Meth Got tattood over an old IV site causing unbearable pain

[MethAphrodite]

I was a daily IV meth user for four months, two months prior it wasn’t daily but weekly getting doctored by my ex. Once I figured out how to shoot up myself all hell broke loose and I was living absolute hell-on-earth.

Backtrack a little; I met my ex during my third rehab stay, I’ve been addicted to numerous things, but never got into the needle so this was new territory for me, and I had just relapsed after getting out of rehab therefore was in a vulnerable, dark, and naive headspace. My first shot I was given put me into immediate psychosis. There was all sorts of shit in it GHB, side, and vodka??? I overramped not too long after that episode as well, point being… it was safe to say my mental state was a shit show. It’s hard to believe I decided to continue banging meth after the terrible first couple of experiences but I did, and due to my… shall we say… frazzled state…. I was terrible at slamming man. Fuck was it ever bad and I just didn’t care at all, overworked my veins, not exercising proper needle practices, I just went for it and I’m a female with very small thin veins I missed more often then not at the end, permanently damaging my veins in such a short period of time, always bruised, swelled up, multiple trips the the ER, avoided the basics like eating, staying hydrated and sleeping … I now of spider veins that popped up all over my arms and am now concerned about this new issue explained below.

It’s been six months since my last shot and I recently got a tattoo on my tricep, inner arm, decently large piece that starts from the crease of my elbow almost to my shoulder.

I have tattoos all over, some in the “top painful” places on my body. I tolerate pain well and have always sorta enjoyed the burn tattoos give.

There were no problems when the tattoo artist went over my biceps, but when she was going over my tricep I felt THE most severe pain I have ever felt in my life and went into some sorta almost shock?? I immediately started crying uncontrollably, quivering all over my body, went beat red, I was hysterical it was like a body trauma response. We took a break and went back at it but it happened again. Understandably, the artist stopped and recommended I come back at a later date.

Besides being extremely embarrassed about my experience at the parlour I honestly feel fucking traumatized. There is no other explanation other then there is just some trauma around that area from my IV use.
The tattoo healed perfectly. My question is has anyone else experienced something similar? I don’t see anything wrong or feel any tenderness, swelling etc. But it’s a wide area for there to be SO MUCH unbearable pain amongst the skin, and it’s been six months….

Anything that comes to mind would be super appreciative thank you so much.

 

[G_Chem]

So I can relate to this….

I fell out of a tree as a kid and fractured a vertebrae in my back. For a long time any time I’d put pressure on my left leg itd give out in pain. Eventually the nerves healed and everything was ok.

Well many years later I decided without thinking to get a tattoo on that legs calve and soon as my brother started I was squirming like a stuck pig. I’m not completely covered in tattoos or anything but no newbie either, I’ve sat through some pretty long sessions. This spot had me in agony. I actually started to get angry, cuz for me I’m a fighter not a flighter so in that situation my body is telling me I need to fight my way out.

I ended up with a shitty half finished tattoo I still need to get covered up. Like you I’m too traumatized to even think of going back so I’ve worn pants for the past decade.

My best guess is localized hyperalgesia possibly from my nerves “growing back” in a different way or something. Or there’s some trauma stored in the fascia.

My wife is a PT and I’ve watched her bring people to tears and emotional breakthroughs from simple touch. So I believe it when folks say the body literally stores trauma.

-GC

 

[moonyham]

I know little of the subject but would a numbing gel being used be a way to get around this? I would imagine whatever reaction you're nerves are giving would be dulled like any other if some kind of 'caine was applied?

I dunno, maybe they do all tattoos now days with that stuff and this use useless advice as this pain broke through those meds.

 

[MsDiz]

I was a daily IV meth user for four months, two months prior it wasn’t daily but weekly getting doctored by my ex. Once I figured out how to shoot up myself all hell broke loose and I was living absolute hell-on-earth.

Backtrack a little; I met my ex during my third rehab stay, I’ve been addicted to numerous things, but never got into the needle so this was new territory for me, and I had just relapsed after getting out of rehab therefore was in a vulnerable, dark, and naive headspace. My first shot I was given put me into immediate psychosis. There was all sorts of shit in it GHB, side, and vodka??? I overramped not too long after that episode as well, point being… it was safe to say my mental state was a shit show. It’s hard to believe I decided to continue banging meth after the terrible first couple of experiences but I did, and due to my… shall we say… frazzled state…. I was terrible at slamming man. Fuck was it ever bad and I just didn’t care at all, overworked my veins, not exercising proper needle practices, I just went for it and I’m a female with very small thin veins I missed more often then not at the end, permanently damaging my veins in such a short period of time, always bruised, swelled up, multiple trips the the ER, avoided the basics like eating, staying hydrated and sleeping … I now of spider veins that popped up all over my arms and am now concerned about this new issue explained below.

It’s been six months since my last shot and I recently got a tattoo on my tricep, inner arm, decently large piece that starts from the crease of my elbow almost to my shoulder.

I have tattoos all over, some in the “top painful” places on my body. I tolerate pain well and have always sorta enjoyed the burn tattoos give.

There were no problems when the tattoo artist went over my biceps, but when she was going over my tricep I felt THE most severe pain I have ever felt in my life and went into some sorta almost shock?? I immediately started crying uncontrollably, quivering all over my body, went beat red, I was hysterical it was like a body trauma response. We took a break and went back at it but it happened again. Understandably, the artist stopped and recommended I come back at a later date.

Besides being extremely embarrassed about my experience at the parlour I honestly feel fucking traumatized. There is no other explanation other then there is just some trauma around that area from my IV use.
The tattoo healed perfectly. My question is has anyone else experienced something similar? I don’t see anything wrong or feel any tenderness, swelling etc. But it’s a wide area for there to be SO MUCH unbearable pain amongst the skin, and it’s been six months….

Anything that comes to mind would be super appreciative thank you so much.

Is the tattoo finished in that spot or do you need to go back?

There could be a lot of reasons for what you experienced. Were you hydrated and had a good meal before hand? Tattooing does take a lot out of you and if you’ve not eaten or drank enough this can happen. Could also be the type of work, fine line or shading etc.

The tricep is a very sensitive area and it is sore. As was mentioned above you could use some numbing cream before hand to make it more bearable, ask your tattooist which one they recommend as there are some that aren’t great to tattoo over.

 

[Snafu in the Void]

Very interesting. I've been bitten by cats a few times which resulted in severe infections.

On my finger the infection destroyed my nerves and the tip of my finger was completely numb for several years. Eventually I regained most of the feeling, however when I did the tip of my finger also became hypersensitive to pain, pressure and temperature. If I let that hand get cold I almost can't even touch anything with that finger or else I get stabbing pains.

I would imagine getting that finger tattooed might produce a similar reaction.

Curiously this did not happen in my foot, which was a considerably worse infection. I guess the hands have a lot more nerves.

 

[Shady's Fox]

Very interesting. I've been bitten by cats a few times which resulted in severe infections.

On my finger the infection destroyed my nerves and the tip of my finger was completely numb for several years. Eventually I regained most of the feeling, however when I did the tip of my finger also became hypersensitive to pain, pressure and temperature. If I let that hand get cold I almost can't even touch anything with that finger or else I get stabbing pains.

I would imagine getting that finger tattooed might produce a similar reaction.

Curiously this did not happen in my foot, which was a considerably worse infection. I guess the hands have a lot more nerves.

what tattoo do you got then, if all? a smaller one

or better yet make a pic, if u dont feel ok posting in lounge dm me.

 

[Shady's Fox]

tattoos can be with a lethal hug, i knew a bodyguard "Bear" was on road call, never worked as a normal security guard. He was and when I say massive, think bout a crane stand, the one small part bottom has rocks to keep it in place, so did his metal adaptations // if he thought of tattoo he would die, because they fell down from balcony when was little + when his family kicked him out eventually led to this path and like 85% of his body is metal. He tried to sign for underworld fist to punch wasnt allowed because they thought Governament found them and sent a robot, told him with a gun to stop searching dark places if his soul isnt used to dark. As I know him, I know what happend next. Forgot and had a green tea, it was his isolating boredom type thing.

 

[MethAphrodite]

Is the tattoo finished in that spot or do you need to go back?

There could be a lot of reasons for what you experienced. Were you hydrated and had a good meal before hand? Tattooing does take a lot out of you and if you’ve not eaten or drank enough this can happen. Could also be the type of work, fine line or shading etc.

The tricep is a very sensitive area and it is sore. As was mentioned above you could use some numbing cream before hand to make it more bearable, ask your tattooist which one they recommend as there are some that aren’t great to tattoo over.

I try to stay hydrated, but don’t remember what I ate that day. All these responses have been super reassuring and making me realize I am most likely overthinking. My brain goes to worst case scenario - being I have some sorta of infection that was somehow missed during tests, and im going to be one of those cases where I won’t know I have something until it’s too late and die.

When in reality (hopefully) it’s just a sensitive area.

K Glad we all talked this through lol

 

[MsDiz]

I try to stay hydrated, but don’t remember what I ate that day. All these responses have been super reassuring and making me realize I am most likely overthinking. My brain goes to worst case scenario - being I have some sorta of infection that was somehow missed during tests, and im going to be one of those cases where I won’t know I have something until it’s too late and die.

When in reality (hopefully) it’s just a sensitive area.

K Glad we all talked this through lol

I’d say the area is just super sensitive and you really need to make sure you’ve eaten and hydrated. Do ask for the numbing cream, it does help.

I’ve so many tattoos and I’ve a high pain threshold but once I had forgotten to eat and was getting a tattoo on my arm and I passed out. The other time I ever experienced pain was getting my chest done, it was honestly the sorest ever and I was vomiting by the end (it was done at a convention over 2 days - 9 hours of tattooing) and I was wrecked!

I wouldn’t worry about infection unless you’ve the typical signs like swelling, heat, a high temperature etc.

You’ve just got more sensitive nerve endings there and it can be a bit shit!

 

[Jabberwocky]

I was a daily IV meth user for four months, two months prior it wasn’t daily but weekly getting doctored by my ex. Once I figured out how to shoot up myself all hell broke loose and I was living absolute hell-on-earth.

Backtrack a little; I met my ex during my third rehab stay, I’ve been addicted to numerous things, but never got into the needle so this was new territory for me, and I had just relapsed after getting out of rehab therefore was in a vulnerable, dark, and naive headspace. My first shot I was given put me into immediate psychosis. There was all sorts of shit in it GHB, side, and vodka??? I overramped not too long after that episode as well, point being… it was safe to say my mental state was a shit show. It’s hard to believe I decided to continue banging meth after the terrible first couple of experiences but I did, and due to my… shall we say… frazzled state…. I was terrible at slamming man. Fuck was it ever bad and I just didn’t care at all, overworked my veins, not exercising proper needle practices, I just went for it and I’m a female with very small thin veins I missed more often then not at the end, permanently damaging my veins in such a short period of time, always bruised, swelled up, multiple trips the the ER, avoided the basics like eating, staying hydrated and sleeping … I now of spider veins that popped up all over my arms and am now concerned about this new issue explained below.

It’s been six months since my last shot and I recently got a tattoo on my tricep, inner arm, decently large piece that starts from the crease of my elbow almost to my shoulder.

I have tattoos all over, some in the “top painful” places on my body. I tolerate pain well and have always sorta enjoyed the burn tattoos give.

There were no problems when the tattoo artist went over my biceps, but when she was going over my tricep I felt THE most severe pain I have ever felt in my life and went into some sorta almost shock?? I immediately started crying uncontrollably, quivering all over my body, went beat red, I was hysterical it was like a body trauma response. We took a break and went back at it but it happened again. Understandably, the artist stopped and recommended I come back at a later date.

Besides being extremely embarrassed about my experience at the parlour I honestly feel fucking traumatized. There is no other explanation other then there is just some trauma around that area from my IV use.
The tattoo healed perfectly. My question is has anyone else experienced something similar? I don’t see anything wrong or feel any tenderness, swelling etc. But it’s a wide area for there to be SO MUCH unbearable pain amongst the skin, and it’s been six months….

Anything that comes to mind would be super appreciative thank you so much.

Scar tissue cannot be penetrated by nerves, they actually hit the scar tissue and grow back the other way. That's why people that have nipple piercings have extremely sensitive nipples because they have about 2 to 3 times the nerve density as normal nipples. The same goes for clitoris and Prince Albert piercings.

I can relate, as a man that used to have pierced nipples, my nipples are as sensitive as a woman's, maybe moreso, which is fun.

Anyway, that being said, disrupted innervation can cause significant issues in the affected dermatome, which is the skin innervation of an area of the body that is connected to a specific vertebral nerve. As an example, one of the nerves in the lumbar area of the spine innervates the on the back of the buttocks and wraps around and down the front of the thigh.

You can find dermatome maps easily on the internet.

dermatome map - Google Zoeken

Just like you can get referred pain from an impinged nerve in the spine, you can get referred pain from disrupted nerves in the dermatome.

It's not at all rare or even unexpected.