Androgens : Before Using

Androgens - Systemic

Androgens *** Before Using *** How to Use *** Fore Safe Use *** Side Effects *** Additional Information

Before Using

In deciding to using a medication, the chance of taking the drug must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you will make. For androgens, the following must be considered

Allergic reaction

Tell your family doctor if you have any unusual or allergy to androgens. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy care

Androgens are not recommended during pregnancy. When given to pregnant women, the drug has causing male features to develop in female babies.

Breast-feeding problem

Use is not recommended in nursing mothers, since androgens may pass into the breast milk and may cause unwanted effects in the nursing baby, such as premature - too early sexual development in males and development of male features in female babies.

Use for Children

Androgens may cause children to stop growing. In addition androgens may make male children develop too fast sexually and may cause male-like changes in female children.

Elderly care

When older male diseaseds are treated with androgens, they may have an increased risk of enlarged prostate - a male gland or their existing prostate cancer may get worse. For these reasons, a prostate examination and a blood test to check for prostate cancer is often done before androgens are prescribed for men over 50 years of age. These examinations may be repeated during treat.

Drug interactions

Although certain medication must not be using together at all, in other cases two various medication may be using together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your family doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking androgens, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

Acetaminophen - Tylenol - with long-term, high-dose use
Amiodarone - Cordarone
Anabolic steroids - nandrolone " Anabolin ", oxandrolone " Anavar ", oxymetholone " Anadrol ", stanozolol " Winstrol "
Anti-infectives by mouth or by injection - medication for infection
Antithyroid agents - medication for overactive thyroid
Carbamazepine - Tegretol
Carmustine - BiCNU
Chloroquine - Aralen
Dantrolene - Dantrium
Daunorubicin - Cerubidine
Disulfiram - Antabuse
Divalproex - Depakote
Estrogens - female hormones
Etretinate - Tegison
Gold salts - medication for arthritis
Hydroxychloroquine - Plaquenil
Mercaptopurine - Purinethol
Methotrexate - Mexate
Methyldopa - Aldomet
Naltrexone - Trexan - with long-term, high-dose use
Oral contraceptives - birth control pills containing estrogen
Phenothiazines - acetophenazine " Tindal ", chlorpromazine " Thorazine ", fluphenazine " Prolixin ", mesoridazine " Serentil ", perphenazine " Trilafon ", prochlorperazine " Compazine ", promazine " Sparine ", promethazine " Phenergan ", thioridazine " Mellaril ", trifluoperazine " Stelazine ", triflupromazine " Vesprin ", trimeprazine " Temaril "
Phenytoin - Dilantin
Plicamycin - Mithracin
Valproic acid - Depakene Use of these medication with androgens may increase the risk of liver problems. Your family doctor may want you to have extra blood tests that check your liver while you are taking any of these medication with an androgen

Anticoagulants - blood thinners Androgens can increase the effect of these medication and possibly cause excessive bleeding

Other Information for using

The presence of other medical problems may effect the use of androgens. Make sure you tell your family doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Breast cancer - in males
Prostate cancer Androgens can cause growth of these tumors

Breast cancer - in females Androgens may cause high calcium levels in the blood to become worse

Diabetes mellitus - sugar diabetes Androgens can increase or decrease blood sugar levels. Careful monitoring of blood glucose must be done

Edema - swelling of face, hands, feet, or lower legs
Kidney disease
Liver disease These conditions can be worsened by the fluid retention - keeping too much water in the body that can be causing by androgens. Always liver disease can prevent the body from removing the drug from the bloodstream as fast as it normally would. This could increase the risk of side effects occurring

Enlarged prostate Androgens can cause further enlargement of the prostate

Heart or blood vessel disease Androgens can make these conditions worse because androgens may increase blood cholesterol levels. Also androgens can cause fluid retention - keeping too much water in the body, which also can worsen heart or blood vessel disease