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I Am Afraid of Needles. Too Bad I'm Transgender.

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by thepandaboss, Nov 11, 2015.

  1. thepandaboss

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    It would figure that as someone who will likely be spending the rest of my life sticking myself with more needles than between both Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love did in the 90s, I would have an irrational fear of them.

    First of all, HRT is coming very soon. I should be able to start it before January as a matter of fact, if not sooner.

    But here's my problem. I'm afraid of needles. Now I wouldn't go as far to say as I have a phobia of them. I can tolerate, although I certainly don't look forward to, shots. I have a major aversion to them. Not so much because they puncture the skin but because my veins are notorious for collapsing. In fact, it legitimately took a nurse almost half an hour just to try (and fail) to enter an IV on me last time I was in the hospital.

    And all the times I've gotten shots, someone else was giving them to me. I'm dreading giving them to myself. And yet I know it's the best way, hands down, to administer T.

    Anyone here had success with alternate means of administering HRT? And if not, how do I get over the needle thing?
     
  2. BradThePug

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    Personally, I took as much time as I needed to take my shots. I still really don't like needles. I just take my time with it and do my shot at my pace. I also try to have music or something else playing in the background so that I have something other to focus on. The good thing is that with T shots, you do not need to find a vain. So, it won't be as annoying as trying to have an IV put in.

    I've only ever been on T that you have to inject, so I cannot answer the last part of your question.
     
  3. thepandaboss

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    THANK GOD. I just didn't know if that made a difference or not. If you don't mind me asking, where do you inject?

    Might help... Does it hurt?
     
  4. Maddy

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    Any chance you can get prescribed Androgel? I have friends who are on that, it's a gel like hand sanitiser you rub into your skin (on your back or upper arms usually, I think) and let dry every day. There are a lot of people on Youtube who blog about their hormones, try looking up "ftm androgel" or something on Youtube. You can also do subcutaneous injections rather than intramuscular, I've heard.
     
  5. thepandaboss

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    I have thought about that. I was told that Androgel is dangerous though because of cardiovascular issues, which worries me. I just don't know how big of a worry it is though.

    And thanks. I'll check it out.
     
  6. Maddy

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    [YOUTUBE]8A1jhByzN2I[/YOUTUBE]

    This seems pretty decent.

    Where have you heard about the cardiovascular issues? I'm not sure how it'd be any more dangerous than injections, it's the same drug in your system, just a consistent daily dose rather than larger weekly doses.

    ---------- Post added 12th Nov 2015 at 03:58 PM ----------

    Some quick googling suggests that cardiovascular problems can happen in cis men who try to up their testosterone, but that's not method-specific as far as I can tell from the articles. It seems to be linked to boosting T levels above the cis male standard with any kind of testosterone replacement therapy, not specific to any one method; Androgel is mentioned because it's probably easier to access than injectable T, but they have the same effect.
     
  7. thepandaboss

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    Okay, thanks. Makes me a feel a little better. So we'll see. Gel would be nice if only because it's a lot less painful.
     
  8. Kira

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    I mean, I've heard of alternatives like patches and pills, but I don't know of the effectiveness of them, especially in comparison.
     
  9. thepandaboss

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    That's my concern. I did watch a few videos about Androgel last night (Thanks again, Maddy) and found someone on Reddit who'd been on it. So I am pleased to know that despite the fact it requires a daily application, the results are about the same. It just might be harder to obtain with my insurance.

    Pills- I've personally heard there's a lot of liver issues associated but I haven't heard from anyone who actually takes them. I know a few women who take their spiro and etc via pill though but no guys who take their T that way.

    Patches- maybe. If it was proven to be as effective as injecting it, I'd be cool with that.
     
  10. WhereWeWere

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    I do believe that it is possible to schedule an appointment with a doctor to inject you with T every two weeks or so. That can be a bit of a hassle and might get expensive, though. But it may make you feel better knowing you can have somebody do it for you instead of poking yourself with a needle.
     
  11. Daydreamer1

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    Here's what I told someone who is in the same situation with needle anxiety.

    [Something I didn't mention is what someone already said. If your needle anxiety is really severe, see if alternative delivery methods are possible. Patches, creams, and gels are the most common after injections, and there's also pellets that go under the skin which are changed out every few months. With injections, depending on where you are, you could possibly go for something like Nebido or Aveed which are injections done only a few times a year. Granted it's I believe 3-4 shots at once, it's probably less horrible than dealing with them at least once every 1-2 weeks. A lot of your possibilities will depend on your endocrinologist and what your insurance covers if you have any] :

    I get intense needle anxiety sometimes, so I know the feeling. I used to have panic attacks on shot day, and wouldn’t be able to do it for at least an hour or two because it would freak me out so much.

    Here’s some of my quick tips:

    1) Distractions - I find that having music on or anything in the background that I can focus on makes everything easier. If you go with music, play stuff by your favorite artists. When you get into the swing of things, test yourself to see if you can get through your shot before your favorite song is finished.

    2) Smaller Needles - If you do IM injections, see if it’s possible to switch over to the sub-q delivery method. Sub-q needles are much smaller than IM ones, and can make the process less intimidating. I was fortunate enough to start this way, and I’m glad my doctor didn’t offer IM because I don’t know how I’d do it.

    3) Close Your Eyes - I’m not sure how well this will help, but maybe it can help. I’m not saying to blindly jab yourself. Figure out your spot location (after cleaning it), then do practice jabs to get an idea as to where you’re going to go. Then close your eyes, take a deep breath, and go for it. I noticed that when I started doing this that they weren’t as painful and not too bad.

    4) Reward System - Have something in place for you after everything is all said and done. Maybe it’s a movie or a snack, treat yourself. I used to have something like ice cream to look forward to after my shot, and it helps sometimes.

    If you have any questions, I’m more than happy to help.
     
    #11 Daydreamer1, Nov 12, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2015