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just experienced the 2nd or 3rd cotton fever of my drug-using life

Syringefull

Ex-Bluelighter
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
20
shot the dope right before bed, using a brand new cotton. Woke up maybe and hour or 2 later, shaking uncontrollably, i mean it was the scariest thing i think that has happened to me in a while. And this went on for a good 10 minutes. Shaking so hard and unable to control it. Got up, put on a hoodie, and another layer of sweatpants. After 10 more minutes i was finally able to stay still a little bit. then another 10 minutes and the shaking was gone.

Woke up a few hours later, and my entire body aches and i feel like im dying, but i dont have much of a fever anymore, i guess its been about 6 hours since it started.

Cotton fever is one of the scariest things ive had to deal with, and even with new cottons it happens. This fucking sucks, i hope it wears off soon.
 
Are you 100% sure its cotton fever? If it keeps getting worse or you get a really bad headache and start puking call the ambo immediately but you sound ok for the moment.
 
yeah im okay, but im reallllly thirsty, and ive drank like a bottle of water in 5 minutes. Also walking upstairs to get the water i was incredibly dizzy. Ive had this before, it makes me not wanna shoot ever again.. but i know i will.
 
Try an get a drink high in hydrolites(sp?) I think thats what its called, like gatorade an stuff, then you probly wont be so thirsty.
 
sounds exactly like the cotton fever's ive experienced, tho im not sure as to why it happens now, iv'e gotten it from re-useing bupe cottons and figured it was from bacterial growth on them and ive gotten it from brand new cottons as well, weird.
 
Shit! been there, done that!

Pop some ibuprofen (or any other NSAID) and benzos. they help a bit.

But only time will heal it, and for me it felt longer than it actually was (no suprise).
 
My friend got cotton fever once, But he felt like he was dead for 12 hours.After 12 hour he was ok, but was not normal for 24 hours. sucks dude At least u didnt get it really bad and puke.
 
from a fresh cotton you say? think I may switch to single use dental cotton. however you may also think about using sterile saline as what ales you may have come from the water too. contact moistener is a good source just make sure it does not have any meds in it or other chemicals.
 
the first time i got BAD cotton fever ,was when i tried shooting suboxone ,i was so stupid i just kept squezing the cotton ,and shit anyway so cold SO SO SO cold for the whole day the next day

and one time i was sick and had no way of getting any opiate so picked up OLD fucking cottons of where i shot bupe like 2 weeks before and sooner ,and shot that cotton of the floor ,and it made me feel better ,cant believe i didnt get cotton fever from that

anyway ea it sucks
 
LivingOnValium said:
Shit! been there, done that!

Pop some ibuprofen (or any other NSAID) and benzos. they help a bit.

But only time will heal it, and for me it felt longer than it actually was (no suprise).
I've had cotton fever a couple times, and I have to agree - Ibuprofen is really the only thing that helps at all, and it actually does a pretty good job. No matter what do not shoot more dope, it won't help and will be a huge waste. Just ride it out and make sure you don't re-use whatever cotton(s) you used in your last shot.
 
Yeah sounds just like what I've experienced a handful of times. Shit sucks, especially the first time it happens.

I had a balloon one time that I got three shots out of, and all three times I got those exact symptoms roughly an hour or two afterwards. Obviously it wasn't the cotton (used a fresh one each time), but something to do with that particular nug of dope.
 
It could have come from anywhere. The water, the cotton, the syringe if you reused it, the dope, the spoon, your hands, etc.

Cotton doesn't have to be necessary for "cotton" fever to occur.
 
your spoon can harbor bacteria so can dirty rigs. this "cotton" fever is some bad shit. h had it three days in a row, the last two day everything was sterile but the spoon so clean everything
 
I woke up the same way recently after doing a good bit of coke. Went to bed and woke up a few hours later freezing my ass off. Finally got back to sleep after piling on some blankets and woke up later with a 102 fever. Had that all day but was feeling better later that night and was fine the next day. Dunno what caused that....
 
What the fuck is your guys shit getting cut with down there ... jesus H ... some dealers ought to be shot .
 
how long does it take for bacteria to form on cotton, or just on a spoon with heroin sitting on it out in the open?

does re-filtering over and over help remove any of the risks?

do you get cotton fever just automatically from shooting any cotton, hair, speck of dust, etc. into your vein (on accident)?
 
Try an get a drink high in hydrolites(sp?) I think thats what its called, like gatorade an stuff, then you probly wont be so thirsty.

Electrolytes you mean, yeah they are better at quenching your thirst and replenishing you when you're dehydrated.

how long does it take for bacteria to form on cotton, or just on a spoon with heroin sitting on it out in the open?

does re-filtering over and over help remove any of the risks?

do you get cotton fever just automatically from shooting any cotton, hair, speck of dust, etc. into your vein (on accident)?

1) Impossible to say, too many variables. Depends on how hygienic your surroundings are, I guess. I wouldn't leave things lying around that I'm gonna be shooting up later though.

2) Re-filtering is good. Micron filters/Wheel filters are better.

3) It's caused by certain bacteria that grow on cotton plants and can release endotoxins. You won't get it from hair, dust, etc, just cotton and you don't have to inject actual cotton particles into you, just be using a piece of cotton that's contaminated with the bacteria.
 
I've always though cotton fever was from injecting small particles of cotton into your bloodstream, but the bacteria thing makes more sense.
 
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