I suppose women have a different attitude to Danazol than men.
I've posted links to medicines.org.uk before but people in The USA don't seem able to access them, so have copied relevant (male) side effects info for you Hal incase you've not managed to access them. Not that I'm saying you will get any of them but always good to be aware.
4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use
In view of its pharmacology, known interactions and side effects, particular care should be observed when using danazol in patients with hepatic or renal disease, hypertension or other cardiovascular disease and in any state which may be exacerbated by fluid retention as well as in diabetes mellitus, polycythaemia, epilepsy, lipoprotein disorder, in those with a history of thrombosis, and in those who have shown marked or persistent androgenic reaction to previous gonadal steroid therapy. Adjustment in concomitant therapy may be called for particularly in patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus or epilepsy when introducing or discontinuing danazol as well as during Danazol treatment.
Caution is advised in patients with migraine.
Until more is known, caution is advised in the use of danazol in the presence of known or suspected malignant disease (see also contraindications). Before treatment initiation, the presence of hormone-dependent carcinoma should be excluded at least by careful clinical examination, as well as if breast nodules persist or enlarge during danazol treatment. In the event of virilisation, Danazol should be withdrawn. Whilst androgenic reactions will generally prove reversible, continued use of danazol in the face of evident virilisation is likely to cause irreversible androgenic effects.
Danazol should be stopped if any clinically significant adverse event arises, and particularly if there is evidence of papilloedema, headache, visual disturbances or other signs or symptoms of raised intracranial pressure, jaundice or other indication of significant hepatic disturbance, thrombosis or thromboembolism.
In addition to clinical monitoring in all patients, appropriate laboratory monitoring should be considered which may include periodic measurement of hepatic function and haematological state. For long-term treatment (> 6 months) or repeated courses of treatment, biannual hepatic ultrasonography is recommended.
The lowest effective dose of danazol should always be sought.
Experience of long term therapy with danazol is limited. Whilst a course of therapy may need to be repeated, care should be observed as no safety data are available in relation to repeated courses of treatment over time. The long-term risk of 17-alkylated steroids (including benign hepatic adenomata, hepatocellular focal nodular hyperplasia, peliosis hepatis and hepatic carcinoma), should be considered when danazol, which is chemically related to these compounds, is used for periods longer than those normally recommended.
Danazol capsules contain lactose. Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine.
4.5 Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction
Anti-Convulsant Therapy: danazol may affect the plasma level of carbamazepine and, possibly the patient's response to this agent and to phenytoin. With phenobarbital it is likely that similar interaction would occur.
Anti-Diabetic Therapy: danazol can cause insulin resistance.
Oral Anti-Coagulant Therapy: danazol can potentiate the action of warfarin.
Anti-Hypertensive Therapy: Possibly through promotion of fluid retention, danazol can oppose the action of anti-hypertensive agents.
Ciclosporin and tacrolimus: danazol can increase the plasma level of ciclosporin and tacrolimus, leading to an increase of the renal toxicity of these drugs.
Concomitant Steroids: Although specific instances have not been described, it is likely that interactions will occur between danazol and gonadal steroid therapy.
Migraine Therapy: danazol may itself provoke migraine and possibly reduce the effectiveness of medication to prevent that condition.
Ethyl Alcohol: Subjective intolerance in the form of nausea and shortness of breath has been reported.
Alpha Calcidol: danazol may increase the calcaemic response in primary hypoparathyroidism necessitating a reduction in dosage of this agent.
Interactions with laboratory function tests: danazol treatment may interfere with laboratory determination of testosterone or plasma proteins (see section 4.
.
Statins: The risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis is increased by concomitant administration of danazol with statins metabolised by CYP3A 4 such as simvastatin, atorvastatin and lovastatin.
4.8 Undesirable effects
The possible causal relationship between danazol and many of the following events reportedly associated with its use remains to be defined.
Blood and lymphatic system disorders
Increase in red cell and platelet count. Reversible erythrocytosis or polycythaemia may be provoked. Eosinophilia, leucopenia, splenic peliosis and thrombocytopenia have also been noted.
Endocrine disorders
Androgenic effects:
Acne, weight gain, increased appetite, seborrhoea, hirsutism, hair loss, voice change, which may take the form of hoarseness, sore throat or of instability or deepening of pitch. fluid retention.
Other endocrine effects:
Modest reduction in spermatogenesis.
Metabolism and nutrition disorders
Insulin resistance may be increased in diabetes mellitus but symptomatic hypoglycaemia in non-diabetic patients has also been reported as an increase in plasma glucagon level, mild impairment of glucose tolerance.
A temporary alteration of lipoproteins in the form of an increase in LDL cholesterol, a decrease in HDL cholesterol, affecting all subfractions, and a decrease in apolipoproteins A1 and AII, is likely with danazol in the female. The clinical significance of these changes is not established.
Induction of aminolevulinic acid (ALA) synthetase, and reduction in thyroid binding globulin, T4, with increased uptake of T3 but without disturbance of thyroid stimulating hormone or free thyroxin index, is also likely during therapy.
Psychiatric disorders
Emotional lability, anxiety, depressed mood, nervousness and changes in libido.
Nervous system disorders
Dizziness, headache, vertigo, benign intracranial hypertension.
Danazol may aggravate epilepsy and expose the condition in those so predisposed.
Fluid retention may explain the occasional reports of carpal tunnel syndrome. Danazol may also provoke migraine.
Eye disorders
Visual disturbances which may take the form of blurring or difficulty in focusing and in wearing contact lenses or need for temporary alteration in refractive correction have been noted.
Cardiac disorders
Hypertension, palpitation and tachycardia.
Thrombotic events including sagittal sinus, cerebrovascular thrombosis as well as arterial thrombosis. Myocardial infarction.
Vascular disorders
Flushing, exacerbation of hypertension
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Pleuritic pain, interstitial pneumonitis
Gastrointestinal disorders
Nausea, epigastric pain
Hepatobiliary disorders
Modest increase in serum transaminase levels and rarely cholestatic jaundice, benign hepatic adenomata and pancreatitis. Peliosis hepatis as well as malignant hepatic tumour have been observed with long term use.
Hepatocellular injury, hepatic failure, jaundice hepatocellular, hepatocellular focal nodular hyperplasia.
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Rashes, which may be maculopapular, petechial, or purpuric or may take an urticarial form and may be accompanied by facial oedema. Associated fever has also been reported. Rarely, sun-sensitive rash has been noted. Inflammatory erythematous nodules, changes in skin pigmentation, exfoliative dermatitis and erythema multiforme have also been reported.
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Backache and muscle cramps which can be severe. Creatine phosphokinase levels may also rise. Muscle tremors, fasciculation, limb pain, joint pain and joint swelling have also been reported.
Renal and urinary disorders
Haematuria has rarely been reported with prolonged use in patients with hereditary angioedema.
General disorders and administration site conditions
Fatigue
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