Fertility · Injection guide
Orgalutran® (ganirelix)
The daily injection that stops you ovulating too early, so your clinic decides the timing rather than your cycle. It comes ready to use in a pre-filled syringe, with nothing to mix. Here is how to give it.
Quick facts
Always follow your clinic's instructions for dose and timing.
What it is
What is Orgalutran®?
Orgalutran® (ganirelix acetate) stops your body from ovulating too early. During controlled ovarian stimulation, the follicles your medications are growing need time to mature — but a natural surge of luteinising hormone can release the eggs before your clinic is ready for them.
Ganirelix is a GnRH antagonist. Normally GnRH tells the pituitary to release the gonadotrophins LH and FSH: FSH grows the follicles, and LH triggers the release of mature eggs. By blocking GnRH, Orgalutran® holds back that early LH release, so your doctor controls when ovulation happens rather than your cycle deciding.
It comes in a ready-to-use pre-filled syringe. There is nothing to mix. It is usually given at roughly the same time as your FSH medication, but the two must never be combined in one syringe and must go into different sites on your body.
Normally
- GnRH
- Pituitary releases LH & FSH
- Early LH surge
- Eggs released too soon
On Orgalutran®
- GnRH receptors blocked
- LH release held back
- Follicles keep maturing
- Your clinic sets the timing
Before you begin
Everything you need, on a clean surface
Storage: at room temperature between 15°C and 30°C, in the original packaging to protect it from light — this one is not refrigerated. Keep it out of reach of children, check the expiry date on the carton, and only use a syringe whose solution is clear and whose packaging is undamaged.
How to inject Orgalutran®, step by step
Five steps, and no mixing at all. The care goes into cleaning the site properly and injecting slowly.
- 1
Prep
Check the syringe
Orgalutran® arrives as a pre-filled syringe, ready to inject slowly under the skin of your upper leg or lower abdomen. Look at it before you use it: the solution should be clear and free of particles, and the packaging undamaged. Do not inject it if the solution is cloudy or has anything floating in it.
Pharmacist tip: Small air bubbles in the syringe are normal here. You do not need to remove them.
- 2
Prep
Wash up and clean the site
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Clean the injection site — usually the upper thigh or the lower abdomen — by wiping an area about 5 cm, or two inches, across with a cotton swab dipped in disinfectant. Let the area dry completely for at least one full minute before you go any further.
- 3
Inject
Position the needle
Hold the syringe with the needle pointing downward and carefully remove the needle cover. Pinch up a large area of skin between your thumb and finger, then insert the needle at the base of the pinched skin at an angle between 45° and 90°.
Pharmacist tip: Rotate to a different site with each daily injection so the skin has time to recover.
- 4
Inject
Give the injection
Press the plunger down slowly and steadily. Taking it slowly is what delivers the dose properly and helps protect the skin tissue from damage.
- 5
After
After the injection
Put the used syringe straight into a sharps container. Each syringe is single-use — never reuse one.
See it laid out
Prefer to see it before you try it?
The same steps, illustrated. Call and our pharmacist will walk you through your first Orgalutran® dose in person or on the phone.
What to expect
Side effects to know about
Common, usually mild
- Redness or swelling at the injection site
- Headache, nausea or dizziness
- Tiredness, abdominal pain or hot flushes
- Vaginal bleeding
Rare, but serious
- Allergic reaction: swelling of the face, lips or throat, rash, or difficulty breathing — stop and seek immediate medical help
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS): abdominal swelling and pain, nausea, diarrhoea or difficulty breathing
- Ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage have been reported rarely
Common questions
Orgalutran® FAQ
Something not covered here? Call (905) 235 8820 and a pharmacist will walk you through it.
What is the usual dose?
One 0.5 mL pre-filled syringe containing 250 mcg, once a day. Your doctor decides how long you continue, and will monitor your progress closely, often with ultrasound.
What if I miss a dose?
Inject it as soon as you remember. Never double up to make up for a missed dose. If you are more than 6 hours late — meaning more than 30 hours since your last injection — take the dose right away and contact your doctor for advice.
What if I inject too much?
Contact your doctor immediately. If you think you have taken significantly too much, get help right away from your healthcare provider, a hospital emergency department, or your regional poison control centre, even if you feel completely fine.
Can I mix it with my FSH injection to save a needle?
No. Orgalutran® is usually given at about the same time as FSH-containing medicines, but the two must never be mixed together and must be injected at different sites on your body.
How should I store it?
At room temperature, between 15°C and 30°C, in the original packaging to protect it from light — this one does not go in the fridge. Keep it out of reach of children, and do not use it after the expiry date printed on the carton and label.
How long can I stay on it?
Orgalutran® has not been studied for use beyond three consecutive treatment cycles. Your doctor decides the length of your treatment.
Where this comes from
Checked against the official record
Every clinical statement on this page was checked against the sources below, then reviewed by our pharmacist. If something here does not match what your clinic told you, follow your clinic and call us.
Other guides
The rest of your protocol, explained
Stimulation · FSH
Gonal-F
Read the guide →Stimulation · FSH + LH
Menopur
Read the guide →Stimulation · FSH
Rekovelle
Read the guide →Stimulation · FSH + LH
Pergoveris
Read the guide →Stimulation · LH
Luveris
Read the guide →Antagonist
Cetrotide
Read the guide →Trigger shot
Ovidrel
Read the guide →Trigger shot
Pregnyl (hCG)
Read the guide →Orgalutran® in your protocol?
We dispense it the same day your clinic sends the prescription, deliver across the GTA, and counsel you through your first injection.