Ways to Counteract Lupron Effects
- Lupron (leuprolide acetate) is a synthetic version of a hormone called gonadotropin (GnRH), which is produced naturally by your body. GnRH regulates estrogen in your body, as does Lupron. Leuprolide acetate is marketed as Viadur by Bayer AG, as Eligard by Sanofi-Aventis and as Lupron by Takeda Abbott Pharmaceuticals (TAP).
- Lupron is prescribed as a slow-release implant or an injection, and never for longer than six months. Lupron can significantly reduce a woman's estrogen levels, which why it is prescribed to treat endometriosis.
Lupron can also be prescribed, via an option that is called "off label," for medical purposes not specified in its original FDA approval. This means Lupron is also is prescribed for women preparing for in vitro fertilization, egg donation and surrogacy and for men with advanced prostate cancer and for the prevention of Alzheimer's. - Lupron causes a drop in estrogen, which helps shrink fibroids, but can also cause menopause-like symptoms in women. Side effects, according to the FDA, include: hot flashes, night sweats, headache, migraine, vision problems, fainting, nausea, dizziness, weakness in the legs or itching and tingling, severe joint pain, asthma, difficulty breathing and abdominal pain. In addition, women with no history of depression or psychiatric illness have reported depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts and attempts.
- Severe side effects include hypertension, syncope and tachycardias, chronic enlargement of the thyroid, liver function abnormality, pituitary approplexy (the bleeding out of a tumor on the pituitary gland) and convulsion. Lupron also works as a chemotherapy drug that destroys both cancerous and non-cancerous cells. This could make Lupron harmful to pregnant women and developing fetuses. Used as a prostate cancer drug, Lupron is risky for men with heart conditions, as reported in an August 26, 2009 article by Carla K. Johnson of the Associated Press.
- Before you consider starting Lupron, make sure you are well informed about all potential side effects and ask what other options are available to treat your endometriosis. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not breast-feed while taking Lupron.
Do not take aspirin or products that contain aspirin while on Lupron. Do not drink alcohol. Avoid sun exposure. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience urinary retention, inability to urinate, weakness, numbness or tingling in arms or legs and changes in vision. These signal very serious reactions to Lupron.
To counteract milder symptoms, home remedies can help with both nausea and menopause. These include goldenseal supplements and ginger and chamomile tea. Anise, licorice root, star anise and fennel all contain phytoestrogens, which ease hot flashes. They also help with nausea. Black cohosh and dong quai supplements also contain phytoestrogens.