Precautions

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

It is very important that your doctor check the you or your child's progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are using this medicine.

For female patients: You should not receive this medicine if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant. If you think you have become pregnant while using the medicine, tell your doctor right away.

Patients receiving leuprolide for central precocious puberty (CPP):

  • If you are a female patient, you may have occasional vaginal bleeding or spotting. If you continue to have heavy bleeding or regular periods after 2 months of using this medicine, call your doctor.
  • If you develop a rash or irritation at the injection site, check with your doctor right away.
  • This medicine may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. Make sure the doctor knows if you have trouble sleeping, get upset easily, have a big increase in energy, or start to act reckless. Also tell the doctor if you have sudden or strong feelings, such as feeling nervous, angry, restless, violent, or scared. If you or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, tell your doctor right away.
  • Using this medicine may increase your risk of having seizures. Check with your doctor right away if you start to have convulsions, muscle spasm or jerking of all extremities, sudden loss of consciousness, or loss of bladder control.
  • This medicine may cause intracranial hypertension or pseudotumor cerebri (increased pressure in the head) in children. Check with your doctor right away if your child has blurred or double vision, change in ability to see colors, especially blue or yellow, continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears, dizziness, eye pain, hearing loss, nausea and vomiting, or severe headache.

Patients receiving leuprolide for endometriosis or for anemia caused by tumors of the uterus:

  • For the first few days of treatment, the symptoms of your condition may get worse. This is normal. Do not stop using this medicine. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about this.
  • During the time you are receiving leuprolide, your menstrual period may not be regular or you may not have a menstrual period at all. This is to be expected when being treated with this medicine. If regular menstruation does not begin within 60 to 90 days after you stop receiving this medicine, check with your doctor.
  • This medicine can cause your bone mineral density to decrease, which may lead to osteoporosis or weakened bones. Talk with your doctor about how this risk will affect you.
  • During the time you are receiving leuprolide, you should use birth control methods that do not contain hormones (eg, condoms, spermicide). If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.
  • If you suspect that you may have become pregnant, stop using this medicine and check with your doctor right away. There is a chance that continued use of leuprolide during pregnancy could cause birth defects or a miscarriage.
  • This medicine may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. Make sure the doctor knows if you have trouble sleeping, get upset easily, have a big increase in energy, or start to act reckless. Also tell the doctor if you have sudden or strong feelings, such as feeling nervous, angry, restless, violent, or scared. If you or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, tell your doctor right away.
  • Using this medicine may increase your risk of having seizures. Check with your doctor right away if you start to have convulsions, muscle spasm or jerking of the arms or legs, sudden loss of consciousness, or loss of bladder control.

Patients receiving leuprolide for advanced prostate cancer:

  • At first, some of your symptoms might get worse for a short time or you might have new symptoms. You might have bone pain, back pain, a tingling or numbness in the body, blood in the urine, or trouble urinating. Tell your doctor if you have any new symptoms or if your symptoms get worse.
  • This medicine may increase your risk of high blood sugar or cholesterol levels, or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Check with your doctor if you notice a change in the results of your blood or urine sugar tests.
  • This medicine may increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Check with your doctor right away if you are having chest pain or discomfort, nausea or vomiting, pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck, confusion, slurred speech, or weakness.
  • Contact your doctor right away if you have any changes to your heart rhythm. You might feel dizzy or faint, or you might have a fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat. Make sure your doctor knows if you or anyone in your family has ever had a heart rhythm problem, including QT prolongation.
  • This medicine can cause your bone mineral density to decrease, which may lead to osteoporosis or weakened bones. Talk with your doctor about how this risk will affect you.
  • Using this medicine may increase your risk of having seizures. Check with your doctor right away if you start to have convulsions, muscle spasm or jerking of the arms or legs, sudden loss of consciousness, or loss of bladder control.
  • Some men who use this medicine have become infertile (unable to have children). Talk with your doctor before using this medicine if you plan to have children.

Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you are using this medicine. The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.