Hi folks, I’m thinking of finally getting started with DIY soon-ish. Right now it looks like there’s no homebrew E injections available that ship from/to the EU. Does anyone know if the situation is likely to improve, if there’s other sources available, or if I should consider starting on another regimen instead? Thanks lots for any help or advice!!

  • DaPorkchop_ [they/she/it]@lemmy.mlEnglish
    13·
    4 days ago

    i was using AstroVials until they basically ran out of stock a few months ago. my current batch of vials is from Symphony Labs - they’re based in the us but shipping over here was no problem

    (am in switzerland, but the customs situation should be similar in the EU)

    edit: fyi, it may make sense to cross-post to !diyhrt@lemmy.blahaj.zone :)

    • violetrage@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      3·
      3 days ago

      Thanks! May I ask how much you pay for shipping from the US? I saw Otokonoko just got a new batch of EV, but they want thirty-five USD just for shipping to where I’m at, and I’m wondering if that’s normal or it would be worth it to wait and see if someone else has better conditions

      • DaPorkchop_ [they/she/it]@lemmy.mlEnglish
        3·
        3 days ago

        well, assuming my math here is correct, my Symphony Labs order cost me 7 USD for shipping to Switzerland (order conformation email shows a total of 127 USD and each of the two EEn vials was 60 USD).

        tbh Symphony Labs charges a bit more per vial than many other homebrewers, and i only went with them because both AstroVials and VC were down and i was running pretty low. having actually gotten the vials, i actually think i’m gonna be sticking with Symphony Labs for the foreseeable future, in spite of the higher prices and 1-2 month delay between order and shipping. i like the vials they use; they’ve got a tear-off metal seal covering the stopper, and the stopper itself is actually rubber. for reference, AstroVials just threw their vials in a box with the stopper directly exposed, and use a silicone stopper (on my last vial this started disintegrating after only about 6 months of weekly injections, leaving little flakes of silicone floating inside the vial and forcing me to throw it out with like half the contents remaining). even more, i really like that they lab test every batch they make, with the test results published on their website and each vial clearly marked with which batch it came from. feels a lot safer than going “well, Trans Harm Reduction tested a vial from this supplier last year, so i guess i’ll just trust that their current stock is also good”.

  • TheLeadenSea@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    9·
    4 days ago

    Hm yeah, sometimes a couple months go by with none up, and then one place or another has stock, about a months ago it was only ones that shipped to the EU, none for the UK. If you like I can ship you a vial in the meantime, from the UK, just to get you started, and keep checking valerie.vg to see when EU providers have stock

    • violetrage@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      6·
      4 days ago

      Thanks, that’s somewhat reassuring. Guess I’ve also got somewhat shit luck with AV and VC both recently quitting. I was even looking at getting in on VC’s closing sale, but then I hesitated, darnit. And thanks so much for the offer!! I’ll be away from home for a bit soon, so sending something from outside EU right now might not work, but I’ll get back to you in a few weeks if I still need it and you still have some! I do have a little bit of transdermal E lying around, but I don’t want to use that if I don’t have the follow-up secured yk. It’s a bit silly, but I’m worried about what my HRT anniversary will be, I want to have it on a date that’s meaningful to me :3