First Testosterone Shot: at the Clinic

My first shot was scheduled for a Monday at 3:00, with my plan being to stop by the clinic on the way home from work. I'd decided on Monday, because my workout days were Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so I figured Monday was the best bet for having the highest levels during all my workouts.   I'd picked up my prescription the week before; one 10ml bottle of testosterone cypionate, 100mg per ml, and the HCG. The HGC prescription came in 2 vials, one with the HCG powder and one with the sterile water to be mixed with the powder to make the solution. I took both of them to the clinic with me.   My goal was to be able to self-administer the shot, but I wanted the first one to be done as "training" so I could understand the process and get a feel for it. I asked them to mix the HCG first.

• Swap the top of the water vial with an alcohol swab
• Preposition the plunger in the syringe to the required amount (3.5ml in this case)
• Insert the needle and depress the plunger to put the air into the vial (this creates positive pressure inside the vial to help extract the water)
• Retract the plunger to draw 3.5ml of purified water out
• Cap the needle
• Swab the top of the HCG vial
• Insert the needle and depress the plunger to put the water in the vial
• Don't squirt the water right on the powder; instead tilt the needles to make it run down the inside of the vial
• Once the 3.5ml is in, extract the needle and mix by gently rolling the vial back and forth in your hands
• Don't shake the vial, mix it gently!
• HCG solution is done!

My treatment plan called for me to inject the HCG on days 5 and 7. So if I get the testosterone on Monday, I'd do the HCG myself at home on Friday and Sunday.

Next up was the testosterone injection. The needle was a 1.5 inch 25 gauge - it looked like a harpoon. Loading the syringe with the testosterone cypionate followed the same proceedure as loading the HCG water syringe.

• Swap the top of the test vial with an alcohol swab
• Pre-position the plunger in the syringe to the required amount (1ml in this case)
• Insert the needle and depress the plunger to put the air into the vial (this creates positive pressure inside the vial to help extract the testosterone oil)
• Retract the plunger to draw 1ml of testosterone cypionate into the syringe
• Cap the needle
• Swab my butt cheek (left one in this case)
• Insert the needle into my butt inject the test
• Ouch!

An important point I want to make here: the testosterone oil solution is considerably thicker than water. With a 25 gauge needle, it probably took the nurse about 20 seconds to extract the 1ml from the vial for the injection. Once she stuck it in my rear, it took around 10 seconds to complete the injection.

The injection itself stung a bit more than one of those flu shots you get in your shoulder, only the stinging lasted even after she withdrew the needle. Not quite as bad a bee sting, but definitely noticeable. I'm guessing it was about 2 hours before the stinging completely went away.

She didn't inject the HCG. As I mentioned above, I'd be doing that myself on days 5 and 7. You can store the testosterone at room temperature.

The HCG needs to be stored in the fridge. From personal research, I learned the test will last a few months, but the HCG is only good for 2 or 3.

All told, it wasn't that bad an experience, but I left there pretty uncertain about my ability to do the injection myself. For that reason, I made an appointment for the upcoming Monday to have them do the injection again. Injections at the clinic are "free" in that they are included in the $75 I paid the clinic each month for the prescription and monitoring.

My butt cheek was a bit sore the next day, like a it had a bruise, but it was gone by the third day. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I didn't feel any different in the days following this first injection.