Octreotide (injection route, intramuscular route, subcutaneous route)
Available brands
Bynfezia Pen, SandoSTATIN, SandoSTATIN LAR Depot
About this medication
Octreotide injection is used to treat severe diarrhea and other symptoms that occur with certain intestinal tumors (eg, vasoactive intestinal peptide tumors or VIPomas) or metastatic carcinoid tumors (tumors that has already spread in the body). It does not cure the tumor but it helps the patient feel more comfortable. Octreotide injection is also used to treat a condition called acromegaly, which is caused by too much growth hormone in the body. Too much growth hormone produced in adults causes the hands, feet, and parts of the face to become large, thick, and bulky. Other problems, such as arthritis, can also develop. Octreotide works by reducing the amount of growth hormone that is produced by the body. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Before using this medication
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of theshort-acting form of octreotide injectionor thelong-acting form of octreotide injectionin the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been demonstrated. Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of octreotide injection have not been performed in the geriatric population, geriatric-specific problems are not expected to limit the usefulness of octreotide injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving octreotide injection. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. 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. 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. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
How to use this medication
A nurse or other trained health professional may give you this medicine. It is given as a shot under your skin or muscle, or as a needle placed into one of your veins. This medicine may also be given at home to patients who do not need to be in a medical facility. If you are using this medicine at home, your doctor or nurse will teach you how to prepare and inject the medicine. Be sure that you understand how to use the medicine. If you use this medicine at home, you will be shown the body areas where this shot can be given. Use a different body area each time you give yourself a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas. This will help prevent skin problems from the injections. This medicine usually comes with patient information or directions. Read them carefully and make sure you understand them before using this medicine. If you have any questions, ask your doctor. You might not use all of the medicine in each ampul or vial (glass container) or prefilled pen. Do not save an opened ampul or vial or prefilled pen. If the medicine in the ampul or vial or prefilled pen has changed color, or if you see particles in it, do not use it. Some patients may feel pain, stinging, tingling, or burning sensations at the place where they inject the medicine. Injecting the medicine after it has been warmed to room temperature rather than cold from the refrigerator may reduce the discomfort. However, do not use heat to warm it faster because heat can destroy the medicine. Put used needles and syringes in a puncture-resistant disposable container or dispose of them as directed by your doctor. Do not reuse needles and syringes. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses. If you miss a dose of thelong-acting form of this medicine, contact your doctor. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. You may also keep thevialsat room temperature, away from heat and direct light, for up to 14 days. Throw away any unused medicine after 14 days. After first use of theprefilled pen, you can keep it at room temperature, away from heat and direct light, for up to 28 days. Throw away any unused medicine after 28 days. Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container that the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.
Disclaimer: August is a health information platform and its responses don't constitute medical advise. Always consult with a licenced medical professional near you before making any changes.