Victoza and Diarrhea: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Exh...
• May 8, 2014

For Type 2 Diabetes "The nausea, vomiting, and massive diarrhea were so bad that I had to stop after two days. I waited a week and tried again, only to have even worse reactions, including headache, gas, etc. It has been a week, and I still have diarrhea 20 or so times per day, and as others point out, the smell is terrible. My belly is bloated and distended, and my throat hurts from the vomiting. No weight loss, and sugar is higher due to the inability to retain medications."

• DET...
• August 23, 2017

For Type 2 Diabetes "Victoza is an amazing drug, thank you. My insurance only covered Trulicity, it was garbage. At least for me, my doctor gave me a 2-week trial, the difference was day and night. On the first day, Victoza brought my sugar from 169 to 125. Second day, 99. Third day, 98, it's a steady 90. I have been doing .6, not up to the 1.8, I will ask my doctor to see if a higher dosage is necessary. My doctor fought for me against my insurance (like they care), they gave me permission for one year. My diarrhea was mild and is subsiding, no other symptoms. I take my med at night, and it stopped the morning spikes. Some people say headaches, maybe doing the night injections helps. I don't get them. This drug is a miracle, thank you, Denmark. Sad we Americans don't care."

• Ptm...
• May 4, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "I began taking this drug at the 1.2 mg level. Within half a day, I began having serious side effects. I thought I had a very bad virus. I had headache, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and insomnia. I missed 3 days of work. I stopped taking the drug. A month later, I tried it again at the 0.6 mg level. The first half day was okay with just no appetite, but then all happened again-vomiting and, this time, cold symptoms. I began having horrible diarrhea last night and called off work today. This is 48 hours after I stopped taking it. I threw the rest away, this drug feels like poison to my body."

• any...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 4, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Just started Victoza for weight loss and to lower my A1C and for weight loss. Just upped my dose today to 1.6. So far, so good. First day: diarrhea and a slight headache with a little nausea. I haven't noticed any difference yet in this higher dose as compared to the smallest dose. Still have diarrhea and a little nausea. Surprisingly, I have much more energy than usual. Love that and the fact that on my 5th day, I have already lost 6 pounds! I have no complaints as of now. I hope it stays this way and the weight loss continues. Will post as I get further into it."

• Thr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 17, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Holy crap, I just figured out why everyone is losing so much weight taking Invokana! You see, if we're all so sick with severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, we're too damn weak from dehydration to even consider shoveling those pork chops in... yeah? Am I right? I lost 43 pounds in 9 weeks, I'll take it AND the near-death side effects... Yeah, I know, taking massive doses of laxatives is probably cheaper, but there's no settlement on the horizon with those, so I say we all just suck it up! You know eventually the FDA will figure out the drug company lied like 'usual' and covered up the deadly side effects. Eventually, we'll all be thin and wealthy. Woohoo! I'm in!"

• Cb6...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 7, 2017

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Victoza on 6/24 at .06, and the side effects were minimal. Little bloated feeling; nausea, but never vomited. Then, one week later, increased to 1.2, then that's when the side effects got more intense: 'egg burps,' diarrhea, gas, but no vomiting. Not much of an appetite, and glad to say I've lost 14 lbs, and BG is 109 in the a.m. and the highest I've seen after eating, 2 hr reading 140. These are very good readings for me, as I've never seen my a.m. readings that low. Last Dr. visit, my A1C read was 7.5. Just going to stick with this regime of Victoza and see what my A1C read will become in Sept... wish you all the best if you choose this RX."

• Dee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 16, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started Victoza last week. So far, it has caused me to be nauseous and throwing up. I don't know about weight loss yet, but my glucose levels are still high even though my appetite is gone. I can't hardly eat anything because everything has a horrible taste now. I have bad diarrhea since taking this medicine. I also stay thirsty, so I drink lots of water. I have no energy, and I have lots of dizziness. I hope the bad side effects go away, but I hope the loss of appetite stays because I need to lose about 100 pounds."

• Fir...
• March 23, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "Day 1 - 0500 Morning (fasting) BS 154, injection (effortless) 0.6 dose. No side effects. Day 2 - 0530 BS 206, 0.6 dose. Nauseous all day, diarrhea all night. Day 3 - 0600 BS 168, 0.6 dose. Nauseous, but functional. Dehydrated, tired. Nausea worse by evening, very little to eat during the day. Black licorice (Wiley Wallaby Beans) ONLY thing that helped the nausea. Day 4 - 0600 BS 174, 0.6 dose. Day 5 - 0530 BS 152, 1st day increased dose to 1.2. By 6 pm, had a screaming migraine. Day 6 - 0900 BS 126. Nearly 30 hours straight migraine. Called Dr. said to go back down to the 0.6 dose tomorrow. Day 7 - 0515 BS 164, 0.6 dose, no headache and had enough energy by evening to go for my 30 min walk. Day 8 0600 BS 161 0.6 dose, nausea, diarrhea, lethargy to the max, and xero appetite. Even water tastes terrible. Day 9 - 0600 0.6 dose - Begin 72 hours of EXTREME itching head to toe. Skin feels raw, sunburned, my throat, eyes itchy, swollen. Day 11 - Depression. $300 in unused pens."

• Spa...
• October 27, 2015

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started taking Victoza in February 2015 at the smallest dose, 0.6. My A1C level was over 15. By March, my A1C level went down to 10. By May, my A1C was 8.9, in September, my A1C level was 8.1. Today, October, it is 8.0. I lost a total of 15 lbs from January to now. At the lower dose, I had some nausea and diarrhea that subsided. By June, I was at the highest level of Victoza. This caused serious diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, eggy burping, and severe gas. I got off Victoza, and symptoms went away, but sugars increased. I'm now trying Farxiga, let's hope this med does just as well without side effects. I loved what Victoza did for me, but side effects were too severe. One other note: I also have IBS with diarrhea, which contributed to the severe diarrhea episodes."

• Dis...
• June 5, 2017

For Type 2 Diabetes "I started on Victoza 0.6 for the first two weeks, experiencing some nausea and diarrhea about every 4th day. Week three, upped the dose to 1.2 for the next two weeks, again experiencing the same issues but not quite as bothersome. My appetite is definitely diminished, and at times I will feel queasy before eating. I have lost 7 pounds in the four weeks. My energy level is good, I continue to work out 6 days a week, and my blood sugar readings have dropped significantly. Going into week five (started on 1.8 this a.m.), my morning readings are averaging 127, and that's down significantly from my average of 163 before starting this medication."

• Ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 4, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I was on this medicine for 10 days and had all the side effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, was a big one, back pain, upset stomach, painful urination, and difficulties. I was on this medicine 8 years ago and never had a problem with it. This time it was so horrible having a reaction and not knowing what to do to feel better. The doctor told me it had to run its course and get out of my system, and I would feel better. It took about 3 days when I started to feel better."

• Lee...
• November 25, 2017

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I started Victoza in September 2017 and have lost 40 pounds. I'm thrilled with the weight loss, however, I continue to experience vomiting and diarrhea. Anything with red sauce is a big no for me. Can anyone recommend foods that they find are easy to manage? Any feedback is helpful. Thank you for your time..."

• Sud...
• December 5, 2016

For Type 2 Diabetes "I am on day 3 of Victoza at 0.6 mg and am miserable. Repeated episodes of nausea, vomiting, and watery diarrhea all day. Can hardly get out of bed except to go to the bathroom. We will see if I make it through the night without a repeat, but I am stopping the med. It is not worth it. I did note an immediate decrease in appetite from day one and can see how it would help my weight if side effects weren't so bad."

• RBe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 27, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I was at my wits' end when my PCP prescribed Victoza, and all I can say is, what a game changer. However, the side effects have been horrendous, starting with diarrhea, proceeding into a migraine, and then unbearable nausea. Week one on 0.6 started this way, but had nearly resolved by day 7. When I upped my dose to 1.2, the symptoms started all over again, exact same pattern, only this time the nausea was extreme and led to vomiting on day 8. I’ve had to miss 4 days of work and would have missed more, but I work three 12-hour shifts a week. I finally went back to 0.6 on day 8. Feeling pretty defeated, feeling like I stuck with it, missed work, and suffered all the ill effects for nothing. I was seeing great results, FBGs ~116, even had a BG of 75, but that really didn’t count since it was when I couldn’t hold any food down. Postprandial BGs ~140. This was all without insulin. I do still take 1000 mg of metformin nightly, though."

• cra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 6, 2015

For Type 2 Diabetes "Started Victoza 2 months ago. I was great at first. Got up to 1.8 mg. After 3 weeks, got so sick, ended up in the hospital with 2 bags of saline and anti-puke meds. Told to lower dose then go back up, so I did. And 4 weeks later I'm back to cramping and puking and diarrhea, burps that smell like rotten eggs. The first time this happened, I thought it was because of salad. Tomatoes tasted like rotten fish. Now, come to think of it, the salad and seafood. And this time I just ate seafood again. I guess better not do that anymore. I would love a bullet in the head right now, the pain is horrible. Lost 23 lbs so far. I'm hoping I can hang on for a few more months with no serious effects of it. Getting the gastric bypass..."

• Mir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 1, 2023

For Type 2 Diabetes "This drug is truly a 21st-century miracle for so many people. Like most individuals taking this medication, I am both a Type 2 diabetic and morbidly obese. Whether it's considered a diabetic drug or a weight-loss drug, it fulfills both requirements for me. I restarted this medication about 3.5 months ago because my new insurance covers Victoza at a cost of $20 per month, which is significantly cheaper than the retail price of $1,300. Since restarting, I have lost approximately 30 lbs, and my A1C has dropped an astonishing 4.4 points within a three-month testing period. The results have been absolutely shocking. However, I won't sugarcoat it; the initial side effects were incredibly difficult to endure. The nausea and fluctuation between diarrhea and intense constipation with cramping were almost enough to make me give up. However, something inside me urged me to persevere. By the time I reached the higher dosage of 1.8 mg, which occurred around the 5-week mark (and I even proceeded with the dosage changes at a slower pace than prescribed), the side effects began to diminish. Now, I only experience them when I forget and consume excessive amounts of sugar."

• ali...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 14, 2018

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Victoza. Started at 0.6 for one week, then upped to 1.2 for the last 8 weeks. Combined with metformin and thyroid (NDT). I inject last thing at night. Lost nothing the first week, then 1 lb a day for the first week on the higher dose, then about 1-2 lbs per week (minus a gap of 6 days when I was traveling and forgot to bring it and put on 4 lbs) since then. Lost about 14 lbs in total. Never has this happened to me before, so I am very happy. Seems to have stalled a bit now, so I may need to up the dose. Side effects: craving for orange juice, eating ice cream (neither of which I had before), heartburn (bad), sweating buckets (horrible - dripping down the back of my neck), occasional diarrhea (awful) alternating with constipation (bearable), sleepiness, very mild nausea. All getting better. I'm 65, female, exercise regularly, and eat well (5 years since I have eaten gluten)."

• chi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 23, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "Victoza did lower my numbers, but the side effects were terrible. Acid reflux, nausea, and diarrhea. The reviews and information I read said to put up with the diarrhea (it was green!) for a while to see if your body would get used to it. After 2 weeks, I had to stop the medication. Now it looks like there has been kidney damage, having tests done. If you get diarrhea, don't wait 2 weeks to quit!"

• GAN...
• September 22, 2015

For Type 2 Diabetes "I am on day 4 and had nausea and diarrhea on day one and two. Yesterday was better, but today seems great, hope it stays that way. Lost 3 lbs. Waking numbers have improved, but still aren't where they need to be."

• Sci...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 25, 2017

For Type 2 Diabetes "I am a research scientist and am very knowledgeable on insulin devices and diabetes 1. I got diarrhea a lot and for an extended time 2. About 12% of the pens shipped do not work. Express Scripts refuses to replace defective pens. 3. My A1c levels began to climb linearly as soon as this drug replaced original therapy; i.e., drug failure."

• DDa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 23, 2018

For Type 2 Diabetes "I've started Victoza almost 2 months ago. Was doing well the first few days. Then, about 4 days in, had a bad night of vomiting. Didn't really eat the next day, then it seemed to subside. I don't have any appetite and have been eating mainly veggies and some fruits. Increased to 1.2, and again, about 3 days in, had the vomiting and this time diarrhea. Again, only 1 day, and it went away. Tried increasing to 1.8, but can't handle it. My doctor said to just continue with 1.2 for now. Been good for about 2 weeks until last night. I have been vomiting and really bad diarrhea since about 10:30 pm. It's now 1:30 pm the next day and still diarrhea. I can't even keep water down. I've lost about 20 lbs so far, but this isn't worth it. Not sure I can continue taking this and getting sick..."

• Bar...
• June 17, 2017

For Type 2 Diabetes "Did well on the 1.2 dose, but the 1.8 dose gave me significant side effects, and they are just getting worse. I had to have prescription medication for vomiting. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, indigestion, sore throat, tiredness, diarrhea, dizziness. It has been almost a month at 1.8, and I feel horrible. The side effects outweigh the benefits in my case. I will have to go back to the 1.2 dose and try to increase it by 0.1 every week."

• Bak...
• October 3, 2019

For Type 2 Diabetes "I'm giving this drug a solid 5 because it's really terrible yet really good. It has the worst side effects of anything ever. It has caused some of the worst pain of my life. Mainly I get very severe stomach cramps, nausea, and diarrhea. The other side of this drug is that it's excellent at controlling blood sugar. I take insulin and metformin also, and I don't think they are greatly effective on me. Victoza makes them work. One other benefit is appetite suppression, physically and mentally (if that's a thing). I actually went on this drug first for weight loss. It makes it so that I don't think about food at all. I don't get as hungry either. This naturally helps to lose weight. Those two things are good enough benefits for me to endure the absolutely horrific side effects. A side note: the nausea got better after a couple weeks for me, but I still get cramps and diarrhea."

• Ell...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2023

"I started Victoza 0.6 mg 3 weeks ago. In the first week, the sugar cravings stopped immediately, they are absolutely gone. Bingeing and overeating completely stopped too. I increased it to 1.2 mg the second week, and I had nausea, vomiting, loose stools, constipation, and headaches. In the third week, dosage was increased to 1.8 mg. You feel so full after eating very little that I have cut down portion size by more than half. I have lost 6 lbs so far. I am enduring the side effects, but some days they are intense. I have not done any exercise. I am definitely going to continue taking Victoza. My start weight is 207 lbs, current weight is 200 lbs. I have struggled with diets that give me no results, and this medication is helping me to be healthier."

• Anonymous
• November 28, 2010

For Type 2 Diabetes "I have been on Victoza for a little over two weeks now. This is miracle medicine. My appetite is greatly diminished. I started with 0.6 mg for 2 weeks and then increased my dose to 1.2 mg 3 nights ago. I can only eat a small portion before feeling completely full. My last 2 fasting blood sugars have been in the 70's. I have lost 8 pounds in two weeks. The side effects have been very mild for me. Very little nausea at first, none now. Some diarrhea and cramping though. Not sure if this is due to the Metformin I have been on for about a month now. I would highly recommend this medicine, especially for anyone who wants to lose the weight. So far, the benefits highly outweigh the risks."