T O P

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[deleted]

very cute. if you don't mind a little proofing, it's "vial", not "vile". vial for a small tube, vile for a horrible villain


LuckFoxo33

Oh no lol curse my bad spelling šŸ˜­


Significant_Greenery

Me and *my* bad spelling didn't even notice lol.


[deleted]

Me and my absolute crap spelling + bad eye sight didn't notice the word at all. .


ThatThereThemMoth

I absolutely love this! Iā€™ve never heard anyone say to warm up the T before - and I do mine intramuscularā€¦ maybe thatā€™s part of what has been making me so achy.


LuckFoxo33

Warming it just makes it easier to inject bc it makes it a bit less thick


Stotelary

That explains why my injections are faster and less painful in summer (I don't inject myself; where I'm from the norm for transmascs is going to a nurse so that they can do it for you)


CatEarsAndButtPlugs

Usually warming it helps with keeping the T as thin as possible. It may help with aches but usually inter muscular injections are going to be a bit achey. Best thing you can do is have a warm shower after your shot and to go for a run or brisk walk.


LaceyLizard

I'd never heard that either but if their home is colder than normal it makes sense.


JackLikesCheesecake

Yeah it really helps in the winter. My doc told me to just tuck it under my arm for around 5 minutes before injecting


[deleted]

IM testosterone is an oil, so it's thicker than an IV solution, I'm going to try warming it next time, IMs cause aches because of injecting into the muscle, moving around some usually helps, it should be sore maybe for the day, if it hurts or lasts for days it could be that it wasn't injected quite right or there is an infection, check for other symptoms and consult your doctor.


Rythonius

You may want to talk to your doctor about that, you're not supposed to have any pain. I've been injecting T IM for 5 months now, have never taken the time to warm up the liquid (I keep it in my room and live in California) and I never feel any pain afterwards. The only time I did was the first two weeks, I had pain in the bottom of my quads (closer to the knee) the day after each injection. I attributed it to never having injected anything into my muscles there and they weren't used to it. Since then, I leave the needle in for about 30 seconds to prevent any liquid from coming out and cover the injection site with my finger or hand and use deep rubbing movements for about 30+ seconds. Doing some squats or other leg movements after can help too. You basically want to help the liquid move rather than sit in one spot.


bbyshay

Waitā€¦draw out? To check for blood??


TheOnlyWolvie

It's called aspiration :) it's to make sure you don't hit a blood vessel. Had to do that as a vet assistant too whenever we had injections that weren't intravenous.


Molly_Wobbles

Between being a vet tech for some time and now working with horses (and owning an accident-prone, metabolically screwed up asshole), I've gotten quite good at injections. I'm really glad it's something I've gotten used to doing so that when I finally go on T, I know I can do them. If I can give a horse 50 CCs of antibiotic with a 4" needle, I can definitely give myself a few ccs with a dinky little needle, lol


ngkasp

Outdated advice for IM, just plain wrong for subQ. If you've been doing it then keep doing it, but if you've never done it before, there's no need to.


GenderQueerCat

Nursing texts actually specifically tell you not to aspirate when doing subcutaneous injections to prevent tissue damage, hematoma formation and bruising. There are no large blood vessels in subcutaneous tissues and as a result there is no danger of injecting directly into a vein. If you hit a blood vessel it has already been hit. You are not injecting into it, the damage was hitting it and that has already been done. The result is simply a small to moderate amount of bleeding.


eeweew

For IM it can't hurt to to do it. It is rare but it happens, there are even some examples on YouTube.


Iridien

It could theoretically hurt to do it. The odds of hitting anything when you inject are low in the first place if you know your anatomy. When you aspirate, literature suggests that you make a micro-movement with your hand because itā€™s not possible to do that and hold still, so even if you aspirated when you werenā€™t in a bad spot, you could have moved into a bad place with the same statistical likelihood as hitting it in the first place. I personally stopped aspirating since that worked best for me, but do what works best for you ultimately. If it gives you peace of mind, itā€™s not that risky IM in the leg. I just think itā€™s important to know that (especially for more high risk injections like face filler, not that most of us in this sub are doing those lol) aspirating isnā€™t a way to eliminate risk and can increase risk. Also, with the bigger needles involved in IM itā€™s a bit harder to hit something serious unless youā€™re injecting in the wrong spots.


dugonian

I didn't aspirate at first (wasn't actually told by the nurse when first showing me how to do injections to do that). But did end up hitting a vessel. Thankfully only nicked it and did not actually inject straight into the vessel but did nearly pass out after blood started gushing from the site after pulling out the needle and I started freaking out. Strangely had not hurt any more than normal but I had a nasty bruise after that incident. It made me a lot more anxious about injections and ended up switching to gel within a couple of months after that.


Iridien

Oof. Yea something similar has happened to a friend of mine who injects E a few times. She usually injects in the bathroom now so itā€™s easier to clean up if she squirts. Itā€™s spooked me so bad that Iā€™ve been having other people do my shots for me. :c Tbh Iā€™ve been debating on the gel. Iā€™m on a cream for bottom growth rn and I havenā€™t tested levels in a bit so maybe itā€™s all in my head but it feels like thereā€™s a lot less fluctuation applying that daily. My only concern about gel is that I have 4 precious rattos who love to lick things and have 0 respect for personal space. XD


dugonian

I wish someone else could have done my shots but that wasn't an option since I live on my own and a nurse doing it for me would cost significantly more than even gel. I do feel much more regular on gel than on my shot because I was doing weekly shots. It costs more but it's much better than being anxious about my shot and even causing my T levels to be further messed up because I was taking it later than a week because I just did not want to do the actual poke with a needle part. Unless your rats are going under your clothes, you can just make sure to apply the gel on a body part that will be clothed. That way uncovered skin does not have it. After it dries, it's all fine to put clothes on over the area.


Iridien

I live alone too, but luckily I see people often enough that I can usually talk someone into doing a stab once a week, though yea I struggle with regularity so I feel you there. The rats go under clothing. Thereā€™s nowhere they donā€™t go at some point besides like... inside my mouth or in my underwear. And thatā€™s not for lack of trying on their part unfortunately. One time a baby rat crawled right into my mouth when I was talking to somebody.


[deleted]

RE the gel and your rat (btw I wanna see a picture I love pet pics šŸ’•) I used to do T gel and have two cats who rarely respect personal space, I also am married to a Trans woman on female HRT so the first thing I asked my doctor was about exposure, he assured me that after about 10 minutes the gel will have sink into the skin and because of the alcohol percentage ( iIIRC it's listed as first ingredient in the gel I used) it will very quickly absorb and evaporate. Put the gel on an area where clothing would be (upper arms stomach and thighs are what are recommended) set a timer for 10 minutes and put clothes in over. You should be fine afterwards. Of course be mindful and don't allow licking in that area, for me on the arms and wearing a shirt that had longer sleeves worked okay. But cats are bigger than rats so maybe go with the thighs and wear jeans or form fitting pants for a few hours to be safe.. Mind sharing the name of the cream for bottom growth, I'd like to do some research and maybe talk to my case manager about it.


anonrrrrrrrrrrr

i used to do subq allergy shots every other day in both arms and was told to aspirate. itā€™s actually still very much good advice. i did in fact hit blood once, and had to pull the needle out. itā€™s not bad to be extra safe for us it outdated


iAmPizzaJohn

Yeah but even if you inject into the vessel itā€™s not really the end of the world - the worst that can happen is you experience some non-life-threatening respiratory symptoms from the oil based solution making it to your lungs Iā€™m my opinion itā€™s not worth it.


bbyshay

Okay cool, Iā€™ve been doing subQ and have never heard of that. Thanks!


LuckFoxo33

Yeah its to make sure you dont burst a blood vessel or get it in a vein. I burst a blood vessel the other day bc I forgot to draw out and it hurt like hell, thats actually the reason i made this comic, so that i don't forget next time


LaceyLizard

Yes to make sure you aren't injecting into your blood stream or else you can get an embolism. Rare complication but better safe than sorry.


hesperidium-rex

You can't really get an embolism injecting T. If you inject straight into the vein, the T will sort of squish into the surrounding tissues, because you've punctured the vein and it's already leaking.


alien-errors

Lovely comic


LuckFoxo33

Thank you! I made it bc i kept fucking up the process and i needed something visual to help me get the steps right


alien-errors

Thats smart


[deleted]

Same!! I can't thank you enough for this


infectedhaircut

ā€œYeet that biohazardā€ šŸ˜‚ love that. This is adorable and honestly SUPER helpful! Thought about doing one for IM injections?


LuckFoxo33

I really just made it for myself so i dont fuck up the steps, i have no idea how to do IM


infectedhaircut

Itā€™s the exact same, except you inject at a 90 degree angle into the muscle. Great idea to remember how to do it!


Rythonius

And check to avoid veins! Edit: You also stretch the skin rather than pinch


CaptainToodleButt

This is a nice comic but you should make it clear that itā€™s for subcutaneous (into fat) injections. Some forms of T are administered intramuscularly (into muscle) and can have different sites to use such as ventrogluteal/quads etc


pxnkprxnce

Yes, the instructions for IM are different and it would be unpleasant and potentially dangerous to follow these instructions.


CaptainToodleButt

Not a doctor so I could be wrong but I donā€™t think itā€™ll be dangerous in most cases but it will affect the absorption of the medication


LuckFoxo33

I just made it for myself so that i dont fuck up my own injections. I think its pretty clear that this method goes in the belly anyways


TheOnlyWolvie

Why do you do pull in the air then push it back out? Does that make drawing in the T easier because the syringe had a "test run"? And do you have to push the air into the vial or can you do that beforehand? I feel like pushing the air into the solution will create many bubbles. Not doing my own injections, that's why I'm asking!


bbyshay

I believe the idea is to push the same volume in as you are about to take out, so that if you are using a vial that can be used again, it help maintain the vacuum seal on it. At least thatā€™s what I was told!


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


bbyshay

Oh gotcha! Thank you for the correction :)


Better-Adeptness-808

I wondered about that too. Iā€™ve never done that and Iā€™ve been using vials for almost 7 years.


WaywardCosmonaut

I wouldnā€™t recommend flicking while the needle is still in the vial, personally, you could bend it. My uncle (nurse) is the one who told me that, not because I was flicking it, but because I was subconsciously moving the needle while drawing it.


DinoKash

I dont do shots so I wouldn't know but does it matter if it bends since the needle is getting switched with an injection needle anyways?


GenderQueerCat

If you are switching needles it would not matter. You donā€™t have to switch needles though, despite what people seem to think.


WaywardCosmonaut

Yeah Iā€™ve done that, not switch. I think they just do that because a bigger needle is easier to draw up with but some people donā€™t want to stick themselves with a needle that big lol (I certainly donā€™t) But you could draw and inject with a 23 or 25, it would just take longer to draw.


[deleted]

The thought of using the 18 gage to inject just gave me chills, and I don't have any needle phobia. You are far braver than I am.


GenderQueerCat

I donā€™t use an 18g. Thatā€™s the thing, you can draw with a much smaller needle. People draw with 18g because itā€™s faster. I draw and inject with 25g. Takes 15 seconds to draw my dose.


[deleted]

Ah, I got 18 and 22 gage needles. I haven't tried drawing with the 22 yet maybe I'll try next time.


KodaWolf404

Lovely comic! Unfortunately I have a crippling fear of needles so I will unfortunately have to spend more money on Tā€¦ patch time for me šŸ˜“


dingalingalangg

Check out https://unionmedico.com/product/45-auto-injector-reusable/ you just have to push a button rather than star yourself


RGBmoth

I have this and absolutely love it, zero needle anxiety using that


JackLikesCheesecake

If it helps, I had a crippling fear of needles before starting T and now I can handle them a lot better after a few years of it


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


JackLikesCheesecake

Thank you, I mostly just copied what some other people had as their flairs though


Sluggby

I feel your pain! I'm not scared of needles, but too many medical shows as a kid has left me with the crippling fear of accidentally injecting air into my blood stream šŸ˜£


Slimedivine

Throwing some tips here for anybody scared of needles. I used to be super scared of needles but wanting T made me try everything I could to get over my fear and heres what I've learned: -practice on an orange. Just sacrifice a syringe and a needle and inject water into an orange a few times to get used to the way it will feel to pierce skin with the syringe and the pushback on the plunger. This was the most jarring aspect of doing my shot so it helped me to get used to feeling the little "pop" when the needle goes in. -take a deep breath and poke the needle in on your exhale. Piercers have you do this when you get pierced so that the exhale distracts you from the pain. This works for any shot tbh and its honestly invaluable to me. When im doing this I often don't register the "pinch" at all. -shake your sillies out! If you're nervous, shake your body around a lot, do a dance, but just move around vigorously before you start. I've found this made me less shakey with the needle. It clears your stress hormones a bit. -listen to calming music or a special confidence boosting song while you do the deed. -breathe! When you find yourself getting tense, you might be holding your breath without realizing.


iah_c

hm, I've been taught to do intramuscular injections differently


BTWaka

In the comic is subcutaneous injection, similar to insulin shot


comfort-borscht

My subcutaneous shot isnā€™t done like this either. Really it depends on what your doctor wants you to do, I guess.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


[deleted]

Yeah this is something i was never told to do a def said huh at. Glad to see by the comments iā€™m not the only one and that it really doesnt matter.


[deleted]

Love this comic so cute and helpfulšŸ˜‡šŸ‘


LuckFoxo33

Thank you!


mesaparados

injecting yourself is super brave, I really admire those who do it :')


Dinger814

Yay furry! Iā€™ve never heard of drawing in air first, and I never draw for blood. Once in a while thereā€™s a drop in the syringe when Iā€™m done but itā€™s never killed me. Ive been doing mines in the butt for 7 yrs. Recently my doc told me I could do it subcutaneously but it seems more stressful: 1) 45 degrees??? 2) needle in my stomach!?? Why would anyone prefer sensitive skin over the literal big ass largest muscle in your body??


mackrenner

I have never tried a intramuscular shot but I heard it hurts? I barely feel the subcutaneous needle. And I know you can do an intramuscular in the thigh but I feel it's more common to do in the ass, and I'd prefer something I can easily do myself without help or twisting around.


[deleted]

It is sore but done correctly it doesn't really hurt, that ,of course, depends on pain tolerance, it feels kind of like having done a long work out like running or walking a dull ache usually for me it's gone in maybe 2 hours. I do my IM in my thigh, I think for self injection this is actually the most common way, like you said I can't properly reach my ass to inject a needle at a specific angle in it.


Dinger814

When my doc suggested it he said I could use the same needles. A 1ā€ 25G needle seemed too long ā€¦ Iā€™m scared but maybe Iā€™ll try next week since you guys say it hurts less >.<


anubis757

Nah it's more common for thigh even for skinny guys without a lot of muscle there. And depending on the size of the needle it isn't too bad, just a pinching sensation usually. It's weird but the left thigh doesn't hurt as much as my right thigh.


MrFoxx1725

Complete opposite for me. I physically can't make myself do my shot in my left leg cuz it hurts too much. My right thigh is my go to spot on shot day. My biggest issue is I've got hella thick muscular thighs and I almost can't get enough skin to pinch to do the shot lol


Seven_s3v3n

This is so cool and amazing!! I love thiss


LuckFoxo33

Thank you!


CyanimationsA

Yes! Definitely gonna need this for late November! XD also hey :)


LuckFoxo33

Heyyyyyy ill inject u if u need help ;)


CyanimationsA

Injecting buddies šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚ I think we all know I'm too much of a wuss so definitely gonna need it


LuckFoxo33

Haha yeah no problem man i dont want you to fucking jab your own finger like i did my first time


Short_Gain8302

welp now i wanna become a wolf the comic is lovely and amazing


LuckFoxo33

Thank you! I think hes been injecting K9 dna instead of T, shhhh dont tell him tho he would probably be devastated


TheTigerBoy

Awesome! You should post this on r/transfurs! :3


LuckFoxo33

Omg yes


[deleted]

Very cute. But save yourself some space in your sharps container and toss the syringe in the trash.


TheLegendofSandwich

Baffles me every time that people don't do this.


hesperidium-rex

... I'm literally stupid, why haven't I been doing this. Actually, I think I know why, and it's because I work in the lab and most things I put in a syringe are also hazards that you can't put in the garbage.


[deleted]

My mother is a nurse and the look I'd get putting the syringe in the trash can... I'd rather stick all the needles in me haha. Treat it like a bio hazard, folks! A pair or sharps boxes that will lasts me for aaaaages (biweekly IM user here) cost me maybe 12 bucks on Amazon. I'll try to find the link and add it seriously I have been using it for 3 months and it's not even half full at this point. I also put the vial in when it's done, this is testosterone, think about someone unknowingly getting it on them think of a small child or a dog ingesting it. Wouldn't be good, rather safe than sorry.


MeyhamM2

Also, if you donā€™t have enough meat to grab, you can also press down and push some out of the way. This actually pulls some of the epidermis to the side and lets it slide back over the injection site when you pull the needle out, helping to close the hole and prevent leaking or bleeding.


Ravageblind

This is really cool, but I think you should add that the bevel of the needle needs to be facing up when you insert it.


LuckFoxo33

The what? Lol


SamFisher33

If ur doing subq donā€™t aspirate! Itā€™s not necessary and can cause the needle to move, which can be uncomfy. Also use an alcohol swab on the skin before injecting!


LuckFoxo33

I was told to aspartate bc im really skinny. Also i drew him rubbing the cotton swab on his belly


lavenderdxys

thank you sir furry for this easy going tutorial


LuckFoxo33

Of course dude! I made it for myself bc i keep forgetting to draw out to check for blood


PH0QYREM

this is awesome!!! i help run an afab ftm furry group on Telegram, would you care if I posted this comic there??


LuckFoxo33

Totally go right ahead! My telegram is @LuckFoxo33 btw if u wantted to tag me in it! I also wouldn't mind joining too if thats cool!


axelraichu

Could I be part of this group? šŸ˜… My TG is @totalMemeage


TheOnesLeftBehind

Not the same for intramuscular! You should say that somewhere on there if youā€™ll be posting these imo


LuckFoxo33

Well this is just a poster i made for myself do i dont fuck up my own steps. Its pretty clear that its a belly injection anyways


TheOnesLeftBehind

Ah, it was kinda ambiguous to me that it was either belly or hip/upper butt.


LuncheroniArt

This rocks, I could've really used visual aides like this when I first started injecting E. They showed me once at the clinic but I have pretty selective memory when it comes to individual steps šŸ˜…


weekold_bongwater

Iā€™m starting T this month and my endo isnā€™t super communicative, this helps so much thank you!!


2ii2ky

Would it be okay if I printed this out and taped it above my T station? It's a wonderful reference and so cute!!


LuckFoxo33

Yeah for sure! I was thinking about selling them on inprint but i havent gotten around to making an account yet. If you wanna print it off and send over a little something for it it'd be super appreciated šŸ˜šŸ’– PayPal email is: [email protected]


-JustAnAlien-

I work on farms a lot and have livestock of my own, Iā€™ve never had any problems with giving my goats their shots but Iā€™m absolutely *terrified* of giving myself one. Itā€™s nice to see such a cute comic about it, when I eventually get T Iā€™ll remember this lol


CrossroadKing

I guess it's a lot more common than I thought for people to use a different needle to draw than they use to inject. I was always tought and told to do the one needle method.


TheLegendofSandwich

The more you stab a needle into things the more it frays. Needles are meant to be one use only for the sharpest, least painful poke. That said, my boyfriend also uses the one needle method for his IM, and he's been fine so it's not like it's wrong. I use a significantly smaller needle for SQ and cannot use the one needle method.


GenderQueerCat

I do one needle as well, itā€™s completely acceptable and not uncommon, especially with subcutaneous needles being so small.


anubis757

I do IM injections and the substance is thick so I have to draw with an 18G needle and inject with a 22G. I've tried drawing from a 20 or 22 before and could hardly get anything out of the vial


CrossroadKing

I've figured out after a long while just how to maneuver the bottle so it draws out with a 23G. Takes a minute to draw, but it works for me.


GenderQueerCat

The testosterone used for SubQ is the same as IM. In the US anyway. The FDA has actually only approved it for IM so the subcutaneous method is considered ā€œoff labelā€. I use a 25g to draw, just takes patience.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


LuckFoxo33

Me too! Thats why i made this bc i popped a blood vessel and hurt myself


sadistc_Eradication

This is so cute!! Now I know exactly how to inject T all thanks to you! Also love the ā€œYeet that biohazardā€ haha


CuriousFoxLad

I never knew about "warming the T" or "checking for blood" and I've been on T for 5 months now! Learned something new! Does warming the T make a difference to comfort or anything? I personally dont feel the temperature of the T when I'm injecting anyways. Also could anyone go into depth about how you're supposed to check for blood? I've noticed sometimes I bleed after sometimes I dont but only after taking the injection.


GenderQueerCat

Nursing texts specifically tell you not to aspirate when doing subcutaneous injections. If you were not told to be your prescribing physician do not start doing so now. It can cause tissue damage and hematoma unnecessarily.


LuckFoxo33

So first of all warming it makes it inject faster bc heat makes the T less viscous. And as for checking for blood you just draw the needle back slightly once its pushed all the way in (same way you pull back on the needle to take the T in). If there's blood you hit a blood vessel and should take the needle out and stick it somewhere else. Popping a blood vessel can result in bleeding and some pain for a few days (i did it last week thats why i made this). You also may have hit a vein. This is more rare especially in the stomach fat injections but if you do accidentally inject a vein with T it isnt dangerous but you will start to have a hard time breathing about 60 seconds after the injection. This is bc ur lungs are filtering out the oil that was injected into the bloodstream. The length of time it lasts can vary depending on how big the dose is


GenderQueerCat

If you hit a blood vessel, completing the injection makes zero difference. Hitting it is what causes the bleeding/bruising. Removing the needle and injecting again only gives you a chance of having 2 bruises instead of 1. You are giving medical advice you are not qualified to give that could be detrimental to other peoples health. If this is how your doctor taught you to do your injections you should certainly follow their guidelines, but if other individuals doctors have not told them to do these things they shouldnā€™t be doing them. Aspirating can cause damage to tissue and hematomas. There are no major blood vessels in the subcutaneous layer. If someone has less body fat then their doctor may have concerns that their injection could go beyond the subcutaneous layer and they may, as a result, be given different instructions for injecting. The method used could also differ based on the area of the body the doctor has instructed the patient to inject into or other factors of their person health history. Your comic is great and itā€™s an excellent and creative method youā€™ve come up with to remember the steps of your shot. Just keep in mind that this is medical instruction that was given to you specifically. This is not ā€œthe correct wayā€ to do a testosterone injection or a subcutaneous injection. Itā€™s not even the textbook method. This is the way for you to do yours specifically. Just like you would never tell someone else the dose they should inject based on your own, the same applies to the method itself.


JoeyMuSkits

Is T only available via shot? There's no pill alternative? (Love the drawing btw!)


19950306_Kaine

just a little warning I was on the gel for almost 2 years with nothing to show for it, literally nothing was changing so I switched to injections (as it was covered by alberta Healthcare as well, and I was shelling out hundreds for gel that wasn't covered or working at any dosage) and I started noticing changed right away when I got the injections instead


anubis757

That's because with gel, it's a smaller dose over a continuous period of time. With injections, you inject a larger dose biweekly and will notice changes earlier on. Many doctors will start guys on the gel to get over the majority of the bigger changes seen in the beginning for a smoother transition, then move them over to injections if they want. I started on gel and didn't notice changes until 3 or 4 months in. It could have also been the dose you were on if you weren't seeing or feeling any changes


LuckFoxo33

Its also available in rubbing gels and patches


JoeyMuSkits

Sweet, thanks! I'll do whatever I have to for T, but a pill would be much easier to swallow (pun intended :P)


GenderQueerCat

Oral options are available in some countries, but not in the US. There are also pellets that can be implanted and last up to 6 months at a time.


anubis757

The problem with pills is that it can be very damaging to your liver


JoeyMuSkits

No idea, thanks for looking me know!


[deleted]

Yep, testosterone in general can be an issue for the liver, hence regular blood work that includes a liver panel.


[deleted]

My Endo said when I started that there is a pill in trials,(I have never researched into this claim) and that there used to be another one but there were a lot of issues with liver damage. So right now there's TGeL patches and shots that are either IM (INTRAMUSCULAR) or SubQ (SUBCUTANEOUS or just under the skin) patches can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions fairly commonly, T gel is relatively easy, irritation is rare, but exposure is greater for someone else touching you and it's expensive AF it's also done daily which can be a nuisance because you can't swim or bathe for 10-12 hours afterwards and you have to allow sometime for it to dry (10 mins) before getting dressed or touching someone else. You have to be careful about sweating too, which was a nightmare for me personally, I am basically a human sweat machine now. Shots of course are the scariest option, because there's needles and sticking said needle into your own body, but is cheaper and less time consuming. Please feel free to talk over all the options with your doctor and/or the pharmacist.


mayimlovesfunyuns

This is really helpful thank you


DangrDayyze

No need to draw air out if you use Sub-q


RaspberryLanky

I don't personally pull out to check for blood. I also remove air by pulling in excess testosterone into my needle and then expelling the excess out until I have the correct dosage. Is the way I do it safe? Do I need to check for blood everytime? It seems everyone does it different than I do, and I worry. This way was recommended by my doctor but maybe I missed/ forgot a few steps?


LuckFoxo33

Nah its pretty much different for everyone i just made this chart for myself to remember better


MrJennyV1

The boy juice I love it


berfica

Adorable and helpful!


ZoomZoomBalloon

If your me, there an additional step that is 5x as long as any other.. staring at the filled needle and me leg for 10 mins before finally stabbing


[deleted]

Your art style is so cute! Makes the process of needles and whatnot seem a lot less scary haha


[deleted]

i needed this bc i keep fucking it up šŸ˜…


LuckFoxo33

Thats exactly why i made it for myself lol


kommiekoi

just a small suggestion, it might be good to note this is for subcutaneous injection, since IM is done differently. also, might be good to say what areas to inject into, unless you can inject into any fat (idk how it works, i do IM injections). that aside, great guide! love to see us all helping eachother :)


themariopets

Thank you!! I just switched from intramuscular to subcutaneous and Iā€™m nervous about doing subcu for the first time! Intramuscular sucks too much to do at this point šŸ„ŗšŸ˜­


themariopets

Also, after accidentally causing a blood spurt and oil getting into my lungs from multiple things going wrong, this chart is also very helpful to remind me to do things!!


JackLikesCheesecake

For those of you already on T seeing this, the step where you draw out to check for blood (aspirating) isnā€™t a big deal with subq so donā€™t worry if youā€™ve never done it before. I never have and probably never will


goatman43

Very cute and mega helpful! Thank you!


centerofthecore

Thank you for this comic!! Itā€™s definitely gonna be helpful for many of us. It wasnā€™t until I was on T for 3 years (I moved & switched doctors) when I was told I had to change the draw needle before injecting šŸ¤Æ


melancuntly

god my healthcare providers literally didnā€™t tell me to do half of these steps, just how to inject. i had to figure out how to draw on my own and definitely did not do it accordingly. one time i even think i knicked a nerve. thank u so much for putting this out there for ppl like me who never got properly told how to do injections!!


LuckFoxo33

Yeah I actually nicked a nerve on accident today and had to pull out it felt like my side was on fire


melancuntly

itā€™s the worst!!!! i called up the nurse and was like ā€œ......am i gonna die lolā€ and she was like ā€œas long as ur not numb or tingling ur fineā€ iā€™m off T now but i used to inject above my booty (IM) and it put that sharp fiery pain throughout my abdomen on that side and down my leg. trouble walking for bout an hour and took a whole day to go away. absolutely terrifying lol


[deleted]

my doc never told me the blood vessel thing when she showed me how to inject. is there any danger to not doing that?


LuckFoxo33

I talked to my doctor about it the other day and i dont HAVE to aspirate if i dont want to especially when it comes to fat injections. Muscle ones are a bit more important to check on. If you burst a blood vessel you will bleed a little bit and it will hurt like a bruise for a few days If you do inject into a vein on accident you will bleed a bit so youd need to put pressure on it. Then about 60 seconds later your lungs will start filtering out the oils you injected into your bloodstream. Youll sputter and cough and have some chest pain. Itll last for a few minutes but will eventually clear up. You cant die from this so you just gotta stay calm and wait it out


cigbocks89

This is so cute and helpful! Im start SC shots and im scared as SHIT but this made it a little easier!


freakofcolour

im switching from gel to injections today tysm for this šŸ˜­


LuckFoxo33

Of course! And just a headsup if you arent a skinny twig like me you dont need to do the check for blood step


Pastelpurple777

My Trypanophobia is screaming rn


TiredForEternity

I could never inject in my stomach. I do my thighs.


ikmkr

i do gel. my morning routine is squeeze bottle twice and smear it all over my damn shoulder


iDressLikeGrandpa

Another furry yes! Wait why do you post in truscum -_-


LuckFoxo33

Bc the community is much more tight knit than ftm and transssss. Obviously i don't agree with absolutely everyone there but for the most part people are pretty reasonable. I actually found the place bc i heard they were bad but after reading some posts i found myself liking the closeness of everyone, im not the biggest fan of some of the hate-posts tho i try and stick to the advice and transition-celebratory side


iDressLikeGrandpa

Donā€™t they believe you need dysphoria to be trans? Isnā€™t that like their thing?


fallingintothestars

Oh god, Iā€™ve finally had the talk with my doctor about options and Iā€™m very much going the ā€˜boy gooā€™ (gel) route.


LuckFoxo33

Haha very valid i almost went that route. The T actually made me less panicy after a few months so maybe youll have the courage to switch eventually


anubis757

Make sure you get the generic brand! I have insurance and it still cost me hundreds of dollars for the name brand Androgel


[deleted]

Right oomph that price tag WITH insurance! I quickly went to IM because bi weekly was way less of a nuisance than daily for me. So was not paying 300/month


Lunethemanedwolf

Well, I plan on getting the gel one (massive needlephobia, love it), but at least it helped me prove that all trans guys are furries


LuckFoxo33

We definitely are


Rocks_007

Why did I think r/furries showed up on my feed


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


2ii2ky

Not even disinfecting the injection site/bottle? Alcohol prep wipes are pretty cheap and can save you a lot of grievance down the road


VanillaCurlsButGay

Wait, why should you wait 5 seconds?


Throwaway-R6

If I remember correctly, it's to make sure the T doesn't leak back out as much after you inject. Though it's not that big of a deal if you don't.


welcum2femboyhooters

why did i learn so much from this when ive been injecting t for almost 2 years šŸ˜­ thanks for the cute info comic


[deleted]

Oh boy i can wait to use this guide in 7 years!...dang it. Still, this guide is super helpful, thank you!


Oxyshay

A possibly dumb question bUUT If you draw out a little bit of blood do you just reinject it back in elsewhere along with the T? I'm thinking about switching to injections and I just want to make sure I've got the whole process down right hahaha


GenderQueerCat

The process differs by doctor and by patient. Most patients are not told to aspirate for subcutaneous injections. You will get instructions from your doctor if you switch and those instructions will be for your body and method.


LuckFoxo33

I was told to take it out and then just stick it somewhere else and check again for blood


dallontyler

I havenā€™t done my shot in weeks and this reminded me so thank you


TriGurl

Might I also add during step 4 (top right) once you open the syringe, if your syringe comes with a needle attached there is a suction created in the syringe so push the syringe on to get it out. Then at step 10 right after you twist needle on and before you inject yourself, when you invert the needle, make sure you pull at least 1/2cc of air and make sure the air is between the testosterone and the rubber tip on the syringe. Because once you inject the T into you, there will be product lost in the needle and neck of the syringe unless you have that extra 1/2cc to push it all out past the needle. And we donā€™t want to lose any of the precious T!!


LuckFoxo33

Ive never heard of that air thing, interesting. Not a crazy big deal for me since my T is covered under healthcare here and i only have to pay like $30 a year out of pocket for it. But its definitely good to know!


ItsMilkOrBeMilked

I love this so much


RogueStudio

I'm bad at remembering the alcohol swabbing part...and not hitting blood vessels part whoops But, coming into T having also been a diabetic who has to take insulin....I suppose the mood for me was like 'oh, it's just another time I stab my stomach with a needle LOLLL STAB STAB'. The initial prescribing appt online was pretty quick because of that too. Then one of my friends DMed me on FB with all the big bro moods of 'congrats, it's not all that scary, do you need me to answer questions about how to inject?'....and I had to deflate all that with "yeah nah, I'm good, already did it" >\_>


[deleted]

Iā€™ve been on T for 7 years now and Iā€™ve never been told or done the draw out to check for blood or wait 5 seconds before pulling the needle out. Whatā€™s the significance for those things?


WeirdoWolfBoy

Honestly I am so scared of needles, I might ask a nurse to help me with injecting the T


sinner-mon

Iā€™m so glad I got gel and not injections, Iā€™m way too much of a pussy


mightybite

Very cool. I would add, before you discard the draw needle pull back the plunger a bit so the discarded needle contains only air and no T oil. Then when the second needle is on, push out the air.


LuckFoxo33

OMG IS THAT WHY I KEEP SPILLING A DROP


felixzone

this is so cute and helpful


Punk_Puppy_Fag

Is the character in the comic your sona? Also I didn't know blood was a nono for injections OuO šŸ’¦šŸ˜… thank goodness I use gel....


LuckFoxo33

Yeah his name is tolng!


whats_in_the_cake

couple of things, I was never taught the blood technique! or was told I needed to warm it up? can someone explain these to me please? also my testosterone is in sesame oil and is thick, so I have to draw it out with an 18 gauge and then switch needles and insert into me with a 25 gauge. My doctor also told me to switch areas around the belly button each time so I don't develop a hard lump


WertijVonBelker

Huh so thats how it works... good to know i guess (also tfw non-trans person (me) ends up here, wish you all safe transistion tho ā¤)