Active Protocol · Reconstitution & First Injection

CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin — Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Prepares one Peptide Partners combo vial (10mg CJC + 10mg Ipamorelin) using 3mL bacteriostatic water. Designed for the Defy Medical Rx of 300–500 mcg of each peptide nightly. Charted around your chosen dose of 400 mcg of each.

Vendor: Peptide Partners Batch: CJIP202602 · 99.92% purity Prescriber: Dr Michael Linkous · Defy Medical Stability post-recon: 28 days fridge

TL;DR — What you're about to do

Reconstitute 1 vial only (10mg CJC + 10mg Ipa) with 3.0 mL BAC water. Concentration → 3.33 mg/mL of each peptide.
Your dose tonight: 400 mcg of each = 12 units on the U-100 (1/2cc, 29g, 1/2") syringe.
Inject subcutaneous in lower abdomen / love-handle fat, 2+ hours fasted, at bedtime. Rotate sites nightly.
Store reconstituted vial refrigerated (2–8°C). Discard after 28 days (= 23 June 2026 if reconstituted today).
At 400 mcg/night nightly you get ~25 doses per vial — enough for the 28-day window. The remaining 4 vials stay lyophilised in the fridge until needed.

Prescribing Authority — Verbatim

What Dr Mike actually said

"Can be a 1 to 1 combo. So can do CJC/ipamorelin 300mcg–500mcg at night." Michael Linkous, Defy Medical — 17 Apr 2026

"300mcg to 500mcg of each peptide." Michael Linkous, Defy Medical — 20 Apr 2026 (clarification)

"So its 10mg of CJC. So if doing 500mcg a shot, you will have 20 shots in that vial. Whatever water amount you put in it, just divide that amount by 20 and you will get your units on the syringe." Michael Linkous, Defy Medical — 20 Apr 2026 (reconstitution method)

Why this matters The doctor explicitly confirmed per-peptide dosing (not combined) and the reconstitution heuristic: divide your reconstitution volume by the number of shots the vial should yield. We've verified the math below independently and it checks out.

Step 1 · Equipment Checklist

Step 1

Lay out everything before you start

Get all of this on a clean flat surface. Don't open anything until you've checked you have it all.

1 × Peptide Partners combo vial (10mg CJC + 10mg Ipamorelin, lyophilised powder) — keep the other 4 in the fridge
1 × 30mL bottle of bacteriostatic water (BAC water — sterile water + 0.9% benzyl alcohol)
1 × 3cc / 3mL mixing syringe with 20–21G needle — for drawing BAC water from its bottle
1 × U-100 insulin syringe, 1/2cc (0.5mL), 29g × 1/2" — for tonight's actual injection
Alcohol swabs (at least 4 — bottle top, vial top, injection site, hands)
Sharps container (or hard-sided sealable plastic — pharmacy gives you a free one)
Permanent marker — for labelling the vial with reconstitution date
Paper towel on the surface

What it means Two different syringes serve two different purposes. The 3cc mixing syringe moves BAC water into the vial (one-time, larger volume). The U-100 insulin syringe measures your nightly micro-dose (12 units = 0.12 mL). Don't confuse them — drawing 400 mcg on a 3cc syringe is impossible to measure accurately.

Step 2 · Pre-Prep Hygiene

Step 2

Sterile prep — 60 seconds

Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds, dry on clean towel.
Wipe your prep surface with an alcohol swab or disinfectant. Let it air dry.
Remove the plastic flip-top from the BAC water bottle. The grey rubber stopper underneath stays in place.
Remove the plastic flip-top from the peptide vial. Same — grey rubber stays.
Wipe both rubber stoppers with separate alcohol swabs. Let them air dry (10–15 seconds — alcohol kills bacteria as it evaporates).

Do not

Touch the rubber stoppers with your fingers after wiping them.
Touch the needle tips of either syringe — if you do, swap to a fresh one.
Reuse a needle. New needle every injection.

Step 3 · Reconstitution Math

Step 3

The numbers behind your dose

Vial contents: 10mg CJC-1295 + 10mg Ipamorelin (lyophilised, same vial)
BAC water added: 3.0 mL
Resulting concentration: 10mg ÷ 3 mL = 3.33 mg/mL = 3333 mcg/mL of each peptide

On a U-100 insulin syringe, 100 units = 1.0 mL. So 1 unit = 0.01 mL = 33.3 mcg of each peptide.

Dose (each peptide)	Volume to draw	Units on U-100 syringe	Shots per 10mg vial	Nights at 5-on/2-off
100 mcg titration start	0.03 mL	3 units	~100 shots	20 weekdays / 4 wk
150 mcg	0.045 mL	4.5 units	~66 shots	(theoretical)
200 mcg	0.06 mL	6 units	~50 shots	—
300 mcg Rx floor	0.09 mL	9 units	~33 shots	~6.5 wk on 5/2
400 mcg (your dose)	0.12 mL	12 units	~25 shots	~5 wk on 5/2 · 25 nights nightly
500 mcg Rx ceiling	0.15 mL	15 units	~20 shots	~4 wk on 5/2

Optional titration ladder Even though Dr Mike prescribed 300–500 mcg directly, best community practice is to titrate up over 2–4 weeks rather than start at the top. This lets you assess tolerance (fluid retention, carpal-tunnel signs, hunger surge) at lower doses first. A reasonable ladder: Wk 1: 100 mcg / 3 units → Wk 2: 200 mcg / 6 units → Wk 3+: 400 mcg / 12 units (your target). If you'd rather jump straight to 400 mcg per the Rx, that's also within his stated range.

Sanity check vs. Dr Mike's heuristic He said: at 500 mcg, you get 20 shots per vial; divide your water volume by 20 to get units per shot. 3 mL ÷ 20 = 0.15 mL = 15 units at 500 mcg. ✅ Matches the table. Your 400 mcg sits one-third of the way down from his top of range — exactly mid-protocol.

Syringe capacity check Your 1/2cc (0.5mL) U-100 syringe holds 50 units max. You'll be drawing 12 units — well within range, with plenty of room to read the markings cleanly.

Step 4 · Reconstitute the Vial

Step 4

Add 3 mL BAC water — slowly

Draw 3.0 mL air into the 3cc mixing syringe (pull plunger back to the 3 mL mark).
Insert needle through the centre of the BAC water bottle's rubber stopper. Push the air in. This equalises pressure so the water draws easily.
Invert the BAC water bottle (needle up, bottle upside down). Slowly draw exactly 3.0 mL of BAC water into the syringe.
Tap the syringe gently to bring any air bubbles to the needle end. Push them back into the bottle. Re-draw any short volume so you have a clean 3.0 mL.
Withdraw the needle from the BAC water bottle.
Insert the needle through the centre of the peptide vial's rubber stopper, at an angle so the needle tip points at the inside of the glass wall — not at the powder pile.
Inject the BAC water slowly, drop by drop, down the glass wall. Take 20–30 seconds. The water runs down and dissolves the powder gently.
Withdraw the needle. Cap and dispose of the mixing syringe in the sharps container.
Swirl gently — hold the vial between thumb and forefinger and roll it. NEVER SHAKE Shaking shears the peptide bonds and degrades the molecule.
Let it sit for 1–2 minutes. Should become completely clear. If you see any cloudiness, particles, or floating bits after 5 minutes of gentle swirling — do not use this vial. Email Peptide Partners with batch number for replacement.

Critical technique notes

Water hitting the powder pile directly can shear bonds = degraded peptide. Always down the wall.
Shaking creates micro-bubbles that denature peptides. Swirl only.
If the solution stays cloudy or has visible particles, the peptide is compromised. Don't inject it.

Step 5 · Label & Store

Step 5

Write the dates on the vial

Using your permanent marker, write directly on the vial label (or a small piece of masking tape):

Reconstituted: 26 May 2026
Discard after: 23 June 2026
Concentration: 3.33 mg/mL each / 12u = 400 mcg

Place the vial in your refrigerator. Door shelf is fine but the back of a regular shelf (more stable temperature, less light exposure) is better. Target 2–8°C. Never freeze — freezing destroys peptide structure.

Why 28 days? BAC water's benzyl alcohol preservative inhibits bacterial growth in the vial for ~28 days at fridge temperature. Beyond that the antimicrobial activity weakens AND the reconstituted peptide itself slowly degrades. After 23 June, discard whatever's left and reconstitute the next vial.

Step 6 · Draw Tonight's Dose

Step 6

12 units on the U-100 insulin syringe

Wipe the reconstituted vial's rubber stopper with a fresh alcohol swab. Let air-dry.
Take a new U-100 insulin syringe (1/2cc, 29g, 1/2"). Remove the cap.
Draw 12 units of air into the syringe (pull plunger back to the 12 mark).
Insert needle through the centre of the rubber stopper. Push the 12 units of air into the vial. This pressurises it so the liquid draws easily.
Without removing the needle, invert the vial (needle up, vial upside down).
Slowly draw the plunger back to exactly the 12-unit mark. The liquid will fill the barrel — should be clear.
Tap the barrel gently with your finger to send any air bubbles up to the needle. If there are bubbles, push them back into the vial and re-draw to the 12 mark. Final volume in syringe must be exactly 12 units of liquid (no air space).
Withdraw the needle from the vial.
Put the vial back in the fridge immediately.

Double-check before injecting

Hold the syringe up to the light. Confirm visually:

The liquid level sits at exactly 12 units (between the 10 and 15 markings, two ticks above 10).
No air bubbles in the barrel.
The liquid is clear and colourless (no cloudiness or particles).

Step 7 · Inject — Subcutaneous Technique

Step 7

Lower abdomen or love-handle, 45° angle

Site choice: Lower abdomen (at least 5 cm / two finger-widths away from the navel) OR love-handle / flank fat. Rotate sites each night — never the same spot twice in a row.
Avoid: Any area with bruising, redness, scarring, stretch marks, or visible blood vessels. Avoid muscle (the injection should be in the fat layer just under skin).
Wipe the chosen site with a fresh alcohol swab. Let it air dry (15 seconds) — injecting through wet alcohol stings.
Pinch up a fold of skin and fat between thumb and forefinger of your non-dominant hand. This lifts the SC tissue away from muscle.
Hold the syringe like a pencil. Insert the needle into the pinched fold at a 45° angle (a 29g × 1/2" needle is too short to need 90° on most people — 45° is more reliable for SC).
Release the skin pinch once the needle is fully in.
Push the plunger down slowly and steadily over 3–5 seconds, until all 12 units are delivered.
Leave the needle in for an extra 2–3 seconds after the plunger is fully down — this lets the liquid disperse into tissue and reduces back-leak.
Withdraw the needle at the same 45° angle you went in.
If you see a small bead of blood, apply gentle pressure with a clean tissue or cotton ball for 10 seconds. Don't rub.
Cap the syringe and drop it into the sharps container immediately. Never recap by hand and leave loose — sharps injuries to family members are the most common home-injection accident.

Timing Bedtime injection, ideally 2+ hours after your last meal (fasted state). This is when your natural nocturnal GH pulse fires, and food-driven insulin/IGF-1 elevation would blunt the GHRH/ghrelin response we're trying to amplify.

Step 8 · After the Shot

Step 8

First-night observation

Most people feel nothing the first night. Subjective effects (deeper sleep, vivid dreams, morning fullness) typically emerge over 2–4 weeks. Body composition shifts and IGF-1 elevation are 8–12 week phenomena.

Expected mild effects within first 1–2 hours (all benign, self-resolving):

Mild facial flushing
Slight tingling around the injection site
Light-headedness if you stand up fast (peripheral vasodilation from GH pulse)
Hunger 30–60 min after — ghrelin receptor activation. Resist eating — defeats the fasted-state purpose.

Log tonight in your phone notes:

Date / time of injection
Site used (e.g. "lower left abdomen")
Dose drawn (12 units = 400 mcg each)
Any sensations at injection
Sleep quality (next morning rating 1–10)
Any vivid dreams or unusual wakeups

Monitoring imperative — 4–6 weeks Book a Quest panel for week 4–6 of this cycle: IGF-1 (confirm response, target 150–220 ng/mL, don't exceed 300), fasting glucose + HbA1c (GH is insulin-antagonist), and SHBG + Free T (CJC suppresses SHBG → bioavailable T rises). Your pre-treatment IGF-1 baseline was 113 ng/mL on 17 Mar 2026.

Red Flags — Stop & Call Defy

Stop the protocol and contact Dr Mike (michael@defymedical.com) immediately if you experience:

Significant injection site reaction: warmth, spreading redness, streaking, hard nodule >2 cm, pus, or fever — possible infection.
Persistent carpal-tunnel symptoms (numbness/tingling/weakness in hands, especially on waking) lasting >2 weeks — supraphysiologic GH effect. May need dose reduction.
Significant water retention / puffy face / ring-tight fingers persisting >1 week — same.
New or worsening joint pain — GH-driven fluid effect on synovial tissue.
Rising fasting glucose (>100 mg/dL) or HbA1c climbing past 5.7% — GH-induced insulin resistance. Yours is already at 5.6% ceiling, so this is the marker to watch most closely.
Headaches that persist beyond first few days or are severe — discuss dose.
Vision changes (blurring, peripheral field changes) — rare but pituitary-related; stop immediately.
Any signs of allergic reaction — hives, swelling of face/lips/tongue, difficulty breathing — call 911, don't email.

If something goes wrong with reconstitution

Powder doesn't dissolve / stays cloudy after 5 min gentle swirling: don't inject. Email Peptide Partners with batch CJIP202602 for replacement. You have 4 more lyophilised vials in reserve.
You injected an obvious wrong dose (e.g. 30 units instead of 12): a 1000-mcg dose is uncomfortable but not life-threatening. Expect stronger flushing, water retention, hunger. Skip tomorrow night, resume normal dose night after. Log it for Dr Mike at next check-in.
Vial accidentally left at room temp overnight (after reconstitution): BAC water preservative still active; one event probably fine. If multiple times, discard and start next vial.

Before You Inject — Final Verification

5-second mental checklist at the syringe

✅ Right vial — reconstituted today, clear, no particles
✅ Right syringe — U-100 insulin (1/2cc), not the 3cc mixing one
✅ Right number — 12 units drawn (400 mcg each, mid-Rx range)
✅ No air bubbles in barrel
✅ Site cleaned and dry
✅ Pinch, 45°, slow push, 3-second hold, withdraw
✅ Sharps container ready

Sources cross-referenced: Defy Medical email thread with Dr Michael Linkous (17–20 Apr 2026, verbatim quotes above). Peptide Partners product specification (batch CJIP202602, 99.92% HPLC, TrustPointe LIMS verification key UQJA23MYE4VT). BacteriostaticWater.com reconstitution kit (1/2cc × 29g × 1/2" U-100 syringes, BAC water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol preservative). Active Interventions memory file (last verified 22 Apr 2026). Peptide Research Report — Bambos & Mariel (peptides/ subfolder).