Lupron

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Lupron is a brand name for the injection drug leuprolide, used to treat endometriosis and fibroids in women and manage advanced prostate cancer symptoms in men.

It’s also available under the brand names Eligard, Lupron Depot, and Lupron-PED.

Doctors sometimes prescribe Lupron off-label for women with breast cancer who haven’t yet entered menopause.

Lupron belongs to a drug class called gonadotropin-releasing hormonal oncologics. The drug stops a woman's ovaries from releasing the hormone estrogen, which stimulates cancer cell growth.

In men, Lupron prevents a man's testes from releasing the hormone testosterone.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved leuprolide under the brand name Lupron in 1996.

Abbvie Endocrine (formerly Abbott Pharmaceuticals) manufactures Lupron. Tolmar Pharmaceuticals manufactures Eligard.

Lupron Warnings

Don’t take Lupron if you’re:

• Allergic to Lupron or any ingredients in the drug
• Pregnant
• Breastfeeding

Ask your doctor about Lupron if you have prostate cancer and have growths on your spine, heart disease, diabetes, a blockage in your urinary tract, or blood in your urine.

People who take Lupron for long periods are more prone to certain health risks.

They include changes in heart rhythm and electrical signals in the heart, slow heartbeat, congestive heart failure, heart attack, and bone softening.

Your doctor may evaluate your heart before each treatment and advise you to take calcium supplements and exercise to help preserve your bone density.

Young girls who enter puberty early and are taking Lupron may have irregular periods.

Pregnancy and Lupron

Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant shouldn't take Lupron, since it may cause birth defects.

Scientists aren’t quite sure whether Lupron passes into breast milk, but doctors warn against taking the drug while breastfeeding.

Tell your doctor if you’re pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or are breastfeeding.

Lupron and Chemical Castration

By reducing or halting production of male hormones in men with advanced prostate cancer, Lupron use results in the loss of sexual desire and ability.

This chemical castration may be combined with surgical castration to improve prostate cancer survival.

Lupron may be used off-label to decrease sexual desire in men who are convicted sex offenders.

Certain states in the United States (including California, Florida, Texas, Georgia, and Wisconsin) along with several countries practice chemical castration, but concerns regarding the ethics of the treatment continue.

Common Side Effects of Lupron

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Sweating and hot flashes
• Depression and moodiness
• Yeast infections in women
• Swelling
• Weight loss or gain
• General pain, including sore breasts or testicles
• Restlessness
• Itching and peeling of the skin
• Breast development in men
• Abnormal sensations in fingers and toes, weakness, and lack of muscle strength
• Changes in sexual desire
• Erectile dysfunction (ED)

Serious Side Effects of Lupron

• Severe depression, including suicidal thoughts
• Seizures
• In men with prostate cancer, it may cause diabetes, urinary tract blockage, stroke, and sudden death
• Heart rhythm changes
• Liver damage
• Decrease in bone mass and an increase in osteoporosis risk

Rare Side Effects of Lupron

• Nausea
• Inability to control bowel movements
• Unusually dark urine
• Itching

Lupron is part of the drug class:

• Gonadotropin releasing hormone analogues

Serious side effects have been reported. See the “Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects include:

• hot flashes
• headache
• generalized pain
• irritation or pain at the site of injection
• mood changes
• fatigue
• acne
• rash
• swelling
• vaginal bleeding or discharge, dryness, and itching
• weight gain

Common side effects of Lupron in children include:

• generalized pain
• acne
• injection site reactions
• rash
• vaginal bleeding or discharge and itching

This is not a complete list of Lupron side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Serious side effects have been reported with Lupron including:

• signs of puberty
• seizures
• urinary blockage
• increased risk for heart attack or stroke
• increased risk for osteoporosis or fractures
• increased risk for diabetes or raised blood glucose (sugar) levels
• impotence
• worsening of depression

Do not take Lupron if you:

• are allergic to any of its ingredients
• have vaginal bleeding
• are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding

Certain brands or strengths of leuprolide are used to treat only men and should not be used in women or children. Always check your medicine to make sure you have received the correct brand and strength. Ask the pharmacist if you have any questions about the medicine you receive at the pharmacy.

Your symptoms may become temporarily worse when you first start using Lupron. Tell your doctor if this continues for longer than 2 months.

Call your doctor at once if you have a seizure, or unusual changes in mood or behavior.

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss a dose.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Lupron: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• bone pain, loss of movement in any part of your body;

• swelling, rapid weight gain;

• a seizure;

• unusual changes in mood or behavior (crying spells, anger, feeling irritable);

• sudden chest pain or discomfort, wheezing, dry cough or hack;

• painful or difficult urination; or

• high blood sugar - increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, dry mouth, fruity breath odor.

Rare but serious side effects may occur. Call your doctor if you have:

• pain or unusual sensations in your back, numbness, weakness, or tingly feeling in your legs or feet;

• muscle weakness or loss of use, loss of bowel or bladder control;

• heart attack symptoms - chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;

• signs of a stroke - sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body), sudden severe headache, slurred speech; or

• severe skin reaction - fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Common Lupron side effects may include:

• hot flashes, sweating, acne, rash, itching;

• mood changes;

• headache, general pain;

• vaginal swelling, itching, or discharge;

• breakthrough bleeding;

• weight gain;

• decreased testicle size; or

• redness, pain, swelling, or oozing where the shot was given.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Leuprolide can cause a serious heart problem, especially if you use certain medicines at the same time, such as antibiotics, antifungal medicine, antidepressants, anti-malaria medicine, asthma inhalers, antipsychotic medicine, cancer medicine, certain HIV/AIDS medicine, heart or blood pressure medicine, or medicine to prevent vomiting. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

Other drugs may interact with leuprolide, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.