How Fast Is Weight Loss With Farxiga? Timeline & Expectation

If you're taking Farxiga (dapagliflozin), or considering it for weight loss, and wondering when the scale will finally move, here’s what to expect:

Most people lose 2–6 pounds in the first few weeks on Farxiga, mainly due to fluid loss as glucose and water are excreted through urine. 

The fat loss occurs gradually over several months, with clinical studies showing an average total weight loss of about 6–7 pounds by 24 weeks. 

But weight loss often slows or plateaus after the 6-month mark, unless it’s combined with meaningful changes to diet and physical activity.

In This Article, we’ll cover the following:

• How Farxiga causes weight loss (and why it’s limited)
• What to expect 
• Why results vary so widely
• Factors that influence how much you lose
• And how Farxiga compares to Ozempic and other drugs

What is Farxiga?

Farxiga is a diabetes medication that makes your kidneys flush out excess sugar through urination.

So instead of keeping sugar in your blood, it forces your body to eliminate it via urine. That's why people on Farxiga pee more often.

Doctors prescribe it for type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and kidney disease. Since you're literally peeing out sugar (and calories), some weight loss happens. But it may also be used to reduce weight. 

Farxiga is designed to control blood sugar, not to help you drop pounds. That makes it different from GLP-1 medications that actually target weight loss, or even metformin, which works on a different mechanism in your body.

See our semaglutide and metformin comparison guide for a detailed look at the key differences in how these treatments help weight loss.

Does Farxiga Cause Weight Loss?

Yes, but it’s limited. Most people lose about 6-7 pounds in 6 months. Some people may not lose any weight. And others may lose 10-15 pounds if they also change their diet and exercise. 

Although Farxiga is less effective for weight loss than GLP-1’s like Ozempic, which helps people lose 12-15% of their body weight. 

Ivy Rx's Personalized GLP-1 Injections help you lose significantly more weight, starting at an affordable $175/month with no insurance needed.

How Does Farxiga Cause Weight Loss?

Farxiga helps you lose weight in three ways.

Your Kidneys Flush Away Sugar and Calories

Farxiga blocks your kidneys from reabsorbing glucose, so you excrete approximately 60–80 grams of sugar per day, which is equivalent to about 300 calories, even if you don’t change your diet.

But your body’s loss of calories from this process may increase your appetite. 

You Lose Fat, Not Muscle

The weight you lose is mostly fat. Your muscle stays intact, which is positive for health; losing muscle slows your metabolism and gives what some refer to as a "skinny fat" look.

This is more optimal than crash dieting, where about one-third of the weight lost is muscle.

Your Body Fights Back

Your body has built-in systems designed to protect your weight set point, even when you’re creating a calorie deficit. As you lose weight with Farxiga, your body may respond by:

• Increasing appetite, especially for high-carb foods.
• Slightly slowing your metabolism to conserve energy.

For medications that actually reduce your appetite, check out our guide on GLP-1 dosing or compare semaglutide alternatives.

How Long Does Farxiga Take to Work? Weekly Timeline

Farxiga leads to modest weight changes over time, with the most pronounced effects appearing after several weeks and gradually accumulating over months.

Week 1–3: Early Weight Drop (Mostly Water)

• You may see a noticeable drop on the scale early on, typically 2–4 pounds, mainly due to water loss as glucose and water are excreted together.
• Frequent urination and early weight loss are common, but these changes do not yet indicate meaningful fat loss.
• This period aligns with pharmacological data showing immediate glucuresis (glucose in urine) after the first dose.

Weeks 4–6: Emerging Fat Loss

• After the early water loss, your weight loss may slow down noticeably.
• You may notice subtle changes (e.g., clothes fitting a bit better) even if the scale weight isn’t dropping rapidly.

Weeks 6–12: Gradual Fat Reduction

• The most consistent, sustained weight loss comes from actual fat reduction rather than water change.
• During this period, it’s reasonable to see a few more pounds lost, especially when you combine Farxiga treatment with the proper diet or other glucose‑lowering therapies.
• For example, studies have shown that patients taking Farxiga with metformin can lose nearly 6 pounds in 3 months.

Weeks 13–24: Continued Modest Loss

• Over this more extended period, weight loss continues but tapers off compared with earlier weeks.
• Most randomized clinical trials use 24‑week (about 6‑month) endpoints, and show a statistically significant reduction in body weight compared with placebo at this time point.
• The typical magnitude observed is about 6–7 pounds (~2–3 kg) over 24 weeks in people with type 2 diabetes.

If you want to lose more, you may need to add diet and exercise to your lifestyle or switch to more effective weight loss treatments like GLP-1 injections. 

Understanding how long to stay on GLP-1 medications, like semaglutide, for weight-loss will also help set realistic expectations.

Ivy Rx offers personalized GLP-1 Injections that are easily accessible and affordable.

What Influences the Rate of Weight Loss on Farxiga?

Kidney Function

Farxiga’s weight‑loss effect depends on how well your kidneys can filter glucose into the urine. Clinical research shows that Farxiga (dapagliflozin) causes more urinary glucose excretion — and therefore more calorie loss — when kidney function is normal. 

People with normal renal function are more likely to experience measurable weight loss than those with decreased kidney function.

Exercise and Activity

Regular physical activity is linked with greater weight loss in people taking Farxiga. 

A clinical study found that patients who exercised regularly were more likely to achieve meaningful weight reduction while taking dapagliflozin.

Concurrent Metformin Use

Adding Farxiga to your ongoing Metformin therapy may yield greater weight loss than taking Farxiga alone. This suggests that treatment combinations can influence total weight change.

Individual Variability

There is a wide range of weight loss with Farxiga. Your weight-loss experience might differ from others. So individual results may vary widely due to biological, lifestyle, and treatment factors. 

Alternatives: How Farxiga's Weight Loss Compares to Other Weight-Loss Medications

Here’s a clear side‑by‑side look at how Farxiga compares with commonly used weight‑loss agents:

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Key information:

• Farxiga generally produces modest weight loss by causing calorie loss through glucose in the urine, not by directly suppressing appetite or altering hunger signals. 
• GLP‑1 receptor agonists (such as Semaglutide and Liraglutide) act on gut‑brain pathways to reduce appetite and food intake and, therefore, may be associated with greater weight loss in clinical trials.
• Dual agonists like tirzepatide (which activate both GIP and GLP‑1 receptors) have produced some of the most significant average weight losses in obesity studies to date, with reductions of >15‑20% of initial body weight.

You can start a personalized GLP-1 weight‑loss plan that is focused on appetite control and long‑term results.

Compare and contrast other GLP- 1weight loss options from our comparison guides:

• Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro comparison guide
• Semaglutide vs. Tirzepatide
• Liraglutide vs. Semaglutide
• Alternatives to Ozempic
• Mounjaro vs. Ozempic

Is Farxiga Safe?

Farxiga is FDA-approved and generally safe, but it has some side effects you should know about.

Common side effects:

• Increased urination 
• Uncomplicated UTIs (Urinary tract infections)
• Mild dehydration if you don't drink enough water

Serious but rare side effects:

• Diabetic ketoacidosis (especially if you have type 1 diabetes, don't use Farxiga for that)
• Kidney problems if you get really dehydrated

Start Your Weight Loss Journey With Ivy Rx Today

Farxiga gives you modest weight loss, about 6-7 pounds over 6 months. That may be enough for some patients to reduce symptoms of diabetes, heart failure, or kidney disease. But for patients who need more significant weight loss to ensure optimal health, it may not be enough.

GLP-1 medications are 3-5 times more effective than Farxiga for weight loss. Ivy Rx makes them affordable and easy to access for patients who need them.

Ready to begin a sustainable weight loss journey? Start with Ivy Rx today and get Personalized GLP-1 Injections at $175/month, delivered to your door, with no insurance needed.

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