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What to do if your next dose of Saxenda is out of stock
Saxenda is a medication that mimics natural ‘hunger hormones’ to decrease appetite and help people lose weight – but at the minute it can be tough to get your hands on regularly. There’s a really high demand for weight loss treatment like Saxenda, and supply is struggling to keep up.
When you’re using Saxenda, it’s really important to stick to a regular schedule – but the current supply issues can throw a wrench in things. If you can’t keep to your regular Saxenda schedule because of stock issues, there are some options available that you can try.
Medically reviewed by
Craig Marsh, Independent Prescriber
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- If your next Saxenda dose is out of stock, it’s advised to stay on your current dose (or move back to your last dose if necessary).
- If no doses are available, you may be able to switch to another treatment – but you’ll need to start from the lowest dose.
- If you miss three or more doses in a row, you’ll need to lower your current dose when you start again.
- If Saxenda isn’t available, you’ll need to swap to a different weight loss medication and start from the lowest dose.
What is the Saxenda dose schedule?
Saxenda is a daily injection – you’ll use it around the same time every day to help you lose weight. When you start using Saxenda, you’ll begin on the lowest dose for the first week of treatment – 0.6 mg. Each week you’ll increase your Saxenda dose by 0.6 mg until you reach the maintenance dose of 3.0 mg on the fifth week of treatment. Then you’ll stick with this 3.0 mg dose for as long as you use Saxenda.
Ideally, your Saxenda dosing schedule will involve taking your current dose of Saxenda every day, with no breaks in treatment. It’s really important you stick to taking Saxenda daily to get the most out of treatment, and to avoid potential side effects.
But sometimes, missing a dose is out of your control. Current stock issues with weight loss medications can make it difficult to get the dose of treatment you need, when you need it. But if you can’t get the right dosage for your Saxenda dose schedule, there are other options. You can remain at your current dose for longer if it’s still available, or reduce your dose if lower doses are in stock. Speak to your clinician about your options, or drop us a message from your account.
Can you split Saxenda doses?
You shouldn’t split your dose of Saxenda – the different increments that your pen can deliver are there so you can slowly increase your dose over multiple weeks. While it might seem like you’re making your medicine last longer by splitting up your doses, the safety and effectiveness of using Saxenda this way hasn’t been tested in clinical trials. You should only use Saxenda exactly as instructed by your clinician to get the most out of your medication, safely.
If you’re running out of Saxenda and the dosage you need isn’t currently in stock – speak to your clinician. They might be able to change your prescription of Saxenda to lower doses, so you can still keep up with taking your medication every day.
What do you do if you miss a dose of Saxenda?
What you should do after missing a Saxenda dose depends on how long has passed since you should have taken it. You can take the forgotten dose as soon as you remember, as long as it’s within 12 hours of when you’d normally take it. If more than 12 hours have passed, then you’ll skip your dose for today and continue as normal the following day.
But if you miss three or more days of Saxenda, you’ll need to speak to your doctor before starting treatment again – you may have to reduce your dose when you restart to avoid any side effects. Never take a double dose of Saxenda to make up for a missed dose, as this can increase your risk of adverse side effects.
If you miss a dose of Saxenda, it can lead to gastrointestinal side effects as your body adjusts to the change in your hunger hormones. You might feel nauseous, constipated, or get diarrhoea or heartburn.
What are the alternatives to Saxenda if it is out of stock?
If all doses of Saxenda are out of stock, speak to your clinician about other weight loss treatment options; they might be able to recommend alternatives to Saxenda. Other weight loss injections aren’t directly interchangeable, if you swap treatments you’ll have to start from the lowest dose again if you’re switching weight loss medications – but it can be worth it if it means there’s more consistent stock available.
However, there are currently stock issues with other weight loss medications too. You should ask your clinician which options are available and suitable for you.
Reference Popover #ref1
Treated trusted source
Novo Nordisk (2023).
Package Leaflet: Information for the patient. Saxenda® 6 mg/ml. EMC.
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