How to prepare the Growth Hormone?
Things you need
- 1mL syringes x 7
- 2.5mL or higher syringe x 1
- 25g needles
- Normal Saline 0.9%
- Alcohol Swabs
- Growth Hormone
1. Prepare your items (as above) on a table
- Use the 2.5 or 5mL syringe with needle to draw up 1.5mL of Normal Saline 0.9%. Check the expiry first to ensure it is not out of date
*This picture does not show the 1.5mL mark clearly as it is obscured by the black rubber stopper of the plunger
3. Inject the 1.5mL of Normal Saline through the centre of the rubber top of the Growth Hormone powder. Aim perpendicular. If there is resistance, choose a new angle.
Now shake the bottle vigorously
Using the same syringe, withdraw all of the normal saline mixed with growth hormone into your syringe
4. Keeping your 25g needle on the big syringe you used to draw up the Growth Hormone mixed with Normal Saline, inject 0.2mL into the 1mL syringe. It is best to first withdraw the plunger of the 1mL syringe back to the 0.2 mark and then fill it up to the 1 point NOT up the neck of the syringe (this will be more than 0.2)
5. Place the 25g needle from your packet onto the 0.2mL of growth hormone as a stopper
Now do this for all 7 syringes; 1.5mL should accommodate 7 syringes at roughly 0.2mL each. If there is extra, place it into the final syringe at 0.25- 0.3mL etc.
Tips and Tricks
For the first week, one bottle of 4IU can be used for all 7 syringes
For week two, one growth hormone bottle of 8IU or 10IU with 1.5ml Normal Saline can be used however if you can only source the 4IU, use 0.75mL in each bottle and combine to make 1.5mL
After a week, some patients will prefer to stay at 8IU and some will move to 12IU. This involves repeating the injection into the glass vial with the 1.5mL of normal saline three times into each glass vial. This is the same fluid-you put it in the first vial then take it out in the syringe and inject into the second vial and then the third. This means that all the 4IU x 3 (12IU) are eventually in the normal saline that you will use for the 7 1mL syringes.
Store the syringes in the refrigerator with a label
This can be repeated to make 6 weeks of growth hormone; if stored in the fridge it will be sterile for about this time. Please read the manufacturers instructions on the growth hormone packet; some brands may not store this long after being opened
Generally, any amount of any medication can be divided up by preparing 0.2mL for each dose (aka each syringe). If you want 14 syringes, you will need 2.8 mL of fluid in total to mix whatever you are mixing into it.
How to inject Growth Hormone?
Note: It is best to do this the first time with a doctor or nurse before attempting by yourself
When and where?
It is convenient to inject growth hormone either at night or in the morning;
ideally the same time each day
The injection is subcutaneous, which is into the fat layer
How to do it?
- Find an area of fat such as the belly or buttock (buttock is less painful)
- Clean the area with an alcohol swab
- Take the plastic cap off the needle
- Tap the syringe to get rid of bubbles
- Depress the plunger to bring the fluid to the tip of the needle and ‘loosen’ the barrel
- Pinch the fat in a mound firmly
- It may help to use ice to numb the skin
- Drive the needle in slowly, at 90 degrees
- Retract the plunger to ensure you are not in a blood vessel; if there is no
- blood, continue. If blood, then you must stop. Blood vessels is unusual in the superficial buttock.
- Slowly inject the growth hormone; if there is resistance, then move the needle back slightly
- Remove in one movement and press
