I'm an addict who has been on buprenorphine (generic subutex) not too long after it was approved for generic. Before that, I had developed tolerance and addiction to all opioids. I'd snort oxycontin, but everything else I'd take orally, except Demerol. I read in several places that the bioavailability of meperidine (Demerol) is 100% vs. 50% orally. I'd been off the needle for at least 5 years from a previous meth habit. I had to use a 3cc syringe to hold the volume of 10 crushed 50mg pills diluted, which was my basic starting point considering the tolerance I'd built. Only 1 pharmacy in town will sell syringes without a prescription. I went through the drive thru and asked for 1 3cc syringe with a 5/8 tip. I told myself that I was just going to do 1 shot because I was running low on pain pills. I'd IVed 500mg dozens of times and I knew it would get me off enough. So, I get to where I'm going to blast off, which was several miles from the pharmacy where I bought the syringe. I didn't bother looking in the sack at my syringe until I got ready to fix. I get the syringe out of the sack and damn, the point was 1.5 inches long! I was quite irritated but not enough to return to the pharmacy several miles away. I had used a long needle before, bruising myself up, but successfully, nonetheless. I knew to be careful and i was successful with my first shot. 500mg IV demerol may not be in the same ballpark as heroin, I don't know, but it gives quite a rush along with hallucinations. The first 10 minutes after are the best. Then the high comes and goes with intensity. After about 15 minutes, I decided to do some more. I cleaned up my point real good with bleach. I thought I was being safe. I ground up another 10 pills for another shot. I got it all fixed and ready to go. Instead of hitting the vein I almost always used the previous shot made my vision blurry but I thought I registered. Instead I injected into the cubital artery. I was in immediate pain and couldn't move my hand. I was urged to go to the ER by a couple of people. I just wanted to get home And I was on my bike and couldn't operate the clutch, couldn't move my hand. I called my bestest and he brought me home. In my mind, the drug would slowly absorb into my bloodstream and I'd be ok. Next day I went to the hospital with a swollen hand and black fingertips. They didn't mess around at the hospital, I was in surgery within an hour for a fasciotomy to relieve pressure because all the little microcapillaries in my hand were clogged with the demerol solution. I was in the hospital for a week watching my fingers die and turn black. Amputation was inevitable, they wanted to wait for demarcation. (how much would live) Long story short, besides a small stub on my pinkie, 1/3 of my index, and less than half my thumb, the rest was amputated. I went through several months of physical therapy to straighten my arm after holding it at or above heart level and to desensitize my hand and to see what use I could get from it. Having no insurance, prosthetics were pretty much out of the question. So, I've got what's left of my hand and wicked nerve pain jolts along with my hand feeling baked or frozen, minute to minute. No Dr dared write me anything for the pain of it all besides Ty#4 which kept me from being dopesick in sufficient amounts but not painfree by a long shot. (no pun intended) I got my hands on suboxone after resorting to snorting heroin for the pain, which worked great, by the way. After the smack was gone I tried the subs while withdrawing. It works! No craving. No sickness. Substantial pain relief. Now I have my own sub DR and was just accepted into the patient assistance program meaning I'll get my subs free for a year accompanied by his prescription with my patient assistance card. I hope to help others deal with some of the issues I've had to go through. I'm building some sites (quite slowly with one hand) that deals with all facets of opiate addiction now. My main focus is going to be harm reduction. Without subs or methadone, it's almost impossible for a junkie to be completely abstinent for a substantial period of time. I've seen it in others and I've seen it in myself.
So, hi everyone!
How are you my friend?
