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• Antineoplastic
• diagnostic aid, thyroid function
• thyrotropic hormone

Thyrotropin (thye-roe-TROE-pin) is used in a test to determine how well your thyroid is working. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Thyrotropin is to be administered only by or under the immediate supervision of your doctor. It is available in the following dosage form:

Parenteral
• Injection

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 thyrotropin, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever received thyrotropin or ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to thyrotropin. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals.

Breast-feeding—It is not known whether thyrotropin passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children—This medicine has been tested in children and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

Older adults—Many medicines have not been studied specifically in the elderly. 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 the use of thyrotropin in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine 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 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 receiving thyrotropin, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Thyroid hormones—You may not respond as strongly to thyrotropin if you have been taking thyroid hormones regularly

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

• Hardening of the arteries or
• Heart disease or
• High blood pressure—Thyrotropin increases body metabolism and causes the heart to work harder, which may make these conditions worse

• Untreated underactive adrenal gland or
• Untreated underactive pituitary gland—Use of thyrotropin may severely worsen these conditions

For your doctor to properly treat your medical condition, you must receive every dose of this medicine. After the last dose, the doctor may want to perform certain tests that are very important.

It is important that your doctor check your progress to make sure that this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.

Dosing—

The dose of thyrotropin will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders. The following information includes only the average doses of thyrotropin.

• For injection dosage form:
  • For testing the thyroid gland:
    • Adults and children—10 International Units (IU) injected under the skin or into a muscle once a day for one to three days. If thyroid testing is being done after surgery, this medicine will usually be given for three to seven days.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

• Rare--more common in patients who have received thyrotropin previously
  • Faintness;  itching, redness, or swelling at place of injection;  skin rash;  tightness of throat;  wheezing 
  
  

• Symptoms of overdose
  • Chest pain;  fast or irregular heartbeat ;  irritability;  nervousness ;  shortness of breath;  sweating 
  
  

Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:

• More common
  • Flushing of face;  frequent urge to urinate ;  headache;  nausea and vomiting ;  stomach discomfort 
  
  

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.

Revised: 05/04/1999