Saxenda injection tutorials on TikTok: what doctors get right and wrong

What did @dr.blondieperes actually say?

The creator walked through a step-by-step Saxenda (liraglutide) injection tutorial, covering storage, needle attachment, dose dialling, injection site, technique, and post-injection steps. She stated the starting dose is "0.6," that it should be injected "subcutaneously," and that users should count to six before removing the pen. She also noted BMI eligibility and the daily injection schedule.

The tutorial is aimed at patients who have already been prescribed Saxenda, which is a reasonable framing. She is identified as a doctor and the video is tagged accordingly. The content is broadly instructional rather than promotional, and she explicitly states the medication should be "re-prescribed" (meaning prescribed by a doctor), which is an important safeguard that many social media tutorials skip entirely.

Some transcription errors exist in the source text, likely from auto-captions, but cross-referencing with the visual context and known Saxenda guidance makes the intended meaning reasonably clear.

Does the science back this up?

Most of what she describes aligns with the Novo Nordisk Saxenda prescribing information and peer-reviewed liraglutide literature. The starting dose of 0.6 mg daily, the subcutaneous injection route, the abdominal injection site, and refrigerated storage are all consistent with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved label for Saxenda.

The BMI threshold she cites (over 35) is partially correct but incomplete. The SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes trial (Pi-Sunyer et al., 2015, New England Journal of Medicine) and EMA approval criteria allow Saxenda use at BMI 30 or above as a standalone criterion, and at BMI 27 or above when at least one weight-related comorbidity is present, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidaemia. Stating the threshold is "over 35" without qualification could leave eligible patients thinking they do not qualify.

The instruction to count to six before removing the pen reflects standard injection technique guidance designed to prevent dose loss, and this is supported by manufacturer instructions and general subcutaneous injection best practice (Kreugel et al., 2011, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice).

What did they get wrong (or right)?

The BMI claim is the most significant clinical inaccuracy here. Saying the criterion is that "your BMI should be over 35" is not what the EMA label says, and it is not what NICE guidance in the UK or Irish prescribing practice follows either. The actual threshold is BMI over 30 as a standalone, or over 27 with a comorbidity. This is not a minor point. Patients with a BMI of 31 or 32 and a weight-related health condition are eligible and could be incorrectly discouraged by this framing.

What she got right: the starting dose of 0.6 mg is correct. Subcutaneous injection is correct. The abdomen as an injection site is correct, though the thigh and upper arm are also approved sites she did not mention. Refrigerated storage is correct. The daily injection frequency is correct. Discarding the needle after each use is correct and clinically important for safety and sterility. Overall, the injection mechanics she describes are sound.

The counting instruction ("count the sex before removing the pen," clearly meaning count to six) is legitimate technique. It is not arbitrary.

What should you actually know?

Saxenda is liraglutide 3 mg, a GLP-1 receptor agonist licensed specifically for weight management, distinct from the 1.2 mg and 1.8 mg doses used in Victoza for type 2 diabetes. It is not the same drug as semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro), and results from one GLP-1 agent do not automatically apply to another.

The dose escalation schedule matters. Saxenda is not started at the full therapeutic dose. Patients begin at 0.6 mg daily for one week, then increase by 0.6 mg increments weekly until reaching the maintenance dose of 3 mg daily. This escalation exists to reduce gastrointestinal side effects, which in the SCALE trial affected the majority of participants. Skipping or rushing the escalation increases dropout rates and tolerability problems.

The full eligibility criteria include: BMI over 30, or BMI 27 to 30 with at least one weight-related comorbidity. Prescribing decisions must be made by a qualified clinician with full patient history. This video is a useful technique demonstration but is not a substitute for a clinical consultation.