By now, you must have known something about the Menopur injection. This article outlines everything you need to know about Menopur side effects you should know.
But then, if you are still in a maze, hang on so we can help you get the facts right.
Menopur falls under a group of medications called gonadotropins. They help to restore the normal functioning of your reproductive organs.
Menopur is also called Menotropin, and it is often used interchangeably.
Menopur helps in the development of eggs in the ovaries of women. It also enhances the production of multiple follicle eggs during ovulation.
This article explains the dangerous Menopur side effects that should come to your attention.
You will also find important information surrounding its usage concerning sexual reproduction and development.
There are a ton of contrasting opinions and misconceptions about Menopur side effects.
How about if we shed the light of truth to distinguish the wheat from the chaff?
Let’s jump right in and start by looking at the ingredients of Menopur.
Menopur Ingredients
Two natural hormones support fertility. These are luteinizing hormones and follicle-stimulating hormones.
Menotropins have an equal measure of these two natural hormones.
The active ingredients include;
1. Lactose Monohydrate
It is formed by crystallizing lactose from cow’s milk into dry powder. In the pharmaceutical field, it is referred to as milk sugar.
Primarily, it acts as a filler, sweetener, or stabilizer.
The food and drug administration considers lactose monohydrates safe to consume.
2. Phosphoric Acid
Apart from acting as an acidifying agent, it’s part of a buffer system since it is combined with dibasic sodium phosphate.
3. Polysorbate 20
It’s an excipient that stabilizes suspensions and emulsions in pharmaceuticals.
4. Dibasic sodium phosphate heptahydrate
It is usually used as a laxative to treat constipation and bowel cleaning.
The other inactive solvent ingredients include meta cresol and water for injections.
Benefits of Using Menopur
1. Reproductive health
As mentioned earlier, Menopur is a prescription medication used to treat symptoms of ovulation induction. Furthermore, it aids in spermatogenesis.
It also helps stimulate the manufacture and release of the luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
Among men, these hormones enable them to create testosterone. Whereas in women, it triggers the ovaries to make estrogen and progesterone.
As a result, this treats reproduction dysfunctions in adults.
2. Ovarian Health
Menopur is a treatment for infertility and reproduction-related issues among women.
Furthermore, it helps women achieve pregnancy by stimulating the ovarian follicles to release an egg.
In addition, it contains a component that induces and stimulates the growth of ovarian follicles.
For women who go through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedures, Menopur assists in developing their egg sacs. This boosts the production of more eggs for in-vitro fertilization.
Menopur helps women who don’t ovulate naturally.
Menopur Side Effects
Menopur, like many other medications, comes with side effects. However, these Menopur side effects differ from one patient to another.
Here are some of the renowned Menopur side effects.
- Weakness in the muscles and joints.
- Abdominal pain – The injection of the hormones may cause ovarian hypersensitivity. As a result, this makes them swell, thereby causing pain in the abdominal area.
- Swelling, pain, and irritation on the injected part.
- Headaches.
- Increased heartbeat rate – According to a study, women who use gonadotropin medications like Menopur are likely to experience significant heart rate variations.
- Weight gain on the face and around the midsection – Depending on the age and the body mass index, patients gain weight due to the high retention of fluids in the body.
- Diarrhea
- Skin irritation – Patients under Menopur injection often suffer itching or redness.
- Tenderness of breasts and enlargement – Studies show that women who undergo In vitro fertilization medication get the effect of enlarged breasts.
- Bloating.
- Decreased urination.
- Severe pelvic pain.
- Swelling at the injection site.
- The general feeling of illness.
- Muscle aches and pains.
- Menstrual changes.
- Unusual fatigue.
- An overdose can lead to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
What You Need to Know Before Using Menopur
The following background information can help you exercise caution before using Menopur.
Consider the details below to help you and your doctor make an informed decision about the medication.
You should not take Menopur if you have the following conditions.
- You are allergic to menopausal gonadotrophins.
- You have cancer of the breast, uterus, or womb.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- You have fibroids or tumors.
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding.
- When you have primary ovarian failure
How Quickly Does Menopur Work?
It is a common question to know how long Menopur takes to work.
After an injection, it takes about 18 hours for the medication to be fully absorbed into your system.
It is usually injected continuously until one is ready to ovulate.
Essentially, it does not take more than 20 days straight. And again, the health provider who monitors you should be able to tell you when to stop.
How to Use Menopur
Before using Menopur, you should first read and understand every instruction that comes with it.
Your doctor or nurse should take you through that quite well.
Menopur is administered through injections under the skin. Your doctor will show you how to self-inject yourself at home.
However, if you are unsure even after being instructed by your physician, getting every other injection from the doctor is better.
Menopuris in powder form, which means that it must be mixed with a solvent.
When you decide to self-inject yourself at home, you should get clear instructions on how to mix the medication.
After mixing the powder, do not shake the solution. If you shake the solution, it can foam, therefore, not being suitable to administer through injection.
Furthermore, you should note you should mix the solution only when ready to use it.
See that you don’t mix Menopur for later use, nor should you use it when the color has changed,
Once you use the needles and syringe, dispose of them safely and in the right place.
Moreover, it’s important to note that you should store the unmixed Menopur at room temperature.
When you decide to keep it in a refrigerator, ensure it doesn’t get to the freezing point.
Lastly, these injections come with a combination of other drugs for effective treatment.
Make sure you adhere to the doctor’s instructions concerning the other medications you take alongside the injections.
You should immediately call your doctor if you see the following signs.
- When you experience chest pain which involves dry cough and shortness of breath.
- Severe headaches
- When you start experiencing sudden numbness in either part of the body.
- Swelling or redness on the legs.
- When you sense signs of blood clots
When is the Best Time to Inject Menopur?
If you are on medications like Cetrotide, you should inject Menopur on day 2 or 3 of your period.
The treatment should be administered for at least 5 days.
If you are undergoing ART, you should inject Menopur at least two weeks after starting GnRH agonists. These are medications that act like gonadotrophin-releasing hormones.
Conclusion
Using menotropins can increase your chance of multiple pregnancies.
Multiple pregnancies are high-risk for the mother and infant(s). You should follow the doctor’s instructions regarding any particular treatment you may need during pregnancy.
Menopur side effects may also increase your risk of tubal pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, birth defects, or postpartum fever.
Significantly, Menopur can help you get pregnant but can also harm your unborn baby or cause birth defects.
Lastly, tell your doctor if you become pregnant during your treatment to curb the Menopur side effects mentioned in this article.
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