Heroin terrible reaction to shooting in wrist

I just tried to shoot up in my wrist and now its all red and swollen and very itchy. This happened to me the last time I shot in my wrist and it was very painful and took days to go away. I thought that it happened because I missed the shot but I have missed a great many shots since then in other places and never had any problems. I stupidly tried shooting in my wrist again tonight because I am having so much trouble finding a vein any where else and my one good vein collapsed again. I didnt even think I missed the shot in my wrist although I am guessing I probably did but now I am gettin gth esame awfyul reaction. Why does this happen?

If you have shot up this batch of dope without a reaction before it is almost certain that you missed the shot in one way or another. When missing a vein the drug can be shot into a few different places. An artery shot is the worst situation with symptoms of bright red blood blowback into the syringe, extreme pain, tingling/numbness, major swelling in the extremities distal to the injection location, and requires immediate medical attention. If you missed all the blood vessels than the shot is likely sub-dermal (under the skin) assuming you didn't somehow stick it in a muscle. Sub-dermal shots are a legitimate way of administering a drug (known as skin popping) and result in a slightly raised bump (called a bolus) which is the drug as it slowly gets absorbed by your body. Sub-dermal shots are more likely to cause infection, abscess, and a localized histamine reaction (swelling and itching at the site) and can often be successfully treated at home with a warm compress, perhaps an antihistamine, and careful monitoring for signs of infection.

So what you are describing sounds like a sub-dermal shot in the wrist (smaller veins harder to hit). What compounds the problem compared to other injection sites is that the wrist has a lot of small hardware traveling through it as opposed to more muscle and large scale structures at more ideal locations. The needle, missed shot, and resulting swelling can all be putting pressure on and irritating nerves, blood vessels, tendons, and ligaments which are tightly bundled together in the wrist. Furthermore any movement of the wrist can just exacerbate it more.

As I said treatment is a warm compress for a few hours after shooting to ensure the drug dissolves, an antihistamine to help with itchiness, and some ibuprofen to help with the swelling. After a few hours you can apply ice and try to immobilize the joint and the swelling should go down overnight. You then need to closely monitor the injection site for any signs of infection, abscess, or any other situation where things get worse.

edit: If you suspect an artery shot then you need to go to the hospital immediately.

Very good advice allegator. That's solid.

And to the OP, just keep an eye on the site and on your vitals. Seek medical attention if you start have any abnormal symptoms. And monitor the injection site for the next couple weeks just to make sure there's no nerve damage/something growing in there.

Go slow. Especially in smaller veins like those in your hand/wrist. Make sure you enter your vein the same way the vein rolls, and be sure to check if you're still registered if you feel any pain. Small veins can't take much pressure, you don't need to slam it in there as fast as you can, take your time, take a second break in between each plunge. Be careful with your veins.

I have shot up in my wrist before and had a similar reaction. My hand became all red and swollen and incredibly itchy. I think its gotta do with a histamine reaction at the site where the shot was missed.

Take allegator's advice...if you have any doubts at all, seek emergency medical attention...

The veins in the wrist are also flatter, than the veins further up the arm. It is very easy to slip just a little through the vein when injecting there. If you have no veins left up you're arm, I found the next easiest ones to hit, are the ones that go across you're wrist(running up towards your thumb) and the one on the back of your hand, that makes an arc from your thum to you index finger. The arteries are also closer to the surface in the wrist too, so you have to be really careful

What do u mean if artery shot? I'm scared to death, this is my first and last time I ever do this I swear. When do I seek medical treatment? I'm horrified to have to tell them what I shamefully did

If you need medical attention go to the ER or urgent care. If you need to go, just go. We can't help or diagnose any complications you're suffering, that isn't what BL is for. GL!

The medical professionals won't judge you they are there to help. If you hit an artery then you usually know right away because you get this un-comfortable stinging/numbing sensation up your arm.
Just keep an eye on it and do not shoot up in the wrist ever again! Unless you know what your doing its very risky the veins around there are not the same as the ones in the arm same goes for doing it in the feet. If you feel there's something not right then don't hang around on here get down to the hospital if you lose your arm I think that's worse than dealing with a nurse giving you a look because your a junkie.

Right? They'll bitch at you but who cares? If you need a doctor you need a doctor, that is what they are there for! Who cares if they come off judgemental? There's a fuck ton of medical practitioners who abuse drugs themselves, you never know who you'll get!

trainspotter10102 said:

The medical professionals won't judge you they are there to help. If you hit an artery then you usually know right away because you get this un-comfortable stinging/numbing sensation up your arm.
Just keep an eye on it and do not shoot up in the wrist ever again! Unless you know what your doing its very risky the veins around there are not the same as the ones in the arm same goes for doing it in the feet. If you feel there's something not right then don't hang around on here get down to the hospital if you lose your arm I think that's worse than dealing with a nurse giving you a look because your a junkie.

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Wow, just reading that description of the stinging sensation when you hit an artery, reminded me of a time i tried shooting in my forearm area a few years ago..poked in with the syringe and got this crazy stinging/pins and needles feeling all up my arm. I never knew what had happend i assumed i struck a nerve or some shit lol but now i know, good shit. Pretty scary now that i think of it, good thing i didnt inject it otherwise who the fuck knows what couldve happend. Fuck needles.

I don't even understand what happened here with bumping a two year old thread....

@someone dumb, seek medical attention immediately if you're experiencing extreme pain and swelling that's not subsiding...and in the future, start a new thread or post in the IV mega-thread...

If it's subsided significantly and the swelling is going down, you might be okay, but you didn't provide us with enough information...

If your symptoms are severe enough that it's scaring you, you shouldn't be here asking questions, you should be seeking help...

I'm closing this...PM me or another mod with any questions...

gotit4cheap said:

Wow, just reading that description of the stinging sensation when you hit an artery, reminded me of a time i tried shooting in my forearm area a few years ago..poked in with the syringe and got this crazy stinging/pins and needles feeling all up my arm. I never knew what had happend i assumed i struck a nerve or some shit lol but now i know, good shit. Pretty scary now that i think of it, good thing i didnt inject it otherwise who the fuck knows what couldve happend. Fuck needles.

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Yea its not a pleasant experience that's for sure but its never done anything real bad to me I just go whoops that's not a vein and move on nothing ever came from it. Still its a really weird feeling.
Your right fuck needles