Oxandrolone

Generic name: Oxandrolone
Brand names: Oxandrin
Dosage form: oral tablet (10 mg; 2.5 mg)
Drug class: Androgens and anabolic steroids

Usage of Oxandrolone

Oxandrolone is a man-made steroid, similar to the naturally occurring steroid testosterone. Oxandrolone is an "anabolic" steroid that promotes the growth of muscle tissue.

Oxandrolone is used to help you regain weight lost after surgery, severe trauma, or chronic infections. Oxandrolone is also used in people who cannot gain or maintain a healthy weight for unknown medical reasons.

Oxandrolone is also used to decrease muscle loss caused by using steroid medicines, and to reduce bone pain in people with osteoporosis.

Oxandrolone may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Oxandrolone side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Oxandrolone may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

new or worsening acne;

shortness of breath (even with mild exertion), swelling in your ankles or feet, rapid weight gain;

increased or ongoing erection of the penis;

unusual penis growth before puberty;

impotence, ejaculation problems, decreased amounts of semen, decrease in testicle size;

painful or difficult urination;

liver problems--nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, tired feeling, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or

high levels of calcium in your blood--vomiting, stomach pain, constipation, increased thirst or urination, muscle pain or weakness, joint pain, confusion, and feeling tired or restless.

Women receiving oxandrolone may develop male characteristics, which could be irreversible if testosterone treatment is continued. Stop taking oxandrolone and call your doctor at once if you notice any of these signs of excess testosterone:

acne;

changes in menstrual periods;

male-pattern hair growth (such as on the chin or chest);

hoarse or deepened voice; or

enlarged clitoris.

Common side effects (in men or women) may include:

breast swelling;

feeling excited;

sleep problems (insomnia); or

increased or decreased interest in sex.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Oxandrolone

You should not use oxandrolone if you are allergic to it, or if you have

prostate cancer;

advanced kidney disease;

high levels of calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia);

breast cancer (in men or in women who have hypercalcemia); or

if you are pregnant.

Some people using anabolic steroid medicine have developed cysts or tumors of the liver or spleen. These conditions can occur without warning or symptoms and can lead to liver failure, internal bleeding, cancer, or death. Using anabolic steroid medicine may also cause cholesterol (lipid) changes within your blood, which can increase fatty buildup inside your arteries (also called atherosclerosis). This condition can lead to stroke or heart attack. Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of using oxandrolone.

To make sure oxandrolone is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

liver disease;

a history of heart disease;

high cholesterol or triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood);

diabetes;

a thyroid disorder;

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD);

a history of stroke or blood clots;

if you take a blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven); or

if you use other steroid medicines (prednisone, methylprednisolone, and others).

oxandrolone can harm an unborn baby or cause birth defects. Do not use if you are pregnant. Use effective birth control and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether oxandrolone passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.

Older men may have an increased risk of developing an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer while taking this medicine. Talk with your doctor about your individual risk.

Relate drugs

How to use Oxandrolone

Usual Adult Dose for Weight Loss:

2.5 mg to 20 mg orally in 2 to 4 divided dosesDuration of therapy: 2 to 4 weeks, may be repeated intermittently as indicated.Uses:-Adjunctive therapy to promote weight gain after weight loss following extensive surgery, chronic infections, or severe trauma, and in some patients who without definite pathophysiologic reasons fail to gain or to maintain normal weight-To offset the protein catabolism associated with prolonged administration of corticosteroids-For the relief of the bone pain frequently accompanying osteoporosis

Usual Geriatric Dose for Weight Loss:

5 mg orally twice a dayUses:-Adjunctive therapy to promote weight gain after weight loss following extensive surgery, chronic infections, or severe trauma, and in some patients who without definite pathophysiologic reasons fail to gain or to maintain normal weight-To offset the protein catabolism associated with prolonged administration of corticosteroids-For the relief of the bone pain frequently accompanying osteoporosis

Usual Pediatric Dose for Weight Loss:

Less than or equal to 0.1 mg per kg body weight, may be repeated intermittently as indicated.Uses:-Adjunctive therapy to promote weight gain after weight loss following extensive surgery, chronic infections, or severe trauma, and in some patients who without definite pathophysiologic reasons fail to gain or to maintain normal weight-To offset the protein catabolism associated with prolonged administration of corticosteroids-For the relief of the bone pain frequently accompanying osteoporosis

Warnings

You should not use oxandrolone if you have prostate cancer, advanced kidney disease, high levels of calcium in your blood, breast cancer, or if you are pregnant.

Some people using anabolic steroid medicine have developed life-threatening side effects on the liver, spleen, and blood vessels. These conditions can occur without warning or symptoms and can lead to liver failure, internal bleeding, cancer, stroke, heart attack, or death. Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of using this medicine.

What other drugs will affect Oxandrolone

Other drugs may interact with oxandrolone, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.