Danazol (Systemic)

Brand Names : Danocrine, Cyclomen

Before Using This Medicine

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 danazol, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to danazol, androgens (male hormones), or anabolic steroids. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Danazol is not recommended for use during pregnancy, since it may cause a female baby to develop certain male characteristics.

Breast-feeding - Breast-feeding is not recommended while you are taking this medicine because it may cause unwanted effects in the baby.

Children - Danazol may cause male-like changes in female children and cause premature sexual development in male children. It may also slow or stop growth in any child.

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 danazol in the elderly with use in other age groups, danazol has effects similar to androgens (male hormones). Androgens used in older males may increase the risk of developing prostate enlargement or cancer.

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 danazol, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Anticoagulants (blood thinners) - Danazol may increase the effects of these medicines and possibly increase the risk of severe bleeding
• Tacrolimus (e.g., Prograf) - Danazol may increase the effects of tacrolimus by increasing the amount of that medicine in the body

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

• Blood clotting disorders or
• Severe liver disease or
• Tumor caused by too much male hormones or
• Tumor on the genitals or
• Unusual bleeding from the vagina - Danazol should not be used when these conditions exist

• Porphyria - This condition may be made worse

• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) - Danazol may increase blood glucose (sugar) levels

• Epilepsy or
• Heart disease or
• Kidney disease or
• Migraine headaches - These conditions can be made worse by the fluid retention (keeping too much body water) that can be caused by danazol