Growth hormone deficiency
Stimulation testing 
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Stimulation testing

A Stimulation Test (Stim Test) is a procedure used to determine if your or your child's pituitary (pi-TOO-i-tair-ee) gland, the gland that produces growth hormone, is doing its job. The test will "stimulate" the pituitary gland, helping your doctor understand if hormones are being secreted in normal amounts.

There are a number of things you or your child should do to get ready for this test. They are listed below.

Stim Test preparations

One week before…

Your doctor may give you or your child prescriptions for certain drugs that are needed for the test. Check with your pharmacist a few days ahead of the test, since not all pharmacies routinely stock these agents. If not in stock, ask the pharmacist to order them so they will be delivered in time. Remember to bring the medicines with you to the test.

The day/night before…

Take it easy before the test. Limit your or your child's physical activity for the 10 to 12 hours before the test. And learn as much as you can about the test; the more familiar you are with what will happen, the less anxiety you are likely to experience.

If you are or your child is taking any medications, your doctor may ask you to withhold them before the test, as some medications can affect the results. Do not discontinue any medications without first checking with your doctor.

On the night before the procedure, you or your child should have no food or liquid after midnight. Water may be allowed, but be sure to ask your doctor or nurse first. If you have or your child has diabetes or low blood sugar, make certain you receive special instructions from your doctor or nurse on how to handle this.

The morning of the Stim Test…

Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing is recommended. The test requires the use of an IV, so it may be good for you or your child to wear a shirt with short sleeves and buttons down the front.

You may want to pack a snack to eat immediately after the test is over. Your doctor or nurse can provide recommendations. This may help satisfy your or your child's hunger until you or your child can eat a full meal.

During the Stim Test…

During the test, one or more medicines may be given to you or your child…some in pill form (which can usually be dissolved, if necessary), some by injection or IV needle. At various time intervals, samples of blood will be taken so the doctor can measure how the growth hormone in your or your child's body is responding. Often, a small needle is inserted into a vein for the duration of the test (also called a "port") so that several blood samples can be taken with only one needle insertion. Throughout the test, you or your child will be kept comfortable, either in a recliner, hospital bed, or on an exam table. Total testing time may take several hours, so you should plan your day around it.

1 to 2 weeks after the Stim Test…

Test results are generally reported within 1 to 2 weeks by the laboratory to your doctor, who will discuss the results with you. If the results of the Stim Test show a growth hormone deficiency (GHD), your doctor may recommend growth hormone therapy. Growth hormone therapy in the form of daily growth hormone injections may help kids with GHD reach their growth potential. Growth hormone treatment may help adults with GHD regulate their body fat distribution, muscle mass, and bone mineral density. Novo Nordisk® makes several pens to make taking growth hormone simple. Norditropin NordiFlex® (somatropin [rDNA origin] injection), which can be used by both children and adults with GHD, is prefilled so there are no chemicals to mix, or cartridges to change or load.


Important Safety Information

Remember, your doctor is the main source of information about you and your health. Please consult your doctor if you have any questions about your health or your medication.

Norditropin® (somatropin [rDNA origin] injection) is used to treat children with growth failure caused by very low or no production of growth hormone. It is also used to treat adults who do not make enough growth hormone.

Do not use Norditropin® if you have any of the following conditions: an allergy to phenol or any other ingredients in the medicine; active cancer or other forms of tumor; acute critical illness due to certain types of heart or abdomen surgery, trauma, or acute respiratory failure.

Children should not use Norditropin® if they have any of the following conditions: closed epiphyses (closed bone growth plates), Prader-Willi syndrome with severe obesity, or Prader-Willi syndrome with significant respiratory impairment.

Be sure to tell your doctor if you have diabetes mellitus; have had cancer or other forms of tumor; are pregnant, planning to be pregnant or are breastfeeding; or if you have had a kidney transplant.

Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications you are taking especially if they are: a glucocorticoid medication such as hydrocortisone or cortisone acetate, thyroid hormone, insulin and/or oral diabetes medicines, drugs metabolized by the liver (for example, corticosteroids, sex steroids, anticonvulsants, cyclosporine), or oral estrogen replacement.

Adult height can be influenced if you are on Norditropin® for growth failure and at the same time using glucocorticoids or thyroid hormone.

If you are treated with insulin and/or oral diabetes medicines, the dose of your insulin/oral diabetes medicines may need to be adjusted.

Side effects are usually mild and temporary. Side effects may include headaches, muscle pain, joint stiffness, weakness, high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), sugar in your urine (glucosuria), swollen hands and feet due to fluid retention, and redness and itching in the area you inject.

If you have any of these symptoms, discuss them with your doctor.

If you have headaches, eyesight problems, nausea and/or vomiting, these may be symptoms of raised pressure in the brain. Contact your doctor right away.

In very rare cases children treated with somatropin have experienced pain in the hip or knee or a limp. These symptoms may be caused by a slippage of the growth plate in the hip (slipped capital femoral epiphysis).

Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) can occur in children who experience rapid growth. Because growth hormone increases growth rate, children should be monitored for progression of scoliosis.

Thyroid function tests should be performed periodically.

Skin lesions should be checked carefully for any unusual changes.

Talk to your doctor if you think you have any of these conditions.
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Remember, your doctor is the primary source of information regarding you and your health. Please consult your doctor if you have any questions about your health or medication.
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