IM needle sizes and common practices

[psauce]

A lot of helpful info in this thread - just starting (endo prescribed) trt and they prescribed 25g 1.5”. Seems like I would be better off with 27g 1” (if not subQ). Do you all have a specific source you go to, or should I just buy nipro or bd from whatever pops up on google for lab supplies?

Not exactly the question you asked, but there's no reason not to go even narrower than 27g. On a TRT dose, you'll be injecting around 0.5 mL per week tops, so the wider bore doesn't really provide any benefit (saved time or avoiding hand cramping). You can avoid scar tissue and minimize the discomfort.

The only real downside is taking more time to draw, but since you've already got 25s from your physician, you can use them to load and swap to inject.

BD and Nipro are both fantastic.

 

[shredded.lyfe]

I've been looking into getting one. Do you know if the needle length is adjustable (meaning can I use a 1" needle tip for some injections and 1.5" for others) or are you locked in to using a specific length/gauge when you purchase it?

Also, what attachments?

The attachments solve the question you just asked

 

[EWIHEWIHEWIH]

Not exactly the question you asked, but there's no reason not to go even narrower than 27g. On a TRT dose, you'll be injecting around 0.5 mL per week tops, so the wider bore doesn't really provide any benefit (saved time or avoiding hand cramping). You can avoid scar tissue and minimize the discomfort.

The only real downside is taking more time to draw, but since you've already got 25s from your physician, you can use them to load and swap to inject.

BD and Nipro are both fantastic.

thanks for the heads up. he started me on 80mg every 10 days unfortunately, so I am just rolling with it. I have been doing subq though since it's such a tiny amount and its ok with a 31g insulin needle since it's literally 4 units.

what do you think would be appropriate needle size and length for 14 to 28u, assuming I move up to at least 100mg/wk and stick with ED or EOD dosing

 

[psauce]

thanks for the heads up. he started me on 80mg every 10 days unfortunately, so I am just rolling with it. I have been doing subq though since it's such a tiny amount and its ok with a 31g insulin needle since it's literally 4 units.

what do you think would be appropriate needle size and length for 14 to 28u, assuming I move up to at least 100mg/wk and stick with ED or EOD dosing

30 or 31 will work just fine.

As far as frequency and dosing, 80 mg/10 days (56 mg/week) is a good starting point for TRT to put you in the middle of the reference range, but you'd probably be better off injecting every 5th day just minimize the peak-trough effect.

Be really honest with yourself if you adjust your dose to 100 mg/week... that's about 180% of your current dose. For most guys, that is going to be a supraphysiological dose... performance enhancing, recreational use. That's not a knock; 99% of the people here are in the same boat. But you should know the extra risks and go in with open eyes.

Even then, I'd inject that twice a week at most. There's a tendency to over-optimize initially, but after a while you might find that there's no benefit to fucking with needles more often than you need to.

 

[phatty1]

Question, what's the highest gauge needle anyone has had success in drawing test cyp from a vial, I've been using a 18 and sq with a 27 but with the lure lock system I think I lose 3-4u per shot. Just been told to drop down to 30u from 40 2x a week and if I'm losing over 10u per vial it doesn't work. Has anyone drawn with a 27g?

I know the bd sq needles have minimal loss when Injecting.
Thnx

 

[EWIHEWIHEWIH]

30 or 31 will work just fine.

As far as frequency and dosing, 80 mg/10 days (56 mg/week) is a good starting point for TRT to put you in the middle of the reference range, but you'd probably be better off injecting every 5th day just minimize the peak-trough effect.

Be really honest with yourself if you adjust your dose to 100 mg/week... that's about 180% of your current dose. For most guys, that is going to be a supraphysiological dose... performance enhancing, recreational use. That's not a knock; 99% of the people here are in the same boat. But you should know the extra risks and go in with open eyes.

Even then, I'd inject that twice a week at most. There's a tendency to over-optimize initially, but after a while you might find that there's no benefit to fucking with needles more often than you need to.

appreciate the input - I don't want to suppress myself further and risk fertility only to sit middle of the range (i recognize this is still an improvement over my current state), but I did throw out 100mg as a nice round number. ultimately, I would like whatever dose that gets me in the high-normal range - maybe its 100mg/wk maybe it's less. for now I am rolling with what the doc wants to get the baseline and see how my body handles this dose.

I may consider scaling back the ED dosing, but for now I am used to it from peptide / GH use so it's not really a burden on me

thanks again

 

[crispybacon!]

Question, what's the highest gauge needle anyone has had success in drawing test cyp from a vial, I've been using a 18 and sq with a 27 but with the lure lock system I think I lose 3-4u per shot. Just been told to drop down to 30u from 40 2x a week and if I'm losing over 10u per vial it doesn't work. Has anyone drawn with a 27g?

I know the bd sq needles have minimal loss when Injecting.
Thnx

Maybe I’m not following, but you shouldn’t lose much at all regardless of the size of your draw needle, as long as you pull the oil from the needle into the barrel to the point where you are starting to pull in air.

 

[shredded.lyfe]

I thought I should just mention when it comes to needle selection and injection logic "the smallest you can get away with" is the best rule to stick with.

Larger needles equals more trauma, more scar tissue, more inflammation etc.

Internet guides are kinda retarded and I believe they assume fatties with no muscle are the general user, in that case you do need the harpoons to find a piece of muscle.

For most people on this forum I don't think that would be an issue due to muscle belly size, bodyfat levels or both.

So just trial and error guys, you'll be surprised how small you can get.

Also inject slower, this is why smaller needles help with this, because you need to think of your injection as a pressure washer being sprayed directly into the tissue, if you use a giant harpoon and slam the plunger down in 3 seconds..well just imagine what the equivalent pressure sprayer would be.

This will help cut down on the inflammation substantially

 

[Raww]

Question, what's the highest gauge needle anyone has had success in drawing test cyp from a vial, I've been using a 18 and sq with a 27 but with the lure lock system I think I lose 3-4u per shot. Just been told to drop down to 30u from 40 2x a week and if I'm losing over 10u per vial it doesn't work. Has anyone drawn with a 27g?

I know the bd sq needles have minimal loss when Injecting.
Thnx

I use 30g insulin syringes for my normal trt test dosing.

I have a coffee warming plate I put the vial on for a few minutes prior - the warm oil flows into that needle a lot better.

Insulin syringes have a lot less headspace loss over standard syringes.

That being said - there are methods to prevent loss with standard syringes. The primary one is the air lock method: After drawing your fluid into the syringe, draw some air. Rotate the syringe so that the air is at the plunger - then when you inject, the last thing you do is push a little air to ensure all the fluid is injected.

No, that little bit of air won't kill you.

 

[adrenalytic]

No, that little bit of air won't kill you.

But it can force blood to shoot out when you remove the needle. I'm not saying don't do it, I do it every time and it doesn't happen every time. But sometimes you can lose more than you save if you trigger a waterfall so just be aware, keep a towel nearby.

Source: trust me bro.