First Self Injection

[Robert Scott]

I drawl with a drawl syringes ... and inject with a 25 x 1in gauge

[eVan24]

I've been giving myself my own shots since the start (9 weeks on thrusday). However my third shot I did way too much over thinking and couldn't do it and ended up having to have my fiancee do it (she has a needle phobia so that was interesting). The next week I decided I had to do it and ended up listening to meditation music and sitting on my bed (instead of in the bathroom) where I could relax. I ended up going slow (initially I was jabbing it in and it actually kind of hurt that way) and just like you said, after the skin it was like butter. I'm doing pretty good now, last week I did the injection without it even phasing me. I use a 22G 1.5" to drawl and inject.

[Simon]

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

There is no way I'd inject with a 18G needle. That's what I draw up with and those things are huge. Maybe your doc is trying to avoid the possibility of you breaking one off in your leg or something. I just can't think of any logical reason they would want you using something so large. Maybe they're a sadist, lol.

[Jared]

I don't do it in the leg, my roommate does it in the butt. And it doesn't hurt at all. When I first got it, she told me it's over, I can pull my pants up and I was like what? The last 2 times it hurt a bit more and even my roommate said that it hurt for sure, right? Can our skin thicken on T? I could hear the needle breaking my skin and wasn't easy to push.

[Simon]

Can our skin thicken on T? I could hear the needle breaking my skin and wasn't easy to push.

We get scar tissue after repeated injections. That's why they want us to rotate spots with each injection. That is one reason I wanted to start doing my thighs. Now I have four spots to rotate with. My right thigh is a little sore today. Just noticed that when I was in the kitchen. I'm sure that's normal though.

My gf will continue to give me my shot when I want it in the glutes (still with the 21G needle) because I'm afraid to hit my sciatic nerve. So far I've only had one truly painful injection and it was in the glute. I guess she hit a nerve or something because I about came off the floor, lol.

I would advise you asking for smaller needles. The smaller the needle the less trauma and scar tissue. Personally I wouldn't go below a 23G at the smallest. 25's are tiny and while that is nice I'd be afraid to break one off inside me accidentally.

[Jared]

I rotate too, with 2 spots in every 3 weeks. I don't want to hijack the thread but how long needle do you inject with? Here's a pic of the one I use:

My doc gave me originally the double of this length, now that was something really huge. Then I saw at the pharmacy this one and thought it should be enough to do IM shots. Do these reaching the muscle too? I would be satisfied with this length in 21 or 23g.

[Simon]

how long needle do you inject with?

Do these reaching the muscle too?

What length is that? It should tell you on the wrapper.

When I first started taking injections the hospital gave me 1 inch needles but they weren't long enough for my glutes. Basically that led me to doing SubQ shots in my butt. I'm almost positive that is why my levels came up low. I now use a 1.5 inch needle and there is no difference in the pain. I like that I know it is getting in there.

[Jared]

I was looking for it for a while to find it, but on the pic it's 2,5 cm and the longer what my doc gave me, 5 cm. I'm not sure about inches but I guess I'm doing subq too :/

[Jared]

I found this about needle sizes, according to this I should be good as I don't even weigh 55 kg.: I'll ask my doc again...

Intramuscular Injections Intramuscular injections go into the muscle below the subcutaneous layer, so the needle must be thicker and longer to ensure that the medicine is being injected into the proper tissue. Twenty (20) or 22 G needles that are an inch or an inch and a half long are usually appropriate for this type of injection. A person who is thin, with very little fatty tissue can use the inch long needle; a heavier person may need to use the inch and a half long needle.

[desperate believer]

I weigh 115 pounds and am 4 feet 10 inches short. I use an inch long needle to inject. Longer needles freak me out. I can feel that the inch long needle is deep enough because once it is all the way in my thigh it feels a little weird. I've been on T less than three months and my periods have stopped, I've gained 15 pounds, my voice is deepening, I have an increased sex drive, and I even have a few whiskers on my chin. The T is definitely in my system. ~hope

[Simon]

I weigh 115 pounds and am 4 feet 10 inches short.

I forget how small some of you guys are. I'm 5'8" and 240 so I'm a big guy.

So the short needles might be all you need.

[Jared]

Thanks for helping me to figure this out 

[Jamie D]

Simon, this thread is yours to moderate.  I am never looking at it again.  I feel faint.

[randomroads]

Congrats on the self inject! I've been having my husband do it ever since I had my meltdown. I'm currently 5 hours away from him and have failed to find a clinic around me that would support me/do my injection. When I start telling them it's for T they say 'oh we don't do that' even if I try to explain things.

So now I'm going for 2-3 weeks without. I tried so hard but ended up breaking down in tears last Wednesday and then the rest of the day I was moody and depressed because I felt so miserable. I'm going to talk to my doc about getting a cream or patch, even though my husband is doing really well with injecting for me.

[Simon]

I'm currently 5 hours away from him and have failed to find a clinic around me that would support me/do my injection.

So now I'm going for 2-3 weeks without.

Did you call your Endo's office?  There should be a nurse who would do it or the doc might do it themselves. Sorry you're going through the stress of this.

On another note it has now been 4 days since my self injection and my right thigh has just now stopped being sore. It was bad for the first couple days. Felt like somebody had kicked me really good.

[desperate believer]

I had a lot of pain with my very first injection. In fact that's why I joined this forum. I was limping badly for several days and worried that something was wrong. However, my other injections haven't hurt nearly as much. When I had my first injection the T was probably cold and I didn't shake the T as it says to do in the directions. I suppose that's why it caused me so much pain the first time. ~hope

[randomroads]

My endo is 3 hours away. I actually feel 'at peace' with my decision to just wait. It's a lot healthier, mentally, then doing what I did Wednesday!

The second time I stuck my right thigh it hurt like heck for about a week a day after the injection. I couldn't even touch the skin without feeling discomfort like I was pushing a bruise. It did eventually fade from a tearing pain to dull burn and then nothing at all.

[rightocaito]

I had a lot of pain with my very first injection. In fact that's why I joined this forum. I was limping badly for several days and worried that something was wrong

Oy vey, freaking me out with all this. I was never afraid of needles until it came to reading about guys hitting nerves and things. I've only had one shot (in my butt by a friend) and I really don't know if I'll ever want to do it any other way. :/

[Simon]

Oy vey, freaking me out with all this. I was never afraid of needles until it came to reading about guys hitting nerves and things. I've only had one shot (in my butt by a friend) and I really don't know if I'll ever want to do it any other way. :/

Not trying to scare you but make sure your friend or whoever else is going to give you the shot back there knows what they're doing. If you hit the sciatic nerve it's going to let you know it.

[Brock]

OMG I can't wait for T. I think I'd have to get my missus to do it. I will puke and faint if I have to watch. You guys are soooo brave