leuprolide

Brand name(s):

Eligard, Lupron, Viadur

What is the most important information I should know about leuprolide?

Leuprolide can be administered as an intramuscular injection (into muscle), a subcutaneous injection (under the skin), as a depot injection (a shot given periodically at a doctor's office), or as an implant. Your healthcare provider will administer the depot injection or place the implant under the skin. If you are injecting leuprolide at home, your doctor or nurse will give you detailed instructions on how and where to inject the medication. Do not administer an injection if you are unsure how to properly do so, how much to inject, or how often to inject the medication. Call your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to go over the instructions with you.

What is leuprolide?

Leuprolide is related to a naturally occurring hormone called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH influences the release of the hormones testosterone and estrogen in the body.

Leuprolide is used to reduce the amount of testosterone or estrogen in the body. It is used for conditions such as cancer of the prostate, endometriosis (growth of uterine lining outside of the womb), uterine fibroids, and early puberty (before 8 years of age in females and 9 years of age in males).

Leuprolide may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using leuprolide?

Some forms of leuprolide (e.g., Lupron injection) contain the preservative benzyl alcohol. Do not use leuprolide without first talking to your doctor if you have an allergy to benzyl alcohol.

Before using leuprolide, tell your doctor if you have any other medical conditions. You may not be able to use leuprolide, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring.

Leuprolide is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that leuprolide is known to cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Do not use this medication if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether leuprolide passes into breast milk. Do not use this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I use leuprolide?

Use leuprolide exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to explain them to you.

Leuprolide can be administered as a subcutaneous injection (under the skin), as an intramuscular (into muscle), depot injection (a shot given periodically at a doctor's office), or as an implant. Your healthcare provider will administer the depot injection or place the implant under the skin. If you are injecting leuprolide at home, your doctor or nurse will give you detailed instructions on how and where to inject the medication. Do not administer an injection if you are unsure how to properly do so, how much to inject, or how often to inject the medication. Call your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to go over the instructions with you.

Leuprolide is injected daily, monthly, every 3 months, every 4 months or every 6 months depending on the formulation being used and the condition being treated. Different formulations of leuprolide are not interchangeable. For example, one-third of the 3-month dose cannot be used as a 1-month dose.

The leuprolide implant (Viadur) is placed under the skin of the upper, inner arms by your healthcare provider and delivers medication continuously for 12 months. The implant must be removed by your healthcare provider after 12 months.

It is important to use leuprolide regularly to get the most benefit.

There may be an increase in symptoms during the first days or weeks of treatment with leuprolide. This effect will diminish with continued treatment.

Your doctor may want you to have blood tests or other medical evaluations during treatment with leuprolide to monitor progress and side effects.

Store Lupron vials for injection in the original carton, protected from light, until they are ready to be used. Store the vials at room temperature (below 77 degrees Fahrenheit) or in the refrigerator. Do not allow the medication to freeze if you store it in the refrigerator.

Lupron depot formulations can be stored at room temperature and should be used immediately after mixing. Eligard should be stored in the refrigerator between 30 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit (2 and 8 degrees Celsius). The product should be allowed to reach room temperature before using. Once mixed, the product must be used within 30 minutes.

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