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 growth hormone, the following
should be considered:
Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever
had any unusual or allergic reaction to growth hormone. Also tell
your health care professional if you are allergic to any other
substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Pregnancy—Growth hormone has not been
studied in pregnant women. However, in animal studies, growth
hormone has not been shown to cause birth defects or other
problems.
Breast-feeding—It is not known whether
growth hormone passes into breast milk.
Children—There is no specific information
comparing use of growth hormone in children with acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with use in other age groups.
Older adults—Many medicines have not been
studied specifically 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
growth hormone in the elderly with use in other age groups, it 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 taking growth hormone,
it is especially important that your health care professional know
if you are taking any of the following:
 | Corticosteroids (cortisone-like medicines)—These medicines
can interfere with the effects of growth hormone |
Leukemia has been reported in a few patients after treatment
with growth hormone. However, it is not definitely known whether
the leukemia was caused by the growth hormone. Leukemia has also
been reported in patients whose bodies do not make enough growth
hormone and who have not yet been treated with man-made growth
hormone. However, discuss this possible effect with your doctor.
If growth hormone is given to children or adults with normal
growth, who do not need growth hormone, serious unwanted effects
may occur because levels in the body become too high. These
effects include the development of diabetes; abnormal growth of
bones and internal organs such as the heart, kidneys, and liver;
atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries); and hypertension
(high blood pressure).
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some
patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.