Harm Reduction Possibly hit an artery, having some issues two days later. Help?

[yourgothgirlfriend]

i was IVing and managed to hit what i believe was an artery. i did NOT inject into it, it was excruciating and i knew something was wrong so i pulled the needle out. pulled it out, of course blood is just going everywhere. held my arm above my head, applied a little pressure for a whiiiiile, did everything i could to make sure it’s properly handled. yesterday it looked better than expected, not too much swelling and not much bruising (i don’t bruise easily at all though). today though i noticed that the bruising stayed mostly the same but my arm is swelling - but it’s NOT super swollen at the injection site, it’s swollen right at the start of my bicep by the crook of my elbow (injection site was in my forearm, so it’s a little far) i noticed the swelling by pure chance and at first it felt kind of like it was just my muscle. it’s not super hard but not soft either. it’s also not a distinct huge egg/knot or anything that would indicate an abscess, it’s just like that bottom section right along the side is swollen and it seems to be slowly getting more swollen but no further bruising. occasionally if i bend or extend that arm it hurts, if i touch the area it definitely hurts. later in the day today, i started having some slight chest pain, was feeling very short of breath, got a headache, felt faint, my vision got a little fuzzy and it was really, really hard to stay awake out of nowhere. i feel a little better now that i’ve laid down, but is this anything to really worry over? i don’t want to go to the doc for this unless necessary as i’m currently on some controlled medications and i don’t want my primary doc to see an urgent care or ER visit for IV related issues on my record and stop my meds (i’m aware most docs don’t actively search for records, but my doc does on a regular basis).

thanks in advance for your guys’ help, i’m aware you guys can’t replace a doctor’s advise but i want to know from someone with personal experience with just nicking the artery and not actually shooting in it? all the threads i’m seeing are about people doing artery shots but i definitely didn’t inject ANYTHING into it

 

[breadwitch]

go to the ER immediately. doctors are replaceable
live with the consequences of him finding out (whatever they are)
they're better than losing your life or waiting until the damage is permanent

 

[yourgothgirlfriend]

go to the ER immediately. doctors are replaceable
live with the consequences of him finding out (whatever they are)
they're better than losing your life or waiting until the damage is permanent

surprisingly, i got up today and the bruising is pretty much gone and all my other symptoms seem to be gone so far but the swelling on the lowest part of my bicep is still there, if anything it’s worse today. i’m just mostly concerned about the swelling, why it’s swollen further up than the injection site even though i didn’t inject into it and why the swelling isn’t even close to how an abscess would look? i mean, it’s been three days now since that happened, bruising is gone, and it doesn’t hurt to touch. i wonder if maybe i have a clot or something?

 

[Iceman1216]

Unless you have 4 years of Vascular Training after 6 years of Med schooll, please go to the ER and have this looked at. You can aswer the question; that it was Steroids. But please have looked at, a Minnor fuck left untreated can end very badly, or easily fixed early !!!

 

[yourgothgirlfriend]

i looked up how a DVT in the arm can appear and it looks pretty similar to the type of swelling i’m having. gonna go to the urgent care in an hour or two

 

[yourgothgirlfriend]

Unless you have 4 years of Vascular Training after 6 years of Med schooll, please go to the ER and have this looked at. You can aswer the question; that it was Steroids. But please have looked at, a Minnor fuck left untreated can end very badly, or easily fixed early !!!

it’s pretty obvious it’s not steroids given you don’t inject steroids intravenously and you can see injection marks all over that area of my arm. just gonna have to take the L and deal with it

 

[yourgothgirlfriend]

alright, i have an update. after an x-ray and ultrasound at the ER it’s not a clot or anything too bad. i somehow managed to nick my tendon and that’s what’s been going on, just have to try not to use my arm too much so i don’t make things worse. i still definitely hit an artery it seems but that incident apparently is unrelated.

yay! no DVT for me!

 

[Blowmonkey]

i started having some slight chest pain, was feeling very short of breath, got a headache, felt faint, my vision got a little fuzzy and it was really, really hard to stay awake out of nowhere. i feel a little better now that i’ve laid down, but is this anything to really worry over?

That's probably a panic attack, hopefully, if you got it checked anyways. Sounded like sepsis, which can still have delayed symptoms, but yeah, usually if you feel faint and dizzy it has already progressed and usually is more than visible, but keep looking for red spots/lines anyways. If it starts getting worse get back for some antibiotics.

 

[Iceman1216]

Exc

alright, i have an update. after an x-ray and ultrasound at the ER it’s not a clot or anything too bad. i somehow managed to nick my tendon and that’s what’s been going on, just have to try not to use my arm too much so i don’t make things worse. i still definitely hit an artery it seems but that incident apparently is unrelated.

yay! no DVT for me!
Excellent So glad you are doing well