i have been on intramuscular injection for 2 months and i have seen pretty good results... but what makes me worry is that it takes me almost an hour trying to inject the hormone into my thighs.. for i am very afraid of pain, there are times i get little pain.. but yesterday got so painful though i was still on the right spot... and i've watched a youtube video where she does it subcutaneous in her tummy... and it says it's painless and the needle is short and small in diameter...

i just wanna know if injecting subcutaneous would affect the feminization affects of estradiol valerate since it's in the instructions that it should be injected intramuscularly... please help..

The IM injections are meant to last a week to ten days.  The "ester", (cypionate valerate etc) takes a while to break down into estradiol.  It also takes a while to enter the bloodstream from deep within the muscle.

A sub-Q injection is much nearer the capillaries and will enter the bloodstream and be depleted much faster.  People that do sub-Q usually inject two to three times a week.

Since insulin needles are so small it can be hard to draw and inject the oil based estrogen solution.

There are very few nerves deep in the muscles.  Any pain you feel is near the skin.  With Sub-Q you are dealing mostly with the skin.  I personally don't see any advantage.  Injecting smaller amounts more often seems like a losing proposition to me.

Randi

Quote from: Randi on May 18, 2014, 10:13:50 PM
The IM injections are meant to last a week to ten days.  The "ester", (cypionate valerate etc) takes a while to break down into estradiol.  It also takes a while to enter the bloodstream from deep within the muscle.

A sub-Q injection is much nearer the capillaries and will enter the bloodstream and be depleted much faster.  People that do sub-Q usually inject two to three times a week.

Since insulin needles are so small it can be hard to draw and inject the oil based estrogen solution.

There are very few nerves deep in the muscles.  Any pain you feel is near the skin.  With Sub-Q you are dealing mostly with the skin.  I personally don't see any advantage.  Injecting smaller amounts more often seems like a losing proposition to me.

Randi

thanks to your reply.. i have now seen the picture clearly... so i think i'll still be on intramuscular then... maybe i'll try to inject in the ventrogluteal site...

can i ask for some tips on how to inject IM with less pain?

I would add that the "ester" doesn't start cleaving off until it hits the bloodstream.  With Sub-Q it hits the bloodstream sooner.

I was told to "dart" the needle in.  There is an element of luck.  Sometimes it hurts, sometimes you barely feel it.  Sometimes there is no blood and other times half a teaspoon full leaks out.

A 1 to 1 1/2" inch needle looks wicked, but most of the nerves are in the skin.  Darting it in shortens the time that nerves in the skin are stimulated.

I've been getting intramuscular injections of estradiol for so many years and even still I have a hard time with needles. My mom has always given me my shots, thank goodness. I draw the dose, she jabs me in the butt cheek and its done. She does alright with it, but even still doesn't like to because she's always worried that she'll mess it up and hurt me. I did try two times ever to do it myself, first time like a decade ago, blood sprayed out all over the carpet, and I didn't feel too well after. The other time was with my last injection a month ago (and my last dose, ran out, need to find me another doctor, and somehow come up with the money for it), since I have been postponing every shot for every 3 weeks instead of 2 weeks to make it last longer (my mom and I had moved a year ago from Edenton NC to Austin TX and I had no more refills on my prescription), but doing this also sometimes results in some really terrible mood swings and I was feeling really down, self-destructively, so took it upon myself to do it then (my mom wasn't home at the time). I cursed at myself and questioned why the fear of needles? I got it all ready, then just did it, found what I thought was a good spot and jabbed it in, didn't feel it, but after pulling it out it oozed a lot of blood (more than usual than when my mom did it for me), but I was in such a foul mood that I didn't let it bother me. The injection sight was bruised for a while after, but otherwise I felt fine. I got really shaky hands, particularly the left (nerve damage, who knows) so that's one other reason I don't trust myself with a needle to begin with (except when cross-stitching). Worst, just the thought of that long sharp needle (see, that I think is the thing, the length of the needle is the unnerving part, very intimidating) entering my skin has always made me uneasy, but it has to be done if you want to feel right with yourself. Didn't know anything about the subcutaneous method, but I don't think I'd like it any better, especially if it'd have to be done more often.

Hello,

If I had 1 dollar for every needle I've poked into my butt over the past 16 years...

I don't care for the dart method myself; I prefer to ease the needle in for fear of accidentally damaging the sciatic nerve.  I figure that if I'm pressing the needle in cautiously, and I sense I'm close to the sciatic nerve, I can stop what I'm doing and redirect the needle.  (It's never actually happened, so it may just be a neurotic fear.)

That said, one thing I've learned over the years is the sharper the needle, the less the pain.  Believe it or not, pressing the needle through the rubber lid of your medication bottle may be dulling the tip of the needle just a little bit.  Accidentally touch or brush the needle tip against any surface, and you may dull it even more.  A dull needle requires more pressure to get through the skin, which excites the nerve endings in the skin... that is to say, it hurts more.  Some people who are particularly sensitive to pain will use one needle to fill the syringe, then remove that needle from the syringe and replace it with a fresh needle for the actual injection.  Naturally, this will increase the cost of each injection just a little bit, but if it makes it hurt less, then it's a small price to pay.

If you try this 2 needle method, I'd be curious to know how it works for you.


Miharu

What I have learned about injecting others are there are two things to lessen the pain.  The first is really pinch the skin as this will help to deaden the nerve response.  Second you have to really jab the needle in quickly just like a dart and all of the way in.  That will lessen the response.  Try both together and it will work.  I have had patients that would request me specifically for injections so they must have been more comfortable with me.  Just give it a try.  Hope it helps.

Quote from: Christinetobe on May 19, 2014, 03:29:34 PM
What I have learned about injecting others are there are two things to lessen the pain.  The first is really pinch the skin as this will help to deaden the nerve response.  Second you have to really jab the needle in quickly just like a dart and all of the way in.  That will lessen the response.  Try both together and it will work.  I have had patients that would request me specifically for injections so they must have been more comfortable with me.  Just give it a try.  Hope it helps.

i see. maybe i'll try that... what i've been doing was to stretch the skin instead of pinching the skin and second... i did not dart it.. was always afraid of that.. instead i slowly inject the needle... so maybe that's why i feel pain...

thanks for ur suggestion.. i'll try that...