Precautions and Warnings With Methyltestosterone

People who have liver disease, infertility, or breast cancer may not be able to safely use methyltestosterone. Other warnings and precautions involve an increased risk for developing complications, such as liver problems, decreased sperm count, or fluid retention. People who are taking certain medications or who have certain allergies should also not take methyltestosterone.

• Liver disease, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver failure
• Kidney disease, such as kidney failure (renal failure)
• Sleep apnea
• Prostate cancer
• Breast cancer
• An enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH)
• Infertility
• Heart disease
• Any allergies, including to foods, dyes, or preservatives.

• Pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
• Breastfeeding.

• Methyltestosterone can increase the risk for liver problems, including liver cancer. Your healthcare provider needs to monitor your liver function periodically using standard blood tests.

• Women taking methyltestosterone (usually for breast cancer) should contact their healthcare provider right away if they develop any signs of virilization, such as:

• A deepening voice
• Body and/or facial hair
• Clitoral enlargement
• Menstrual irregularities.

If methyltestosterone is stopped early on, the virilization may be at least partially reversible. If this medicine is stopped later, the virilization may be permanent. However, you and your healthcare provider may decide that you should keep taking methyltestosterone, despite virilization, if the benefits to you are significant.

• This medication can cause or worsen an enlarged prostate. It also appears to increase the risk for prostate cancer. Your healthcare provider should evaluate you for prostate cancer before you start taking methyltestosterone and periodically thereafter.

• This product can potentially decrease sperm count, thereby decreasing fertility (although it can also help with certain causes of infertility related to low testosterone). Consult your healthcare provider if you experience difficulty conceiving a child while taking methyltestosterone.

• Make sure to contact your healthcare provider right away if you develop symptoms of high blood calcium levels (hypercalcemia), such as:

• Constipation, nausea, or vomiting
• Muscle achiness or weakness
• Kidney stones
• Abdominal (stomach) pain or side pain
• Confusion or lethargy
• Increased thirst and frequent urination.

• There is some thought that oral methyltestosterone use is more likely to cause liver problems than treatment with other forms of testosterone, such as injections, creams, or patches. For this reason, oral methyltestosterone therapy has fallen out of favor and has largely been replaced by other forms of testosterone replacement.

• Androgens can cause fluid retention, which can be dangerous for people with liver, heart, or kidney disease.

• Your healthcare provider may want to monitor your cholesterol more closely while you are taking this medication.

• Methyltestosterone can cause bone problems when given to adolescents. These problems can result in a shorter-than-expected stature. A healthcare provider will need to monitor the adolescent's bones at least once every six months during treatment.

• Breast enlargement can occur in men taking methyltestosterone.

• This drug can cause or worsen sleep apnea.

• Methyltestosterone may react with a few other medications (see Drug Interactions With Methyltestosterone).

• This product is a pregnancy Category X medication. This means it is definitely not safe for use during pregnancy (see Methitest and Pregnancy or Testred and Pregnancy).

• This medication is not safe for use during breastfeeding (see Methitest and Breastfeeding or Testred and Breastfeeding).