First Shot Questions

[thatboyfresh]

Hey,

Shawn Here
22 years old and 7/8ths
Pre-t

My first shot is coming up fast.  Aug 26th to be exact!  I am super beyond excited. Even more then for the release of GTA 5 and PS4 combined. I have been waiting for so long and it's finally happening. I have a few questions peeps more experienced with T, specifically injections.

1. Do you do your own shots or someone else for you?
2. How did you feel after your very first shot?
3. What is your injection sched? ( Mine will be bi-weekly to start but I heard some guys really don't like this)
4. What was the first change you noticed.

Thank you to who ever answers in advanced!.

P.S This site is really awesome!

[Kreuzfidel]

Congrats!  That's really awesome.  Just remember not to focus too much on scrutinising yourself for changes - it's easy and tempting to think that just because some guys get changes after a few weeks that you will, too.  Don't judge your progress on others'.

1.  My wife does my injections for me.  She's a vet nurse, so it doesn't bother her.  I'm too squeamish to do my own.
2.  I didn't feel anything, honestly.  Just elation and euphoria.  Not dizzy or anything else.  For the first few days I had hot flashes, but that's about it.
3.  My injections are every 18 to 21 days.
4.  Darkening of facial hair.  My changes weren't wholly noticeable until after 3 months - and even then, it wasn't until 5 months that I started getting tiny bits of whiskers under my chin.  Voice started to drop after 3 months, "shark week" stopped at about month 3, too.

[Mr.X]

Congrats with soon being on T. It certainly is an exciting time! And yay, GTA 5! If only I had money...

As for your questions. Note, I got my first shot after 8 weeks of Androgel, so my body was more prepared for them.

1. I let them do at the hospital. I am a whimp.
2. I didn't really feel much different, apart from happiness to finally be on shots.
3. My injections are bi-weekly.
4. The first thing I felt from starting T (so Androgel) was a sensitive downstairs because it grew.

Good luck on the 26th!

[LordKAT]

I self inject biweekly. The first shot was a relief. Voice change started after about 2 weeks.


Welcome to club.

[Magnus]

1. Both. I prefer my glute for IM site so need someone else do it (I just can't twist myself to aspirate and actually be able to see if there's blood or not). But I can do it myself in the quad (vastus lateralis)... I just don't like it because I can feel it all much more there and sometimes the benzyl alcohol in the T likes to travel down more towards my knee which isn't very comfortable; not painful just not ideal).

2. I didn't really feel it in-full until around the third day. I don't even have words; you'll see soon.

3. Fortnightly, but I would like to switch to weekly. I can feel it really dropping off throughout the second week (I seem to be a 'hyper excreter') and I'd prefer to feel like the first week all of the time (weekly results in more stable levels than fortnightly... there's two little arcs on a graph of T-level weekly but just one high to low arc in the fortnightly graphs. Weekly is more stable because it keeps the level more straight-lined than high to low). Its different for everyone based on how they FEEL but weekly would be my preference (even despite the more pokes of the needles; it would be worth it for me and I am going to discuss that with my doctor and potentially trying the subcutaneous injection protocol so I can do it myself all of the time and not have to use my quad or worry about poking things I don't want to be poking... it happens with IM lol).

4. My voice. My singing voice was totally uncontrollable (and still is) not even a week later. I noticed loss of my formerly typical range literally the next morning but my voice overall did not get totally uncontrollable until around 2-3 months. It's still not 'leveling out' eleven months later so prepare for that possibility.

[Dominick_81]

Congrats with starting T soon. 

1.Do you do your own shots or someone else for you? A nurse gives me mine.
2. How did you feel after your very first shot? Tired.
3. What is your injection sched? Every other week. I prefer this to weekly shots b/c I hate getting my shots.
4. What was the first change you noticed. Probably hair.

[Jared]

Congrats on starting T

1. My roommate gave me the shots who is a nurse.
2. I was so relieved that after months of not sleeping enough I slept more than 12 hours. I smiled like an idiot for days.
3. Bi weekly but soon it's gonna be every 3 months.
4. Downstairs growth/crazy sex drive.

[thatboyfresh]

Wow,

Thanks for all the great responses!!. I really appreciate it. I know every single guy is different and I wont know until I am actually taking the shots but these personal accounts ease my worries a lot. Except the shots themselves. My doctor is far away from where I live so driving to see them every 1-2 weeks is kind of a burden monetarily wise so I will either have to do them my self or get my gf to!. I know its probably not as bad as it seems.

Thanks again yo!

[Robert Scott]

1.  I do my shots ... my wife is a nurse and taught me how but I give them to myself

2.  I was tired when I first started T ... doc told me to expect it since I would be going through puberty again

3.  I take my shot weekly

4.  The first thing I noticed was my body scent changed & growth below

[Darrin Scott]

Hey,

Shawn Here
22 years old and 7/8ths
Pre-t

My first shot is coming up fast.  Aug 26th to be exact!  I am super beyond excited. Even more then for the release of GTA 5 and PS4 combined. I have been waiting for so long and it's finally happening. I have a few questions peeps more experienced with T, specifically injections.

1. Do you do your own shots or someone else for you?
2. How did you feel after your very first shot?
3. What is your injection sched? ( Mine will be bi-weekly to start but I heard some guys really don't like this)
4. What was the first change you noticed.

Thank you to who ever answers in advanced!.

P.S This site is really awesome!

1. I do them myself. Always have. I used to do IM shots now I do SubQ and love it!
2. I felt no difference after the FIRST shot.
3. Every week.
4. Hair on my arms and face, deeper voice and growth downstairs.

[Jack_M]

1) I do my own shots into lateral thigh muscle. I feel nothing when I do them so why waste time with clinic appointments? Lol.

2) Anything after first shot is more psychological but I did notice more energy (I work out a lot and noticed I could work a little harder that next week).

3) Bi-weekly

4) Voice and darker facial hair. Already had hair but it's getting much darker.

[Adam (birkin)]

1. Do you do your own shots or someone else for you?
2. How did you feel after your very first shot?
3. What is your injection sched? ( Mine will be bi-weekly to start but I heard some guys really don't like this)
4. What was the first change you noticed.

Congrats.

I started out on gel, but I ended up going a couple weeks without T before starting injections so I remember how starting both felt really well lol.

My nurse does my shots. I did my own for the first...20 weeks? But one time, I hit a vein and I just broke down because it was dysphoria inducing enough as it is. For the next couple shots I kept doing my own, but I would sit staring at my leg for up to two hours before finding the guts.  So I went to my practitioner and now the nurse has done my shots. It hurts much less in the butt than in the thigh. If you are able to find a place that does the shots, I really highly suggest it. It does help to know how to do it on your own if you one day have to, but I find it's so much less hassle and I don't need to keep needles in my bathroom anymore.

After starting the gel I didn't notice much - I felt better pretty quickly, after a few weeks, and my periods became irregular, but the physical changes were few and far between. I started shots at 9 months on T, and there was an adjustment period. I felt moody, especially before the shot time, but that only lasted about 6 weeks or so. Now, I feel a lot better and it's no big deal where in my "cycle" I am.

I get my shot every two weeks.

My first changes on T were irregular periods, stomach hair, and greasier skin. That was on the gel - and as I said, I personally didn't have a lot of luck with it. When I switched to shots my voice dropped really quickly, and the body hair EXPLODED, lol, but I think that may have been the time it would have happened regardless of whether I was on gel or shots.

[thatboyfresh]

1. I do them myself. Always have. I used to do IM shots now I do SubQ and love it!
2. I felt no difference after the FIRST shot.
3. Every week.
4. Hair on my arms and face, deeper voice and growth downstairs.

You are the second to mention "Sub Q" is it an easier way to take the shot? And do you get the same amount of effect compared to going into the muscle?

Also, without getting too personal. Did you find it was uncomfortable to wear tight fitting underwear after genital growth? I love my tighty whities lol

[thatboyfresh]

1. Both. I prefer my glute for IM site so need someone else do it (I just can't twist myself to aspirate and actually be able to see if there's blood or not). But I can do it myself in the quad (vastus lateralis)... I just don't like it because I can feel it all much more there and sometimes the benzyl alcohol in the T likes to travel down more towards my knee which isn't very comfortable; not painful just not ideal).

2. I didn't really feel it in-full until around the third day. I don't even have words; you'll see soon.

3. Fortnightly, but I would like to switch to weekly. I can feel it really dropping off throughout the second week (I seem to be a 'hyper excreter') and I'd prefer to feel like the first week all of the time (weekly results in more stable levels than fortnightly... there's two little arcs on a graph of T-level weekly but just one high to low arc in the fortnightly graphs. Weekly is more stable because it keeps the level more straight-lined than high to low). Its different for everyone based on how they FEEL but weekly would be my preference (even despite the more pokes of the needles; it would be worth it for me and I am going to discuss that with my doctor and potentially trying the subcutaneous injection protocol so I can do it myself all of the time and not have to use my quad or worry about poking things I don't want to be poking... it happens with IM lol).

4. My voice. My singing voice was totally uncontrollable (and still is) not even a week later. I noticed loss of my formerly typical range literally the next morning but my voice overall did not get totally uncontrollable until around 2-3 months. It's still not 'leveling out' eleven months later so prepare for that possibility.

I am praying that my voice will just drop a register and i will still be able to sing lol. Is it common for people who were "okay" singers before to magically not be able to follow pitch? What factor decides how low your voice will actually drop if any?

[ford]

I am praying that my voice will just drop a register and i will still be able to sing lol. Is it common for people who were "okay" singers before to magically not be able to follow pitch? What factor decides how low your voice will actually drop if any?

I think genetics are a good clue. When I'm on the phone now people keep telling me I sound just like my brother.

[thatboyfresh]

Yeah,

Also I guess the tone of your voice now would play a role in it too. I don't get misgendered on the phone anymore so anything lower then what I have right now would be gravy! I mostly sound like a teenaged boy ( or so the jerks on COD tell me)

[Crow]

Congrats, dude!

1. I do my own shots, because I would rather have control of the needle entering my body-- it makes me more nervous when other people are doing it.

2. I felt excited! ...and hungry. My energy/appetite/sex drive skyrocketed after I started T initially (in gel form) and after I switched to injections about a year later.

3. I do my injections weekly-- every Tuesday, to be precise, because it's easy to remember that Tuesday is T-day. Okay, maybe also because that's when my doctor could schedule an appointment for my first shot. Details schmetails.

4. My first change on T in general (like I said, I started on gel and switched to injections about a year later) was downstairs growth, I think-- I had noticeable growth within a couple weeks, even on the gel. Once I switched to injections, the first new change I noticed was my voice cracking all over the place.

[thatboyfresh]

Congrats, dude!

1. I do my own shots, because I would rather have control of the needle entering my body-- it makes me more nervous when other people are doing it.

2. I felt excited! ...and hungry. My energy/appetite/sex drive skyrocketed after I started T initially (in gel form) and after I switched to injections about a year later.

3. I do my injections weekly-- every Tuesday, to be precise, because it's easy to remember that Tuesday is T-day. Okay, maybe also because that's when my doctor could schedule an appointment for my first shot. Details schmetails.

4. My first change on T in general (like I said, I started on gel and switched to injections about a year later) was downstairs growth, I think-- I had noticeable growth within a couple weeks, even on the gel. Once I switched to injections, the first new change I noticed was my voice cracking all over the place.

You said you used the gel first. How much gel do you have to apply to be properly absorbed. Why did you end up switching to shots?

[Crow]

You said you used the gel first. How much gel do you have to apply to be properly absorbed. Why did you end up switching to shots?

The dosage varies from person to person and we can't discuss specific doses on the forums, but I had little packets of gel that I could open up and smear on every day (and later, a small tub of cream and a tiny spoon, because I switched insurance and had to switch to cream in the process). With both, it was roughly enough to cover my upper thighs. The gel absorbed a little better than the cream, both in terms of producing changes and in terms of not leaving gross residue on my skin. My changes on the gel were slow, but on the cream they were virtually nonexistent.

Honestly, I had originally planned on starting out with injectable in the first place, but my doctor wanted to try me on topical first and I figured I'd give it a trial run. I ended up switching to injectable because the gel/cream just wasn't working for me. I barely had any canges after a little over a year (I still had a menstrual cycle after a year, which baffled even my doctor), and I was worried about getting testosterone all over my female partner while snuggling. Plus, injectable T is less expensive.

[Darrin Scott]

You are the second to mention "Sub Q" is it an easier way to take the shot? And do you get the same amount of effect compared to going into the muscle?

Also, without getting too personal. Did you find it was uncomfortable to wear tight fitting underwear after genital growth? I love my tighty whities lol

SubQ is easier in my opinion. Its a smaller needle that goes into the stomach right underneath the skin. It's less painful, easier and you're less likely to hit veins and stuff. I like it. I know it's not for everyone.

As for the growth, it's only uncomfortable and even noticeable (for me) is if it's hard. So, I think briefs are fine. I have a few pairs myself.