this post was submitted on 24 Sep 2025
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34
Advice for DIY self injections (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by mossy_@lemmy.world to c/mtf@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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Hi, I took my first estradiol cypionate injection this Sunday after staring at the bottle for about a month and I've been experiencing some muscle soreness since. I just want to make sure I haven't fucked up something beyond repair, and it would be nice to talk to some humans about this rather than just following directions off the internet. I'll include my process at the bottom but if someone can tell me "no that happens to everyone, you're good" it would really help me. I understand there's a lot more that goes into DIY HRT and I'm working towards that too.

Injection process I followed for scientific rigor:

SpoilerI followed the directions as well as I understood it: using a luer lock syringe, I drew 0.1 mL from my vial using, I think it was a 22 gauge needle, after wiping it down with an alcohol pad, then realized I wasn't going to get that amount out of the syringe due to drawing it incorrectly or some other mishap, so I drew more of the solution, about 1.5 mL. I swapped the needle out for a 25 gauge, 1.5 inch needle which was recommended for intramuscular injections, then I stared at the needle for about ten minutes trying to keep my hands from shaking due to a currently very inconvenient phobia of them, then injected the solution into basically the meatiest part of my glute. I'm underweight, so I assume my options for injections are fairly limited. No bleeding occurred, and the injection site looks like a small red pock currently

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[–] dandelion@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Regarding the amounts, we would need to know the dose per volume of your cypionate vial to understand whether 0.1 mL or 1.5 mL is appropriate.

For example, my estradiol valerate (EV) vials have 100 mg EV in 5 mL. So I use a 1 mL syringe (i.e. the most that the syringe can hold is 1 mL), and so if I wanted to inject 4 mg EV, I would draw and inject 0.2 mL.

1.5 mL sounds like a lot, and that's a lot more volume than the maximum you can inject for a subq injection for example (no idea about max volumes for IM injections, though). I think the max for subq was something like 0.5 mL.

When I was injecting estradiol cypionate, my vial was 25 mg in 5 mL, and I usually injected 8 mg in a session, but because that required injecting 1.6 mL and I only did subq, I had to break it up into three subq injections (very wasteful of needles, and mentally challenging):

  • 1 x 0.6 mL (3 mg)
  • 1 x 0.5 mL (2.5 mg)
  • 1 x 0.5 mL (2.5 mg).

This was awful so I didn't continue, even though cypionate was more stable and less spikey than valerate.

EDIT: just wanted to say, there are videos showing how to do injections - have you watched any? for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TP0rTlQVao

[–] mossy_@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

I apologize, my goal dose is 4mg, so for my 40 mg/mL vial I planned to inject 0.1 mL and drew about 0.16 mL. I lost a zero when I was recounting the process for the post. I watched multiple videos for general injections but did not see one specifically for HRT so your linked video will help in the future.

Something I'm realizing now is that I used a 3mL syringe, which explains why I wasn't able to easily manipulate the smaller dose. I'll make sure I have smaller syringes for my later injections.

[–] panathea@lemmy.blahaj.zone 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I switched to subq from IM because of the soreness. It's normal, though.

It just took switching to shorter needles and injecting into pinched fat on my abdomen.

[–] dandelion@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 6 days ago

+1 for subq

I have too much needle phobia for IM, lol

[–] 0x2640@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 1 week ago (3 children)

spoilermuscle soreness is pretty normal with IM injections (seeing as ur injecting into well... muscle).

i recommend using a smaller needle (25g or higher) to draw as it minimizes coring risk, you could just use the needle youre using to inject to do it. swapping needles isnt really necessary, see insulin syringes (but theres also not really a reason to not do it).

it is verrrrrry recommended to inject into your thigh, injecting into your glute carries a high risk of accidentally hitting your sciatic nerve (bad time) and its also just less visibility. no being underweight doesnt mean you cant inject to your thigh.

other than that, you could always switch to subq rather than IM, as levels between the two are functionally identical on cypionate, which may help with the soreness.

[–] Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)

it is verrrrrry recommended to inject into your thigh, injecting into your glute carries a high risk of accidentally hitting your sciatic nerve

Is this true for subq as well as IM? Because if so that might explain why some of my shots went so badly 😅

[–] WalrusDragonOnABike@reddthat.com 3 points 1 week ago

You could also use your stomach for subQ. There's also a spot on your arm that could be used if you have someone else injecting for you. I alternate which thigh I use each week for E and use my stomach rotating which quadrant I inject into for an unrelated injection (that uses an autoinjector).

[–] LadyMeow@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I draw with 18 and inject with… currently 25, but have used 22, 23, 27 as well.

If you have the needles to switch, I would. Even one use like poking the rubber will cause some wear on the needle, and thus a slightly worse insertion.

[–] 0x2640@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

well drawing with 18 is reallllly not recommended with vials you are planning to use more than a few times but like, you do you :p the risk of coring is demonstrably, factually higher (and thats a bad thing)

[–] dandelion@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 6 days ago

can confirm I've cored several vials when drawing with 18G

[–] mossy_@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

that's really good to know 😬 I'll stick to the frontside then. Means I have less improvised yoga to do anyway.

I'm underweight but I have legs like a, uh, someone who does a lot of walking. So I've got enough muscle to inject in the front of the thigh, but probably not enough for subcutaneous.

[–] 0x2640@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 week ago

im extremely underweight, i can still do subq :p itll be fine (and even if you end up doing IM accidentally, itd be with a smaller and shorter needle, so less owie anyway)

[–] Cassa@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 week ago (2 children)

(I'll start off by saying no expert here - began this year myself)

I do Subcutaneous injections and I can get a stiff sore spot - that looks red and can be felt. it goes away around after a week.

I might be misreading but how much did you inject? 1.6ml? was there any air or bubbles inside the syringe when you injected?

[–] mossy_@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I used a calculator on the internet to see how much solution I would need to inject to get the desired dose and I believe it was 0.1 mL. Due to the size of my syringe, when I drew that amount the first time I wasn't able to get any of the solution out of it, I depressed the plunger to the end just getting the air out. So I drew a bit more and some of it stayed in the syringe. I probably ended up with a little more than I had planned but not 60% more

[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

I've been doing this shit for years. Here is my process

  1. Wash your hands thoroughly
  2. Clean vial and skin with iso
  3. Fill syringe with air (I'd say about double your dose)
  4. Stab into vial and inject air into vial
  5. Flip upside down and draw dose
  6. Take out, draw air into the syringe
  7. Swap out your needles
  8. Push out air until a bead forms at the tip
  9. Stabby stab and push
  10. Treat with alcohol pad and bandaid
  • I know some people purposefully use an air bubble to push out the full amount but that's riskier so I don't recommend it
  • Soreness is normal. Sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn't.
  • Don't EVER reuse needles and dispose of them in a hard plastic container (get a sharps container if you don't have one)
  • Disclaimer: I'm not medically trained, I just work with needles a lot
[–] dandelion@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I thought it was more typical to fill the syringe with air to match the volume you are drawing, so if you are drawing 0.1 mL, you fill the syringe to 0.1 mL air first. If you double it, you are pushing double the volume into the vial than you are taking out 🤔

Also, thought it might be worth mentioning how you press the needle into the vial can make a difference in terms of whether you are likely to core the vial - there is a technique to placing the needle with the hole facing up and then pressing it in at 45 degrees and then turning it straight to avoid the needle from coring the rubber.

And the alcohol pad should be cleaning the skin before the injection, not after - and you want the skin to dry before injecting.

Compare to this instructional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TP0rTlQVao

And if injecting subq it's not necessary to press air out of the needle and to form a bead at the tip first - tbh I've never heard this advice for IM injections either. Injecting small amounts of air should be avoided when injecting into veins, but into muscle and fat it's a risk AFAIK.

[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)
  • Good point about coring, forgot to mention that
  • I (re)use an iso pad at the end with a bit of pressure to absorb any blood that comes out, but that's mostly so I can use liquid bandaid. I did mention to clean the skin beforehand too.
  • Air compresses more easily than oil, so I find that with a 1:1 ratio, it's harder to pull the medication out. Having positive pressure inside might help keep unwanted particles out anyways
  • Step 7 removes any air so I'm a bit confused by the end of your statement
[–] panathea@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 week ago

I had this (they were itchy!) when I wasn't injecting deep enough. I switched from a 45° angle 5/8" needle to 90° (straight in) and the problem went away.

[–] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Hi, here from /all. What part is DIY? Did you make your own medicine, do you not have a prescription, or is it common to need a doctor to inject you?

[–] ElfBean@fedia.io 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

TLDR; obtaining and administering all necessary medications and blood tests yourself. Not everyone is willing or able to go through medical professionals for any number of reasons, mainly costs and medical gatekeeping. When done right the risks are minimal, though never nonexistent ofc.

[–] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Makes sense! If you're aware of the risks (I have no idea what they might be) then I think it's your business. I was imagining OP in the kitchen with a Bunsen burner and a smoking Erlenmeyer flask!

[–] WalrusDragonOnABike@reddthat.com 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Some people do start with raws and do sterilization while mixing with the oils for doing the injection, which involves some extra equipment (although some people may already have it lying around in their kitchen). Self-injection is the norm AFAIK.

Edit: typo missing -> mixing

[–] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 week ago

Thank you for the detail.

[–] hedgehog@ttrpg.network 5 points 1 week ago

Now I’m imagining Breaking Bad but making E instead of Meth.

[–] mossy_@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

dude I wish. amateur alchemy might be in the future for me but for now I'm taking whatever help I can get