# leuproreline depot



## Guest (Oct 30, 2010)

Hi can anyone tell me if Leuproreline depot injection is  the same as leuproreline powder for suspension for injection?  thanks


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## Mistletoe (Holly) (Jan 1, 2007)

Yes - it is also known as Prostap.

Leuprorelin acetate depot injection comes as 3.75mg or 11.25mg.

It comes as a powder and separate sterile solution to reconstitute it with immediately prior to injection.


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## Guest (Nov 2, 2010)

Hopeful Hazel said:


> Yes - it is also known as Prostap.
> 
> Leuprorelin acetate depot injection comes as 3.75mg or 11.25mg.
> 
> It comes as a powder and separate sterile solution to reconstitute it with immediately prior to injection.


I have been to the chemist and they want to sell me a product manufactured by Takeda. It is described as slow releasing when i thought it would work quite quickly. However, what confused me a bit is that it states one months injection and i thought it would be a one off.


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## Mistletoe (Holly) (Jan 1, 2007)

Yes it is slow releasing - it lasts a month.
It does get absorbed and have an effect quite quickly, but it then it slowly keeps releasing medication from the depot in the muscle, keeping the effect on the pituitary up over a whole month. It is a long acting preparation.
This is what the data sheet says about its onset of activity and duration of action....

''  In this dose form, an initial high level of leuprorelin in the plasma  is achieved within 3 hours followed by a drop over 24-48 hours to  maintenance levels of 0.3-0.8ng/ml and a slow decline thereafter.    Effective levels persist for 30-40 days after a single dose''

Takeda is the only manufacturer of Leuprorelin.

The higher strength one lasts 3 months. This means that patients with prostate cancer or endometriosis (its other uses) only have to have an injection 4 times a year.

Some of us down regulate the pituitary with buserelin which has to be given every day at the same time - think yourself lucky it is one slow release injection - I would rather have one jab than the 28 that I have had to have for a month's treatment with Buserelin.


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## Guest (Nov 2, 2010)

Hopeful Hazel said:


> Yes it is slow releasing - it lasts a month.
> It does get absorbed and have an effect quite quickly, but it then it slowly keeps releasing medication from the depot in the muscle, keeping the effect on the pituitary up over a whole month. It is a long acting preparation.
> This is what the data sheet says about its onset of activity and duration of action....
> 
> ...


Hi Hazel It all sounds quite scary and i have yet to work out how to inject it myself. Do you know why it is sold with 3 syringes since i was told i only need to take it once?


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## Mistletoe (Holly) (Jan 1, 2007)

What strength product have you got?

Best thing if you are unsure is to get your practice nurse or the clinic nurse to give it to you as you are only having it once.

I have never seen the product physically, but going by the information in the leaflet it should have one syringe containing the liquid and a vial of powder.
There should be 3 needles - one 21 gauge and two 23 gauge. 
The first 23 guage is used to inject the solution into the vial. You remove the needle and syringe from the vial and shake for 20 seconds. Using the same needle and syringe draw up all the suspension into the syringe.
You then change the needle to a nice new one so that the needle is sharp for injection (the first one will be blunt from piercing the rubber vial top twice)
You choose a 23 gauge needle if you are giving it subcutaneous and 21 gauge needle if you are giving it intramuscular. 

This is what the data sheet says - 
''The vial of PROSTAP SR microcapsule powder should be reconstituted  immediately prior to administration by subcutaneous or intramuscular  injection.  Remove flip-cap from vial of PROSTAP SR Powder and cap from  prefilled syringe containing 1ml of Sterile Vehicle.  Ensure 23 gauge  needle is fixed securely to the syringe and inject whole contents of  syringe into vial of PROSTAP SR Powder using an aseptic technique.    Remove the syringe/needle and keep aseptic.  Shake vial gently for 15-20  seconds to produce a uniform cloudy suspension of PROSTAP.
Immediately  draw up suspension into syringe taking care to exclude air bubbles.    Change the needle on syringe using a 23 gauge needle if the suspension  is to be administered subcutaneously or alternatively a 21 gauge needle  for intramuscular administration.  Having cleaned an appropriate  injection site and ensured that the needle is fixed securely, administer  the suspension by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection as  appropriate taking care not to enter a blood vessel.  Apply sterile  dressing to injection site if required.
The injection should be  given as soon as possible after mixing.  If any settling of suspension  occurs in vial or syringe, re-suspend by gentle shaking and administer  immediately.''


Best if you get a professional to give it to you if you are not sure what you are doing. The clinic should have taught you what to do.


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