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[GLP-1 · Saxenda · FDA label guide]

Saxenda (liraglutide) dose schedule, titration chart and side effects

Novo Nordisk · Once daily injection · Label reviewed as of

Short answer: Per the FDA label, Saxenda starts at 0.6 mg once daily for week 1, then rises weekly: 1.2 mg in week 2, 1.8 mg in week 3, 2.4 mg in week 4, and 3 mg daily from week 5 onward. For adults, 3 mg is the label's recommended dose; the lower doses are for titration only (2.2, Table 1).

Per label section 1, Saxenda is used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term in adults and pediatric patients aged 12 and older with body weight above 60 kg and obesity, and in adults with overweight plus at least one weight-related condition. This page summarizes the current FDA prescribing information (revised 6/2026). It is not personalized medical advice; your prescriber sets your dose.

What is the Saxenda dose schedule?

The label's dosing schedule (label section 2.2, Table 1):

Dosing schedule as written in the FDA label (label section 2.2, Table 1).
PeriodDoseLabel note
Week 10.6 mg once dailyStarting dose; the label says lower dosages are for titration only in adults
Week 21.2 mg once daily
Week 31.8 mg once daily
Week 42.4 mg once daily
Week 5 and onward3 mg once dailyRecommended (and maximum) dose

Maintenance: For adults, the label's recommended dosage is 3 mg once daily; the lower dosages are for titration only, and the label says to discontinue Saxenda if an adult cannot tolerate 3 mg (2.2).

  • Adults: if an increased dose is not tolerated during escalation, the label says to consider delaying escalation by approximately one additional week (2.2).
  • Adults: the label says to evaluate body weight change 16 weeks after starting and to discontinue if at least 4% of baseline body weight has not been lost (2.2).
  • Adults with type 2 diabetes: the label calls for monitoring blood glucose before starting and during treatment (2.2).
  • Pediatric patients 12 years and older use the same Table 1 escalation; the recommended maintenance dosage is 3 mg daily, which may be reduced to 2.4 mg daily if 3 mg is not tolerated, and Saxenda is discontinued if 2.4 mg is not tolerated (2.2).
  • Pediatric patients: if an increased dose is not tolerated during escalation, the dose may be lowered to the previous level, and escalation may take up to 8 weeks (2.2).
  • Pediatric patients: the label says to evaluate BMI after 12 weeks on the maintenance dose and discontinue if BMI has not fallen by at least 1% from baseline (2.2).

What does the Saxenda titration calendar look like?

Below is the label schedule laid out week by week, using the earliest timing the label allows. The label lets prescribers stay at a step longer, so a real calendar is often slower. The blank columns are for your own record.

Saxenda titration calendar from the label schedule (label section 2.2, Table 1). Not a personalized plan.
WeekLabel doseDateSite / timeWeightNotes
Week 10.6 mg once daily
Week 21.2 mg once daily
Week 31.8 mg once daily
Week 42.4 mg once daily
Week 53 mg once daily
Week 63 mg once daily
Week 73 mg once daily
Week 83 mg once daily
Week 93 mg once daily
Week 103 mg once daily
Week 113 mg once daily
Week 123 mg once daily
Week 133 mg once daily
Week 143 mg once daily
Week 153 mg once daily
Week 163 mg once daily
Week 173 mg once daily
Week 183 mg once daily
Week 193 mg once daily
Week 203 mg once daily

Printing this page prints the schedule and calendar without the site navigation.

What strengths does Saxenda come in, and how many doses are in each pen?

Saxenda pen presentations (label section 3; 11; 16).
ProductWhat it deliversPack sizesContents
Saxenda prefilled pen (single-patient-use, multi-dose)Dial-a-dose: 0.6 mg, 1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, 2.4 mg, or 3 mg per injectionCartons of 3 pens or 5 pens18 mg liraglutide in 3 mL (6 mg/mL)
  • One pen strength covers every step of the schedule; the dose is selected on the pen (3; Instructions for Use).
  • The Instructions for Use state that pen needles are not included with the pen.
  • Before first use the label lists refrigerated storage at 36–46°F (2–8°C); after first use a pen can be kept for 30 days at 59–86°F (15–30°C) or in a refrigerator (16).

What are the most common Saxenda side effects?

The label reports these rates from placebo-controlled trials (label section 6.1, Table 2). Percentages are the share of trial participants who reported each reaction.

Adverse reactions in ≥2% of Saxenda-treated adults and more often than placebo, five placebo-controlled trials (label Table 2).
Adverse reactionPlacebo (N=1941)Saxenda (N=3384)
Nausea13.8%39.3%
Diarrhea9.9%20.9%
Constipation8.5%19.4%
Vomiting3.9%15.7%
Injection site reaction10.5%13.9%
Headache12.6%13.6%
Hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes (blood glucose <54 mg/dL; Study 2 only)6.6%12.6%
Dyspepsia2.7%9.6%
Fatigue4.6%7.5%
Dizziness5%6.9%
Abdominal pain3.1%5.4%
Increased lipase2.2%5.3%
Upper abdominal pain2.7%5.1%
Gastroenteritis3.2%4.7%
Gastroesophageal reflux disease1.7%4.7%
Abdominal distension3%4.5%
Eructation0.2%4.5%
Urinary tract infection3.1%4.3%
Flatulence2.5%4%
Viral gastroenteritis1.6%2.8%
Insomnia1.7%2.4%
Dry mouth1%2.3%
Asthenia0.8%2.1%
Anxiety1.6%2%

When do they happen? The label reports that the percentage of adults reporting nausea declined as treatment continued, and that asthenia, fatigue, malaise, dysgeusia and dizziness were mainly reported within the first 12 weeks, often alongside GI events (6.1). In the adult trials, 9.8% on Saxenda vs 4.3% on placebo stopped treatment because of adverse reactions (6.1).

The label also carries warnings that are not in this table (for example, a boxed warning or pancreatitis and gallbladder warnings where applicable). Read the full label linked under Sources, and report side effects to your prescriber.

What if you miss a dose of Saxenda?

Per the label, a missed dose is not made up: the once-daily regimen resumes with the next scheduled dose, with no extra or increased dose. If more than 3 days have passed since the last dose, the label says to restart at 0.6 mg daily and follow the Table 1 escalation again. (label section 2.1) The full walk-through is on the Saxenda missed-dose page.

How is Saxenda taken?

The label describes a subcutaneous injection once daily at any time of day, without regard to the timing of meals, in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. No dosage adjustment is needed if the injection site or timing changes, and sites are rotated within the same region. (label section 2.1)

What should you track on Saxenda?

A simple log makes each titration step easier to talk through with your prescriber. These are the things worth writing down, and how Dose Track handles them:

  • Dose and date. Each injection with its amount, so the titration steps above line up with what you actually took. Dose Track keeps the full history of every dose change.
  • Injection site. The label lists the abdomen, thigh and upper arm. Dose Track records the site with each shot so rotation is easy to follow.
  • Weight. Logged by hand or synced from Apple Health or Android Health Connect, and charted alongside your dose changes.
  • Side effects. A note of what you felt and when, so you can see whether it settles after a dose step and bring the record to your prescriber.
  • Reminders. A daily reminder at the time you choose.

Your log stays on your phone. See GLP-1 tracking in Dose Track for the full feature list.

Missed a dose of Saxenda?What the label says, by how late you are Storage and pens left out of the fridgeFridge, room-temperature limits, travel How long Saxenda, Victoza and Trulicity stay in your systemHalf-life and washout from the label Liraglutide compound guideHalf-life, pen strength and tracking Half-life calculatorEstimate levels after your last dose Injection site rotationWhy it matters and how to map it GLP-1 tracking in Dose TrackDoses, titration, weight and sites

Saxenda questions people ask

What's the highest dose of Saxenda?+
The label lists 3 mg once daily as both the recommended adult dosage and the top step of the escalation schedule (2.2, Table 1). The pen dials up to 3 mg per injection (3). For adults, the label says to discontinue Saxenda if 3 mg cannot be tolerated; pediatric patients who do not tolerate 3 mg may have their maintenance dose reduced to 2.4 mg daily (2.2).
How long does it take for Saxenda to work?+
The label's checkpoint for adults is 16 weeks: weight change is evaluated then, and Saxenda is discontinued if at least 4% of baseline body weight has not been lost (2.2). The three adult efficacy trials measured results at week 56; in Study 1, mean weight change was -7.4% with Saxenda vs -3% with placebo (14.1, Table 4). For pediatric patients, BMI is evaluated after 12 weeks on the maintenance dose (2.2).
Can you skip the 0.6 mg starter dose of Saxenda?+
The label's schedule starts every patient at 0.6 mg daily for one week and then escalates weekly per Table 1 to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal adverse reactions (2.2). The label also says lower dosages are for titration only in adults. This is general label information, not personalized advice; any change to the schedule is a decision for the prescriber.
What time of day should you take Saxenda?+
The label says Saxenda is injected once daily at any time of day (2.1). It also states that no dosage adjustment is needed if the timing of the injection changes (2.1). The label does not name a preferred time of day.
Do you take Saxenda with food?+
Per the label, Saxenda is injected once daily without regard to the timing of meals, so food timing does not change how it is given (2.1). The label pairs Saxenda with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity (1, 2.1).
How many weeks is the Saxenda titration?+
In the label's Table 1, the escalation runs four weeks (0.6, 1.2, 1.8, then 2.4 mg) and reaches 3 mg in week 5 (2.2). For adults who do not tolerate an increase, the label says escalation may be delayed by about one additional week. For pediatric patients, the label says escalation may take up to 8 weeks (2.2).
What doses does one Saxenda pen deliver?+
The label describes a single 3 mL prefilled pen containing 6 mg/mL (18 mg liraglutide) that delivers doses of 0.6 mg, 1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, 2.4 mg, or 3 mg (3, 11). It comes in cartons of 3 or 5 pens (16). After first use, a pen can be kept for 30 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator (16).
Is Saxenda the same as Victoza?+
Both contain liraglutide. The Saxenda label notes that liraglutide 1.8 mg (Victoza) is used to treat type 2 diabetes in adults and that efficacy of liraglutide below 3 mg daily has not been established for weight reduction (6.1). The label also says Saxenda should not be combined with other liraglutide products or other GLP-1 receptor agonists (1).

Sources

Reviewed as of . Section numbers above refer to the FDA prescribing information.

  1. Saxenda (liraglutide) injection — FDA label, DailyMed (revised 6/2026)
  2. Drugs@FDA — NDA 206321 (Saxenda) approval history

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