Heroin So it's not cotton fever, but... it's cotton fever?

[BlueHues]

It's probably the dope, If it's happening to you and your girl both 4 days in a row! Have you talked to anyone else whose done this batch of dope? If you're not using cotton it's not the filters, and you've used Poland Spring to shoot up hundreds of times with no ill effects, what else could it be...Sounds like you want it to be anything but the dope, which I don't blame you in some ways, but you have to tell this guy he has a batch that's making people sick....

A few years ago, there was a batch of dope from this one dealer that made everyone who shot it sick...I knew 4-5 other people who went to the same dealer and it made me, my friend and my girlfriend all sick within 20 minutes of shooting it...It was cotton fever from the dope, also knows as "trash fever"...

I can't imagine getting fullblown cotton fever with the shakes and sweating 4 days in a row, wow that sucks!

 

[charleneandtim]

Cotton fever is caused by particulates being injected into the blood stream. Most people believe it's a bacteria from the cotton and that may be true in some cases, but in my personal experience of being a heroin addict 10 years, it's caused by not filtering good enough. You don't realize how much risk you're in by not filtering your sh*t. I don't care how clean it looks, ALWAYS filter it. I know you don't care now, but you will one day. Cotton fever should be the least of your worries.

 

[svacheme3]

CCotton fever is caused by a strong immune response to bacteria on the cotton particulates, not the cotton itself. Notice if you buy sterile cotton (in the medical section and specifically labeled as "sterile"), you will never get cotton fever from it. Unless you leave it out and moist and it's colonized by other bacteria. The symptoms are due to the immune response rather than the direct effects of the bacteria, so if it's not specifically Pantoea agglomerans the subjective experience and symptoms are much the same.
The larger risk of not filtering is of course the danger particulates pose for causing blood clots, even below the particle size you can see with your unaided eyes. Cotton is a fairly poor filter, but yes still better than nothing (except the cotton in cig filters, NEVER use that).

 

[kleinerkiffer]

It has been established that the condition derives from an endotoxin released by the bacteria Pantoea agglomerans which colonizes cotton plants, not from the cotton itself.

Wikipedia (too lazy to search for a better source)

 

[Agoraphobiaphile]

Are you cleaning your cooker between shots? Or do you leave a coat of leftover dope for the next shot? Caz this would basically be the catalyst fo cotton fever without cotton.. If you leave any residue in the cooker exposed to air it could become a breeding ground for any number of microorganisms.

Just a possibility. Personally I use cigarette cotton, don't clean my spoon and re use rigs all the time n have never had cotton fever or any infection related to iving in 5 yrs. I do also have an amazing immune system tho so I wouldn recommend.. It just trips me out reading how anal the regulars on here are about sterility... I know many dope heads irl and everyone I know re uses rigs and have resin caked spoons that they never clean. Micron filters are just unheard of. This is suburbs of Chicago.. Not a needle exchange anywhere close.

 

[Spideronthewall]

^thats not so much true with cotton fever, it happens very quickly from what i hear....
also, that sounds nothing like a histamine reaction

anyways, so basically OP, have you eliminated all these things by separate trials? : cooker/spoon, rig, stirrer, dope, water

also, always use a cotton, you dont want to shoot some big grains, and maybe try disinfecting your skin. are you sure its not one of the above things?

I have been a victim of cotton a fever a few dozen times in my lifetime. It takes about 10 minutes to come on and gradually gets worse until the 1 hour mark then gradually gets better. Not necessarily cotton caused as others have stated but definitely bacterium related. I can't rewash old cooked morphine tablets without getting the fever

 

[Agoraphobiaphile]

I have been a victim of cotton a fever a few dozen times in my lifetime. It takes about 10 minutes to come on and gradually gets worse until the 1 hour mark then gradually gets better. Not necessarily cotton caused as others have stated but definitely bacterium related. I can't rewash old cooked morphine tablets without getting the fever

This is what I was getting at. Rewashing or recycling old gear. Cotton or not and depending on how clean your surroundings might be this could definitely cause a cotton fever esque thing.

 

[Nether Animal]

I wonder if the "cotton fever" pill injectors suffer from is different than the colloquial "Dirty hit." I've had cotten fever with a delayed onset as long as 2 hours, and it lasts up to 3, with the sore joints extending into the next day.

 

[TRASHCANJ4LIFE]

Cotton fever isn't transmitted because of the cottons actual properties. It's just a perfect environment for this type of bacteria to grow. And when I say grow I mean thrive. I have gotten cotton fever many many times over the years and I will say that it is horrible. It usually starts off with an achy feeling, and my skin starts to hurt and is sore. When I noticed this particular symptom which is always the first symptom for me, I immediately pop 800 mg of ibuprofen. Trust me on this one, that is the most important thing that you could do if you found yourself in that position. The onset of the rest of the symptoms usually happens within a half an hour or so so that gives the ibuprofen time to do it's thing. A lot of times I will forgo most of the other symptoms by taking it. Usually after the eggs come the horrible chills, then a fever, and more aches and pains and what not. It is important to remember how you store your cottons is going to be the difference whether or not you regularly contract cotton fever. Like I said a cotton is a perfect environment forgotten if you were to thrive so if you can help it try not to cap off your cotton container especially if you're planning on saving them for quite a long time. If you do need to use a Try not to make it airtight. If you get cotton fever understand that anything that you used in association with that cotton is going to have it as well. So toss that particular needle. Again, I'm speaking from experience, I have given myself cotton fever two different times consecutively because I used the same point. If you can take anything out of my little paragraph here, just remember to not keep your cottons in an airtight container and if you start to come down with any symptoms take 800 mg of ibuprofen with the quickness and you will thank me for writing this I promise you

 

[Eheezy]

Can anyone help????
I shot 2 bags like a hour ago and now I'm Freezing cold and shaking uncontrollably... Cotton fever I think.... What do I do.... (no dope left)

 

[CruelBri]

thats very weird thats your getting this that often.

I would replace all spoons, utensils used for creating solution. Im really stunned by how often your experiencing this lol... thats very weird, but cotton fever is literally like going to hell. so its weird for you to just be like yea lemme try again and see if i get sick lol, id be too scared to want to deal with having cotton fever again. i think you should replace everything, EVERYTHING. and see what happens lol

 

[SS373dOH]

Can anyone help????
I shot 2 bags like a hour ago and now I'm Freezing cold and shaking uncontrollably... Cotton fever I think.... What do I do.... (no dope left)

Have your symptoms subsided yet?

 

[opiatekrzy]

I heard rumors, which I don't know how true it is but people told me that a very tiny strand of cotton gets injected into your bloodstream causing cotton fever? But bacteria sounds more reasonable ....

 

[AddyIV]

Always heat dope to an instant boil. This will kill off the bacteria that is likely making you sick, which doesn't always just come from cotton. And get some qtips, they are more than enough to filter well after boiling. And spring water isn't necessarily bacteria free. Saline is the way to go.

Note: not the same for pills, never heat pills.

 

[AddyIV]

Also, I once got some "heroin" that looked good and clean but 20 minutes after my dose would have my withdrawing. I wonder if that may be what you have now. I THINK it was probably cut with fentanyl but the wd's would come on so quick, I never understood it

 

[kleinerkiffer]

I heard rumors, which I don't know how true it is but people told me that a very tiny strand of cotton gets injected into your bloodstream causing cotton fever? But bacteria sounds more reasonable ....

Nope, it's bacteria https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8215743

Cotton fever is usually a benign febrile, leukocytic syndrome of unknown etiology seen in intravenous narcotic abusers. Cotton and cotton plants are heavily colonized with Enterobacter agglomerans. We report a case of cotton fever associated with E agglomerans in which the organism was first isolated from the patient's blood and secondarily from cotton that he had used to filter heroin. Enterobacter agglomerans is with most probability the causal agent of cotton fever. Patients presenting with the classic history should have blood cultures performed and should be started on a regimen of empiric antibiotic therapy.

 

[Hate2luvDrugz]

Eheezy future reference the hottest shower for as long as needed till shakes subside n even 20 mins after that then just stay warm after shower always works for me n do another shot on top (if yu got more)

 

[Blumpkeezie]

Cotton fever is caused for the most part from the toxins bacteria produce while living in old filter cottons. If it was a bacterial infection in your blood you would be in way more trouble. It sucks but at least it's nothing to really worry about. I've heated old cottons to a boil and and used a micron filter and still got the fever. It's pretty much impossible to remove the bacterial toxins once they contaminate everything with their putrid crap. But I'm sure there are other things that would cause a similar sickness if you injected them into your bloodstream. If your getting sick directly from the dope your doing then it must be contaminated with something and cooking it won't do shit.

 

[KimDid]

Hey....be careful. This happened to me recently while I was selling as well as my man. Once it was accompanied by chest pains in my man's case. Came to find out after being arrested that I was not only being charged with a class x for heroin but also had a class x for PHENTYNOL!!!! Yes....that deadly anesthesia that so many Chicagoans have died from. That's what was causing the Cotton fever type illness. I even got it sometimes when I muscled my shot cause I was in a hurry. Dude I was working for knows I was a user and never even told me. After I quit selling my dear friend died from the same stuff sold by him to her. I tried to warn her but she didn't know anyone else to shop with. Many sellers are using this cut because it takes an amount equal to a match head to kill a person. So a little bit used as cut amplifies the dope making it seem strong as hell.
I'm 46 and been shooting since I was 28 and selling most of the time. My habit was sometimes 2-3 jabs a day (24 to 38 bags). The phentynol gave me such a severe leg ulcer that I had to be hospitalized for a week with infection and had surgery. I've successfully quit by buying methadone and splitting up a bottle of 240 first into 2 then 3 then 4, etc... I'm down to 8 now which is 30mg and am about to make a leap to 10. Started in November....its almost April.
TRY MUSCLING A SHOT...throw it in your upper arm by the shoulder or your butt. See if you still get it. Your not mainlining it so how could that be Cotton fever if you get it.

 

[OntarioGuy]

Please don't muscle a shot of street smack whoever reads this thread....also the OP had this dope a few years ago.

On topic tho, I've had this reaction before from IVing methadone syrup meant for oral administration (never again, I was about 17-18 at the time)