Feedback for a noob

Is it still okay to use the vial even though I skipped cleaning the rubber stopper at the start? I've been reading around for a while so I know there's plenty of solid info, but I was hoping for one extra tip. Maybe that's pointless if everything has already been covered. Thanks anyway.

I'm starting with 1 mg. I put the needle in and the bac water just poured out on its own without me pushing the plunger.

Next time keep your thumb on the plunger so it goes in more slowly. You'll get the hang of it.

Most people recommend filtering into a fresh vial.

It's mostly just extra caution. Some videos say it's not required. Washing your hands well before you touch anything matters more. Your hands are probably dirtier than the vial tops anyway.

My wife wanted to begin at 0.5 mg, so I put 2 mL of bac water into the 10 mg vial so she can draw 0.5 mg with 1 mL or 10 units. For me I used a 1-to-1 mix, 1 mL bac into the 10 mg vial so 1 mg equals 1 mL. I checked the math a few times but now I'm second-guessing it.

That gives you 10 mg per mL so 10 units is 1 mg, and for her 5 mg per mL so 10 units is 0.5 mg. Remember to adjust for any overfill or underfill in the vial. A 10 mg vial rarely contains exactly 10 mg; it's often closer to 12 mg. That's why testing the actual content matters. With 12 mg you would add 1.2 mL bac for your concentration or 2.4 mL for hers.

Good, the math looks correct then. I'll check the actual fill weight and adjust if needed. Thanks for the heads-up.

I saw the same split opinions, some saying it was totally fine and others warning I'd be in the ER. Dosing is still something I'm figuring out. Some say once a week works, others split it. The more I read the more options appear.

Go slow until you see how your body handles it. Some people are more sensitive than others. It takes about four weeks for levels to build because of the five-day half-life, so you won't know the full effect right away. Avoiding sides makes it easier to stick with long-term. Drink more water than you expect to need. Eat plenty of vegetables for fiber instead of relying on supplements. You'll also want extra protein to protect muscle.

That's great progress. I'm aiming for something similar. Started at 260 and want to reach about 200 while adding some muscle since I'm mostly fat right now. What was your starting weight?

Welcome to the rabbit hole.

Careful, losing almost four pounds a week is pretty aggressive.

You didn't put the weight on overnight so don't expect to drop it that fast without risks. Losing too quickly often means losing lean muscle along with fat.

My highest was 262, though I'd already lost a bit before starting. Now at 192. Yes!

Who's actually losing ten-plus pounds every week? That would need a four-thousand-plus calorie daily deficit.

I dropped 40 pounds in the first nine weeks. A lot of that was inflammation from autoimmune issues and prednisone-related swelling. The actual fat loss came after.

I never add the bac water slowly on purpose. I just let the vacuum control the speed. These compounds aren't as fragile as some claim. That idea probably came from sellers who had nothing in the vials and needed an excuse when people got no results. That's also why testing started. Check the interviews with the guy who runs the testing lab.

I've seen the advice to wipe after drawing too. What's the reason for cleaning the top after you've already pulled the dose?

Just feels cleaner? I don't know, I still do it afterward. Gives me extra peace of mind.

No idea really. Someone who sounded knowledgeable posted it once and I've just kept doing it.

Thanks. I watched it.

The only dumb question is the one you don't ask. Start with the search bar though. If you still can't find what you need, then ask the group. Posting and joining the conversation is also how the no-source banner gets removed.

Same here. I use the vacuum to my advantage. I put the needle in at an angle so the water runs down the inside wall instead of hitting the powder straight on. It actually mixes faster that way. Line the needle up with the groove on the underside of the stopper so it goes through the thinner part more easily.

No reason to skip filtering. It's quick and makes the final product safer.

Do you mean that little circle on top?

No, the circle sits above the groove I'm talking about. I once peeled the whole crimp and stopper off by accident and saw the stopper has two raised sections with a groove running across the middle. Going in line with the groove lets the needle hit the side wall and only pierce the thinner rubber. Going the wrong way means pushing through half an inch of rubber instead. Different vials have different stopper designs, so check yours before you reconstitute.

I never noticed that before. I'll check the vials in the fridge right now. Learn something new every day.

Just checked one from a recent batch and it doesn't have the groove. Another vial from a different source does. Useful to know.