Serostim® Injection for HIV-Associated Wasting

What Serostim Is and How It Works

Serostim® is a prescription human growth hormone used to treat HIV-associated wasting in adults. It supports increases in lean body mass alongside proper nutrition. We provide US delivery from Canada so your order reaches you through our cross-border model.

Border Free Health connects U.S. patients with licensed Canadian partner pharmacies; prescriptions are verified with prescribers before dispensing.

HIV-associated wasting can reduce weight and muscle over time. Serostim somatropin helps counter these changes by mimicking endogenous growth hormone. It can promote protein synthesis, improve nitrogen balance, and support lipolysis, which together may help restore lean tissue when used with nutritional counseling and exercise as advised by your prescriber.

The treatment is given as a subcutaneous injection. It is not approved for athletic performance, cosmetic muscle building, or general obesity management. Your prescriber will review your history, goals, and current therapies to decide whether this medicine is appropriate for you.

Who It’s For

This therapy is indicated for adults with HIV-associated wasting or cachexia who need to increase lean body mass and body weight. It should be used together with adequate nutrition and standard HIV care. People with active malignancy, acute critical illness (such as complications after major surgery, trauma, or respiratory failure), or known hypersensitivity to somatropin or its components should not use it.

Use caution if you have diabetes, a history of intracranial hypertension, carpal tunnel syndrome, or prior head, neck, or abdominal cancers. Those with proliferative or severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy should avoid growth hormone products. Discuss risks and benefits with your prescriber if you are on estrogen therapy or glucocorticoids, as these may affect response.

If your primary concern is unintended weight loss, your clinician may also evaluate other contributors such as poor intake, infection, or medication effects, and address those alongside therapy for Wasting or Cachexia.

Dosage and Usage

Serostim is administered subcutaneously, often once daily at bedtime. Dosing is typically based on body weight with an upper daily limit defined in the official label. In some patients, non-daily schedules may be considered by the prescriber. Always follow the dose, schedule, mixing steps, and needle use provided with your prescription and in the package insert.

General administration tips:

• Choose a clean site: abdomen, thigh, upper arm, or buttock
• Rotate sites to reduce skin irritation and lipoatrophy
• Reconstitute only as directed; do not shake vigorously
• Inspect solution; do not use if cloudy or contains particles
• Use appropriate syringes and single-use needles

Avoid alcohol or tobacco immediately before injections if advised by your prescriber. If you receive nutrition counseling, adhere closely to your plan to support the treatment’s intended effect. For detailed instructions, consult the package insert and your prescriber.

Strengths and Forms

This product is supplied as a lyophilized powder for injection with an accompanying diluent. Single-use vials are commonly available in 4 mg, 5 mg, and 6 mg presentations. Availability may vary by lot and pharmacy. Your prescription will specify the number of vials and the reconstitution instructions appropriate for your regimen.

Some patients use a vial-syringe setup; others may receive specific reconstitution devices as packaged. Ask your pharmacy team to review steps if you are new to reconstituted growth hormone.

Missed Dose and Timing

If you miss a dose, take it when you remember on the same day if there is time before your next scheduled dose. If it is close to the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to your regular schedule. Do not double up. If you miss several doses, contact your prescriber for guidance.

Storage and Travel Basics

Unmixed vials are typically stored in the refrigerator in their original carton to protect from light. After reconstitution, follow the package insert regarding how soon to use the solution and whether any refrigerated storage is permitted. Do not freeze. Keep out of reach of children and pets. Dispose of unused solution as instructed by your pharmacy.

For travel, carry vials, syringes, and supplies in a hand-luggage kit along with your prescription label. Use insulated packs and keep medicines within labeled temperature ranges whenever possible. If flying, keep items with you, not in checked baggage. Pharmacy fulfillment includes temperature-controlled handling when required.

Patients with coexisting metabolic conditions can review additional injection basics in our article on Types Of Insulin, then return to your product instructions as the authoritative source for this therapy.

Pen Handling and Sharps Disposal

While this treatment is supplied in vials, it still uses needles and syringes. Wash hands before preparation, clean the skin with an alcohol swab, and allow it to dry. After injection, place needles and syringes in an FDA-cleared sharps container. Do not recap needles. Follow local rules for sharps disposal or ask your pharmacy about mail-back options.

Benefits

With appropriate nutrition and adherence, growth hormone therapy may support increases in lean body mass and improved nitrogen balance during HIV-associated wasting. Some people report better stamina for daily activities as body composition improves. Serostim benefits come from the class effect of human growth hormone, which can help shift metabolism toward protein building while mobilizing fat.

Response varies. Your prescriber may monitor weight, circumference measures, and lab markers such as IGF-1 to assess whether the treatment is meeting goals.

Side Effects and Safety

• Fluid retention with swelling of hands or feet
• Joint or muscle pain
• Tingling or numbness; carpal tunnel symptoms
• Headache
• Injection site redness or discomfort
• Fatigue
• Nausea or abdominal discomfort

Serious or rare effects can include intracranial hypertension (severe headache, visual changes), pancreatitis, new or recurrent malignancy risk, worsening of scoliosis, slipped capital femoral epiphysis in adolescents, hypersensitivity, and glucose intolerance or new-onset diabetes. If you use insulin or sulfonylureas, glucose control can change; prescribers monitor for hypo- or hyperglycemia. Seek urgent care for symptoms of severe headache with vision changes, significant abdominal pain, or allergic reactions such as hives or difficulty breathing.

Drug Interactions and Cautions

Glucocorticoids may blunt growth-promoting effects; your prescriber may adjust steroid therapy if appropriate. Oral estrogens can reduce IGF-1 responses, which may influence dosing decisions. Somatropin may alter the clearance of medicines metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes, including agents using CYP3A substrates; monitoring is prudent when starting or stopping therapy.

People with diabetes or prediabetes may see changes in fasting glucose and require closer observation. Review all HIV therapies and supportive medicines with your prescriber to screen for relevant interactions. For related conditions such as changes in fat distribution, see our overview of Lipodystrophy, and discuss management strategies with your care team.

What to Expect Over Time

Early use focuses on correct mixing, consistent injections, and adequate nutrition. Over time, prescribers often track lean mass, strength for daily tasks, and metabolic labs. Results vary by baseline health, diet quality, concurrent illness, and adherence. Resistance exercise and dietary protein intake, when cleared by your prescriber, can support intended effects.

Treatment plans are reassessed periodically. Therapy may be paused or adjusted if side effects emerge, goals are met, or clinical status changes. If your needs differ from classic wasting and lean mass loss, your prescriber may suggest other options targeted to your condition.

Compare With Alternatives

Other approaches to HIV-associated weight loss can include nutritional support, appetite stimulants such as megestrol acetate, and androgens when appropriate. These choices address different drivers of weight change and may be considered if growth hormone is not suitable. For individuals whose primary goal is obesity management unrelated to HIV wasting, prescribers may discuss GLP‑1 therapies such as Zepbound for a separate indication.

Short bowel syndrome is a different condition where growth hormone has been studied; see our category on Short Bowel Syndrome for context, then rely on your prescriber for indication-specific guidance.

Pricing and Access

We reflect Canadian pricing with US delivery from Canada to help you compare options for therapy. If you are paying cash, you can review the Serostim price on this page and discuss budgeting with your prescriber’s office. Your order requires a valid prescription. Checkout uses standard payment methods, and your information is kept confidential.

Savings CTA: See how Canadian pricing may lower your out-of-pocket costs compared with typical local rates.

Pricing CTA: Review current pricing, confirm quantity, and add to cart when your prescription is ready.

If you are looking for coupons, check our Promotions page for current site offers that may apply to eligible orders.

Availability and Substitutions

Supply can vary by strength and package. If a specific presentation is unavailable, your prescriber may recommend an alternative dosing schedule or a different therapy. We cannot guarantee restock timing. Your pharmacy team will contact your prescriber if a substitution is requested for clinical review.

Patient Suitability and Cost-Saving Tips

This therapy may fit adults with documented HIV-associated wasting who can commit to injections and monitoring. It is not for children or for bodybuilding. Those with uncontrolled diabetes, active malignancy, or acute critical illness are generally not candidates. Discuss eligibility and monitoring with your prescriber.

Cost-saving ideas:

• Multi-month fills: ask about 60–90 day supplies if appropriate
• Schedule refills: set reminders to avoid urgent local purchases
• Coordinate care: align labs and follow-ups with refill dates
• Review supplies: add syringes and swabs in the same order
• Clarify dose: accurate instructions reduce waste at reconstitution

Learn more about related conditions in our pages on AIDS and treatment goals for HIV. Country-of-origin details are listed under Canada on many product pages.

Questions to Ask Your Clinician

• What goals and measures will we use to judge benefit?
• Which dose and schedule match my health status today?
• How should I reconstitute and inject safely at home?
• Which side effects mean I should stop and call your office?
• How will this affect my glucose, IGF‑1, and lipid labs?
• Could my other medicines reduce effectiveness or raise risks?
• What nutrition and activity plan should I follow with this therapy?

Authoritative Sources

EMD Serono (Manufacturer)

FDA DailyMed Labeling

Health Canada Drug Product Database

Ready to proceed? Add to cart and check out for US delivery from Canada with prompt, express shipping. This information is educational and not a substitute for your prescriber’s advice.