Victoza Not Working? The Checklist, in Order
Results vary a lot by person. In SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes, the average loss on liraglutide 3.0 mg daily was 7.4% over 56 weeks, against 3% on placebo. If you have lost little after several months on your full dose, talk to your prescriber.
- Average loss, top dose
- 7.4%
- On placebo
- 3%
- Trial length
- 56 weeks
- Trial
- SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes
A quick look at Victoza
The half-life is about 13 hours, so half clears by 13 h. After five half-lives, that is 2.7 d, only about 3% remains.
In LEAD-3, people with type 2 diabetes lost 2.5 kg over 52 weeks, compared with 1.1 kg on placebo.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed).
Victoza not working: the numbers first
Victoza tests focused mainly on blood sugar. The weight trials involved Saxenda, which contains the same medicine but uses a higher dose.
| Trial | Dose group | Average weight lost | Placebo or comparison | Weeks | Who was in it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes | Liraglutide 3.0 mg daily | 7.4% | 3% | 56 | Adults who have obesity or are overweight, and do not have type 2 diabetes |
Source: SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (FDA label (DailyMed)).
What makes it stall and what helps
- See where you stand in the dose steps. In every trial listed above, lower doses led to less weight loss.
- Add up the doses you missed or took late over the past month.
- Keep a record of what you eat and drink for a few days. When portions decrease, calories from liquids and grazing build up.
- Include protein at every meal and continue strength exercise, so most weight loss comes from fat.
- Check your sleep and stress, since both change appetite.
- Check with your pharmacist whether any of your other medicines can cause weight gain.
- Raise two things with your prescriber: thyroid or blood sugar testing, and switching medicines if months go by with no progress.
In the trials, how many people stopped?
| Trial | Dose group | What happened | Drug | Placebo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes | All doses, label pool | Stopped for side effects | 9.8% | Not listed |
Source: SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (FDA label (DailyMed)).