Serostim Overview:  Benefits. Side Effects, How to Use and Where to Buy

Serostim® is the prescription human growth hormone made by EMD Serono. Serostim® is an injectable form of growth hormone made from recombinant DNA (rDNA).

What is Serostim?

Serostim® HGH is a form of prescription human growth hormone (HGH) injections. It is prescribed primarily for patients with growth hormone deficiency and for the treatment of HIV-positive patients with wasting or cachexia in order to increase lean body mass and body weight and improve physical endurance. Antiretroviral therapy remains necessary in such patients.

Serostim® is available as a sterile lyophilized powder intended for subcutaneous injection after reconstitution to its liquid form. Vials of Serostim® contain either 4 mg, 5 mg, or 6 mg.

Indications and Contraindications for Serostim

Interactions

According to its manufacturer, you should not take Serostim® if you have:

• A critical illness from surgery, serious injuries, or a severe breathing problem
• Cancer or undergoing treatment for cancer
• Eye problems caused by diabetes
• Allergies to growth hormone or other ingredients in Serostim vials

Warnings

In addition to the contraindications mentioned above, before taking Serostim®, tell your doctor:

• If you have cancer or had cancer in the past.
• If you have diabetes, are at risk for getting diabetes, or have blood sugar levels that are higher than normal. New cases of type 2 diabetes have been reported in patients taking Serostim.
• If you are allergic to growth hormone, benzyl alcohol, sucrose, phosphoric acid, or sodium hydroxide.
• If you are taking any other medicines (both prescription or over the counter), vitamins, or supplements because these medicines may affect each other. Your doctor may need to adjust the dose of Serostim or other medicines you are taking.
• If you are nursing, pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Serostim passes into your breast milk or could harm your unborn baby.

See your medication’s insert or the full Trusted sourceSerostim Prescribing InformationEMD SeronoGo to sourcePrescribing Information for a complete list of potential drug interactions and warnings.

Serostim Benefits and Side Effects

Serostim is FDA-approved for the treatment of growth hormone deficiency. It is generally regarded as safe. However, like any drug or prescription medication, Serostim injections have benefits as well as potential side effects.

Benefits List

In clinical studies, Serostim® has been shown to be an effective therapy for HIV-associated wasting. Individuals with HIV-associated wasting may have growth hormone (GH) resistance, which involves a decrease or absence of the effects of growth hormone in the body. GH resistance may contribute to the loss of lean body mass in such patients.

In studies of HIV patients with muscle wasting, Serostim® effectively decreased trunk fat and total body fat and increased lean body mass. Serostim also leads to improved physical performance in the patients for which it was prescribed.

Side Effects List

Serostim injections are FDA approved for the treatment of growth hormone deficiencies or muscle wasting diseases and conditions. Serostim is generally regarded as safe. However, as with any prescription medication, it has some potential side effects.

More common – the most common side effects reported for Serostim® include:

• Swelling, especially in the hands or feet or around the eyes
• Bone, muscle, and joint pain or stiffness
• Tingling, numbness, and pain in the fingers, thumb, or wrist
• Unusual skin sensations
• Breast enlargement in men
• Nausea
• Extreme tiredness

Less common – some of the potentially severe, though less common side effects of Serostim® include:

• High blood sugar (hyperglycemia/diabetes) which can include symptoms of increased thirst and urination, tiredness, or trouble concentrating
• Headaches, changes in vision, nausea, or vomiting, which requires immediate medical attention
• Serious allergic reactions that require immediate medical attention
• Pain and tenderness in the abdomen

See your medication’s insert or full Trusted sourceSerostim Prescribing InformationEMD SeronoGo to sourcePrescribing Information for a complete list of potential side effects.

Your prescription for Serostim® will be tailored to best meet your particular goals and lifestyle. You will be carefully monitored over the course of your treatment with Serostim®, so any chance of side effects should be kept to a minimum. Tell your doctor if you are experiencing any of these or other side effects while taking Serostim®.

In Case of Overdose

Overdose of medications like Serostim in the short term could lead initially to hypoglycemia and subsequently to hyperglycemia. In the long term, overdose could result in signs and symptoms of acromegaly (gigantism) consistent with the known effects of excess growth hormone.

As with any medication, in case of accidental overdose, seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Keep Serostim® and all prescription medications out of the reach of children.

How much does Serostim Cost?

Depending on your dosage option, Serostim injections can cost anywhere between $4,500.00 – $5,700.00.

How and Where to Buy Serostim

You cannot buy the Serostim online or anywhere else, for the matter, without a doctor’s prescription.

If your goal is to get a prescription for Serostim HGH injections online, fill out our online medical history form. Or you can use the “contact us” or “chat” features on this page to schedule a consolation to see if you qualify for a prescription for Serostim.

How to Use the Serostim

How to Use

Serostim® is injected into a muscle or under the skin. Serostim® can be self-administered every day or every other day, usually at bedtime, as prescribed by your healthcare provider.

You will be shown exactly how to administer your Serostim® injections. Do not self-inject this medicine if you do not fully understand how to give the injection and properly dispose of used needles and syringes.

• Use exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
• Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended
• Follow the directions on your prescription label
• Use a different place on your body each time you give the injection
• Do not inject this medicine into skin or muscle that is red, sore, infected, or injured

To further assist with the Serostim® injection process, the manufacturer has provided step-by-step injections instructions and a helpful video on the Trusted sourceImportant Safety Information and IndicationEMD SeronoGo to sourceHow to Take Serostim® page of their website.

Dosage information*

The daily dosage of Serostim® varies by your age, weight, and the condition it is being prescribed for.

The daily dosage of Serostim® varies by your age and weight. According to the Prescribing Information provided by the National Institutes of Health, the usual starting dose of Serostim® is 0.1 mg/kg subcutaneously once daily (up to a total dose of 6 mg).

Serostim® should be injected at bedtime according to the following body weight-based dosage recommendations:

*Dosing information is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as any kind of instructions for use. Consult your physician or pharmacist for guidance regarding your particular dose of Serostim®

Storage Information for Serostim

According to the manufacturer, after reconstitution with Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, USP (0.9% Benzyl Alcohol), the reconstituted solution should be stored under refrigeration (2-8°C/36-46° F) for up to 14 days. Avoid freezing reconstituted vials of Serostim.

Serostim Results 1-6 Months

Results for the use of Serostim will vary based on the condition it is prescribed for. Unlike other forms of prescription growth hormone, Serostim is primarily prescribed for HIV/AIDs patients experiencing muscle wasting. For such patients, Serostim helps to increase body weight and lean muscle mass. The use of Serostim HGH in HIV patients will improve physical endurance.

Serostim has also been found to provide the same month-by-month benefits of HGH in non-HIV patients who are taking it as prescribed for growth hormone deficiency as follows.

What to Expect During the First Month

During your first month of using Serostim, almost as soon as that first dose enters your bloodstream, your body reacts and begins to change in a positive way. As month 1 of your HGH program progresses, your growth hormone levels will increase, the production and release of IGF increases, and in about two weeks, you will notice a real significant difference.

You will find that you are sleeping better, you will see increases in your energy level and overall vitality. As you reach the end of your first month of growth hormone therapy, you will feel like a much different person. You will feel stronger. You will start to look better as skin health improves and muscles begin to tighten.

Other Results After 1 Month May Include:

• Improved cognition and lifting of “mental fogginess.”
• Improved focus and concentration
• Better mood, fewer feelings of anxiety and depression
• Improved self-confidence
• Slight increases in exercise capacity

Two Months of Serostim Therapy Results

As you enter your second month of growth hormone therapy, the changes in your physical appearance will become much more obvious. Your skin will have a definitive more healthy and more youthful “glow.” You will notice a definite improvement in muscle tone. You will be able to exercise for longer periods at a time, which will only further improve your “before” and “after” results. Belly fat should start to diminish. You may even notice an improvement in your eyesight, particularly your night vision.

Other Results After 2 Months May Include

• Stronger hair and nails
• Improved metabolism – increased ability to burn fat resulting in more energy.
• Increased sex drive

Serostim Results After 3 Months

Once you have been on Serostim therapy for three months, now you will start to see some of the most dramatic changes in your body from when you first started. At twelve weeks out, you will look and feel physically much stronger. Bone density will have significantly improved to the point where you are more flexible and are experiencing less joint stiffness or joint pain. As you continue through month three, you will continue to see improvements in your sex drive and sexual performance.

Results After 3 Months May Include

• Further improvement to memory, focus, and other cognitive functions
• Women may experience a reduction in PMS and menopausal symptoms
• Continued improvements to exercise capacity
• Improved immune function resulting in greater resistance to sickness and disease
• Increased improvements to skin and hair health
• Greater motivation improved productivity at work

Serostim Results After 4 Months

As you come out of your third month of growth hormone therapy and enter your fourth, this is when you experience your peak results. Fat loss will be significant, as will be your improvement in lean muscle. You will likely look and feel more “fit” than you have in years. You will experience most if not all the known benefits of HGH replacement, such as:

• More energy
• Increased stamina
• Healthy skin and hair
• Less disrupted sleep
• Lower cholesterol and increased heart health

Other Results After 4 Months May Include

• Maximum improvement in energy, weight loss, bone, skin, hair, and nail health
• Significantly reduced joint pain
• Increased endurance
• Continued improvements in mental function
• Improved cardiac function and heart health

Serostim Results After 5 and 6 Months May Include

As you go through month 5 of HGH therapy and by the end of your sixth month, you will have made significant improvements. All of your results from the past few months will keep building, and you’ll experience:

• Improvement to overall body tone and appearance.
• Increased muscle mass.
• Lowered cholesterol and triglycerides.
• At least a 10% overall reduction in body fat and a 10% increase in lean muscle mass.
• Significantly improved vitality, energy, and stamina.

Serostim Alternatives

Serostim is just one of several types of growth hormone our doctors prescribe. Like Serostim, all HGH injections are some form of the prescription drug somatotropin. They differ only in their available dosages and delivery methods.

We only work with legitimate pharmacists that provide our patients with one of the name brands of prescription HGH.

Besides Serostim, we also prescribe these popular brands of injectable HGH:

• Humatrope
• Genotropin
• Norditropin
• Zomacton
• Saizen
• Serostim
• Sorptive

Now that you know a lot more about Serostim, why not contact us today, and find out if it, or one of the other types of HGH injections we prescribe, is right for you?