It's completely normal to feel nervous about your first injection. Almost everyone is. The good news is that the hard part is already done for you. Your peptide is made up specifically for you and arrives ready to use, so there's no mixing or measuring. Take your time, follow each step, and you'll be fine. Once you've done the first one you'll wonder what the worry was about.
Your prescription tells you the parts that are specific to you, like your dose and where to draw up to. And if you're ever unsure, your care team is one message away.
When your peptides arrive
After your doctor prescribes your treatment, it's made up just for you at a compounding pharmacy. That takes around 10 to 14 days, and it's sent to your door in cold packaging to keep it stable on the way.
When it arrives, unpack it and put it straight in the fridge. That's where it lives between injections.
Get set up
A few things before you start:
- Wash your hands with soap and water, and dry them.
- Take your vial out of the fridge a few minutes early so it's not cold (cold medication can sting a little more).
- Lay everything out: your vial, an insulin syringe in the size your prescription lists, a couple of alcohol wipes, gauze, and your sharps container with the lid open and within reach.
The injection, step by step
- Draw up your dose. Wipe the top of the vial with a fresh alcohol wipe. Draw your dose up to the mark your prescription gives you (getting this right is the main thing). Tap the syringe so any air bubbles rise to the top, then gently push them out.
- Clean the spot. Peptides go just under the skin, and the easiest spot is the belly. Pick a spot a few centimetres from your belly button, and use a different one each time. Wipe it with a fresh alcohol wipe, and let it dry.
- Inject. Gently pinch up a fold of skin, slide the needle in at the angle you've been shown, and push the plunger down slowly and steadily. Then let go of the skin.
- Finish up. Slide the needle out and press a piece of gauze on the spot for a few seconds. Put the whole syringe straight into your sharps container, and never put the cap back on.
- Write it down. Note the date, your dose, and the spot, then put the vial back in the fridge.
When to message your care team
Most injections are completely fine. But get in touch through the portal before your next dose if you notice:
- Pain or a hard lump that doesn't settle. A bit of soreness for a day is normal. Pain that hangs around, hardness, or spreading warmth is not.
- Redness or swelling that spreads. A small bump is fine. A red patch bigger than a coin, or redness that keeps spreading, could be an infection. Stop and message us.
- A fever, chills, or feeling flu-like within two days of injecting. Don't inject again until you've spoken with us.
- A wrong dose. If you think you've drawn up the wrong amount, don't inject again to make up for it. Message us first.
Where to get your supplies
We don't sell injection supplies. You can get insulin syringes, alcohol wipes, gauze, and an approved sharps container from Australian medical suppliers and pharmacies. Get the syringe size your prescription lists. Never put used needles in the household bin. Use an approved sharps container and return it the way your council or pharmacy tells you.
Key takeaways
- Your peptide arrives ready to use. There's nothing to mix.
- Keep it in the fridge, and bring it to room temperature for a few minutes before injecting.
- Drawing up to the right mark is the main thing. Follow your prescription, and ask if you're unsure.
- Peptides go under the skin, into belly fat. Use a fresh spot each time.
- Used needles go straight into a sharps container. Never recap, never in the bin.
Message the care team if: redness is spreading, there's a hot or painful lump, swelling, a fever within two days, or you think you've used the wrong dose. Get in touch before your next injection rather than pushing on. And if you ever just want a hand or some reassurance, we're genuinely happy to talk you through it. The first one is the hardest part, and once it's done you'll have it sorted. You've got this.