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Does Saxenda Come in Pill Form?

If you hate needles you may think Saxenda injections aren't for you, but what if there was a pill form? Our experts explain the alternatives
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If you’re a little squeamish about needles, you’ve probably had second thoughts about asking your healthcare team about Saxenda injections.

It’s natural, needle phobias are totally normal as is just not wanting to inject yourself once a day, but what if you think you could benefit from weight loss injections?

Well, we might have the answer for you right here, so keep reading if you want to know whether Saxenda comes in pill form and if there are any alternatives you could consider instead.

Can I get a Saxenda pill?


At the time of writing, there is no Saxenda pill available and injection is the only way to take this medication.

If you don’t like needles this probably isn’t what you wanted to hear, but it isn’t all bad news.

After all, there are lots of medications on the market and there may be another option that works for you, and some of them may be closer to Saxenda than you’ve realised…

Is Wegovy available in pill form?


Wegovy is the latest weight loss injection to be licensed in the UK and it works in a similar way to Saxenda.

This is because they’re in the same group of medications, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists.

Now, Wegovy is obviously an injection, but the active ingredient in Wegovy, Semaglutide, is also available in tablet form.

At the moment, Semaglutide pills aren’t licensed for weight loss, but as Wegovy has been licensed, some prescribers may consider prescribing the tablet form to suitable patients who just don’t get on with needles.

Of course, this type of off-label prescribing only happens when a prescriber is confident enough in their belief that the benefits of a medication will outweigh the potential risks the patient may face.

With that in mind, the best thing to do would be to ask your prescriber about Semaglutide tablets.

They may not prescribe them for you, but starting a dialogue is a good way to learn more about your options and any other support your healthcare team could provide.

Is Victoza available in pill form?


Victoza is another medication that uses Liraglutide as the active ingredient, but it’s used to treat type 2 diabetes, rather than weight loss.

Victoza is also available in injection form only, which is why there isn’t an alternative form of Saxenda a medical professional could recommend.

Generally speaking, this isn’t always the worst news for type 2 diabetes patients, as they often get used to needles during regular blood sugar testing, but that still doesn’t make it the nicest way to take your medication in the world.

Why can I get Semaglutide in pill form, but not Liraglutide?


So, Semaglutide and Liraglutide are in the same group of medications, but why can you get one as a tablet and not the other?

The simplest answer is that the scientists who develop these drugs haven’t developed a tablet form of Liraglutide yet.

Maybe this is something we’ll see in the future, but at the moment it’s difficult to know the ins and outs if you’re not in that field.

It could be that Liraglutide just isn’t effective or suitable when taken as a pill, or that creating a formula is trickier than we, as laypersons, would realise.

Either way, if there’s ever any news about this, our team will be here to break the news and keep you in the loop.

Are all GLP-1 receptor agonists available in injection only?


The majority of GLP-1 receptor agonists are only available in injectable form, so if you’re not crazy about needles you may struggle to find one that works for you.

However, there is one of the group that is available in tablet form, which we mentioned earlier.

Semaglutide is available in tablet form, but this is only available as a treatment for type 2 diabetes at the moment.

If you’re considering speaking to your prescriber about taking this type of medication for weight loss, you’re more than likely going to be limited to an injectable medication, so you may want to look into different types of weight loss medication, such as Orlistat.

Is there anything I can do about my needle phobia?


If you have a phobia of needles (also known as trypanophobia), you may want to consider confronting this fear, especially in a post-COVID-19 world where vaccinations have become more important than ever.

It’s easy for an outsider to say “just face your fear”, but this is much more difficult in practice.

We recommend speaking to your GP for advice instead, they can recommend treatment or refer you to mental health services, which specialise in treating phobias using talking therapies and self-help plans.

Phobias are different for everyone, so no two treatment plans will be the same.

If you ever find that you need immediate help with your mental health, Mind has a list of resources available that could provide immediate help or just someone to talk to.

So in conclusion, there isn’t a pill form of Saxenda, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of options.

Whether you decide to consider another weight loss treatment, work on your dislike of needles, or try to make more lifestyle changes to help with your weight loss journey, you may find something that works for you.

If you’d like to learn more about other medications or how your diet and exercise contribute to weight loss, our range of advice pieces has a little something for everyone.

Here are a few we think you’ll find interesting.

Content Written By

Laura Henderson

Laura Henderson

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

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Content Written By

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