T Nation

'For Intramuscular Use Only'?

T Replacement
#1

I began TRT (including hCG and an aromatase inhibitor in addition to testosterone - keep looking and you’ll find a doctor who understands the usefulness of such things!) several months ago. Things went great the first couple of months, but then I started to react to the twice-weekly subcutaneous injections of testosterone, and then the reaction worsened. Now every time I treat myself I end up with a large, hot, itchy red lump that lasts about a week from that injection.

I called my doctor’s office and asked to be switched from testosterone cypionate to testosterone enanthate under the suspicion that it was the cottonseed oil in the testosterone cypionate that was causing the problem. He was fine with that request, and faxed a replacement prescription to my pharmacy. I picked up the new prescription this afternoon with the intent of treating myself with it for the first time this evening.

Unlike the testosterone cypionate which actually stated “administer subcutaneously,” however, the testosterone enanthate specifically states “FOR INTRAMUSCULAR USE ONLY.” I’ve read around here and elsewhere and am under the impression from what I’ve read that I can use the testosterone enanthate subcutaneously without any concern, but nothing I read actually said so in plain English. So, can I?

Thanks!

#2

Don’t really have an answer, but out of curiosity, why not just IM it? Why are you doing sub q administration?

#3

From my perspective, the question is “why inject it intramuscularly?” Aside from that unexplained command on the bottle, that is.

I hope someone will answer my question, but in the meantime, I’ll respond that I have injected testosterone subcutaneously up until now and would prefer to do so henceforth for a few reasons (not necessarily listed by their priority):

  1. I have only been instructed on how to perform (and have only practiced) subcutaneous injection, not intramuscular injection.

  2. From what I have read online, it sounds as if frequent injection (I inject testosterone twice per week) causes less discomfort if done subcutaneously than if done intramuscularly. Indeed, I would say that my subcutaneous injections have caused me essentially no discomfort at all, except for the delayed reaction to something in the testosterone cypionate that I now experience, and that this contrasts with various intramuscular injections I have received for one reason or another in the past (all of which I seem to remember hurting, some only a little, some more).

  3. Also from what I have read online, it appears that injected testosterone reaches the circulation more gradually from subcutaneous placement than from intramuscular placement, helping to smooth out peaks and valleys in its effects. (This is the same reasoning behind injecting a smaller quantity more often, too.)

So, can anyone help with my question about testosterone enanthate?

#4

Not the answer you are looking for but what was your bloodwork like pre/post treatment using Test-cyp sub-Q? I currently use it IM and will be getting my first bloodwork done next week. 100mg a week, 1 injection.

You can probably use test enanthate sub-Q if test-cyp was effective sub-Q. They are almost identical testosterones.

#5

[quote]GFA wrote:
You can probably use test enanthate sub-Q if test-cyp was effective sub-Q. They are almost identical testosterones. [/quote]
That’s what I figured, too, and why I was surprised by the instruction to use the testosterone enanthate only intramuscularly. I’d sure like to hear from someone in the know, though.

Since you asked, my TRT (which has until now included 100mg testosterone cypionate split into two subcutaneous injections per week) has done very well by me. Bloodwork at two months after beginning treatment showed testosterone levels toward the high side of the normal ranges, and estradiol level was just a tad low (so I lowered my anastrozole dosage accordingly). Symptomatically I feel much better than I did before beginning treatment.

#6

Very interesting. What type needle and where do you inject?

Have you tried not using an AI? Are you using HCG or just test?

#7

[quote]gbin wrote:
From my perspective, the question is “why inject it intramuscularly?” Aside from that unexplained command on the bottle, that is.

[/quote]

Well, that, and the fact that you appear to be allergic to SC injections (could also be the cottonseed I guess)

But you can inject Test-E SC, no issues. Its about the same thing.

#8

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
… you appear to be allergic to SC injections (could also be the cottonseed I guess)[/quote]
Nah, I inject the hCG subcutaneously, too, and that doesn’t cause any problem. I suppose it’s possible, though, that injecting subcutaneously might be a good way to prompt the development of an allergy to whatever (as I appear to have done with the testosterone cypionate)…

[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
But you can inject Test-E SC, no issues. Its about the same thing.[/quote]
Ok, I guess I’ll go with that and see what happens. Thanks.

GFA, what I do is almost exactly as outlined in the incredibly useful sticky on this message board, “TRT: Protocol for Injections.” Twice per week I subcutaneously inject 50mg testosterone (formerly cypionate, now enanthate) and 500IU hCG, and three times per week I take 0.25mg anastrozole in tablet form. Except for the problem that prompted me to start this thread, it seems to be working great for me.

#9

I wonder if anyone has done test SC without HCG/AI just to see how effective test is SC. Adding an AI and HCG muddies the effectiveness of test alone. HCG can raise your test levels by itself.

Maybe I will give it a shot in the future to see.

#10

There is a study about this in the stickeys

#11

I saw the mention but not the actual link or BW from people using SC compared to IM previously. I am curious what someones BW would be using IM test only then SC test only.

I may give it a shot and can post up my BW afterwards. I will stop the HCG though.

Anyone here do test IM then swtich to SC with similar test/free test levels before and after?

#12

OLD post, but I wish “gbin” would have updated his findings. I’m having the same problem with Test-C, developing a reaction to the SC injection site. Anyone else have this problem? Will changing to Test-E help? Would be nice to go back to not itching a red bump day after injecting.

#13

I switched from intramuscular to SubQ injections about a year ago while also switching between using Cyp and E. My test level has remained consistent at around 970 for the last 11 months and I feel great. I haven’t had negative skin reactions, lumps, bruising, etc. and quite frankly don’t think I’ll ever go back to intramuscular injections. I haven’t used any Anastrozole for the last six months. I just recently got my blood tested and my E is running a bit high so I will introduce the AI and get it under control; I’m still not using HCG and don’t plan to.

When I was injecting Intramuscular, I was running HCG and it helped to drive my test through the roof, near 1500. I completely blame myself because I was also overdosing my test and felt like an un-caged ape in the gym but didn’t realize the potential risk I was taking having my test level run so high (High hematocrit, Blood Pressure). All is under control now and the limited SubQ dosage (with other factors I’ve mentioned) has helped me curb my appetite for the “big shots”.

#14

Did test cyp give u more anxiety than enanthate?