If you inject or take PIEDs, it is important to seek medical advice and get regular blood tests. Ideally, you will find a doctor who is knowledgeable and able to help you monitor your health and provide information on using PIEDs as safely as possible.
I had to go around to quite a few doctors before I found one that didn’t think that steroids injection would just kill you […] But yeah, once I actually did find one of those doctors, yeah, he was really good. I talked to him about everything that I was thinking about taking. He would give me some advice […] I’d get as much information until I felt like I was prepared to try something and I knew what to expect and, yeah, I’d say about every single time there were no surprises for me and so it all actually worked out pretty well. – Joel, Qld
Even if you haven’t found the right doctor yet and disclosure may be challenging, getting a check-up is important. It is best practice to get a blood test before, during and after finishing a cycle. The most important test is the post-cycle test, as it can assess your hormonal and organ function.
Ask your doctor to check for blood pressure, cholesterol, liver and kidney functions, and testosterone levels. They may appreciate linking them to this handy guide for GPs: www.snhn.net/steroid-harm-minimisation/
If you have injected steroids with anyone else, or shared any equipment, you should also ask a doctor for a blood-borne virus test as soon as .
If the exposure is recent, a follow up test in 12 weeks is also recommended. You should avoid all risk activity, including using condoms for sex until confirmed negative. Once you receive your result, you should continue to follow blood safety precautions by following the steps in the injection guide.
If you do have a blood-borne virus there are steps you can take to stay healthy, and for hepatitis C, there’s a cure.
References
Quote from Fomiatti, R., Moore, D., Latham, J.R., Fraser, S., Lenton, E., Seear, K., Aitken, C. & Stanton, K. (2019). Understanding performance and image-enhancing drug injecting to improve health and minimise hepatitis C transmission: Findings and recommendations from a national qualitative project. Melbourne: The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University.
Public Health Wales. Cycles and Post Cycle Therapy. Available from IPED Info: https://www.ipedinfo.co.uk/cycles-and-post-cycle-therapy/