I'm curious if any of you guys can help me out with ideas to minimize any T leaking back out of the injection site (thigh) and bleeding after giving myself a shot.  I was started on a pretty low dose and I'm slowly being ramped up to full dose over time (about half way there now)--my first three injections went off without a hitch, no bleeding afterwards, minimal soreness a day later, etc.  The last two have had increasing amounts of blood/t afterwards (nothing that isn't safe--I'd just prefer the T to stay in my leg). 

Does anybody have any experience with this?  Is it due to a greater amount of T, thicker thigh muscle (I bike/work on my feet), or perhaps less fat layer to keep it in, or something else entirely?

Happens to me every once in a while.  I've noticed that if you keep the needle in your leg (or wherever you inject) for 10 seconds or so, this minimizes the amount of T leaking.  Also, use a cotton ball or fingers immediately after you pull the needle out and firmly massage on top of where you injected.  It helps reduce soreness and I've also noticed I tend to have less leakage as well.

As far as the blood, I don't think there's much to be done.  Sometimes you pierce tiny blood vessels before hitting the muscle.  It just happens.

Always be sure to aspirate on IM injections if you aren't already.

Try using the z-track method even though it's usually for the buttock, it can be used in the thigh because it's a large muscle as well.  It's helped me minimize the leakage and blood.

Here's a video showing you how to give the z-track:


The keys to this are sliding subcutaneous tissue (the fatty layer of the skin) over before injecting and keeping the needle in 10 seconds after injecting.  Where you go from there depends on your needle type.  I pull mine out slowly and then let the displaced tissue go back. 

Don't massage if you use this method.

I used the z-tracking method for a few months before I realized I was getting some very strange bruises all over my thighs. Prior to that, I had noticed a decent bit of T leakage every time I did my shot. The z-tracking worked for that, but it caused the bruises as well, or so I've surmised, as since stopping the z-tracking, the bruises have disappeared and stopped occurring.

I'd say just leave the needle in for 10-30 seconds after shooting. Make sure you don't contract or move your thigh muscles during that time... can hurt a hell of a lot. Not to mention that the amount of T you might lose through leakage is minuscule.

SD

I'll add another voice to keeping the needle in (injection site) for 10-15 seconds afterwords and applying a gauze pad/pressure after withdrawing the needle.

and yes, I'm on T now (cottonseed carrier oil)

@Sebastien:  Did you massage afterward?  Because that'll leave a bruise with the z-track.

Quote from: Sebastien on May 22, 2010, 06:56:51 PM
I used the z-tracking method for a few months before I realized I was getting some very strange bruises all over my thighs. Prior to that, I had noticed a decent bit of T leakage every time I did my shot. The z-tracking worked for that, but it caused the bruises as well, or so I've surmised, as since stopping the z-tracking, the bruises have disappeared and stopped occurring.

I'd say just leave the needle in for 10-30 seconds after shooting. Make sure you don't contract or move your thigh muscles during that time... can hurt a hell of a lot. Not to mention that the amount of T you might lose through leakage is minuscule.

SD

I had bruises with z-track too.  I still had a very tiny bit of leaking so I just stopped

I never had the leaking of blood or T. I'm glad to know these things before it happens. I can't be doing things any differently than you guys tho. Is the leakage after being on T for a wile? If so, how long?

I find whether I bleed or not varies from shot to shot.  Just a matter of whether I happened to hit blood vessels on the way through, and how smoothly I managed to put the needle in, I suppose. 

As for leaking, I usually pull the needle halfway out, wait 10 seconds, and then pull it the rest of the way out.  Seems to work pretty well for me.