Ganirelix Acetate
Get instant savings up to 75% on Ganirelix Acetate
Download the Free PrescriptionDrugs.com Discount Drug Card
Print Card
Redeem for instant savings up to 75% on name brand
& generic prescription drugs
Accepted at over 60,000 pharmacies nationwide
Generic Name: ganirelix (injectable)
(gah NIH reh licks)
What is Ganirelix Acetate?
Ganirelix Acetate is a man-made protein that inhibits the actions of the naturally-occurring hormone gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).
Ganirelix Acetate is used along with other medications to regulate hormone response in the treatment of infertility in women.
Ganirelix Acetate may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about Ganirelix Acetate?
Ganirelix Acetate should be prescribed by a doctor experienced in infertility treatment. Before starting treatment with ganirelix, it should be determined that you are not already pregnant. Ganirelix may be harmful to an unborn baby.
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is an uncommon complication of treatment with Ganirelix Acetate and other fertility medications. Symptoms of OHSS include severe pelvic pain, swelling of the hands or legs, abdominal pain and swelling, shortness of breath, weight gain, low urine output, diarrhea, severe nausea, and vomiting. OHSS can be fatal. Notify your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical attention if you develop any of these symptoms.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Ganirelix Acetate?
Do not use Ganirelix Acetate without first talking to your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to this medication or to another gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) product such as goserelin (Zoladex) or gonadorelin (Factrel).
Before using Ganirelix Acetate, tell your doctor if you have any other medical conditions or take any other medications. You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment.
Do not take Ganirelix Acetate if you are pregnant. Ganirelix is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that ganirelix is known to be harmful to an unborn baby. Before starting treatment with ganirelix, it should be determined that you are not already pregnant.
It is not known whether Ganirelix Acetate passes into breast milk. Do not take ganirelix without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take Ganirelix Acetate?
Use Ganirelix Acetate exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
Ganirelix Acetate should be prescribed by a doctor experienced in infertility treatment. Before starting treatment with ganirelix, it should be determined that you are not already pregnant. Ganirelix may be harmful to an unborn baby.
Ganirelix Acetate is administered as a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection once daily on specific days of the menstrual cycle between the use of other infertility medications.
Ganirelix Acetate may be administered by your healthcare provider or your doctor may want you to administer this medication at home. If you are administering the medication at home, your doctor will give you detailed instructions on how and where to administer the injection. In general, the injection should be administered as follows:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
- Use an alcohol wipe to clean an area about two inches around the intended injection site (usually an area around the bellybutton or on the upper thigh). Allow the skin to dry for at least one minute.
- Remove the needle cover.
- Pinch up an area of skin between the finger and thumb. Insert the needle at a 45 to 90 degree angle to the skin at the base of the pinched-up skin.
- Pull back slightly on the plunger of the syringe. When the needle is correctly positioned under the skin, it should be difficult to pull back on the plunger. If any blood is drawn into the syringe, the needle tip has entered a vein or artery. If this happens, withdraw the needle slightly and reposition the needle without removing it from the skin. Alternatively, remove the needle and use a new, sterile, prefilled syringe.
- Once the needle is correctly positioned, depress the plunger slowly and steadily so the solution is correctly administered and the skin is not damaged.
- Pull the needle out quickly and apply pressure to the injection site with an alcohol swab.
Rotate injection sites as directed by your healthcare provider.
Never reuse a needle or syringe. Dispose of all needles and syringes in an appropriate, puncture resistant disposal container.
Your healthcare provider may want to perform blood tests or other forms of monitoring during treatment with Ganirelix Acetate to evaluate progress and side effects.
Store Ganirelix Acetate at room temperature protected from light.
What happens if I miss a dose?
It is important not to miss a dose of Ganirelix Acetate. Contact your doctor immediately if you miss a dose of this medication.
What happens if I overdose?
An overdose of Ganirelix Acetate is unlikely to threaten life. Notify your doctor immediately or call an emergency room or poison control center for advice if an overdose is suspected.
Symptoms of a Ganirelix Acetate overdose are not known.
What should I avoid while taking Ganirelix Acetate?
There are no restrictions on food, beverages, or activity during treatment with Ganirelix Acetate, unless otherwise directed by your doctor.
What are the possible side effects of Ganirelix Acetate?
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is an uncommon complication of treatment with Ganirelix Acetate and other fertility medications. Symptoms of OHSS include severe pelvic pain, swelling of the hands or legs, abdominal pain and swelling, shortness of breath, weight gain, low urine output, diarrhea, severe nausea, and vomiting. OHSS can be fatal. Notify your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical attention if you develop any of these symptoms.
Seek emergency medical attention if you experience a rare but serious allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives) to Ganirelix Acetate.
Other side effects may also occur. Notify your doctor if you experience
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect Ganirelix Acetate?
It is not known whether other medications will interact with Ganirelix Acetate. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including herbal products during treatment with ganirelix.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist has additional information about Ganirelix Acetate written for health professionals that you may read.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2009 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.05. Revision Date: 4/12/2009.
