Testosterone (Injection)

Drugs and Foods to Avoid

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

• Make sure your doctor knows if you are also taking blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin®), or if you are taking medicine to treat diabetes.

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used

How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine

• If you have your shots at home, you may need to store your medicine. Keep the medicine at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Do not freeze.
• If you have your treatments at home, you should be given a special container for the used needles and syringes. Throw away used needles in this hard, closed container. Keep the container where children or pets cannot reach it.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children.
• Do not share your needles, syringes, or medicine with anyone else.
• Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any leftover medicine, containers, and other supplies. You will also need to throw away old medicine after the expiration date has passed.

Warnings While Using This Medicine

• Make sure your doctor knows if you have diabetes, an enlarged prostate, high cholesterol, high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia), heart disease, liver disease, or kidney disease.
• For women and girls: tell your doctor if you have any male-like changes such as deepening of your voice, hair growth on your face, or growth in the size of sex organs.
• For men and boys: tell your doctor if you have erections too often or that last too long or acne.
• This medicine may slow growth in children. Your doctor may need to x-ray your child's bones about every 6 months.
• Use of high doses of this medicine for a long time may increase your chance of getting liver cancer.
• Talk with your doctor before taking this medicine if you are breast feeding.
• You should not use this medicine if you are pregnant. If you become pregnant while being treated with testosterone, tell your doctor right away. This medicine may be harmful or cause birth defects in an unborn baby if taken during a pregnancy.
• Your doctor will need to check your blood at regular visits while you are using this medicine. Be sure to keep all appointments.

If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor

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

Introduction

Testosterone (tes-TOS-ter-one)

Treats a lack of testosterone when your body does not produce enough of its own natural testosterone. Is also used to treat certain kinds of breast cancer in women. Testosterone is a male hormone.

Brand Name(s)

Depo-Testosterone, Testro AQ, Delatestryl

How to Use This Medicine

Injectable

• Use only the brand of this medicine that your doctor prescribed. Different brands may not work the same way.
• Your doctor will prescribe your exact dose and tell you how often it should be given. This medicine is given as a shot into one of your muscles.An intramuscular (IM) injection is a shot given in your muscle (thigh or buttocks). This medicine should not be used intravenously (as a shot given in your veins).
• This medicine should be given by a nurse or other caregiver trained to give IM shots. Sometimes you, a family member, or a friend can be taught to give you your medicine.
• If the medicine gets too cold, crystals may form in the liquid. To warm the liquid, roll the syringe back and forth between the palms of your hands. If the medicine is still in the vial, warm it by holding the vial in your hand, then shake the vial to dissolve the crystals.

If a dose is missed:

• Call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.

Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

• Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
• Dark-colored urine or pale stools.
• Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, pain in your upper stomach.
• Swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet.
• Trouble urinating, or change in how much or how often you urinate.
• Unusual bruising or bleeding.
• Yellowing of your skin or whites of your eyes.

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

• Bloated feeling.
• Changes in menstrual periods.
• Changes in sexual desire.
• Feeling nervous or unusually sad.
• Headache.
• Pain or redness in the area where the shot was given.
• Swollen breasts (in men).