Key takeaways

  • Victoza (liraglutide) is a prescription drug used to treat type 2 diabetes and lower the risk of cardiovascular problems in certain people. Mild side effects of the drug include nausea, diarrhea, and headache.
  • Serious side effects of Victoza include kidney problems, thyroid tumors, and gallbladder problems.
  • Having certain conditions or health factors may raise your risk of side effects from Victoza or make the drug unsafe for you to use. Examples include if you have a history of liver or kidney problems.

Specifically, Victoza is used to:

  • treat type 2 diabetes, along with diet and exercise, in adults and certain children
  • reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular problems (problems related to the heart and blood vessels) in adults who have heart disease and type 2 diabetes

The active ingredient in Victoza is liraglutide. The drug comes as a solution that you’ll inject under your skin using a prefilled pen.

Keep reading to learn about the common, mild, and serious side effects that Victoza can cause.

Victoza has a boxed warning. This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For details, see the “Side effects explained” section.

Some people may have mild or serious side effects during their Victoza treatment. Examples of Victoza’s commonly reported side effects include:

  • nausea (see “Side effects explained” for details)
  • diarrhea
  • vomiting
  • decrease in appetite
  • indigestion (upset stomach)

You may have mild side effects from using Victoza. Examples of mild side effects that have been reported with Victoza include:

To learn more about some of these side effects, see the “Side effects explained” section.

In most cases, these side effects should be temporary. And some may be easily managed, too. But if you have any symptoms that are ongoing or that bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. And do not stop using Victoza unless your doctor recommends it.

Victoza may cause mild side effects other than those listed here. To learn more, see the Victoza prescribing information.

Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Sharing your experience helps make medication safer for everyone by giving doctors and researchers more information about how the drug works in real life. If you develop a side effect during treatment with Victoza and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch or call 800-FDA-1088.

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Although rare, serious side effects may occur from using Victoza. Serious side effects that have been reported with Victoza include:

For more information about some of these side effects (including the boxed warning), see the “Side effects explained” section.

If you develop serious side effects while using Victoza, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Allergic reaction

For some people, Victoza can cause an allergic reaction. This side effect was uncommon in studies. But there have also been reports of allergic reaction in people using Victoza since the drug was approved for use.

In general, symptoms of an allergic reaction can be mild or serious.

What might help

If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should continue your Victoza treatment.

If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or difficulty breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.

If your doctor confirms you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Victoza, they may have you switch to a different treatment.

Get answers to some frequently asked questions about Victoza’s side effects.

Does Victoza cause weight loss?

It’s possible that Victoza may cause some weight loss. However, it is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this purpose. Victoza is used to treat type 2 diabetes. It’s also used to decrease the risk of cardiovascular problems (which are related to the heart and blood vessels) in people with both type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Weight loss wasn’t reported as a side effect in studies of people receiving the medication. However, Victoza did cause decreased appetite, which may lead to a small amount of weight loss in some people.

Victoza contains the active ingredient liraglutide. Although Victoza isn’t approved for weight loss, another medication called Saxenda (which also contains liraglutide) is approved for this use.

In addition, the generic drug liraglutide may be prescribed off-label for weight loss. (With off-label drug use, a drug is prescribed for a purpose that is not FDA approved.)

Victoza and Saxenda are not interchangeable medications. They’re given in different doses and have different approved uses. (To learn more about how these drugs compare, see this Saxenda vs. Victoza article.)

If you’re interested in a medication for weight management, talk with your doctor. Victoza likely isn’t the best option for you. Other treatments that are approved for weight management, such as Saxenda, may be better options.

Will I experience hair loss during my Victoza treatment?

It’s unlikely. Hair loss wasn’t reported as a side effect in studies of people using Victoza.

But it’s possible that diabetes itself may cause hair loss. If you have hair loss during your diabetes treatment, talk with your doctor. They may be able to recommend ways to decrease your hair loss.

Is fatigue a side effect of Victoza?

No, fatigue isn’t a side effect that was reported in people using Victoza. However, it’s a common symptom of diabetes.

It’s also possible for you to have fatigue from other side effects of Victoza, such as low blood sugar. You may have a higher risk of this side effect if you’re also using other diabetes medications.

Fatigue may also be a sign of kidney problems. Such problems may occur in people using Victoza, though this is rare.

If you’re feeling more tired than usual during Victoza treatment, talk with your doctor. They may recommend blood tests to check your blood sugar level and your kidney function. They may also be able to recommend ways to increase your energy level.

How long do side effects from Victoza last?

It depends. You may have more common side effects when you first start using Victoza or your dose increases. Examples of common side effects include nausea and vomiting. These side effects may go away within a few weeks after you begin treatment or have your dose increased.

But other side effects, such as injection site reactions, may occur each time you inject Victoza. (Note that injection site reactions were rare in studies of Victoza. For more information, see the “Side effects explained” section.)

If you have side effects that don’t go away within a few weeks, talk with your doctor. They may be able to recommend ways to decrease your side effects.

Learn more about some of the side effects Victoza may cause.

Risk of thyroid tumors

Victoza has a boxed warning for the risk of thyroid cancer. This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A boxed warning lets doctors and patients know about possible serious risks from using a drug.

Victoza has been shown in animal studies to increase the risk of certain thyroid cancers, such as medullary thyroid cancer. This rare side effect didn’t occur in studies of people receiving Victoza. However, there have been reports of this side effect in people using this medication. At this time, it’s unclear how often people using Victoza developed thyroid tumors or if Victoza was the cause.

You should be aware of the symptoms of thyroid cancer so you can tell your doctor right away if you develop any. This way, if you develop these symptoms, you can tell your doctor right away. Symptoms may include:

What might help

If you have had medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (a rare genetic disorder associated with thyroid cancer), you should not use Victoza. If you have a family history of medullary thyroid cancer, you also should not use Victoza.

Throughout your treatment with Victoza, your doctor may monitor your blood for any changes in thyroid hormone levels. They may also do an ultrasound of your thyroid to look for changes to the gland.

You may want to keep track of any symptoms you have during your treatment with Victoza. If you develop any symptoms of a thyroid tumor, tell your doctor right away. They will likely do some tests to see what’s causing your symptoms. They may also recommend that you stop treatment with Victoza.

Injection site reactions

Injection site reactions were a rare side effect reported in studies of people using Victoza. Since Victoza is an injectable medication, you may develop side effects around the area where you inject the drug. Examples of injection site reactions include redness, deepening of skin color, and rash at the area of injection.

What might help

To help prevent certain injection site reactions, your doctor may recommend that you rotate injection sites. This means injecting Victoza in a different area of your body with every dose. (Areas where Victoza may be injected include your abdomen, upper arm, and thighs. For more information about receiving Victoza injections, see this article.)

If you develop injection site reactions that bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. To decrease the risk of this side effect, they may recommend changing where you inject the drug or the way you’re injecting it.

Low blood sugar

You may develop low blood sugar during Victoza treatment. Your risk of low blood sugar could be even higher if you take other diabetes medications that also decrease your blood sugar. An example is insulin.

In studies, most people who had low blood sugar were using Victoza with either insulin or sulfonylurea drugs. Examples of sulfonylurea drugs include Glucotrol XL (glipizide) and DiaBeta (glyburide).

The risk of low blood sugar was higher in children using Victoza. This risk was higher even for children who weren’t also taking other medications that may cause low blood sugar.

Low blood sugar can be severe or even life threatening if not treated. So knowing about the symptoms of this side effect may help you seek treatment for it as soon as possible. Symptoms of low blood sugar include:

  • sweating
  • increased heart rate
  • feeling dizzy or lightheaded
  • blurry vision
  • headache
  • confusion or drowsiness

What might help

Watch for symptoms of low blood sugar during Victoza treatment. If you have low blood sugar, treat it right away.

You can treat low blood sugar by taking food or drinks with sugar in them. These could include glucose tablets, juice or soda (but not diet soda), sugar or honey, or hard candy. The American Diabetes Association recommends having 15 grams of carbohydrates every 15 minutes until your glucose level reaches 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

If you’re experiencing low blood sugar, be sure to tell your doctor. They may recommend decreasing your dose of other diabetes medications you might be taking.

Nausea

You may have nausea when using Victoza. In studies of this drug, nausea was the most common side effect.

You should tell your doctor if you’re experiencing nausea when you’re using Victoza. Although very rare, it’s possible that nausea may be a symptom of a more serious side effect of Victoza. This includes pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, and kidney problems.

What might help

If you have nausea during Victoza treatment, talk with your doctor. They may do some tests to be sure that the nausea isn’t related to other problems. Your doctor will suggest treatments or recommend ways to decrease your nausea.

Victoza is used to treat type 2 diabetes in children ages 10 years and older. In studies of Victoza, children had the same side effects as adults. But children had an increased risk of low blood sugar.

For adults receiving Victoza, this side effect mostly affected those taking multiple medications for their diabetes. Children receiving the drug had a risk of low blood sugar even if they weren’t taking other diabetes medications.

Because of this risk in children, it’s important to know the symptoms of low blood sugar and how to treat it. For more information on this side effect, see the “Side effects explained” section.

Victoza has several warnings that may affect whether you can safely use this drug.

Boxed warning: Risk of thyroid cancer

Victoza has a boxed warning for the risk of thyroid cancer. This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

It is possible that Victoza may increase your risk of certain thyroid cancers, such as medullary thyroid cancer. You should not use Victoza if you or someone in your family has had medullary thyroid cancer. You should also not use Victoza if you have multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, a rare genetic disorder associated with thyroid cancer.

To learn more, see the “Side effects explained” section.

Other warnings

Victoza may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. Talk with your doctor about your health history before you start Victoza treatment. Factors to consider include:

  • kidney problems
  • liver problems
  • gastroparesis (slowed stomach emptying)
  • pancreas problems
  • previous allergic reaction to this or a similar drug
  • pregnancy
  • breastfeeding
  • alcohol consumption
  • upcoming surgery or other procedures that use general anesthesia or deep sedation

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.