Consumer Information

Follistim

Generic Name: follicle stimulating hormone (injectable) (PAH lich cull STIM u lay ting HORE moan)
Brand Names: Follistim, Follistim AQ, Gonal-F, Gonal-f RFF, Gonal-f RFF Pen

What is Follistim?

Feedback for Follistim

User Comments	Avg User Rating
0 Comments	Be the first to rate it

Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is a naturally occurring hormone. FSH is important in the development of follicles (eggs) produced by the ovaries. Follistim is a brand of follicle stimulating hormone.

Follistim is used to stimulate a follicle to develop and mature. It is used when a woman desires pregnancy and her ovaries can produce a follicle but hormonal stimulation is not sufficient to make the follicle mature. Follistim is also used to stimulate the development of multiple eggs for in vitro fertilization.

Follistim may also be used for other purposes.

Important information about Follistim

Treatment with Follistim increases the likelihood of multiple births. Multiple births carry additional risk both for the mother and for fetuses. Discuss the risk of multiple births with your healthcare provider.

Before using Follistim

Follistim will not induce ovulation if the ovaries are not capable of producing an egg.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you

might be pregnant;
have a thyroid problem;
have adrenal dysfunction;
have cancer or a tumor of the breast, ovary, uterus, hypothalamus, or pituitary gland;
have undiagnosed abnormal vaginal bleeding; or
have ovarian cysts or enlargement not due to polycystic ovary disease (PCOD).

You may not be able to use Follistim, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring if you have any of the conditions listed above.

Treatment with this medication increases the likelihood of multiple births. Multiple births carry additional risk both for the mother and for fetuses. Discuss the risk of multiple births with your healthcare provider.

Tell your doctor if you are allergic to neomycin or streptomycin. The Follistim AQ Cartridge may contain traces of these antibiotics and may cause allergic reactions.

Do not use this medication if you are pregnant. Follistim is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that this medication is known to cause birth defects in an unborn baby (when used beyond the period of ovulation). It is not known whether Follistim passes into breast milk. Do not use this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I use Follistim

Use this medication exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to explain them to you.

The Follistim AQ Cartridge should only be administered subcutaneously. Follistim may be administered as a subcutaneous injection (injection under the skin) or intramuscular injection (injection into the muscle). If you are administering this medication at home, your doctor will give you detailed instructions on how to mix the solution and give the injection. Do not inject this medication if you are not sure how.

Do not shake the vial, but gently swirl until the solution is clear. Do not inject any medication that is discolored or that has particles in it.

Gonal F ampules and Follistim should be used immediately after mixing.

Never reuse a needle or syringe. Dispose of all needles and syringes in an appropriate, puncture-resistant disposal container.

Follistim AQ should only be used with the Follistim Pen.

Store unmixed vials of Follistim at room temperature or in the refrigerator away from light, moisture, and heat.

Store the Follistim AQ cartridges in the refrigerator until the expiration date printed on the cartridge. Alternatively, the cartridges can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 months or until the expiration date, whichever comes first. Once the rubber stopper on the cartridge has been pierced by a needle, the product must be used within 28 days.

Store mixed multi-dose vials of Gonal-F in the refrigerator between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit (2 and 8 degrees Celsius), protected from light. Throw away any unused medication 28 days after mixing.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Contact your doctor if you miss a dose of Follistim.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose of Follistim is unlikely to threaten life. Notify your doctor immediately or call an emergency room or poison control center for advice if an overdose is suspected.

Symptoms of a Follistim overdose are not known.

What should I avoid while using Follistim?

There are no restrictions on food, beverages, or activity during treatment with Follistim unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

Follistim side effects

Stop using Follistim and seek emergency medical attention or notify your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following serious side effects:

an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
pain, warmth, redness, numbness, or tingling in an arm or leg (which may indicate a blood clot);
confusion, severe dizziness, severe headache; or
difficulty breathing.

Approximately 5% of patients treated with Follistim develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), especially after the first cycle of therapy. Symptoms of OHSS include severe pelvic pain, swelling of the hands or legs, abdominal pain and swelling, shortness of breath, weight gain, low urine output, diarrhea, and nausea or vomiting. OHSS can be fatal. Notify your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical attention if you develop any of these symptoms.

Other side effects may also occur. Notify your doctor if you experience

ovarian enlargement presenting as abdominal or pelvic pain, tenderness, pressure, or swelling;
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or flatulence (gas);
fever or chills;
headache;
dizziness;
rapid pulse or heart rate;
muscle or joint weakness or aching;
breast tenderness;
spotting or menstrual changes;
pain, swelling, or irritation at the injection site; or
dry skin, a rash, or hair loss.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect Follistim?

It is not known whether other medications will interact with Follistim. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist has additional information about Follistim written for health professionals that you may read.

What does my medication look like?

Follicle stimulating hormone is available with a prescription under the brand names Follistim and Gonal-F. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.

Follistim 75 IU powder for injection
Gonal-F 75 IU powder for injection
Gonal-F 150 IU powder for injection
Follistim AQ Cartridge 437.5IU/0.525 ml
Follistim AQ Cartridge 737.5IU/0.885 ml

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.