We will be hosting a fundraiser September 10th, 2008, from 6:30pm to 9:30pm at the Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street in New York City
Hope to see you there.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Positive Health Project Fundraiser
We will be hosting a fundraiser September 10th, 2008, from 6:30pm to 9:30pm at the Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street in New York City
Hope to see you there.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Safety Guidelines for Injecting Hormones
The information in this article has been written in collaboration by Positive Health Project and Edward S. Cheslow MD, and reprinted by permission of a representative of Positive Health Project. Positive Health Project does not encourage the use of prescription medications without a prescription. Hormones are prescribed and are intended to be used as a treatment therapy supervised by a doctor. Consult a doctor before taking any medications.
Positive Health Project is located at 301 West 37th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10018, or can be reached by phone at (212) 465-8304 or by fax at (212) 465-8306.
Safety Guidelines for Injecting Hormones
Hormones are to be injected only into the thigh or buttock muscle. When injecting, be careful of nerves, veins, and bones. The buttock is the most common place people inject. You can switch buttock cheeks to avoid bruises and sores. After you inject into these muscles, you might be sore for a day or two.
Do not inject more than the prescribed amount: it will not speed up your treatment process. You can cause serious liver damage and increase the risk of blood clots. Blood clots can appear in the veins of the legs and can travel to the lungs. This is called plumonary embolism, which can be fatal. People who smoke cigarettes and inject hormones are more likely to develop pulmonary embolism.
Most doctors recommend 1cc to be injected once a month and in some selected cases, twice a month. This will depend on the type of hormones and concentration. If you do not have a doctor, see one before your start hormone therapy treatments. Referrals can be made to doctors who specialize in providing health care to the transgender community.
Needles and syringes are to be used one time only. NEVER share your needles with anyone. If a new sterile syringe is not available the next time you inject, always clean it first. To clean your syringe, do the following: Rinse the syringe with water 3 times, bleach 3 times (keep bleach in syringe for at least 30 seconds and shake each time), and then rinse with water 3 times.
When injecting hormones follow these helpful steps to avoid HIV and other serious infections.
Clean the top of the bottle with an alcohol prep pad.
Fill the syringe with the amount of air equal to the amount of hormones you will be injecting. If you inject 1cc of hormones put in 1cc of air. This makes it easier to get hormones out of the bottle.
Insert needle into the bottle, turn the bottle upside down, and push air into the bottle. To fill the syringe with hormones, pull the plunger down so the top of the plunger lines up with the 1cc mark on the side of the syringe.
Pull needle out of bottle, tap syringe with your finger to make any air bubbles in the syringe rise to the top. Push out all the excess air with a little dribble of hormones to make sure there is not air in the needle.
Now your syringe is filled with hormones. Put the cap back on the needle while you choose and prepare the injection site.
If you inject into your thigh, do it in the front area, between your hip and the knee.
If you inject into the butt, divide your butt into four sections. Across the center of your butt side to side, and up and down each cheek. Inject into the top right or left outer portion section of your butt.
After your pick an injection site, clean the area with an alcohol prep pad. Put the needle straight in, not at an angle or sideways The needle should always be held straight at a 90 degree angle.
Once the needle is inside you, draw back a little bit to make sure no blood enters the syringe. If there is no blood, inject hormones. If you see blood, it means you hit a blood vessel. You can pull the needle out slightly and test again. If no blood returns, inject or choose another site and start again.
Bring back all used syringes to Positive Health Project to exchange for new ones.
Positive Health Project is located at 301 West 37th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10018, or can be reached by phone at (212) 465-8304 or by fax at (212) 465-8306.
Safety Guidelines for Injecting Hormones
Hormones are to be injected only into the thigh or buttock muscle. When injecting, be careful of nerves, veins, and bones. The buttock is the most common place people inject. You can switch buttock cheeks to avoid bruises and sores. After you inject into these muscles, you might be sore for a day or two.
Do not inject more than the prescribed amount: it will not speed up your treatment process. You can cause serious liver damage and increase the risk of blood clots. Blood clots can appear in the veins of the legs and can travel to the lungs. This is called plumonary embolism, which can be fatal. People who smoke cigarettes and inject hormones are more likely to develop pulmonary embolism.
Most doctors recommend 1cc to be injected once a month and in some selected cases, twice a month. This will depend on the type of hormones and concentration. If you do not have a doctor, see one before your start hormone therapy treatments. Referrals can be made to doctors who specialize in providing health care to the transgender community.
Needles and syringes are to be used one time only. NEVER share your needles with anyone. If a new sterile syringe is not available the next time you inject, always clean it first. To clean your syringe, do the following: Rinse the syringe with water 3 times, bleach 3 times (keep bleach in syringe for at least 30 seconds and shake each time), and then rinse with water 3 times.
When injecting hormones follow these helpful steps to avoid HIV and other serious infections.
Clean the top of the bottle with an alcohol prep pad.
Fill the syringe with the amount of air equal to the amount of hormones you will be injecting. If you inject 1cc of hormones put in 1cc of air. This makes it easier to get hormones out of the bottle.
Insert needle into the bottle, turn the bottle upside down, and push air into the bottle. To fill the syringe with hormones, pull the plunger down so the top of the plunger lines up with the 1cc mark on the side of the syringe.
Pull needle out of bottle, tap syringe with your finger to make any air bubbles in the syringe rise to the top. Push out all the excess air with a little dribble of hormones to make sure there is not air in the needle.
Now your syringe is filled with hormones. Put the cap back on the needle while you choose and prepare the injection site.
If you inject into your thigh, do it in the front area, between your hip and the knee.
If you inject into the butt, divide your butt into four sections. Across the center of your butt side to side, and up and down each cheek. Inject into the top right or left outer portion section of your butt.
After your pick an injection site, clean the area with an alcohol prep pad. Put the needle straight in, not at an angle or sideways The needle should always be held straight at a 90 degree angle.
Once the needle is inside you, draw back a little bit to make sure no blood enters the syringe. If there is no blood, inject hormones. If you see blood, it means you hit a blood vessel. You can pull the needle out slightly and test again. If no blood returns, inject or choose another site and start again.
Bring back all used syringes to Positive Health Project to exchange for new ones.
Fundraiser!!
PHP will be hosting a fashion show fundraiser this spring, please email Robert Childs, MPH if you are intested in helping out.
Robert's email: rchilds@phpnyc.org
Robert's email: rchilds@phpnyc.org
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Crystal Meth and Communities of Color in New York City
Check out Terry Evans, Positive Health Project "Public Health Outreach Coordinator" speak about Crystal Meth and Communities of Color in New York City
Follow this Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8Avum59fTM
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Supporting the Transgender Community
A significant number of transgender individuals live and work in the Chelsea/Clinton area. Many of them are sex workers who do not have access to health care services, that include services associated with gender transition. Multiple sexual contacts and self-administered hormone injections put this population at extremely high risk for HIV infection and reinfection.
PHP has developed one of the most comprehensive transgender harm reduction initiatives in the country. Our Transgender Initiative (TGI) employs transgender individuals to conduct outreach and provide services to transgender sex workers, substance users, and hormone injectors.
TGI distributes harm reduction materials that were created by transgender peer educators to teach safer injection practices to hormone users. It also runs support groups and syringe exchange hours exclusively for transgender individuals.
PHP's continued success in providing services to this extremely hard-to-reach and hard-to-retain population is attributable to its commitment to maximizing participant input. All transgender program services are the result of discussions between staff and transgender individuals.
PHP has developed one of the most comprehensive transgender harm reduction initiatives in the country. Our Transgender Initiative (TGI) employs transgender individuals to conduct outreach and provide services to transgender sex workers, substance users, and hormone injectors.
TGI distributes harm reduction materials that were created by transgender peer educators to teach safer injection practices to hormone users. It also runs support groups and syringe exchange hours exclusively for transgender individuals.
PHP's continued success in providing services to this extremely hard-to-reach and hard-to-retain population is attributable to its commitment to maximizing participant input. All transgender program services are the result of discussions between staff and transgender individuals.
How PHP sees Outreach to drug users and sex workers
A vital component of PHP's work is street outreach. Our outreach workers, who are themselves peers of the target population, meet sex workers and substance users on street corners and near drug selling locations. They distribute condoms, literature on HIV/AIDS, bleach kits, and instructions on condom use and safe injection practices, and respond to questions.
Additionally, outreach is conducted regularly in night clubs located throughout the Chelsea/Clinton area. There, PHP staff and volunteers provide young adults who engage in substance use and risky sexual behavior with condoms and educational materials about PHP's program services.
Outreach workers also conduct outreach in adult entertainment establishments, providing educational workshops specifically tailored to sex workers and their partners.
Additionally, outreach is conducted regularly in night clubs located throughout the Chelsea/Clinton area. There, PHP staff and volunteers provide young adults who engage in substance use and risky sexual behavior with condoms and educational materials about PHP's program services.
Outreach workers also conduct outreach in adult entertainment establishments, providing educational workshops specifically tailored to sex workers and their partners.
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