First Self Injection

[Simon]

I kinda feel like a dork posting about this, but I'm feeling pretty darn good about it. For a good while now I've been determined to give myself a shot. To me it's kinda like a right of passage for a transguy to be able to take care of himself in that manner. Yes, I know it's not that way for everyone but I have a thing about being self reliant.

Anyways, it took a long time this morning. I told myself before I started that I was not going to put the syringe down until I had completed what I set out to do. Three hours later I had held it so long a lot of the lines and numbers had rubbed off, lol. I also used plenty of alcohol swabs where I'd sanitize, start my music, get ready to do it, and chicken out.

I decided to do it slow and steady. The thigh actually hurts A LOT less than the glutes (where my gf usually does it for me). The only time it did hurt was when my hands started to shake. I had to take a deep breath and continue.

Here's what was left, lol. I can admit I was a weenie. Now I'm a proud and accomplished weenie. 

[CursedFireDean]

cool bro! I don't know if I'll ever be able to inject myself 

[Devlyn]

<Interns bustling in with unconscious Devlyn on a stretcher>

"She said congratulations, then passed out in the hallway."

[Simon]

<Interns bustling in with unconscious Devlyn on a stretcher>

"She said congratulations, then passed out in the hallway."

Better wake her up and get some IV fluids in her. lol 

Devlyn, I'm sure it could be arranged that you could get injectable E, muahaha. 

[Simon]

cool bro! I don't know if I'll ever be able to inject myself 

I swear it's all mental. Once you get in the skin it slides in like buttah.

[Make_It_Good]

Well done on the milestone :p

Id imagine that it is a mind over matter type of thing.
  Ive been nagging for almost 4 years now to be taught to self inject :p I just think itd make life easier than to have to traipse back to my nurse every 10 weeks. One day Ill be allowed to do it....one day... :p

[Alex55]

Great job Simon!
 
My injection is this morning as well.  I have been doing them for 9 months now and my hands always shake.  Lol.   I just go slow and it goes in pretty easy.  Its the initial puncturing my thigh that screws with my head. Hahaha..

Good luck it gets easier...

[Robert Scott]

Congrats!  I swore that when I started T that I was going to do it myself ... and I did ...now I can't have anyone else inject me b/c I always jerk .....my son has been on T for three years and still hasn't given himself a shot yet.

[Simon]

Thanks guys, I'm still kinda surprised I did it. Out of all the needles I've had in my life I've never watched one pierce the skin. Now the true test will be to put on a song and get it on the first try before the music ends.

my son has been on T for three years and still hasn't given himself a shot yet.

It's certainly not something everybody can do or would even want to do. I gave myself 6 months when I started T to be able to give myself a shot. On the 18th I'll be 6 months so I met the deadline. He'll probably do it one day when he's ready. I don't care who it is...sticking a needle in yourself is hard for most people.

[Jared]

Congrats man! Yesterday I was thinking to do it myself cause my roommate (who is a nurse) wasn't here...then I thaught today she will be here and one day won't hurt :'D

[Nero]

Congrats! Never tried in the thigh. Where in the thigh did you do it?

[Simon]

Congrats! Never tried in the thigh. Where in the thigh did you do it?

Basically what I did was divide my upper leg from knee to top in 3rds and picked a spot on the outside of my leg in the middle 3rd, if that makes sense.

Ok, I doubt that really makes sense...so I got a pic. Around the area of the black circle is where I hit.

[Robert Scott]

I have only given myself the shot in my thigh ... My doctor said lots of trans folks can't give themselves the shot ... my wife has a co-worker whose been on T for six years and hasn't given himself a shot yet and he is a nurse.

Minneapolis offers a free shot clinic b/c folks need help with shots...you go in there and someone will give you a shot ... congrats to those who can give themselves shots

[Chamillion]

Congrats dude 

And I felt the same way, it was a must to be able to do it on my own cos there's no guarantee there will always be someone around to do it. My second week I did it myself and I've realized I actually like needles... much easier for me than swallowing a pill. (I have a severe pill swallowing phobia though lol)

[desperate believer]

Congratulations  I've given myself my shots from the start. However, I get nervous every time and actually hope to be switching to patches or gel/cream for a variety of reasons. You're right, the needle does go in very smoothly. You would think putting an inch long needle in your thigh would hurt but it doesn't because the needle is so very sharp and slender. You should feel a little more comfortable each time you inject yourself. ~hope

[Simon]

You would think putting an inch long needle in your thigh would hurt but it doesn't because the needle is so very sharp and slender.

Just curious, what gauge do you use for your injections? Right now I have 21G 1.5 inch needles and I'm thinking I might be able to go smaller.

[Rossiter]

21G sounds pretty big to me, you can definitely go smaller. But it depends on what you care about more, to some extent - if you use, say, a 25G needle, you're going to be spending more time with the needle in you. Also depends on what concentration your t is. For mine I find 25G pretty good, sometimes use 23G. I started with 21G and would never go back to it, it tended to make the muscle hurt afterwards and the smaller sizes don't.

If you go smaller make sure you still have some bigger ones for drawing up. Drawing up with a 25G needle is the most annoying thing in the world.

[desperate believer]

I use 25g to inject the T and 20g to extract it from the vile. ~hope

[harlee]

Congratulations I did my first one 2 weeks ago and while I didnt really have a problem putting the needle in, I will admit that I was still a lot more nervous about it then I thought I was going to be, so good job!

[Jared]

21g is pretty big? I inject with 18g... (not me yet) I was told not to inject with smaller. Every doc is different.