Hey all, so I have been on testosterone since 2013, but only in gel form. Finally last June my doctors finally decided that my levels weren't getting any higher so they have finally moved me onto the injections, of which I have had 3 so far. I was having extremely bad dysphoria over the year leading up to this due to the return of shark week and I ended up leaving my job. My mood has certainly improved since getting on injections, but still a bit exasperated that while my facial hair has finally started coming in (blonde peach fuzz though ), I'm still not passing a lot of the time. I've been on hormones so long the last three years have felt like a complete waste of time.

Anyway, the point of this thread is to ask has anyone else moved from gel to injections, and if so, how long did it take you to start seeing serious results?

I was on gel for a little over 3 months before switching to injections, and I've been on them ever since. I was seeing decent changes on gel, and only switched due to a price increase (my insurance at the time wasn't covering HRT). My levels have been consistently in the 700s through my entire transition, and I've masculinized as you would expect, with probably the most changes occurring this year after my hysterectomy.

What do your blood tests show? Are you getting your E tested along with your T?

I started getting changes right away on injections, but didn't necessarily pass quickly. I've had to train myself to talk in a lower register and with less chirpiness (I trained myself to talk chirpy in the first place so it's unlearning, I guess) and I also took a risk and tried a more masculine haircut. I also style my hair to obscure my lack of a masculine hairline and it seems to be working!

Sorry that gel didn't work for you. Injections have an issue in that your T peaks and dips, which can be an issue (it is for me), plus the whole sticking yourself thing isn't fun.

I started on Androgel / Androderm  in 2009 and was on for 9 months before my insurance quit paying into the cost (jacking it up from $70 . month to over $400/ month. ACK!) so I switched to injections which were muuuuuch cheaper (I was paying out of pocket).

I saw results on gel very quickly (though I didn't need much to get me to the tipping point; I was already androgynous / read as male a lot of the time. Once I started on shots, my changes came a bit faster and my period quit for good after a month on injectable.