Victoza (liraglutide) for obesity: thoughts on weight management, diabetes, and quality of life

You won't want to overeat on Victoza. It lessens your appetite.

My doctor talked about Symlin but thought I might do better with Victoza, maybe because I seem to also be insulin resistant. I've been Type 1 for over 30 years. It is recommended that T2s try Byetta or Metformin or other such meds before Victoza, but since I'm Type 1, he didn't think those would be good options for me. My insurance will only cover Victoza for the benefits other than apettite suppressant so we had to show it helped my blood sugar and go through an appeals process and explain why I hadn't tried other options and why the doctor thought Victoza was a good choice for me even though I'm not Type 2 before the insurance would cover it.

I get stuffed after like 12 carbs. So....carb limitation happens on its own...YAY! I just had 4oz cottage cheese and 1/2 peach and I'm stuffed! Thanks Victoza!

Thank you for the advice on taking the Victoza in the morning! We did it this morning for the first time and she is feeling great! So far so good! I think we might have to up the dose though because the last couple of days it doesn’t seem like it’s lowering her blood sugar as much. We will try the morning for a few days to see if she does good with it in school and then we will begin to increase the dose again.

And that would be more carb than I can eat in a day. I'm never stuffed, but I'm not hungry, either. It just seems like people could seriously try limiting carbs first for a month or two before tackling a questionable medication. I'm not suggesting this is easy, but craving sweets is a result of eating sweets, in my experience. (I consider cottage cheese and peaches as a sweet.) If the weight loss isn't sustainable, then what's the point? I'm guessing Dr. Bernstein's patients who use Victoza are also on a low carb diet, and I wonder if that helps. For simplification, just put me in the "sceptical" column.

That is waaaay lower in carbs than diabetic nutritionists recommend for a meal. You are extremely judgmental.

Maybe so. I have observed too many of my dear T2 friends and relatives suffer needlessly because they were given pills and a diet that couldn't possibly work for them and were left on their own. I don't judge them, but I do judge a system that sets people up for failure and I haven't seen any evidence that Victoza is different.

1 Like

It sounds like 12g of carb rather than 12 carbs.

Yes it was 12 grams of carbs. What would 12 carbs be? I am a type 1 on an insulin pump. We are here to support each other not judge. Victoza is not just for weight loss. It has helped me reduce my basal by 35%. I am on a medically supervised weight program with my endocrinologist, psychologist and nutritionist. Everyone is different metabolically.

Hello Cosumme,
It's not that it's unnecessary. The topic is fundamentally focused on collecting thoughts about Victoza and weight management, so as to present them at the FDA meeting Sept. 11:
1) Do you struggle with your weight? Do you believe more weight management medications are needed? What would you tell the FDA about the challenges of losing weight?
2) If you have used Victoza, what effect has it had on your diabetes? On your weight? On your quality of life?

12 carbs? 180 grams. I figured if you were stuffed with that small amount, you probably meant 12g. :)

The only side effect I had was mild nausea, but after a week or so I figured out I didn't get nauseous unless I took Victoza within a certain amount of time before eating. Taking it in the mid-afternoon solved that.

My goodness! That's a lot! I'd be in a sleep coma, and so sick. Thanks for the clarification.

Don't include my comments, Manny. I'm afraid this is just one more thing that will eventually lead diabetics down a wrong path, but that's a personal opinion that has no relevance here.

Hi Manny,

I've struggled with weight since I was a toddler - basically my entire life. Victoza has finally allowed me to do the work that I need to do... the intention and effort was always there but I would always 'sabotage' my own efforts and felt like it was nearly impossible to control.

I've been on Victoza for about 2.5 months and have lost about 25 pounds. I've been working very hard - keeping a very controlled dietary and exercise schedule, so I chalk most of the weightloss up to my own efforts - but the massive difference is that this time, with Victoza's help, I was able to stick with it. It has definitely been a miracle of sorts, and provided I keep going as I am, I expect it to be life changing.

In fact, my appetite is so reduced that I have to be very concious of getting enough food so I don't go into starvation mode... it's an effort to get above 1,000 calories a day. This is bizzarre to me (in a good way)... it's a problem I've never had in my lifetime. I'm only on 1.2 mg and have been thinking of reducing my dose.

However I'm greatly concerned that they're considering increasing the approved maximum dose to 3.0 mg. I don't believe the benefit - even to obese people who need weight loss - outweighs the risks of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer associated with higher doses. I personally won't go over 1.2, even if it were to accelerate my weight loss.

I agree! 1.8 is fine for my weight loss and insulin reduction. I also have to consciously count calories to ensure I get enough nutrition. I might add I had gastric bypass and lost almost 250 lbs. I have gained some back because I was SO HUNGRY. The Victoza makes me feel once again like my bypass is brand new. I am full after a few bites. I don't see why anyone would need more than 1.8. (Of course there would be exceptions). Please ask to make 3.0 the exception and not the normal dose. Not only is this risky but even the climb to 1.8 took me a month and a half. My quality of life was compromised for about 3 months before it was vastly improved.

My daughter is still only on the .6 dose and she is struggling to eat enough food as well. Victoza has been life changing for her between the weight loss and the lower blood sugar! I do not plan on moving her dose up for awhile as she is doing so well at the .6. She is already down 13 lbs in just 6 weeks…She also feels in control of her eating for the first time!

I'm wondering how long all of you have been taking Victoza and it still be as effective for you. I think I'm going on 3 years now, and it just doesn't seem to work as well as it did during the first 12-18 months.

I've been on Victoza since June 2014.

1) I've struggled with weight my whole life. I do think that people with diabetes have a unique challenge in managing our weight.

2) Victoza has made a big impact. It has decreased my insulin needs and my weight. I have lost about 10 lbs. since June, and this is with moderate exercise and absolutely no calorie counting. I'm sure if I was more strict with eating and exercising my weight loss would have been even more significant. Victoza has definitely helped decrease my appetite and my desire to eat as much and as often. I recently went off Victoza for a couple of days because of some issues getting the refill, and my hunger skyrocketed. I felt like I needed to eat twice as much to feel satiated. When I have calorie counted in the past or tried to eat more protein, I still always felt hungry. But now on Victoza, I feel like I can cut back on my calories and not have any problems with hunger. I feel like my hunger is normal hunger, instead of crazy ravenous hunger. I don't feel like I'm controlled by food and hunger as much as I was before. I think Victoza naturally decreases my calorie intake, but I'm sure if I was even more cognizant about what I eat every day, my weight would drop even more. It's something I'm considering doing to really take advantage of the benefits of being on Victoza.

One more thing... I started off at 1.2 in June, but at end of July I went up to 1.8. I have not considered increasing but I might if I feel the effects are going away. But right now 1.8 seems very effective.

This is, of course, on top of the stellar effects on my blood sugar. Happy to answer any other questions.

Thanks for sharing your experience, Allison!!!