Testosterone Enanthate, Injection

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: androgen; male hormone

Generic and brand names: testosterone enanthate, injection; Delatestryl

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by injections (shots) to treat various conditions caused by a lack of the hormone testosterone in men. It is used to stimulate the growth of the male sex organs in adolescent males.

This medicine is also used to treat advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women (women who have stopped having monthly periods).

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine, hormone, or to sesame oil
• an enlarged prostate or trouble urinating
• diabetes
• heart disease
• high cholesterol
• kidney or liver disease
• lung disease such as emphysema
• male breast cancer
• prostate cancer

Females of childbearing age: Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. This medicine has been reported to cause birth defects. Stop taking this medicine at the first sign that you may be pregnant and contact your healthcare provider right away. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine.

How do I use it?

Your dosage, how often you will receive the shots, and how long the treatment will last, depend on the condition being treated, your sex and age, and your response to the medicine.

You may be able to give yourself these shots or have someone at home give them to you. Be sure you know how and when to have them and how much medicine to use. Use sterile, disposable syringes and needles. Use them only once and dispose of them safely, following your healthcare provider's instructions.

These shots are normally given in the thigh muscle or the buttocks. Your healthcare provider will determine which muscle sites you can use and the exact dosage of the medicine.

Carefully read and follow the directions that come in the package of medicine for preparing the shots. Wash your hands before using this medicine. Follow these steps to give yourself the shots:

1. Select an injection site. To lessen irritation, choose a different spot and alternate the side used to give the shot each day.
2. Use an alcohol swab to clean the skin where you will give yourself the shot. Let the skin dry and avoid touching the area after you clean it.
3. Hold the syringe at a 90° angle to the muscle (straight up and down with the needle pointed toward the muscle).
4. With the other hand, hold the muscle firmly.
5. Insert the needle straight into the skin with a quick, firm motion.
6. Gently pull back on the plunger of the syringe. If no blood appears, inject all of the solution by gently and steadily pushing down the plunger until the syringe is empty. If blood appears when you pull back on the plunger, withdraw the needle and syringe and gently press the alcohol swab on the injection site. Start over with a fresh needle.
7. After you have given yourself the medicine, withdraw the needle quickly, at the same angle it was inserted, and press the alcohol swab on the spot where the shot was given.
8. Discard the syringe, needle, and drug vial. Use the syringes and needles ONLY ONCE. Throw them away after use. Put used needles in rigid puncture-resistant containers with lids or caps, such as heavy plastic bleach bottles with screw caps. DO NOT throw needles directly into garbage cans or dumpsters.

If you are not sure of how to give yourself the shots, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for help.

If this medicine gets too cold, crystals may form in the liquid. If this happens, warm the medicine by bringing it to room temperature and rolling the vial or syringe between the palms of your hands. You may shake the vial or syringe gently to dissolve the crystals.

What if I miss a dose?

Ask your healthcare provider what to do if you miss a dose.

What if I overdose?

Symptoms of an acute overdose have not been reported.

What should I watch out for?

Children being treated for delayed puberty, should have their bone development checked every 6 months.

This medicine may:

• Raise your cholesterol.
• Increase your risk for prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate.
• Make breast cancer worse.
• Worsen heart failure symptoms by causing you to retain fluid.

Your healthcare provider will watch you closely. You may need to have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for follow-up care.

This medicine is a controlled substance. It is illegal for you to give it to anyone else.

Rarely, this medicine may cause a painful erection of the penis that will not return to normal. If this occurs, contact your healthcare provider or get medical care right away. It can lead to permanent erectile dysfunction if not treated.

Diabetics: This medicine may affect your blood sugar level and change the amount of insulin or other diabetes medicine you may need. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Nausea; vomiting; yellowing of eyes or skin; ankle swelling; breathing problems, especially while sleeping; dizziness; fainting; trouble urinating. In males: too frequent or persistent erections; enlarged breasts. In females: hoarseness, acne, changes in menstrual periods, more facial hair.

Other: Headache, anxiety, depression, pain at injection site.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• corticotropin (ACTH)
• corticosteroids such as cortisone (Cortone), cortisone acetate, betamethasone (Celestone), dexamethasone (Dexone, Hexadrol), hydrocortisone (Hydrocortone, Cortef, A-HydroCort), methylprednisolone (Medrol, Depo-Medrol, A-Methapred), prednisolone (Delta-Cortef, Hydeltrasol, Pediapred), prednisone (Meticorten), and triamcinolone (Aristocort)
• cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune)
• insulin and diabetes medicines taken by mouth such as chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glimepiride (Amaryl), glipizide (Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL), glyburide (DiaBeta, Micronase, Glynase), tolazamide (Tolinase), tolbutamide, metformin (Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glucovance), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and pioglitazone (Actos)
• warfarin (Coumadin)

Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.