Should I stop?

[PercocetDreams512]

Hello BL, I?ve been using drugs for longer than i wanted, but I?ve gotten to the point of my drug use where I?m injecting and have been for about 2-3 years. There are somethings that I?ve done since I first started IVing that weren?t the ?right/proper? way to IV and now I?m trying to figure out if what I?m doing or how I?m Injecting is correct or if incorrect how can I change/fix it. Some of you maybe wondering why I?m changing things after so long and it?s because I believe that im doing more harm to myself due to improper technique and everything. One example that comes to mind right away is reusing the same needle multiple times. I know this is the first thing everyone learns not to do, but it?s hard not to do. I?m only able to get a limited amount of clean new needles and I don?t want to throw one away if it?s only used once... I?ll use the same needle until I can?t insert it in the vein without having to use a lot of pushing. The most times I?ve used the same rig was 7-8 times and then I used a new one next time. Another thing that I do when I?m IVing is keeping the tie-off on my arm while I?m injecting. I?ve been told and I?ve read that this is really bad for the vein and I shouldn?t continue doing it, but I?ve never had any problems with this at all and I honestly think that the rush/high is much more better because all the drug is going to the brain all together. I think the worst thing I do that while I inject is finding a good vein and using the same spot over and over again until I can no longer register from using it so much. That has cause me to have a lot of scaring on my hands/wrists. I can?t use other parts of my arms because I can?t find any more veins and the only veins that are usable are on my hands/wrists, but I hate having to hide all the scaring and tracks. One last thing that I do but don?t think is the proper way is hoarding all the cottons from pulling back a shot. I save all the cottons in a plastic container with bag and rubber band lid. I save all of them for the times that I?m able to grab or sometimes I?ll use them to make a more stronger shot. People have told me that?s an easy way to get cotton fever, but I have never gotten cotton fever since I started IVing. There?s probably more things that I do while IVing that would be considered improper or the wrong way, but I think that whatever I?m doing while IVing drugs the way I have been for years is perfectly fine. What do you think I should fix or anything else I should/shouldn?t do while IVing?

 

[falsifiedhypothesi]

Yeah you are pretty much doing everything wrong sorry to say, but it's good that you want to treat your body better. If you aren't going to quit the needle then good harm reduction strategy is the best way to go.

Start by ordering a bunch of needles and micron filters online, unless you are somewhere very regressive it shouldn't be a problem to order needles online. Just keep a constant supply on order that way you won't have to scavenge needles or rush out to try and buy from a pharmacy.

 

[PercocetDreams512]

Yeah you are pretty much doing everything wrong sorry to say, but it's good that you want to treat your body better. If you aren't going to quit the needle then good harm reduction strategy is the best way to go.

Start by ordering a bunch of needles and micron filters online, unless you are somewhere very regressive it shouldn't be a problem to order needles online. Just keep a constant supply on order that way you won't have to scavenge needles or rush out to try and buy from a pharmacy.

Thanks for responding. Since I?ve posted this, ive stopped my old bad habits and started practicing safer ways. Walmart sells a box of rigs for $12 and each box has 100 rigs. Now when I?m finished with my shot I draw back a little bit of water to clear the rig and then I bend the tip of it and puts caps back on them into a sharps container. Since then I?ve noticed that I don?t have as much track marks or anything like that and it?s much easier to insert a new rig even on a scared part of my vein. The only thing that I don?t like is knowing how many rigs I use a day/week. Sadly, a box of rigs would not last very long. I?ve bought 3 boxes already, 2 of them I?ve already used and 3rd was just to have them. Would it be a bad idea to use the same needle a total of 3-4 times then throwing it out? I don?t want to keep buying boxes, that adds up quickly. So I?m asking anyone for their opinion. To save some money from purchasing boxes of rigs, can I use the same needle for a total number of 4-5 times before throwing it out? Right now I?m using it 1-2 times then bending the tip so I can no longer use it anymore then into the sharps container.

 

[falsifiedhypothesi]

http://i.imgur.com/xK5g6.png

This is a pic of what it looks like when you reuse needles, and now you can see why they cause so much damage. They really are one and done consumables, also those pics don't take into account trying to register multiple times or any imperfections you accidentally create when you draw the solution.

 

[DrGonzo899]

I know I've caught a burr or hook just like that. Sometimes there's just no choice, especially in Georgia with no needle exchange. Just the feeling when you pull out and the hook sticks.

 

[Akane]

You really nees to start taking care of your body.

You have to remove the tourniquet just before injecting. This is how phlebotomists do it.

Reusing needles just messes up veins faster and that means track marks and scarred veins that are more difficult to hit successfully.
One needle per injection is the only acceptable practice.

No reusing cotton balls and even they are not ideal.

The fact you've been ok so far doesn't mean anything.

You're just doing everything in the worst possible way and something bad will happen sooner or later with these highly unsafe practices.

You only have one body. Dollars can be replaced.

You're already IVing, which is the worst way to do drugs from a safety point of view. You need to do it safely if you wanna live long.

Sorry to be so blunt but I think I've said everything in a polite way and I'm only telling you these things for your own good.