Nevolat

Nevolat is the generic version of the weight loss medicine liraglutide. It comes in a prefilled injectable pen.

Nevolat is a treatment used alongside healthy eating and lifestyle changes to help you lose weight. You inject Nevolat under the skin (subcutaneously) once a day using an injection pen.

The active ingredient in Nevolat is liraglutide which is similar to a naturally occurring hormone released from the intestine after a meal called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Nevolat works by acting on receptors in the brain that control appetite, causing a sensation of fullness and reduced hunger, which could contribute to a reduction in body weight.

Nevolat is a once a day injection you inject under the skin (subcutaneously). The best places to inject are the front of your tummy (ensure you inject more than 5 cm from your belly button), the front of your thighs or your upper arm. It’s important to rotate your injection sites frequently. You can inject in the same area (e.g. thighs) but choose a different spot in that area each time.

We recommend injecting yourself around the same time each day that suits your schedule.

The pens have been designed to make injecting yourself as easy as possible. Once you’ve been prescribed Nevolat, you’ll receive detailed instructions on how to use the pens from your healthcare provider.

When first taking Nevolat, you start at 0.6 mg for one week and then slowly increase the dosage every week. This allows your body to adapt to the treatment and to reduce any side effects you might experience. You must follow the dosage plan as advised by the healthcare provider who prescribed this treatment.

The starting dose is 0.6 mg once a day for one week. Each following week the dose is increased by 0.6 mg until you reach the maximum 3.0 mg dose. However, if you experience any side effects, the dose should not be increased until the side effects have settled.

The dosage over the first four weeks is as follows:

The dose should not increase above 3.0 mg per day. If in error you inject more Nevolat than expected please contact your GP.

Nevolat works best when used alongside healthy eating and lifestyle choices. When used correctly along with a change in diet and increase in exercise, most people can expect to lose around 11% of their starting body weight after 1 year of treatment, although individual results may vary.

To help get the most out of your treatment, we recommend following our free 10-week weight loss programme which can help you understand how to eat and the lifestyle choices that can maximise your success on the treatment.

10-week weight loss programme

As with any medicine, Nevolat can cause side effects. The most common of these are:

• nausea
• heartburn
• constipation
• headache
• vomiting
• diarrhoea

These side effects should ease within a few days or weeks as your body becomes used to the treatment. If the side effects don’t ease, please contact the healthcare provider who prescribed Nevolat for you. If you received your treatment through Boots Online Doctor, you can contact us via the online patient record. You can also drop down to the lower dose for a week to help your body adjust, after which you would increase your dose by 0.6 mg as per the schedule.

To ease side effects such as nausea, constipation or heartburn and help your body adjust to the treatment, it’s recommended that you try these tips:

• drink plenty of clear fluids such as water and herbal teas
• eat small amounts regularly
• drink or sip ginger, peppermint or fennel teas
• reduce sugar intake and high fat foods
• increase your fibre intake by adding some wheat bran, oats or linseed to your diet
• ensure you’re having regular walks

If you’re experiencing headaches with Nevolat, you can take paracetamol to manage the pain.

Please note, if your side effects don’t ease after reducing or staying on the same dose for an extra week then Nevolat may not be suited to you. Please keep the healthcare provider who prescribed Nevolat for you updated.

If your side effects are severe or you experience any of the following, you should stop using the treatment immediately and contact your GP, NHS 111 or attend A & E:

• severe and persistent pain in the abdomen (stomach area) which might reach through to your back
• severe nausea and vomiting

These could be a sign of an inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis) which is a serious, potentially life-threatening medical condition.

For a full and detailed list of possible side effects when taking Nevolat, please read the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with this treatment.

Nevolat Patient Information Leaflet

You should not use Nevolat during pregnancy or while breastfeeding as there’s not enough safety data available on the use of liraglutide in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Pregnant women who are already overweight or obese still need to gain a minimum amount of weight during pregnancy. This is due to the necessary weight gain caused by an increase in maternal tissues and from the baby’s growth during pregnancy.

You should also stop using Nevolat at least one month before you start trying to become pregnant.

There are some alternative treatments available, if you find that Nevolat is not for you. Some of these such as Wegovy and Mounjaro work in a similar way to Nevolat while others such as orlistat (Xenical) work by blocking the body’s absorption of fat from food.

All of these treatments should be used alongside diet and lifestyle changes in order to get the best results. For a more detailed description of alternative weight loss treatments that are available if suitable for you, click here:

Weight Loss Treatment service

If you decide that prescription weight loss treatments aren’t for you, there are things that you can do to support your weight loss journey.

Our free 10-week weight loss programme can help you learn the best diet and lifestyle changes that you can make to support healthy weight loss.

10-week weight loss programme

For additional support, take a look at our free weight loss webinars:

Boots Online Doctor weight loss webinars

Your chances at successful and sustainable weight loss are also increased if you combine treatment with coaching. Coaching helps you to tailor your weight-loss journey to your specific needs and helps to keep you on track when you feel you’re struggling. You can find out more about coaching here:

Weight Loss Coaching

Boots Online Doctor also has a free Weight Loss Tracker app that can help you track your progress and habits so you can see what works best for you. It also includes access to our free 10-week Weight Loss programme. To download, search “Boots Online Doctor Tracker” in your app or google play store.

It’s important to make sure that your food choices support a healthy weight loss alongside taking Nevolat. Sugary foods and foods that are high in unhealthy fats should be avoided as they can make the treatment less effective. The following diet plans, alongside an increase in daily movement, will help you get the best out of your treatment.

Recommended eating guides

We advise you to limit alcohol intake while using Nevolat. This is because the side effects of using alcohol such as nausea, vomiting or headache, are similar to the side effects of using Nevolat. Taking Nevolat and alcohol at the same time can increase the severity of these side effects.

Decreasing or limiting the amount of alcohol you drink while using Nevolat will also help with your weight loss since alcohol is often an underestimated source of calories.

All of the weight loss injections (Nevolat, Mounjaro, Wegovy) work in a similar way by imitating a hormone released by the body when you eat called a glucagon-like peptide (GLP).

The active ingredient in Nevolat, Mounajro and Wegovy all act on one of the body’s hormonal receptors (GLP-1) which regulates blood sugar levels and, in turn, talks to the brain to make you feel less hungry and prevent cravings. It also slows down the emptying of the stomach to keep you feeling fuller for longer.

In addition, the active ingredient in Mounjaro (tirzepatide) works on an additional hormone receptor called a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). GIP regulates energy balance in brain and fat cells, enhancing the GLP-1 effect of suppressing your appetite and improving sugar control.

For more detail on how the different weight loss injections compare, see our comparison table:

Weight Loss Treatment service

If you’re using a different weight loss injection, you’ll need to wait at least 1 week before switching to Nevolat. This will allow time for your body to ‘flush’ out your old weight loss medication. All patients should start on 0.6 mg.

Weight Loss Treatment service

If you forget to inject and remember it within 12 hours from when you usually use the dose, inject it as soon as you remember. However, over 12 hours since you last used Nevolat, skip the missed dose and inject your next dose the following day at the usual time. Do not double dose or increase the dose on the following day to make up for the missed dose.

Important: If you have a 3 day (or more) break in using Nevolat, you should restart at the lowest dose (0.6 mg) and work up again. This is to avoid severe side effects.

Yes! If you’re using weight loss treatment and are struggling with your mental health or need some extra help, we’re here. Visit our mental health support hub to find out how we can support you.

Mental Health Support Hub

You can also reach out through your patient record, or book a consultation with one of our clinical team through our Depression and Anxiety Treatment service, where we’ll find the right support and treatment for you.

Depression and Anxiety Treatment Service

You can also check out our free Boots Online Doctor podcast dedicated to managing stress: Your Better Mental Wellbeing, available to all.

Your Better Mental Wellbeing

Saxenda is the brand name injection and contains the same active medication as Nevolat, liraglutide. Saxenda is no longer being manufactured.