I'm new to self injection, will be doing the first one tonight, and the doc (who is absolutely clueless about trt and many other things) gave me 21 g needles. My mother has 31g insulin needles she no longer needs and was wondering if anybody has ever used something that small to inject with. If not then what size do I need to order? I'm hoping now that I'm self injecting and am going to twice a week injections rather than once every two weeks maybe I can actually see a benefit from the shots. I can't get this idiot doc to understand that E2 is the enemy when on trt.
I have some questions about needle size.
- Thread starter ShadeTree
- Start date
Jimstigator
New member
I use 29-31g 1/2 insulin syringes to inject both HCG and Test C. So do alot of guys. A 21g is massive and I can't even look at one without practically fainting.
The 21g is what I've been getting them with from my gp for a few months now. One nurse is really good and I don't feel a thing but it feels like a harpoon when a different nurse does it.
Does it matter what body part I stick with that small of a needle? Also do you draw it out with the 31g or use a bigger one and backfill?
Does it matter what body part I stick with that small of a needle? Also do you draw it out with the 31g or use a bigger one and backfill?
The standard seems to be around 18g to draw, and 25g 5/8" for sub-q and 1-1.5" for IM. people use insulin syringes, some backfill them. I use 1ML syringes, 18g to draw and 25g 1" for IM. There is really no right answer it just takes a lil time to find out what works best. Dig around a little on youtube and you should find a lot of info.
halfwit
I like turtles.
Depends on your dose volume OP. If you're injecting under 0.5ml at a time, a 31g insulin needle is more than fine, and may be used literally just about anywhere due to how this is a safe volume for subcutaneous injection delivery.
21g IS a harpoon! I'm imagining that he looked up the kits they offer in mostly India, which include a 21/22g syringe for some ridiculous reason. The reason why you want a smaller needle is to prevent unnecessary scar tissue formation. If you have a few favorite IM sites, and continue to use a large gauge needle in them, the small amount of damage caused from repeated punctures will add up in time. A smaller needle helps to reduce this.
If you want to continue with IM injections, I would suggest hanging onto the 21g behemoths, and picking up a 100ct box of 23-27g 1" needles to swap after you use the monsters to draw with. A 1.5" may be necessary if you like to use glutes, but not needed for delts/quads/pecs/lats/traps/VG/etc. Just make sure you're using enough sites to allow each site around two weeks to heal before injecting there again.
My .02c
21g IS a harpoon! I'm imagining that he looked up the kits they offer in mostly India, which include a 21/22g syringe for some ridiculous reason. The reason why you want a smaller needle is to prevent unnecessary scar tissue formation. If you have a few favorite IM sites, and continue to use a large gauge needle in them, the small amount of damage caused from repeated punctures will add up in time. A smaller needle helps to reduce this.
If you want to continue with IM injections, I would suggest hanging onto the 21g behemoths, and picking up a 100ct box of 23-27g 1" needles to swap after you use the monsters to draw with. A 1.5" may be necessary if you like to use glutes, but not needed for delts/quads/pecs/lats/traps/VG/etc. Just make sure you're using enough sites to allow each site around two weeks to heal before injecting there again.
My .02c
halfwit
I like turtles.
You don't even need to backfill with that volume. A 31g is just about perfect; in fact, I'd look at 31g 5/8 (or 3/8 if you can find them) insulin needles. No need to insert them at a 45 degree angle when they're that short either.
Milton
Administrator
Good to hear that please keep us posted!
juced_porkchop
Moderator
i do and rec 23-25g to pin
Gainjin260
I am banned!
Insulin needles are for women and communists. Real men use 18g. Just saying.
Success, I think. I just sat down to type this out and my butt cheek is burning a little bit, never had that before but this is the first sub q I've ever done so not sure if that's normal. It takes awhile to draw it up and push it in but it wasn't too bad. I might go ahead and get some 25g just to try them out. The needle is only 5/16" long, see any problem with that?
Maybe one day I'll be tough like you.
halfwit
I like turtles.
Wow, that's an Itty bitty bugger. As long as it's being inserted straight in, it should be fine.
Wow, that's an Itty bitty bugger. As long as it's being inserted straight in, it should be fine.
What would be the issue if it's at an angle?
halfwit
I like turtles.
Poor deposition into the subcutaneous layer. Of course this greatly depends on the thickness of your skin, but using the traditional 45 degree angle used with one inch needles could place it a bit too close to the surface - causing some irritation.
She went straight in but every time I sit down it starts burning. I think I'll just get some 1" 25 g and do IM.
halfwit
I like turtles.
I prefer IM for testosterone, but at least you now have the ability to compare the two.
