I was on .25 ml of Depo-Testosterone 100mg/mL. I injected once a week subcutaneously.
Two days prior to my sixth week shot, all of my previous injection sites (five of them on the top of my thighs) became swollen, red, hot to the touch, and itchy. When I ran my hand over my thighs, I felt large two-inch raised bumps under my skin at each site.
I wasn’t sure that testosterone caused the reaction, so I injected myself again at a different location. Within twenty minutes of injecting, the site became swollen and itchy like the others.
I was confused and concerned. I was sure that I injected properly and I didn’t understand why the reaction happened six weeks into taking testosterone.
I used hydrocortisone cream and Benadryl allergy medication to relieve the itching. To relieve the swelling, I used ice packs. The injection sites did not get better for a full seven days.
I stopped using testosterone for two weeks because I could not get an appointment and I did not think it was safe to proceed with injections. Having to stop was crushing; especially considering it took so much courage for me to start in the first place. I felt that it reversed all of the progress I made (regardless of if it physically did or not). During the two weeks without taking injections I had severe sweating, hot flashes,mood swings, and couldn’t get hard.
I went to see my doctor and he confirmed it was an allergic reaction. He said that some guys are allergic to the oil that the testosterone is suspended in. I could also be allergic to testosterone, which is very rare. He was happy that I stopped using testosterone for two weeks so the oil could dissipate from my system. He also said he was surprised that all of the injection sites became swollen at the same time six weeks in, which is a pretty severe reaction since I was on half the dose most guys start on.
The testosterone I was taking was suspended in cottonseed oil. However, the other type of testosterone available to me in an injectable format only came in a higher concentration. My labs, prior to the allergic reaction, were okay. So the doctor switched my prescription to Testosterone Enanthate 1,000mg/5mL, which is suspended in sesame seed oil, and I am now injecting at .2, which is a 30% higher dose than before.
So far, it’s been two days and I have had no reaction to the Testosterone Enanthate. I’m crossing my fingers and hope that I’m not allergic to testosterone.
I hope this post is helpful to other guys who have similar reactions.
Here is more information I found on allergic reactions to testosterone:
http://www.rxlist.com/depo-testosterone-drug/patient-images-side-effects.htm
