Anyone else have sudden HRT-shot-anxiety?

[baileycftm]

I've been on T shots for over two years now. The majority of that time I've been doing my own injections.

As of lately, I've been finding myself grow more and more nervous when doing a shot. I often have to stop and take a breath after switching needles and it takes me awhile to steady myself to get the one drop to come out before I inject.

Tonight i was trying to do my shot, and I began to get even more nervous. I got to the point where my hands and legs were shaking and I couldn't get the cap off the 22g needle. (what I use to inject with) I got my fiance to come into the bathroom to get the cap off and stay for moral support and when he offered to do my shot for me, (he used to give me the shots before I learned how to do so on my own) i refused and was eventually able to do the shot successfully. I didn't even feel the needle go in.

I don't know why I'm suddenly in such anxiousness with my shots. Even thinking about my next shot gets me nervous. It didn't used to, and it's getting hard to do them on time due to this. Anyone else experience this?

[Dani]

Same here, but I take Estradiol. I am fortunate that I have many options for HRT.

For the FTM here who do not like injections, there are topical creams  or patches containing Testosterone. There is even a buccal patch that is applied to the inside of the mouth above the front teeth.

Also, I have heard that an oral tablet is under study and may or may not  be approved by the FDA. With oral intake, the Testosterone goes to the liver first and may cause some harm with long term use.

[Denise]

Do you freeze the injection spot before you take the shot?

Think about a happy place while doing it.

Put on headphones with music playing.

Eat something.

If you've been on T for so long are there more changes you're looking for?   Think about those.

Take a yoga class to relax.  Fill the syringe and do some yoga then inject it after you have calmed down.

These are all distraction mechanisms you can probably think of more.

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

[Rachel]

I am very apprehensive about my shot, which I should do tonight. I am nervous about hitting a nerve or aspirating and needing to pull out and reposition. I get a bit of butterfly stomach. I focus on the act and then numbers. I do a time out just before I inject (safety behavior) and focus on needle placement, then aspirate then slowly inject while holding the needle with one hand.

[JoanneB]

The BIG Anxiety I have with my shots is the feeling of foreboding that This Time will be the one that hurts like heck and blood will squirt out across the room. 

Happens about 1 out of every 10 shots or so. The blood spurting part doesn't bother me as much as much as the pain. I guess the geek in me marveling at it.

[widdershins]

I get that on and off. The worst part about T shots is that you're at your lowest T levels when you take them, which on its own makes you more skittish than you usually are.

One thing that really helped me was switching from a bi-weekly schedule to a weekly one. Yes, it's twice as many shots, but your levels are more even, meaning you don't get that huge dip at the end where you're moody and anxious. That makes it a lot easier to suck it up and just do it already.

Another thing that helps when i'm really anxious is to promise myself a reward for getting it over with. Nothing big, just junk food or a cheap ebook or something.