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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Possible Iv bupe problems.. no clue?? I

A

Agoraphobiaphile

Bluelighter
Joined
Feb 15, 2016
Messages
206
Ok so I did a lot of research on iv bupe before and during use.. so I know of the potential dangers. But to me, being 54 days clean off of heroin, like completely done, longest clean time I've had in a while, IVing bupe has been the only thing keeping me sane, clean, and tbh alive these days. After this experience however I am done with it because any possible benefit is not worth this problem.

So here it goes, my circulation has been pretty bad throughout my years of iv heroin use on top of occasional other iv drugs and bupe, especially recently banging bupe up to 4 times daily for the past about 50 days.

Was really tired after one particularly busy day, took about 1mg bupe with too much water (80units) before a meeting.. was just tired, couldn't wait to get home.. then when I got into bed my hands were both going really numb really fast. Got no sleep that night (the night before last night) because the hands were so numb and painful I had to get up every 5 minutes literally to get them not numb. Should mention before the numbness started I was extremely cold and no amount of blankets would help. That was the first symptom but it went away about 12 hours later. The next morning I just felt like complete shit, had to take off work, couldn't eat, ached so bad all over I didn't leave bed til this morning..

Got a little sleep last night by sitting up at 90 degree angle (sucks lol) but after taking a couple nsaids, 1.5 mg xanax and my sublingual dose of bupe I feel better... just my hands numbness!! They're constantly numb. And it's not a cold thing, it's a circulation thing imo Because they remain numb even when warmed.

That's the short of it because it really sucks typing with numb hands.

To me it sounds like a dirty shot almost but it seems to be lasting too long for that? Also the symptoms appeared about 3 hours after the shot.

Definitely could be just the straw that broke the camels back as far as fucking up veins and as I said earlier used more water than usual and missed a bit of the shot cuz I was in a hurry so..

But then shouldn't I only lose circulation in the one arm? Yet both are numb... and my legs idk of its low circulation but I can't stand for long.

It's getting better as I wouldn't do much as answer my phone all day yesterday. Literally did nothing.

N ofc I'm one of those stubborn guys who wait til last moment to go to ER when abusing medication.

AnywAy please give any incite opinions whatever.. me my friends and family have no clue what's going on and could really use some advice or insight
 
i have no idea whats going on with you man but it really sounds like you need to hit up ER soz
sounds a bit sinister
also, how long did it take you to type this with numb hands?
 
Yeah man, IVing this is bad. Coming of H it's hard to get away from the needle. This will destroy your veins and can cause abscesses. The numbness I'm not too sure about, but it warrants a trip to the doctor. Unfortunately this is not something many docs are not going to be knowledgeable about.

Missing is also really bad, not to mention infection and fever that you can get from shooting this stuff.

I have numbness, pain, and cramps in my feet that occur when it gets colder out at night and my feet stick out of the blanket. This is probably from nerve damage from long term edema. However fucking up a few veins should not cause numbness. Please tell me you did not shoot in an artery!? Where have you been shooting? I shot this shit for 5 years and never experienced what you are feeling. Anyways, please don't wait to see what happens. They can do all kinds of tests on the spot- neurological, CRT, and probably give you some good feedback. You need to be honest.

By the way, carpal tunnel syndrome will also cause numbness in the hands, especially the first 2 or 3 digits, but it sounds like this is too closely related to the timing of your dosing, but look it up.
 
I was advised of carpal tunnel as it used to be an issue younger from typing on keyboard a lot but haven't dealt with in years. Now without any down time for my veins I started a very busy and hand intensive job labour job so it is possible, the timing of all other systems would be very coincidental.

It took a good while to type that up and I did so this morning. Since then the numbness is went down a bit to an annoying constant but small level.

If it doesn't change or get worse by tomorrow then I'll hit the ER, for sure,but all other symptoms have of gotten better other than the annoying hand numbness. Mostly just fingers at this point.

Pretty sure it was the bupe injecting. I used moderate HR but as was by no means being as safe as it gets when it comes to iv bupe.
 
I've also heard of nerve damage being possible? Tho I know I didn't touch a nerve.

Think I will just chalk it up to bupe being a very strange as hell drug whose side effects are seemingly unending .. any more input or experience appreciated
 
As promised I will go to the ER today as hands are still numb but not gangrenous at all.

Fucking internet man!! Making me probably more paranoid than I should be (not this site) three days out from the initial onset of symptoms.
 
I just don't see how intravenous injection of bupe could cause this wide range of symptoms. The numb hands ok whatever even tho my arms and other extremities are fine, I wake up every day with a splitting headache and general aches and pains til I take a couple aleve and one prescription ibuprofen.. then I'm pretty much fibe other than my hands are constantly numb ish. Like they can get numb easily but are always at a constant level of numbish even when raised or lowered or after excercise or whatever. I didn't hit an artery but I think it's probably something to do with capillaries .... but why both hands going numb?? When I only shot into one arm.. idk

Will keep updated after ER visit. Pray for me that it isn't permanent or that they need to chop my hands off like some internet investigation has lead me to fear.
 
please keep us updated man, hope its nothing bad
and yeah, fuck googling your symptoms - guaranteed panic attack
 
I've discussed this in a lot of other threads and people who hang around BDD and OD can probably glean on their own that injecting Buprenorphine seems to carry a disproportionate risk when compared to other substances, even other pills and such. There are so many threads devoted to complications from Buprenorphine injection, that I'm starting to think there should be a philosophical blanket ban on the practice. Too many people are getting hurt and I think we need to face the fact that it's simply too dangerous of a practice. It sounds like you've come to this conclusion already, but I would wager that using Heroin is significantly healthier than injecting Buprenorphine.

I think you really need to go the the emergency department or make an appointment with a doctor immediately to make sure you're not in any kind of life/limb-threatening situation. Please, please go to the emergency department though. I think waiting and watching could lead to the problem getting worse rapidly.
 
It's odd that it's in both hands. I have carpel tunnel and it waxes and wanes and sometimes disappears. My thumb, index, and middle fingers get numb, tingly, and painful. Yes, please check this out.
 
Very astute! It is odd that it is in both hands!

I type this from still numb, healing hands from bed at home.

And since it was requested, I have a harrowing tale of an update :p

So After I left the ER pretty hopeless and with a shiny excuse to get high I throw away my hard earned 56 days off heroin and go and score some boy and girl. Had a bunch of money saved up burning a hole in my wallet.

Got high, felt normal next day so I went to work. That night I finished my dope and got paranoid about my bupe levels being too low causing pwd at next dose so I decided to bang one last mg. NP.

Then the pain slowly comes on over the course of 4 hours.. in both hands.. I try to sleep, can't, pain swells until finally I can't take it anymore (and tbh I have a high pain tolerance and really hate inconveniencing others) got my mom to take me to the ER while I screamed and cried like a lunatic because at this point my arms felt like they were literally inside of a fire! I remember every moment.. saying I wanted to kill my self.. saying I wanted to chop my hands off, literally thinking the process through, like ok if I chop one hand off how the fuck do I get the other off.. maybe I can get them at once. Haha crazy shit.. that may not be the most painful thing I experienced but was definitely the longest lasting intensely painful thing.. anyway so when we finally get to the ER I run in and this dumb woman looks at me like I'm crazy and says have a seat I'm with someone else rn, when I come in screaming like a lunatic and holding my hands out in front of me like Frankenstein monster.. wow this is funnier then it was at the time.. thank god for the old man, he said that she should just take care of me first bless him.. at this point I'm in a ball on the ground. I gotta get in a chair and answer some ding bat questions, get weighed, see like two different nurses before I get into a room and still as in begging for relief they ask questions and seem to be in no rush.

Eventually after what seemed like a couple lifetimes they put an iv in me and give me something.. no dice. I whine for another life time and she comes back with dilaudid.. was hoping for fent but hey it's better than nothing.. no dice. Still in pain crying and yelling. I never did get relief either sadly. I wish I could say they came through at some point but that was it.. I was admitted and left to lie in agony for hours until the pain slowly subsided on its own. I thought it was quite reasonable to expect a temporary coma for my situation but I am admittedly not a doctor.

This all happened around 2 am Monday btw. So like 52 hours ago. So at around 7 am i am assuming, I ask for something for pain and the nurse says the doctor allowed for a NORCO every 4 hours! I told her where she could put that norco LOL. I as in rare form. But for real I refused the norco on principle .. I have shreds of dignity and they tell me I ain't no lowly drug addict just faking to get a fix! Plus this might mess my suboxone plans up.. for no good reason.

Pain subsides over the course of the day. Gone by Tuesday morning. They're still numb tho and go numb fast when I'm doing shit like typing on this phone or just looking at it. They did every relevant test in the book and couldn't figure what was wrong with me. Sent me home saying to follow up with my doctor in a week... I am relieved to go but admittedly I wanted a conclusive answer afternoon all that.

I definitely believe this has to do with IVing the subs. And it's crazy that modern medicine is ignorant to this right? The both hands thing baffled them as well as that they were numb, painful and SWOLLEN.. normal neuropathy wouldn't make them swollen and any infection would have looked entirely different. No blood clots. MRI fine.

I chalk it up to years of abusing my body and making dumb decisions such as to bang subxone with very minimal HR thinking that I am superman.. well this was exactly what I needed to bring me to reality. Pain, and lots of it cuz that is the only way a stubborn junkie like me remembers shit.

I'm home now, hands are healing but otherwise feel fine. Forgot to mention on top of the burning hands my back also hurt and I had pressure in my chest making it hard to breath. And you can bet I was breathing a lot from the pain. It was really terrifying and I would rather die than go through it again so I WILL NOT BE BANGING SUBOXONE ANY TIME SOON! Did some serious, sober thinking in there on life and shit.

I'll never tell anyone else what to do cuz that's not my style but please if you've read this, reconsider shooting up suboxone.. it's Just not worth it. You'll end up chasing tre dragon again only this time it's a lot more boring and far less satisfying.. I get the same from taking sub under the tongue or up the butt I just had that needle fixation ya know n I liked how little sub I had to bang to get some itchy eyes. Not worth it. I'll take a hit of pot to get itchy eyes from now on.

As stated already it is probably ok to do like sparingly in a pinch but not ~4 times a day for 2 months, and countless sporadic times before that.. learn from me. Don't be me in the ER acting a fool and not getting any relief, hopeless in more than one way.
 
Also I think carpal tunnel may be related. Possibly a secondary compounding factor. They didn't say this but it's based on my own observations. And yes as the numbness subsides it's definitely the first three diigits that took the worst hit. I have been a keyboard warrior since I was a kid and now my job is very meticulous with the hands.
 
omg i'm so sorry OP, i don't really have any advice other than don't pin subs again
hope your body finds a way to heal, please take care

that's a true war story - might even be helpful to sticky to use as an example for anyone else asking whether they should pin buperenorphine...
we have a lot of those questions on BDD.
again, Agoraphobiaphile (your name is hard to spell) - hope you end up getting past this - i used to get numb hands when i slept/nodded sitting up or lying on my back on heroin
but it went away when i stopped using (daily, i still chip like a cunt hahahha)
take care :)
 
Do with it what you please. I'd be glad if it saved one person.

I can easily see how bupe could take limbs now, from a missed shot or even worse hitting an artery. N believe me I was watching my hands waiting for them to turn black. Thinking how life would be with no damn hands. Crazy shit.
 
Unfortunate update and would appreciate if this could be moved to OD maybe for better responses? Or idk whatever staff finds best.

So everything was going well, had full use of right hand and left hand was on the mend as of yesterday. Then last night I had to go to a meeting because I have a secretary position.. as soon as I got there I started itching all over my entire body. I have no allergies and took nor ate anything out of the ordinary. There was no usual histamine response such as splotchy red skin or anything but it was so severe and concerning I had to leave after half an hour and go home.

Even at home the itching didn't subside for at least two hours. All over my body.. literally. Since it went away and I got a couple hours of sleep I again woke to find slight pain and numbness in BOTH hands again. And today my once completely functional right hand is again numb and pretty useless. The pain has subsided as long as I keep my hands low and blood flow good but yea it seems I have back slid a bit.

Am trying to find a neurologist to take my insurance but it is difficult as I have state Medicaid.

Want to make it clear I have thrown away all paraphernalia and have not banged anything at all since the last major event. Google has been no help. I wonder if something like lyrica gabapentin or something similar may help? Plan to bring it up to my GP in a week when I see him.. if I make it a week.
 
Agoraphobiaphile said:
Want to make it clear I have thrown away all paraphernalia and have not banged anything at all since the last major event. Google has been no help. I wonder if something like lyrica gabapentin or something similar may help? Plan to bring it up to my GP in a week when I see him.. if I make it a week.
Click to expand...

i was just about to suggest pregabalin to you as a possible aid -
Lyrica has helped with my brain damage symptoms like poor balance a lot, so it could help your nerves and the numbness too; but please, take them orally as instructed aha

sorry to hear about these distressing symptoms, hopefully your GP can shed some light on this. plz keep us updated mate, rooting for you! :)
 
Agoraphobiaphile said:
Well was able to work today and hands are near 100% . Knock on wood
Click to expand...

That's awesome buddy. It's a huge relief to here that your problem has resolved. I think you understand the potential severity of your situation as it stands, but I still want to say that you should definitely make and/or keep appointments with your medical providers because it still sounds like something could be very wrong. Even if there is a waiting list to see a Neurologist in your network, if the problem is severe, you should be able to check into the emergency department and get at least a cursory examination by the on-call Neurology team.

I really think that this is what you should do, but I can't force you. I don't think that this is a problem that can wait the weeks that it will take to see a specialist. It's not worth dealing with severe complications, which in reality, you really might have. Please go check in and demand to see a Neurologist. I know you've recovered, but from the sound of it, the symptoms are only waxing and waning and not actually improving.

Please keep us posted. I'm worried.
 
I don't really have a reply. I would like to know why sometimes when I shoot the vein will pull blood but the minute you hit the plunger the vein starts to swell up or it will pull blood once then nothing. What does this crap do to your veins? I know they get hard but I don't see that causing my problems
 
it sounds vaguely like you hit an artery. I may be way off here but when I hit an artery once my hands and forearms were numb for about half a day and I felt kind of bad, like definitely no good effects from the Dope shot and a few negative ones.

However, I agree that bupe seems to have some disproportionate bad effects when shot. I’d guess it’s really sub rather than bupe. They really can’t have too many people iv sub or the fda will come down on them.

I shot it once straight into pwd so fortunately I’ve never had an urge to shoot bupe again.
 
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