Ganirelix

Ganirelix is a prescription medication used during certain fertility treatments in women called ovarian stimulation to help ensure that women's eggs can develop properly. 

Ganirelix belongs to a group of medications called gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists. These work by decreasing the production of certain hormones in the body order to prevent ovulation from occurring at the wrong time and to allow additional fertility treatments to promote ovulation at the right time.

Ganirelix is available in an injectable form to be given directly under the skin.

Common side effects of ganirelix include headache, abdominal pain, and vaginal bleeding.

Ganirelix is a prescription medication used during certain fertility treatments in women called ovarian stimulation to help ensure that women's eggs can develop properly. 

This medication can be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Ganirelix may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Antagon

Serious side effects have been reported with ganirelix. See "Ganirelix Precautions" section.

Common side effects of ganirelix include:

• headache
• stomach pain
• vaginal bleeding
• injection site reaction
• nausea

This is not a complete list of ganirelix side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

No drug interactions have been studied by the manufacturer. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.

Serious side effects have been reported with ganirelix including the following:

• Hyperstimulation and/or enlargement of the ovaries. Discontinue using ganirelix and get medical attention immediately if you experience abnormal severe abdominal pain.
• Life-threatening allergic reactions. Discontinue using ganirelix and get medical attention immediately if you experience facial, lip, tongue, throat swelling and/or difficulty breathing.
• Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). Discontinue using ganirelix and get medical attention immediately if you experience severe pelvic pain, nausea, vomiting, and/or weight gain.

Do not take ganirelix if you:

• Are allergic to ganirelix or to any of its ingredients or latex
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of ganirelix, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking ganirelix, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to ganirelix or to any of its ingredients or latex
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Ganirelix falls into category X. It has been shown that women taking ganirelix during pregnancy may have babies born with problems. There are no situations where the benefits of the medication for the mother outweigh the risks of harm to the baby. These medicines should never be used by pregnant women.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if ganirelix crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using ganirelix.

Use ganirelix exactly as prescribed.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly under the skin once daily until your physician determines it is time to stop treatment.

Do not administer ganirelix acetate injection unless you have been taught how to properly administer the injection by your physician. 

Directions for Using ganirelix acetate injection

1. Ganirelix Acetate Injection is supplied in a sterile, prefilled syringe and is intended for SUBCUTANEOUS (under the skin) administration only.
2. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
3. The most convenient sites for ganirelix acetate injection are in the abdomen around the navel or upper thigh.
4. The injection site should be swabbed with a disinfectant to remove any surface bacteria. Clean about two inches around the point where the needle will be inserted and let the disinfectant dry for at least one minute before proceeding.
5. With syringe held upward, remove needle cover.
6. Pinch up a large area of skin between the finger and thumb. Vary the injection site a little with each injection.
7. The needle should be inserted at the base of the pinched-up skin at an angle of 45–90° to the skin surface.
8. When the needle is correctly positioned, it will be difficult to draw back on the plunger. If any blood is drawn into the syringe, the needle tip has penetrated a vein or artery. If this happens, withdraw the needle slightly and reposition the needle without removing it from the skin. Alternatively, remove the needle and use a new, sterile, prefilled syringe. Cover the injection site with a swab containing disinfectant and apply pressure; the site should stop bleeding within one or two minutes.
9. Once the needle is correctly placed, depress the plunger slowly and steadily, so the solution is correctly injected and the skin is not damaged.
10. Pull the syringe out quickly and apply pressure to the site with a swab containing disinfectant.
11. Use the sterile, prefilled syringe only once and dispose of it properly.

If you miss a dose, make an appointment to receive the missed dose as soon as you remember. 

Use this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your weight
• your age

The recommended dose of ganirelix to help ensure that eggs can develop properly is 250 micrograms given daily until your physician determines it is time to stop treatment.

If you receive too much ganirelix, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If ganirelix is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store at 25°C (77°F)
• Protect from light
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.