General Information on Gonal F
The generic name for Gonal F is follitropin alfa and it is available in the form of subcutaneous injection. It is a human follicle stimulating hormone preparation of recombinant DNA origin and it consists of 2 non-identical, non-covalently linked glycoproteins. Gonal F injection is administered to women who are seeking pregnancy as it helps the ovaries in making eggs. It is most commonly used for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and ovulation induction (OI). It is available in pre-filled injections that are ready to use and you can buy Gonal F directly from a pharmacist as well.
Side effects of Gonal F
The most common side effects of Gonal F are allergies and the symptoms may vary from one patient to another. Some of the symptoms that you might encounter include breathing problem, swelling of the tongue or lips, swelling of the face, hives, lump in the throat, closing of the throat, tingling sensation in the legs and arms, and redness or numbness in the feet followed by pain.
Some of the other side effects of Gonal F that require immediate medical assistance include breast pain, growth of acne, discomfort followed by allergic reaction at the injection site, sinus infection, headache, stomach problems leading to diarrhea, chest pain, severe back or pelvic pain, unusual vaginal itching followed by discharge and odor, sudden weight gain, and decreased urination.
Precautions
You must not buy Gonal F or have it administered by a physician unfamiliar with infertility problems and their medical solutions. Secondly, Gonal F or follitropin alfa is considered to be a potent gonadotropic substance that can cause Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) especially in women with vascular or pulmonary complications. Laboratory tests have revealed that it can even affect women who do not have any vascular or pulmonary complications. Women injected with Gonal F have reported ovarian enlargement, which normally regresses without treatment but careful monitoring is required all the time. Gonal-F treatment can lead to multiple births, as reported in clinical trials and patients going for this treatment should be aware of this potential risk. Administration of Gonal F in clinical trials have caused ovarian neoplasms and this has been reported in women in both benign and malignant form.
Gonal F Dosage
Each multi-dose vial of Gonal F delivers around 450 IU or 1050 IU follitropin alfa. The dose is individualized according to the requirements of each patient. The initial dose should be Gonal F 75 IU per day administered subcutaneously followed by incremental adjustments of up to Gonal F 37.5 IU after 14 days. There can be further dose increases after 7 days if necessary and the treatment should not be for more than 35 days. In certain cases doses Gonal F 300 IU or larger can be administered per day but are not recommended routinely.
Interactions
No drug interaction studies have been performed on Gonal F although when it is injected with Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), congenital cardiac malformations have been reported in children.
