Goserelin Acetate

You have been prescribed this medicine to help protect and preserve your fertility for the future.

This medicine is often prescribed to women of childbearing age who are taking cyclophosphamide for severe autoimmune diseases. Cyclophosphamide can affect fertility.

The Goserelin 3.6 mg implant will be injected under the skin on your stomach every four weeks (28 days). This will be done by your doctor or nurse.

The implant is a very small pellet that is given by a special needle and syringe known as SafeSystem. The injection will not hurt very much.

The pellet is designed to slowly release the medicine into your body over four weeks.

When should it be used?

If possible, goserelin should be given at least one week before starting cyclophosphamide. In women of childbearing age, the first injection is often injected right or right after their period to make sure they aren’t pregnant. However, urgent treatment should not be delayed.

Use reliable methods of contraception to avoid unwanted pregnancy. You should discuss the best form of contraception for you with your GP. 

Following doses are injected every 4 weeks for up to 6 months.    
 

Can other medicines be taken with Goserelin?

Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including

• tablets or supplements that you buy at the chemist, supermarket or health food shop.
• oral contraceptives – they interfere with the way it works.

Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you what to do if you are taking any other medicines

How long is the treatment continued?

Treatment with Goserelin is continued for up to 6 months as long as no serious side effects occur.

You might experience side effects with your treatment. Tell your doctor if you are concerned about possible side effects.

Most common possible side effects

• Temporary increase in blood pressure
• Hot flushes and sweating
• Reduced sex drive
• vaginal itch or dryness
• Pain, bruising, bleeding, redness or swelling where goserelin is injected.

Less common or rare possible side effects

• Breast tenderness & change in breast size
• Dizziness and/or feeling faint
• Headache
• Mood swings
• Allergic reactions (rash, itchiness, swelling of the face, lips or tongue, shortness of breath)
• Low blood pressure.

Goserelin may lower bone density which has been linked to a higher risk of fractures in men with prostate cancer. It is not clear if this risk is also higher in premenopausal women.

There have been small increases in the risk of diabetes, heart attack and stroke reported. Your doctor will tell you about any extra monitoring if any adjustments to your current medicines are needed.

• Keep your Goserelin implant in the package until you take it to the doctor or nurse to give it to you. If you take the medicine out of the pack you may dislodge the pellet in the syringe.
• It should be kept in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Do not store it or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
• Keep it our of reach of young children. A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
• Do not leave it in the car on hot days.
• Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.