In today’s guide, you’ll learn exactly what you need to perform an intramuscular injection for TRT, as well as how to prepare it.
Administering your own injections for testosterone replacement therapy can be a daunting experience. Even more so if it’s your first time.
In this quick guide, you will learn exactly what you need and how to prepare it.
Let’s get to it.
As always, please work with closely your doctor when performing your own injections. I am not a doctor and this guide is for educational purposes only.
Injection Equipment/Supplies
We start off by taking a look at the equipment and supplies you will need for the injection.
These are the most commonly used items, however, they may very slightly according to your medication and what your doctor recommends. Needles and syringes may vary depending on the type of injection you are doing.
The equipment below is what is commonly used for deltoid and quad injections. Needles used for gluteal injections may be the same or vary slightly.
Below is a photo detailing the equipment needed for a deltoid injection.
You will need:
- Your testosterone ampoule or vial
- An 18G 1.5 inch needle for drawing your medication/testosterone
- A 25G 1 inch needle for injecting your medication/testosterone
- A 1ml Syringe
- Alcohol swaps/pads for disinfecting the injection site and wiping after
- A Sharps Bin or suitable container for disposal of sharp objects (see the yellow sharps bin on the cover of this blog post)
Injection Preparation
Please follow the following instructions in order to prepare your injection:
- Wash your hands and make sure they are clean.
- Open the thicker, 18G needle and attach it to the syringe.
- Draw the medication from your ampoule/vial. If you are drawing from a vial, it is sometimes recommended to wipe the top of the vial with an alcohol swab.
- Remove any air bubbles from the syringe. Hold the syringe upright and flick the syringe to allow any air bubbles to travel to the top. Then squeeze them out until there are no air bubbles remaining in the syringe.
- Remove the thicker 18G needle, and attach the finer, 25G needle.
- Open the alcohol swabs so that they’re ready to be used.
You are now ready to inject your medication/testosterone.
Below is a video illustrating the process of preparing an injection for further illustration.
Conclusion
That’s it. The process is pretty straightforward once you do it a couple of times.
Let me know in the comments below if there’s anything I might have missed out.
If this is your first injection – good luck. Let us know how it goes.
