DIY HRT is less accessible for transmasculine people due to testosterone being a controlled substance in many places. You may need to get your hands dirty and obtain it outside standard medical channels.
For injection, the options are slow-release testosterone undecanoate every 8 - 10 weeks (also known as testosterone bessins or Nebido), testosteron enanthate, and testosterone cypionate, best administered weekly.
Testosterone gel also exists; it's not something I have experience with, but it is the easiest to make from powder.
Online resources for using DIY testosterone
I've seen people complain about a lack of clear information on dosing for DIY T. It's easy to learn from training documents for medical practitioners and DIY guides.
Fransgenre DIY HRT brochures (French and English downloads):
https://partagenre.fransgenre.fr/ressources/brochure-ths-en-diy
Covers dosages for T enanthate and cypionate.
For much more detail on dosing T, you want resources aimed at medical practitioners. This one has helped me in the past:
Prescription de THS à base de testostérone (FR only):
https://partagenre.fransgenre.fr/ressources/formation-ths-module-3-partie-b-testo
I'm afraid I don't have an English language equivalent, but I'll actively search for one when it comes to future updates for this post, and I'd be happy to translate bits for anyone who needs it.
The diyhrt.info transmasc guide:
https://diyhrt.info/transmasc/
Includes dosing and bloodwork for multiple forms and concentrations of gel and injectable T.
Their calculations for dosing at different concentrations can be particularly helpful if you're obtaining T from resources aimed at bodybuilders, as most trans guys will want to be on lower dosages than those used for muscular hypertrophy.
Self-injection
Intramuscular injection is ideal. If you're using testosterone undecanoate, you could easily be injecting 4ml at a time, so do yourself a favour and divide it between two muscles.
Here's an excellent how-to video for IM thigh injections:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RInnhgYwal4
You can buy injection supplies in most places from Amazon or Aliexpress, or - for a wider variety of good quality equipment (although you may have to wait longer while they source it) - specialists such as www.medical-hygiene.com
I use 2ml or 3ml syringes with at 25G 13mm (orange from most brands) needle. You may need longer tips if you have a larger body.
When it comes to sharps disposable, to avoid awkward conversations at pharmacies, you may wish to use needle exchange services, which provide non-judgemental access to clean injecting equipment and safe sharps disposal for anyone who injects anything for any reason.
UK needle exchanges:
https://www.exchangesupplies.org/articles/article/How_to_find_a_needle_exchange_providing_free_injecting_equipment_near_you_in_the_UK
France needle exchange by poste :
https://www.safe.asso.fr/index.php/rdr-a-distance
Blood tests
Blood tests can be ordered privately from most labs if you pony up the cash. This applies in France, and I believe in the UK and most other EU countries - I'd appreciate feedback from people with experience of doing this in different parts of the world.
In France, this will cost around 40€ for the testosterone and estradiol level tests.
Ideally, get tested six weeks after changing dosage, and three or four times a year once at a stable dose. Tests should be taken close before your dose, to test the minimal T levels in your system.
You're looking for total T levels of between 10.5 and 40 nmol/L, while estradiol should be 200pmol/L or less.
Obtaining Testosterone
In a lot of places, you would have to be comfortable with breaking the law. Of course, doing these things isn't illegal in places where T isn't controlled. For the purposes of this mini guide, I will assume that you live in Bulgaria, where you are allowed to buy anabolic steroids.
Phone a friend:
In much of Europe, prescription T enanthate is supplied in single-use snap-top glass vials that contain more than most trans guys will need, and many would be happy to share.
Online shopping:
Testosterone's popularity with gym goers and its variable regulation from country to country means that there are plenty of online shopping options, such as
https://roidbazaar.to/ https://www.napsgear.org/ or the various sites listed at
https://steroidwiki.com/sources/ at
https://diyhrt.info/transmasc/sources/ and in discussions at
https://www.reddit.com/r/steroids/ - read reviews of vendors and be aware of your local laws.
Steroid homebrew:
https://steroidwiki.com/articles/steroids-profiles/198-ultimate-steroid-homebrewing-guide.html
#HRT #testosterone #DIY_HRT #TransDIY #TransmascDIY
