New User Test-P Injection Infections - URGENT HELP

[terrior1977]

Unlike most of you, I use Test-P and Test-C for medical reasons and not to get rip. I have issues with low testosterone, and my doctor won't prescribe me enough to put me at a level that puts my quality of life that I feel comfortable with. So, I started ordering Test-P and Test C powder from HugeRaw.com out of China. The problem is, despite meticulous practices on sanitation, I've now had 2 infections in my leg at the injection site. The first infection was cleared up with antibiotics from the doctor, and I just got a new round of antibotiocs from the doctor for the recent infection. Infections are VERY painful. Here's the facts:

1. I'm mixing my Test-P at 150mg/ml. I'm getting a very slight pain during injection which makes me believe I might need to back off to 100mg/ml. I mixed at 30% benzyl benoate, 3% benzyl alcohol, remaining oil. Comments on making a 150mg/ml solution with less pain during injection?
2. I'm using sterile LabExact .22ul syringe filters.
3. I also went a step further on my second batch and tried to make-shift autoclave my filters by putting them in a 250ml beaker that had been sanitized with rubbing alcohol in the oven at 280f for 15min to kill anything that might possibly be in them. I understand this amount of heat for this amount of time is ok for these filters.
4. I brought the oil (I use cottonseed since that is native for Test in pharmacy grade) past 212f, probably to 250f before adding to my Test-P mixture with Benzyl Alcohol and Benzyl Benzoate. The Cottonseed oil I have is supposed to be USP and sterile anyway.
5. Since the melting point of Test-P is up around 250f, after adding ALL components, I brought everything up to around 240f for a minute or so, then let cool before running through my syringe filter directly in to my vial. The idea was to sanitize the finished product before filtering to be safe.
6. The vial was rinsed with rubbing alcohol to sanitize and let dry, even though the vial was supposed to be sterile.
7. I ALWAYS swab with alcohol the top of the vial rubber stoppers before piercing with the needle.
8. I use 27ga 1 1/4in needles for injection. I typically inject in to my upper leg, alternating legs in between injections.
9. I ordered some Whatman .22ul sterile filters because you hear a lot about "Whatman".

Can anyone give me any advice? I am EXTREMELY frustrated. I had no idea it would be this hard to make a sterile solution to inject, and now in a matter of 2 weeks I've been to the doctors twice. I've managed to spread out between 2 different urgent cares between 2 cities, but sooner or later they are going to start connecting the dots and I'm going to get nailed. Plus, I can't keep taking antibiotics or they are going to stop working. Not good! But I need my Test to increase my quality of life, and making my own from powder is a HUGE cost savings. Many thanks to anyone who might be able to provide some insight in to this very dangerous issue for me.

[Sh0tsf1red]

In my opinion, you need to develop a better relationship with your doctor. I was in the same boat with my TRT doc, my test was always low. At first he was against increasing my dose but I just had to keep talking about how I "feel." A good doctor treats the patient, not the chart.

If you were going to a general practice doctor for TRT I don't see how it could be cheaper to make your own. Do you have health insurance? I pay $25 a visit, costs $7 for 90 day supply of test c at a healthy dose and syringes are $3. The only reason i can see it being cheaper to make your own is if you're going to a "men's clinic" or "hormone health specialist", those are major ripoff!

People make their own stuff all the time without issue so there may be something with your process causing your issues. In my opinion you need to "come clean" with your doctor or find a new one.

There are ways to crash your test before blood work and that may make the doctor more willing to change your dosages.

Hope this clears up for you with no issues and you get what you need!!

[Mr.BB]

I also fail to see how is it possible that brewing for 1 person can be cost effective.

Why does you does your doctor doesnt give you enough testosterone? 100mg per week are already supraphysiological levels. I'm not to judge if you want more, but brewing your own is not really the solution.

Are you sure there isn't an underlying condition making feel not so great and at same time making you hypogonadal?

[terrior1977]

Thanks for everyone's honest feedback. First off, I want to say that I agree with your train of thought, and agree in a perfect would that it is the correct way to go. However, my life is very complicated right now with a very messy divorce, battle for my kids, and if I don't keep my Test levels up, I'm in bed for 13-14 hours a day. TEST-P works great because it's FAST ACTING. TEST-C, provides a great longer "baseline", but if my baseline drops off, then I need to inject a combo of TEST-P (to get it going quick) along with TEST-C to re-establish my baseline. I know what you're going to say, "get your baseline figured out so it doesn't drop off", and you ARE correct, and I'm working on it. My doc prescribes me 600ml a month of TEST-C, and basically said he'd go to 800ml a month of TEST-C before referring to a urologist. My levels are so low and my body chews through this stuff so quickly, even at 600ml, in the middle in between injections I'll be down at 320 on my blood draw. When I say "save money", I mean raw powders are cheaper than black market pharmacy vials. My doc will never prescribe TEST-P and TEST-C like I really want if I need a little "kick".

So the million dollar question--am I abusing? I don't think so. I'm using way less than body builders. And they do make me feel 10 times better. And I'm actually going to start working my abs while on them because I have 2 herniated discs in my back and strengthening those muscles will protect that injury and reduce pain. No, I don't think I'm abusing steroids.

For now, with respect to the existing answers which are very practical, I would appreciate if we could return to my original question and try troubleshooting my preparation process and figure out why I can't make a damn injectible that won't give me an infection..... Next to wearing a hazmat suit, I don't know what to do.... I consider myself a pretty smart guy. It shouldn't be this hard.... Maybe it's just these syringe filters I'm using?? Please help me!

[Bonaparte]

I also fail to see how is it possible that brewing for 1 person can be cost effective.

It definitely is if you know what you're doing.
But that last bit is an issue for most...

OP: Myself and others have posted more than enough info on brewing in the lab section that you should know what you're doing wrong (try going back 5 years).
Don't try to sterilize your filters.
Don't cook ingredients with dry heat.
Don't use high concentrations for test P.
BTW, why are you even using test P? Do you really want to inject every other day for life? That'll get old real quick.

[terrior1977]

Hey Bonaparte, your post was VERY helpful! Thank you so much. I checked out the forum notes and found a few things I was doing wrong:

1. I was using dry heat (not cooking in bath of water). Out of curiosity, why does this matter?
2. I was plugging up with my syringe filters on which was probably destroying them! DOH!

I got some Whatman .2 filters and used them on a 15ml test batch of TEST-P and noted SIGNIFICANT more resistances when filtering compared to my other LabExact .22 sterile filters I was using. That leads me to believe these LabExact filters weren't really doing the job they should. I'm also thinking the autoclaving I was doing in the oven might have been destroying the membrane as well. Needless to say, using the process noted on the forum, and using the Whatman filters, my product came out CRYSTAL golden clear (using cottonseed oil) and so far 12 hours later still looks awesome. I'll continue to observe for a couple days and see if it holds up, but I have a feeling the whole issue was crappy filters. I think I'm quickly becoming a Whatman fan.

To answer your question, I use Test-P as a "boost", I notice the effects of Test-P within a matter of hours (energy wise), while Test-C takes about 2-3 days before you notice the energy effects. So, if my Test-C baseline drops off, I can inject Test-P along with Test-C and get an instant pickup with my Test-P, and then re-establish my Test-C baseline. Make sense?

[redz]

You're stubborn and should give up home brewing after 2 infections.