#and then I had to do a subcutaneous injection

[vettelcore]

2nd day of class and we're already helping during surgeries lmaooooo

[l3irdl3rain]

Alright, we’re going to start with the Lucy update. The whole thing is long so I’m going to put it under a read more. But the short story is she has gone into heart failure and I’m unfortunately having to have her euthanized today.

Wednesday night I got home from work and saw that Lucy had vomited. She was lethargic and just generally didn’t seem like she felt good. It didn’t seem like a dire situation so I figured I’d see how she was in the morning and go from there.

Thursday morning she seemed to have rallied some. Her breathing was “off” and she sounded a little congested, but she was much more alert and seemed more comfortable. She didn’t eat a ton on Thursday but she pick at her food some. She also vomited a few more times. I felt good about her condition though because she seemed so much more alert and comfortable than Wednesday. I figured it wasn’t an emergency and I’d just bring her to work with me today.

This morning I woke up and she had no interest in breakfast at all. Her breathing was significantly worse from the night before. She was 100x more lethargic than she had been on Wednesday night.

We did a full work up this morning at the clinic and found that she had gone into heart failure. I discussed options with Doc and he said it was possible that we could get her through the worst of it and then with some medication she could be comfortable and happy for awhile yet.

She seemed to rally a little again after getting some injections and subcutaneous fluids. I tried to take her back home on my lunch period but she ended up vomiting blood and then becoming extremely weak and lethargic again. So we turned around and went right back to the clinic.

This is another one that I feel a little guilty about, like maybe I should have taken her to an emergency clinic earlier. Or maybe I should have realized her heart was failing sooner and then we could have started her on meds sooner and given her more time. But I also know she was very old and sometimes these things just happen so quickly. I did the best I could and I did what I thought was right, and that’s all you can do.

[rookthorne]

⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ 𝐀 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

Some days were harder than others, that was a well-known fact you had accepted a long time ago. But that did not mean Bucky would let you go through it alone, or without incentives.

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 ღ Nurse!Bucky Barnes x F!Reader

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 ღ 1.9k

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 ღ Tooth rotting fluff, Bucky knows how to bribe, medication usage and brief mention of needles/injections

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 ღ I recently started a new medication that is administered subcutaneously, and I am not very good with needles, so cue self-indulgent fluff to make myself feel better.

჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻ 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 ღ Outro by M83

𝐀 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

The dreaded day had come, a lot faster than you wanted it to. No matter how much you wish you could put it off or delay it, you couldn’t, and if you were honest, you wouldn’t, either. 

They had been a godsend in their own twisted way. Injections were never fun — neither were needles in any form, but they had allowed you some sense of normality in your routine without some of the pesky irritants your ailments caused.

A jab, a few seconds of discomfort, and it was over with. That didn’t make it any easier, though.

“Baby–baby, wake up.” A hand was on your shoulder, warm and strong, and it gently shook you. “Time to wake up, honey. We need to do your injection.”

You groaned and burrowed further into the blankets. “No. Fuck off.”

Bucky chuckled and the mattress dipped at your hip, that same hand still on your shoulder rubbed up and down soothingly. “I can’t, baby girl. You know you gotta get up–c’mon, I’ll get you some chocolate.”

Your bed head and drowsy eyes peered over the mound of blankets and pillows, and you stared at him – the light pink sweater and grey sweats he wore looked awfully comfortable and cuddly, while his hair fell down the back of his neck, as soft as ever. 

“Chocolate,” you croaked, blinking at him slowly. “D’you say chocolate?”

“Chocolate,” Bucky repeated, nodding once. “And if you get up now, I’ll get you a special treat, too.”

“Hmph,” you whined, flopping back onto the pillows and pouting up at him. “But it’s comfy. I want the chocolate and the treat—without the needle, please.”

Bucky arched a brow and tilted his head. “That’s not how this works, sweetheart.”

“Fine.” The sheets rustled as you sat up in bed. “I’m coming.” 

“You can cuddle on the couch with me after, okay?” Bucky offered, and then he kissed you softly on the lips. “I promise. I know you don’t like them, but they help–let them help. I need my girl fighting fit.”

A chirp and a purr sounded from the side of the bed, and Bucky hummed happily as he bent over out of sight. He appeared again with Alpine, her fluffy, white coat covering his fingers as he scratched at her side. “Mama ain’t gettin’ up, baby,” Bucky sighed, and he placed her down on the covers over your lap. “Tell her that she’ll get a treat if she cooperates with me, yeah?”

“Hey, Alpine,” you murmured, scratching her on the chin. She stared up at you with big, bright eyes, the blue of them striking in the morning light. “Beautiful girl. Do you think we should go—listen to your dad and head out to the couch?”

In lieu of an answer, she purred loudly and headbutted your palm, before she turned around and jumped off the bed, tail high in the air as she trotted out of the room. “Well, I think you should follow her,” Bucky said, getting to his feet. “We can even watch your favourite movie.”

“You’re pulling out all the stops this time,” you observed, narrowing your eyes up at him. He shrugged. “And it’s working.”

“I would hope so.” Bucky turned to walk out the door, but he turned at the door frame with a cheeky smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. “Because that treat waiting for you is a stuffie you’ve wanted for a long time.”

Your eyes widened in surprise. “What?”

“You heard me, baby,” Bucky called over his shoulder, walking down the hall. “C’mon and you’ll see.”

The bribe did indeed work. 

With a grunt of effort, you threw the covers off your legs and trudged to the bathroom, yawning the whole way. The quick shower woke you up like a charm, and after you freshened up your face, you dressed in a comfortable set of clothes to get through the day; plus a pair of slippers, because why not. 

“Alright, alright,” you said as you made your way down the hall and into the kitchen, where it smelled sweet and sugary. “Is that pancakes?”

Bucky looked up from the frying pan and over his shoulder at you, a plate next to the stovetop stacked high with fluffy, soft pancakes. “Sure is.”

You couldn’t help the smile that graced your face, and as Bucky looked back at the pan, you stepped closer to his broad back and wrapped your arms around him. The warmth of his skin bled through his sweater and into your heart, lifting it. “Okay, ‘m up, Buck.”

“I can see that,” he said, chuckling lightly. His large hand grabbed hold of your interlocked ones, and he squeezed. “Why don’t you go in the living room? I have the troops all lined up for you.”

“But where is my baby? Where is my chocolate?” you asked, pouting into his back. “I thought you said if I got up–”

There was no mistaking the laugh that shook Bucky’s shoulders. “I did, I did. But you have to have the injection first, Sugar.” He shifted in your arms, and he turned all the way around so now he faced you. “Plus, this new little troop is guarding your chocolate–no one will come and steal it, not from them. And I promise you can have both when you’re done.”

You looked at Bucky, really looked at him. The earnest gaze he reserved just for when he looked at you warmed you from your heart outwards, and his smile, so gentle and so soft; able to bring you back together with the words they would utter, or how he kissed you with his whole being, so full of passion and unspoken words. 

“You know, babe,” you said quietly, a ghost of a breath over his lips. “I think–”

Bucky tilted his head to the side, that damned smile still on his lips. “I would say that’s dangerous, but tell me—what are you thinkin’, baby girl?”

“I think you’re my person.”

A heavy exhale left his lips. “You know, Sugar? I think you might be mine.” He kissed you then, his lips slotting over yours perfectly, as though they were made for one another. 

When he pulled away, you felt lightheaded with the happiness coursing through you, but the bubble was burst when he smirked, and said, “But this won’t stop me from doin’ your injection.”

“Ugh!”

Bucky placed his hands on your shoulders, and he guided you (ignorant of your pouting and slow gait) towards the living room. “Get comfortable for me, honey. Let’s get this over with.”

The kit for your injection lay spread on the coffee table while the couch was covered in blankets, stuffies, and packets of snacks and chocolates. Alpine was curled up on her favourite pillow; her bright eyes watching you as you walked into the living room. You automatically took a seat next to her and stroked her fur. 

Bucky sat down next to you, and then reached for the kit. You grimaced and sat still as he prepared the dose. “I hate this,” you grumbled, staring at Alpine rather than Bucky’s hands as he finished sorting the injector. “I hate it so much.”

“I know, honey, baby,” he soothed, rubbing your thigh with his hand. “I know it sucks, but you’re alright—never before have I seen such a strong woman, it’s not easy to face this and I’m not saying that just because I am a nurse.” The couch dipped as he shuffled closer, and you lifted up your sweater to reveal your tummy. “That’s it, thanks, doll. And it’s so worth it, I see how much these injections help you.” 

His fingers brushed over your skin, and then you felt the cold brush of an alcohol wipe. 

“They do help,” you agreed, a little more agitatedly than you meant to. “I just– I don’t like them,” you explained, deflating in your seat. “I–”

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Bucky soothed, sensing your agitation. “I get it. I do.” A heavy breath fell from your lips as he brought the injector close to your skin. “Okay, you ready, baby? I’ll make it quick—like I always do.”

You nodded, and took a deep breath. 

The cold plastic of the injector pressed into the skin of your belly. “Deep breath for me.” Bucky’s were eyes focused on the pen — you did so, if only a slight bit shuddered. “And, in,” he said, just as the injector cap pressed harder into the skin, followed by the prick of the needle. “Keep breathing for me, honey. You’re okay.”

The pain passed and the injector came away a moment later. A loud gasp for air caught in your throat, making your chest spasm. “I– I did it? It’s done?” you asked, blinking.

Bucky beamed at you as he held a ball of cotton to the site. “It is done, and you did it—so proud of you, Sugar.” He kissed your cheek. “Now you can have your new baby. Let me clean up and then I’ll bring ‘em out, alright?”

You watched as he replaced the kit back in its box, and picked up the rubbish left behind. “I’ll be right back.” His footsteps sounded quietly over the floorboards as he walked into the kitchen, then the clang of cupboards echoed. 

A huff of a sigh came from beside you, and you looked down at Alpine, who was already looking back up at you; her pink nose and soft eyes enchanting you once again. Her fur was soft against your palm, a soothing, grounding touch that you needed. 

“Okay, okay,” Bucky said suddenly, his voice almost a whisper. Both Alpine and you looked over at the doorway, where he was peering around the frame with just his head and shoulders visible. “Aw, aren’t my babies cute.” He looked straight at you, the veiled glee in his eyes bright. “I need you to sit back and close your eyes.” 

“That’s not suspicious at all,” you teased, but you shuffled backwards on the couch until your back rested comfortably on the cushions, and you closed your eyes. “I’m ready.”

Soft footsteps approached over the living room floor, and you could feel Bucky walking nearer, when Alpine meowed. “Shh, baby girl. I know—I know she’s gonna lose her mind.” You couldn’t help the snort that escaped at his comment, and Bucky chuckled. “Hands on your lap and facing up, Sugar.”

You did so, holding your breath in anticipation, when a soft, heavy object rested on your forearms and atop your palms. Furrowing your brows, you parted your lips to speak, when Bucky said, “You can open your eyes now, doll.”

Light flooded your vision as you opened your eyes. You saw Bucky was grinning, a boyish smile, and he glanced down pointedly. 

The utter and absolute joy that flooded you when you looked down at your lap, was unexplainable.

A dragon, white in colour, lay curled in your arms — the tip of its tail, wings, spikes, and ears were a creamy beige. It was the very plush that you had been searching for, for months now. A small bar of chocolate was nestled under its wing.

“Oh, my god,” you breathed, stunned into speechlessness. 

“Was it worth getting up and out of bed today, Sugar?” Bucky asked coyly. You looked up at him just as he moved to sit next to you. 

Tears flooded your eyes and tracked down your cheeks. “Yeah,” you managed weakly; able to ignore the dull pulse of pain at the injection site with the precious stuffie in your lap. “Thank you, Buck.”

He grinned and pulled you into his side. “Let’s get a movie going, I think your new baby needs to be introduced to your favourites, yeah?”

You nodded and sidled up closer to Bucky’s warmth, bringing your new dragon with you so he draped over Bucky’s lap, as well as yours. “Yeah.”

⠈⠂⠄ 𝐢𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐱 | 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 | 𝐚𝐨𝟑  ⠄⠂⠁

⠈⠂⠄𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭|𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 ⠄⠂⠁

[green-eyedfirework]

Dick’s head was killing him.

He focused on that, not on the cage he was trapped in or the burning sensation under his skin or his dry throat or the useless panic button on a suit Dick wasn’t wearing, because he thought—foolishly—that he wasn’t in any danger as a civilian in Gotham in broad daylight.

One year in Bludhaven, and he’d apparently lost his self-preservation instincts.

They’d gotten him in the shadows of a dark alley, drugged him before he could put up a fight, and when he’d woken up, he’d been half-naked and shivering with a thick band of leather around his throat, duct tape across his mouth, and his hands bound behind his back.

Given time, Dick would’ve been able to slip through the ties, but then they’d dragged him out of the cage, injected him with something that burned, and ziptied his ankles too before he was thrown back in.

Whatever it was, it was fast-acting, and Dick’s general apprehension at being kidnapped slid to a sharper dread when he felt the needles prickling all over his skin.  It was going from uncomfortable to unbearable faster than he would like, and since he hadn’t told anybody of his visit, this was unlikely to have a swift ending.

Bruce was also out of town, which was the whole reason he was visiting in the first place, except if Bruce was there he would’ve promptly freaked out and checked whatever subcutaneous tracker he’d installed without Dick knowing and then Batman would’ve showed up to rescue him.

Dick tried again to get a grip on the zipties.  No Batman.  No distress signal.  No one who’d suspect he was in trouble until far, far too late.

His fingers slipped, too sweaty and dangerously weak.  Dick felt like an overcooked noodle and trying to shuffle forward, closer to the bars, made the world spin around him.

Not good, something pinged in the back of his brain, as a door screeched open somewhere in the warehouse.

“—to worry, our operation should be wrapped up by the end of the week.  Security should be minor—intel says that the Bat is out of Gotham—”

“There’s always a few birds flitting around,” a low, gruff voice said.  Dick instinctively tensed.  It sounded vaguely familiar.

“Well within your capabilities I would assume, sir.”

A grunt.  The booted footsteps were echoing in the large warehouse, sounding far away.

“There was, um, a minor matter with the issue of your payment—”

“What issue.”

“A slight shortfall in liquidity, sir.  We assure you, you will be paid in full, and to compensate you for the inconvenience, we are pleased to offer you one of our specimens.”

There was a stretching silence.  Dick was beginning to feel…itchy, but rubbing his cheek against his shoulder didn’t help.

“If I wanted a goddamn sex slave, I wouldn’t get one from Gotham.”  The derisive tone sparked another note of recognition, and Dick’s head was pounding but he registered the fear.  The knowledge didn’t come with it, not with the distracting pain, all Dick knew was that he should be very, very afraid.

“These are unique,” the milder voice said.  “Cultivated to show extreme sensitivity to touch.  All have already been given our cocktail, and can be activated with a second dose.  You can choose whichever one you like.”

“Perks of the job, is it.”  The voice was sardonic.

“Given the lack of need for training, we have a surplus of supply.  As long as your demands aren’t…unreasonable, we can accommodate them.” 

His skin felt like it was buzzing.  Like there was a static field just above its surface, and no matter which way Dick twisted, it wouldn’t go away.  He couldn’t help the wordless snarl of frustration.

He was getting distracted.  He needed to get out.  Dick tried again to grip the zipties.

“How many do you have?”  The footsteps were getting closer, moving between the rows of cages.  Several were empty.  The few that were occupied had occupants slumped over or curled into a corner.  Dick could hear ragged breathing and quiet whimpers, but nothing more.

The drugs.  Extreme sensitivity to touch.  That didn’t sound like anything good.

“Twenty or so, currently.  Are you looking for anything specific?”  There was only a noncommittal hum as the two entered his row.

The cages were low to the ground and all Dick could make out was about three-quarters of their legs.  Both wore boots, both had thigh holsters, one of them was significantly more armed than the other judging by the—

Orange.

They had orange detailing on their boots.

Dick inhaled sharply.  It could just be a coincidence.  Maybe they were common boots.  Maybe they weren’t what Dick was imagining, what Dick was dreading, but it was too late, the pieces were already beginning to click into place.  The voice that Dick now recognized, the infamous color scheme, and the way the man stopped at Dick’s sudden, sharp breath.

The man crouched until he could see through the cage and Dick met a one-eyed, two-toned mask with sinking despair.

Dick held perfectly still.  Maybe he wouldn’t be recognized.  Half-naked and bare-faced was certainly not a common look of his, and his general dishevelment and the binds would contribute to the unfamiliarity.  He could not be recognized.  He didn’t even want to imagine what would happen if he was.

“Mr. Wilson?” the mild voice asked.  “Is this the one you would like?”

“Yes,” Deathstroke replied.  “Yes, he is.”

Dick had just enough presence of mind to scramble back when the cage was opened, but all his muscles seemed to be moving on a delay, and he couldn’t stop the other man from reaching in and grabbing him by the ring on his collar and dragging him out.

“It’s to keep sensation from his skin,” the man explained—Dick noticed that he was wearing gloves as he brought out a syringe.  Dick tried to writhe away but the man held him easily in place as he injected the syringe in.  “He’ll be absolutely desperate for it soon.”

Deathstroke just watched as Dick futilely cursed the man behind his gag.  This drug burned even hotter, like he’d been injected with lava, and soon Dick was trembling all over, writhing even harder with the urge to claw his skin off.

“There,” the man said, voice still mild but eyes flashing cold and cruel.  “Yours, to do with what you like.  Your shift starts at seven, you are free till then.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.”

Dick was beginning to feel lightheaded.

“I think I’ll manage to figure it out,” Deathstroke said, and there was a hand on Dick’s shoulder now.  Dick’s muscles locked up, his focus narrowed to the burning point of the warmth of the grip.

Dick wanted to run.  Dick wanted to scream.  Dick wanted to—lean further into that grip, get closer, feel more—

He went ice-cold underneath the increasingly painful heat.

Extreme sensitivity to touch.  Dick thought that meant—pain, jumping at the slightest of flinches, not this burning desire to be close to someone, a yearning, buzzing need to feel human touch.  Not something that twisted up his control until he moved easily with Deathstroke’s manhandling, looking up at the mercenary and not even trying to get free.

“This collar suits you,” Deathstroke said quietly, “little bird.”

There went Dick’s last hope that all of this was just an unpleasant coincidence.

[bumblebeerror]

i saw your post about "testosterone" puberty and while i appreciate the sentiment, i think you're wrong. and i say this as someone who is amab and went through an amab puberty.

i didn't sweat that much at all. and even when i did in summer, it was nothing a shower, soap and deodorant couldn't fix. my hair never got greasy, even when i was depressed and went for a week without showering or washing it. in fact, it was the opposite: it was unusually dry. my skin also never got oily and was always dry.

very few of my peers stinked because we practiced proper hygiene. it's your own responsibility as a teenager to clean yourself and practice proper hygiene, no matter how much testosterone you make. it's not a valid excuse to be dirty.

the reason you're sweating so much is probably because you're overdosing on testosterone. most transmascs on t take doses WAY HIGHER that what the average cis boy/man produces. the average cis boy/man has levels of 400-500, meanwhile the average ftm dosage is around 800-1000.

also, the timing of testosterone production is different. cis boys/men produce it daily (every morning), meanwhile you guys get it weekly (whenever you take your shots). so it's more evenly spread out amongst cis boys/men.

if you're bothered by the symptoms you're experiencing, you should talk to your doctor about lowering your dosage.

Oh yay unsolicited health advice

My levels are round 400 as of my last blood test, thanks though.

I’m gonna stop you right there at my injections - testosterone injections are not done into veins. They’re done intramuscularly (into a large muscle) or subcutaneously (into the layer of fat that sits under the skin). This is because injectable testosterone is oil based, because it is meant to absorb slowly through the week, similarly to how it’s produced.

Not to mention, my body also… does make testosterone. Like on its own. Not enough to masculinize me, but testosterone is a hormone that regulates things like ovarian function and bone density in afab folks. All this to say that my body knows what to do with it, and if my levels were too high, my dose would have been lessened when my blood was tested. In fact I seem to struggle to absorb it properly - I originally started on low-dose T and had to increase it because it barely raised my levels at all.

With that out of the way, I’ll address the rest;

That… doesn’t change the fact that while you personally may not have sweat much or had oily skin, a lot of my classmates the first time I had puberty did. And a lot of them were my friends, because I was the only person who didn’t treat them like dirty and gross for struggling to adapt to their bodies changing.

Going through puberty the first time for me meant almost no change in how much I sweat, stank, or how comfortable I was. A week out of the month I had to deal with smelling like blood and dealing with pads and being extremely uncomfortable - im not saying it was a breeze, but what I am saying is I didn’t have to worry about gym class leaving a smiley face in sweat on my shirt, or being unpresentable in general unless I was on my period. And even then - if someone called me on it I could always say I was on my period and people would fuck off about it. Besides that, I’m saying I didn’t have to change my hygiene as a teen whatsoever. No changes. No increase in showers. No extra deodorant.

What I experience now is similar to what I saw my friends experience, and what I saw them catch absolute hell for.

Something that I, as an adult, do have the tools and knowledge to handle. But as a child, I would have struggled immensely.

I said it before and I will say it again. Sweaty, stinky, disheveled teenage boys are learning entirely new routines in order to be presentable. They’re fucking kids, and I personally think if you make fun of kids for not being able to adjust to a change that is so huge, I think that’s pretty shitty tbh.

They deserve a break.

[knightfuryvawannabee]

Safely navigating DIY T – acquisition and health

A lot of the safety tips in terms of navigating online will come from this video, which is actually about safely navigating reproductive procedures post the overturning of Roe v Wade, but the safety advice works especially well here. If any questions are not answered here please feel free to shoot me an ask. Google Doc for easier navigation, says all the same stuff as here.

First off if you haven't already, check the transmasc guide on the DIY HRT Wiki, this post is made with the assumption you have already read that. -      General internet safety

When searching for and purchasing DIY T (especially injections), use the TOR browser with a VPN. This will keep your internet privacy as secure as possible, and the VPN will change your IP enough to make it look like it was accessed from a different location.

I personally use Proton, it’s a free VPN with an optional paid upgrade. The free version will connect you to either the US, Netherlands, or Japan.

Proton also has its own email service. Some of the sources where you can receive DIY T from may require you to make an account. I recommend using an email through Proton for this because it is end-to-end encrypted. If the site asks for a phone number just put in a repeating order of 0 to 9. 

-      Safety when purchasing T

Some sites where you can get DIY T will only allow the purchase through use of bitcoin or other forms of cryptocurrency. I know and understand we all have our thoughts on crypto and it’s use in the modern day, but unfortunately this is just how things are when navigating this.

The least scam-possible way I have seen when purchasing bitcoin, is to go through CashApp. They have an option to purchase and sell bitcoin in the app. I personally used this when buying DIY T to stock up in the case shit hits the fan. It’s pretty direct in purchasing and selling, sending is where it may get a bit tricky.

The source for DIY T listed on the DIY HRT Wiki will send you an email once you confirm your order, and you will be prompted to send the bitcoin through either a QR code or directly to a bitcoin address. I had a bit of trouble with the QR code, so what I had to do was type in the direct address. This will not bring up the company’s name, it will just allow the option when the address is fully typed.

If you are able to use a credit/debit card, what I recommend is using cash to purchase a prepaid visa and using that to order your T or otherwise online. This will make sure the transaction is not attached to your bank account.

-      Receiving T safely

I highly recommend getting your DIY T sent to a PO Box, and not your home address. The United States Postal Service is in personal experience – really secure and discrete. And even if your package does not fit in your box, you will be given a slip to take to the counter, and they will give you your package there.

When ordering, try to order from a warehouse based in your country. This is to avoid the hassle of it going through customs. But if you must order abroad, it is still very unlikely that your order will be stopped in customs. They do not open packages to check them, instead they use an x-ray machine. If your order does get stuck in customs, it’s likely because there’s an issue with paperwork, and not the order itself.

-      Administering T safely

When performing a T injection, make sure your supplies are sterile. Not just clean, sterile. Inspect the packaging of your syringes, needles, etc. If there is a tear or hole, do not use it.

For your T vials, yes, it is okay to draw from them multiple times. You can sterilize the vial by using isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) or an alcohol swab. You’re likely to not use the entire vial in one injection, so just keep it in a safe place, many even recommend keeping it refrigerated between doses.

Most if not all T vials will say to administer only via intramuscular, but you can still administer this subcutaneously. Even the vials I get through my doctor say For IM Use Only. It’s okay to administer it SubQ.

If you have trouble administering injections like I did for a while, I recommend this auto injector. You load the syringe into the device and press a button. The needle will go in and you just push the plunger down. This device is technically intended for insulin injections, but it works just fine for other injections.

My recommendation is to use an 18g needle to draw, and a 1/2in 25g needle to inject. This has left me with the least discomfort and uneasiness with injecting.

-      Blood work

If you’re on T, it’s recommended you get your labwork done at least every 3 months.

As someone who’s been given the run around in the medical field for reasons unrelated to my transition, I forever recommend ordering labs from Request a Test. This is something that is very common to do, I even ordered my own ANA test when I had to get other labs done for my work. Request a Test does not take insurance unless it’s through an HSA card. When ordering from RaQ, you will be prompted to select which LabCorp or QuestDirect facility you want the order sent to. I personally recommend LabCorp, especially considering the QuestDirect Testosterone test is only available for males. 

You will want to order at a minimum, a T level total test or a T level free test, and a CBC and CMP. The CBC is to help check for polycythemia, and CMP is to help check your liver function.

If you are worried about you ordering your T levels and that being found out, you can also order an at home testosterone test kit. The blood samples are collected through lancets similar to what is used by diabetic patients.

-      Acquiring T gel

Unfortunately there are not a whole lot of sources to get T gel from. But that does not mean they do not exist.

I personally have been using this brand called Androgenesis in between my injections, and it has been working really well. I take 50mg of T every two weeks, and when I got my bloodwork done recently my levels were >400, even when it’s really close to my next shot day.

You can order Androgenesis either directly from their site, or you can order it off of amazon. NOTE, that the standard formula on amazon can not be sent to a PO Box or amazon locker, because the site classifies it as a “potentially dangerous substance”. However the enhanced formula can be sent to a PO box or amazon locker and it works the exact same way.

Another site is Predator Nutrition (odd name but bear with me).

I am still waiting for my order, but I’d recommend either their EpiAndrogel or their Alpha Gel depending on which one is in stock at time of purchasing.

I also recommend keeping an eye out on Need2BuildMuscle. Their gel is currently out of stock, but from what I’ve seen it works quite similarly to AndroGel.

As of 08/02/2024 (Aug. 2nd), I did find sources for packets of 1% Androgel, which you can find here and here

Please note the brand name Androgel sources are ones I unfortunately have not been able to verify personally so please proceed at your own discretion, but the sources *are* listed on hrtcafe.net.

-      Who to tell?

No one *. If you doctor doesn’t know you’re on DIY T, do not bring it up. Don’t go talking about it all willy-nilly in the grocery store or whatnot.

*The exception is paramedics. If you are having a medical emergency, it’s probably a good idea to tell any emergency medical provider that you’re on testosterone so they can treat you properly. Remember, tell the cops nothing, tell the ambulance everything. The people on the ambulance are there to save your life, and I can guarantee they’ve dealt with circumstances far more severe than someone self-administering a specific hormonal medication. I say this as someone who’s on first aid at their place of work – and had to patch someone's hand after they were injured when I worked retail. 

tagging @mythical-moonlight

[mint-and-authoress]

Slime HRT - First Step (Part Two)

“…and this last drug is Vasopressin, which is a standard water retention drug. Usually patients are plagued by constant thirst on this regimen, so we’ve started to prescribe this to combat it.”

This owl sure knew his stuff.

The appointment had gone perfectly, all things considered. After securing a follow-up appointment for a month in the future, Elise was walking out of the clinic with a copy of her prescription. Some of these medicines were vaguely familiar – she’d heard of salicylic acid in a chemistry class – but some of these drugs were of a fantastical nature. Myochitinase, homolipastat? These weren’t real things. You couldn’t get slime estradiol at a pharmacy.

Though…was there much use in thoughts like those anymore? She was in a city that didn’t exist, drawn by a promise from a made up company, and had been prescribed four different make-believe drugs by a six-foot-four bird in a labcoat. Reality had been blurred in the past four-ish hours, so maybe it was time to accept what she had just been given.

Plus, it wasn’t as though this city was strictly human, either. Granted, that was a majority of the population, but there were others who didn’t fit the label, not by any sense. Dragons, centaurs, other creatures of myth, and just about any kind of animal in the kingdom. Even things outside of animals, evident by the occasional dryad(?) that happened to pass her by.

Though, in spite of it all, no slimes. They could’ve just been inside, it was something like 85 degrees even here in the city. Which begged the question: what was going to change as the changes began and progressed? She’d done her research, and had asked around for advice, but the unfortunate truth was that slimes were a bit rare in this world of exotic creatures and their transspecies equivalents.

Basically, fat chance that Elise would meet someone like herself.

Such thoughts were muted as the day went on. The pharmacy in the city had the set of drugs she was in search of, and was able to set up a delivery schedule for her refills. Her medicines all looked uncannily similar to her existing HRT, but Elise could not deny that something was different about the drugs themselves, and it was hard not to describe them as ‘slimy.’

‘Well,’ she thought later that night as she took her first dose, ‘here goes nothing.’

PART TWO PART TWO GET YOUR COPY NOW

So I didn't do as much writing as part 1 (damn you writers block ;~;) so instead!!! Information Pamphlet!!

Human Replacement Therapy for Transspecies Slimefolk

Drug #1 - Myochitinase: 1mL intramuscular injection once weekly

The primary drug in slime human replacement therapy. The drug chemically changes the present myocytes (muscle cells) into chitin. Effects include increased translucence and thinning of skin, decreased muscle mass to make way for gel matrix mass, and decreased resistance to illness due to increased permeablility of the skin. 

Drug #2 - Homolipastat: 100mg gel capsules once daily

The auxiliary drug in slime HRT. Similar in concept to human feminising HRT drug spironolactone and its alternatives, where homolipastat is utilised in preventing the reproduction of present myocetes. Further decreases muscle mass during conversion of muscle to gel matrix.

Drug #3 - Salicylic Acid: 30g ointment tube once weekly

Non-specific drug used to assist in the breakdown of skin cells in preparation for conversion to surface membrane.

Drug #4 - Vasopressin: 1 μL subcutaneous injection once daily

Optional antidiuretic used for water retention during initial stages of transition.

Affirming Treatments for Transspecies Slimefolk

Slime Stem Cell Therapy - Advised after one year of medical transition

Regular series of stem cell injections promoting transformation of organs to a core. Treatment includes pain relief and at-home assistance is strongly recommended.

Pigment Alteration Therapy - Optional as medical transition progresses

Pigment drugs such as melanin or other compounds may be started to change the colour of the individual later on in transition.

I LOVE YOU ALL STAY SLIMY :3 :3 :3

[dragonbleps]

gave dad his first injection. uh. hated that btw

he was fine but i suddenly realized i didn't really know what i was doing bc the instructions didn't help. it says "subcutaneous or intravenous" while im pretty sure the doctor said intramuscular?? It had a short needle so just. poked it in all the way?

it said "single dose" so i just injected all of it?? because nothing said not to??

mom says if it was more complicated they wouldn't let us just do it at home without better instructions but idk man

[sfwtoddfoxglove]

So, I just did my first testosterone injection and I have some thoughts.

(tw for discussion of syringes, injections, and medical stuff)

So, when I got my HRT prescription from planned parenthood telehealth, and while my appointment went was easy enough, they didn't listen to me and actually messed up my prescription. They asked me if I had a preference between intramuscular or subcutaneous injections, and I specifically told them that I was familiar with subcutaneous injections and have given them to myself before, but I am freaked out by the idea of giving myself a deep injection with a big needle into my muscle.

Guess which one I'm prescribed?

Technically, I was prescribed the intramuscular only formula and intramuscular needles, but the testosterone label incorrectly says "inject subcutaneously".

So of course, I was freaking the fuck out. Pissed. "I'm gonna have to call them. I'm gonna need a new appointment. I'm gonna have to wait!"

My partner popped his head up from his video. "I know how to do those."

I kinda didn't believe him, but it turns out that he knew what he was talking about, so he kinda psyched me up and had me pull down my boxers, and he put it in my ass (pun intended). It didn't hurt, it just felt like pressure more than anything else.

My partner put an orange bandaid on it. It was easy.

Now here comes the good part 😁

[mysticetus]

on the topic of diy hrt as ive seen it going around the dash a few times, i want to offer what i can in terms of help as i got on hrt in secret while still living with my parents. i cant give advice for paths i didnt take (getting the hrt itself online) but i can detail the process i experienced so you know what to expect if you pursue.

i highly recommend seeing if there is a planned parenthood in your area and if it offers gender affirming hormone therapy. i had a couple things that made this an option for me that may be barriers for others - i was over 18, and they do not offer informed consent to minors. i also had a job that allowed me to pay for the visit and the prescription. lastly i forced myself to learn how to drive so i could get to the planned parenthood and the pharmacy.

for cost, i recommend checking beforehand if planned parenthood accepts your insurance. They did not accept mine so i had to pay out of pocket for the appointment. Luckily they have a sliding scale system that charges based on your monthly income. The amount changes (and this may vary by region as well), so you can call them for a cost estimate. As someone going for testosterone, my visits have cost between $39 and $63 out of pocket.

For me getting HRT occurred in 2 phases: A telehealth call where they told me about the effects of HRT and then had me digitally sign an informed consent form. And then an in-person visit to my local PP office to get my blood pressure and hemoglobin (finger prick) checked. I then walked out with a T prescription.

For bloodwork, planned parenthood offers this service as well but it was a “strongly recommended but not required” option for me. I did eventually get my levels tested through PP but it cost me ~$40 because of lack of insurance. i later learned i could get my bloodwork done for free at quest diagnostics, for which PP sent in an order that automatically went into quest’s system and all i had to do was make an appointment online filed under “all other tests” … in my area quest can be found in grocery stores. I recommend looking into quest for bloodwork if your insurance would cover it.

Estrogen and progesterone are not controlled substances (often used in birth control), but testosterone is since it can be abused as a steroid. so if you are pursuing T this may present challenges - in my experience it makes it hard for me to change pharmacies without calling planned parenthood first, and you need to present ID when picking it up.

At first i swore by gel and not injectable because i was afraid of accessing needles, and i used goodrx coupons to get gel at a reasonable price. I do not recommend this as it is not sustainable, goodrx coupons are great but always changing. Unfortunately if you do diy hrt you are probably going to be doing injections. i tried for several months to get gel in a sustainable way but the only way i was able to do this was when i had insurance that would cover it (which i since lost access to).

You can get needles and syringes in bulk (100 for like $10) on amazon. Your prescription will probably include an order of needles and syringes but pharmacies are generally not awesome to get them through, because they tend to cost more and be out of stock…. for subq i use 25g 5/8” needles to INJECT, and 18g 1.5” needles to DRAW. i use 1 ml syringes with a LUER LOCK. make sure the needles and syringes have the same locking mechanism so they can connect to each other. the alternative to a luer lock is a slip tip, which you do not want.

Even though on the bottle it says INTRAMUSCULAR USE ONLY, i and many other trans people do subcutaneous as the needles are smaller and less painful. “subq” injects into the layer of fat beneath the skin and releases the hormones slower over time. I personally inject into my stomach in the area below my belly button - i pinch the fat and inject at a 90° angle. there are detailed videos on how to do a subcutaneous self injection on youtube, and here is planned parenthood's guide.

if you are scared of needles, i am too - i used to black out when i had to get a shot. i can say that subcutaneous rarely hurts and its definitely tolerable to me. i know its freaky to inject into your stomach but the fat layers there make it pretty painless. if you pinch your fat your nerves focus on the pressure your fingers are making, and as long as you hold the needle like a dart and inject quickly you barely notice it.

For questions i recommend looking on reddit. there are many subreddits dedicated to DIY hrt as well as logistical questions in the context of navigating pharmacies and doctors. And, i am always happy to offer what help i can.

[devildom-moss]

"Let me do this for you." (Solomon Injection Comfort)

Solomon offers to give you your HRT injections when you show a bit of hesitation. Just a bit of fluff for my trans readers. (It's gender neutral so this works for trans men, trans women, and nonbinary people) I hope you like it! 🩵🩷🤍🩷🩵

(Solomon x trans!MC) (intimate, but could be read as platonic) (SFW)

Word Count: +1,300

Solomon had been right alongside you at the Demon Lord’s Castle when you told Diavolo that you wanted access to hormonal medication in the Devildom. It went much easier than you hoped, but it was still a comfort to have him there. He even held your hand.

You expected his support to stop there, but it didn’t. Solomon waited outside of the office during your consultation with the human doctor Diavolo employed to ensure you and Solomon would have adequate healthcare. When you were cleared for your prescription, Solomon went with you to the pharmacy to pick up your medication and supplies.

The doctor had informed you that the needle for your intramuscular injection would be larger than for subcutaneous ones, but they wanted to start with IM and see how you reacted to it. They also warned that injections would take a bit longer – due to the consistency of the hormones. Unfortunately, they didn’t show you a sample of the needle they prescribed for you.

When you and Solomon got home from the pharmacy, you decided now was as good of a time as any for your first dose. You pulled out your supplies. The syringe needle was intimidating. Despite the doctor having told you how to give yourself the injection at the office, when you stared at the needle that was supposed to go into you – which was, luckily, slightly smaller than the needle used to draw out your medication – suddenly, everything left your mind. The color drained from your face.

“Are you okay?” Solomon asked.

“Yeah.” You tried to sound nonchalant, but you couldn’t cover up the nervousness.

Solomon crossed his arms and let out a soft sigh. He took the bottle from your hands and smiled at you sweetly. “Do you want to change into shorts or just take off your pants?”

You knew what he was suggesting, but the words still flustered you. Besides, it wasn’t every day that a cute sorcerer asked you to take off your pants. That kind of stuff shocks people.

You left him to change into a pair of shorts; maybe next time, if your comfort levels allowed it, you would take your pants off in front of him. You were home, after all.

When you returned, Solomon sat you down on the couch. All your supplies were laid out on the side table. Solomon excused himself to wash his hands. He came back with a Ruri-chan themed bandage. You couldn’t hold back a self-deprecating laugh. This was so embarrassing.

“Are you sure you want to do this for me? I can do it. I just want to double check that I’m doing it right first.” You pulled out your D.D.D. and started to unlock it, but Solomon put his hand over your thigh and squeezed slightly.

“I promise it’s alright. I can do this – I want to do this. The doctor gave me a pamphlet with all the instructions, and I watched multiple instructional videos from nurses, doctors, and people who inject hormones into themselves. Just trust me with this.”

And you did.

Even after weeks of injections, Solomon hadn’t let you down, yet. The only thing that had changed was that you decided it was more comfortable to take your injections in your room. So, every few days, Solomon sat you down in your bed and started the process. By now, you were getting used to it. Sure, the needle was still a little bit intimidating, but you were confident that you could do it yourself if you had to.

“Solomon,” you started as you sat on your bed in your underwear, “I can do it this time.”

“Please,” Solomon stroked your cheek gently, “let me do this for you.”

“But –” you called out to Solomon as he stepped into the bathroom attached to your room to wash his hands. The way he smiled at you when he returned dammed the protest up in your throat. You swallowed it back down. “Alright. Thank you.”

Solomon pulled the cap on the hormones off to the side and set it down. Then, he disinfected it with an alcohol wipe. As he waited for it to dry, Solomon attached the larger needle to the syringe and added some air. He pierced the vial, turned it upside down, injected the air into it, and drew in your exact dose. Something about how intensely he stared at the syringe reminded you of the concentration he held when he was studying or working on an experimental potion – grave and careful. His handsome face was calm as the medication slowly drained, and you couldn’t help but wonder why doing this was so important to him. When he hit the right dosage fill line, Solomon turned to face your gaze. In response to your prodding stare, he gave you an innocent grin that brought heat to your cheeks. Solomon, then, discarded the needle in your sharps bin and secured your injection needle.

By now, Solomon had memorized the area on your thigh that he needed to inject, but as he gently rubbed an alcohol wipe over the spot, you remembered the shyness you had felt the first few times. Solomon had asked you to put your hand at the top of your thigh before he placed his hand just above your knee – locating the middle third and then the outer half. His hands were so warm then.

With the alcohol fully dried, Solomon stretched your skin. He looked up at you and asked, “You know the drill, right?”

“Cough after the countdown,” you affirmed the process. You weren’t sure where Solomon had heard that trick, and it sounded kind of silly when he first asked you to cough, but for some reason, it didn’t really hurt when you tried it. You didn’t know why. Maybe it was just a good distraction or maybe it was a placebo. Either way, you kept with the process.

“Wonderful.” Solomon gave you an approving smile. “Now, 3, 2, 1.”

You coughed as he jabbed the needle straight down. Solomon aspirated the syringe to check for blood, but you were clear. Thank goodness. The only time that happened, Solomon had to get a new needle and you had to go through the process again in a different spot. Solomon slowly pushed the medication in before he pulled the needle out. A speck of blood pooled up at the injection sight, and he cleaned it for you.

“There we are,” Solomon added. He started to gently massage your thigh. Why was he so sweet to you during such mundane moments? Still massaging your leg, Solomon looked up at you and opened his mouth. There was some hesitation – as if he wasn’t sure if he should let the words out. Maybe he was too honest when it came to you because he gave them life. “I’m grateful that love is not some fleeting emotion that withers in your heart. Instead, like this, you inject it with an appropriate dose consistently. It’s coursing through you – a part of you, helping you become the person you are. I don’t want you to ever stop feeling cherished.”

“Solomon.” His name was the only thing that pushed through the initial shock.

“You know, the love you’ve given me has helped me become the person I am now. Let me return the favor.”

“Is that why you’ve been so insistent?”

“I guess so. I just want you to know that you’re loved and cared for every step of the way. It’s sort of intimate, too, isn’t it? I’m proud to be the one who can do this for you.” Solomon’s cheeks burned, and he averted his gaze to your bare thigh. He almost couldn’t believe that he was able to admit that.

“If you could cook without killing me, I would marry you right now,” you muttered to yourself.

“What was that?” Solomon looked up at you quizzically.

“Nothing. Love you. Appreciate you. Stay out of the kitchen, and I’ll love you even more.”

“I think you’d love me more if you’d let me cook for you – if it’s even possible to love me anymore than you do now, right?” Solomon chuckled.

No.

[macgyvermedical]

Probably Bad Advice, But Good to Know if You Use Needles:

Are you someone who self-injects a medication that doesn't come in a pre-loaded syringe? A trans guy on T perhaps? Someone who uses insulin?

Let me ask you a question you probably haven't been asked before: Do you like your needle?

I have been on testoterone for 9 years now. I have used almost all the needles. I'm also a nurse, so not only have I used them on myself, but I've used them on other people. I teach a class of people how to use them at least once per month.

I have preferences.

So I want to arm you with information about the types of needles available to you and how to get them if you want something different than you currently have.

Aspects of the Needle:

Gauge: Gauge is the "thickness" of the needle. Larger numbers mean a smaller size needle. For example, a 14-gauge is horrifyingly large, while 36 is so teeny you can barely see it.

You may think you always want the smallest needle, but what you really want is the smallest needle your medication can easily pass through. I once injected penicillin G into someone with a 25 gauge and it took over a minute. Horrible experience, 0/10. Insulin is really thin, though, and can go through a 30 or 32-gauge pretty easily.

The smallest size for testosterone or other hormones packed in cottonseed oil I'd recommend would be a 25-gauge. I have had pharmacists argue with me that I couldn't possibly inject testosterone through this small of a needle. But I have never had a problem with it.

Length: The ideal length depends on where you want the medication to end up. Generally, people who self-inject are trying to get medication into either fat (subcutaneous) or muscle (intramuscular). If you're injecting into fat you typically want a shorter needle (1/2-5/8th inch).

If you're injecting into muscle, take into account how much fat you have on the part of your body you're injecting into. You need a needle that can get through that fat and also get into the middle of the muscle. Someone of average body composition needs at least a 1-inch needle to get through their fat and into their muscle. Someone with little fat might only need a 5/8th inch. Someone with a lot of fat might need up to 3 inches of needle to get to their muscle. You probably want the shortest one that will do the job.

Syringe: The syringe is the actual plastic barrel and plunger setup that attaches to the needle. A lot of times these come apart from the needle by twisting- this is usually either a proprietary twist or a more universal connection called a luer-lok. The size of the syringe is based on the volume of medication you're injecting. Most doses that are a half-milliliter or more can get away with a standard 3-mL syringe. These are super easy to find.

If you're injecting less than half a milliliter, I'd ask for a u-100 insulin syringe. They break the milliliter down into 100ths, which lets you dose with extreme precision. If you take 0.45mls, it's a LOT easier to dose this in a u-100 insulin syringe than it is a 3-mL syringe.

Safety features: I am all for safety features if I'm using needles on someone else. Safety features include plastic pieces that cover the needles, or springs that pull the needle into the syringe after the plunger has been completely depressed. They let you get the needle from the patient to the sharps bin safely without accidentally stabbing anyone.

But if you're self-injecting and like to re-use your needles (which is not necessarily a bad thing as long as you do not share), they can be a pain in the butt. A lot of time, unless you specifically only use your needles one time, you're going to want ones without the safety. You just have to remember to keep your needles in a place where no one else will come into contact with them, preferably stored in isopropyl alcohol and air dried thoroughly before use. If you use them more than about 4 times they will get dull and painful, jsyk. And you need to pay special attention to cleaning your skin and the vial top carefully with isopropyl before use- scrub for 15 seconds, then let dry for 30 before running the needle through either skin or the rubber stopper. If you don't take these precautions you run the risk of getting an abscess at your injection site.

If you have the kind of safety that flips up over the needle, you can easily remove this prior to injecting just by moving it back and forth perpendicular to the syringe. It should snap off but still allow the needle cover to be replaced (which you'll want if you store your needles because it keeps them clean and sharp). The ones that suck in the needle basically you just need to get a different one. These suck in more ways than one.

Asking for Needles:

Let's say after reading this that you want to try a new needle. I will tell you right now that your doctor clicks the first needle on the drop down list unless you specify. I swear it is not weird to be like "hey, I know you wrote for a 20-gauge last time but that's a huge needle and I'd like to try a 25 instead." They probably don't know they wrote for a 20-gauge. They probably don't know what a 20-gauge looks like. You can also say something to the effect of "the safety features keep tripping when I'm drawing up my medication, and then I can't use it. Can you order a luer-lok syringe/needle combo instead?"

Eventually, you'll find the ideal combo for you. Mine is a 25-gauge, 1-inch insulin syringe with a luer-lok coupling that I use to inject 0.45mL of testosterone. I use a 20-gauge to draw up the testosterone and can easily switch the 25-gauge onto it before injecting.

According to my doctor, these do not exist, so I generally have her prescribe whatever she feels is right but then buy my needles directly from the pharmacy. Some pharmacies need a specific prescription for the needle you want, while others are fine with selling you the needles you want as long as you have a prescription for any needles, and some will sell them to you over the counter without a prescription of any kind. Shop around for the pharmacy willing to sell you a needle. At my pharmacy they're like $0.30/each but I only use one per month-ish.

[kalamity-jayne]

heya! baby-ish tgirl here. i've been on E since dec now (current regimen 6mg E sublingual/100mg spiro per day). anyway i have a nasty needle phobia but i also really kinda want to switch to injections and i think i might be stubborn enough to overcome it. what do you think? worth doing?

Well, I'm not an endocrinologist, and this is very much a conversation you should be having with one. With that caveat out of the way though I'd say it depends. First of all, if you're Estrogen levels and testosterone levels are in the ideal ranges and you're feeling good about the results you’ve been seeing thus far, I would say there's no real reason to make that change. If you’re levels are good and your mostly satisfied but just want to get a lil extra juice out of your regimen, you may want to consider just adding in Progesterone.

Many trans women swear by injectable but obviously there's nuances here. The old axiom "your mileage may vary" absolutely applies. The big advantage you have with injectable estrogen is that you bypass the stomach and the liver and thus you don't have to worry as much about how much estrogen is actually available for your body to use or your body's receptors' ability to bind to the estrogen. When I first started I took oral estrogen, but it was really challenging to get my T and E levels in the correct ranges (for context I had incredibly high levels of testosterone before HRT, even by cis male standards). After trying a few different dosages of Estradiol and Spiro (and eventually progesterone as well) and still not getting the levels right, I made the switch to injectable. Once I made the switch it felt like I was cooking with gas. So I very well may have been one of those people who wasn't effectively binding to the estrogen taken orally.

The main disadvantage to injectable estrogen is really just the needles if you’re someone who feels nervous about that. Now with injectable there’s two formats, intramuscular and subcutaneous. Both are equally effective, the only big difference between the two is that intramuscular comes with a slight risk of scarring. Both are pretty easy, and you’ll get the hang of it fairly quickly. As far as avoiding pain and scarification my main advice is: 1. don’t do your injections when you are tired, in a rush, inebriated, or under any other condition that might cause your hand to be less than steady and 2. Be swift with the needle.

Another big difference, that is neither better or worse just different, is that your hormone levels will fluctuate differently. When you take hormones orally, you get your initial E spike and it tapers off over the course of the day, which is why you generally take two doses per day. With injectable you get your initial estrogen spike after injecting, and it slowly tapers off over the course of the week until your next does (this is why it's recommended you get your bloodwork done halfway between doses). So if/when you make the switch, you may experience some mild mood swings (not everyone does though, I only experienced noticeable mode swings during the first 3 months of progesterone) and you may experience a few other signs of hormonal fluctuation such as mild non-inflammatory acne on the sides of your nose (if you experience this talk to your end, you may need the dosage adjusted and definitely re-evaluate your skin-care routine as you may need to start treating the nose with salicylic acid).

Now there are a few other delivery methods to consider, such as the Patch and the Pellet, but I don't know as much about them so I'm not as comfortable speaking on them.

I hope that info is helpful baby-girl! But definitely take all of that with a grain of salt and go talk to an actual endocrinologist!

Love,

🌷Mother Calamity🌷

[badaxefamily]

I have a very rare disease, hooray! Under a cut in case I ramble, not for content warning. I won't be talking about anything explicit.

It's official: I have hypophosphatasia, which is a genetic mutation that causes a deficiency of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) which is used for building bones and metabolizing vitamin B6 into energy, among other things.

Ever since I started getting my lab results mailed to me as an adult, I've had low ALP. But most doctors either only know about the more severe infantile form of HPP, or they don't know about it at all. So it's understandable that they always wrote something like "Low ALP isn't a concern", because most doctors only look for high ALP (which indicates liver problems). I'm accustomed to doing research into medical things, but even I didn't have reason to suspect HPP because most of the information (at least in the past) focused on the severe form.

I didn't look hard enough. Childhood-onset HPP is a thing and it isn't fatal, just painful and annoying. And that's what I have. The signs were there as a kid: disliking standing, finding it easier to walk than stand, difficulty with stairs, "growing pains", less energy and muscle strength than my peers. But none severe enough to catch the attention of teachers or pediatricians. In the US you can only get treatment if symptoms presented before 18 (adult-onset is also a thing but the FDA doesn't care about those people*), so when I was gathering data for the endocrinologist I thought back to my childhood for anything out of the ordinary. One memory that stood out to the doctor and my case managers was the time my classmate broke his leg in fourth grade. He had crutches, and - as our rural school somehow managed to be fairly progressive and inclusive in 1993 - he chose to allow the rest of us to try them, so we could have empathy for him. When I tried them, I remember feeling relief. I though this was cool, there was less weight on my legs but I could still move! It did not occur to me that that isn't a normal thing for a ten-year-old to think. I think it was the pharmacy case manager that went "OH" at this memory.

So HPP is at least a major contributor to my ongoing struggles with chronic fatigue and weakness. It may not be the only one, but it needs to be treated even if only to protect my bones as I get older. ALP is needed to metabolize vitamin B6 as well as make bones though, and Strensiq (a lab-created form of ALP) is known to break down B6. It's so good at it in fact that you can't really get a B6 blood test to be accurate if you're on Strensiq, because the drug will keep eating the B6 in the vial! So we're hopeful that Strensiq will make me feel better, even though it's really made with people with soft bones in mind. The fact that I haven't broken a bone going up the stairs like many people do may make it difficult to get Medicare to approve the prescription. Thankfully, not only am I perfectly willing to fight about it, I have a team to fight alongside me. HPP is so rare that the manufacturer and pharmacy for Strensiq have enough resources to assign each patient case managers to assist with everything from insurance to learning about the drug and how to take it (it's a subcutaneous injection), and also there's Soft Bones, the largest patient advocacy group for HPP in the US. I've already touched base with them and they're standing ready to assist if needed.

Also Alexion sent me this frickin adorable kids' book with the information packet:

*Forgot the note I was going to add about this. The reason the FDA doesn't authorize Strensiq for adult-onset is probably because studies didn't show as dramatic an improvement for adults compared to kids. But I think that's stupid. For one thing the disease is rare so studies are always small and there aren't very many of them. For another, of course the improvement in kids is more dramatic, their disease is more severe. Japan is the only country that allows Strensiq for adult-onset, as far as I'm aware.

[asoftgoth]

i do subcutaneous e injections so im always worried theyll somehow go deeper than my fat and im just looking at ur belly like omg if i had that i wouldnt worry at all 🥰🥰🥰

LMAO I do intramuscular e injections and its something I think about quite a bit hahaha

I have to use pretty long needles lol

[mandana-the-service-pup]

⚠️ TW: injections, needles, self-injection of medication⚠️

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I chose to do my first Methotrexate injection today. Most of my appointments get scheduled for the beginning of the week. Doing it on a Thursday night would give me a few days to deal with the symptoms and Hubbins would be more available to help.

Today was also our 11th anniversary (😱) and it was really sweet to start the next phase of my health journey on such a special day with my best friend cheering me on (even if he chickened out and couldn’t watch me do it lol) The actual subcutaneous injection is not bad at all. I used to do intramuscular injections on myself and I have hardly any muscle so that was a real challenge. I had to have Hubbins do it the first time and he hit the bone. Self-injecting didn’t seem so bad after that 😭