Testosterone Cypionate, Injectable Solution

Testosterone cypionate is a prescription drug. It comes as an injectable solution given into the muscle. Testosterone cypionate is a self-injectable drug. You can give this medication to yourself at home after your doctor shows you how to do so.

Testosterone cypionate is available as the brand-name drug Depo-Testosterone. It’s also available as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less than the brand-name version. In some cases, they may not be available in every strength or form as the brand-name drug.

Testosterone cypionate is a controlled substance. This means it’s regulated by the government.

Why it’s used

Testosterone cypionate is used to treat symptoms of hypogonadism in males. In this condition, males don’t produce enough of the sex hormone testosterone.

Low testosterone levels in males can lead to mood changes, poor concentration, erectile dysfunction (trouble getting or keeping an erection), and low sex drive. It can also cause reduced growth of penis and testicles, gynecomastia (breast growth), loss of body hair and muscle mass, anemia, and osteoporosis.

There are two types of hypogonadism: primary and hypogonadotropic. This drug may be used to treat both.

• Primary hypogonadism occurs when the testicles can’t produce enough testosterone.
• Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism occurs when there is damage to parts of the brain (hypothalamus or pituitary gland) that tell the testicles to produce testosterone.

Testosterone cypionate is also prescribed off-label for testosterone therapy for transgender men and gender diverse people. Off-label means a doctor can prescribe the medication for a different use than what it was approved for.

How it works

Testosterone cypionate belongs to a class of drugs called androgens. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.

Testosterone cypionate works to treat hypogonadism in males by replacing the testosterone your body is unable to make.

Testosterone cypionate injectable solution doesn’t cause drowsiness, but it can cause other side effects.

More common side effects

The more common side effects of testosterone cypionate can include:

• acne
• pain and swelling at injection site
• hair growth
• gynecomastia (breast enlargement)
• more frequent erections
• erections that last longer than normal
• mood swings
• headache
• decrease in sperm count when the drug is used at high doses

If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious side effects

Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:

• Heart attack. Symptoms can include:
  • chest pain
  • shortness of breath
  • discomfort in your upper body
  • weakness in one part or side of your body
  • slurred speech
  • frequent or urgent need to urinate
  • nocturia (need to urinate more often at night)
  • trouble starting urination
  • weak urine stream or a stream that stops and starts
  • dribbling at the end of urination
  • straining while urinating
  • not being able to completely empty your bladder
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • stomach pain and swelling
  • swelling in your legs and ankles
  • bruising more easily than normal
  • pale-colored stool
  • unusual or unexplained tiredness
  • loss of appetite
  • dark-colored urine
  • yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
  • swelling of your leg
  • pain in your leg
  • shortness of breath
  • chest pain or discomfort that gets worse when you take a deep breath or when you cough
  • feeling lightheaded or dizzy, or fainting
  • fast pulse
  • coughing up blood
  • reddening in your face
  • headaches
  • confusion
  • stroke
  • blood clots
  • tiredness
  • decrease in mental alertness

  Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history.

  Testosterone cypionate injectable solution can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.

  To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs you’re taking. To find out how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

  Examples of drugs that can cause interactions with testosterone cypionate are listed below.

  Interactions that increase your risk of side effects

  Taking testosterone cypionate with certain medications raises your risk of side effects from these drugs. Examples of these drugs include:

  • Insulin and oral diabetes drugs, such as nateglinide, pioglitazone, repaglinide, rosiglitazone, metformin, glimepiride, glipizide, sitagliptin, saxagliptin, linagliptin, exenatide and liraglutide. Taking these drugs together may cause a significant decrease in your blood sugar levels. Your doctor may decrease the dosage of your diabetes drugs. You may need to monitor your blood sugar levels closely while taking these drugs together.
  • Oral blood thinners, such as warfarin. Taking these drugs together may increase your risk of bleeding. Your doctor will monitor you closely if you take these drugs together.
  • Corticosteroids and adrenocorticotropic hormone. Taking these drugs with testosterone cypionate puts you at a higher risk of edema (fluid build-up). Your doctor should monitor you closely for fluid build-up if you take these drugs together, especially if you have heart or liver problems.

  Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking.

  Allergy warning

  Testosterone cypionate can cause a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms can include:

  If you develop these symptoms, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

  Don’t take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it. Taking it again could be fatal (cause death).

  Warnings for people with certain health conditions

  For people with liver problems: This medication can cause liver damage. This may lead to serious liver disease. If you have liver disease, this drug may also cause salt and water retention. This may make your liver disease worse.

  For people with heart problems: If you have heart disease, this drug may cause salt and water retention. Both the medication and the salt and water retention can make your conditions worse. If you have a history of heart attack or heart disease, ask your doctor whether this drug is safe for you.

  For people with kidney problems: If you have kidney problems or a history of kidney disease, this drug may cause salt and water retention. Both the medication and salt and water retention can make your conditions worse.

  For people with breast cancer: You shouldn’t take this drug if you have breast cancer. This medication may make your disease worse.

  For people with prostate cancer: You shouldn’t take this drug if you have prostate cancer. Testosterone cypionate may make your disease worse.

  For people with sleep apnea (problems breathing while sleeping): If you have sleep apnea, ask your doctor whether this drug is safe for you. This medication may make this condition worse. You may wake up more often at night, which may cause you to be more tired during the day.

  For people with polycythemia (elevated red blood cell count): This drug may significantly increase your red blood cell count and make your condition worse. You shouldn’t use this drug if your hematocrit is above 54%.

  For people with high cholesterol levels: This drug may increase your cholesterol levels. High cholesterol levels may increase your risk of heart or blood vessel problems. Your doctor will check your cholesterol levels while you take this medication.

  For people with diabetes: This drug may cause a significant decrease in your blood sugar levels. Your doctor may lower the dosage of your diabetes drugs. You may also need to monitor your blood sugar levels closely.

  For people with blood clots: This drug may increase your risk of developing blood clots in your lungs or in the deep veins of your legs, especially if you have a history of blood clots.

  Warnings for other groups

  For pregnant people: Testosterone cypionate should never be used during pregnancy. This medication can cause harm to the fetus.

  People who can become pregnant are advised to use birth control while taking testosterone cypionate.

  Testosterone cypionate should not be used by people who are breastfeeding or chestfeeding.

  For seniors: This drug shouldn’t be used to treat age-related decreases in testosterone. There isn’t enough information from clinical trials in seniors ages 65 years and older to support the use of this drug for a long period of time.

  If you’re older than 65 years, you may be at a higher risk of heart disease, prostate cancer, and enlarged prostate while taking this drug.

  For children: It hasn’t been confirmed that testosterone cypionate is safe and effective for use in children younger than 12 years.

  Testosterone cypionate may affect bone growth in children. This drug can cause bones to mature more quickly than normal without causing an increase in height. This can result in a shorter adult height. Your doctor will check your child’s growth regularly if your child takes this drug.