Eligard
Eligard helps treat prostate cancer in adult men by lowering male hormone levels, and can be used alone or with radiation therapy for certain high-risk types of cancer.
Form
injektiokuiva-aine ja liuotin, liuosta varten
Strength
7.5 mg
Active Ingredient
Leuprorelin acetate
Manufacturer
Recordati Industria Chimica e Farmaceutica S.p.A.
How to Use
Dosage
Eligard 7.5 mg is given as one injection once a month.
Method
A doctor or nurse will give you an injection under the skin; the injection site should be changed each time.
Important
The medicine is given as a single 7.5 mg dose once a month; do not exceed this frequency.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Hot flushes
- •Sudden bleeding of skin or mucous membranes, skin redness
- •Tiredness, injection site reactions (e.g., mild stinging, pain, bruising, redness, hardening, wounds)
- •Inflammation of nose and throat (cold symptoms)
- •Nausea, general discomfort, diarrhea, stomach flu (gastroenteritis/colitis)
- •Itching, night sweats
- •Joint pain
- •Increased need to urinate (also at night), difficulty urinating, pain when urinating, reduced urine output
- •Breast tenderness, breast enlargement, testicle shrinkage, testicular pain, infertility, erection problems, penis size reduction
- •Chills (shivering and high fever), feeling weak
- •Prolonged bleeding time, changes in blood values, reduced red blood cell count
RARE
- •Urinary tract infection, local skin inflammation
- •Worsening of diabetes
- •Unusual dreams, depression, decreased sex drive
- •Dizziness, headache, reduced sensation, insomnia, taste and smell disorders
- •High blood pressure, low blood pressure
- •Shortness of breath
- •Constipation, dry mouth, indigestion, vomiting
- •Sticky skin, increased sweating
- •Back pain, muscle cramps
- •Blood in urine
- •Bladder spasms, increased need to urinate, difficulty urinating
- •Male breast tissue enlargement, impotence
- •Drowsiness, pain, fever
- •Weight gain
- •Balance problems, dizziness
- •Muscle wasting/loss of muscle tissue after long-term use
- •Abnormal involuntary movements
- •Sudden loss of consciousness, fainting
- •Flatulence, belching
- •Hair loss, rash
- •Chest pain
- •Injection site wounds
- •Tissue death at the injection site
- •Changes in ECG (prolonged QT interval)
- •Lung inflammation, lung disease
- •Increased pressure inside the skull (brain pressure) with symptoms like headache, double vision, other vision problems, and ringing or buzzing in the ears.
- •Reddish patches on the body (target-like or ring-shaped patches that are not raised and may have blisters in the center), peeling skin, sores in the mouth, throat, nose, genitals, and eyes. These severe rashes can be preceded by fever and flu-like symptoms (Stevens-Johnson syndrome / toxic epidermal necrolysis).
- •Skin redness and itchy rash (toxic erythema)
- •Skin reaction causing red spots or patches on the skin that may resemble a target (dark red center surrounded by paler reddish rings) (erythema multiforme).
- •Swelling (fluid retention in tissues, appears as swelling of hands and feet)
- •Lung embolism (causes shortness of breath, breathing difficulties, and chest pain)
- •Palpitations (feeling your heart beat)
- •Muscle weakness
- •Chills
- •Rash
- •Memory impairment
- •Vision impairment
- •Signs of reduced bone density (osteoporosis) can be expected during long-term Eligard treatment. The risk of bone fractures increases with osteoporosis.
- •Severe allergic reactions causing breathing difficulties or dizziness have rarely been reported after administration of similar medicines to Eligard.
- •Seizures have been reported after administration of similar medicines to Eligard.
Important Warnings
- Do not use if you are a woman or a child.
- Do not use if you are allergic to leuprorelin acetate or any other ingredient in Eligard.
- Do not use if you have had your testicles removed by surgery, as Eligard will not lower testosterone levels further.
- If Eligard is your only treatment and you have spinal cord compression or spread of cancer to your spine, Eligard should only be used with other prostate cancer medicines.
- Tell your doctor if you have heart or blood vessel problems, including irregular heartbeats, or if you take medicines for these. Eligard may increase the risk of irregular heartbeats.
Show 11 more warnings
- Tell your doctor if you have trouble urinating; you will be monitored closely during the first weeks of treatment.
- Contact your doctor immediately if you get a sudden headache, vomiting, changes in mood, or sometimes heart collapse within two weeks of taking Eligard.
- If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels should be checked regularly during treatment.
- Eligard treatment may increase the risk of bone fractures due to bone thinning.
- Tell your doctor if you feel down or depressed while using Eligard.
- Heart and blood vessel problems have been reported in patients using similar medicines. Tell your doctor if you have any heart or blood vessel symptoms while using Eligard.
- Seizures have been reported in patients given Eligard. Tell your doctor if you have seizures while using Eligard.
- Contact your doctor immediately if you experience severe or repeated headaches, vision problems, or ringing in your ears.
- Tell your doctor if you have fatty liver disease.
- Stop using leuprorelin and seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of severe skin reactions like Stevens-Johnson syndrome or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.
- In the first weeks of treatment, testosterone levels may rise slightly, causing temporary worsening or new symptoms like bone pain, urinary problems, spinal cord compression, or blood in urine. These usually go away with continued treatment. If they don't, contact your doctor.