Starting on Injectables!

[Aidan_]

Under no circumstances should IM meds be put into a vein! They are only for injection into muscle tissue for GRADUAL release into the bloodstream. Hormones are dangerous if not used in the prescribed manner. 
If anyone has any doubt that they are capable of administering the meds properly they should avoid injections altogether.
Randi

Oh, no wonder they go for the rear then.

[Randi]

The thing about injecting in the back is avoiding the Sciatic nerve! You will know when you get there! That is one reason I use the thigh. If you don't know exactly what you are doing consult some who does know. A bit of advice from my martial arts days-a little bit of knowledge will get you killed but more dilligent effort will save your life!
Randi

[NDelible Gurl]

Wow. Are all girls suddenly switching to IM now??!!!

I just got a prescript for injectables today! I originally planned on going in to meet my new Doc and get my levels done today.

I was on Premarin for the longest time and have been wanting to switch for the longest time. I went to check out prices and just about fainted! My Rx is for the estrogen and Prometrium (switching from Spiro). Instead of doing the IM on my own I'll be going to Docs office and one of the nurses will do it for me. Now to find some reasonable prices for my Rx b/c the monthly price for my Rx made my jaws drop!

[Debra]

yeah I have my adopted mom do it. she does a few of my friends too.

At some point I'm going to have to buck up and figure out how to do it in my thigh.

I did flinch both times she's done it, it was involuntary. I'll have to concentrate better next time

[cynthialee]

yeah I have my adopted mom do it. she does a few of my friends too.

At some point I'm going to have to buck up and figure out how to do it in my thigh.

I did flinch both times she's done it, it was involuntary. I'll have to concentrate better next time

I can give them to someone else but not myself. If I ever loose Sevan I will have to go back on transdermals.

[aubrey]

The emotional lows that you can get go away somewhat by tweaking the doses to your needs and also with time your body becomes more accustomed to the ebb and flow that shots give. It took me about 3-4 months to not feel down, or low energy etc... on the last day. Then when I changed to injecting every two weeks I felt even better. I still get scared and need a moment to chill when injecting myself even after 1.5 years!

[Randi]

Before I learned what worked for me, I was tense and seemingly in a bit of a hurry to get it over with-so I was not relaxed when I did it. Then I realised(after a painful twitching episode) if I used the breathing techniques I learned years before I could control the level of pain if any AND the response of the muscles in my thigh. As long as I am breathing out when I push to insert the needle I am completely relaxed and feel no pain at all. That's not to say the muscle won't jump occasionally-they will but by taking it very slowly and controlling my breath I can stop before I go forward into a tensed muscle. That allows for avoiding putting sideways pressures on the needle and making the muscle sore because of that. It is really not so bad after you work out a routine that works for you.
Randi

[Debra]

Thanks I'll try the breathing thing on Tuesday. Go up to the normal dose this week, yay! My doc said to take an oral E tonight and tomorrow night though so I dont run into that low again

[Samantha_Marie]

I was blessed with being one of those people who enjoy watching myself get a shot. I give them to myself and it takes about 15 secs total to fill it to the right dose and get it injected in.

I am on a really high dosage, and don't notice any change or lowering of my hormones at the end of the week. For some reason my doctor put me on a weekly shot rotation.

I have noticed significant changes over my entire body over the last two weeks and the lil girls are ALWAYS insanely sore now.

[Tippe]

I wonder if anybody have experience with polyestradiol phosphate? It's the only injectable form of estrogen marketed in my country since estradiol valerate was discontinued.



Tippe

[JasminB]

Yeah just to re-iterate whats been said above;  Make sure you hit the muscle with the right length needle or expect some bad results ;P

When I was self medicating before my final diagnosis that gave me a prescription I did my first injection of Progynon Depot(inject-able peanut oil based estrogen) subcutaneously(under the skin like insulin) instead of inter-muscularly(IM) and ended up with the following levels that were taken 16 hours after the injection:

Estrogen: 5865
Testosterone: 0.6

If you dont know blood levels, thats waaaaaaaay to high for Estrogen & was in fact the highest he had seen, thankfully got good advice from my endo & swapped to 1.5" needles for the following injections so i actually hit the muscle ;p.  (btw for reference I was of course on estrogen before the first injection, oral - estrofem - but at very normal dose.)

Oh and yeah when I injected it I broke out in a cold hard sweat, had some fairly intense symptoms for about 15mins but all went down by 30mins later; Thank god im not to old and croaky at 25 but I guess being a smoker cant help and he said that would of really shocked an older persons body :/

[Aidan_]

Yeah just to re-iterate whats been said above;  Make sure you hit the muscle with the right length needle or expect some bad results ;P

When I was self medicating before my final diagnosis that gave me a prescription I did my first injection of Progynon Depot(inject-able peanut oil based estrogen) subcutaneously(under the skin like insulin) instead of inter-muscularly(IM) and ended up with the following levels that were taken 16 hours after the injection:

Estrogen: 5865
Testosterone: 0.6

If you dont know blood levels, thats waaaaaaaay to high for Estrogen & was in fact the highest he had seen, thankfully got good advice from my endo & swapped to 1.5" needles for the following injections so i actually hit the muscle ;p.  (btw for reference I was of course on estrogen before the first injection, oral - estrofem - but at very normal dose.)

Oh and yeah when I injected it I broke out in a cold hard sweat, had some fairly intense symptoms for about 15mins but all went down by 30mins later; Thank god im not to old and croaky at 25 but I guess being a smoker cant help and he said that would of really shocked an older persons body :/

Oh wow....How would you even know if you've hit a muscle? Do you pull back the syringe some to see if a lot of blood comes out..or what?

[Debra]

I talk about my latest experience in this video:

[Tippe]

How would you even know if you've hit a muscle? Do you pull back the syringe some to see if a lot of blood comes out..or what?

You need some training to find the correct site safely.
Ask your nurse or doctor to teach it to you.



Tippe

[Aidan_]

You need some training to find the correct site safely.
Ask your nurse or doctor to teach it to you.



Tippe

Okie. I'm not sure if they're going to put me on injections or not...but I will volunteer for them!

Oh and I know this is a bit off-topic Jerica, but if I may say so, your voice is very neat! I like it! Did you go to a voice therapist or did you achieve that on your own? o.o

[Just Shelly]

Hi,Jerica
I'm a newbie so I just noticed this post. I was recommended by my Dr to administer in the thigh muscle (largest) or the bicep muscle. The reason being, is there is more fat deposits in your rear and some of the fat may absorb the Estradiol making it not as effective. just some FYI

I have been on IM for about 6-months now, every two weeks. I have just gotten use to giving myself injections, but still a bit nervous at times.

I have never been one to fear shots, but that first one I gave my self must of took 45 minutes. I tried 4-5 times to poke my leg but my reflexes stopped me.

Mine is in caster oil, it literally takes 7 minutes to fill the syringe, and then you have to inject slowly. Oh and YES don't hit a bone

Shelly

[Sada]

bye

[Debra]

I think things are under control at this point. I've been getting these for over a month , almost 2 , now. Just need to get the dosage right....hope my doc comes out of paternity leave soon.....

[cynthialee]

I seem to have found my right dose and timing. Just needed to mess with it a bit to find out.

[Sada]

bye