Explore the natural remedies on how to avoid nausea on saxenda.
What is Saxenda?
Saxenda is an injectable pen for weight loss, used once daily. Its active ingredient is liraglutide and is similar to a natural hormone called GLP-1 receptors that our body releases from the intestine after a meal. It is a prescription medication in Australia.
Liraglutide (Saxenda) works by communicating to the brain to control appetite. The Saxenda pen is injected in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. The common side effects include nausea, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation and mild injection site reactions. It is important to recognise that to effectively lose weight, a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity is also needed.
Saxenda and Nausea
Nausea has been proven to be the most experienced side effect of saxenda, affecting 39% of Saxenda users. The medicine is designed to delay gastric emptying which can contribute to nausea progressing to vomiting. About 6% of individuals who experience nausea stop taking saxenda.
The dose is gradually increased weekly from 0.6 mg to maximum 3.0mg weekly. This is to avoid nausea however each person is different and some may experience it at lower doses too. This is usually mild and should lessen as you continue and gradually increase the dose.
Natural ways to avoid nausea
Foods
Individuals should avoid eating large meals and instead smaller amounts of food more frequently. Spicy, rich or greasy foods can worsen nausea and feelings of reflux and avoiding them can help in limiting nausea. Eating bland, low fat food like crackers, toast and rice and eating small snacks or meals during the day would be ideal to avoid nausea symptoms.
Drinks
Drinking plenty of water and small sips of teas such as ginger or peppermint can help calm the digestive tract and help treat nausea and vomiting. Staying hydrated will help reduce or completely avoid nausea.
General
Individuals should avoid lying down after eating to help digest food more easily. Avoiding strong aromas and smells can also help. Further more walking outdoors to get fresh air can help with nausea symptoms.
People can change the time of the day or the place where they inject Saxenda to help with side effects such as nausea. Wearing loose clothing can help as tight clothing can squish the stomach causing the symptom to occur.
Extreme nausea can be triggered by various factors, such as underlying medical conditions or interactions with other medications when using Saxenda. It may also stem from a mild allergic reaction to Saxenda.
Talk to a doctor
If the nausea becomes bothersome or severe and the above strategies do not help, it is important to discuss the symptoms with your health care professional.
