ATTN IV Users: Osteomyelitis and Endocarditis

Hey all, hope your St. Patty's is going a lot better than mine. I'm studying right now about infections in certain subpopulations of people, one of which is IV Drug Abusers. In the spirit of procrastination, I have a couple questions. I myself don't IV and don't really know people that do. I insufflate my drugs, but don't really care what a person's preferred ROA is. I just know me + needle = opiate addiction.

I'm wondering if any of you would like to share your personal stories about any hospitalizations or complications you've experienced from your needle use. Specifically endocarditis and osteomyelitis. These are frequent complications (so says my textbook), and both sound pretty horrible in all honesty.

I'm interested in two things mainly: how the illness did (or did not) change your habits (whether you gave up the needle or just became more sterile) and if you experienced any "rudeness" (for lack of a better term) or the like by physicians (I know doctors shouldn't let their own beliefs affect their way of practicing, but let's be realistic. Doctors are humans, not gods like some people in society tend to believe).

Also, if you've got any other medical complications from IVing drugs like Hep C or HIV, I'd be very thankful if you'd share how these chronic diseases have affected patterns in your life.

I'm going to send this over to OD as they deal more with IV stuff than we do (and to get you some more views and hopefully responses).

Cheers

BDD -> OD

Thank you, I was wondering whether this was an OD or BDD question

I don't know what kind of data you are looking for, but I doubt you will find more than a few people on here who have had bad complications.
Access to information = safe drug use.

I bet most of us have had cotton fever though (really just bactremia) and the first time that happens, you definitely shape up with your habits.

Yeah, I actually have run into problems, which is what led me to take harm reduction very seriously.

In late August I caught a MRSA bacterium infection after shooting cocaine with a syringe that I had used previously. A day after my cocaine binge, I began to experience secere pain in my shoulders and back, and sometimes temporary paralysis. I stupidly did not go to the hospital 'till the next day, when I could hardly move, and had a dangerously high fever. I ended up spending five weeks lying in a bed being pumped with IV antibiotic's-it was a very horrible experience that could have been avoided had I not been careless and impatient. Where I'm from, you can buy syringes at any pharmacy, usually for under a dollar a piece, at the time that I committed this wreck less behaviour, my mind was already pretty warped from adderall and benzo's.. Anyway, if I had waited any longer to go to the ER, the doctors told me that my infection could have easily spread to my heart.

Anyway if you want to avoid all that:
-don't shoot drugs
-if you do shoot drugs:
-clean syringe for each shot
-clean cooker
-sterile water
-do not re-use cottons
-if shooting pills use a micron filter
-and don't share needles, even if you've cleaned it with bleach, it's not worth it

Search for James Brown's story.

Its late so Ill keep it kind of short for this time.

2010 I was admitted to the ER and got diagnosed with sepsis, the bacteria had collected in my lungs and heart.

I have been using hard drugs IV mainly heroin and amphetamine for a lot of years so we think the bacteria came into my body from
using either a bad set of needles or watersource OR bad batch of drugs something like that.

Anyway I spent about 3 months in the hospital with heavy iv antibiotics, were really really dopesick with delerium tremens sick stuff
before the doctors gave me the right medications.
Went through 2 operations, the first was bypass where they put in a new heartvalve and the second OP was to put in a pacemaker
because the infection had destroyed some nerves that had to be cut away that interfered with the heart beats.

I have had hep c but it isnt active anymore, the virus is not detectable anymore in my blood only anti-bodies.

Today im clean and have been since I got out from the hospital in late 2010.
Started on a Suboxone program when I got out today I am on Methadone since about 7-8months and some other medication but clean from heroin and other illegal drugs.

I have a very good experience from the staff, the nurses and all the other medical staff I have met after this.

Got any questions just write me here or PM and ill try and answer when I have the time!