Has any of the mods or maybe any of your followers used the Xyosted auto injector? My new prescriber brought it up and I’m trying to learn more about it. Thanks!
No, I’ve never used Xyosted, and I would recommend against it for the vast majority of trans people on T. It’s just not worth the cost.
Xyosted isn’t a special form of testosterone, it’s just the regular stuff in a non-refillable subcutaneous autoinjector.
When people inject testosterone, they typically take a larger needle, put it on the syringe, clean the top of the T vial, draw out the testosterone from the vial, switch to a smaller needle, clean your skin, then actually inject the T by putting the needle in your chub (sub-Q shots go in the fat and use a shorter needle) and pushing down the plunger.
You can see a video of me doing my injection here to demonstrate the way it’s typically done. That video is 2 years old and I never did any follow-up videos, but one day I’ll make more... I also explain the steps in doing a sub-Q shot more thoroughly in this post, if you scroll about halfway through.
With the autoinjector, you don’t need to draw the testosterone out of the vial, it’s already all set up in there with the right dose. You just take off the cap and clean your skin then kinda jab the needle-containing end in your stomach chub and hold it there for 10 seconds. It’s like an epi-pen, essentially.
Here are the pros and cons of Xyosted as I see them:
Pro: If you’re disabled, you don’t need to have the same fine motor control to prepare and do your injection with Xyosted because it’s pre-prepared and all you have to do is press it and hold in place.
Pro: If you’re scared of needles, not seeing the needle might help- the injector will hide the needle so you don’t have to think of it as much.
Con: You only have 3 options for your dose, 50 mg, 75 mg, and 100 mg. If you want to be on low-dose T, you may want to be on a dose around 20 mg. And even if you don’t want a low dose, only 3 options doesn’t allow you to make small changes in your dose if your levels are a little low or high.
Con: Expensive. Like, really expensive. This is really the biggest issue with the Xyosted. If you’re paying out of pocket with a GoodRx coupon, expect to be paying $437 for four syringes. That’s almost $500 every month. If you get it covered by your insurance the copay be cheaper than that, but it’ll still be expensive and they’re likely to deny it unless there’s a legit medical reason you need the fancy preloaded syringe instead of a do-it-yourself syringe.
Pros and cons of standard syringes:
Pro: You have a ton of control over your dose- there’s way more than 3 options. Typically you’ll be able to go up in 10 mg increments, so you have 10 options between 10 and 100.
Pro: It’s way cheaper! You can get 2 vials of testosterone for $20, 4 needles to withdraw and 4 to inject with for $2, and then you’re set. Instead of paying $437 a month, you’d be paying $22 a month. And that’s without insurance using goodrx- if you use insurance, your copay may be cheaper than that.
Con: Preparing the injection requires fine motor control to get the needle in the stopper of the vial (typically smaller than a penny) without poking yourself and to switch needles on the syringe from the big to small one without sticking yourself
Con: You do have to see the needle, so if you have a needle phobia this can be rough.
So the form of T is the same, the method of administration is similar (injection), and it’s the same size needle, you just don’t need to fill the syringe yourself.
Is there any reason for the average abled person to use Xyosted? I’d say probably not, no. It’s more convenient- but at the expense of your checkbook (while simultaneously reducing the options you have in choosing your dose).
If you have a needle phobia, then it might be worth doing- but it isn’t your only option, and you may also want to consider testosterone gel, testosterone patches, or another form of T that’s actually needle-free instead of needle-discreet.
However, you have a disability, then this is a device that might actually be useful for you and worth looking into. It might help you self-administer your testosterone without getting assistance from a friend/family member/aide/doctor. You may also be able to use testosterone patches or testosterone pellets, and maybe gel if you have enough coordination to apply it, so again, it isn’t your only option- but it is a good option to have.
So that’s my thoughts on the topic. But I’d listen to what your prescriber has to say of course- they may have a reason why they think it would fit your situation.
The other thing to remember- it’s okay to try something then switch back to another form of T! I’ve been on 2 types of T; the gel (different concentrations, brands, packets, pumps) and injections (sub-Q and tried both enanthate and cypionate). My partner has also been on 2 types of T; they started on the gel, switched to patches, and then switched back to the gel. If something isn’t working for you, it’s fine to call your doctor’s office and/or send a message through the patient portal and say “Hey, I liked trying X thing, but I think I’d like to switch to Y thing, for Z reason” and they’ll usually say “ok” then write you a new prescription.
If you think they’re recommending it just because they got a visit from the manufacturer (companies give doctors merch and they pay for meals, trips and consulting fees, and they do it because it works) then I’d politely tell the doctor no, you prefer doing [insert] form of T because you need to save money/whatever your reason is. You get to decide what you want, so stick up for yourself!
Followers, any personal experiences to add?
