Going in slow?

[OccasionallyOmniscient]

Ok, so, I've been on T for a couple months now, intramuscular injections to be more specific. My doctor told me that when injecting, I need to hold it like a dart and break the skin fast before inserting it all the way and injecting.
First time was ok, and the second was too. Third time is when it started to get a bit...bad. It took me hours to actually bring myself to jab it in. Same with the fourth time I did it. Except, when I had actually broken skin the fourth time, it was only the tip of the needle. It took me hours to get to that point, so I just pushed it all the way in. It hurt a lot less than everyone told me it was going to, going in slow. Two weeks later, today, actually, I decided to bypass all the bs and just push it in slow.
And it really did work out! Took me only ten minutes from beginning prep to capping the needle off and tossing it in my sharps box.
I might have lost a little bit of t, however, but I don't think that it was from pushing it in slow, as I usually have a bit come out afterwards.
So my questions are, how many other guys out there go in slow, and is this a safe thing to be doing?
Thanks! 

[Jessica Merriman]

is this a safe thing to be doing?

Perfectly safe! I am not a guy, but do injections myself the same way. 

[OccasionallyOmniscient]

Oh thank goodness! I don't think I'd be able to do it otherwise!

[Jessica Merriman]

Just use the proper aseptic procedure and you will do fine! Good luck!! 

[LordKAT]

I haven't ever jabbed it in like a dart. Some people think it hurts less that way though.

[CursedFireDean]

I do subq but I too have to go slowly with it. There's no way I can just jab it in. The few time I tried that my hand chickened out and I just poked myself enough to bleed.

[Simon]

I've always done my shot slowly. I get everything ready, wait for the alcohol to dry on my thigh, lightly "bounce" the needle tip on my thigh until it breaks skin, and then slowly push it in. I like the control that it gives doing it that way. If it hurts I can stop and start over. Jabbing it just sounds like it would be painful.

[Darrin Scott]

I go in slow and I do subQ, but I started on IM. I go in and break the skin, if the pain is excruciating, you've hit and vein and you'll bleed like crazy after the injection. If it hurts past the skin breaking, I pull out before injecting. I know I've hit a vein and it won't go well.

[JoanneB]

Oh I know that mental block well. Especially if the last shot hurt like hell. Or, the doc wrote me up for 20 gauge needles and not the 22 I was used to. When you see that cannon barrel I also got a bit freaked.

I tried fast and slow. I found slow to hurt getting through the skin a little more as you push it in. Fast hurts if you don't come in straight. As if you rest your elbow and take a swing rather then a straight in plunge.

[Frank]

The nurse had me practice like it was a dart. Hah. No. Most people have a mental black against stabbing themselves. Which is essentially what you're doing.

I prefer to just do it slowly. More control. Plus it barely even hurts when I'm doing it myself, unless I hit a vein. In which case you'll want to pull out. Or you can experimentally keep going like I did and get a nice gush of blood when you decide to finally pull out.

[Bimmer Guy]

The nurse had me practice like it was a dart. Hah. No. Most people have a mental black against stabbing themselves. Which is essentially what you're doing.

I prefer to just do it slowly. More control. Plus it barely even hurts when I'm doing it myself, unless I hit a vein. In which case you'll want to pull out. Or you can experimentally keep going like I did and get a nice gush of blood when you decide to finally pull out.

So, if I hit a vein going Subq and pull the needle out, do I need to get a new one before I put it into a new spot?  This is probably an elementary question. 

[ThatCatGuy]

There is no way that I could jab in my needle.. I can barely inject myself slowly sometimes. So, I think that as long as you are doing it in a way that is safe and comfortable for you, then there are not any problems.

[Polo]

Is it true that slapping the area several times makes it hurt less?

[devention]

So, if I hit a vein going Subq and pull the needle out, do I need to get a new one before I put it into a new spot?  This is probably an elementary question. 

I have this question, too.
I would think no, because it's all your own blood, but I'm no medical professional. It's something I've been curious about.

[Polo]

I don't think you need a new one (you're swabbing your skin with alcohol beforehand, right?) since it is your blood and there's hardly risk for contamination in the minute it takes for you to pull out and reinject.  I've only ever been trained as an EMT though, so maybe a higher health professional would know more...

[evan114]

So, if I hit a vein going Subq and pull the needle out, do I need to get a new one before I put it into a new spot?  This is probably an elementary question. 

Yes because when you use the needle to break the skin, it dulls it. My doctor has me use different needles to draw the solution up and to inject it, because even drawing it up can dull the needle.

[jamesdoran]

Just wanted to say that I have always stabbed the needle in fast. I got a little nervous this last time so I tried pushing it in slowly...so much better!! I'm glad I read this thread.

[KamTheMan]

Just wanted to say that I have always stabbed the needle in fast. I got a little nervous this last time so I tried pushing it in slowly...so much better!! I'm glad I read this thread.

Dude right? This thread was a huge influence on me deciding to try going in slow. There was nothing that could convince me to stab myself quickly, even two day after the T was in the syringe. But I remembered this and watched a few videos of guys going slow and I seriously feel like it saved me. I was picturing a lifetime of weekly shot anxiety, losing it. I did my shot a couple hours ago, easy as can be. The whole process takes me about 5 minutes now. Makes me so happy!