Weight loss medications like Saxenda (liraglutide) have been game-changers for patients struggling with their weight. Some patients on Saxenda are as young as 10 years old, which speaks to America’s obesity epidemic. It's no wonder that 1 in 8 people in the U.S. have taken medications like Saxenda. Chances are, you’ve used Saxenda yourself or know someone in the Metroplex who has taken Saxenda.

Even though Saxenda has helped many adults and minors, their success isn’t the whole story. People have come forward with unfortunate experiences on Saxenda and other weight loss injectables. Some of these patients developed serious, life-threatening medical issues affecting their gastrointestinal system that required surgery and other kinds of emergency treatment.

If you were diagnosed with severe gastrointestinal health problems after taking Saxenda or a similar prescription GLP-1 drug, our lawyers serving Dallas-Fort Worth can help you file a lawsuit. The Saxenda attorneys of Bursor & Fisher, P.A. can discuss your eligibility for compensation in a free consultation.


 

About Saxenda (Liraglutide)

Saxenda is the brand name of an injectable liraglutide medication developed to treat obesity. It is manufactured by Novo Nordisk.

Saxenda received FDA approval for chronic weight management in 2014. In 2020, the FDA approved the use of Saxenda for treating obesity in children as young as 12 years old.

Novo Nordisk also makes Victoza, an injectable liraglutide used to treat type 2 diabetes in patients as young as 10 years old.

How Saxenda and Other Liraglutides Work

Saxenda is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1, or sometimes GLP-1 RA).

GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and feelings of satiety. GLP-1 agonists mimic this hormone, which improves blood sugar levels, slows the movement of food from the stomach into the small intestine during digestion, and helps people feel satiated.

To put this another way and using simpler terms, Saxenda lowers blood sugar and helps patients feel fuller for longer periods of the day. When you lack feelings of hunger, that means less snacking and overeating. Reduced calorie consumption every day will lead to weight loss over time.

What Drugs Are Similar to Saxenda?

Even though doctors have prescribed Saxenda to patients for many years, it doesn’t have the same name recognition as Ozempic. Consequently, many people still use the term “Ozempic” as a convenient catch-all for various GLP-1 agonists.

Regardless of which term gets used, Saxenda functions much the same way as Ozempic and other tirzepatide, semaglutide, and dulaglutide medications on the market.

People in the Dallas-Fort Worth area may recognize these other popular brand names for modern weight loss drugs that are in high demand:

  • Ozempic (semaglutide from Novo Nordisk)
  • Rybelsus (semaglutide from Novo Nordisk)
  • Wegovy (semaglutide from Novo Nordisk)
  • Mounjaro (tirzepatide from Eli Lilly and Company)
  • Zepbound (tirzepatide from Eli Lilly and Company)
  • Victoza (liraglutide from Novo Nordisk)
  • Trulicity (dulaglutide from Eli Lilly and Company)

Bursor & Fisher, P.A. can represent Dallas-Fort Worth Saxenda patients in lawsuits if they took any of the medications listed above and were diagnosed with major complications that affected their gastrointestinal health.

Common Side Effects of Saxenda

It’s common for Saxenda patients to experience mild and temporary side effects when initially taking the drug. These minor side effects include a lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, fatigue, and dizziness.

These common Saxenda side effects can be mildly disruptive to daily routines. However, they are considered normal while on Saxenda and are generally tolerable to most patients.

How Long Do These Common Saxenda Side Effects Last?

Generally two to six weeks, though results may vary from patient to patient.

In many cases, these minor side effects are common when patients start using liraglutide injections. The side effects typically subside over time as the patient gets used to taking the medication and their body adjusts to the dosage.

If the mild side effects of Saxenda persist for a long period of time or get worse, it’s important to consult your doctor about the best course of action.

Serious Health Complications Linked to Saxenda

Some Dallas-Fort Worth Saxenda patients have experienced serious side effects and medical complications even though they took their liraglutide injections as directed. Some of the health issues linked to the use of GLP-1 drugs and dual GIP/GLP-1 medications include pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, kidney disease, heart palpitations, and gastrointestinal health problems.

When discussing Saxenda with a doctor, patients are encouraged to share their medical history in detail, including any past health issues or a family history of certain medical problems.

Gastrointestinal Health Problems Linked to Saxenda Use

In addition to a heightened risk of pancreatitis and gallstones highlighted above, Saxenda patients have also suffered from the following serious gastrointestinal issues:

  • Severe and Prolonged Vomiting – While nausea and some vomiting are normal side effects when taking Saxenda, some patients vomit several times a day for two weeks or more. Frequent bouts of vomiting can cause severe dehydration, malnutrition, irritation and injury to the esophagus, acidic erosion of the tooth enamel, and tooth loss.
  • Stomach Paralysis (Gastroparesis) – Stomach paralysis is a condition in which the nerves and muscles of the stomach do not push food into the small intestine for further digestion. If gastroparesis is not treated, it could contribute to malnutrition, dehydration, the formation of a bezoar (a solid mass inside the stomach), and a host of other health problems.
  • Intestinal Obstruction – An intestinal obstruction is a blockage in the small intestine or part of the large intestine. Intestinal obstructions prevent food from traveling through a person’s GI tract for digestion and excretion. If an intestinal obstruction is not treated, it could cause death of the surrounding intestinal tissue and infection of the abdominal cavity (peritonitis).
  • Bowel Obstruction – Bowel obstructions are intestinal blockages that affect the large intestine and colon. Like obstructions of the small intestine, an untreated blockage in the bowel could lead to tissue death, peritonitis, or sepsis.

If you are concerned that you could experience one of the GI health problems above after taking Saxenda, you need to speak with your doctor about your medical care options.

In extreme cases of intestinal obstruction and bowel blockage, the Saxenda patient may require the use of an ileostomy bag or a colostomy bag for the rest of their life. Additionally, these gastrointestinal conditions could be fatal if patients do not receive proper medical attention.

How Common Are These Serious Health Issues from Saxenda Use?

Thankfully, the gastrointestinal complications listed above are rare. Many patients who have been prescribed liraglutide have not required hospitalization or medical treatment to address the side effects they’ve experienced while on a GLP-1.

That said, many GLP-1 patients in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have experienced serious gastrointestinal problems from taking drugs like Saxenda. Even Metroplex patients who carefully followed their doctor’s orders came down with these severe GI health issues.

The team at Bursor & Fisher, P.A. is here to provide legal information and support to these people who’ve been adversely affected by taking liraglutide and similar diabetes and weight loss medications as directed.

Symptoms and Warning Signs of Serious Gastrointestinal Complications

If you have concerns about the severe GI health complications that we’ve noted above, there are numerous warning signs of these conditions that you should be aware of. Here are the most common symptoms of the major gastrointestinal problems associated with Saxenda use:

  • Frequent nausea
  • Excessive vomiting
  • Acid reflux (GERD)
  • Severe abdominal discomfort
  • Bloating or swelling of the abdomen
  • Loss of appetite
  • Lack of bowel movements

What to Do If You Experience Gastrointestinal Complications from Saxenda Use

If you or a family member has experienced any of the symptoms listed above, seek immediate medical attention. Do not delay. As we’ve noted, severe complications affecting the GI tract could prove fatal if they are not dealt with in a timely manner.

 

After you’ve received medical attention, you will likely have questions about seeking legal compensation from Novo Nordisk. When you’ve recovered and are well enough to do so, we encourage you to contact our Saxenda lawsuit attorneys serving Dallas-Fort Worth for a free consultation.

Can I File a Lawsuit for GI Problems Related to Saxenda Use?

Yes. If your gastrointestinal health was negatively affected after taking Saxenda, you can potentially file a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk.

While Novo Nordisk includes warning labels about common side effects of their prescription weight loss injections, the language on the label may not have provided adequate warnings about severe health risks such as stomach paralysis, intestinal blockages, bowel obstruction, or frequent and excessive vomiting.

Had patients or their parents been sufficiently warned about the possibility and severity of these rare complications, they might not have taken Saxenda in the first place.

Who Is Eligible to File a Saxenda Lawsuit in Dallas-Fort Worth?

You may qualify for a liraglutide lawsuit if you were prescribed Saxenda and suffered serious health complications as a result. However, the presence of certain medical conditions, past surgical procedures, or other health factors could block you from seeking compensation through legal action.

It’s important to speak with our Dallas-Fort Worth Saxenda lawsuit lawyers as soon as possible. Our experienced team of attorneys can discuss what happened to you, the severity of your medical condition, and determine if you are eligible to seek compensation from Novo Nordisk in a legal action.

How Much Can I Win If I File a Saxenda Lawsuit?

This will vary from patient to patient and depends on a variety of factors. The total amount of damages you could receive will be unique to your experiences while taking Saxenda and your subsequent medical problems. Because of the variables involved,  our lawyers cannot provide an estimate of damages without first reviewing your case.

As part of the free case evaluation, our tirzepatide lawsuit attorneys can discuss the physical harm, lasting difficulties, and financial losses you experienced from taking Saxenda and what that could mean for the value of your legal claim.

Why Choose Bursor & Fisher, P.A. for Your Saxenda Lawsuit

The attorneys of Bursor & Fisher, P.A. are nationwide leaders in complex, high-stakes litigation. Since 2008, our law firm has secured numerous multi-million dollar verdicts in large lawsuits. This includes a $267 million jury verdict against a debt collector who was found to have violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

With law offices in Miami, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area, our firm has represented more than 160 million people in legal actions—that’s roughly 1 in every 2 Americans.

In addition to offering free case evaluations, Bursor & Fisher, P.A. operates on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t pay our attorneys anything unless we can recover money for you.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Saxenda Attorney?

At Bursor & Fisher, P.A., it costs clients nothing upfront to get their cases evaluated by our Saxenda attorneys.

In addition to offering free case reviews, our law firm also operates on a contingency fee basis. In other words, you don’t pay our Saxenda lawyers anything unless and until we win.

Put simply: you pay our law firm nothing unless we secure compensation for you.

How Can I Learn More About Filing a Saxenda Lawsuit in Dallas-Fort Worth?

If you or someone you know was diagnosed with a serious gastrointestinal complication after taking Saxenda, you’re not alone. The team at Bursor & Fisher, P.A. is here to help. Contact our Saxenda lawsuit lawyers serving Dallas-Fort Worth to discuss your legal options. Our Saxenda attorneys can discuss the details of your GI problems and lasting health issues as part of a free case review.

Bursor & Fisher, P.A. is not a medical provider. The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered a substitute for, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

 

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