given you were drunk making sure you actually ordered it from a reputable source is probably a good idea

there a list of them over on https://hrtcafe.net/Estrogen/estradiol_injections.html

please do not use 18g needles for drawing, you will destroy your vial. additionally while you can switch the needle theres really no need to (see insulin needles, they are fixed), but also no reason not to. 25g basically guarantees coring is not a problem.

they recommend 18g in regular healthcare stuff because its standard practice and you arent expected to be using a vial more than a few times, diy vials last significantly longer than prescription ones (though prescription ones also last a very long time and the “use by” date or whatever they have on them is bullshit 99% of the time)

a majority of doctors dont know shit about trans healthcare, and have proven they will recommend dangerous uninformed regimens. if you can find a good doctor thats great, if its safe to see one its better to. the “if you cant” clause really shouldnt be there, you should inform yourself on your healthcare period, doctor or no, its the only way to properly advocate for yourself (especially as a trans person). and as a trans person living in the US, it is not in any way shape or form safe to seek out trans healthcare given the current state of things (honestly this goes for like… a majority of the world atm, and even if you can get trans healthcare its not reliable or stable)

congrats!!

we love everything about this post

yippeeee

yippee

informed consent was a thing here in the US… pretty sure its getting gutted tho

diy hrt our beloved :3

this is very silly we love it

a year or two

closer to 4-5 years

are u sure u didnt get something on it? that doesnt seem normal

label turned red? awa?

its fine, just dont keep it exposed to light for extended periods of time, it can cause the oil to go rancid quicker

congrats

your therapist sucks wow

it’s not really our place to question why she might make that choice for herself.

so much this

https://hrtcafe.net/ has a list of trusted vendors (would take a look at the homebrew vendors section)

https://diyhrt.info/ has a bunch of other information

https://transfemscience.org/articles/transfem-intro/ is a good start for the scientific side of things

If she doesn’t live in the US informed consent isn’t an option. If she does live in the US then take a look at the current political situation for the answer. You don’t need a doctor to get bloodwork.

awwwweh 🥺

21G is too large for long term repeated drawing, 23G or smaller should be used. additionally you dont need to use different needles for drawing and injecting (despite popular belief. subq is not better than IM or “more fool-proof”, infact subq can be worse for many due to irritation. ideally you would want fixed needle syringes for lowest deadspace, as the vial will last longer.

it should also be noted vials have a shelf life of 2-4 years, so you arent able to stockpile more than that

Yes.