Medicated injections cost £45 per week for the first 4 weeks of treatment, and £65 per week thereafter. These injections are provided in 4 weekly instalments when you have your review consultation with your pharmacist.

If you have booked in for an initial consultation, this can take up to 30 minutes. If you have booked in for a follow-up appointment, these usually take less than 15 minutes. If you are using the Saxenda service, you will need to book an appointment to see your pharmacist once every 4 weeks to check your progress and receive your new supply of medication. 

The most common side effects that can be experienced with the treatments are gastrointestinal disturbances. Saxenda can cause nausea, constipation, diarrhoea and vomiting. However, there are ways to reduce your risk of side effects and your pharmacist will discuss these with you in your consultation.

For a full list of side effects, read the Patient Information Leaflet that will be provided with your treatment, or speak to your pharmacist.

Being overweight can lead to serious health implications and potentially life-threatening conditions, including coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer. It can also cause debilitating issues in your day-to-day life, such as breathlessness, increased sweating, joint pain, snoring, and feeling very tired.

If you’re not sure of your BMI, you can check it using the NHS BMI calculator here https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/bmi-calculator/

Exercise 

Exercise can help you burn calories by being active. The food you eat is stored in your body as fat to use as energy, which is used up when you exercise. If you use up less energy than you take in, this fat builds up causing you to gain weight. Exercise can also help prevent some medical conditions, like diabetes.

Useful links - https://www.truthaboutweight.global/gb/en/break-free.html

https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/

Diet 

Healthy eating is very important when managing your weight. Some top tips include aiming for 2 or more portions of veg in your main meal, eating a portion of fish at least twice a week, keeping carbohydrates to wholegrain and no more than a third of your meal, and choosing small amounts of low fat spreads. It is also important to stay hydrated – drink 6 to 8 cups of fluid a day – this includes water, tea, coffee, and even soup!

Useful links - https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/eight-tips-for-healthy-eating/

Surgery 

Usually as a last resort, surgery is for people who have been unable to lose weight with other treatment methods. Options include a gastric band, which is fitted around your stomach and makes you feel fuller from smaller amounts of food, a gastric bypass, where your small intestine is attached to your stomach and fewer calories are absorbed from food, also making you feel fuller from smaller amounts of food, and a sleeve gastrectomy, where part of your stomach is removed which makes the amount of food you can eat smaller. Surgery will recommended by your doctor if they think it will be safe and beneficial for you, but it is not suitable for everyone.

Saxenda is a brand of medicated injection that you administer yourself once daily. There is a hormone in your body called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that helps to regulate your hunger. Saxenda works by mimicking this which can lead to eating less and losing weight. It should be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity

If after consultation with your pharmacist, Saxenda is the most suitable option for you, you will be provided with the following equipment free of charge:

• Disposable needles
• Clinical waste bins
• Handy travel wallet
• Patient support pack including useful information and resources