Liraglutide and Diarrhea: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 20, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Just finished my 3rd week on Saxenda, about to start the 2.4 dose tomorrow. Result: nothing. No side effects e.g. nausea, diarrhoea, stomach pains, dizziness. Just nothing. No weight loss except one pound. Still have the same desire to eat and however much I eat, I don’t feel sick at all, like some people. £320 for what? I still weigh 13 stone. Someone tell me where I am going wrong. Thought I wasn’t injecting properly, but consulted my GP nurse and she says it’s fine. Somebody please help me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 4, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been using Saxenda since March 6, 2020. I am on 3.0 dosage. I just recently noticed some side effects that are really bothering me mentally. Diarrhea is the worst ever, like running water, belching, and constant bloating. Please give me some good advice on what I can 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!!"

• pat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 15, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been taking Saxenda for 18 months now and I have lost 77 lbs so far. I generally stick to 1000-1200 cals a day, eating lots of fruits, veggies, fish, couscous, new potatoes, things like that. I still eat bread because I have always loved bread and always will. I usually inject four days a week, I find that works for me, I don't have to inject every day. I do get side effects like diarrhea, soft stools, and the odd bout of nausea. I don't smoke or hardly drink alcohol, so I use this money to buy Saxenda, which we all know is quite expensive. I have to say though, my life has completely changed since I have lost all that weight and for the better, that's for sure."

• pat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 15, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been taking Saxenda for 18 months now and I have lost 77 lbs so far. I generally stick to 1000-1200 cals a day, eating lots of fruits, veggies, fish, couscous, new potatoes, things like that. I still eat bread because I have always loved bread and always will. I usually inject four days a week, I find that works for me, I don't have to inject every day. I do get side effects like diarrhea, soft stools, and the odd bout of nausea. I don't smoke or hardly drink alcohol, so I use this money to buy Saxenda, which we all know is quite expensive. I have to say though, my life has completely changed since I have lost all that weight and for the better, that's for sure."

• Spa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Fabulous! I have lost 30 kg in six months. No real effort required as it suppressed my appetite. Initially, side effects were pretty bad with diarrhea, bloating, and nausea. But I persevered and was glad that I did. Now, no side effects, just weight loss. Very, very happy."

• Dai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 6, 2021

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Today is my 3rd day on Victoza 0.6mg. I’ve lost 3 lbs of water weight, I’m sure. First day just got a slight headache, second worse headache and upper stomach pain with loose stool, today oh my god, I was in the bathroom all day, and bad bloating. No headache today though. So I’m hoping the other side effects get better soon. I will try to post an update by the end of the month if I make it."

• 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."

• Fly...
• January 3, 2015

For Type 2 Diabetes "It made me feel sick the 1st month at 1.2mg, queasy stomach, not too bad diarrhea, if there is such a thing as good? The biggest thing I noticed was food did not appeal to me at all. I just did not feel like eating anything. And when I did eat something, I felt full on a few bites. This after about 2 months led to a 36 lb weight drop and an A1c that went from 7.3 to an A1c of 5.6. I have been on it now for 6 months but no more weight loss or gain. 12hr Fasting Glucose is showing from 75-88. I never see levels above the 120's after meals, even sweets. I think the problem with Victoza is that it works almost too good! I think some people will go off their diets or cheat a lot more because they have such low A1c's."

• BoP...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 31, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I am 5'3'', 35 years old, and my starting weight was 248 lb. I am currently at 175 lb just after 9 months. No major side effects other than diarrhea every day. It really curbs your appetite, so you are eating less, which was my problem. I am a boredom eater. I don't even think about food anymore."

• Exo...
• March 11, 2021

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Works great, I lost 8.4 lbs in the 1st week, but at a cost. Never so sick in my life! Threw up everything but my spleen! Started out with the belching. Sounded like an old drunk. Then the bloat began. My stomach looked and felt like I swallowed a hot air balloon. Next, the diarrhea, nothing but pure liquid. At this point, I was a little concerned about becoming dehydrated. Finally, the vomiting, the violent, whatever you ate was coming out of your nose kind of vomiting. I was like, 'There is no way a medicine could make a person feel this bad!' But it can, and did! However, I still feel this could be a good weight loss solution, especially since I have high BP, and this doesn't have stimulants and is 'safer.' Reading over other reviews, some people are having great luck with it. My doctor called me in Zofran, and I'm only going to do 0.3 every other day to see if my body adjusts. If I don't see an improvement in 2 weeks, I will just accept this is not a medication for me and go another route."

• 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."

• Ran...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "On Saxenda now for five weeks. Have lost 7 kg. Not hungry and not interested in sweet food. Not even the previously much-loved chocolate has been eaten over the five weeks. Some diarrhea and tiredness. But it’s worth it. Only real negative is the cost."

• Rep...
• April 10, 2014

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on 0.6 ml of Victoza for 7 days now to control my type 2 diabetes. The first 5 days were hellacious, to say the least! I had debilitating nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and those horrible sulfur burps and gas that ran everyone away from me and sent me to the ER, thinking my insides were deteriorating! LOL! But by day 6, the side effects subsided. I lost 10 lbs within the first 3 days. Tomorrow, I have to increase the dosage, but I'm praying that I won't have to deal with the side effects again. So far, so good."

• Hop...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 25, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started trial of Victoza from Dr. He wanted to check side effects before prescribing Saxenda. Lost 12 lbs in 2 weeks. BUT, insurance denied coverage for Saxenda, so back to Dr. Second request for authorization and gave me another trial of Victoza. Insurance denied Saxenda again. I registered for the Saxenda prescription savings card and today went to my pharmacy, $1021!!!! Talking to the pharmacist, he recommended getting a script for Victoza because insurance likes the price. Approved, and my copay is $25! I do get nausea when I increase the dose, it doesn't last. Dry mouth bad first few weeks but helped me be motivated to drink water. Diarrhea, yes, rotating with constipation. Food doesn't appeal to me. Often don't eat dinner or just a few bites. LOT of fatigue. Heartburn mild but I think it's because I forget to eat and my stomach is empty. BOTTOM LINE.... love this for weight loss. Side effects aren't permanent. I'm losing weight. BEST part? I figured out how to get insurance coverage!!!!"

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 5, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been on Saxenda since December 9, 2019. I have upped my dose according to my doctor. I have now lost 17 lb. I am now on full dose since the beginning of January. It's only now that I am suffering really badly with sickness and diarrhea. I am waiting to hear from my doctor to decide a way forward. I really don’t want to stop taking it as I feel it generally works for me and my lifestyle."

• Amb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 31, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Saxenda in November 2016, the week before Thanksgiving. It is January 31, 2017. I am 5' 1" and when I started Saxenda I weighed 205 lbs. I now weigh 178 lbs. I have been able to come off of my blood pressure meds and I no longer need my CPAP when I sleep at night. I have less joint pain and I no longer get winded walking up a flight of stairs. The only side effects I've experienced are nausea with each titration up of the medication, mild headache the first few weeks, nasty sulfur burps, and diarrhea. I haven't had any constipation. None of the side effects were severe enough to make me consider stopping the medication."

• 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."

• ECa...
• June 13, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Saxenda at 0.6 5/1/19 going great, noticed I was getting full quicker. I started 1.2-dose & no side effects. Next week I go up to 1.8 and I'm vomiting a lot, horrible stomach pain in the middle of my belly. The next day I was a little better so I stayed on 1.8. A week later I get sick again, stomach pain, vomiting & the runs. I skip a day of meds & take it @ night instead, down to 1.2. I was fine for a few days and occasionally still get a pain in my stomach and start throwing up. Not every day, but nauseous. I am pushing through because this is working for me, but the side effects are no joke. I'm 5'9, female, started @ 263 lbs my heaviest on 5/1/19, and it is now 06/13/19 and I am down 18 lbs. I almost feel like if I don't poop for a few days I throw up instead. My insurance did cover most of it, it was supposed to cost me about $240.00 for 5 pens, but in my first trial pack, I got a savings card and that saved me $200, so 5 pens was $40. I picked up my prescription the 2nd time for 5 pens and it was only $24.99."

• Cha...
• August 26, 2016

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "After many years of steadily gaining, I topped out at 330 lbs. I wanted the bypass surgery, but family was not on board. After changing doctors and seeing a new endo, she suggested Victoza, and I am very grateful. I just came back from my 3-week follow-up, and so far I've lost 14 pounds. My appetite has subsided, and there are many times where I know I'm hungry, but I just can't eat. Terrible gas and diarrhea, so I need to be careful from eating fruit and too much cereal. Portion control is easy because I cannot finish the plate anyway. I went up to the full dose mistakenly at the end of the first week, and that was not good. I went back to the middle dose, and I will challenge the higher dose in a couple of weeks. Good stuff. Happy."

• kar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 2, 2013

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I've been on 0.6 mg Victoza for 2 weeks, then 1.2 for two weeks. Down about 10 lbs. The doctor said to up to 1.8 in another two weeks. He said it shouldn't help me lose all the weight I need to, so he wants to put me on Qsymia. I'm not sure I want to lose more than 10 lbs a month. I noticed diarrhea on the first day or two, then again on the first day or two at 1.2. Appetite suppressant. Less craving for sugar and carbs. Overall, a good medicine. It's supposed to help prevent diabetes as well. My blood sugar tested at 85 today. Before Victoza, I was averaging 99-105."

• Kim...
• March 15, 2019

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "So, started Saxenda Dec 31, 2018. I am 45 yrs old, 5' 3" starting weight 193 lb. It is 3/15/2019. I now weigh 165 lb. I toggle between doses. My body cannot handle 3 mg dose. I get sulfur burps, hard stomach pains, constipation, then loose stools. I am talking worse than the flu sick. I cannot drink wine or eat fatty foods. That's a good thing. If I watch what I eat and keep small portions, things are good. Mess up, and the food will sit in your stomach. Slow gastric emptying really stinks. Zofran has helped with the nausea. I will remain on Saxenda until I cannot tolerate the symptoms. I am a nurse, we make really bad patients. Listen to your body. Eat right! Good luck."

• Sid...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 5, 2020

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Started 0.6 mg then moved to 1.2 mg 1 week later. Horrible bloating, gas, nausea, vomiting. It did take my appetite away completely, but to an unhealthy point. I lost 28 lbs in 2 months (starting weight 240 lbs, female, 36, non-diabetic, binge eating disorder, PCOS). I could only barely tolerate the 1.2 mg dose. I increased my water intake to 80-100 oz, and if I ate more than 600-800 cal during the day, I’d feel like throwing up. I had to stay on a liquid diet of smoothies and protein shakes, as solid food increased the nausea and bloating. I added a probiotic per my doctor, but no help. I tried taking the injection at night to decrease the side effects, it only made sleeping more difficult as I was up during the night with a headache and diarrhea. I experienced extreme lack of energy and shortness of breath in doing simple tasks (such as taking out garbage). My doctor and I decided to stop due to the side effects. It helped start the weight loss, but I’m not convinced it was healthy for me."

• Sha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 6, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started using Saxenda on Oct 31st, 2018. I had gotten a sample of it to see if I would like it. Took it for 3 weeks and lost 18 lbs. Had issues getting a prior authorization through my insurance, and it took me a week and a half to get it approved. Gained 2 lbs back while waiting. Got back on it 5 days ago and already lost 5 lbs! I get nauseated after eating, especially anything sugary. I get the runs a lot, especially after I eat. At work, I drink a yogurt shake which is 90 calories. If I eat solids, I'm running to the restroom within 10 minutes of eating. So I only eat 'food' at home. The cravings for salty and sweet foods have gone, and I never really feel hungry anymore. I started at 260 lbs and now at 239 lbs. I'm 5'10'. I try to walk 6-7,000 steps a day to keep losing, sometimes I even get to 10,000 steps. So basically, I've been on the meds 4 weeks and lost 21 lbs! Happy with my progress!"

• Dyn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 30, 2014

For Type 2 Diabetes "I'm 64 yrs old, 5'2" female with an A1C of 8.1 and an average 3-month glucose of 185. My morning sugars are 160. Evenings from 170 to 290. I'm on 2000 mg of Metformin and 100 mg of Januvia. My new doctor suggested Victoza. First week had 1 day of nausea, 4 days of loose stools, and 1 day with a minor headache. All was gone by day 6. Have lost 10 pounds in 10 days. Sugars now run in the 140's in the morning and 120's - 140's in the evening. Not as hungry. Have not specifically exercised but have tried to eat at least 2x a day and -0- after 8 pm. Less thirsty too. Now to get my thyroid levels back under control, which I was just informed were off and need a higher dose (0.150 mcg) of Synthroid. But I'm THRILLED with this medicine after 10 days of use."