Hope this does not equal the negativity of a dosage question.  Can a 23g be used rather than a 22g for Estradiol Valerate?   Thanks Dani

Go with the Pharmacist recommendation. They know these meds very well and what Gauge can get the job done 

I have it done in my buttocks where it tends to hurt less and nurses always prefer using 22 gauge, 1.5 inches. It seems to be the ideal.

Quote from: Jessica Merriman on June 30, 2014, 07:23:24 PM
Go with the Pharmacist recommendation. They know these meds very well and what Gauge can get the job done 

Thanks Jessica, the only reason I asked is due to the pharmacist's recommendation of 23g conflicted with 22g by the nurse, medication insert says 20g (too big for me).  I figured contacting either one again will possibly cause friction which I do not want, so who better to ask than people who use this product.  If asking this is a problem of any sort let me know and I will remove it.    Dani  P.S. I deleted out some of the non pertinent info in original post.

yes you can use a 23gx needle for injecting IM. It'll be slower in the actual "plunger move drug into body" part but that's ok.

Quote from: Flan on July 02, 2014, 12:05:57 AM
yes you can use a 23gx needle for injecting IM. It'll be slower in the actual "plunger move drug into body" part but that's ok.

Nice, that is what I was hoping for, thanks so much Flan!!!!!  and thanks to you to KayXo   

If it helps I use a 25g when I take my weekly shot, and haven't had any issue.

Quote from: Flan on July 02, 2014, 12:05:57 AM
yes you can use a 23gx needle for injecting IM. It'll be slower in the actual "plunger move drug into body" part but that's ok.

I find that the injection goes much faster and more smoothly if I thoroughly warm the medication before I fill the syringe.  I find that putting the bottle of estrogen between my breasts for half an hour is a very effective way to warm it up.   

Quote from: calico on July 02, 2014, 01:53:45 PM
If it helps I use a 25g when I take my weekly shot, and haven't had any issue.

Well if a 25g will work, there should be no problem with a 23.  Thanks Dani

Quote from: Miharu Barbie on July 02, 2014, 02:14:48 PM
I find that the injection goes much faster and more smoothly if I thoroughly warm the medication before I fill the syringe.  I find that putting the bottle of estrogen between my breasts for half an hour is a very effective way to warm it up.   

Hmmm, I dont have breasts yet so maybe I can get a couple on loan for an hour.     Seeing that this thread is still going I would like to ask a part 2 question.  My legs are fairly lean so I'm wondering if a 1 inch needle would get the medication deep enough into the muscle, then I could save the box of 1 1/2 inch for glute shots.  Anyone else have fairly skinny legs that have found 1 inch to be sufficient?  Thanks again  Dani

Putting objects in breasts sounds like fun. To bad all I have are moobs right now. No HRT yet.

I've been poking myself in the upper area of my butt for 16 years.  I've never actually tried injecting into my leg... but I've heard that it [bleep]ing hurts.  I look forward to hearing about other people's experience of injecting their leg.

Quote from: Miharu Barbie on July 02, 2014, 02:39:39 PM
I've been poking myself in the upper area of my butt for 16 years.  I've never actually tried injecting into my leg... but I've heard that it [bleep]ing hurts.  I look forward to hearing about other people's experience of injecting their leg.

Well keep in mind I've only injected once (nurse wanted to observe that I was doing it correctly), and I experienced zero pain, not during or after.  Dani  This was in the Vastus Lateralis

I always inject in my rear as well,  and I'm using 1" needles and haven't had an issue,  lol and I learnt how to give myself an injection by reading and watching YouTube,  lol my Dr. just prescribed me and said there ya go, didn't even give me any instructions.

Quote from: calico on July 02, 2014, 03:17:06 PM
I always inject in my rear as well,  and I'm using 1" needles and haven't had an issue,  lol and I learnt how to give myself an injection by reading and watching YouTube,  lol my Dr. just prescribed me and said there ya go, didn't even give me any instructions.

That's so funny; my doctor did the exact same thing in 1998.  I figured it out from a video on the internet too (I don't remember if there even was a Youtube in 1998, but I found a video somewhere on the internet.)  No instructions.  No guidance.  Just a bottle of estrogen and a fist full of needles.  Go figure.

I've always used 1.5 inch needles.  They hurt so good!

Lol no kidding, actually I don't even feel it any more, at least on my right side. In fact it barely ever has any bleeding. In the beginning I felt it and would usually have just a drop or bit of blood on the bandade,  but not that's very rare on the right side. I actually toyed with an idea to have some one  tattoo a target where my injection site is lol wouldn't that be something! !

So is injecting it in your ass the more common method for those that use injections? I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I don't think injections are for me as I didn't like the idea of getting dozens of needle holes and looking like a junkie and the fact that I just don't like injections. It sounds like if you put it in the ass its less likely to looks like that.

Quote from: awilliams1701 on July 02, 2014, 07:15:10 PM
So is injecting it in your ass the more common method for those that use injections? I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I don't think injections are for me as I didn't like the idea of getting dozens of needle holes and looking like a junkie and the fact that I just don't like injections. It sounds like if you put it in the ass its less likely to looks like that.

I dont know about anyone else bit once I took the tiny round bandaid off, shortly afterward I couldnt find where it was.  That was with a 22 guage so if I switch to a 23 I cant imagine ever seeing anything at all.  Dani

Quote from: awilliams1701 on July 02, 2014, 07:15:10 PM
So is injecting it in your ass the more common method for those that use injections? I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I don't think injections are for me as I didn't like the idea of getting dozens of needle holes and looking like a junkie and the fact that I just don't like injections. It sounds like if you put it in the ass its less likely to looks like that.

Yea I think it's the more common area, the reason why it hurts when you get an injection is because the needle is breaking the skin. After that it's no pain, we'll unless you twitch/spasm or you somehow bend the needle. It's actually more like the hip area you would be hitting. Well between the but and the hip, well that is were I do it, I just wipe it with an alcohol pad and pinch up the skin and hit it with the shot , no slowly or anything I just quickly stick it, and we'll at this point there's no more pain. I wasn't so sure when I decided to go with the injectable route but all the dot talk and my risk factors made me rethink it, and actually I'm really happy I did go this route as I have had more changes, which was surprising as I had thought I was done but apparently the srs and changing to injections caused some surprising and pleasant changes. I really do believe next to implants this is the best route of hrt, well for me anyway.

I used to give blood and the eventually told me to stop for my own sake. I would get black tunnel vision every single time. It also hurt to bend my arm afterword for the rest of the day. Maybe the needle was bigger and that's why.