What is Victoza?
Victoza is an injectable prescription medication that lowers glucose (sugar) levels in adults that suffer with type 2 diabetes. This medication, when taken as prescribed and supplemented with proper diet and exercise, can restore blood sugar levels very quickly. Taking in enough healthy food such as fruits and veggies and going for light jogs every day can make a night and day difference in the health of someone afflicted with type 2 diabetes. The drug Victoza is a class of drug known as GLP-1 analogs. These drugs work by mimicking the function of natural hormones in your body that help lower post-meal blood sugar levels. These functions can include stimulating the release of insulin by the pancreas after eating, even before blood sugar levels start to rise and reducing the speed at which the stomach empties after eating, making you feel more satisfied after a meal. Victoza also slows glucose absorption into the bloodstream, preventing serious blood sugar crashes. The drug Victoza binds to the same receptors that stimulate natural insulin secretion. However, Victoza is not an insulin product like some pens that are used for patients with Type 1 Diabetes. GLP-1 drugs are different. This hormone affects the liver, pancreas and gut and helps control glucose, insulin and gastric emptying. Compared with a placebo, clinical research also suggests that these types of drugs can be beneficial in losing weight. However, these drugs often come with a high price tag.
How Does it Work?
Victoza stimulates natural insulin production in the pancreas. It effectively reduces blood sugar in a patient. When a person eats, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is released by the body. It helps gastric emptying and regulates insulin and sugar in the body. Insulin is important because it plays a significant role in the metabolism of carbohydrates for energy. When the amount of glucose rises in a person’s blood after a meal, the pancreas releases insulin into the blood to assist cells in absorbing the glucose. The excess glucose is stored by the liver and muscle tissue, where it becomes glycogen. Glycogen is then used for energy. When insulin resistance occurs, the body’s cells do not respond properly to the hormone and cells are unable to easily absorb glucose from the bloodstream. This results in the body needing higher levels of insulin and the buildup of excess glucose in the body. This can lead to type 2 diabetes. Victoza works by mimicking GLP-1 (which naturally occurs in the body), which helps stimulate and regulate insulin in the body. This can help prevent long-term complications of the disease.
What are the side effects of Victoza?
Common: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, upper respiratory tract infections, flu-like symptoms, headache, back pain, weight loss, upset stomach, injection site reactions, and dizziness. The risk of hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) is increased when combined with a sulfonylurea.
Serious: Serious side effects reported include pancreatiti
s, reduced kidney function, gallbladder disease, and suicidal thoughts. Victoza causes thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures in rats and mice. It is unknown whether Victoza causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in humans. It should not be used in patients with a personal or family history of MTC or in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
Cost of Victoza
A carton of Victoza, which comes with three pens, can be incredibly expensive to an uninsured patient. The average price can range anywhere from $300 to $700! This is not affordable for the average American, as this is more money than most people spend on food each month. Our goal is to help patients that are struggling to pay for their daily prescriptions. We don’t want you to compromise a mortgage or a family night out for a medication that should be affordable for everyone. Worldwide sales for Victoza in 2012 topped out at $1.7 billion dollars, and by 2016, that number hit over $2 billion. A month’s supply of Victoza costs, on average, about $500 per month. That is more than many people’s rent. The team at Rx Solution understands the struggle of making ends meet. Life can become even more difficult when dealing with a serious disease like type 2 diabetes. We do everything we can to make the path to better health a little less harsh.
Do I qualify for Assistance?
To qualify for our program, you must be a US resident or legal citizen and be over the age of 18. You also cannot have health insurance or Medicaid to cover outpatient medications and be around 200% of the federal poverty level. If buying retail prescription drugs such as Victoza results in economic hardship, give us a call at The RX Helper to make your life easier. Find out how you can qualify for assistance today! Give us a call at (877) 767-3297 or fill out the online form today.
