Sandostatin LAR and Its Usage

Sandostatin LAR has another more usual name, which is octreotide. Basically, this is one man-made protein that is quite similar to somatostatin, which is a hormone in people’s bodies. It functions by lowering a wide range of substances in a patient’s organism, such as growth hormone, glucagon, insulin, and the chemicals that have an impact on digestion. It is often prescribed by doctors in order to treat acromegaly. Besides, this drug can be utilized to decrease watery diarrhea and flushing episodes. These can be caused by some cancerous tumors. Before starting to use this medication, it is highly recommended to get more information about it and its possible side effects.

Many medical specialists inform: “It is better not to take Sandostatin LAR if patients have any allergy to its active components, including octreotide. People also need to tell their doctors if they have certain medical conditions, such as heart problems, diabetes, hypertension, kidney or liver issues, and so on. It is necessary to tell healthcare providers everything about any other medications that people take at the same time. That’s because some of them may interact with each other, thus causing a number of health complications.”

It is better not to use the injection form of Sandostatin LAR at home. It means that people are not allowed to self-inject this medication if they don’t have the right understanding of how to do that properly. The same can be said for disposing used needles and other things necessary in order to inject this drug. Patients should be sure to follow all the instructions and recommendations of their doctors precisely.

There is an opinion: “If someone wants to make sure that Sandostatin LAR is helping his/her current condition, and there are no side effects associated, it is advisable to go to a hospital on a regular basis. This is where people can undergo special medical tests in order to check blood cells, kidney and liver functions, and many other things. It is not recommended to miss any regular visits to doctors for different urine and blood tests as well. Patients need to call their healthcare providers as soon as they start noticing any side effects. These ones may include bleeding, slow heart rate, bruising, severe pain, and some others.” In addition, it is necessary to mention that people need to get emergency medical help in case they have any signs of allergic reactions.