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Do I Have An Abscess?

snowblowjoe

Bluelighter
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Messages
445
long time drug injecter first time ive had such a formation occur. i used clean needles, applied peroxide after injection as well as vitamin e. happened last night and got worse today, it happened during the injected of crystal meth. thought i was in the vein but apparently not.
 

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i forgot to mention after it first happened my hand was numb but then got itchy. now its real sore and numb, and almost cant even move my hand, when i force my hand to move all the way up then all the way downi see water which im assuming puss beads form from the area i injected the crystal. which is in my left handed thumb.
 
damn dude... whether its an absess or not... go to the hospital NOW... looks bad
 
missing a shot of crystal meth will almost allways cause complications & lead to abcess, unlike heroin. be strong bro & stay calm, it will pass in a week or two, go to a doc... take a little vacation from everything & stay cool. it will pass & it's not as bad as it sounds... i wish you a quick & easy recovery!
 
ok im no doctor, but

come on dude! your hand is balooning like shit. GO TO A DOCTOR. It doesnt matter if its an infection, or from too much masturbation. Seek medical attn.


and in the mean time, take some IBUPROFEN (Advil) for the inflammation! advil is an anti-inflammatory
 
Kinda a hijack but...

I missed a shot of cut-to-shit meth once and all I got was a bruised up forearm for a week...is there a reason I didn't get a complication like this? Possibly cause it was no where near pure?

Just curious...and glad this didn't happen to me!

And yeah, go see a doctor man! God damn, if that shit happened to me I'd be at the hospital before you could fucking blink...
 
yes it is ballooning and the pus is something ive never experienced before, but like ive said ive been shooting drugs for years, id had my fair share of softball or baseball sized lumps in arm or the hand and eventually within a week it went away. i feel fine emotionally and physically, not high anymore and am def taking atleast a week off if not alot longer. so i just need to know if its serious enough to go to a dr or if its an abscess. i dont have health insurance which sucks
 
also i think its beneficial to know it didnt balloon and grow that big within minutes, it took about 12 hours. its been about 24 hours since the incident occured
 
the batch i got was pretty much all crystals. im not naive enough to think it was 100 percent pure but it was good shit and im assuming relatively high in purity. next time im gonna do it i will just stick to smoking the shit. my veins are all so dead forever.

anyone ever muscle shoot crystal? i hear it will fuck u up if u do, meaning in a bad physical way like my hand
 
That my friend...

...looks exactly like the beginning of compartment syndrome. Not something to mess with. I have seen people lose limbs from this. Especially if you palpate (push on it) it and you leave finger indentations that take a bit to fade away (edema).
Also, pus coming from the injection site is in no way good.

Personally, I'd go to the doctor. Once it starts to spread upwards you could be royally fucked!

Sorry, I'm not trying to freak you out or anything, but it's one of those conditions that can have a good outcome if treated early...:\
 
Yes, IM'ing street meth is a big no-no. It will fuck you up (in a bad way).
Imagine your whole leg/arm looking like your hand (which REALLY needs to get checked out, ASAP).

In fact IM'ing anything not known to be pharmaceutically pure (USP) is a really bad idea...:\
 
wow. well i will certainly will not push on it. what r the symptons of compartrment syndrome? i cant afford to go to the dr but i have to do what i have to do. what should i do until i go in to see a dr?
 
Even if you goto the doc and they tell you it will be fine and go away after a few days, imagine the amount of anxiety that will save you.... Goto the Doc regardless, if your posting about it on BL just go dude..
 
Being pretty banged up...

...I can't type much (using three fingers on my right hand...I'm a southpaw, anyway), but here is a good description of compartment syndrome (think-Requiem for a Dream when you read the following):

"Compartment syndrome involves the compression of nerves and blood vessels within an enclosed space. This leads to impaired blood flow and muscle and nerve damage.

Causes:

Thick layers of tissue called fascia separate groups of muscles in the arms and legs from each other. Inside each layer of fascia is a confined space, called a compartment, that includes the muscle tissue, nerves, and blood vessels. (They are surrounded by the fascia much like wires surrounded by insulation.)

Unlike a balloon, fascia do not expand, so any swelling in a compartment will lead to increasing pressure in that compartment, which will compress the muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. If this pressure is high enough, blood flow to the compartment will be blocked, which can lead to permanent injury to the muscle and nerves. If the pressure lasts long enough, the limb may die and need to be amputated.

Swelling leading to compartment syndrome is associated with high-energy trauma, such as from a car accident or crush injury, or surgery. Compartment syndrome may also occur due to tight bandages or casts; with significant swelling, pressure will build up and can cause compartment syndrome. Chronic compartment syndrome can be caused by repetitive activities like running that increase the pressure in a compartment only during that activity.

Compartment syndrome is most common in the lower leg and forearm, although it can also occur in the hand, foot, thigh and upper arm.

Symptoms:

The hallmark symptom of compartment syndrome is severe pain that does not respond to elevation or pain medication. In more advanced cases, there may be decreased sensation, weakness, and paleness of the skin.

Exams and Tests:

Typically, severe pain will occur when a muscle running through a compartment is passively moved. For example, when the doctor moves the toes up and down, a patient with compartment syndrome in the foot or lower leg will experience severe pain. The skin overlying the compartment will be tensely swollen and shiny. There will also be pain when the compartment is squeezed.

The test that will absolutely diagnose this condition involves directly measuring the pressure in the compartment by inserting a needle attached to a pressure meter into the compartment. When the compartment pressure is greater than 45 mmHg or when the pressure is within 30 mmHg of the diastolic blood pressure (the lower number of the blood pressure), then the diagnosis is made. When chronic compartment syndrome is suspected, this test must be performed immediately after the activity that causes pain.

Treatment:

Treatment for both acute and chronic compartment syndrome is usually surgery. Long incisions are made in the fascia to release the pressure building inside. The wounds are generally left open (covered with a sterile dressing) and closed during a second surgery, usually 48-72 hours later. Skin grafts may be required to close the wound.

If a cast or bandage is causing the problem, the dressing should be loosened or cut down to relieve the pressure.

Outlook (Prognosis):

If the diagnosis of compartment syndrome is made promptly and surgical release performed, the outlook is excellent for recovery of the muscles and nerves inside the compartment. However, the overall prognosis will be determined by the injury leading to the syndrome.

If there is a delay in diagnosis, there can be permanent nerve injury and loss of muscle function. This is more common when injured person is unconscious or heavily sedated and incapable of complaining. Permanent nerve injury can occur after 12-24 hours of compression.

Possible Complications:

Complications include permanent injury to nerves and muscles that can dramatically impair function. (See Volkmann's ischemia.)

In more severe cases, limbs may need to be amputated because all the muscles in the compartment have died from lack of oxygen.

When to Contact a Medical Professional:

If you have suffered an injury and have severe swelling and/or pain that does not improve with pain medications, contact your health care provider to be evaluated for compartment syndrome."
 
snowblowjoe said:
anyone ever muscle shoot crystal? i hear it will fuck u up if u do, meaning in a bad physical way like my hand

don't muscle shoot crystal meth!!!! it will cause an abscess!!! you can't shoot crystal anywhere but into the vein. if it gets into any other place in the body (muscle shot, missed shot) it will cause an abscess\what u just got !
 
If there is a delay in diagnosis, there can be permanent nerve injury and loss of muscle function. This is more common when injured person is unconscious or heavily sedated and incapable of complaining. Permanent nerve injury can occur after 12-24 hours of compression.

I would be shitting my pants if I were you right now snowblowjoe....

If this IS Compartment syndrome you are pushing the window of opportunity...
 
i wasnt planning on doing a muscle shot trust me, i was just curious..

it does sound like i have compartment syndrome but im not in pain, its just a little sore. i can see tho that my circulation is being cut off and my hand is kinda warm.it feels like when u hold yer wrist real tight and cut off circulation to the hand...WHICH MADE ME think that if i didnt treat it it might have to be amputated or something so thats why i made a post..

anyone have any ideas what i can do until i see a dr? i have to work tomorrow. also i need to think of a reason to give my dr, i cant tell him the truth
 
damn you guys are really starting to freak me out. if my hand stays the same and doesnt get better or worse, should I go to the ER? or hold off and see what happens?

im already in debt and was working my way out of it to get a loan to buy a house
 
snowblowjoe said:
damn you guys are really starting to freak me out. if my hand stays the same and doesnt get better or worse, should I go to the ER? or hold off and see what happens?

im already in debt and was working my way out of it to get a loan to buy a house

Not trying to freak you out, bro...just being realistic....
If your hand is warm (like a fever in your hand), and it's hard to make a tight fist w/o some kind of pain, that is a bad sign. Don't wait...please....
Fuck the medical bill...they have to treat you...I understand completely about not wanting to fuck up your credit...but imagine doing home improvements w/ one hand/arm.

Bills can disappear- hands don't grow back...:\
 
ya i cant make a fist. it doesnt hurt really its just kind of numb. looks like i might be forced to miss work tomorrow.my hand really isnt that warm tho, its about same temp as right hand, but i do feel more pressure on my left
 
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