Lupron Depot 3.75 MG

Description

What is Lupron?

Lupron Depot 3.75 MG is a GnRH agonist that is administered by injection as a liquid into subcutaneous fatty tissue. This medication contains the same hormone that is normally released by your brain and is responsible for ovarian function. After this injection, your brain will temporarily stop releasing the GnRH hormone. As a result, your ovaries will also stop maturing eggs and producing the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. No more endometrium will be built up and you will stop menstruating. This hormonal phase is similar to menopause, but with the major difference being that when you stop taking the medication, your hormone production in the ovaries resumes. Often, this low hormonal state causes side effects, so we almost always add some hormones in pill form anyway. In general, this still achieves the desired result, but with far fewer side effects.

Why should I use Lupron (Leuprolide Acetate)?

The most common reason to use LUPRON 3.75 MG is to lower sex hormones, stop blood loss, and reduce pain symptoms. There are several reasons why this might be desired:

• In preparation for planned surgery for conditions such as fibroids, adenomyosis, or endometriosis, Lucrin (Lupron) can be used to suppress menstruation and/or pain symptoms until surgery. Sometimes, it is desirable to suppress menstruation until surgery to raise your blood levels (Hb), providing a better baseline for surgery. It may also be desirable to shrink the fibroids or uterus and decrease blood flow, allowing for a smaller incision and less blood loss during surgery. Lupron is sometimes needed as a postoperative treatment after surgery, for example, to suppress endometriosis during a recovery phase.
• To bridge the transition and suppress the bleeding symptoms and/or pain symptoms of your condition.
• To understand the cause of pain symptoms and suppress them for some time to confirm or rule out a diagnosis such as adenomyosis or endometriosis.
• To suppress the growth of fibroids or endometriosis/adenomyosis until possible fertility treatment, such as IVF, for example.

How is Lupron 3.75 MG administered?

Lupron is a subcutaneous injection that can be administered once a month or once every 3 months. You can administer this injection yourself, or it can be done by your doctor or a nurse. When your doctor decides to add “add-back” therapy, it is usually in tablet form, and you will need to take 1 tablet every day.

Lupron only works temporarily, so after discontinuing Lucrin, your hormones will eventually be released again, menstruation will resume, symptoms will increase, and fibroids will start growing again.

• Lucrin 3.75 mg syringe, administered once a month (every 28 days), works for 4-6 weeks.
• Lucrin 11.25 mg syringe, administered once every 3 months (every 3 x 28 days), works for 3-4 months.

What are the side effects?

Lupron can cause your sex hormones to decrease significantly. This often leads to side effects such as:

1. Hot flashes,
2. Decreased sexual desire or vaginal dryness,
3. Mood swings, including depression, nervousness, or irritability,
4. Weight gain due to fluid retention,
5. Muscle pain or joint complaints,
6. Dry skin and hair,
7. Impaired vision,
8. Palpitations or high blood pressure,
9. Osteoporosis with long-term use.

Is Lupron dangerous?

There is extensive experience with the use of GnRH agonists such as Lupron, and barring side effects, complications are very rare.

• During the first two weeks, symptoms may increase. If you are receiving Lupron Depot because of severe endometriosis where there is also endometriosis growing around and in the bowel, make sure you still have regular bowel movements each week. If you have severe constipation or cannot go to the toilet for more than 2 days, please contact us immediately.
• If you use Lucrin without additional hormones (such as civil, femoston, or estrogens), you can develop osteoporosis if you use it for more than six months. For that reason, we usually give add-back hormones combined with Vitamin D and calcium chewable tablets to prevent osteoporosis. If you do not want or are not allowed to use this, and use Lupron Depot for a period longer than 6 months, we will conduct additional bone scans (called dexa-scans) to monitor bone density.
• Lucrin does not increase the risk of cancer and reduces the risk of hormone-sensitive breast, ovarian, or uterine cancer.

When should I avoid using LUPRON?

There are a few reasons to avoid using LUPRON. It interacts with Lithium and there are occasional concerns about thrombosis and depressive symptoms.

Can you take Lupron Depot if you’ve had a previous thrombosis or are at an increased risk?

– Yes, if you’ve had a previous thrombosis, you can use Lucrin. However, we exercise caution when administering hormone tablets. In some cases, an additional evaluation by a specialized coagulation specialist may be required.

Can you take Lupron 3.75 MG if you’ve had previous depressive symptoms?

– Yes, if you’ve had previous depressive symptoms, you can use Lucrin. However, it is often recommended to start hormone tablets immediately to avoid suppressing the hormones too much. Not everyone experiences an increase in symptoms. There are numerous instances where patients do not experience depressive symptoms with Lupron, while they do with the hormonal birth control pill.

Summary:

Leuprorelin is a hormone. It inhibits the production of male and female sex hormones.

1. In women with breast cancer, a fibroid in the uterus and endometriosis (pain in the abdomen caused by tissue similar to endometrium).
2. Prostate cancer: the injection can be every day, every month, once every 3 months, or once every 6 months. If you have to use it every day, you usually learn to do it yourself. There is also an implant that the doctor inserts under the skin of your abdomen. This is a rod a few millimeters long that delivers the hormone for 1 or 3 months.
3. Breast cancer or endometriosis: an injection once a month or once every 3 months.
4. Premature puberty: one injection every few weeks to every month.
5. Side effects when used for prostate cancer: In the first 2 weeks, your symptoms may increase (such as trouble urinating, bone pain, and muscle weakness). After that, the symptoms decrease. Additional side effects may include hot flashes, sweating, and skin conditions. These side effects typically disappear after some time.
6. Other side effects include pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, impotence, and painful, tight breasts in both men and women. Women may also experience withdrawal bleeding or other types of vaginal bleeding. These symptoms should resolve on their own. If they do not, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
7. Do not use it if you are pregnant.