I've gotten a couple opinions on this but i'm wanting to get some from the FTM's along with more opinions so i can help myself make my own decision. Okay, i have no fear of needles and i'm fine with taking the shot accept at the moment i have a nurse doing it for me because i'm a very oblivious person sometimes as much as i can be observant also it can switch and i fear air bubbles i don't like how the nurses are giving me this shot in general i'm not comfortable with doing it alone because i don't feel safe injecting myself and not forgetting important things.

I'd be more happy if i could just use a gel and i wouldn't feel so scared
i don't have anyone i'm physical with and the people who are near me normally keep their distance already
although i do have a young nephew and i'd be worried about that being a issue.
so could this still be a option? and in the future if i did this i'd be with someone down the line and it makes me wonder is it safe?  would i have to tell them ahead of time? or wait a certain time before we could be physical or what?

Worked fine for me. My T levels were even high on gels. I switched to needled because I was too lazy to apply the gel every day.
As for being with someone...I think you would need to tell the person you are with. Especially if it is a lady. Rubbing off T on her would be a bad thing. But the endocrinologist informed me that soon after applying, and making sure it was absorbed into the skin, it shouldn't be an issue to be intimate.

Gel works fine. You are meant to apply it to the inner thigh so with clothes on not much chance of transferrence to anyone else.

I've always used gel and although it takes time getting used to putting it in daily; I can't imagine wanting to switch. It works just as well as Sustanon and Nebido.

As for being intimate you'll have to wait until the gel dries. I would say a few hours to be on the safe side but it depends on which brand of gel you use. Testim doesn't dry properly at all and I found my skin still felt sticky hours after applying. While testogel dries very quickly and within an hr or so my skin feels pretty much smooth again. Also worth noting that on the information leaflet for testogel it says not to come into contact with water 8 hrs after applying it; so that's something else to consider as well.

Some claim the injections work faster and some don't. The one benefit to using the gel is that you'll get a consistent daily dose (no real 'dips' like you sometimes experience with shot cycles).

There are some things you need to take into consideration, however.

- If you don't already do so, you'll need to shower every single day as the gel is to be applied immediately afterwards.
- You'll need to be consistent with the dosing times.
- Try to avoid doing heavy work or exercising for a couple of hours after your dose as it could potentially cause issues with the absorption of the T.
- Apply the gel to your shoulders and upper arms to minimize the risk of transference (these areas can be easily covered with a short sleeve shirt).
- Be aware that if someone happens to come into physical contact with the areas, they'll need to immediately wash their hands or other locations of contact with soap and water.
- Even after the gel has dried to the skin and been absorbed, it's recommended that you wash the area with soap and water or keep yourself covered with clothing if you know someone else will be coming into physical contact with those areas (as in the case of a spouse or partner).

As far as injections are concerned, I find them to be a -lot- easier and less finicky.
I understand your fear of injecting yourself but I can assure you that it goes away after the first couple of times you do it. The best advice I can give you is that, should you decide to pursue the shot route, you should make a physical list of steps to pack away with your shot kit so that you'll always have a visual aid of what to do.
Air bubbles were a concern to me in the beginning as well but they've turned out to be quite a non-issue. If I see any in the syringe, I simply pull the plunger down, flick it a couple of times, and they dissipate. After that, you just put the injecting needle on (switching the drawing one out) and very slowly push the plunger until you see the slightest bit of oil touch the tip of the needle. Then it's just a matter of pushing it into the injection site, aspirating, and then injecting it. I inject predominantly in my thighs and, as long as you stick to your outer thighs, there's really no worry of hitting any major veins. You may possibly nick a small vein every now and again in your way in (which will cause a bit of blood to squirt out) but it's uncommon and not a cause for concern.

Anyway, you really just have to weigh the pros and cons to both methods. I personally am very forgetful, not schedule-oriented in the slightest, and very physical with my fiancée so the gel was a no-go for me right off the bat. Spending approximately 3 minutes a week on a shot, however, is 100% doable.
One thing to note is that you can always change methods if you want to down the line as long as you discuss it with your doctor. Plenty of guys opt for the shots the first couple of years and then switch to topical options (or vise-versa) down the line.

Quote from: Kylo on January 08, 2017, 02:58:55 PM
Gel works fine. You are meant to apply it to the inner thigh so with clothes on not much chance of transferrence to anyone else.

It's strange how different brands of gel say to apply it to different areas as you'd think as long as you're applying to a muscly part of your body it'll work  . The leaflet that comes with testogel says to apply it to the shoulders, upper arms and stomach while Testim says to apply it to just shoulders and upper arms.

To add to what Stone Magnum has said I don't shower everyday and the gel still works for me. Neither the information leaflet nor my doctor mentioned having to shower everyday to get better results from the gel. Plus as I'm lazy I usually apply the gel within a half hour or an hour and a half to when I last applied it the day before and my T levels are still were they should be.

I started on gel. It worked just as well as my shots do now, though it was much less convenient for my lifestyle. I would shower, apply it to my shoulders and stomach, let it dry for about five minutes, and then get dressed and go about my day. I had to stop working out in the mornings and work out in the afternoon so that I wouldn't sweat through it. I also wouldn't let my girlfriend touch me in the first six hours or so after applying just to be on the safe side.

So generally - as long as you're applying it properly and you're fully clothed you should be fine. If you're going to be shirtless or in shorts, be careful about who touches you. If you're going to be intimate with someone, wait a while after applying. Don't share your clothes or towels with anyone. The risks of transference with other adult males is minimal, but I would take caution not to expose women, children, or animals to it.

Gel is decent when it's affordable as long as you know and understand going into it that there are a lot of tiny considerations you have to make in order to get the most out of it (applying everyday, doing it after a shower for maximum absorption, not getting those areas wet or sweating for at least 2 hours after applying, etc.). I think shots are much more convenient, but I also think everyone benefits from having a method they can have some kind of self sufficiency about. If you know you couldn't ever do your shot by yourself then I don't think it's the right delivery method for you. Gel is probably the better option.

I had good, fast changes on gel. I started on Androgel but switched to injections when the insurance I had at the time quit covering it. I found that injections were a fraction of the cost (I didn't use my insurance with the pharmacy I was getting my vials from and it was still so much cheaper). If not for that, though, I may well have stayed on gel.

Looking good here on gel.

Cis SO jealous of my happy trail after 3 months ... he's only ever had one hair in his and mine is... "well-defined" now. 

Voice has changed a lot in the last month. Definitely sounds in the male range after 3 month mark. I was wondering if some of the changes had begun to slow down but apparently not.

Gels work just as well as shots. My Dr. told me to think about gel because of my mood changes on injections. Basically with injections your mood will plateau when it gets closer to shot day. You'll feel depressed and what not and that's how I get sometimes. With the gel you don't have that because you are applying it every day. On the other hand though gel is A LOT more expensive and I know my insurance won't cover it. I personally don't think I could get into a habit of applying every day. I like just one injection every other week. The injections also make me feel like I accomplished something big because I always had a huge fear of needles.

Tbh I never find it an inconvenience to apply the gel... just shower and stick it on, walk around for a minute or two doing something while the area soaks up, then get dressed. Even if I was in a rush to be somewhere I doubt it would add much more trouble to my schedule.

But for people with spouses, kids and animals, yeah I can see how they might find it inconvenient if they have to be careful about being touched. I don't have to worry about that.

Quote from: RaptorChops on February 15, 2017, 09:57:06 AM
Gels work just as well as shots. My Dr. told me to think about gel because of my mood changes on injections. Basically with injections your mood will plateau when it gets closer to shot day. You'll feel depressed and what not and that's how I get sometimes. With the gel you don't have that because you are applying it every day. On the other hand though gel is A LOT more expensive and I know my insurance won't cover it. I personally don't think I could get into a habit of applying every day. I like just one injection every other week. The injections also make me feel like I accomplished something big because I always had a huge fear of needles.

I too was concerned about mood changes and thought bout Gel because of that consistent dosing. However, because of the risks of forgetting to do it or wanting to slack off after a few weeks, I went with 1 a week shot. I figured if the doses were small every week the drop off would be less severe. I also was concerned that if enough time passed between shots that I would forget if I had done it last week or 2 weeks prior. I've been happy with the once a week schedule and have had zero mood alterations because of it. I have not noticed any kind of drop off nearing my dose.

Gel was super inconvenient for me. I had to rework my whole morning routine to make sure I could shower first and give it time to dry before I got dressed. And then I had to worry about accidentally exposing my dog and my girlfriend. And I couldn't work out or do anything too sweat inducing for a few hours after applying. Shots, I do once a week and then forget about it until next Saturday. Soooo much more convenient.

Never experienced the mood thing towards the end of the week like some people talk about. I imagine if your levels are dipping that low, your dose could probably be bumped up slightly and you'd be fine.