Tesamorelin and Allergic Reactions

RicFlair

RicFlair

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Lately I've come across clips where individuals describe severe responses to Tesa as well as other GH Secretagogues. Given that I'm currently using tesa, should I be treating this as a serious worry? I've been on it for a few weeks now, and the only thing I've noticed is a reaction when I inject into my belly — which I've since quit doing. Small red itchy spots would show up on my stomach and they appear to persist for days at this point, plus there was a burning sensation with each pin. Injecting into my glutes, on the other hand, produces 0 reaction whatsoever. Nothing itchy, no spots, nothing at all. That said, some users have said that after months of using tesamorelin without any problems, they ended up in anaphylactic shock. I'd appreciate any insights on the best way to keep an eye on myself while I'm using it. After finding this out, I'm already intending to get a prescription for an epi pen so I have one on hand at all times.
 
RicFlair said:

Lately I've come across clips where individuals describe severe responses to Tesa as well as other GH Secretagogues. Given that I'm currently using tesa, should I be treating this as a serious worry? I've been on it for a few weeks now, and the only thing I've noticed is a reaction when I inject into my belly — which I've since quit doing. Small red itchy spots would show up on my stomach and they appear to persist for days at this point, plus there was a burning sensation with each pin. Injecting into my glutes, on the other hand, produces 0 reaction whatsoever. Nothing itchy, no spots, nothing at all. That said, some users have said that after months of using tesamorelin without any problems, they ended up in anaphylactic shock. I'd appreciate any insights on the best way to keep an eye on myself while I'm using it. After finding this out, I'm already intending to get a prescription for an epi pen so I have one on hand at all times.
Click to expand...
Honestly, my own situation has been odd, to put it mildly. I pick out a single new item to try, and then suddenly some details surface that completely wreck what I had in mind. At this point I have no clue what to do with my Tesa. Looks like I will just have to deal with it... visceral fat has to go.
 
RicFlair said:

Lately I've come across clips where individuals describe severe responses to Tesa as well as other GH Secretagogues. Given that I'm currently using tesa, should I be treating this as a serious worry? I've been on it for a few weeks now, and the only thing I've noticed is a reaction when I inject into my belly — which I've since quit doing. Small red itchy spots would show up on my stomach and they appear to persist for days at this point, plus there was a burning sensation with each pin. Injecting into my glutes, on the other hand, produces 0 reaction whatsoever. Nothing itchy, no spots, nothing at all. That said, some users have said that after months of using tesamorelin without any problems, they ended up in anaphylactic shock. I'd appreciate any insights on the best way to keep an eye on myself while I'm using it. After finding this out, I'm already intending to get a prescription for an epi pen so I have one on hand at all times.
Click to expand...
Since I've got a Tesa kit coming, I'd like to know where those negative anecdotes came from. From what I've gathered, Tesa is considered very safe unless tumor risk is a worry. Anaphylaxis makes me think of EPS shock... not something tied to Tesa itself but rather a quality issue
 
Peptides are like just about any other drug — whether it's a supplement, something prescribed, or bought over the counter — in that they can trigger allergic reactions. Injection site reactions that stay local are what you tend to see most with peptides, though it's not unusual to get a rash that spreads across the body; that happens in a few percent of people on GLP's. Severe immune reactions involving the skin and whole-body immune response do occur but are rare, and while anaphylaxis is a possibility with any of them, it doesn't appear to be frequent. If a reaction is generalised, clearly the drug or peptide has to be stopped.

Injecting deeper into the s/c layer or into muscle means you won't be able to see the reaction. It may look smaller because the skin holds more immune cells, but the reaction is likely still going on.

With GLP drugs, localised reactions at the injection site are extremely common — at least 5% — and for mots-c the rate is very very high; for tesamorelin I'm not sure. Anaphylaxis probably becomes more likely once a localised reaction has appeared than it would be without one, but it remains rare either way. Drug companies give no guidance to stop semaglutide or tirzepatide when injection site reactions occur, which suggests anaphylaxis isn't a big worry for them. Keeping an epi pen on hand when using a bunch of peptides isn't a bad idea, but using it doesn't remove the need to go to hospital — it doesn't halt the allergic response, so the reaction can come back after the drug wears off.
 
With Tesamorelin, and with certain other GH Secretagogues too, what you're dealing with is an immune response that accumulates gradually. That means the thing to watch out for isn't really the reaction right after pinning — it's the immune response that has built up over time.

From what I recall of the main clincial trial, antibodies against the medication showed up in roughly 50% of participants, yet hypersensitivity occurred in just 4%, and anaphylaxis was reported in only 1 case. So the likelihood of anaphylaxis strikes me as quite low, though keeping an epi-pen around isn't a bad precaution.

Beyond the pen, here are some things worth considering:

  • taking an anti-histamine before you pin
  • frequently rotating where you inject
  • keeping an eye on your IGF-1 and glucose levels
  • watching for systemic responses of any kind (flushness, hives/rashes, etc.)

Tesamorelin's safety profile looks fairly favorable, and a serious adverse allergic reaction would be quite uncommon. Everything you've described so far sounds confined to ISRs rather than a broader immune response, but staying viligant is probably wise. Still, as @lessthanhalf points out, this kind of hyper-immune response can also arise with other peptides, medications, or even vaccines. My sense, though, is that ISRs occur more often with tesa than with common glp-1s, and that's where people's worries come from.
 
GHK, GLOWm NAD+, and MOTS-C all give me ISR. Someone on here mentioned mixing a lidocaine/epi solution into their BAC during reconstitution. Anela suggested the same thing in her GLOW "protocol" for highly sensitive individuals.

A while back I picked up some lidocaine but have yet to try it. Perhaps I ought to look for the lido with epi blend.
 
r9rmgddn said:

RicFlair said:

Lately I've come across clips where individuals describe severe responses to Tesa as well as other GH Secretagogues. Given that I'm currently using tesa, should I be treating this as a serious worry? I've been on it for a few weeks now, and the only thing I've noticed is a reaction when I inject into my belly — which I've since quit doing. Small red itchy spots would show up on my stomach and they appear to persist for days at this point, plus there was a burning sensation with each pin. Injecting into my glutes, on the other hand, produces 0 reaction whatsoever. Nothing itchy, no spots, nothing at all. That said, some users have said that after months of using tesamorelin without any problems, they ended up in anaphylactic shock. I'd appreciate any insights on the best way to keep an eye on myself while I'm using it. After finding this out, I'm already intending to get a prescription for an epi pen so I have one on hand at all times.
Click to expand...
Since I've got a Tesa kit coming, I'd like to know where those negative anecdotes came from. From what I've gathered, Tesa is considered very safe unless tumor risk is a worry. Anaphylaxis makes me think of EPS shock... not something tied to Tesa itself but rather a quality issue
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was thinking maybe it comes down to poor quality — like people getting stuck with bad batches? Still, I came across a bunch of negative reviews and experiences on reddit threads, lol. This one in particular: https://www.reddit.com/r/Peptides/s/a5uPem1R6M
 
Th

lessthanhalf said:

Peptides are like just about any other drug — whether it's a supplement, something prescribed, or bought over the counter — in that they can trigger allergic reactions. Injection site reactions that stay local are what you tend to see most with peptides, though it's not unusual to get a rash that spreads across the body; that happens in a few percent of people on GLP's. Severe immune reactions involving the skin and whole-body immune response do occur but are rare, and while anaphylaxis is a possibility with any of them, it doesn't appear to be frequent. If a reaction is generalised, clearly the drug or peptide has to be stopped.

Injecting deeper into the s/c layer or into muscle means you won't be able to see the reaction. It may look smaller because the skin holds more immune cells, but the reaction is likely still going on.

With GLP drugs, localised reactions at the injection site are extremely common — at least 5% — and for mots-c the rate is very very high; for tesamorelin I'm not sure. Anaphylaxis probably becomes more likely once a localised reaction has appeared than it would be without one, but it remains rare either way. Drug companies give no guidance to stop semaglutide or tirzepatide when injection site reactions occur, which suggests anaphylaxis isn't a big worry for them. Keeping an epi pen on hand when using a bunch of peptides isn't a bad idea, but using it doesn't remove the need to go to hospital — it doesn't halt the allergic response, so the reaction can come back after the drug wears off.
Click to expand...
Really useful write-up, cheers!
 
Grogu said:

With Tesamorelin, and with certain other GH Secretagogues too, what you're dealing with is an immune response that accumulates gradually. That means the thing to watch out for isn't really the reaction right after pinning — it's the immune response that has built up over time.

From what I recall of the main clincial trial, antibodies against the medication showed up in roughly 50% of participants, yet hypersensitivity occurred in just 4%, and anaphylaxis was reported in only 1 case. So the likelihood of anaphylaxis strikes me as quite low, though keeping an epi-pen around isn't a bad precaution.

Beyond the pen, here are some things worth considering:

  • taking an anti-histamine before you pin
  • frequently rotating where you inject
  • keeping an eye on your IGF-1 and glucose levels
  • watching for systemic responses of any kind (flushness, hives/rashes, etc.)

Tesamorelin's safety profile looks fairly favorable, and a serious adverse allergic reaction would be quite uncommon. Everything you've described so far sounds confined to ISRs rather than a broader immune response, but staying viligant is probably wise. Still, as @lessthanhalf points out, this kind of hyper-immune response can also arise with other peptides, medications, or even vaccines. My sense, though, is that ISRs occur more often with tesa than with common glp-1s, and that's where people's worries come from.
Click to expand...
Appreciate you tracking down a real study on this. The participant count is unknown to me, though 1 or 200 sounds plausible; anything beyond that seems doubtful. When you consider that a 1% or even 0.5% rate of anaphylaxis is genuinely elevated, any medication carrying that degree of danger would either be avoided entirely when alternatives exist, or administered with extreme caution, preferably with a doctor overseeing things. A 0.5-1% probability of a sudden reaction that could kill you is seriously hazardous. I need to locate that study and go through it. If the risk really sits at that level, then everybody on Tesamorelin ought to carry an epi pen and learn how to administer it, which includes recognising the warning signs, knowing the right moment to inject, and understanding what steps to take afterward. Honestly, I am having a hard time naming other drugs whose potential anaphylaxis risk runs that high.

Generalised allergic reactions that are relatively benign yet quite distressing, producing widespread skin rashes, do occur frequently with certain medications, reaching 5 or even 10%, particularly among some antibiotics, but anaphylaxis at those rates is something I cannot recall encountering.

I was unable to locate the study, so a link would be helpful if you have one.
 
Tesa has given me bruises along with red spots. My sleep gets disrupted by it too. Injections into the glute work better for me. What helped was allowing the syringe, once filled, to sit until it reached room temperature prior to injecting. Rushing is a habit of mine. I have to consciously avoid putting something cold into my body.
 
lessthanhalf said:

Grogu said:

With Tesamorelin, and with certain other GH Secretagogues too, what you're dealing with is an immune response that accumulates gradually. That means the thing to watch out for isn't really the reaction right after pinning — it's the immune response that has built up over time.

From what I recall of the main clincial trial, antibodies against the medication showed up in roughly 50% of participants, yet hypersensitivity occurred in just 4%, and anaphylaxis was reported in only 1 case. So the likelihood of anaphylaxis strikes me as quite low, though keeping an epi-pen around isn't a bad precaution.

Beyond the pen, here are some things worth considering:

  • taking an anti-histamine before you pin
  • frequently rotating where you inject
  • keeping an eye on your IGF-1 and glucose levels
  • watching for systemic responses of any kind (flushness, hives/rashes, etc.)

Tesamorelin's safety profile looks fairly favorable, and a serious adverse allergic reaction would be quite uncommon. Everything you've described so far sounds confined to ISRs rather than a broader immune response, but staying viligant is probably wise. Still, as @lessthanhalf points out, this kind of hyper-immune response can also arise with other peptides, medications, or even vaccines. My sense, though, is that ISRs occur more often with tesa than with common glp-1s, and that's where people's worries come from.
Click to expand...
Appreciate you tracking down a real study on this. The participant count is unknown to me, though 1 or 200 sounds plausible; anything beyond that seems doubtful. When you consider that a 1% or even 0.5% rate of anaphylaxis is genuinely elevated, any medication carrying that degree of danger would either be avoided entirely when alternatives exist, or administered with extreme caution, preferably with a doctor overseeing things. A 0.5-1% probability of a sudden reaction that could kill you is seriously hazardous. I need to locate that study and go through it. If the risk really sits at that level, then everybody on Tesamorelin ought to carry an epi pen and learn how to administer it, which includes recognising the warning signs, knowing the right moment to inject, and understanding what steps to take afterward. Honestly, I am having a hard time naming other drugs whose potential anaphylaxis risk runs that high.

Generalised allergic reactions that are relatively benign yet quite distressing, producing widespread skin rashes, do occur frequently with certain medications, reaching 5 or even 10%, particularly among some antibiotics, but anaphylaxis at those rates is something I cannot recall encountering.

I was unable to locate the study, so a link would be helpful if you have one.
Click to expand...

Right now I'm going through the Falutz et al 2007 NEJM paper, and that reported case isn't showing up in it. It must have come from another source. I'll continue searching.
 
RicFlair said:

Lately I've come across clips where individuals describe severe responses to Tesa as well as other GH Secretagogues. Given that I'm currently using tesa, should I be treating this as a serious worry? I've been on it for a few weeks now, and the only thing I've noticed is a reaction when I inject into my belly — which I've since quit doing. Small red itchy spots would show up on my stomach and they appear to persist for days at this point, plus there was a burning sensation with each pin. Injecting into my glutes, on the other hand, produces 0 reaction whatsoever. Nothing itchy, no spots, nothing at all. That said, some users have said that after months of using tesamorelin without any problems, they ended up in anaphylactic shock. I'd appreciate any insights on the best way to keep an eye on myself while I'm using it. After finding this out, I'm already intending to get a prescription for an epi pen so I have one on hand at all times.
Click to expand...
As far as I know, antibodies against tesa show up in roughly 50% of the people who use it (I think the studies mention this).

I've got a kit of tesa headed my way. My plan is simply to run it, and the moment anything allergic shows up, I'm done. Anaphylaxis doesn't happen often, and my guess is a lot of folks brush off early cues such as itching or hives, then end up with something worse. If a reaction does hit me, I'm just hoping it stays on the mild side.
 
Smiter said:

RicFlair said:

Lately I've come across clips where individuals describe severe responses to Tesa as well as other GH Secretagogues. Given that I'm currently using tesa, should I be treating this as a serious worry? I've been on it for a few weeks now, and the only thing I've noticed is a reaction when I inject into my belly — which I've since quit doing. Small red itchy spots would show up on my stomach and they appear to persist for days at this point, plus there was a burning sensation with each pin. Injecting into my glutes, on the other hand, produces 0 reaction whatsoever. Nothing itchy, no spots, nothing at all. That said, some users have said that after months of using tesamorelin without any problems, they ended up in anaphylactic shock. I'd appreciate any insights on the best way to keep an eye on myself while I'm using it. After finding this out, I'm already intending to get a prescription for an epi pen so I have one on hand at all times.
Click to expand...
Honestly, my own situation has been odd, to put it mildly. I pick out a single new item to try, and then suddenly some details surface that completely wreck what I had in mind. At this point I have no clue what to do with my Tesa. Looks like I will just have to deal with it... visceral fat has to go.
Click to expand...
At the beginning, I came across some really frightening accounts on reddit about tesa. People saying they ended up unable to move, stuck on their bathroom floor for the whole night... and so on. I'm not going to touch it.
 
One more note: the phrase visceral fat gets misused a lot; just so you know; it isn't the soft belly fat you pinch.

Visceral fat builds up around your organs, deep within your abdomen. It is risky because it plays a part in

CVD.

Mine has gone down simply from Retta and Tirz. Everything is in healthy ranges now.
 
desinr-gal said:

Smiter said:

RicFlair said:

Lately I've come across clips where individuals describe severe responses to Tesa as well as other GH Secretagogues. Given that I'm currently using tesa, should I be treating this as a serious worry? I've been on it for a few weeks now, and the only thing I've noticed is a reaction when I inject into my belly — which I've since quit doing. Small red itchy spots would show up on my stomach and they appear to persist for days at this point, plus there was a burning sensation with each pin. Injecting into my glutes, on the other hand, produces 0 reaction whatsoever. Nothing itchy, no spots, nothing at all. That said, some users have said that after months of using tesamorelin without any problems, they ended up in anaphylactic shock. I'd appreciate any insights on the best way to keep an eye on myself while I'm using it. After finding this out, I'm already intending to get a prescription for an epi pen so I have one on hand at all times.
Click to expand...
Honestly, my own situation has been odd, to put it mildly. I pick out a single new item to try, and then suddenly some details surface that completely wreck what I had in mind. At this point I have no clue what to do with my Tesa. Looks like I will just have to deal with it... visceral fat has to go.
Click to expand...
At the beginning, I came across some really frightening accounts on reddit about tesa. People saying they ended up unable to move, stuck on their bathroom floor for the whole night... and so on. I'm not going to touch it.
Click to expand...
It isn't Oct 31st, you know.

desinr-gal said:

One more note: the phrase visceral fat gets misused a lot; just so you know; it isn't the soft belly fat you pinch.

Visceral fat builds up around your organs, deep within your abdomen. It is risky because it plays a part in

CVD.

Mine has gone down simply from Retta and Tirz. Everything is in healthy ranges now.
Click to expand...
Yes, hardly anyone understands what visceral fat actually is. I do. I've had NAFLD in the past.

desinr-gal said:

One more note: the phrase visceral fat gets misused a lot; just so you know; it isn't the soft belly fat you pinch.

Visceral fat builds up around your organs, deep within your abdomen. It is risky because it plays a part in

CVD.

Mine has gone down simply from Retta and Tirz. Everything is in healthy ranges now.
Click to expand...
Well done. Now brown the remaining white lard.
 
Turmeric, chili powders, and seaweeds are things I take on a regular basis.. Ice baths, on the other hand, probably won't be happening for me, thanks to my Reta Chill 🥶
 
lessthanhalf said:

Grogu said:

With Tesamorelin, and with certain other GH Secretagogues too, what you're dealing with is an immune response that accumulates gradually. That means the thing to watch out for isn't really the reaction right after pinning — it's the immune response that has built up over time.

From what I recall of the main clincial trial, antibodies against the medication showed up in roughly 50% of participants, yet hypersensitivity occurred in just 4%, and anaphylaxis was reported in only 1 case. So the likelihood of anaphylaxis strikes me as quite low, though keeping an epi-pen around isn't a bad precaution.

Beyond the pen, here are some things worth considering:

  • taking an anti-histamine before you pin
  • frequently rotating where you inject
  • keeping an eye on your IGF-1 and glucose levels
  • watching for systemic responses of any kind (flushness, hives/rashes, etc.)

Tesamorelin's safety profile looks fairly favorable, and a serious adverse allergic reaction would be quite uncommon. Everything you've described so far sounds confined to ISRs rather than a broader immune response, but staying viligant is probably wise. Still, as @lessthanhalf points out, this kind of hyper-immune response can also arise with other peptides, medications, or even vaccines. My sense, though, is that ISRs occur more often with tesa than with common glp-1s, and that's where people's worries come from.
Click to expand...
Appreciate you tracking down a real study on this. The participant count is unknown to me, though 1 or 200 sounds plausible; anything beyond that seems doubtful. When you consider that a 1% or even 0.5% rate of anaphylaxis is genuinely elevated, any medication carrying that degree of danger would either be avoided entirely when alternatives exist, or administered with extreme caution, preferably with a doctor overseeing things. A 0.5-1% probability of a sudden reaction that could kill you is seriously hazardous. I need to locate that study and go through it. If the risk really sits at that level, then everybody on Tesamorelin ought to carry an epi pen and learn how to administer it, which includes recognising the warning signs, knowing the right moment to inject, and understanding what steps to take afterward. Honestly, I am having a hard time naming other drugs whose potential anaphylaxis risk runs that high.

Generalised allergic reactions that are relatively benign yet quite distressing, producing widespread skin rashes, do occur frequently with certain medications, reaching 5 or even 10%, particularly among some antibiotics, but anaphylaxis at those rates is something I cannot recall encountering.

I was unable to locate the study, so a link would be helpful if you have one.
Click to expand...
I never did locate that study, but many trials enrolled far more participants than the 1 to 200 I had assumed. The typical range was 200 to 800, which makes the anaphylaxis risk less dire than I thought, ( maybe 1/200 to 1/800 ) yet it remains substantially greater than what is seen with most medications. Among the drugs I was able to identify that carry notable anaphylaxis risks, the majority are biological therapies or chemotherapy agents, and those patients are unquestionably given close supervision during administration . A risk of anaphylaxis even below 1/1000 would still warrant having an epipen on hand.
 
Going through this thread could be useful. It contains solid information, along with accounts of additional anaphylaxis instances.

Resources for Epi Pens?

/community-link/thread/5989/
 
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