Before Using This Medicine

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 goserelin, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to goserelin, buserelin, gonadorelin, histrelin, leuprolide, or nafarelin.

Fertility—During use of goserelin, and usually for a short time after discontinuing it, the medicine decreases fertility in men by reducing sperm counts and in many women by suppressing egg development. Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor before receiving the medicine.

Pregnancy—Goserelin is not recommended for use during pregnancy. This medicine may cause birth defects if taken by a woman during pregnancy or may cause a miscarriage to occur. Use of a nonhormonal contraceptive is recommended for women who are taking goserelin. Although the chance of becoming pregnant is decreased while you are taking this medicine, a pregnancy can still occur. Tell your doctor immediately if you think you have become pregnant .

Breast-feeding—It is not known whether goserelin passes into breast milk. However, use of goserelin is not recommended during breast-feeding because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Children—Studies of this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of goserelin in children younger than 18 years of age with use in other age groups. Endometriosis is not likely to occur before puberty.

Older adults—Many medicines have not been tested in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of goserelin in the elderly to use in other age groups, it has been used mostly in elderly patients and is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines—Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two 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. Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems—The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of goserelin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Changes in vaginal bleeding from an unknown cause—Gonadorelin may delay diagnosis or worsen condition. The reason for the bleeding should be determined before goserelin is used

• Conditions that increase the chances of developing thinning bones or
• Osteoporosis (brittle bones), history of, or family history of—It is important that your doctor know if you already have an increased risk of osteoporosis. Some things that can increase your risk for having osteoporosis include cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, and a family history of osteoporosis or easily broken bones. Some medicines, such as corticosteroids (cortisone-like medicines) or anticonvulsants (seizure medicine), can also cause thinning of the bones when used for a long time

• Nerve problems caused by bone lesions in the spine (in treatment of cancer of the prostate) or
• Problems in passing urine (in treatment of cancer of the prostate)—Conditions may get worse for a short time after goserelin treatment is started