When you begin treatment with 28-day Sandostatin® LAR Depot (octreotide acetate for injectable suspension), your treatment plan will progress in 1 of 2 ways.
If your doctor has prescribed Sandostatin® LAR Depot for the first time
You will start treatment on the daily injection form of the drug. For the first 2 weeks, you will give yourself daily injections of immediate-release Sandostatin® (octreotide acetate) Injection. These subcutaneous (under the skin) injections are repeated 2 or 3 times a day.
There are 2 reasons why it is important to begin your therapy with daily injections:
- Your doctor can observe how well immediate-release Sandostatin® Injection is working at the starting dose
- It helps to determine if you are experiencing any side effects
Once your doctor has seen how you are responding to and tolerating immediate-release Sandostatin® Injection, you will most likely be switched to 28-day Sandostatin® LAR Depot.
If you are currently receiving daily injections of immediate-release Sandostatin® Injection
Your doctor may switch you directly to once-every-28-day Sandostatin® LAR Depot. You will be given a starting monthly dose for the first 2 months. At that point, your dose may be continued at the same level, or changed based on your progress.
Learn about maintaining therapy with Sandostatin® LAR Depot.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Sandostatin® LAR Depot (octreotide acetate for injectable suspension) is a prescription medicine indicated for patients in whom initial treatment with immediate release Sandostatin® (octreotide acetate) Injection has been shown to be effective and tolerated for:
- Long-term maintenance therapy in acromegalic patients who have had inadequate response to surgery and/or radiotherapy or for whom surgery and/or radiotherapy is not an option (the goal of treatment in acromegaly is to reduce GH and IGF-1 levels to normal).
- Long-term treatment of the severe diarrhea and flushing episodes associated with metastatic carcinoid tumors.
- Long-term treatment of the profuse watery diarrhea associated with VIP-secreting tumors
In patients with carcinoid syndrome and VIPomas, the effect of Sandostatin Injection and Sandostatin LAR Depot on tumor size, rate of growth and development of metastases has not been determined.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Warnings and precautions: Treatment with Sandostatin LAR Depot may affect gallbladder function, sugar metabolism, thyroid and heart function, and nutritional absorption, which may require monitoring by your doctor.
Before taking Sandostatin LAR Depot: Tell your doctor if you have a history of heart disease or are taking other medications, including: cyclosporine, insulin, oral hypoglycemic agents, beta-blockers, and bromocriptine.
Common side effects: Most patients experience side effects at some time. Some common side effects you may experience include:
- Acromegaly: diarrhea, gallstones, abdominal pain, and flatulence
- Carcinoid tumors: back pain, fatigue, headache, abdominal pain, nausea, and dizziness
Other information: Patients with carcinoids tumors and VIPomas should adhere closely to their scheduled return visits for reinjection in order to minimize exacerbation of symptoms. Patients with acromegaly should adhere to their return visit schedule to help assure steady control of GH and IGF-1 levels.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
