Lupron- Any Advice?

amother

Khaki

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 1:15 am

amother wrote:

It doesn't work as well when they're very close to puberty from what I've heard. I think they're supposed to start this earlier around age 9 for it to have an effect. Ask the doctor how much of an effect this will have since she's 13. Has she showed other signs of development?

Thats the reason they want to shut down puberty. In order to give the child a longer chance to grow with the help of gh.

I began this process 5 yrs ago but the 3 hr study back then showed that shes producing enough hormone so insurance refused to approve it.

I planned to buy it but it is 25k! I heard that you can get gh shots cheaper through sharei tzedek hospital so I ran it by my ped. He was fuming; if insurance does not approve it then it means the child doesnt need it! Getting it from Isreal wont help bcuz if she has enough gh then more gh wont help.

I walked out of peds and researched a better Endo. New Endo said even without doing the 3 hr test; this child is going to get shots from me. I dont care if he produces enough gh bcuz obviously the child isnt growing enough. This Endo a short person himself so he feels for short kids and he fights with insurance for gh shots.

Anyway, endo redid the 3 hr study and the results were that shes approved for shots but we need to stop this rapid puberty and bone closing asap.

I did so much research on gh I am not afraid one bit. But since I heard that shell have to be on Lupron? Im going nuts!

amother

Khaki

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 1:20 am

amother wrote:

I find that story very hard to believe unless the kid did not really need it .that is the most horrible thing to say if you know nothing about growth hormones or growth hormone deficiency it affects way more then the child's height it affects the growth of major organs and mussel mass it makes me so upset when I see people say it all about getting taller yes that is a big part of it but do you understand what is like to have a kid so much smaller and not growing its a huge thing my daughter looked like a baby she was so much smaller she was not able to go on rides and the lady was like sorry your to little for this as she watched younger kids go on. drs don't just prescribe gh its a big process and expensive. now my daughter is catching up to her pairs she is much healthier not getting sick as much she looks her age dont badmouth somthing if you dont even know what it is.

Thats why I asked for the name of this doc bcuz it seems like things were misunderstood or taken out of context. GH is the synthetic version of regular gh. Completely safe.

amother

Khaki

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 1:24 am

amother wrote:

one of my dd has the implant and we are not doing shots. we are doing gh with it shes had it for over a year already and doing fine on it . she is growing but the bigger thing is her bones wont close yet while we wait for her to grow in our case she started hitting puberty at an early age (not unnormally early) and it was going to stunt her growth we are just trying to get her to her full potential.

Is the implant safer than the shot?

amother

Mistyrose

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 5:05 am

amother wrote:

Is the implant safer than the shot?

Honestly my insurance only let's us do the implant we did one shot though. What's better about the implant is you don't have that up and down kids have when they do the shots and once it's in it's done for a year or so. My husband was nervous about it but really it's the same thing as taking birth control just the opposite hormone. I was also nevous Bec I have crazy cycles always and didn't want to mess her up but I an short and so is my husband and we both never took gh ( not as much info that many years ago ) and both have issues that relate to the hormone systems so not treating may not be better.

amother

Mistyrose

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 5:14 am

amother wrote:

There are many reasons a child can be suscribed gh one is being growth hormones deficient and one is ISS ( there are outher thing like Turner syndrome that you need gh also ) I have one DD who is ghd she did not grow properly in utro she had issues as a baby stopped growing for over a year and a toddler had outher issues also finally at 5 we found out she was ghd started treatment it was like a new child. My outher DD passed the 3 hour test but was falling off the cerve we where just watching her hoping she was a late bloomer then all of a sudden she stated she ing signs of puberty she was not 9 yet and have growth spurts that you gave when you start but it was going to change her estimate hight to about 4'6 so we had to do something. My girls are never gonna be talk but we are hoping with treatment to get to 5"

Chayalle

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 9:15 am

amother wrote:

My first concern at doc was the idea of stopping puberty.
The doc dismissed it; all the kids that go on lupron get thier period back!
Then I came home and read these articles and im also nervous if it cant cause terrible mood swings or whatever. Gosh im so nervous.

The person I know on Lupron - I haven't noticed any mood swings. She's amazing.

Also thinking - one question you might ask is, how long will she be on the Lupron? The amount of time can play a big role in side effects.

FranticFrummie

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 9:24 am

My DD just turned 15, and she's 4'10". She is always the shortest person in her class.

She knows what her options are, and she doesn't care. She's happy being small. She thinks it's fun when her friends pick her up and swing her around, make cute jokes, etc.

She says anyone who has a problem with her height, is the one with the problem, not her.

She'd rather be short and happy, than risk possible side effects.

Just another side of the situation, and something to consider. If your DD feels strongly that being short will make her miserable, perhaps you should find out why she feels that way.

amother

Khaki

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 9:31 am

Chayalle wrote:

Ok thanks. I know someone on Lupron (a girl with Downs Syndrome) and she had a full blown manic/depressive episode when she first began the shots.

amother

Khaki

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 9:35 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

Shes prepared for the possibility that the shots wont work fast enough. Shes comfortable if after everything itll not be bashert but being that she knows a few ppl that took the shot and were very successful on it she wants to try it.

I did not tell her about the loprun yet bcuz I want to first be comfortable myself.. then I can present it to her in a logical way.

amother

Floralwhite

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 9:47 am

I did lupron with one of my kids. But it was because of very early puberty and short stature. (Projected period at 10 & total predicted height 4'9".)
The dr said that that height in his opinion wasnt enough of a reason to do lupron but early puberty combined.
We stopped by 11 1/2. Shes 12 1/2 now, hit 4'9", still growing but slowing down. Hoping shell reach 5' and expecting first period any day.
She was very moody on lupron but im not sure it was worse than most kids approaching first period. Only difference was it lasted longer (several years).
I did use it and I was greatful. But only to reach the lowest threshold. Such strong hormones, I would not use it to push a kid taller than 4'11" or get a period past 11 1/2/6th grade- both to me being the lowest "normal" that a kid could handle.
Im going amother for my dd privacy. But if someone needs specific info I could share as necessary.

amother

Aubergine

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 11:04 am

amother wrote:

Thats why I asked for the name of this doc bcuz it seems like things were misunderstood or taken out of context. GH is the synthetic version of regular gh. Completely safe.

And cortisone is the synthetic version of the hormone cortisol. Completely safe?

Absolutely not. I know hundreds of people who are suffering terribly.

Hormones are powerful.

I'm not saying I know enough about GH to knock, I am just saying that I guarantee there is more to the story than even you know. Just be careful.

Wishing you the best, whatever your decision!

amother

Teal

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 11:10 am

My doctor put me on Lupron, and it was the worst experience of my life. Within 48 hours I was full blown suicidal and completely unreasonable. I insisted that my DH stay home from work and keep me away from the kitchen knives.

He called the doctor, and the doc rushed me an emergency course of very strong estrogen to counteract the Lupron. I had to take the estrogen for a full month so that I wouldn't get suicidal again.

Poor DH was terrified to leave me alone until he knew I was over the worst of it.

If you put your DD on Lupron, please, watch her like a hawk! My reaction was fairly rare, but it's still a risk. Even if it's not as bad as my experience, severe depression is a pretty common side effect.

amother

Mistyrose

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 11:27 am

amother wrote:

Growth hormone are made from the pituitary glands which produces on the hormones in your body . Giving growth hormone to people who don't produce enough is like giving a dibetic insulin. Years ago before they had synthetic gh they used gh from cadavers which cased some issues. Going to the Dr to ask for gh so you child can be a basketball player yes my Dr said that happenes is wrong. But so is taking any drug for the wrong reason . The op is not looking for someone who has no idea about gh or lupron to say how you heard from someone who heard it might not be a good idea but from real people who actually had to make this decision no it's not easy these things are never easy my husband was not for the growth hormones at first but now he's amazed at what it's done for our child . And it's just not ok for people that don't understand it to knock it if you put your child on it and had completion so you are giving your imput fine but if you don't know about please don't say it's bad .

amother

Mistyrose

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 11:35 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

That's amazing it's great to be Happy with who you are I am a bit under 5" and that's just me but they usually give gh to kids who's bones have more to grow but aren't for different reasons like my daughter bone age shows 4'10-4'11 they are hoping for 5" but without it she was not growing and the year she grew it was under 2 inches so at her rate she would have 4'4-4'6 which is crazy small she was almost 6 and she looked 3-4 . Her body was barely producing gh on it own.

amother

Seashell

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 12:45 pm

My DD was given Lupron for about a year (10 - 11) for very slightly precocious puberty. Concern wasn't height (no gh given)but the fact that her bones wouldn't have time to lay on enough calcium. MD presented it as a medical concern (life long weak bones) so we went ahead and bH no problems- except for slight discomfort from shot each month. Definitely glad we did it. Hatzlacha with your decision and may your dd have a healthy happy outcome.

amother

Khaki

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 12:59 pm

amother wrote:

I think this petrifies me the most. Here is a child that's healthy and happy. Do we go for something that can induce a manic or suicidal episode?

I appreciate everyone's opinions on this thread. I am going to discuss this with a few more professionals before doing it.

amother

Firebrick

Fri, Jun 29 2018, 2:09 pm

My dd was on lupron because of precocious puberty. It was very very early and there was no choice, although I was terrified too. My dd did have a lot of emotional issues in childhood and teens. Bh, she is much much better now, with age and experience, and yrs of medication and therapy. We all had many very hard years.

But I'll never know what factor, or likely, combination of factors were the culprits. Was it the Lupron? Or was it that she was on the lupron because her hormones were so completely out of whack and not functioning the way they should have been. So either one, or both?

Being 4'10" is very short, but within what would be considered 'normal'. 4'5" is a very different picture. And a 7 year old menstruating and dealing with all the issues of puberty is a different story all together. There is no simple answer, each case is very very different.