doctor at the physical insisted that if you aren't at a perfect 1, you've already got a problem. 🙂 Well... here we are.

I honestly don't know what to make of it. :-) It might not be diabetes in its current state, but if it's a stepping stone toward diabetes or fertility issues, then I can't say I agree with him brushing it off. Who knows? We'll see.

Part of me loves the idea that everything is perfectly fine, but I'm also low-key worried they won't approve me for Victoza or Ozempic. I mean, what's the point of getting a prescription if I'm considered "healthy"?

Jason Grant85 Member

22 messages
joined May 2017

#124 · May 3, 2023

Ashley Walker56 said:Hey everyone,

Just thought I’d jump in here and share a quick update. I started this journey back on April 1st at about 142 pounds—and since I’m pretty short, every little bit counts—🙂
Right now, I’ve hit the 132-pound mark, which means I’m down 10 pounds since I first started the treatment. 🎉

Wait, how low is "low" when you're starting at 142 pounds for this kind of therapy? 😕

Amy Kim25 Member

49 messages
joined Apr 2023

#125 · May 3, 2023

I knew someone would jump on that post! :-)

Ashley Walker56 Newcomer

8 messages
joined Mar 2023

#126 · May 5, 2023

Lisa Perez37 said:How low is "low" when we're talking 142 lbs for starting therapy? 😕

Low enough that my BMI is sitting above 27. To qualify for Wegovy, you basically need at least one metabolic issue along with a BMI over 27... or just a BMI over 30 on its own.

I’ve been dealing with insulin resistance and weight creep for a few years now, so I jumped on this immediately... didn't want to wait until I hit 175 or more and then start wondering what went wrong 🙂

Amy Kim25 Member

49 messages
joined Apr 2023

#127 · May 5, 2023

Could you list some of the indicators that show someone has insulin resistance? Only if you don't mind sharing too much personal info, of course.

Amy Kim25 Member

49 messages
joined Apr 2023

#128 · May 5, 2023

What are some good breakfast ideas that aren't just oatmeal or sandwiches? I'm totally out of inspiration here.

Jason Grant85 Member

22 messages
joined May 2017

#129 · May 6, 2023

With a BMI sitting somewhere between 27 and 28—so, technically in that overweight territory—I've been looking into options like Saxenda, Ozempic, and those other similar medications. 🙄

jademaker82 Member

12 messages
joined Apr 2023

#130 · May 9, 2023

@Megan Anderson5/">@@Megan Anderson5
how's it going?

how are you all holding up—are those pounds actually dropping off yet? I’m down another pound on the scale, which honestly feels like a massive win right now, especially since I’ve moved up to the 2.4 mg dose

Megan Anderson5 Member

48 messages
joined Jan 2023

#131 · May 11, 2023

jademaker82 said:@Megan Anderson5/">@@Megan Anderson5 how’s everything going?
did you end up having your surgery?

how are you guys holding up—are the pounds actually dropping off? I’m already down 1 pound on the scale which is making me super happy, and right now I’m on the 2.4 mg dose

Hey! Yeah, I had it and everything went totally fine. I haven't jumped back on the meds yet, but I've managed to get back to my old weight, so I'm still sitting at -17 total. I'm starting back up on Wegovy and Glucophage tomorrow.

Way to go on that 1 pound, seriously, that's a win! 😁 It’s like they say, if you lose it slowly, it’s way harder to gain it all back later.

Has anyone ever taken a break from Wegovy?
I haven't touched mine in almost three weeks and now I'm totally lost on what dose to start with. I feel like jumping straight back to 3 might be way too much for my system, but then again, I don't know if there's even any point in starting over at 0.6. 🤔

Brandon Newman95 Active Member

245 messages
joined Jun 2024

#132 · May 12, 2023

Megan Anderson5 said:Hey there, I went back and everything seems fine. I haven't restarted my meds yet, but I'm right back to where I was—still down 17 pounds. Starting up again tomorrow with Wegovy and Glucophage.

Nice job on that 1 pound drop, honestly that's something 😁 Even if you lose it slow, it's harder to gain it back later.

Has anyone else taken a break from Wegovy?
I haven't touched mine in almost three weeks and now I'm totally lost on what dose to start with. Jumping straight back to 3 feels like way too much, but then again, does it even make sense to reset all the way back to 0.6? 🤔

You should probably just check with your endocrinologist, but since it's been a three-week gap, you really ought to restart at 0.6. That's what I was told when I stopped for a couple of days.

Amy Kim25 Member

49 messages
joined Apr 2023

#133 · May 12, 2023

Megan Anderson5, welcome! So glad to hear your surgery went smoothly! I'm guessing you're still on some kind of medical leave or working from home? Hang in there and just take it one day at a time! Honestly, seeing how you're handling this is such an inspiration—because when I see those 17 people passing out, I just feel like 😁

I actually started tracking my calories recently, and once I did the math, it turns out I'm basically doubling my daily limit. At this rate, I'm not even sure if injections will be able to save me 😁

I’m heading to the lab this Monday to get my glucose tolerance test done. If everything comes back normal—which, let's face it, looks likely—then I'll have to admit I'm just overeating. 😁 Unless there's some weird underlying condition 😁 😁

Then, of course, comes the real challenge: figuring out how to talk my endocrinologist into actually writing that prescription.

Megan Anderson5 Member

48 messages
joined Jan 2023

#134 · May 13, 2023

Kimberly Ward said:It’s definitely best to check with your endocrinologist first, but since you took a three-week break, you should probably restart at 0.6. That’s what I was told would happen if I missed more than two days.

Thanks for the heads-up, Kimberly Ward! It totally blows my mind that you have to go all the way back to square one after just two days off. But hey, I guess I'll give it a shot—at least it makes the supply last a bit longer! How long have you been on Saxenda? How’s the journey treating you?

Thanks, Amy Kim25, but honestly, when you're starting out with a massive amount of weight to lose, things tend to move a little faster right out of the gate. For me, those few pounds I lost felt like a tiny drop in the bucket compared to where I started. I had a BMI north of 50 at the beginning, so you can imagine how much ground there was to cover!

Good luck with all that research!

jademaker82 Member

12 messages
joined Apr 2023

#135 · May 13, 2023

Megan Anderson5;98281461 said:Thanks for getting back to me, Kimberly Ward! I’m honestly shocked that you’re resetting back to the start after only two days. But hey, if that’s what it takes, at least it stretches out the supply. How long have you been on Saxenda? And how’s it working for you?

Thanks, Amy Kim25, but let’s be real—when you’re carrying this much extra weight, things tend to move a little faster right out of the gate. For me, losing those few pounds feels like a drop in the bucket compared to where I started. I was sitting at a BMI north of 50 when I began this journey, so you can probably imagine the scale was looking pretty terrifying.

Good for you for staying positive and keeping up with it... and I am genuinely thrilled to hear everything went smoothly!!
My BMI was also over 50, so believe me, I am counting every single pound as a victory. I’m fully aware of how deep of a hole I dug for myself, and I’m just relieved to finally be doing something about it. It’s honestly such a relief to have a space like this where we can actually talk about what we're going through. To be completely blunt, I avoided seeing a doctor for the longest time because I foolishly thought I could just white-knuckle my way through this on my own. But all that does is waste years of your life while the weight just keeps climbing higher and higher.

Brandon Newman95 Active Member

245 messages
joined Jun 2024

#136 · May 13, 2023

Megan Anderson5 said:Thanks for the reply, Kimberly Ward! Honestly, I’m pretty shocked you're going back to the start after just two days. But hey, if that's what works, I guess I'll try it too—at least it makes the supply last longer. How long have you been on Saxenda? How's it treating you?

Thanks, Amy Kim25, but look, when you're carrying a massive amount of weight, things tend to move a bit faster at first. For me, losing those few pounds was nothing. My BMI was over 50 when I started, so you can even imagine how much progress I've made.

Good luck with the search!

That’s exactly what my endocrinologist over at the Mayo Clinic told me. When I was at 1.2 or 1.6, the side effects were absolutely brutal. He told me to just stick to 0.6 until my next check-up.

Amy Kim25 Member

49 messages
joined Apr 2023

#137 · May 13, 2023

Can I ask something?

When you told him you wanted to start those injections, did he just give you the green light, or was there actually a debate about it?

I talked to my doctor, and I honestly don't get the feeling he's going to be thrilled about prescribing them to me. 🙂 Honestly, I'll be perfectly fine just sticking with Metformin.

Amy Kim25 Member

49 messages
joined Apr 2023

#138 · May 13, 2023

Amy Kim25 said:Can I ask a quick question?

When you mentioned wanting those injections, did he just give you the green light immediately, or was there actually a whole debate about it?

I’ve been seeing this doctor who doesn't exactly strike me as the "let's prescribe medication" type. 🙂 Honestly, I'll be perfectly fine just sticking with Metformin.

Lately, I feel like I'm hungry again all the time. Like, CONSTANTLY. It doesn't matter what I eat or how much I eat, I'm already thinking about my next meal. I have no idea why this keeps happening to me every once in a while.

Megan Anderson5 Member

48 messages
joined Jan 2023

#139 · May 14, 2023

I’m not sure if you’re asking for my specific experience, but in my case, my doctor was actually the one who brought it up! During my first visit, she asked if I’d ever considered surgery—you know, like a gastric sleeve or those bypass procedures. I told her straight up that I wasn't really feeling that route, at least not right now. Then, when I came back for my follow-up (it was a different doctor that time), she looked over my labs and just naturally suggested Wegovy. She wasn't pushy about it or anything; she just mentioned that people see really great results, even though it can be pretty pricey.
Since I was dealing with insulin resistance and a high BMI, I think she totally understood why I was there in the first place. Honestly, if she hadn't suggested it, I definitely would have been the one asking her about it!

Right now, I’ve settled on 1.2 mg of Wegovy and I’m going to try to stay on this dose for as long as I possibly can. Jumping up to the 3 mg dose feels like I'd be burning through my supply way too fast, and let's be real, I wasn't exactly born with a silver spoon in my mouth!

Megan Anderson5 Member

48 messages
joined Jan 2023

#140 · May 14, 2023

Amy Kim25 said:Lately, I feel like I can't stop eating! Like, seriously, I am hungry ALL the time. It doesn't matter what I grab or how much I shovel down, the hunger just comes right back immediately. I have no clue why my body just decides to go into overdrive like this sometimes.

Ugh, I totally get where you're coming from because those days are just the absolute worst! It’s like your appetite just decides to go rogue for no reason at all.

Using Saxenda

🔗 Similar threads