Is a one inch needle too much?

[mrmurse]

I just started my therpy last week and I am aiming to do IM injections on my M,W,F schedule. I have been using a 25 gauge 5/8" needle to draw and inject into my quads. I have read about a lot of people using the easy touch insulin syringes/needles to inject. I figured either of these would hit IM if done in the delts or elsewhere if the person were lean. I do carry a bit more body fat and I am just concerned with the 5/8 or 1/2 inch needles not being IM, especially in my quads. Is using a 1 inch needle overkill? Should a 5/8" needle suffice to hit the muscle in both the quads and VG? I know similar questions have been asked, but most of the stuff I've found is in regard to people who state they are fairly lean, not the other way around. Thanks everyone! Sorry for asking another common question in just a slightly varied manner.

 

[Sean Mosher]

I personally don't know of anyone using a 1" needle anymore and very few around here if any.
25g 5/8" should be fine or even 27g-1/2".
A lot of us do SubQ (I use 28g-1/2") for daily or Every other day shots.
This gives you a variety of options as well.

 

[Systemlord]

I'm 33% BF and have no problems hitting muscle with a half inch needle in the quads and shoulders. I use 29 gauge East Touch insulin syringes.

 

[maxadvance]

I use 1 inch in my glutes, 5/8 anywhere else

 

[fifty]

One of my friends is 6'5" 330 and he uses 1.5" needles. He just sticks them in half way for the most part depending on injection site.

 

[SilverSurfer]

I'm 33% BF and have no problems hitting muscle with a half inch needle in the quads and shoulders. I use 29 gauge East Touch insulin syringes.

That’s what I use. Takes a bit to load the needle but can be done in just a couple / few minutes.

 

[Vince]

I use an Easy Touch 29g half inch syringe. I'm really happy with the results. I inject with grapeseed oil, if I was using cottonseed oil. I think I would try a 27 g half inch syringe.

 

[fifty]

28g takes forever to load grapeseed oil for me. In hindsight I would go 1cc 27g instead.

 

[Cataceous]

With an auto-loader you can even use 31 gauge needles:

 

[MikeXL]

Generally, no. But the length of the needle needs to be able to get into the muscle - assuming you are doing IM. So, you need to look at the thickness of the fat layer over the muscle you are injecting

 

[mrmurse]

Generally, no. But the length of the needle needs to be able to get into the muscle - assuming you are doing IM. So, you need to look at the thickness of the fat layer over the muscle you are injecting

I am attempting IM. I am atleast 33% body fat but I don’t seem to have a thick layer of fat over my delts or outer thighs. However, I’ve always been taught that for bigger adults, you need atleast a one inch needle...if not longer to successfully inject IM. I’m not worried about load time and I want to minimize lost medication due to dead space. So the 27 gauge 1/2 inch seems perfect, except that I’d be worried I’m not actually injecting IM. I read on the forum about someone, Gene I think, who draws and injects with a 25gauge 1 inch and then draws whatever is left in the tip back into the syringe and then uses an insulin syringe to draw and inject the minute amount left over SQ. Granted more work and one more stick, but I’m okay with that and it seems as if it may check all the marks for me. Thanks for all the input so far!

 

[fifty]

Redrawing and injecting the minute amount left in the tip???

If you’re using low dead space syringes and detachable needles you might be wasting .01ml if that... ridiculous to reinject imo.

 

[James]

For the last 3 years (been on TRT 5 years), I've injected only in the delts. I both draw and inject with the same 29g 1/2 inch insulin syringe. I feel almost nothing. It's really easy. Started after seeing one of Nelson's videos. It's shallow IM obviously. I'm fairly lean there. Cary some fat in my stomach. I've never done sub q.

 

[mrmurse]

I'm 33% BF and have no problems hitting muscle with a half inch needle in the quads and shoulders. I use 29 gauge East Touch insulin syringes.

Is there an easy or definitive way to know if you are in fact injecting SQ or IM? I’m just asking so I can look out for those things to determine if I am actually objecting IM with the 5/8 and 1/2 inch needles.

 

[Systemlord]

Is there an easy or definitive way to know if you are in fact injecting SQ or IM? I’m just asking so I can look out for those things to determine if I am actually objecting IM with the 5/8 and 1/2 inch needles.

I can tell if I'm going into muscle, feels worlds apart from going into fat tissue. Going into fat tissue is effortless, going into muscle requires more force to get the needle into muscle.

 

[Vtail]

I can tell if I'm going into muscle, feels worlds apart from going into fat tissue. Going into fat tissue is effortless, going into muscle requires more force to get the needle into muscle.

For me there's also some soreness at the site on the 2nd to 3rd day after injecting IM (shallow or deep). No soreness with SQ at all, but I stopped SQ because I started to get very itchy at the injection site. Sort of like a big mosquito bite.

I wonder what the IM soreness is from - the needle penetration or the volume of oil injected into the muscle. I use 27g 1/2 inch and inject 0.3 ml of test-cyp E3.5D. I like to run often and stretch afterwards, and when I inject into the quads I really feel the soreness when stretching. For that reason alone I will probably stay with the shoulders for IM.

 

[pmgamer18]

I just started my therpy last week and I am aiming to do IM injections on my M,W,F schedule. I have been using a 25 gauge 5/8" needle to draw and inject into my quads. I have read about a lot of people using the easy touch insulin syringes/needles to inject. I figured either of these would hit IM if done in the delts or elsewhere if the person were lean. I do carry a bit more body fat and I am just concerned with the 5/8 or 1/2 inch needles not being IM, especially in my quads. Is using a 1 inch needle overkill? Should a 5/8" needle suffice to hit the muscle in both the quads and VG? I know similar questions have been asked, but most of the stuff I've found is in regard to people who state they are fairly lean, not the other way around. Thanks everyone! Sorry for asking another common question in just a slightly varied manner.

I don't shoot IM any more I use a 27 gauge x 1/2" needle to shoot subQ into my belly fat E3D. After being on TRT over 35 yrs. I find this works the best.
Phil aka pmgamer18

 

[mrmurse]

For me there's also some soreness at the site on the 2nd to 3rd day after injecting IM (shallow or deep). No soreness with SQ at all, but I stopped SQ because I started to get very itchy at the injection site. Sort of like a big mosquito bite.

I wonder what the IM soreness is from - the needle penetration or the volume of oil injected into the muscle. I use 27g 1/2 inch and inject 0.3 ml of test-cyp E3.5D. I like to run often and stretch afterwards, and when I inject into the quads I really feel the soreness when stretching. For that reason alone I will probably stay with the shoulders for IM.

I've only done 5 injections since starting TRT, but I've only noticed PIP twice. That was the first time i injected into each quad. However, I didn't have any PIP the last time i injected into my quad. I used a one inch needle this time. Im curious as to if I am not hitting muscle due to the lack of PIP

 

[MarkM]

I use an Easy Touch 29 gauge 1/2" and inject daily rotating between the deltoid and ventrogluteal injection locations. My T Cypionate has cotton seed oil verse grape seed oil but I still find the 29 gauge works fine.

 

[mrmurse]

Thanks for everyone’s input and advice! I injected in the delta with a 27gauge 1/2 inch for my last injection. It was pretty painless and simple! But for some reason I still don’t feel like I’m even shallow IM. I am carrying a good amount of fat and I was even pushing quite deep in my delt (creating a big dimple) it just doesn’t seem like enough. I am going to give Vg a shot in the morning with the same insulin needle to see how that feels. I have found two different 25 gauge, 1”, 1cc fixed needles/syringes. Do you think these would get the job done the same as the easytouch 27 gauge, 1/2 inch in regards to minimizing waste? I’m okay with a 25 gauge.

UltiCare TB Syringe 25 Gauge, 1cc, 1" Needle - 100 Count

EasyTouch® Fluringe® Retractable Safety Syringe w/Fixed Needle, 25 Gauge, 1cc, 1" - 100ct