Lupron Depot-Ped
Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) is an injectable medication that works well to prevent early puberty in children 2 years of age and older. It must be given by a healthcare provider, and it's either injected under the skin or into the muscle.
What is Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide)?
What is Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) used for?
- Precocious puberty (puberty that starts at an early age)
How Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) works
Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist, which is a synthetic (man-made) hormone similar to the GnRH your body naturally makes. It lowers reproductive hormone levels, estrogen and testosterone, which are a part of the process of puberty.
Drug facts
Side effects of Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Injection site reactions, such as pain and swelling (9%)
- Mood changes (5%)
- Pain throughout body (3%)
- Headache (3%)
- Acne (3%)
- Serious skin rash (erythema multiforme, 3%)
- Swelling of vagina (vaginitis), vaginal bleeding, and vaginal discharge/fluids (3%)
*Side effects for injections into the muscle
Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Allergic reactions
The following Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
For adults
Less common
Fast or irregular heartbeat
For males only (adults)
More common
Arm, back, or jaw pain
bloody or cloudy urine
blurred vision
chest pain or discomfort
difficult, burning, or painful urination
difficulty with moving
dizziness
frequent urge to urinate
headache
increased urge to urinate during the night
muscle pain or stiffness
nervousness
pain in the joints
pale skin
pounding in the ears
slow or fast heartbeat
sweating
unusual bleeding or bruising
unusual tiredness or weakness
waking to urinate at night
Rare
Pain in the groin or legs (especially in the calves)
Incidence not known
Altered mental status
cold, clammy, pale skin
confusion
double vision
irregular heartbeat
visual changes
vomiting
For females only (adults)
For children
More common
Body aches or pain
chills
cough producing mucus
difficulty in breathing
ear congestion
headache
loss of voice
muscle aches
noisy breathing
pain or redness at the injection site
runny or stuffy nose
tightness in the chest
unusual tiredness or weakness
Less common
Irritability
mood or mental changes
Rare
Burning, itching, or swelling at the injection site
Incidence not known
Seizures
For females only (children)—expected in first few weeks
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
For adults
More common
Sudden sweating and feeling of warmth (hot flashes)
For females only (adults)
For males only (adults)
More common
Back pain
chills
general feeling of discomfort or illness
loss of appetite
pain or discomfort at the injection site
redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest
shivering
unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness, or feeling of sluggishness
Less common
Decreased size of the testicles
inability to have or keep an erection
For children
More common
feeling of warmth
redness of the face, neck, arms and occasionally, upper chest
stomach pain
vomiting
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Pros and cons of Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide)
Pros
- Works well to prevent precocious puberty (early puberty)
- Well-tolerated with few side effects
- Injections are only needed once every month, every 3 months, or every 6 months.
Cons
- Only available as an injection
- Might cause mood or emotional changes the first few weeks
- Requires close follow-up with routine blood draws and labs
Pharmacist tips for Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide)
- Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) is given in a healthcare provider's office for girls under 8 years or boys under 9 years to help prevent them from starting puberty too early.
- During the first 2 to 4 weeks of treatment, Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) can cause your child's hormone levels to go up, resulting in more signs of puberty at first. These signs include vaginal bleeding. Call your child's healthcare provider if these symptoms continue beyond the second month of treatment.
- Sudden mood changes, such as crying, irritability, impatience, anger, and aggression, have been observed in children taking Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide).
- After injection, some pain and irritation is expected, but if more serious symptoms occur, call your healthcare provider.
- It's important to have your child visit their healthcare provider regularly for blood tests to have the most success.
Common questions about Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide)
Precocious puberty is when children have signs of sexual development (e.g., breast enlargement, penile enlargement, vaginal bleeding, pubic hair) younger than normally seen. Children with early sexual development younger than the age of eight (girls) or nine (boys) years should be seen by their healthcare provider.
In clinical trials, one of the most common side effects reported was pain at the site where the medication was injected.
Some people taking Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) might experience more crying, anger, irritability, or restlessness (impatience). If your child has a history of emotional or mental health problems, let his or her healthcare provider know before starting this medication.
Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) can be injected into the shoulder muscle, thigh muscle, or the buttock muscle. Fensolvi (the other version of this medication) is injected underneath the skin instead (usually under skin in the stomach or buttocks).
No, Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) should be stored at room temperature, which is about 77ºF.
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Risks and warnings for Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide)
Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Initial worsening of symptoms
Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) is an artificial (man-made) hormone similar to one your body makes, called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Similar to other GnRH medications, Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) can cause worsening of puberty symptoms, such as vaginal bleeding, when first started. These symptoms should go away within the first 4 weeks of therapy.
Emotional or mental health changes
People taking medications similar to GnRH, like Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide), may have trouble controlling their emotions. Symptoms of emotional changes include crying, irritability, impatience, anger, and aggression. As a parent, watch your child for changes in behavior or emotions.
Convulsions (seizures)
- Risk factors: History of seizures | History of stroke | People taking certain mental health medications, including SSRIs or bupropion (Wellbutrin)
People taking medications similar to GnRH, like Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide), may experience convulsions or seizures. This is more likely to happen if your child has had seizures or strokes in the past or if they take certain mental health medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, like sertraline (Zoloft)) or bupropion (Wellbutrin). If you notice your child is experiencing tight muscles, uncontrollable movements, or painful cramping, call their healthcare provider right away.
Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) dosage
Typical dosage for Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide)
Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) must be given by your child's healthcare provider. The dose is based on your child's body weight. Your child's healthcare provider will follow up every 1 to 2 months to make sure the medication is working.
Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) is injected into the thigh, shoulder, or buttock muscle. The medication can either be injected once every month or once every 3 months.
There is another brand name of this medication called Fensolvi, which is injected under the skin in the stomach or buttock area once every 6 months.
Interactions between Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide) and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Bepridil
- Cisapride
- Dronedarone
- Mesoridazine
- Pimozide
- Piperaquine
- Saquinavir
- Sparfloxacin
- Terfenadine
- Thioridazine
- Ziprasidone
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Amiodarone
- Amisulpride
- Aripiprazole Lauroxil
- Buprenorphine
- Buserelin
- Ceritinib
- Citalopram
- Clofazimine
- Degarelix
- Deslorelin
- Deutetrabenazine
- Donepezil
- Encorafenib
- Entrectinib
- Formoterol
- Fostemsavir
- Glasdegib
- Gonadorelin
- Goserelin
- Histrelin
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Hydroxyzine
- Inotuzumab Ozogamicin
- Ivosidenib
- Lefamulin
- Lenvatinib
- Lofexidine
- Macimorelin
- Methotrimeprazine
- Mirtazapine
- Moricizine
- Nafarelin
- Osilodrostat
- Osimertinib
- Oxaliplatin
- Ozanimod
- Papaverine
- Pimavanserin
- Pitolisant
- Ponesimod
- Ribociclib
- Selpercatinib
- Sertraline
- Siponimod
- Sotalol
- Sulpiride
- Sunitinib
- Triclabendazole
- Triptorelin
- Vemurafenib
- Voclosporin
- Zotepine
- Zuclopenthixol
What are alternatives to Lupron Depot-Ped (leuprolide)?
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