Private Saxenda (liraglutide) weight-loss programme in London.
A daily GLP-1 injection, prescribed by a consultant obesity physician, dispensed by an MHRA-licensed UK pharmacy - and an honest word on whether Saxenda or a newer weekly GLP-1 will serve you better.
Indicative pricing
What a private Saxenda programme costs in London.
Indicative ranges across UK private providers and UK pharmacies.
In short
£180–£300, delivered cold-chain to your door.
| Item | Indicative range | Typical duration | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial consultation with obesity physician | £150–£250 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
| Month 1 - 0.6 → 1.2 mg starter pens | £180–£220 | Daily pen | Home delivery |
| Months 2–3 - titration to 3.0 mg | £200–£260 | Daily pen | Home delivery |
| Maintenance - 3.0 mg daily (per month) | £240–£300 | Daily pen | Home delivery |
| Dietitian add-on (per session) | £80–£150 | 45–60 min | Same week |
| Body-composition DEXA scan | £200–£300 | 15–20 min | 48 hours |
Prices vary by clinic, by the consultant, by dose stage, and by whether you add a dietitian or DEXA scan.
The problem
The right GLP-1, the right dose, from a UK pharmacy you can name.
Weight-loss injection prescribing has become noisy. We keep three things clear: whether Saxenda is the right drug for you, where the pens actually come from, and what the taper looks like when you stop.
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Semaglutide did not suit?
Nausea, reflux or plateau on Wegovy is common. A slower daily Saxenda titration often works where a weekly injection did not.
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Want to know it is the real thing?
Every pen dispensed by a named GPhC, MHRA-licensed UK pharmacy. No grey-market vials, no compounded liraglutide, no cold-chain gambles.
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Happy with a daily pen?
A daily rhythm gives steadier drug levels, easier day-to-day dose changes and a simpler pause if you become unwell.
When it helps
When Saxenda is the right step.
The clinical situations we see most, plus the one red flag that means a diagnostic workup before anyone reaches for a GLP-1.
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BMI 30 or above
The core NICE and MHRA indication for a GLP-1 weight-loss programme when lifestyle change alone has not delivered.
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BMI 27 or above with a comorbidity
Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea or established cardiovascular disease.
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Semaglutide-intolerant
Persistent nausea, vomiting or reflux on weekly semaglutide - a slower daily titration on Saxenda is often better tolerated.
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Semaglutide or tirzepatide unavailable
Global supply of the weekly GLP-1s remains patchy - Saxenda is licensed, in stock and clinically robust.
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Prefer a daily pen and daily control
Some patients simply prefer a daily rhythm to a weekly injection - steadier drug levels, easier to pause if unwell.
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PCOS-related weight
Insulin-resistant weight gain in PCOS often responds well to GLP-1 therapy alongside metformin and lifestyle work.
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Pre-bariatric optimisation
Losing weight before bariatric surgery reduces operative risk and improves outcomes - Saxenda is well suited to this window.
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Red flag: rapid unexplained loss
Unintentional weight loss - especially with night sweats, blood in stool, dysphagia - needs a diagnostic workup first, not a GLP-1.
Dosing and use
Every daily Saxenda dose is the same drug - how you use it matters.
What each stage of a Saxenda programme actually involves - and how to make the pen fit into a real week.
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0.6 mg starter dose
The starting dose for week 1. Deliberately sub-therapeutic - it lets the gut acclimatise to GLP-1 receptor activation before the dose climbs.
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Weekly step-up - 1.2, 1.8, 2.4, 3.0 mg
One 0.6 mg increment a week over four weeks. Slower titration is fine and often better tolerated - the schedule bends to you, not the other way around.
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Maintenance - 3.0 mg daily
The licensed weight-loss dose. Below 3.0 mg the SCALE trial efficacy signal drops away sharply - we do not settle patients on a sub-therapeutic dose.
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Injection technique
Subcutaneous, into the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. Rotate sites daily to avoid lipohypertrophy. New needle every dose.
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Storage and travel
Fridge (2–8 °C) until first use, then up to 30 days at room temperature. Cool bag with ice packs for flights - never checked-in luggage, always cabin.
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Switching to or from semaglutide
Wash-out is not usually needed. We plan a cross-titration that respects your last dose and your tolerance profile - done properly, the switch is uneventful.
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When to stop
On tapering: step down 0.6 mg per week rather than a hard stop.
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When Saxenda beats a weekly GLP-1
Slower daily titration for the nausea-sensitive, breastfeeding-cleared use in some clinical scenarios, easier day-to-day dose adjustment, and steady availability.
Safety and side effects
What to expect on Saxenda - honestly.
Liraglutide has been prescribed for weight management since 2015 and its safety profile is well understood. The things worth planning are early nausea, the rare-but-serious risks, and the medications it interacts with.
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Nausea - the commonest side effect
Reported in around 40% of patients, often worse than with weekly semaglutide. Slow titration, smaller meals and staying hydrated get most people through it.
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Vomiting
Around 15% early in titration. Ondansetron short-term can help. Persistent vomiting means we hold the dose and reassess.
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Constipation or diarrhoea
GLP-1s slow gastric emptying and shift bowel habit. Fibre, fluids and, occasionally, a laxative or loperamide short-term are enough for most.
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Gallstones with rapid weight loss
Any rapid weight loss raises gallstone risk. Right-upper-quadrant pain after fatty meals warrants an ultrasound rather than pushing through.
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Pancreatitis - rare but serious
A rare class effect. Severe, persistent upper-abdominal pain radiating to the back means stop Saxenda and attend A&E for lipase and imaging.
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MTC and MEN2 - absolute contraindication
Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 rules Saxenda out. We ask before we prescribe.
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Hypoglycaemia risk with insulin or sulfonylurea
Saxenda on its own rarely causes hypos, but combined with insulin or a sulfonylurea it can.
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Pregnancy - contraindicated
Stop Saxenda if pregnancy is planned or confirmed. Reliable contraception during treatment is expected - we discuss this at screening.
Reading your Saxenda plan
Your plan in four parts. Read the last one first.
The written plan your consultant sends after screening keeps to the same shape, every time.
A quiet reminder
Clinical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the plan before you start, just ask.
- 01 Intake
Screening summary and eligibility
Your BMI, comorbidities, medications, contraindications reviewed, and why Saxenda - rather than a weekly GLP-1 - is the right fit for you.
- 02 Plan
Dose ladder chosen
The exact titration schedule - start date, step-up dates, whether we are moving weekly or slower, and what the maintenance dose will be.
- 03 Monitoring
Monitoring plan
Weight, waist, blood pressure, HbA1c, lipids, liver function and any diabetes medication changes - measured, dated and shared with you.
- 04 Off-ramp
When to switch or stop
Read this first: the criteria for switching to a weekly GLP-1, the taper for coming off, and the plan for keeping the loss once you stop.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Weight-loss medication is usually self-pay on UK private insurance - most policies exclude obesity-drug prescriptions.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about Saxenda.
Quick answers on dose, side effects, expected weight loss, cost and switching to a weekly GLP-1.
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What is Saxenda?
Saxenda is the brand name for liraglutide 3.0 mg, a once-a-day subcutaneous GLP-1 receptor agonist licensed by the MHRA and EMA for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above with a weight-related comorbidity. It has been on the UK market since 2015 and sits in the same drug class as semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro).
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How does Saxenda differ from Wegovy or Mounjaro?
Saxenda is a daily injection at a maximum 3.0 mg dose. Wegovy (semaglutide) is a weekly injection at 2.4 mg. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a weekly dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist and produces the largest average weight loss in head-to-head data. Saxenda’s advantages are its longer safety track record, the option of a slower daily titration for nausea-sensitive patients, easier day-to-day dose adjustment and steadier UK supply.
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Is Saxenda available on the NHS?
Rarely, in 2026. NICE TA664 permits liraglutide 3.0 mg within specialist Tier 3 weight-management services under specific criteria, but most Tier 3 services now prefer semaglutide or tirzepatide. A small number of NHS services still offer Saxenda - access is postcode-dependent and waits are long. Private prescription remains the practical route for most patients.
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How much weight will I lose on Saxenda?
The pivotal SCALE trial (NEJM, 2015) showed an average weight loss of around 8% of body weight at 56 weeks on Saxenda 3.0 mg plus lifestyle change, versus around 2.6% on placebo. Roughly 63% of patients lost at least 5% of body weight, and about 33% lost 10% or more. Individual results vary - adherence, diet, sleep and activity all move the number.
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What are the side effects?
The commonest are nausea (around 40%), vomiting (around 15%), diarrhoea and constipation, usually worst in the first few weeks of titration and settling with time. Rarer but serious risks include acute pancreatitis, gallstones with rapid weight loss, and hypoglycaemia when combined with insulin or a sulfonylurea. Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2 is an absolute contraindication.
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Can I switch to a weekly GLP-1 later?
Yes. Many patients start on Saxenda for its slower titration or because a weekly GLP-1 is not available, then move across to semaglutide or tirzepatide once tolerance is established. A wash-out period is not usually needed - we plan a cross-titration that respects your last Saxenda dose and your side-effect profile.
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