Build your supplies checklist
Tap everything that applies. We'll assemble the exact shopping list — essentials first, nice-to-haves second, no duplicates — with a button for each item and a copy-paste version of the whole list.
Every checklist, written out in full
The builder above merges these and drops the duplicates. Here they are one at a time, in case you would rather just read them.
Mixing a vial
Mixing a vial means turning a freeze-dried powder into a liquid you can draw. The essentials cover the four jobs that always happen: the liquid you add, something to move it with, something to wipe with, and something to write on so you know what is in the vial and when it was opened. Everything in the second list is about doing it more comfortably, or more than once.
The essentials (5): Bac Water (Bacteriostatic Water), 30 mL · Luer-Lock Syringes, 3 mL · Blunt Fill Needles, 18G · Alcohol Prep Pads (200-count) · Waterproof Blank Labels
Nice to have (10): Sterile Water for Injection · Syringe Filters, 0.22 micron · Vial Adapter Spikes · Vial Rack / Stand · Vial Sealing Film (Parafilm) · Nitrile Gloves (100-count) · Disposable Prep Mats · 70% Alcohol Hand Sanitizer · Empty Sterile Vials, 10-pack · Ampoule Opener
Injecting
This is the subcutaneous routine: a small syringe, a clean site, something to press on afterwards, and somewhere legal to put the needle. All four essentials genuinely get used every time. The longer second list is mostly about two things - picking a barrel size that matches how much you actually draw, and making the whole thing hurt less.
The essentials (4): Insulin Syringes 31G, 0.5 mL (100-count) · Alcohol Prep Pads (200-count) · Sterile Gauze Pads, 2×2 in · Sharps Disposal Container
Nice to have (13): Insulin Syringes 31G, 0.3 mL (100-count) · Half-Unit Insulin Syringes, 0.3 mL · Insulin Syringes 30G, 1 mL (100-count) · Luer Needle Tips, 25–30G · Injection Comfort Aid (ShotBlocker-style) · Lidocaine Numbing Cream (4–5%) · Instant Cold Numbing Spray · Mini Cold Packs · Arnica Bruise Gel · Chlorhexidine Skin Wipes (alcohol-free) · Alcohol-Free Skin Barrier Wipes · Syringe Magnifier Clip · Mail-Back Sharps Disposal Kit
Using a pen
A pen does its own measuring, so the list is short. You need needles that fit it, something to clean the site with, and a sharps container, because pen needles are still needles. The extras are about carrying it and finding the injection less unpleasant.
The essentials (3): Pen Needles 32G (100-count) · Alcohol Prep Pads (200-count) · Sharps Disposal Container
Nice to have (4): Insulated Pen Travel Case · Injection Comfort Aid (ShotBlocker-style) · Lidocaine Numbing Cream (4–5%) · Supply Organizer Pouch
Storing at home
Storing at home comes down to three risks: temperature, light, and forgetting. A case stops vials rolling around the shelf, a min/max thermometer tells you whether the fridge actually held overnight rather than just what it reads now, and amber bags keep light off. The extras go further - a dedicated fridge, a lock, or a logger that writes the temperature down so you do not have to.
The essentials (3): Vial Storage Case · Fridge Thermometer (min/max memory) · Light-Blocking Amber Bags
Nice to have (6): Mini Fridge (4L, desktop size) · Lockable Medicine Box · USB Temperature Data Logger · Silicone Vial Protector Sleeves · Food-Grade Desiccant Packs · Vial Sealing Film (Parafilm)
Traveling
Travel is the same cold-chain problem with no power supply. An insulated case and slim ice packs cover a day of it, and a travel-size sharps container covers the part people forget about until they are standing in a hotel room. If you are flying, read the flying guide before you pack - the rules are about labels and carry-on, not about the cooler.
The essentials (3): Insulated Medication Travel Case · Slim Reusable Ice Packs · Travel-Size Sharps Container
Nice to have (5): Evaporative Cooling Wallet · 12V Portable Car Fridge · Insulated Pen Travel Case · Supply Organizer Pouch · Lockable Medicine Box
Nasal, oral & topical
Not everything is injected. This list is the containers and applicators for nasal, oral and topical use: empty metered spray bottles, atomizers that screw onto a syringe you already own, and graduated droppers. All of it is empty packaging - you supply whatever goes in it.
The essentials (2): Metered Nasal Spray Bottles (empty) · Nasal Atomizer Attachments
Nice to have (4): Oral Syringes, 1 mL (no needle) · Glass Dropper Bottles (graduated) · Airless Pump Bottles · Fine-Mist Spray Bottles
Tracking & measuring
Tracking is the part that stops the guessing. A log book and a sheet of labels are most of it: what went into the vial, when it was opened, and what you did on which day. The extras add precision - a milligram scale, a timer that counts up from the last dose rather than down to the next, and a chart so injection sites get a rest.
The essentials (2): Dose Log Book · Waterproof Blank Labels
Nice to have (3): Milligram Scale (0.001 g) · Dose Reminder Timer · pH Test Strips (0–14)