Liraglutide Injection [ Victoza ] 2Pens

Price range: £250.00 through £265.00

Victoza is a brand-name prescription medication that’s used to:

improve blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It’s approved for this use in adults and in children ages 10 years and older.
reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. It’s approved for this use in adults who have both type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

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What is this medication?

Liraglutide Injection [ Victoza ] 2Pens. Victoza [ LIRAGLUTIDE (LIR a GLOO tide) treats type 2 diabetes. It may also be used to prevent a stroke or heart attack in people with diabetes. It works by increasing insulin levels in your body, which decreases your blood sugar (glucose). Changes to diet and exercise are often combined with this medication.

This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions. Buy victoza online

COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Victoza

What should I tell my care team before I take this medication? Victoza

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

Endocrine tumors (MEN 2) or if someone in your family had these tumors
Gallbladder disease
High cholesterol
History of pancreatitis
Kidney disease or if you are on dialysis
Liver disease
Previous swelling of the tongue, face, or lips with difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, or tightening of the throat
Stomach problems
Substance use disorder
Thyroid cancer or if someone in your family had thyroid cancer
An unusual or allergic reaction to liraglutide, other medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives
Pregnant or trying to get pregnant
Breast-feeding

How should I use this medication?

This medication is for injection under the skin of your upper leg, stomach area, or upper arm. You will be taught how to prepare and give this medication. Use exactly as directed. Take your medication at regular intervals. Do not take it more often than directed.

It is important that you put your used needles and syringes in a special sharps container. Do not put them in a trash can. If you do not have a sharps container, call your pharmacist or care team to get one.

A special MedGuide will be given to you by the pharmacist with each prescription and refill. Be sure to read this information carefully each time.

This medication comes with INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE. Ask your pharmacist for directions on how to use this medication. Read the information carefully. Talk to your pharmacist or care team if you have questions.

Talk to your care team regarding the use of this medication in children. While this medication may be prescribed for children as young as 10 years of age, precautions do apply.

Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.

NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

What may interact with this medication?

Alcohol containing beverages
Antiviral medications for HIV or AIDS
Aspirin and aspirin-like medications
Beta-blockers like atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol
Certain medications for blood pressure, heart disease, irregular heart beat
Chromium
Clonidine
Diuretics
Female hormones, such as estrogens or progestins, birth control pills
Fenofibrate
Gemfibrozil
Guanethidine
Isoniazid
Lanreotide
Male hormones or anabolic steroids
MAOIs like Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate
Medications for weight loss
Medications for allergies, asthma, cold, or cough
Medications for depression, anxiety, or psychotic disturbances
Niacin
Nicotine
NSAIDs, medications for pain and inflammation, like ibuprofen or naproxen
Octreotide
Other medications for diabetes, like glyburide, glipizide, or glimepiride
Pasireotide
Pentamidine
Phenytoin
Probenecid
Quinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin
Reserpine
Some herbal dietary supplements
Steroid medications such as prednisone or cortisone
Sulfamethoxazole; trimethoprim
Thyroid hormones

This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.

What should I watch for while using this medication?

Visit your care team for regular checks on your progress.

Drink plenty of fluids while taking this medication. Check with your care team if you get an attack of severe diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. The loss of too much body fluid can make it dangerous for you to take this medication.

A test called the HbA1C (A1C) will be monitored. This is a simple blood test. It measures your blood sugar control over the last 2 to 3 months. You will receive this test every 3 to 6 months.

Learn how to check your blood sugar. Learn the symptoms of low and high blood sugar and how to manage them.

Always carry a quick-source of sugar with you in case you have symptoms of low blood sugar. Examples include hard sugar candy or glucose tablets. Make sure others know that you can choke if you eat or drink when you develop serious symptoms of low blood sugar, such as seizures or unconsciousness. They must get medical help at once.

Tell your care team if you have high blood sugar. You might need to change the dose of your medication. If you are sick or exercising more than usual, you might need to change the dose of your medication.

Do not skip meals. Ask your care team if you should avoid alcohol. Many nonprescription cough and cold products contain sugar or alcohol. These can affect blood sugar.

Pens should never be shared. Even if the needle is changed, sharing may result in passing of viruses like hepatitis or HIV.

Wear a medical ID bracelet or chain, and carry a card that describes your disease and details of your medication and dosage times.

What side effects may I notice from receiving this medication?

Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:

Allergic reactions or angioedema—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, arms, or legs, trouble swallowing or breathing
Gallbladder problems—severe stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, fever
Kidney injury—decrease in the amount of urine, swelling of the ankles, hands, or feet
Pancreatitis—severe stomach pain that spreads to your back or gets worse after eating or when touched, fever, nausea, vomiting
Thyroid cancer—new mass or lump in the neck, pain or trouble swallowing, trouble breathing, hoarseness

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):

Constipation
Loss of Appetite
Nausea
Upset stomach

This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Where should I keep my medication?

Keep out of the reach of children and pets.

Store unopened pen in a refrigerator between 2 and 8 degrees C (36 and 46 degrees F). Do not freeze or use if the medication has been frozen. Protect from light and excessive heat. After you first use the pen, it can be stored at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F) or in a refrigerator. Throw away your used pen after 30 days or after the expiration date, whichever comes first.

Do not store your pen with the needle attached. If the needle is left on, medication may leak from the pen.

NOTE: This sheet is a summary. It may not cover all possible information. If you have questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider.

What is Victoza?

Victoza is a brand-name prescription medication that’s used to:

improve blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It’s approved for this use in adults and in children ages 10 years and older.
reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. It’s approved for this use in adults who have both type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Victoza contains the active drug liraglutide. It belongs to a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists (GLP-1).

Victoza comes as a liquid solution in a multi-dose, prefilled pen. Each Victoza pen holds a total of 18 mg of liraglutide in 3 mL of solution. You’ll use the pen to self-inject Victoza under your skin (called a subcutaneous injection).

Effectiveness for type 2 diabetes

Victoza has been found effective in improving blood sugar levels in adults and children with type 2 diabetes. For details on the effectiveness of Victoza, see the “Victoza uses” section below.

FDA approval

Victoza was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2010 for use in adults with type 2 diabetes.

In June 2019, the FDA approved Victoza for use in children ages 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes. Victoza is the first non-insulin drug to be approved since 2010 for use in children with this condition.

Victoza generic

Victoza is available only as a brand-name medication. It’s not currently available in generic form.

Victoza contains the active ingredient liraglutide.

Victoza side effects

Victoza can cause mild or serious side effects. The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur while taking Victoza. These lists do not include all possible side effects.

For more information on the possible side effects of Victoza, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can give you tips on how to deal with any side effects that may be bothersome.

Note: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks side effects of drugs they’ve approved. If you would like to report to the FDA a side effect you’ve had with Victoza, you can do so through MedWatch.

More common side effects

The more common side effects of Victoza can include:

headache
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
constipation
indigestion
loss of appetite
hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which is more common in children than in adults

Most of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects from Victoza aren’t common, but they can occur. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:

Gallbladder disease. Symptoms can include:
- pain in your belly
- nausea
- vomiting
- fever
- diarrhea
- jaundice (yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes)
Kidney problems, which may be caused by dehydration. Symptoms can include:
- urinating less often than usual
- swelling in your feet and lower legs
- drowsiness
- confusion
- shortness of breath
- nausea

Other serious side effects, which are discussed in detail below, include:

pancreatitis (inflammation in your pancreas)
severe allergic reaction
possible risk of thyroid cancer*

* Victoza has a boxed warningTrusted Source from the FDA regarding the possible risk of thyroid cancer in humans. A boxed warning is the strongest warning the FDA requires. It alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.

Side effect details

You may wonder how often certain side effects occur with this drugor whether certain side effects pertain to it. Here’s some detail on several of the side effects this drug may or may not cause.

Allergic reaction

As with most drugs, some people can have an allergic reaction after taking Victoza. It’s not known how many people taking Victoza have had an allergic reaction to the drug. Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include:

skin rash
itchiness
flushing (warmth and redness in your skin)

A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include:

swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
swelling of your tongue, mouth, or throat
trouble breathing or speaking

Call your doctor right away if you have a severe allergic reaction to Victoza. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis (inflammation in your pancreas) is a possible side effect of Victoza. This condition occurred in people taking the drug during clinical studies.

In clinical studies, 2.7 cases of pancreatitis occurred out of every 1,000 people taking Victoza for 1 year. Out of every 1,000 people taking glimepiride (a different diabetes drug that’s taken by mouth) for 1 year, 0.5 cases of pancreatitis occurred.

There have also been cases of pancreatitis in post-marketing reports of Victoza. These cases of the condition were reported after Victoza was made available to the public.

However, it’s not usually possible to determine if a drug caused the condition seen in post-marketing reports. It’s also not possible to know how common the condition is in people taking the drug.

When you take Victoza, your doctor will monitor you for symptoms of pancreatitis. These symptoms may include:

severe pain that wraps around your upper belly (stomach pain) and your back
upset stomach
nausea
vomiting
bloating
fever

It’s not known if you’ll have a higher risk of pancreatitis while you’re taking Victoza if you’ve had pancreatitis in the past.

If you have any symptoms of pancreatitis while taking Victoza, tell your doctor right away. They will likely stop Victoza treatment to help treat your pancreatitis. It’s recommended that you don’t restart Victoza treatment after you’ve had pancreatitis.

Nausea

You may have nausea while you’re taking Victoza. It’s one of the most common side effects of the drug. In clinical studies, 18% to 20% of people who took Victoza had nausea. Of those who took a placebo (treatment with no active drug), 5% had nausea.

Nausea can also be a symptom of more serious side effects of Victoza, such as pancreatitis or gallbladder disease.

If you have nausea while you’re taking Victoza, tell your doctor. They will recommend ways to reduce this side effect. They’ll also determine whether your nausea is related to more serious side effects.

Diarrhea

Some people have diarrhea while taking Victoza. This is a common side effect of the drug. In clinical studies, 10% to 12% of people who took Victoza had diarrhea. Of people who took a placebo (treatment with no active drug), 4% had diarrhea.

If you have diarrhea while you’re taking Victoza, tell your doctor. They will recommend ways to reduce this side effect. They will also recommend ways to prevent dehydration (low fluid level), which can lead to more serious problems, such as kidney damage.

Constipation

It’s possible to feel constipated while you’re using Victoza. In clinical studies, 5% of people who took Victoza had constipation. Of people who took a placebo (treatment with no active drug), 1% had constipation.

If you have constipation while you’re taking Victoza, tell your doctor. They will recommend ways to help you keep your bowel movements regular in timing.

Cancer

Cancer was not reported as a side effect of Victoza in clinical studies. However, animal studies of the drug found an increased risk of thyroid cancer. (See the section below called “Thyroid cancer” for more details.)A clinical studythat included more than 9,000 people looked at the risk of neoplasms (abnormal growths, including cancer) in people taking Victoza. People with type 2 diabetes who had risk of cardiovascular problems were studied.

In this study, people took either Victoza or a placebo (treatment with no active drug) for 3.5 to 5 years. The researchers didn’t find an increased risk of cancer in people taking Victoza compared to people taking the placebo. However, more studies are needed to confirm these results.

If you’ve ever had cancer or you have a family history of cancer, talk with your doctor. They can discuss whether Victoza is safe for you.

Thyroid cancer

In animal studies, Victoza was found to cause thyroid tumors (abnormal growths) and thyroid cancer. It’s not known if Victoza causes thyroid tumors or thyroid cancer in humans.

Because of this potential risk, Victoza has a boxed warning. Trusted Source for increased risk of thyroid tumors. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.

However, in clinical studies, the rate of papillary thyroid cancer (the most common type of thyroid cancer) was 1.5 cases for every 1,000 people taking Victoza for a year. Of those taking either a placebo (treatment with no active drug) or a different diabetes drug, the rate was 0.5 cases for every 1,000 people taking the drug or placebo for a year.

There have also been cases of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) in post-marketing reports. (This means these cases were reported after Victoza was made available to the public.)

However, it’s typically not possible to determine whether a drug caused the condition seen in post-marketing reports. It’s also not possible to know how common this type of cancer is in people using the drug.

Because of these reports, you shouldn’t take Victoza if you or any of your family members have had MTC. You also shouldn’t take Victoza if you have a condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). This syndrome is a hormone-related condition that may increase your risk of thyroid cancer if you take Victoza.

Tell your doctor if you have any unusual symptoms that may be related to thyroid tumors or thyroid cancer. Symptoms of these conditions may include:

a lump or swollen area in your throat
hoarseness in your voice
trouble swallowing
shortness of breath

If you’d like to know more about the possible risk of thyroid cancer while using Victoza, talk with your doctor.

Headache

You may have headaches while you’re taking Victoza. This is one of the most common side effects of the drug. In clinical studies, 10% to 11% of people who took Victoza had headaches. Of people who took a placebo (treatment with no active drug), 7% had headaches.

If you have headaches while you’re taking Victoza, talk with your doctor. They can recommend ways to help reduce this side effect.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is a possible side effect of Victoza. In clinical studies, there were 7.5 cases of severe hypoglycemia for every 1,000 people taking Victoza for 1 year. The hypoglycemia that occurred required help from another person to treat.

Of the people affected, 87.5% of them were taking Victoza in combination with a sulfonylurea (a class of diabetes drugs that are taken by mouth). Examples of sulfonylurea drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl) and glipizide (Glucotrol).

People who took Victoza also had hypoglycemia events that they were able to treat themselves. In clinical studies, the number of hypoglycemia events for each person who took the following drugs for 1 year were:

3.6 events in people taking Victoza and metformin (compared to 2.5 events in those taking a placebo and metformin)
7.5 events in people taking Victoza and glimepiride (compared to 2.6 events in those taking a placebo and glimepiride)
7.9 events in people taking Victoza, metformin, and rosiglitazone (compared to 4.6 events in those taking a placebo, metformin, and rosiglitazone)
27.4 events in people taking Victoza, metformin, and glimepiride (compared to 16.7 events in those taking a placebo, metformin, and glimepiride)

Note: A placebo is a treatment that doesn’t contain any active drug.

Symptoms of hypoglycemia can include:

shakiness
dizziness
confusion
sweating
anxiety
fast heart rate
headache

If you have symptoms of hypoglycemia, check your blood sugar level right away. If you don’t have a blood glucose (sugar) meter and aren’t able to check your level, you should treat yourself for hypoglycemia anyway.

Treating hypoglycemia

You can treat mild or moderate hypoglycemia by eating or drinking things that have at least 15 grams of glucose in them. Examples of these items include:

half a cup of fruit juice, such as orange juice
half a cup of non-diet soda
3 or 4 glucose tablets (you can purchase these from your pharmacy)
1 tablespoon of sugar or honey

After you’ve had something to eat or drink, check your blood sugar level again in 15 minutes. If the level is still low, you may need to consume more glucose.

If your hypoglycemia is more severe and you need assistance, tell people who are around that you need help or call 911. Don’t try to drive yourself to the emergency room.

Liver side effects

It’s possible to have liver side effects while you’re taking Victoza. Post-marketing reports showed that some people who took Victoza have had hepatitis (inflammation in their liver). Post-marketing reports show cases of side effects that happened after the drug was made available to the public.

There have also been post-marketing reports of people taking Victoza who had high levels of liver enzymes (certain proteins made in your liver). High levels of liver enzymes are often a sign of liver damage.

However, it’s typically not possible to determine whether a drug caused a side effect seen in post-marketing reports. It’s also not possible to know how common a side effect may be in people taking the drug.

Symptoms of liver problems include:

nausea
diarrhea
loss of appetite
fatigue (lack of energy)
jaundice (yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes)
fluid buildup in your belly and legs

If you have symptoms of liver problems while taking Victoza, tell your doctor. They can order tests and recommend medical treatment if needed.

Skin rash

You may have skin rashes while you’re using Victoza.

In clinical studies, about 2% of people who took Victoza had a rash near the area of their Victoza injection site (called an injection site reaction). However, less than 0.2% of people who took Victoza stopped treatment because of injection site reactions.

Skin rash may also be a symptom of an allergic reaction to Victoza. See the “Allergic reaction” section above for more information.

If you have a rash while you’re taking Victoza, tell your doctor right away. If you have a rash along with other symptoms, such as trouble breathing or swelling of your tongue, lips, or throat, call 911 and get medical help right away. These could be signs of a severe allergic reaction.

Gastroparesis (not a side effect)

Gastroparesis was not reported as a side effect of Victoza during clinical studies. With this condition, your stomach empties very slowly as it moves food through your digestive tract.

Although it hasn’t been shown to cause gastroparesis, Victoza can worsen the condition in people who already have it. Victoza works to improve your blood sugar levels by slowing the action of your stomach muscles. This causes food to move more slowly through your gastrointestinal system than it usually does. So if you already have gastroparesis, Victoza could worsen your condition.

If you have gastroparesis or problems digesting food, talk with your doctor. They’ll advise whether it’s safe for you to take Victoza.

Side effects in children

During clinical studies, side effects of Victoza were similar in both children and adults. However, children had higher rates of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) than adults did.

In a 26-week clinical study, children with type 2 diabetes took Victoza and metformin. Some of the children also took a long-acting insulin.

In this study, 21.2% of the children had hypoglycemia episodes. This rate can be described as 335 hypoglycemia events for every 1,000 children who took Victoza for 1 year. None of the hypoglycemia episodes were considered severe enough to need another person to help treat the children.

However, if you care for a child who takes Victoza, be prepared to recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia and treat the condition. (See the “Hypoglycemia” section above.) Treating hypoglycemia right away can help prevent a medical emergency.