Needle size panic and dosing GLP-1

CoolFixed

CoolFixed

Well-known member
Hey everyone! I've finally taken the plunge and ordered some reta and GHK-Cu. After tons of research and battling the same old binge cycle for what feels like forever, I figured it was time to try something new.

I've scoured the forum for needle advice, but I'd love to ask more directly: Should I go with 4mm, 6mm, or 8mm needles for these peptides? I've seen some say 4mm can sting more with GHK-Cu. I'm mostly worried about accidentally injecting into the muscle. I'm not the best with needles, but I think once I get over the initial fear, I'll be fine. I mostly just want experienced people's thoughts and advice on technique.

For example, some say 8mm is comfier. I'm not super lean, but not huge (6'0", 210lbs, ~27% body fat). I want to shed about 50lbs which I have done before. Should I just visually estimate depth with the needle?

As for gauge, I'm leaning towards 30 or 31. Lots of folks here use 29, and some have even gone as thin as 31 or 32. I don't want to risk snapping the needle, but also don't want it to hurt much! Any personal insight is appreciated.

For starting doses, I want to go slow and steady. Some sources say to start at 1mg or 2mg. I was planning on sticking to the minimum and starting with 0.25mg, seeing how my body responds. Maybe 0.25mg once a week, or twice, depending on what happens. Also looking for dosing tips here. For GHK-Cu, I'm mainly using it because my friend believes it can help prevent stretch marks and loose skin. I've seen 1mg-2mg doses mentioned. Does that sound right?

Any advice is welcome. I'm a total newbie to injecting, and I prefer to err on the side of caution.
 
Hey! My experience:

GHK-Cu: 30G-8mm into the lower glute (it stung everywhere else).
Other peptides: 30G-4mm

I don't think you feel a difference between 29G and 32G. Maybe 32G is too thin and could bend? Also, thicker peptides might be harder to push through that size.
 
I doubt you'd even feel a 27G, so don't worry about that. Bending/breaking is a concern, especially with longer 30-31G needles. I'd go with 30G or larger (even 27G, though it's not needed for water-based peptides like these, more for oil-based). Be careful either way!

As for needle length, those lengths should be fine. They're pretty rigid. Longer needles get flimsy. Don't pin with a 31G at 1/2" (13mm), it's risky.

I was trying to inject near my love handle with a 31G and it bent 90 degrees! I got a big blue bump under my skin. Had to use a larger needle to drain it. Point is, a 31G at 1/2" is risky.

The length (4mm vs. 8mm) won't change the feeling. You won't hit muscle with those lengths, especially if you pinch the skin when injecting in your stomach or love handle.

TBH, don't stress the minor size/length differences. For peptides, get insulin needles, not luer lock ones; luer locks have dead space, which isn't good for daily peptide use. Consider Glow or Klow instead of plain GHK-Cu. They have other peps (BPC-157 & T-500, Klow also has KPV) to reduce stinging/burning and add benefits.

CoolFixed said:
I'm 6ft tall and 210lbs and were looking to drop another 50lbs?
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That's a lot of weight to lose! What's your resistance training like? Building muscle is important, especially as you get older. How old are you?

Don't focus only on the scale. It's a trend indicator, but body composition is more important. If you're using peptides like Reta for weight loss, strength training is key. You'll have trouble hitting 160lbs @ 6ft while keeping muscle though.

It's hard to know your full situation from a forum post. This is just based on what you said.
 
I have to disagree with the previous commenter. If you have a lot of body fat, a 4-8mm needle isn't likely to reach muscle for IM injections. And why would you want to "eyeball" the needle depth?

6-8mm is normally for subQ. 4mm is often used for Botox. If you're injecting peps intended for IM with those lengths, you're probably not hitting the muscle.
 
If you can easily pinch the injection area, you're probably not hitting muscle.

BUT... if you aren't that overweight, you probably won't get stretch marks or loose skin... unless you're older.
 
Yep, exactly! Thanks, guys. I was fretting about the risk of not injecting deep enough versus going too deep and hitting the muscle by mistake.

Thanks for the GLOW/KLOW tip too. I've heard of lots of peptides, but I've always had pretty good skin. I only looked into GHK-Cu because my friend said it could help with stretch marks and loose skin. I started reading up on GLOW recently. I get scars pretty easy, so it sounds good.

To answer your question, I'm 22, so I'm still young. I was overweight growing up and lost a lot of weight over a few cutting phases. I had an ED during college. Before that I had pretty good habits, tracked food, hit protein goals, and was 150lbs at around 12% body fat. During freshman year I ate only protein powder and energy drinks and dropped to 129lbs sub 10%. It was crazy, I looked 'cool' with my shirt off.

I don't want to do that again. Then I got a girlfriend and had no more self control lol. I gained weight over 2-3 years of binging. I'm about 27% body fat now, maybe a bit less, so I have 155lbs lean mass. My scan showed 82lbs of muscle. I want to hit 11-15% again. I think around 160 I'll be 15-18% since you lose lean mass with fat mass. Hopefully Reta will just strip fat, but I need to stay disciplined with protein and training.

Thanks for all the input! I'm thinking I'll go with 30g 8mm, but I'm also considering 6mm.
 
I've been taking sema for a few months now and my biggest tip is to inject at night. When I first started, my doctor recommended this because some people (not everyone) can feel a little nauseous after the first couple of injections, within a few hours. Doing it at night, I avoided that symptom. I also did my first shot on a Sunday night, so if I had any symptoms I wasn't stuck at work!
 
To @CoolFixed, I think you should speak with your doctor about your history with disordered eating. GLP-1 medications can sometimes exacerbate such conditions, so it is important to proceed under medical supervision. Especially if you are aiming for a very low body fat percentage.
 
Checkup said:
To @CoolFixed, I think you should speak with your doctor about your history with disordered eating. GLP-1 medications can sometimes exacerbate such conditions, so it is important to proceed under medical supervision. Especially if you are aiming for a very low body fat percentage.
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Thank you for that comment, that is completely true. I've been cleared for such a thing, but I definitely appreciate that someone said this. It is dangerous and I don't recommend anyone dive in blind. I made sure I was completely fine with everything because the last thing I need is a mental health issue from this, but I appreciate you.
 
HungryHippoNoMore said:
Is it just me, or does it look like there's some sema left in the pen after the last dose?
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Yeah, it happens. Some people draw it out with an insulin syringe to use, but I usually just toss it. It's not worth the hassle for me.
 
Those same size needles here, and yeah, the resistance is real. I've found that hesitation is half the problem. When I just go for it without overthinking, it's basically painless.
 
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