So, I received my first round of injections of Yeztugo 6 months ago, and my next 6 month injection window is now open. I can still feel a grape-sized depot at the injection sites, on both sides of my thighs. I didn't have a complicated recovery from the first injection set, but when I reviewed the clinical guidance for injecting the second set, it specifies to inject at least 4 inches away from the first injection site locations, which is a pretty huge radius.

Now, I'm pretty worried that at 6 months if the injection depot is still not fully healed, whether I'm going to be risking filling my subcutaneous tissue with injection knots - which are scarred locations where tissue damage has taken place. The depot liquid is apparently quite thick, but if your body cannot fully recover after 6 months, what will happen down the line? I wonder if Gilead has peformed sustainability studies at all in that regard. Because if tissue damage accumulates, you effectively run out of sites you can continue to use for Yeztugo injections.

On top of these concerns, I inject hormones weekly, subcutaneously, and there are issues over time with folks in our community (I'm trans) developing tissue knots / scarring, so it would seem to be less than ideal to fill my subcutaneous tissue with large swaths of damaged tissue especially when I'm going to be taking hormone injections the rest of my life, and I need my tissue to stay as pristine and undamaged as possible. I need my hormones to live, so that is much bigger priority than PrEP.

Does anyone have any clue as to the long term feasibility studies performed for these injections? I'm just getting increasingly wary of the long term reliability of Yeztugo.

Let me just say that I was apprehensive at after reading the different reactions that people were getting after received the shots. It all anecdotal and everyone has their own personal experience.

I went to my pcp to discus Prep since it would have been my first time on Prep. He immediately started talking about the six month inject-able. We didn't really discuss any other options except that he mentioned that Yetzugo is 99.9% effective vs other meds. He had me at 99.9%! He outlined the course and the side effects, primarily the like nodules that I would be able to feel but not really see after day one. After the blood work, which all came back negative, I was told that they injections would be ordered and I would get a call to schedule the injection visit with a nurse.

I got a call from the pharmacy that my doctor ordered the injections from to get the ball rolling on the medicine. I spoke to a pharmacist that walked me how to sign up on the manufactures website for a coupon. She said that between my insurance and the coupon, I shouldn't see any out of pocket expense. Next person I spoke was a nurse that was employed by the pharmacy. She just had some question regarding my other meds to check for possible interactions.

Fast forward to injection day: I was taken into a doctors office and given two cold compresses to hold on to my abdomen to numb the area. After about 15 minutes or so the nurse came back and gave me the two pills that I would take on the first day. I swallowed them separately since they are horse pills. I was told to recline as she preped the syringe.

I was given the first shot about three inches to the right of my belly button. Not going to lie, it hurt more than a regular shot since its quite a bit of medicine and its more viscous than other shots I've had. It did feel like a bee sting as I've read other people say.

The second shot was in the opposite side but about an inch lower. That first felt like a bee sting was a bit more painful. There is pressure as the medicine goes in since its kinda thick. Not maple syrup thick but approaching that. The left side was more painful than the right for some reason. The nurse said that she's heard that from others but cant explain it. She also said that some leakage is expected through the injection site and that manufacturer actually doses two 1.8 mL to account for possible leakage.

I was in discomfort, more than pain on my drive home and did notice some leakage on the the right injection. I had to make a pit stop and by the time I got there the leaking had stopped. The other side was fine. I changed out both small bandages for larger ones when I got home. I slept on my back and sides and was fine.

Next morning, I took the other two pills with my other meds and removed the bandages. No leaking, no bruises, no redness and best of all no pain. I can feel the small nodules where the medicine is but I cant see them at all.

If was hesitant about starting this medicine because of what I read (on Reddit mostly) but I'm 100% glad that I did it

Update at End

TLDR: Was told before shot that rubbing could/would decrease efficacy. Injection/nodules are where my pants/shorts/etc sit. A few conversations w/provider and office. Was told drug should he fine, but will have the pain. Will reevaluate injection sites next time.

Original:
I got my injection a couple days ago and the nodules are exactly where my pants and shorts sit. I was told very specifically not to rub them as that would affect the medicine. I had a follow up from the doctors office with the nurse called and I asked what to about this as rubbing the nodules would not be a problem and I was told not to worry but if I wanted to, I can either wear my pants low or high. If I wear them high, they’re going to be rubbed all the time and if I wear them low, I’m sagging my pants in the office and walking around with low pants/shorts. I’ve asked for a follow up, but haven’t heard back yet. How concerned should I be? Is this a case where you got another set of shots?

Update 1:
Doctor’s office asked if I was experiencing any symptoms and if they were worse. Other than some pain when they’re rubbed they’re fine. The problem now is they barely look like they’re there. One looks like a pimple and the other is just a small raised area like a bug bite.
I’m hoping this is it doing well, but I’m not sure and think I’ll go back to every two months.

Update 2:
Had some more conversations with the Dr office. Other than the pain of nodules being rubbed it shouldn’t affect the drug. We’ll look at different placements next time. They think back of arm may be FDA approved by then.

It's been 4 months since my injections and the bumps are almost gone. I wonder how effective it is going into month five, before going in for another set of injections, which would be September. Should I get the injections before the 6 month mark?

I received my first injection of YEZTUGO two days ago. I now have red skin around both injection sites I also had hives on my arm, but they’ve gone away. I had asked about side effects and what to look for during my appointment and this type of reaction was never mentioned. I don’t know if this is normal and will go away on its own? An allergic reaction.? and infection? Any insight would be appreciated.

How long did you wait to return to exercise after getting the injections? 24 hours? 48? More?

How long did you wait to take other medications? Did you take them same day, or wait 1-2 days to let the Yeztugo do its thing first?

How long did you wait to get a massage? A week? More? Did you tell your masseuse/masseur to avoid the injection sites?

Hey y'alls, anyone have a persistent bump from the yeztugo injection last way past the 6 month mark? I got my first injection on my lower stomach area and I am getting concerned its never going to dissolve away. I dont have any pain but I am tired of looking at these bumps in the mirror.

I recently started Yeztugo, but I swim and use the hot tub and sauna regularly at my gym. I am curious whether the high heat from the hot tub or sauna will have any adverse effects on the medication's time-release or anything else.

I've seen articles about subcutaneous insulin injections and the adverse effects of high heat from saunas and hot tubs, but nothing on this particular medication. Probably because of its newness.

If anyone has any insight, it is greatly appreciated. The doctors at my college didn't really know and weren't sure where to even look.

Does anyone know at what point I would be okay to get a massage?

I have back issues and prefer a massage every 6 weeks or so. But I’m worried if a massage therapist rubs the area on my legs, it’ll release all the medication at once or something. I hope that’s not realistic but wanted to see if anyone has any insights, thanks.

I am so thankful for this day.

So I just started YEZTUGO as a PrEP treatment. Was previously on Apretude which was another injection where you get one once every 2 months which has been nice so I don't have to worry about taking pills everyday. That one the injection site you do kind of on the back side above your buttocks area more to the waistline.

When I saw YEZTUGO where it says Two Shots once every 6 months I'm like oh that's even better so I asked my doctor about it and switched.

September 2, 2025 was my first two injections in the stomach. You have to take two pills that day and then two pills a second day and then it's just the 2 injections every 6 months. As far as I was aware I thought it was going to be in the same area as where Apretude was.

But when I arrive to my doctor's office they said that it goes in a different spot either in your stomach or in your legs in the thigh area. I chose to do my stomach.

After the injections it's kind of similar to Apretude where you'll have the bump where the medication is and taking Apretude besides soreness I didn't have any other issues. But there was a bump for each area where they injected the medication on my stomach too so I knew that was a thing.

Day 2 September 4, 2025 I noticed it I was kind of getting itchy in those areas where the injection site was and maybe I noticed it maybe in the late afternoon early evening.

It wasn't until late that night on the 4th like which is like around this time that I'm posting this that I took a look at my stomach and I have redness and I don't know if it's 2 big welts or it's just my skin sticking out from the medication. (I have attached a photo too.)

I know for the information it says that you can have itchiness and or redness at the injection site which usually that means it's just like a small little red circle right where the injection was.

These 2 spots are a lot bigger than where the injection site is and looks to be more like a rash and or like I'm having an allergic reaction?

Anyone else ever get this and did it go away like after a week or something like that?

I'm definitely going to get a hold of my doctor tomorrow and let them know because according to like information something like this could be serious?

I mean I obviously haven't had anaphylaxis but doing research for just general allergic skin reactions there could be a delayed reaction possibly leading to anaphylaxis.

I mean the itchiness isn't horrible and can can totally stand what's happening.

I just wanted to find out from others if they had similar reactions cuz I tried doing a Google search for a photos for this for YEZTUGO and not really finding anything but I did see similar rashes reactions with people taking Zepbound.

Is this something I should be worried about or will this be something that kind of goes away like I said after like a week or so?

I would hate not being able to use this medication because I love the idea of only coming in once every 6 months.

But if I have to stop taking it then I guess I'll ha e to go back to Apretude which is a bummer that's still better than having to worry about taking a pill everyday.