Lupron Depot is an injectable medication indicated to treat patients with prostate cancer or endometriosis. This medication, which contains the active ingredient leuprolide, is typically administered as an intramuscular injection once a month or once every three months, as recommended by a doctor. Patients should discuss any possible Lupron Depot injection complications with a medical professional before beginning this form of treatment.
Side Effects
The most common complications associated with Lupron Depot injection are side effects. Treated patients can experience night sweats, body pain, unusual swelling, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, constipation, skin rash, increased urination, headache, sleep difficulties, impotence or decreased libido, warns RxList. While these complications can be uncomfortable, most patients experience only mild side effects.
Increased Testosterone Levels
Use of the Lupron Depot injection can result in increased blood levels of testosterone, a male sex hormone. Health professionals with DailyMed report that testosterone levels in the blood can spike by 50 percent above baseline during the initial week of treatment. Consequently, treated patients can experience an increase in disease-related symptoms, such as pain or temporary paralysis. This Lupron Depot injection complication is temporary and testosterone levels typically decrease with continued use of the medication.
Pregnancy Complications
Lupron Depot injections can cause pregnancy complications in expectant mothers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has labeled this medication as "pregnancy category X," which means that it should not be used by women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, warns Drugs.com. Use of this medication during pregnancy can increase a woman's risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, fetal birth defects or low fetal birth weight. It is unknown whether treatment with this medication while breastfeeding can harm breastfeeding infants. A breastfeeding mother who uses Lupron Depot injection can experience poor milk supply during treatment.
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