Your safety is our highest priority. Dripology Rx ships physician-supervised, prescription-grade medication. Treat every vial, syringe, and pen as a clinical product — because that’s what it is. This page walks you through how to use what we ship safely, what to watch for, and when to call your provider.

Before you start

Do not begin any protocol from Dripology Rx without:

• A completed intake and an approved prescription from a state-licensed provider in our Orbit Health network.
• For TRT, female hormone therapy, and complex stacks: recent bloodwork that our provider has reviewed.
• A full review of your current medications, supplements, and medical history. Tell your provider about anything new before each refill.
• A clean, well-lit workspace and a sharps disposal container.

Reconstitution — mixing peptides and GLP-1 medication

Most peptides and several GLP-1 products ship as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder in a sealed vial. You’ll mix the powder with bacteriostatic water before injection. The exact amount of bacteriostatic water depends on your prescribed dose — follow your provider’s instructions, not the internet.

For your safety, step-by-step mixing and dosing instructions are provided directly by your Orbit Health provider after your prescription — including a personalized demonstration and written instructions specific to your medication and your dose. Never mix, measure, or dose based on general information online. If anything is unclear, message your provider before injecting.

Stop and call your provider if the solution is cloudy, discolored, has particles, or doesn’t fully dissolve.

Injection technique

Most Dripology Rx products are subcutaneous (under the skin). A few hormone protocols are intramuscular. Your provider will confirm which is which on your prescription.

Subcutaneous injection

• Where: Lower abdomen (avoid a 2-inch radius around the navel), upper outer thigh, or back of upper arm.
• How: Pinch a fold of skin. Insert the needle at a 45°–90° angle. Inject slowly and steadily. Hold for 5 seconds. Withdraw and apply gentle pressure with a clean gauze.
• Rotate sites with every injection — same site twice in a row causes irritation and reduces absorption.

Intramuscular injection (TRT injectable, certain hormone protocols)

• Where: Lateral thigh (vastus lateralis) or upper outer quadrant of the glute (ventrogluteal).
• How: Insert the needle at a 90° angle, all the way to the hub. Aspirate (pull back slightly on the plunger) — if blood enters the syringe, withdraw and start over with a new needle. Otherwise inject slowly.
• Discomfort is normal for the first 24 hours. Persistent pain, swelling, or warmth is not — call your provider.

Storage

• Unreconstituted peptide vials: Refrigerate at 36–46°F (2–8°C). Do not freeze.
• Reconstituted peptides: Refrigerated, generally stable for 30–60 days depending on the peptide. Your prescription label will specify.
• GLP-1 injectable pens and vials: Refrigerate until first use. Once opened, follow the specific stability window on your product label (typically 28–56 days at room temperature, never above 86°F).
• Compounded hormones: Follow the label. Most require refrigeration; estrogen creams may be room temperature.
• If your product was left out: Contact your provider before using. Do not assume potency.

Side effects — what’s normal, what’s not

Every medication has a side-effect profile. Below is a brief overview — your provider will walk you through the specifics of your prescription during intake.

GLP-1 (Semaglutide, Tirzepatide)

• Common: Nausea, decreased appetite, constipation, fatigue, mild injection-site reaction. Usually resolves over the first 2–4 weeks.
• Call your provider: Severe abdominal pain (possible pancreatitis), persistent vomiting, dehydration, vision changes, signs of gallbladder issues, or symptoms of low blood sugar if you’re also taking diabetes medication.

Peptides (BPC-157, TB-500, CJC/Ipamorelin, Sermorelin, MOTS-c)

• Common: Mild injection-site soreness, temporary water retention, vivid dreams with growth-hormone-releasing peptides.
• Call your provider: Persistent headache, joint swelling, vision changes, or any allergic reaction.

Hormone therapy (TRT, female HRT, Enclomiphene)

• Common: Acne, mood shifts, sleep changes, breast tenderness (HRT), libido changes during titration.
• Call your provider: Calf pain or swelling (possible blood clot), chest pain, shortness of breath, severe mood changes, unusual vaginal bleeding (HRT), or any sign of cardiovascular concern.

Drug interactions

Always tell your provider every medication, supplement, and recreational substance you’re taking before starting a protocol. Key interactions to flag:

• GLP-1 + insulin or sulfonylureas: Risk of low blood sugar. Requires dose coordination with your diabetes provider.
• TRT + finasteride, anastrozole, or SSRIs: Coordination required. Don’t add or remove without telling us.
• Hormone therapy + anticoagulants: Bleeding risk. Coordinate with your prescriber.
• Any new prescription from another doctor: Tell us before you start it.

Who should not use Dripology Rx

• Anyone under 18.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals.
• Anyone with a known allergy to the active ingredient, preservatives, or excipients in a given product.
• People with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2 (GLP-1 contraindication).
• Anyone with active malignancy, untreated cardiovascular disease, or other conditions your provider determines are unsafe.

When to call your provider

You have direct messaging access to our care team through your Orbit Health account. Use it any time you have a question. Reach out the same day for:

• Side effects that aren’t improving after 2 weeks, or are getting worse.
• A new medication added by another provider.
• A new symptom you can’t explain.
• Any concern about how to inject, store, or dose your prescription.
• Pregnancy, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding.

Emergency — when to skip us and call 911

Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately for any of:

• Chest pain, severe shortness of breath, or signs of stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech).
• Severe allergic reaction — swelling of face, lips, or tongue; difficulty breathing; hives covering the body.
• Severe abdominal pain that doesn’t let up.
• Calf pain with swelling and redness (possible deep vein thrombosis).
• Severe confusion, fainting, or any loss of consciousness.

Telehealth is not appropriate for emergency care. If you’re in crisis, the ER is the right place — we’ll coordinate follow-up care afterward.

Sharps disposal

Used needles and syringes go in an FDA-cleared sharps container — never the regular trash. When full, follow your state’s disposal guidelines (most pharmacies and many hospitals accept full containers). California and New York require sharps to be returned through approved take-back programs.

Questions?

Message your provider through your Orbit Health portal for clinical questions. For everything else, our care team is one click away: Talk to us. If you’re closer to a Dripology clinic and want in-person support, we have flagship locations in Santa Monica and New York City.

Disclaimer. The information on this page is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Your prescribing provider’s instructions take precedence. Compounded medications dispensed through Dripology Rx are prepared by U.S.-licensed compounding pharmacies under USP standards. They are not FDA-approved as finished drugs. Results vary.