Victoza® (Liraglutide)
Victoza is FDA-approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and is commonly used off-label for weight loss in combination with a healthy, low-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
How does it work?
Victoza is a GLP-1 receptor agonist which mimics a hormone naturally produced by the body that slows digestion and affects areas in the brain that regulate appetite.
How to take your medication
The dose should be increased gradually according to the following schedule to minimize side effects. Take Victoza around the same time each day with or without meals. The Victoza dosing schedule is as follows: Week 1: 0.6mg daily, Week 2: 1.2mg daily, Week 3: 1.8mg daily.
- Instructional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS39qXij-Jg
- Additional information and medication storage: https://www.victoza.com/getting-started-on-victoza-/your-first-injection.html
- You will receive a separate prescription for needles to be used with the pen. Use a new needle for each dose.
- Injection should be under the skin of your stomach, thigh, or back of the upper arm (not into muscle or a vein).
- After injecting, wait 6 seconds before removing the needle to ensure complete administration of the medication.
Missed doses
- If you miss your daily dose of Victoza, take your next dose as usual on the following day.
- Do not take an extra dose of Victoza or increase your dose on the following day to make up for your missed dose.
- If you miss your dose of Victoza for 3 days or more, please contact your medical clinician.
Common side effects
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Heartburn
- Increased heart rate
Rare but serious side effects include gallbladder disease (e.g. cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, presents as pain in the right upper side of the abdomen) and pancreatitis (presents as severe pain in the upper middle part of the abdomen).
If you experience any severe abdominal pain please STOP the medication immediately and notify your medical clinician.
While on this medication
- Notify your medical clinician before starting any new medication.
- Discuss any bothersome side effects with your medical clinician. It may be recommended to try a lower dose rather than stopping it entirely.
- Do NOT use this medication if you are pregnant, may be pregnant, are breastfeeding, or have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2A/2B syndrome.
- Before a procedure/surgery where you are going to be sedated, stop Victoza 24 hours prior (or as directed by your medical clinician).
How much weight can I expect to lose?
Individual weight loss outcomes will vary. If after 16 weeks you have not lost at least 4% of your starting weight then it may be recommended to stop the medication.
See the “ Managing Gastrointestinal Side Effects of GLP-1” resource to learn more about managing Victoza side effects.
Safe Disposal of Needles and Pens
To protect yourself and others, always dispose of used needles, pen needles, and other sharps in an approved sharps container. Do not throw sharps in the trash, recycling bin, or flush them down the toilet.
Allowable Sharps Containers Include:
- FDA-cleared sharps containers (available at most pharmacies or online)
- A heavy-duty plastic container, such as a laundry detergent bottle, that:
- Has a tight-fitting, puncture-resistant lid
- Is leak-resistant and labeled clearly as “Sharps – Do Not Recycle”
When your container is full, follow your local community guidelines for proper disposal. You can often return it to a pharmacy, medical provider, or community drop-off site. Visit www.safeneedledisposal.org for information specific to your area.
Victoza® is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk, A/S.