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Absorption of testosterone. Leg or thigh?

oldschoolbean

oldschoolbean

Member
Doctor seems to think I'm not getting good absorption of testosterone when I inject in the thigh. So he's ordered me to start taking the shot in the hip. Anyone else ever had a absorption problem?
 
That is actually an interesting thought. I am not sure, but I have always been able to keep e2 under control fairly easy and my in-between shot test level doesn't fluctuate much, so there may be something to that.
 
I'm not too sure you're going to have much success with that. I can't see the different site making a large enough difference to the kinetics from an already established steady state concentration.

It sounds silly that a different site would even vary the kinetics of a depot- however there is actually some evidence. I stumbled across it a little while back when I read the unusual guidelines for initiating a long acting schizophrenia depot injection medication and looked up the research trying to find some justification for it.
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As demonstrated- the changes in injection sites (AUC and cMAX < deltoid vs gluteal) could only really be exploited during the initiation- and irrelevant after steady state kinetics are achieved.
 
So in reality, it isn't all that silly and in long esthers could be a difference. After posting that, I am curious why you would say there may not be much luck?

Fwiw- my endo said to only do glute shots when I asked about this years ago. Don't know if anything has changed, but it works well.
 
kisaj said:
So in reality, it isn't all that silly and in long esthers could be a difference. After posting that, I am curious why you would say there may not be much luck? Fwiw- my endo said to only do glute shots when I asked about this years ago. Don't know if anything has changed, but it works well.
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Using the above medication as reference- the monthly injections do not have the kinetics changed between administration sites after steady state is reached- so it could be inferred that another medication that forms depot and has a shorter half life shouldn't either.

I'm assuming the OP has used testosterone for longer than a couple of months. I guess if the intervals between administration were too long (ie dropping blood levels well out of therapeutic range) steady state might not be achieved and the difference in kinetics between sites could have significant effects.
 
I'm semi new on the TRT'S . I wasn't getting very good results with injection in the leg. Hopefully the new location will achieve better results. My indo never showed me how to inject in the office when I first started. so I had to learn off of YouTube. After reminding him of that last Tuesday they had me come in and the lady showed me how to do it in the backside.
 
New to forum and 48. I am curious about trt. I have not been tested but suspect its low. How does one get a doctor to prescribe trt injection versus topicals or another form? Also, are the doses high enough to increase muscle growth beyond what I am achieving naturally? Thanks.
 
What size pin did you use and how lean are you?
Also did you keep or change pin size for VG injections?
 
DB1219 said:
New to forum and 48. I am curious about trt. I have not been tested but suspect its low. How does one get a doctor to prescribe trt injection versus topicals or another form? Also, are the doses high enough to increase muscle growth beyond what I am achieving naturally? Thanks.
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You need to go get labs and not just total test, you need full hormone and CBC w/lipids. Provided you are low, then you can evaluate whether lifestyle changes/improvements may help, but at 48, you are likely a candidate from the start. You will need to discuss with your doc/endo about the best approach as there are pros and cons to each. Most like injection for the convenience.

As far as muscle growth- yes, you will see improvement as well as overall body comp improvement, fat loss, and recovery. However, you won't see astronomical results with regards to muscle growth until you move outside of physiological levels and that is not the purpose of TRT. Of course, if you get on self injections, you can always look to run little "cycles" without concern about PCT.
 
Thanks for the reply. I don't want to hijack oldschools original post, but I was wondering. My doc will probably be clueless about what panel to run and trt in general.
 
I'm 42 years young! I first went to my primary care doctor and ask him to test my testosterone level. Told him about some issues I was having and that's why was wondering. Labs came back at only 49. He put me on the gels and retest me a few months later. The highest the Gel got me up to was around 200. So he sent me to an endocrinologist who intern had me get a MRI . My pituitary is not producing LH and FSH with a small spot on the pituitary. So here I am now trying to find the sweet spot. Because leg injections isn't working out.
 
DB1219 said:
Thanks for the reply. I don't want to hijack oldschools original post, but I was wondering. My doc will probably be clueless about what panel to run and trt in general.
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Feel free to IM me if you want any guidance or info.
 
Site location shouldn't matter, so long as it's a large muscle area, and goes at least 3/4 of an inch into the muscle. The shoulder is a great site IMO, because it's almost impossible to screw up.
 
mrmojorisin said:
Site location shouldn't matter, so long as it's a large muscle area, and goes at least 3/4 of an inch into the muscle. The shoulder is a great site IMO, because it's almost impossible to screw up.
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Why 3/4"? I inject less than 5/8" into my quad, but I have no fat there, just skin covering muscle. I think injection site matters depending on the density of veins in the area. Injection into my quad with a 5/8" needle hits me faster than an injection into my glute with a 1" needle. Is there a reason you should inject deep muscle instead of shallow muscle? Or is that just your preference?
 
I do prefer having a deep shot, and using an inch and a half needle if going the hip or buttock, and an inch needle for shoulder, or quad. Mine tend to go in a good half to 3/4 of an inch. I was actually referring more to his question about the hip or buttock, because of the larger adipose covering the muscle. 5/8 does seems a little shallow for the hip/buttock area. 5/8 depth for the quad, and shoulder would be fine. I like to go 3/4, but if it works for you, then that's great.
 
My endocrinologist as me injecting in the butt because my last test showed that I was not getting the absorption that I should with injecting in the leg... Personally I didn't think there would be that much of a difference in location , so that is why I posted the question. I do appreciate everyone's feedback!
 
How sore is the muscle after the injection? Reading this post makes me think you would have to avoid working that part until the soreness was gone, or you do just man up and fight through it?
 
There is no soreness when injecting into the glute. A 25g will pinch while breaking the surface of the skin and then it's nothing.
 
Well that's good news! I have diabetic pet and I give him 2 injects a day. The syringe says 29g. Is that similar to a 25g or is that a lot smaller? Sorry for the newbie questions.
 
The larger the number, the smaller the gauge. 25g is about as small as you can go with an oil. I've tried with a 29g and it just takes forever to come out and efficiency is king when you are injecting.
 
oldschoolbean said:
My endocrinologist as me injecting in the butt because my last test showed that I was not getting the absorption that I should with injecting in the leg... Personally I didn't think there would be that much of a difference in location , so that is why I posted the question. I do appreciate everyone's feedback!
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Then where was the oil going??
Absorption shouldn't matter from site to site. Hell even SubQ injects work.
Sounds like your endo just didn't want to bump your dose and is looking to get you in for more and more bloodwork and office visits.
 
You want to rotate sites between shoulders, quads, ventral hip area, and buttocks. Normally the more often an area is pinned the less painful it becomes. For me, what little pain I've had usually starts the day after, and is gone within 72 hours post injection.
 
Diabetics usually go with a 29 gauge or a "slin-pin", but with an oil based medication like testosterone you will typically go between a 21 to 25 gauge pin. I prefer a 22, just because I like to actually feel it ;)
 
5/8th 25g quad pin and no pip to mention at all. If your getting pip from TRT dose of test your doing it wrong. Lol
 
Exactly. Most endos and internist will want to test everything out repeatedly instead of just upping your dosage, or treating your condition. Uros are better, and a HRT doc is the best to go with if you have thos options.
 
I pull with 18 and inject 25 and from from beginning to end I am done in 30 sec. I have no clue why someone would want to inject with a larger pin other than masochism.
 
For me, this is what my script was for, and my insurance covers. I have no pain or issues whatsoever using a 22g pin. I think pellets would be considered masochism though.
 
kisaj said:
I pull with 20 and inject 25 and from from beginning to end I am done in 30 sec. I have no clue why someone would want to inject with a larger pin other than masochism.
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my first endo (who was a moron) started me on 20g, and I thought it was normal lol I also pull with 20 and inject with 25. Around 30 seconds as well
 
kisaj said:
So in reality, it isn't all that silly and in long esthers could be a difference. After posting that, I am curious why you would say there may not be much luck?

Fwiw- my endo said to only do glute shots when I asked about this years ago. Don't know if anything has changed, but it works well.
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after a couple months of being on hrt this should not be the issue and even at start it would be such a small variable..if anything raise the dose and keep getting blood work..
 
Blergs said:
after a couple months of being on hrt this should not be the issue and even at start it would be such a small variable..if anything raise the dose and keep getting blood work..
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For sures don't raise your dose because that will just have your endo wanting to lower your dose instead of raising it. Plus that's a reason your endo could deny you a RX renewal.
 
Blergs said:
after a couple months of being on hrt this should not be the issue and even at start it would be such a small variable..if anything raise the dose and keep getting blood work..
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Yes and no. Peak test numbers should not be seeing much difference but there could be a difference in absorption rates so depending on when the labs are run, it could be a variable. Over the years I have shot in my hip, glute and subcutaneous. Labs showed a very similar peak, but a difference on how long I stayed high. Subcutaneous shots had me peak the same, but I would be almost 200ng/dl lower than hip or glute.

As mentioned, my endo wants me on glute shots (and I do to) because the absorption rate is slower for me.
 
I use a 23ga 1.5". No pip ever in quad or glut. My dr started me at shot every 2 weeks. I told him that was old thinking. I did it like that the 1st vile. Test went up to 406. The next vile I changed to every week shot. Test level increased to 687. Now i am going to switch to 2 shots per week. I think i can get into the 700s pretty easy. All my levels are great. SBGH is the only level that is off a little. The range is 10-74 and it is at 10. I dont know if I should worry about that or not.
 
kisaj said:
Do you know if SHBG was low before?
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Unfortunately I dont. I have done countless hrs of research about high and low levels. I read good and bad about both. My free test is 219(50-247),Albumin is 4.7(3.7-5.0). I had my thyroid checked. No prob there. I will have bw done again in 2 months. I have been eating more flour,carb and sugary crap food lately. I read this can affect bw. I dont know what else I can do at this point.
 
Any tips or sites that can offer information on where to inject? I've been pinning the glutes for over a year now and getting lots of scar tissue. Any help would be appreciated
 
kisaj said:
Nope, I have always shot in my glute with no issue.
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I'm a glute man all day. I tried one shoulder shot. Yep. One. Glutes all the way..
 
fame126 said:
Any tips or sites that can offer information on where to inject? I've been pinning the glutes for over a year now and getting lots of scar tissue. Any help would be appreciated
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It is very good idea to rotate your pinning sites. Use your delts and quads also. If you don't rotate you will cause too much scar tissue to build up.
 
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