What is Norditropin Flexpro Uses, warnings & interactions
Complete a free online enrollment application to find out if you’re eligible to pay only $49 per month for your Norditropin Flexpro medication.
Get started todayNorditropin FlexPro (somatropin) is an injectable form of growth hormone that is manufactured by Novo Nordisk. It was approved by the FDA in 2000 to treat growth-related conditions in children and adults with a growth hormone deficiency. While there is no generic for Norditropin FlexPro, there are many other biosimilar brand-name medications available. If your doctor has prescribed Norditropin FlexPro to you, you may want to know more about what it is and how it works. Here we’ll explain what Norditropin FlexPro is used for, how it works, its side effects, and more.
What is Norditropin FlexPro used for?
Norditropin FlexPro is a type of growth hormone replacement therapy that is used to treat pediatric patients with growth failure due to:
- Growth hormone deficiency
- Short stature associated with Turner syndrome or Noonan syndrome
- Being born small for their gestational age with no catch-up growth by 2 to 4 years of age
- Idiopathic Short Stature (ISS)
- Prader-Willi Syndrome
It is used in adult patients to replace naturally made (endogenous) growth hormone in adults with growth hormone deficiency.
How does Norditropin FlexPro work?
Norditropin FlexPro is a type of recombinant human growth hormone used in patients whose body does not produce enough growth hormone. Naturally made growth hormone is responsible for stimulating normal skeletal, connective tissue, muscle, and organ growth in children and adolescents. It also helps regulate metabolism (how the food you eat is turned into energy) in adults. Synthetic products such as Norditropin FlexPro works the same as the growth hormones your body makes.
What are the most commonly prescribed doses of Norditropin FlexPro?
Norditropin FlexPro prefilled pens are available in 4 different strengths, each with its own color:
- 5mg/1.5ml (orange) single-patient-use pen
- 10mg/1.5ml (blue) single-patient-use pen
- 15mg/1.5ml (green) single-patient-use pen
- 30mg/3ml (purple) single-patient-use pen
Before taking Norditropin FlexPro
Before taking Norditropin FlexPro, tell your healthcare provider about your medical conditions, including:
- Heart or stomach surgery
- Trauma or severe breathing problems
- History of sleep apnea
- Current or history of cancer
- Diabetes
- Are pregnant, plan on becoming pregnant, or are breastfeeding
How to take Norditropin FlexPro
- Read the Prescribing Information, Instructions for Use, and Medication Guide that comes with Norditropin FlexPro.
- Use Norditropin FlexPro exactly as your doctor prescribes it to you. Do not change your dose or stop taking this medication without discussing it with them first.
- Your doctor will show you how to prepare and inject this medication before using it.
- Do not share your Norditropin FlexPro pen or needles with anyone else as you may give them an infection or you may get an infection from them.
Norditropin FlexPro contraindications
You should not use Norditropin FlexPro if you:
- Have a known hypersensitivity to somatropin or any inactive ingredients in its formulation
- Have an acute critical illness
- Are a child with Prader-Willi syndrome with risk factors such as severe obesity, history of upper airway obstruction, or severe breathing problems
- Have an active cancer
- Have diabetic retinopathy
- Are a child with closed bone growth plates (epiphyses)
Norditropin FlexPro warnings
- There is an increased risk of another cancer in childhood cancer survivors who take this medication. Children who have a preexisting malignancy should be monitored for progression or recurrence.
- This medication may decrease insulin sensitivity so all patients should monitor their blood sugar levels.
- Intracranial hypertension has been reported after starting Norditropin FlexPro, usually within the first 2 months. Your doctor should monitor and stop this medication if it occurs.
- Severe hypersensitivity reactions may occur with this medication. Seek immediate medical help if an allergic reaction develops.
- Dose-dependent fluid retention can occur in adults taking Norditropin FlexPro.
- Your doctor should monitor thyroid function as hypothyroidism may occur or worsen after starting this medication.
- Pediatric patients should be monitored for hip and knee pain or a limp (slipped capital femoral epiphysis) while on Norditropin FlexPro.
- Preexisting scoliosis in pediatric patients may worsen while on this medication.
- Pancreatitis has been reported with Norditropin FlexPro. Notify your doctor of any new or worsening stomach pain.
What drugs should not be taken with Norditropin FlexPro?
When Norditropin FlexPro is taken with other medications, it may change how they work or increase the frequency and severity of side effects. You should ask your doctor if any of the prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements you take may cause drug interactions with Norditropin FlexPro, including:
- Glucocorticoids such as prednisone
- CYP450 metabolized drugs (Norditropin FlexPro may affect their clearance)
- Oral estrogen
- Insulin and/or other oral antidiabetic medications
What are some possible side effects of Norditropin FlexPro?
The most common side effects of Norditropin FlexPro seen in clinical studies include:
- Edema (fluid retention)
- Injection site reactions
- Rash
- Headache
- Hip or knee pain
- Abdominal pain
- Back pain
- Upper respiratory infections
- Muscle pain
- Tingling
- Increased blood pressure
- Abnormal glucose tolerance
- New or worsening high blood sugar
Norditropin FlexPro can sometimes cause more serious side effects, including:
- Severe, life-threatening allergic reactions (hives, swelling of your face or throat, and breathing problems)
- Increased risk of sudden death
- Pancreatitis
- New or worsening cancer
- Worsening scoliosis
- Low thyroid levels
- Decrease cortisol levels (skin darkening, fatigue, dizziness, weakness, or weight loss)
Contact your healthcare professional for medical advice about any possible adverse reactions you experience while taking Norditropin FlexPro. You can report your adverse reactions to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Norditropin FlexPro alternatives
Your doctor can prescribe other medications if Norditropin FlexPro is not right for you. Some alternative FDA-approved options include:
- Genotropin (somatropin)
- Serostim (somatropin)
- Saizen (somatropin)
- Nutropin AQ (somatropin)
- Omnitrope (somatropin)
- Humatrope (somatropin)
Norditropin FlexPro FAQs
Can you take Norditropin FlexPro while you are pregnant or breastfeeding?
It is not known whether Norditropin FlexPro will affect your unborn baby. However, animal reproduction studies showed no evidence of fetal harm when given to pregnant rats. While there is no information available on whether Norditropin FlexPro is found in breast milk, no adverse effects on the breastfed infant have been reported with the use of somatropin. You should always discuss the risks and benefits of any medication with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, plan on becoming pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
What is Norditropin FlexPro used for in adults?
Norditropin FlexPro is used in adult patients with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) when their pituitary gland does not produce enough growth hormone. Symptoms of GHD in adults include increased fat, especially around the waist, decreased muscle mass, thinning bones, and higher cholesterol, especially LDL (the “bad” cholesterol).
Does Norditropin FlexPro increase height?
Yes, Norditropin is used to help your child reach their target height, which is based on the parents’ height. Your doctor has a formula to determine your child’s target height. Studies have shown that the earlier your child begins growth hormone therapy, the better response they will have to treatment.
How quickly does Norditropin FlexPro work?
It may take 6 months before you start to see an increase in growth rate, but your child will usually see the greatest amount of growth within the first year of starting growth hormone treatment. You typically see a greater catch-up growth with children who start at a younger age. As with any medication, results will vary.
How much does Norditropin FlexPro cost?
Currently, there is no generic Norditropin FlexPro available on the market. The average cost of 4 prefilled pens of Norditropin FlexPro 10mg/1.5ml is almost $11,000. However, you can save on brand-name drugs like Norditropin FlexPro through NiceRx if eligible for assistance.
