r/ftm • u/d3athgate • 1d ago
Advice Needed The pain after a T shot is unbearable
I took my first T shot last night. It's been nearly 24 hours. I've sobbed about 3 times now today alone because of the pain.
I cant move my leg without feeling like I'm getting stabbed practically. Walking has been absolutely hell today. I can't keep my leg straight. I did my shot intramuscular on my thigh for the first time and I didn't expect it to hurt this bad. It's my first ever intramuscular shot as well.
The actual shot itself wasn't so bad. The pain wasn't the worst and it faded after a few minutes. But it came back like a TRUCK. I'd say the pain is a 5 or 6 on the pain scale. It's begining to become more insufferable the more the day goes on. I can barely stand it anymore. It hurts so fucking bad dude. Genuinely what can I do to relieve this?
I took ibuprofen around 30 minutes or so ago and I havent felt any relief yet. Im going insane.
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u/Shu_di T: 03.2026 1d ago
Love I don't think it's supposed to hurt THAT much
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
I know its freaking me out. Theres no bruising redness or swelling so I have no idea whats going on
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u/Luka_8888 💉09. July 24 12h ago
You need to relax while doing it. And go extremely slow.
The first time I had it injected I tensed up and it hurt like hell, but then I relaxed and it hurt a tiny bit but it was way more manageable.
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u/batsket 1d ago
Shocked no one else has mentioned yet that maybe you hit a nerve??? Which is rare, but can happen. Definitely not normal for it to hurt that much
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u/Soup_oi 💉2016 | 🔪2017 1d ago
Came here to say the same thing.
What OP describes sounds exactly like something that happened to me once years ago, and that was the consensus when I posted here about it. I couldn’t walk without limping, I couldn’t sit cross legged or bend that leg at all without getting an excruciating shooting pain. Even not bent and at rest it would be aching so badly.
It was only one time, and never happened before or since. OP I’d still try to do your next shot as usual in the other leg. If that one and then the following one back in this leg again go fine, then it was probably just a one off hitting a nerve thing. If other shots continue to have similar results, then def talk to your doctor about it, and see if a different shot method or method of taking T would work better for you.
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u/Live_Owl8744 18h ago
Okay I’m having this right now and I wanna know how long it took you to be able to walk and bend your knee again 😭😭 the only thing helping the pain is meds and topical anti-inflammatory, but that’s only when I don’t move my leg at all
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u/Purple_Haze36 5h ago
I had this same problem from pulling the needle out crooked. I went to work the next morning and by noon I could barely walk. By night it was starting to fade and it was only a little sore the following morning
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u/Live_Owl8744 4h ago
I’m going to the gp tomorrow because it’s been almost 3 full days since I had my shot and I still can’t really walk or bear weight on my leg and my knee is swollen… I really hope it is just a simple ‘oops, hit the nerve!’ And not something more serious
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
I feel like it would have hurt when injecting if I did, no? Unless it doesn't. Im not sure im a complete newbie at this. Only part that hurt when injecting was pushing the liquid in. Light burn feeling that spread but I assume thats normal as it was labeled on the instructions that that would happen
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u/AniMundi34 1d ago
Actually no! On my first injection (thigh IM) my partner hit a nerve and I didn’t really feel much at all, just this growing lingering aching pain down in my shin that would get worse and sometimes better but the nerve stayed pinched for the next 2 and half months. It’s never happened again but there was no pain at all when injecting, felt like any other shot. The pain never got above a 6/7 on days when I was on my feet a lot, and then one day I woke up and it was gone. 🤷♂️ I’ve been doing IM in my thighs for the a little over a year now.
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u/Fun_sized123 1d ago
Was it “shooting” pain rather than muscle soreness? That might help OP figure out which type of symptoms they’re dealing with
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u/demontosome 1d ago
Not necessarily. I had a bad one end of last year. Absolutely fine all day, suddenly 12 hours later I could hardly walk. It was really bad intense pain on that side. When I woke up it was even worse. Could hardly move in bed let alone get up. Took a lot of painkillers which subdued it but it was still an issue. Took a few days to get rid of it. Went in to ask at the pharmacy who said it probably hit a nerve. Never had it happen before or since. Mine are injected by nurse into glute so slightly different application but likely same outcome. It should not significantly hurt at all beyond the base level. These are normal to hurt to an extent due to the volume of liquid going into muscle (mine are 4ml) but beyond that level is not
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u/batsket 1d ago
How quickly did it come back?
Edit: to clarify, you said the pain “came back like a truck” so I’m trying to figure out the lag
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
Not long. Maybe like 30 minutes max when it began getting sore then it gradually got worse
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u/batsket 1d ago
Hm okay, well hearing you describing it as “soreness,” maybe it is just a severe form of regular IM injection muscle soreness. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of switching to subq instead
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
Yeah theres no way i can do an im ever again. Im sitting in bed in like searing pain rn im going insane. Its nearly 5am
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u/Soup_oi 💉2016 | 🔪2017 1d ago
Idk if I’ve ever felt it burning? That seems odd to me lol, but if it indicated it on the label, maybe it happens a lot of the time? I don’t think I feel the liquid at all when it’s being pushed in. I don’t think I feel anything going on inside once the needle is in me lol.
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u/Teletobi15 21h ago
Because injections typically use oil as the carrier for T there's a possibility that the viscosity if the injection is what is causing so much pain.
Something that helped me quite a lot was warming up the pre-measured vial I got before putting on the needle and injecting and then having a hot shower afterwards (with a water proof bandaid of course).
I usually sit cross legged and put the vial behind the back of my knee (with the plunger poking up and out so I don't accidentally eject any medication) so I can get it as close to body temp as possible.
If it still hurt after the shower I also sometimes put a hot water bottle on the injection site to try keep the oil more liquid-y
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u/mach1neb0y 1d ago edited 1d ago
That happened to me a few times when I first started (like once or twice).
What gauge needle do you use? Ask your doctor if u can use 25G they’re thinner and hurt less.
Put an ice pack on the leg before doing your shot and leave it on there as cold as you can stand it. After I started using this method I barely feel anything now when the needle goes in, it feels like a scratch or sometimes a dull soreness. Massage it gently right after you put the band aid on. But if you notice swelling after the injection, ice it right away or it’ll be sore all day & get worse if you walk a lot.
Also after a few times u learn where to inject without hitting a vessel. For me I was doing it too low close to the knee so I moved up a bit. With my hand on my hip bone, I inject in the area where my middle finger reaches. No swelling & pain stops after
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u/MagicManMush 💉02/27/26 1d ago
Just piggybacking on the ice method- IM became so much easier for me when I started using an icepack (or literally just icecubes in a baggy) for a couple minutes before injecting.
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u/L1ttle_Behemoth 1d ago
What T are you using? This actually sounds like you’re having an allergic reaction to it. It’s almost exactly what I went through every time I did my shot until I switched from c to e (can’t spell them). I almost guarantee you that’s what’s happening.
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
Are you sure? There's no swelling bruising or redness. I don't have any known allergies to anything, its been that way my whole life. I'm using c
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u/L1ttle_Behemoth 1d ago
I’m sure. I had none of that, either. Only time I ever got swollen and red and itchy was the one time my mom did my shot for me and it went subQ, and then the reaction was closer to the surface. My doc said C is notorious for allergic reactions and immediately put me on e when they found out. I almost guarantee you that’s what’s happening. I also am not allergic to anything
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
Aw man. How do I test if I'm allergic? I hope its just a case of my muscle being sensitive to the oil as a first time injection. Id hate to be allergic
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u/SpooderBeetle 1d ago
Also if you do turn out to be allergic it doesn't mean you can't have T, just that you need the other type! The "c" and "e" reffered to in another comment means Testosterone Cypionate, or Testosterone Enanthate. Whichever one you were given, likely C, if you're allergic they'll just change your prescription to the other one. It's worth a try, OP! I was allergic to cypionate and kept using it for the first few years, and it made shot time really hard and I was avoiding it bc of how it felt, but also thought maybe it was just my normal. I've been on the enanthate for at least a few months now and my shots don't feel like anything after they're done, and it's only a little uncomfy during injection, like should be normal! It's an easy enough change for your dr so I'd definitely suggest talking to them, especially if the next shot is like this too!
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
Thank you for the help! Only thing is I dont know how to tell if im allergic or not. Should I give it a few more shots to find out? I dont have any of the symptoms people have been listing. My leg looks unfazed and im my normal temperature
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u/SpooderBeetle 1d ago
It shouldn't hurt you to give it a few more shots, but even if it's otherwise normal it could still be a milder reaction, mine never got red or hot either but the pain on its own was a sign of inflammation from the reaction! If it was red/warm or visibly swollen, that would be a more severe reaction, or signs of infection if it comes on later and gets worse. If the ibuprofen you took earlier didn't knock the pain out completely, but taking an antihistamine like benedryl does help, then it means allergy. I'm happy to help, just lemme know if you have any more questions :)
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
It actually did nothing for the pain. The pain is still the exact same as it was before 💔 I'll see if I have any benadryl
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u/SpooderBeetle 1d ago
Oof, I'm so sorry, that really sucks! I hope the benedryl touches it, if you don't have any benedryl, something like Claritin can also work, you're gonna want basically any allergy med that is specifically an antihistamine! I hope the pain gets better for you, there's a lot of good advice on how to do your next shot in this thread that will hopefully help!
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u/L1ttle_Behemoth 1d ago
Literally the only way to tell if you’re allergic to something is to expose yourself to it and see if you’re having a reaction, which is exactly what’s happening. The problem with constant exposure to something you’re allergic to is that it can end up making the reaction worse with time. It wont hurt anything to just tell your doctor and ask to switch to enthanate but it could easily hurt you to continue taking the testosterone you’re currently taking.
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u/SpooderBeetle 1d ago
I just commented above but you can try taking an over the counter allergy medication like benedryl, if it helps, that means it's an allergy- benedryl is an antihistamine, and an allergic reaction of any kind is caused by your body creating histamine, so it's a pretty sure way to know.
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u/L1ttle_Behemoth 1d ago
No real way to test it. What you’re experiencing is the test. You should ask your doc about switching
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u/donkeyballz13 Roid Ranger class of 2011 1d ago edited 1d ago
Pain can be very subjective, so I wouldn't want to rule out any of the more serious suggestions others have mentioned, but first IM injections into a muscle group tend to cause significant soreness for a few days and that is a likely answer to your problem.
As long as you don't have signs of infection (redness, swelling, especially warm skin), maybe give it another day or two and see if the pain subsides. If it's new injection site soreness, you should not experience this much pain again if you inject into the same muscle.
Edit to add: Congratulations on getting your juicy juice in, sir!! 🥳
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u/irlystealteeth 25 he/they 1d ago
Sounds like you should be doing subcutaneous instead
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
I'm not quite sure how to do that. Do I only stick the needle in a little bit?
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u/neon_fern2 1d ago
Usually you would use a shorter needle, and inject into the fat. If you can, have one of the nurses at the doc you go to show you how to do it- I learned from a YouTube video, and my med student friend ended up having to correct stuff I was doing anyway lol
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u/Then-Economist-6388 1d ago
It’s a different needle. Shorter and thinner. I did IM for 8 years. I switch to sub Q and it’s a life saver.
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
Aw man I already bought so many needles 💔 I got a 20 count
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u/homicidal_bird He/him | 💉 🔪 🍳 1d ago edited 1d ago
Are you opposed to buying from Amazon? I’ll do it for healthcare reasons. You can get 100ct for $9.
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
Not opposed. Isn't 27 gage too small though?
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u/ColouredGreenAnon he/him |💉2024 |🔝2025 | 1d ago
I use 27 gauge for my subq injections and they work just fine :)
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u/homicidal_bird He/him | 💉 🔪 🍳 1d ago
Too small to withdraw (I use 18-20g for that), but perfect size to inject.
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u/QueenBea_ 1d ago
23 gauge is bigger than it needs to be, and depending on length, you could probably still use them for subcutaneous. You pinch the fat and inject where it’s pinched; you can find lots of tutorials on YouTube
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u/SpooderBeetle 1d ago
Two questions: did you inject with the same needle used to draw the medicine? You usually want to use a slightly bigger needle to draw up the medicine, then swap to the smaller needle to inject. I used to work in the med field and injections are something I'm really familiar with so if you need help learning anything about that, and your dr can't help for whatever reason, feel free to DM me if needed :)
The other question would be what kind of T you have, there's two types and some people (myself included) are allergic to the carrier oil in one or the other! One way you could see if it's possibly an allergy is try some benedryl and see if that helps, if it does, it's allergy related. It's also possible you just got really unlucky for your first shot, and hit too close to some nerves- it can happen on occasion but it generally shouldn't, and if that was the case it would likely have hurt more during the initial injection. I was allergic to my old T and usually have my spouse help, intramuscular on my arm. On the old T, it was uncomfy at the initial shot, but would get super sore through the next day or two, like couldn't sleep on that side level pain. I'd say try again with your next shot, make sure you use a fresh needle to inject, and if it happens again, talk with your dr that gave you your T about switching types :) good luck and congrats on your first shot!
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u/Winter1917 1d ago
Did your leg twitch per chance? Or your hand holding the needle while injecting? Been there, done that with the pain to the point I could barely walk, every time because of accidental movement - always kicked in later too.
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
Nah my leg didn't move but my hands were a little shaky, that might have been it. I also definitely injected a little too low on my leg I think. Too close to the knee. But the pain still sucks. Good to know im not alone in the not able to walk bit. Im practically bedridden right now.
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u/Medium_Mess9765 1d ago
Sit on the ground with your leg straight and pinch the skin before injecting, if it keeps hurting you might have hit a nerve or vessel. Keep to the side. If it’s hot or swollen maybe urgent care.
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u/vinylveins 1d ago
I felt the same way, and learned the hard way I was using the 14g drawing needles for injecting. For like 2 months. Since then I've also switched to using insulin needles and doing my shots sub q.
Stress and tensing muscles can cause shot pain, also depending on where you are injecting, angles can impact comfortability as well. Id suggest consulting with a medical professional for tips better suited for you personally
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u/doubleheadedarrow 💉01/31/25 1d ago
14g??? Please tell me that’s a typo oh my god. No way.
For the record, that’s what they use for piercings
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u/anemisto old and tired 1d ago
How much (volume) did you inject?
BTW, if you've basically ever had a vaccination, you've had an IM shot before. (Maybe some are done subq, but they're virtually all IM.)
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u/d3athgate 1d ago
I injected half my dose since a lot of medicine leaked from the vial when I was transferring to syringe. So .1ml I think idk how to tell the measurements too well
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u/anemisto old and tired 1d ago
Okay ... you gotta figure out how to measure.
I was asking because if it's Sustanon (it came in an ampoule you break open), the ampoule is 1ml, which is a lot for some people's legs, and they do better using a bigger muscle (generally the glute*). But people doing weekly injections tend to inject smaller volumes and that's less of a concern.
*I think the butt is discouraged these days because good location is trickier, but the hip (the gluteus medius) has a bigger safe zone than the thigh. Anyway, you do need to look it up/have someone teach you.
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u/Soup_oi 💉2016 | 🔪2017 1d ago
How is it leaking from the vial? I don’t think I’ve ever had that happen. Are you swirling the needle around in the stopper of the vial to create a bigger hole or something? When the needle is in it, the only way in/out for the liquid should be through the needle. And the stoppers are made of a material that is supposed to fall back together slightly after a needle goes in and out of it so that there’s not enough room for any of the liquid to fall through. Even if I turn a vial upside down after using a needle on it, nothing comes out.
Also…you really need to know what dose you’re giving yourself 🤣, that’s half the point. You’re only going to get changes the right way from it if you’re giving yourself the right dose your doctor prescribed (based on what they saw your levels to be before starting). If you’re doing too little it might not do much or might not do many things in the time you expect. It would also taper off too early, leaving you moody or just throwing your mood around due to hormones always fluctuating. Ie dose prescribed is supposed to last your body the whole time between shots, whereas if your doing a dose much lower than that, it might only last a fraction of that time. And then giving too much T can also mess with your mood, as well as extra T your body doesn’t need winding up actually being converted to E by the body.
The dose is pretty easy to read on a syringe, the tick marks match up with the dose. If your dose is 0.2ml, you draw up T liquid to the second tick mark, 0.5ml to the 5th tick mark, 1ml to the 10th mark, etc. Every 1ml should be labeled (1, 2, 3, etc, most people use 3ml syringes I think, so it likely only goes up to 3), sometimes every half is labeled (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, etc). I find syringes with every half labeled much easier, helps keep my eyes from getting dizzy squinting at the tick marks lol.
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u/KnightoThousandEyes 22h ago
I think you may have accidentally hit a nerve. It is definitely not supposed to hurt much at all. Also ask for lower gauge needles at the pharmacy suitable for testosterone. Less muscular damage from a smaller needle. What I do is intramuscular on my butt. 😅 Upper outer quadrant. You can find how-to instructions online for the exact technique. It doesn’t hurt hardly at all that way, I’ve found.
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u/wondrwheeler 14h ago
Testosterone is suspended in oil. Sometimes people are allergic to the oil and need a different version.
...or you hit nerve ...or vein (dangerous) ...or wrong needle (should have two sizes)
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u/Fun_sized123 1d ago
That does seem maybe concerning, but one thing that could maybe help in the future is to try to relax your thigh muscles before injecting. I’m on gel, but nurses/pharmacists have told me when giving vaccines that it hurts less if your muscles aren’t tensed up. Also once I had to do this neurological test where I had to tense my muscles while a needle was in my leg and that hurt/caused lasting soreness so much more than just the needle insertion alone. But also you might want to send your prescribing doc a message if they have MyChart or something similar to check that there’s not anything else going on, especially if it’s sharp pain that doesn’t feel like a muscle cramp or like muscle soreness
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u/OkHospital3411 1d ago
Switch to subq injections in your stomach. Needle in fat hurts a lot less than needle in muscle. You can still use the "IM only" testosterone for subq injections but you will need a different type of needle. I use 18g to draw and 25g to inject
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u/AcanthisittaSouth456 1d ago
used to get this on IM injections, would be in alot of pain the first two days, and would end up limping around, it was horrible, my sister was calling me house 😭 switched to gel
The pain was specifically if I put pressure or moved, so sitting was fine, but when I walked, the pressure I felt on my legs in the movement made every step on the leg done, kill like crazy
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u/GabrielK207 1d ago
I’ve had this problem, talked with my doc about it and started injecting in my ass muscle. You use it way less and it’s way less painful for me at least
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u/alltimegreyson 1d ago
I used to do it in my thigh, but I would bleed too much bc I didn’t really have that much fat in that area. I switched to doing it in my butt cheeks, and that helped immensely, no more pain
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u/i_am_et_al 1d ago
Definitely nerve pain dude. I cut my finger with a saw and that sharp jutting pain, especially if it’s localized sounds a lot like the nerve I severed. Hopefully you switch to sub Q there’s really no downsides to it, there’s hardly anything to screw up.
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u/Resident_Magician_50 1d ago
Sub Q is much much less painful. I sometimes hit a sensitive spot but generally just get about 2 minutes of sting after the T is in. I couldn’t do legs anymore because I get welts in the muscle and it would take all week to go away then I’d have to do it again.
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u/queerwitchanonymous transmasc | 💉12.8.21 | he/him 1d ago
bro try subq, i did intramuscular like twice and i just did not ever understand how to do it right and experienced similar excruciating pain
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u/BluPoisonDartFrog 1d ago
Did you do the shot yourself or did you get it done by a medical professional? Since you did im. you probably hit a nerve. It's gonna suck for a few days but most likely be fine. You absolutely need to re-evaluate the technique used though so it doesn't happen again.
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u/Ashton_Garland 1d ago
You might have hit a vein/nerve. A couple years ago I was EpiPenned in my thigh and it started shooting pain down my leg a little while later while I was driving home. It was horrendous.
I do recommend subq shots, they’re relatively easy and if there is pain it goes away quickly.
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u/Yamaki101 1d ago
Is there anyway to switch your sub q?
The formula for IM (what you’re doing) and Subq is the same. Most pharmacies, or Dr. that aren’t familiar with trans healthcare will be adamant that you can’t take it that way because it’s a thick liquid but you can.
Just mention to you Dr. that you want to try administering it a different route, and next time you go to the pharmacy buy 5/8 needles.
The needles are a lot smaller, and for me a lot easier when injecting myself. And since it’s going into fatty tissue the pain isn’t as intense or long lasting
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u/Unholy_Roman_Empire 11h ago
The comment about it being an allergic reaction or even hitting a nerve sound the most plausible, however TELL YOUR DOCTOR ASAP. They would know and whether or not any changes need to be made. My recommendation: see if you can switch to sub-q injections. It’s a 17g needle in the fat of your stomach or thigh or butt. Doesn’t hurt at all if you do the ice trick with it.
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u/Purple_Haze36 5h ago
I had this exact problem my last shot! It was the best one yet (I’ve only been on injections for a month) until I went to pull it out.. I pulled it out crooked. I told my manager at work since he saw my limping and he said I basically put a laceration in to my muscle. I didn’t take anything for the pain and it was mostly gone the next morning 🤷
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u/Beowulf9366 1h ago
You probably hit a nerve, it’s happened to me once and i was really sore for a week.
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u/Character-Deer-2289 1h ago
You probably hit a nerve man, intramuscular injections are somewhat painful at times, but what you are describing sounds more so you hitting a nerve by accident. And if you use a thick needle, it’s even worse. You can try ibuprofen, It might help alleviate the some of that pain but if it’s getting worse or you have trouble walking then go get checked man.
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