So What's the Difference Between Ozempic and Saxenda? The key difference between these two types of weight loss injection is that Ozempic is injected once a week, whereas Saxenda must be administered daily. Ozempic (Semaglutide) acts for longer, which is why it doesn't need to be taken so often.
Both Saxenda and Ozempic are injectable medications used with diet and exercise. Ozempic is intended for people with type 2 diabetes, and Saxenda helps people with overweight or obesity manage weight loss. They are both GLP-1 agonists that help maintain blood sugar levels and curb appetite.
No. Doctors do not recommend you take both medications at the same time. Both Saxenda and Ozempic work to regulate your blood sugar levels and doubling up on this type of medication can lead to complications if your blood sugar drops too low.
Ozempic® is more effective for weight loss and blood sugar improvements than Saxenda®. Studies have also shown that Ozempic® leads to fewer side effects and adverse events than Saxenda® with people tolerating Ozempic® better.
Wegovy® is a more effective drug than Saxenda®. As demonstrated above, semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy®) leads to more clinically significant weight loss and blood sugar reductions than liraglutide (the active ingredient in Saxenda®).
Some of the most effective prescription injectable weight loss medications available include: Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy - these are diabetes drugs originally and now used to treat obesity. Although these injectable drugs can help users lose weight there are some dangers and caveats!
The most common side effects of Saxenda® in adults include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, injection site reaction, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), headache, tiredness (fatigue), dizziness, stomach pain, and change in enzyme (lipase) levels in your blood.
Will Ozempic or Wegovy reduce belly fat? The answer appears to be yes. That Novo Nordisk-funded study of almost 2,000 overweight or obese adults without diabetes also found their visceral fat — the type that accumulates in the belly — was reduced from baseline with semaglutide, along with their total fat mass.
Ozempic for weight loss: which is better? In a clinical trial that compared weekly use of semaglutide 1 mg and 2.4 mg, semaglutide 2.4 mg (the maximum dose of Wegovy) caused more significant weight loss than semaglutide 1 mg (the typical maintenance dose of Ozempic) (Davies, 2021; Singh, 2022).
Mounjaro is a more effective drug than Ozempic. As demonstrated above, tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro) leads to more clinically significant weight loss and blood sugar reductions than semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic).
Ozempic has an average rating of 5.9 out of 10 from a total of 955 ratings on Drugs.com. 44% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 34% reported a negative effect. Saxenda has an average rating of 7.5 out of 10 from a total of 1422 ratings on Drugs.com.
How much is saxenda in Australia in Australia can vary depending on several factors, such as the place of purchase, the form of the medication, and if it is covered by private health insurance. As a general estimate, the cost of a single pen of Saxenda (3 ml) can range from AUD 250 to AUD 400.
Some people start seeing results from Saxenda in the first two to four weeks. You may lose about 2%—4% of your body weight. However, during clinical trials, people taking Saxenda saw a significant weight loss of at least 5% after eight weeks of treatment.
You've hit a plateau
It's normal to eventually hit a point where your weight loss slows down, especially if you're not working on keeping or building up your muscle mass. Losing muscle along with fat slows your metabolism and can slow down your weight loss.
So, on average, with the recommended starting Ozempic dose of 0.25 mg, a 500 to 1000 calorie reduced diet, and exercise 3 times a week, you can expect to lose 3-5 pounds in the first month of treatment, which works out to about 3% of body weight for most overweight or obese individuals.
According to the manufacturer, Saxenda has a list price of $1,349.02 for a 30-day supply. However, the cost of Saxenda varies for each patient depending on insurance plans, assistance programs, and more.
How Long Can You Stay on Ozempic (semaglutide)? A person can stay on Ozempic® so long as they are tolerating the medication and it is deemed appropriate by their treating provider. There is no specific time frame when someone should stop taking Ozempic as it is a medication that is intended for chronic (long-term) use.
Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) can cause side effects that some people are unable to tolerate. Following dosing guidelines can help manage these side effects. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are the most common semaglutide side effects.
Some individuals may actually gain more weight after stopping an obesity drug than they initially lost, Conde-Knape added. Studies have similarly shown weight rebound in people who stop taking Ozempic.
If you don't have diabetes, taking Ozempic for weight loss is considered an off-label use. Wegovy, a higher-dose version of Ozempic, is approved to help people manage their weight. This includes adults and adolescents ages 12 and older who meet certain body mass index (BMI) criteria.
On the PBS, Ozempic costs Australians about $42 a month (four weekly injections). On a private prescription, the cost is about $132 a month.
In a clinical trial of more than 3,000 people with obesity or who had a weight-related medical condition, the majority of participants lost 5–10% of their body weight while on Saxenda. The average weight loss was 12–23 pounds over a 56-week timeframe (FDA, 2020).
Obesity is NOT a 90 day disease
To date, 3 good studies on anti-obesity medications (Belviq, Saxenda and Wegovy) have demonstrated rapid regain once the medication has stopped.
Saxenda comes in a 3ml pre-filled injection pen. When you first start Saxenda, a single pen will last 17 days and the first full pack of five pens will last six weeks. When you take Saxenda you need to gradually increase your dose in 0.6mg intervals, until you reach what is called the maintenance dose at 3mg daily.