Section 3 - Diagnosis & TreatmentNext Question

21.If I wanted to, could I inject myself with testosterone ?

This is up to you and your doctor. If you have to go to your GP or a nurse every time you need another injection of testosterone, you may feel it would be more convenient to give yourself the injections. If you are not too squeamish and you would be willing to give it a try, discuss it first with your consultant or GP. If he or she agrees, you should be able to obtain the correct needles and syringes from your chemist without prescription but you will normally need to order them in advance.

Testosterone can be administered via intramuscular injection; i.e. into the muscle. Important: the following is just a guide and you must consult your doctor before you attempt self-injection as he or she will show you exactly how it should be done. Synthetic testosterone is a thick and sticky liquid which comes in small bottles or ampoules and can sometimes be tricky to draw into the syringe. Make sure that you get all of the liquid out of the ampoule and also ensure there are no air bubbles in the tube before you inject. It is easy to eliminate air bubbles : turn the syringe and needle upside down, tap the side of the syringe with your finger so that the air bubble moves to the top and then very gently squeeze the "plunger" until you see one or two drops come out of the needle. The bubble should now have disappeared. Then disinfect the injection site (usually the buttock as shown in Figure 18) with some cotton wool soaked in surgical spirit or with a pre-injection swab. Holding the syringe by the tube, position the needle at a steep angle to just above the injection site. Relax and then swiftly, but firmly, insert the needle deep into the thigh or buttock. Gently press down the "plunger" until all of the liquid leaves the syringe. Pull the needle out, wipe off any blood from around the injection site and cover the area with a plaster.