Saxenda (liraglutide) has a
Brand name: Saxenda
Generic name: Liraglutide
Drug class: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist
Dosage forms: Injections
FDA-approved uses: Weight reduction in certain patients
Highlights
- Saxenda is a prescription-only injectable medication used for the treatment of obesity.
- To obtain a prescription for Saxenda online, you’ll first need an in-person or telehealth visit and medical evaluation by a licensed healthcare provider.
- Side effects are common when first starting Saxenda. Your provider will first prescribe a low dose and then slowly increase it to reduce the risk of these side effects.
- Your healthcare provider can help decide if Saxenda or another weight loss medication is right for you, depending on your medical history and goals.
As of 2022,
What Is Saxenda (Liraglutide)
Saxenda belongs to a class of medications called
Who Qualifies for Saxenda for Weight Loss (And Who Shouldn’t Take It)
Saxenda isn’t right for everyone. Generally, Saxenda is recommended for people who have been unsuccessful with achieving or maintaining weight loss through diet and exercise alone and meet the following criteria:
Adults:
- Have a BMI of 30 or higher OR
- Have a BMI of 27 or higher and also have a weight-related health condition such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol
Adolescents:
- 12 years of age or older AND
- Weigh 60 kg or more AND
- Have obesity (BMI of 30 or higher)
Saxenda can cause serious allergic reactions. Do not take Saxenda if you have had a serious allergic reaction to liraglutide or any of the ingredients in Saxenda in the past. In addition, Saxenda also has a black box warning about the risk of thyroid tumors. A
Before prescribing Saxenda, your healthcare provider will consider your medical history, including your family history and medications you’re currently taking. They’ll also discuss your lifestyle and weight loss goals to make sure Saxenda is a good option for you.
How to Get a Saxenda Prescription Online: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Sign Up and Book an Appointment
To get started today, create an account on MEDvidi. You will be asked to fill out basic forms with your health information and answer the initial questionnaire regarding your weight loss goals and specific health aspects. You’ll then be able to schedule an online consultation with a licensed provider. Same-day or next-day appointments are often available.
Step 2: Telehealth Evaluation
You’ll have a video appointment with a healthcare provider licensed in your state, who will evaluate your symptoms, current conditions, medical history, and any medications you’re currently taking. At this time, they can help develop a treatment plan and determine if a prescription for Saxenda is right for you or if you’ll benefit more from another medication or non-medication approach.
Step 3: e-Prescription (If Appropriate)
If your healthcare provider determines that a Saxenda is right for you, they will issue an online prescription and talk with you about how to use the medication and side effects you may experience. They’ll send the prescription to a local pharmacy of your choice. It’s important to follow your prescriber’s instructions for using the medication.
Step 4: Follow-Ups & Refills
As a part of your online weight loss management process at MEDvidi, your provider will request that you schedule follow-up appointments (each is a live video consultation). This will allow them to monitor your response to the chosen weight loss plan. If you are experiencing side effects, they may make adjustments to your treatment plan.
Where to Get Saxenda Online and How to Choose Safely
Telehealth companies, such as MEDvidi, have made it easier to learn if you qualify for weight loss medications like Saxenda and get them prescribed, when appropriate.
However, counterfeit products, unlicensed sellers, and scams have become increasingly common. Weight loss medications obtained online have been repeatedly flagged as one of the highest-risk areas for fraudulent drugs, and Saxenda is specifically named in many of those warnings. If you’re considering obtaining Saxenda online, it’s important to know where your medication is coming from. Counterfeit injectable medications can contain incorrect doses, contaminated ingredients, or no active ingredient at all.
Before using any online platform or pharmacy to obtain a liraglutide prescription, look for all of the
- “No prescription required” claims. Saxenda is a prescription-only medication and is not available without getting a valid prescription from a licensed provider. Any site claiming you can purchase it without a prescription is likely bypassing required medical safeguards.
- Licensed clinician evaluation. A medical consultation with a licensed provider is required, either through an in-person or online visit, before any prescription is issued. You should never receive a prescription without some form of clinical evaluation.
- Transparent prescriber credentials. You should be able to identify who is prescribing your medication, including their name, license type, and the state in which they’re licensed to practice.
- Transparent pricing and no hidden fees. Legitimate services are upfront about consultation costs, prescription fees, and what is and isn’t included in a subscription or membership.
- A defined refill and follow-up policy. Reputable platforms will include ongoing follow-up visits for monitoring and dose adjustments. They will also have a clear process for getting refills after being seen by your provider.
- Clear pharmacy sourcing. Your medication should be dispensed by a licensed U.S. pharmacy. Medications shipped from unverified international sources don’t undergo the same regulatory oversight, so there is no way to confirm the product’s contents, storage conditions, or manufacturing standards. Reputable telehealth platforms will tell you exactly which pharmacy fulfills their prescriptions.
If a website offers to sell you Saxenda or any other injectable GLP-1 medication without requiring a prescription or has a price that is dramatically lower than what U.S. pharmacies charge, it is almost always a warning sign of a counterfeit product, or that it is expired or improperly stored.
If a source makes it too easy to obtain a prescription, skips the medical evaluation, or doesn’t clearly disclose where your medication is coming from, then consider looking into a different source. The risk to your health isn’t worth the potential savings.
What to Expect After Starting Saxenda
Although Saxenda starts working after your first dose, it will take a
Side effects generally begin within the first few days of taking Saxenda. The
After starting Saxenda, you may notice a decrease in your appetite, and some people may start seeing some
It is important to follow up with your healthcare provider while you are taking Saxenda. It’s common to have side effects, especially early on or after a dose increase. Follow-ups give you a chance to talk about symptoms like nausea or stomach upset. You’ll also be able to discuss any challenges you are having with the daily treatment, so a provider can offer tips to help you overcome them. Your provider will typically evaluate the response around 16 weeks to see if the medication is working for you and should be continued. If you haven’t lost
Side Effects, Safety, and Interactions
Side effects when starting Saxenda are common. They may go away over time, but may reappear or temporarily worsen when the dose is increased. Common side effects
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Injection site reactions
- Headaches
- Low blood sugar
- Increased heart rate
- Abdominal pain or discomfort
Serious side effects aren’t common but may happen, they include:
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Gallbladder problems, including gallstones
- Kidney damage
- Low blood sugar
- Thyroid cancer
- Severe allergic reactions
Precautions
There are certain conditions that may make Saxenda not a good choice for you. If you have any of the following conditions, talk with your medical provider before taking Saxenda:
- Taking another medication that is a GLP-1 receptor agonist
- Liver or kidney problems
- Gastroparesis (slowed gastric emptying) or problems digesting food
- History of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Interactions
There are several medications that can interact with Saxenda. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all the medications you are currently taking, including any vitamins or herbal supplements. Because Saxenda can slow down how fast your stomach empties food and medicines, it can also affect how well some medications are absorbed and may make them less effective. Some known drug interactions include:
- GLP-1 receptor agonists, including Ozempic, Trulicity, Byetta, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Victoza, or Bydureon. These work the same way as Saxenda and can increase the risk of side effects.
- Other diabetes medications, such as insulin or sulfonylureas. These can cause your blood sugar to become too low.
Saxenda Cost & Insurance
In general, Saxenda is expensive, though your cost can vary widely depending on your insurance, the pharmacy you choose, and any available discounts.
- Brand-name Saxenda Without Insurance: The price of Saxenda without insurance is approximately $1,349 for a 30-day supply, which includes five 3 mL prefilled injectable pens.
- Generic Liraglutide Without Insurance: The FDA approved the first generic version of Saxenda in August 2025. Generic liraglutide for weight management costs around $1,100 for a 30-day supply without discounts. However, there is a wide range of prices, and available coupons, like the ones from GoodRx, can significantly discount the price even more.
- With Insurance: Costs can vary widely by plan. Not all insurance plans cover Saxenda. If your plan does cover Saxenda, it still may require prior authorization.
If your healthcare provider decides that Saxenda is right for you, it’s important to remember that the cost of the medication is not included in the price of your MEDvidi telehealth visit. If your insurance plan covers Saxenda, MEDvidi may provide prior authorization.
Prior authorization means your insurance provider will want additional information before it agrees to cover Saxenda. Your healthcare provider may need to provide documentation to the insurance company showing that the medication is medically appropriate. This often includes medical history, diagnosis, weight history, and what weight-loss efforts have already been tried. If your request is denied, common next steps include filing an appeal, asking your healthcare provider to submit additional information, or checking whether a different GLP-1 or weight loss medication is covered instead. If the medication is not covered at all, a lower-cost alternative or a different pharmacy may be the most practical next move.
To help save on your Saxenda prescription, there are several options that may help reduce the cost. The manufacturer of Saxenda offers savings cards that may lower the price for certain eligible patients with insurance. Discount programs such as GoodRx or similar pharmacy coupons may reduce the cash price you pay at the pharmacy. Some pharmacies offer membership pricing or preferred-customer programs. In some cases, filling a 90-day supply can sometimes lower your cost. It’s a good idea to compare prices at different pharmacies in your area.
Alternatives to Saxenda for Weight Loss
Saxenda is one of several FDA-approved medications available for weight management. Depending on your medical history and preferences, your healthcare provider may recommend one of the following medications instead:
- Wegovy (semaglutide)
- Zepbound (tirzepatide)
- Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate ER)
- Contrave (naltrexone/bupropion)
- Xenical/Alli (orlistat)
Saxenda is given once daily as an injection into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Alternatives may be a good option if you prefer a weekly or oral option. Your provider may also consider a different medication if you have trouble tolerating Saxenda’s side effects, such as nausea or other GI symptoms, or if you are taking a medication that interacts with Saxenda.
In clinical trials, people taking Saxenda 3 mg lost roughly 8 kg (17 lbs) of their body weight over about a year. However, there are other medications, some of which are more effective:
- People taking Wegovy in trials saw 15% weight loss on average.
- Zepbound, the newest option, showed the highest weight-loss results among approved medications, with average losses of 20-21%.
- Other options, such as
Qsymia[7] , result in an approximately 8% weight loss, whileContrave[8] leads to approximately the same amount of weight loss as Saxenda, about 5-9%. - Orlistat generally produces less weight loss than the other medications, with most people losing around 3-5% of their starting body weight.
Read more: How much weight can you lose in 3 months
Why Choose MEDvidi for Weight Loss Management
If you’re looking for an evidence-based approach to weight loss and weight management, MEDvidi is here to help. We have experienced, licensed healthcare providers in your state who are available to provide a complete evaluation and personalized online weight loss plan. You can book your appointment, often with same-day or next-day appointments available to support you in your weight-loss journey.
FAQs
Is Saxenda still available in the US?
Yes. Saxenda is available in the U.S. and is an FDA-approved prescription medication for chronic weight management.
What is the BMI cut-off for Saxenda?
For adults, the usual BMI cutoff is 30 or higher, or 27 or higher with at least one weight-related condition. It can also be prescribed for some adolescents aged 12 years and older who meet specific criteria.
Who can prescribe Saxenda?
Saxenda can only be prescribed by licensed healthcare professionals, including primary care doctors, obesity medicine specialists, endocrinologists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.
Can I buy Saxenda online?
Yes, you can buy Saxenda online if you have a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.
Is there an over-the-counter Saxenda?
No, Saxenda is not available over the counter.
How to get Saxenda without insurance coverage?
If you do not have insurance coverage, common ways to lower the cost include manufacturer savings programs, discount cards, and pharmacy coupons. Using generic liraglutide and comparing prices at different pharmacies may also help lower the cost.
