Saxenda and Constipation: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• September 28, 2020

"This is the beginning of my 3rd week of taking Saxenda. I am on a 1.8mg injection, I am really struggling with nausea and constipation. I have tried Fibrogel for constipation, but this hasn't helped, and I am suffering terrible bloating and cramping pains in my stomach. Do I persist at 1.8mg, or do I drop down the dosage? If I drop down the dosage, will I continue to lose weight? I found I was feeling okay on 1.2mg. I have lost 11lbs in just over 2 weeks so far. I am super pleased with my progress, and it has definitely suppressed my appetite, helped me eat smaller portions, and snack less. I just need a way to overcome the nausea and constipation. Any advice would be super grateful for."

• Zoe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 2, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Saxenda at 349 lbs. and an insulin-dependent diabetic. I've been on it before, go a couple of months and have to go off it to reset my body due to side effects. Each time I go back on, the side effects are worse and I have more of them. I don't have a scale at home so I don't know if I've lost any weight. Right now, I have had one critical low that could have killed me but was treated in time. Constant nausea and gagging, vomiting on occasion but always feeling like I need to. Diarrhea is epic, and so frequent that I experience bleeding. I know if I continue, the constipation will take over and that will get VERY bad. The exhaustion is constant. The side effects are severe and I don't know if I'll be able to stay on it this time. They keep getting worse."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "So far I have lost 17 pounds in about 7 weeks without excessive dieting or exercising. I do notice some constipation and nausea sometimes but worth it because I eat less and have been losing weight."

• JSa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 26, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Two weeks on Saxenda. I just weighed for the 1st time. I’ve lost 11 pounds so far and 2 inches off waist. I’ve had some indigestion, with lots of burping, and just in the last couple of days am a little constipated. Those are my only side effects so far. I have virtually no appetite so it is doing what it’s supposed to do."

• MMa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 1, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "It's been 11 days and I've lost 14 lbs! I've been eating a 1200 cal/day diet without any trouble - no hunger, no cravings. I'm currently at the 1.8mg dose. I won't lie, though. I am having nausea, stomach cramps, and constipation intermittent with diarrhea. I experienced the side effects when I started the drug and when I have upped the dose - then they go away after 3 days. I just increased to 1.8mg so I've felt kind of sick all day. Worth it though to lose 1-2 lbs daily as I have been!!"

• Pha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 24, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been taking Saxenda since December 2019. I have lost 16kgs (35 pounds). I have had some of the worst side effects. Nausea, acid reflux, vomiting, and constipation - but I am afraid to stop taking it as I don’t want to gain the weight back. Can anyone offer any advice?"

• Sha...
• April 30, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "After gastric bypass surgery 14 years ago, losing 110 lbs, and gaining 13 back over the years, I still have 60 lbs that I have just been unable to lose. With the help of Saxenda, I lost 50 pounds in my first year. I started at 180 lbs and ended at 130 lbs, 10 more to go. This drug is only a tool. It isn't a miracle drug. If you continue to eat junk food and carbs, you will never lose weight. It is important to maintain a healthy meal plan, and Saxenda will help with the cravings and assist in not overeating. It is also important to exercise as well. I found constipation to be an issue, but using Metamucil or a stool softener (not a laxative - as your body can become dependent upon laxatives), probiotic, and insoluble fibrous vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and celery can help with this. I also experienced some nausea at first, but this too will pass as your body becomes accustomed to the medication. Saxenda has been a wonderful life-changing tool for me."

• Hel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 9, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started Saxenda at the end of January, and by March 9, I'm at 189. Mild stomach troubles, no vomiting but a little nausea. I'm constipating a bit, but besides that, it's really not so bad. Saxenda really cuts my appetite, and I eat because I have to. I want to take the medication for at least 6 months and I'm really glad my insurance covers it. I would recommend Saxenda without hesitation."

• Mam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 3, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started Saxenda on 02/26/2020 at 0.06. No nausea, mild constipation, but still able to go. No headaches. I have no desire for food, but I know I have to eat. So I eat regularly. Breakfast (eggs and a slice of bread with a water bottle and about 4 oz of OJ). For lunch, it's usually rice and chicken (about 1 cup and 1/2 of rice and chicken is 2 oz, give or take). Throughout the day while at work, I drink about 10 8 oz glasses of water and do 10 flights of steps, 5 days a week. For dinner, 1/2 of rice, and whatever meat I have made for the night, about 2 oz, and more water. I would have a small snack, but it's just because it's the norm for me. Tomorrow, 03/04/2020, I am going to start on the next dosage up to see if there will be a difference. So far, I have only lost 1 lb. Started at 228.8, now I am 227.8. Thighs are a little sore, and I take the medicine at night. So far, so good. Will update."

• IAM...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 17, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been using Saxenda for 7 weeks now. I am at the full dose of 3.0 mg daily. I started experiencing terrible constipation, something I've struggled with all my life. So, double dose laxative and started on every other day using the Saxenda. This seems to be working. I'm down 11 lbs, which I'm happy with, was hoping for more, but slow and steady is okay, too. So far, the only side effect is the constipation."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 3, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I’ve been using Saxenda for the past three weeks. In the first week, I lost 5 lb but found I was heavily constipated. No other side effects. In the second week, I used laxatives as I felt so bloated, this was my downfall. I put on weight due to it causing water retention and hunger - I felt the injections weren’t effective, although I’d upped the dose to 1.2. I’m on week three. I have started to lose weight again, although constipated. I guess my point is the medication does not work with laxatives."

• Gra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 21, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I've used it for 2.5 months. My blood sugar went from 138 to 88. My lifelong asthma disappeared immediately and has not returned. I stopped taking drugs for reflux, which I had been taking for years. I usually eat one meal a day and one snack. I'm almost never really hungry, but it takes some effort to stop eating routines that are not hunger-based. My BMI went from 31 to 27. I have lost 13 kg, 14% of my body weight. I often feel mildly nauseous. I have chronic constipation. I have mild stomach pain at times."

• Blo...
• January 5, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been on Saxenda about a month now. I am 5 ft 6 inches and weighed 169 when I started it. I am now down to 160. It definitely does make me feel full faster and sometimes I forget to eat. But my problem was never portion control, I have an underactive thyroid and in menopause, so that’s a double whammy. I also take Metoprolol, which slows down your heart rate and makes it harder to lose weight on my own. The only side effects I have had so far are constipation, acid reflux, and sometimes a sharp pain in my stomach. I stayed on the 0.06 dose for 2 weeks and am beginning my second week of 1.8. I do notice my heart rate goes up sometimes quite a bit. I don’t feel it, but my Fitbit tells me. Sometimes it gives me cardio and peak when I’m not doing anything that’s strenuous-just walking. And I do a lot of walking because I’m a home health aide. I’ve been to my doctor, and he says I’m fine. Was just wondering if anyone experienced the same thing?"

• Rus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 14, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I was on Saxenda for a total of 31 weeks. Mild side effects at first; mild constipation, headache. They wore off soon. I was slow to increase my dose - staying at 1.2 mg and 1.8 mg for many weeks before increasing. Could not tolerate 2.4 mg - vomiting, sulfur gas, diarrhea. Went back down to 1.8 but never felt right again. 28 lbs lost in 34 weeks. Average weight loss 0.8 lbs per week. Pros: It helped control cravings and made me feel less hungry. Cons: The side effects. Not bad until I went past 1.8 mg. Then it was unbearable. I also found it inconvenient to take. I don’t hate needles, but it was a process. Also expensive. My insurance covered it (otherwise I wouldn’t be on it at all), but not the needles or the swabs. Traveling with it was annoying."

• Ell...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 12, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I'm a 28-year-old who started Saxenda on 18th of October at a starting weight of 120 kg. Reasons: binge eating disorder (BED) from boredom. So on the Saxenda, I feel much less hungry or interested in food at all, and doses 0.6 and 1.2 worked wonders. But I am at dose 1.8, and my stomach is really bad for me. I have lazy digestion, so I feel like the medicine is aggravating my stomach cramps and causing added constipation. But the worst is when I have, on occasion, eaten more than normally, I have or around 1700 calories. I get so nauseous and have severe vomiting. If I stay under 1200 calories, I feel fine, but I feel I need to stay aware that I am eating at all. I need to drink way more water, and if I don't get my protein, I feel dizzy and exhausted. So watch out for the side effects and drink lots of water and eat protein."

• Nik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 2, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started Saxenda on October 13. I’m still at the 1.2 dose. I’ve lost 11 lbs to date. I like the lack of cravings. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t craving food. It’s so nice to have food sit in front of me and I just don’t want it. I’m eating healthier. No bread, less pasta and rice, and salads are amazing. I have no sugar cravings. Halloween was a true test. All those little chocolate bars and I did not eat one. Not one. I was so impressed and proud of myself. I get a little nauseous, and the constipation is a pain in the butt. Lol, but that’s it. I’m not raising my dose because 1 = the cost, and 2 = I’m losing weight at this level. I want to do the weight loss slow and steady. Better chance of success. I have a very long way to go. 11 lbs down and 140 lbs to go."

• Nos...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 2, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I’ve been on this drug for about 2 months and have lost 26 lbs. I’m just on the 2.4 dose. I feel nauseous for a week after dosing up. I also feel like I need the bathroom but I’m constipated most of the time until a few days later with a big bout of diarrhea. I’ve vomited twice from the nausea. My injection sites get bruised, raised, and itchy lately. My experience is positive for me. I had gained over 100 lbs in 2 years from another medication prescribed to me for depression. Well, rapid weight gain and obesity doesn’t help to feel good about yourself. Bottom line, I am feeling like garbage but losing weight is far superior to feeling like garbage and gaining weight. I also seem to ease up on side effects the longer I’m on a dose. I am definitely a satisfied customer."

• Nur...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 23, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I’ve been on Saxenda for almost 5 months and have lost 43 lbs so far. It is working well for me. I’m at the full dose. It helps my cravings. I don’t have cravings anymore. I don’t feel hungry. I feel full faster, and overall I feel better. Still, have nausea at times but it’s not bothering me. I have constipation, which eating fruit and drinking lots of water helps with. I would highly recommend."

• Jen...
• October 22, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Just started taking Saxenda on Sunday, October 14. My start weight was 112.2 kgs (247 pounds). I weighed myself on Sunday, October 20, and the scales really shocked me, it said I was 108.4 kgs (239 pounds). I have been overweight and dieting all my life. I was recently diagnosed with PCOS. Losing weight has been very hard. I track my steps and calories, I have been reducing the size of my meals. I had half a tuna sandwich and had to stop eating. The drug works on suppressing appetite, but the side effects are also very high for me. I have had diarrhea, constipation, lack of energy, headaches, feeling sick, and vomiting. I have dry mouth and am taking Hydralyte to compensate for the lack of fluids I can keep in my system. I am in two minds about this drug, I don't know if I am going to continue it after I finish the 5 pens in my first box. The drug costs so much, $389 Australian, and can't claim anything back on my private health."

• Lon...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 12, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "42 yr old white woman, 5 ft 7. Nov 2016, 19.5 stone (124 kg / 273 lb). 20th Aug, 16 stone 2 lb (103 kg / 226 lb), 46.6% body fat, started Saxenda. Today, 15 stone 2 lb (97 kg / 212 lb), 43.2% body fat, loss of a stone (6 kg / 14 lb) in 3 weeks 2 days. I'm on 1.2/day. Very few side effects. The only one of note has been constipation, which has been significant and annoying, but I've had no headaches, nausea, or tiredness. The drug has greatly reduced appetite & cravings. I'm not counting calories, but eating a fairly low-carb, high plant-based diet with lots of fiber. Today, I had a handful of cherry tomatoes with basil, rocket & a bit of olive oil, 3 apples, 2 boiled eggs, a slice of rye bread, some broccoli & milk (in tea). The insurance question isn't relevant. I'm in the UK. It's not generally prescribed on the National Health Service yet. I paid a total of £323.44, $400, for a private GP's appointment, prescription, 5 pens, and all the necessary needles, so about £65 ($80) per pen."

• Rub...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 1, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Been on Saxenda now for 5 weeks and down 10 lbs. I have almost zero appetite since starting. On the full dose now and still suffer from constipation and nausea but sticking through it. It’s worth it. My calorie intake is probably around 1,000 give or take. Cost me around $100 after benefits, thankfully. 40 more lbs to go."

• flo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 26, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Thursday, Aug 29 will be 3 weeks on Saxenda. I have lost 10 lbs so far. My side effects have been mild constipation, extreme thirst, and dry mouth. Bad breath and nausea. I am currently taking the 2.4 dose. I will be going up to 3 this weekend, hoping to lose more. Eating very small things several times a day. Spicy is not good while on this drug, it is best to eat bland foods. For me, anything greasy or too much spice in it gives me a lot more nausea. I have a 3-month amount. I will definitely do it until then to see if I lose any more weight, but after that, I am not sure. Good luck to everyone who thinks this will help them. It has helped me so far."

• Bai...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 22, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I’ve been on Saxenda for 6 months and lost 40 lbs in the first 3. Since then, I have maintained the weight loss. I just started working out on it and hoping I will lose my last 25. In the beginning, I felt a little nauseous, constipation, and had some minor headaches, but it subsided after the first month. About 6 weeks in, I had terrible sulfur breath and burps. It lasted about 3 weeks, but I was able to control it with chewable Pepto Bismol. I have had a great experience, but if my plateau doesn’t break, I’m hoping my doctor will increase the dosage."

• med...
• August 17, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Update: 15 doses of 0.6 mg in and have lost 10 lbs. Only problem has been one episode of hypoglycemia early on and constipation, in which effects of laxative resulted in more discomfort than Saxenda. Added prunes to morning routine in order to avoid that situation. Will continue 0.6 until 3-day weight loss plateau occurs, then will increase dose. (Should get 30 0.6 mg doses in before pen must be discarded.) Eliminates cravings without that typical OTC appetite suppressant anorexia feeling; doesn't affect thirst and I can drink water without having to choke it down, which is necessary."

• Cin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 1, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have had a great experience with the effects of Saxenda. I'm in my 4th week, at a 2.4 dose, and lost 11 lbs. No side effects, other than constipation. I have used an app to help monitor my food intake. I have easily been able to eat 800-1000 calories today. Other than walking on the treadmill for 20 minutes a day and working in the garden, I don't do any heavy activity. I'm 60 years old, retired. I wish luck to everyone trying this medication."