Injection site reaction

[S1W]

Absolutely no cause for concern - I was just curious. I was thinking that although the T in the solution is very stable and would likely be fine past expiration, that maybe if your vial was past expiration the grapeseed oil itself was maybe a little off. Scratch that theory I guess.

 

[mjb]

Just a quick followup. So, first I found a way to make things worse.

I tried a deeper IM injection with a smaller volume, thinking maybe I was not tolerating shallow IM/Sub-Q and that IM might be the way to go:
23g 1" 0.25ml in Left Dorsal Glute, which led to even greater pain, swelling, and redness lasting for 1 week. Took about 14 days total to be 100% back to normal. I will spare you the pictures, but it looked like I had a glute implant on one side. Not a good time.

I then switched to Westward Brand Cypionate in Cottonseed oil. First administration in Right Delt produced mild, but similar, symptoms with the full 0.45ml dose. Tolerable, but still pretty red, swollen, and itchy.

Next, I tried what seems to be the answer for me:
0.25ml, EOD, alternating 4 sites (L/R vastus lateralis and delts), Z-track method at all sites, and massaging the site post injection. Zero symptoms in the days following injection with this method so far, after about 3 rounds at each site.

 

[galaxy]

Hi mjb are you doing shallow Im with 1/2 inch? Do you need to aspirate in those locations? Also what's z-track

 

[mjb]

Hi mjb are you doing shallow Im with 1/2 inch? Do you need to aspirate in those locations? Also what's z-track

Hi mjb are you doing shallow Im with 1/2 inch? Do you need to aspirate in those locations? Also what's z-track

Yes, 1/2" 27g insulin syringe. No need to aspirate with those locations.

Z-track is done by pulling the skin taught, administering injection, removing needle, and then releasing skin. The purpose is to keep irritating medications from leaking out of the muscle and into the sub-q space.

"Pulling the skin and tissue before the injection causes the needle track to take the shape of the letter “Z,” which gives the procedure its name. This zigzag track line is what prevents medication from leaking from the muscle into surrounding tissue."
https://www.healthline.com/health/z-track-injection#how-to

 

[mjb]

This is how I have been doing the delt z-track.

There is a way to ztrack on the shoulder without help from someone. Lay the side/back of your shoulder on the wall and rotate your body a bit (so that the skin is pushed a bit) then inject. After injection pull the needle and release the tension on the skin voila! Done

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...osterone-leakage&p=83330&viewfull=1#post83330

 

[Vtail]

Bumping an old thread:
I started TRT about 2 months ago with Test-Cyp (cottonseed oil). I initially started with 50mg E3.5D injecting sub-q into belly fat (after first cleaning the vial and site with alcohol). I was prescribed 200mg/ml, so I was injecting 0.25 ml and I had no problems at all for 6 weeks or so. A couple of weeks ago my dose was increased to 60mg E3.5D, or 0.30 ml for each injection. With that dose/volume increase, I now get what looks and feels like a big mosquito bite at the injection site. This past injection site got so annoying that I have been using hydrocortisone cream for the itch, and the itch lasts 4-5 days. It almost seems like an allergic reaction, but I was going along fine until the dose increase. Otherwise there have been no other noticeable changes with the increased dosage. I'm due to inject again tomorrow morning, and am considering switching to IM. Are there any issues with switching to IM as far as labwork goes? Should I wait another 6 weeks when changing from SQ to IM before checking blood levels?

 

[madman]

Bumping an old thread:
I started TRT about 2 months ago with Test-Cyp (cottonseed oil). I initially started with 50mg E3.5D injecting sub-q into belly fat (after first cleaning the vial and site with alcohol). I was prescribed 200mg/ml, so I was injecting 0.25 ml and I had no problems at all for 6 weeks or so. A couple of weeks ago my dose was increased to 60mg E3.5D, or 0.30 ml for each injection. With that dose/volume increase, I now get what looks and feels like a big mosquito bite at the injection site. This past injection site got so annoying that I have been using hydrocortisone cream for the itch, and the itch lasts 4-5 days. It almost seems like an allergic reaction, but I was going along fine until the dose increase. Otherwise there have been no other noticeable changes with the increased dosage. I'm due to inject again tomorrow morning, and am considering switching to IM. Are there any issues with switching to IM as far as labwork goes? Should I wait another 6 weeks when changing from SQ to IM before checking blood levels?[/QUOTE]


Regarding subcutaneous injections especially when injecting into abdominal fat some can experience lumps/redness/swelling/pain using this method due to an allergic reaction or when injecting to high a volume of oil.

Switching to i.m. will make no difference regarding the absorption/effectiveness of the testosterone mind you there are some men who notice a slight decrease in testosterone levels when injecting sub-q and find they achieve better levels injecting i.m.

Just stay on your regular injection schedule and seeing as your dose was just recently increased 2 weeks ago from 50 mg every 3.5 days ----->60 mg every 3.5 days it is critical to make sure you wait a full 6 weeks on the new T dose (60 mg E3.5D) as your levels will be in flux for the next 4-6 weeks and do not be alarmed if you experience some ups/downs along the way until levels stabilize.

Some say they notice a difference immediately when switching from sub-q----->i.m. but if anything I would give it time to see how you truly feel and highly doubtful there will be a drastic difference on lab work between sub-q and i.m. as long as injection dose/frequency is kept the same and labs are taken during the proper time (troughs).

 

[Systemlord]

Bumping an old thread:
I started TRT about 2 months ago with Test-Cyp (cottonseed oil). I initially started with 50mg E3.5D injecting sub-q into belly fat (after first cleaning the vial and site with alcohol). I was prescribed 200mg/ml, so I was injecting 0.25 ml and I had no problems at all for 6 weeks or so. A couple of weeks ago my dose was increased to 60mg E3.5D, or 0.30 ml for each injection. With that dose/volume increase, I now get what looks and feels like a big mosquito bite at the injection site. This past injection site got so annoying that I have been using hydrocortisone cream for the itch, and the itch lasts 4-5 days. It almost seems like an allergic reaction, but I was going along fine until the dose increase. Otherwise there have been no other noticeable changes with the increased dosage. I'm due to inject again tomorrow morning, and am considering switching to IM. Are there any issues with switching to IM as far as labwork goes? Should I wait another 6 weeks when changing from SQ to IM before checking blood levels?

This kind of thing can happen from time to time, make sure the injection site is clean, sterile and inject slowly.

 

[Vince]

You should consider trying shallow IM with a 27g 1/2" syringe and inject the shoulders or VG.

Best testosterone injection site, no aspiration needed, avoids all nerves

 

[S1W]

Funny reading my own posts in this thread from last year. I now feel like I do indeed know what caused the raised, red, itchy bumps from my SubQ injections - injection angle. The literature I read suggested inserting the needle at a significant angle (45 degrees iirc?) - that was not a good depth for me. Now I inject SubQ in VG area and pretty much grab a pinch of fat and go straight in (1/2” pin). No more bumps.

Also, injection volume seems to come into play too. I feel like at least for me, any volume above .30-.35 ml is pushing it for SubQ.