Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So I got my T refill, yay, but no scrip for needles & syringes, because I usually get them for free from the low-income clinic I go to, due to the fact I'm POOR. I called up the clinic, asked them to have a dr call me, and a P.A. (physician's assistant) called back promptly. I told her the gauges I needed, and after a long rant about how maybe she should just write a scrip, because the clinic DID have to pay for the needles, after all, she finally said she'd get them for me. I went to pick them up today, though, and instead of the 18 gauge I usually use for drawing up the fluid, I had 22-gauge, but the 25s for the shots were there. So I had to talk to her again, this time in person, and explain the 22s were insufficient. After long deliberation, she gave me some 18s, but told me to try the 22s, because they had more of them at the clinic.

So what happens then? I get home, start preparing my shot, and find out that she gave me 25 gauge RETRACTABLE needles. Who knows what they do with those, but THEY DON'T FRICKIN FIT THE SYRINGES!!! So, painfully, I did the shot with the 22 gauge, which, by the way, gave me hell when I drew the T in. I realize some of you might use 22s and have no problem, but I live at 9000 ft above sea level. At this altitude, it's tough enough to use the 18 gauge. The subsequent shot was incredibly painful, and the T liquid seeped out immediately, followed by copious amounts of blood, despite z-tracking. THANKS A LOT, YOU FRICKIN MORON P.A.!!!!!!!!!!

SD

QuoteThe subsequent shot was incredibly painful, and the T liquid seeped out immediately, followed by copious amounts of blood, despite z-tracking. THANKS A LOT

I use a disposable 22 guage with a screw on 1 1/2in Luer Lock tip with absolutely no pain, 'leaks' or problems. I believe each runs less than .15c per unit bought by the hundreds.

In spite of altitude pressure nerve/blood vessels are located where a nerve/blood vessal is,

and the lenght of the needle depends on the location being injected. Perhaps where you are sticking it is also part of the problem?

My IM's are suspended in peanut oil which is a slow enough draw on a 22. What is T suspended in, is it the same?

I use 21's to draw... can't imagine trying to do a shot with one, though.  Well, actually I can, but I'd rather not make my muscle try to heal that if at all possible.  What surprises me is that she gave you two very different types of needles and didn't realize that one would not be compatible with the syringes you are using.

I know you don't have a lot of cash, but would it be possible for you to stock up on some injection supplies just as a backup in case the free clinic doesn't come through (or screws up) and you need to do a shot?  I buy my injection supplies at Grogans.com; a prescription is not necessary.  A box of 100 25 gauge 1-1/2" needles (BD305127--I looked up BD needles; not sure of the exact brand you use) runs about $10.

They probably just gave you whatever they had a surplus of. That's the way the free stuff tends to run.

Kiera, T is suspended in cottonseed oil. I'm pretty sure it's thicker than typical E solutions.

I would have been more than happy to take a prescription for needles, and pay for them at the pharmacy so I'd have the right gauge and size, but the P.A. didn't seem to think that was a possibility. Unfortunately, I seem to be at their mercy.

SD

I ended up mail ordering 100 of each of the sizes I use to keep on hand. Not cheap but worth having them around, the last place that filled my script did not give me enough. Was a bit surprised I could mail order them without a script.
Myles

I don't know dude.. I do my shots with 22 or 23 gauge and don't run into any problem.

I draw my T with a 22.  The first couple times I had trouble getting it into the syringe.  I was getting more air than T.   >:(  Eventually I figured out that the key was to make sure the T is nice and warm before trying to draw, and then to draw it verrrrry sloooowwwly.  I'm only 750 feet above sea level, but I hope that helps some anyway.  Sucks they gave you the wrong stuff, though.   You probably had the bad luck to hit a nerve.  :(  I've used 22 gauge to inject, as well, and usually I barely feel it.  This last time I used a 25 gauge and it hurt like hell.  Go figure.  :-\

From your post it sounds like you used the same 22 gauge that you drew with to inject. If so then I think some of your pain may have been because you had blunted your needle when you puntured the septum to draw up.  A blunt needle usually causes a lot more pain.