Androderm

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to testosterone patches or gels, or if you have prostate cancer or male breast cancer.

Before using testosterone topical, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• diabetes;

• sleep apnea or chronic breathing problems;

• liver disease or kidney disease; or

• if you are overweight.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use testosterone topical, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category X. This medication should not be used by a woman. Teststerone can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. A pregnant woman should avoid coming into contact with testosterone topical patches or gels, or with a man’s skin areas where a patch has been worn or the gel has been applied. If contact does occur, wash with soap and water right away.

Older men who use testosterone topical may have an increased risk of prostate enlargement or cancer. If you are over 65, talk with your doctor about your specific risk.

Do not use this medicine on a boy younger than 15 years old.

Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use the medication in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the instructions on your prescription label.

This medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

Apply the testosterone topical (transdermal) patch to a flat, clean, dry, and undamaged area of skin on your back, stomach, upper arm, or thigh. Wear the patch for 24 hours and then replace it with a new patch. Apply your patch at the same time each evening.

Choose a different skin area to wear each new patch you put on. You should not use the same skin area twice in a 7-day period.

After removing a patch, fold it closed with the sticky side in, and throw it away in a place where pets and children cannot reach it.

Apply the testosterone gel at the same time each day (preferably in the morning) to clean, dry, unbroken skin on the shoulders or upper arms. Open the gel pouch, and squeeze the entire contents onto the palm of your hand. Apply the gel right away and allow it to dry for at least 5 minutes before you dress. Wash your hands with soap and water after applying the gel.

It is best to cover treated skin areas with clothing while using testosterone gel. This will help prevent getting this medicine on other people. If someone else does come into contact with a treated skin area, they must wash the contact area right away with soap and water.

To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your prostate or liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

It is important to use testosterone topical regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.

Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep each skin patch in the foil pouch until you are ready to use it. Do not use a skin patch that has been cut or damaged.

Apply the gel or skin patch as soon as you remember. If it is almost time to apply your next dose, skip the missed dose and apply the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not use extra patches or gel to make up the missed dose.

If a transdermal patch falls off in the morning, reapply it. If it does not stick well, apply a new patch. If the patch falls off in the afternoon and cannot be reapplied, wait until your regular patch replacement time in the evening before putting on a new patch.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using testosterone topical and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• burn-like blistering of the skin where the transdermal patch is worn;

• skin irritation with patch-wearing that does not get better with time;

• problems with urination;

• swelling of your ankles;

• frequent, prolonged, or bothersome erections; or

• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Topical testosterone is absorbed through the skin and can cause symptoms of male features in a woman who comes into contact with the medication. Call your doctor if your female partner has male-pattern baldness, excessive body hair growth, increased acne, irregular menstrual periods, or any other signs of male characteristics.

Continue using testosterone topical and talk with your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:

• redness, itching, burning, or hardened skin where the skin patch is worn;

• breast swelling or tenderness;

• increased acne or hair growth;

• headache, depressed mood; or

• changes in your sex drive.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

This medication should not be used by a woman. Teststerone can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. A pregnant woman should avoid coming into contact with testosterone topical gel, or with a man’s skin areas where a testosterone topical patch has been worn or the gel has been applied. If contact does occur, wash with soap and water right away.

Topical testosterone is absorbed through the skin and can cause symptoms of male features in a woman who comes into contact with the medication. Call your doctor if your female partner has male-pattern baldness, excessive body hair growth, increased acne, irregular menstrual periods, or any other signs of male characteristics.

Do not apply AndroGel or Testim testosterone gel to your penis or your scrotum. Testim testosterone gel should also not be applied to your stomach area.

Avoid swimming, bathing, or showering for at least 5 hours after applying AndroGel testosterone gel, or 2 hours after applying Testim testosterone gel.

Avoid using lotions, oils, or other skin products on the area where you will apply the skin patch. The patch may not stick properly to the skin.

If your doctor recommends a topical steroid medicine such as hydrocortisone to treat skin irritation caused by wearing a testosterone skin patch, avoid using an ointment form of the steroid.

Testosterone gel may be flammable. Avoid using near open flame, and do not smoke until the gel has completely dried on your skin.

The Androderm transdermal patch may burn your skin if you wear the patch during an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Remove the Androderm patch before undergoing such a test.

Before using testosterone topical, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• insulin;

• a blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin);

• oxyphenbutazone (Tandearil); or

• a corticosteroid such as methylprednisolone (Depo-Medrol, Medrol, Solu-Medrol), prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone, others), and others.

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use testosterone topical, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect testosterone topical. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of testosterone topical applied to the skin is not expected to produce life-threatening symptoms.