5/16" vs 1/2" needles

[AmansinCali]

I am writing this out of frustration.

I started tri-mix with 1/2" x 29 gauge needles, I used an auto-injector but had shimmed the applicator so only 5/16" would penetrate the skin. It worked well for a while, but after a few failures and noticed the injector didn't always hold the needle in the center so sometimes the needle would not go in perpendicular and may have been the reason for the misfires.

I decided to ditch the auto-injector. I had purchased the 1/2" needle syringes, but my compounding pharmacy sends 5/16" x 31 ga. needles. I am used to injecting now and it doesn't bother me to push the needle in, but I have had 3 failures in a row. I follow the common guidelines, 10 or 2 o'clock and perpendicular to the skin. I feel for the proper area then inject. I push the 5/16" needle all the way in.

I notice the 5/16" 31 gauge needles have more resistance when just pushing air only out, it makes sense because the passages are much smaller in the 31 ga. vs the 29 ga. When I have had the recent failures the plunger on the syringe has been difficult to push, I believe in what is said, "If you are in the right spot it almost sucks it in." I am wondering if the 5/16" needles are just not long enough to hit the sweet spot.

What are your experiences with the 5/16" length vs the 1/2" length?

[bldoink]

I use 5/16 needles pushed all of the way in and then some. I test for plunger resistance and either press deeper or pull out a little. I adjust in or out until the plunger is easy to depress. Sometimes I do initially go too deep. However some guys need 1/2" needles. If you're that guy then use them.

I go 2 thru 4 and 8 thru 10. Just make sure you're aiming back towards the center line from wherever you start. I have even screwed up while trying to avoid obvious veins and started out closer to 5 and then I make sure I angle back up toward the center and go a bit deeper to make up for the extra distance. I don't recommend that but I just give that as an example. As long as you're avoiding nerve bundles, major veins and your urethra you can make it work if you aim correctly and adjust your depth accordingly.

[seekonk]

In my experience, the injection areas thicken so that after a while the 5/16 needles don’t penetrate into the cavernosa anymore. I am no doc but I guess it’s from tissue swelling from wound inflammation or perhaps thickening from scarring in the several different layers between the skin and cavernosa.

Sadly the same happens with half inch. After a while, I guess you are again just injecting into either swollen tissue, clotted areas, or scar tissue, just deeper in, and the needle again won’t depress, no matter how shallow or deep you push it, in my experience. Eventually you are reduced to having to pull back on the plunger until you see blood hunting for a spot.

Doc told me the needles physically destroy a little bit of the delicate smooth muscle honeycomb erectile tissues every time. I don't think there is any way of getting around that besides urethral suppositories. I wish there were.

After a long break, they may penetrate the right way again, but in my case that means several months. I am a very slow healer though.

[AmansinCali]

I only occasionally had a problem with plunger resistance, but now it is almost every time, and I don't know what I am doing that is different. My wife is very understanding, but it sure can destroy the mood, then it seems to just get more mechanical.

[68CatFan]

I inject by hand with 5/16" needles. The 1/2" needles were too long and I injected the Trimix into my urethra. From time to time I can feel a lot of resistance on the plunger. When that happens, I have to pick another spot. Trying to force it results in soft erections.

[AmansinCali]

Those of you using 5/16" needles, what gauge are your needles? Mine are 31 ga., I don't know if the 5/16" needles come in larger gauge sizes.

[bldoink]

31 and yes I do believe they make them in 30s too.

[Echegollen]

I use insuline syringes and the needles are 30g 5/16''.

I do the same. When I feel resistance on the plunger, I try to go deeper or pull out a little until I can push the plunger without any resistance.

[Alanoc8]

When I started on Trimix my Uro gave me a perscription that included 1/2" x 30 gauge needles. They worked good then at one point the pharmacy shipped 5/16" x 31 gauge which I have to push in all the way and more. I called the pharmacy and they told me they couldn't get 1/2" needles. I was finally able to get them on Amazon.