Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So I get my T through the Apothecary shop and this time they included these huge 18g 1 1/2 inch syringes along with my normal 25g 1 inch needles. Question is, what am I supposed to do with these huge needles? I knwo some guys draw the stuff in the syringe with a smaller gauge then switch needles and inject with a bigger one. I normally draw and inject with the 25g and the dr didn't mention anything about switching. I have no issues with using a bigger needle but it looks....intimidating to say the least. Like sticking a light saber in my thigh.

So what gauge do all of you use? Does it hurt more or less to use a bigger or smaller needle?

I use the 18G 1 1/2 syringes. I always have so I wouldn't know the feeling of going form a smaller size to a bigger size. I've never had any discomfort, though.

I draw with the larger needle (I used 1.5" 18g until I ran out & the only thing I could get to replace were 21g), shoot with the smaller (personally, 1" 22g).

Switching allows you to use the needle at it's sharpest, it hasn't been previously used to puncture the vial.

I'd imagine it would be more painful/uncomfortable the larger the gauge--but I don't have any experience with anything larger than a 22.

Have you ever hit a bone? That's what I worry about. I'm not very big but not small...average build I guess. I think I'm gonna try injecting with the 18g this time just to see what it's like. I'll have to get over the psyching myself out though.

Also, wouldn't using a large gauge needle to draw up sorta beat up the cap on the vial? This vial will last me 10 shots so I'd think that shoving a 18g through the top 10 times would mess up the top.

It's the opposite, draw with the big needle and inject with the smaller. I get mine from the same place and have gotten both sizes of needles since my first prescription.

Quote from: TheOtherSide on July 28, 2010, 12:05:55 PM
I use the 18G 1 1/2 syringes. I always have so I wouldn't know the feeling of going form a smaller size to a bigger size. I've never had any discomfort, though.

Have you noticed scar tissue build up?

Quote from: zombiesarepeaceful on July 28, 2010, 12:35:03 PM
Have you noticed scar tissue build up?

nothing feels different to me since my first injection

Don't know if this was directed at me or not, but figured I'd answer to the best of my ability ...

Quote from: zombiesarepeaceful on July 28, 2010, 12:12:53 PM
Have you ever hit a bone? That's what I worry about. I'm not very big but not small...average build I guess.

I've personally never hit bone, but I use the 1" needles to inject.  I'm not a very big person either, I'm pretty small stature-wise--I have a good amount of muscle on my thighs/legs, and very little fat, from biking every day.  When I started T I specifically asked about the needle length since I heard about some guys getting the 1.5" needles.  She told me that if I used one I should only go about an inch in--or I'd risk hitting bone, which is apparently pretty painful.  I figured it'd be easier to just use the one inch because I don't have to worry about it, just stick the whole thing in.

Quote from: zombiesarepeaceful on July 28, 2010, 12:12:53 PMAlso, wouldn't using a large gauge needle to draw up sorta beat up the cap on the vial? This vial will last me 10 shots so I'd think that shoving a 18g through the top 10 times would mess up the top.

I've heard that there are a couple different types of vial caps ... Mine is a red material that does perfectly fine at closing itself after being punctured, thus far I've drawn up 13 shots with the 18g from the one vial.  I can flip it over, whatever, no leakage--Visually, I can't even tell where the needles have gone in previously.

Quote from: Revel on July 28, 2010, 12:11:47 PM
I'd imagine it would be more painful/uncomfortable the larger the gauge

Actually, it's the other way around. Large gauge, small needle. Small gauge, large needle. So the 22 is more comfortable than the 18.

I use a 21, but I have a whole bag of 22s (along with 18s for drawing the T) that Strohecker's sent me. Haven't gotten around to trying them yet.

Quote from: Arch on July 28, 2010, 02:50:31 PM
Actually, it's the other way around. Large gauge, small needle. Small gauge, large needle. So the 22 is more comfortable than the 18.

Yeah, that's what I meant ...

Thanks, teach me for trying to use incompatible words interchangeably.  ;)

Quote from: Revel on July 28, 2010, 02:55:53 PM
Yeah, that's what I meant ...

Thanks, teach me for trying to use incompatible words interchangeably.  ;)

Heh. I just didn't want some poor first-timer saying, "Okay, I'll use the 22 to draw the T, and I'll stab myself with the 18..." Ouch.

Or maybe not. TheOtherSide uses 18-gauge and doesn't seem to mind. I don't plan to try it, though. I think he's a bit more manly than I am.

Quote from: Arch on July 28, 2010, 03:00:55 PM
Heh. I just didn't want some poor first-timer saying, "Okay, I'll use the 22 to draw the T, and I'll stab myself with the 18..." Ouch.

Or maybe not. TheOtherSide uses 18-gauge and doesn't seem to mind. I don't plan to try it, though. I think he's a bit more manly than I am.

I only do it because I'm too lazy to change the needle. haha more manly or more lazy? : )

OK, don't take what I say as fact because my doctors does the injections... but isn't the reason for the bigger needles not just for drawing in, but for people who do muscle shots? Smaller needles tend to be injected like a diabetic shot, right?

At least that's how I understand it.

Quote from: Lachlann on July 28, 2010, 04:34:33 PM
OK, don't take what I say as fact because my doctors does the injections... but isn't the reason for the bigger needles not just for drawing in, but for people who do muscle shots? Smaller needles tend to be injected like a diabetic shot, right?

At least that's how I understand it.

You're correct, a bigger needle (at or less than 23Gish off the top of my head, could be wrong) is generally recommended for intramuscular, whereas 27 and higher is for subcutaneous.

SC needles are also much shorter.

omg 18g 1 1/2 inches?  hell naw. I think i'd cry if I had to use something that big lol

I initially started out on 20g and moved down to a 22g because they hurt less.  I've used 25g before.  Hardly felt it but I took forever to get the T out of the syringe so I stopped.

Personally, I like 23g the best but my pharmacy doesn't carry them.  They're a good medium between 22 and 23.  Small enough where it doesn't hurt, yet big enough to get the T out at a decent rate

Quote from: Kvall on July 28, 2010, 09:37:53 PM

I don't have any trouble pushing the T through a 25g needle.

Just curious, what brand needles do you use?

I draw and inject with the same 22g 1 1/2, it never hurts so i'm not to worried about the needle dulling on the rubber cap to the vial...but this is all i have used so nothing to compare to

I draw with 18 gauge and inject with 25 gauge.

Quote from: TheOtherSide on July 28, 2010, 04:28:23 PM
I only do it because I'm too lazy to change the needle. haha more manly or more lazy? : )

Same difference. >:-)

I had my friend do my shot. He's only used the 25g to draw and inject and when he used the 18g he was like "HOLY S***" cause it went in in a tenth of the time it takes to draw it up with the 25g needle. He did switch needles before injecting though, so I didn't go for the 18g injection.

I usually use a 21g but have used 18s before. I've had no problem drawing the T with them- I've never done the needle transfer thing.

One funny story. One day I got a 23g and when I injected it didn't even break the skin- the needle just bent! Now, I have no buns of steel- that's for sure- so I have no idea what happened. Since my first 23g trial failed I just use 21s now. I can't even imagine using a 25g.