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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

IV flushing - pulling the pluger after the shot to draw blood and then shooting back

K

KaleB541

Greenlighter
Joined
May 13, 2010
Messages
24
Location
UK
So many of safe injection guides are vehemently against the practice, claiming plenty of health risks.

I'm wondering what's the worst thing you can do with shooting a tiny amount of blood after you've just shot 5x as much of a drug/blood mix? This all assuming you've managed to enter a vein without piercing it at more than 1 spot, injecting slowly with appropriate hygiene levels.

I can put my finger on why I love doing this, it happens just as the drugs hit your brain so it's a big part of the ritual for me. I often flush/boot several times.
 
Do you mean registering, then slowly injecting a bit of the liquid, then registering again, etc? Or do you mean after you've already injected all the liquid drawing blood back into the syringe, then injecting it, then doing it again etc?

The first case has a reason to do it, the second case there is no valid reason. Junkie lore is that it helps flush out any last little drops of drug solution that might remain in the syringe, but that amount is so small to not make any perceptible difference.
 
There is absolutely no point to "booting". You're not getting any more bang for your buck or wasting any left over drugs if you don't do it... all you are doing is unnecessarily doing more damage to your veins.
 
Just be happy that you did your shot right the first time. There is virtually no product left in the syringe after a shot - you are only increasing the chances of something going wrong.
 
mr.scagnattie said:
There is absolutely no point to "booting". You're not getting any more bang for your buck or wasting any left over drugs if you don't do it... all you are doing is unnecessarily doing more damage to your veins.
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In case it wasn't clear that's exactly what I meant. I was just saying if they were talking about registering multiple times in the process of injecting, to make sure the needle is still in the vein, then that is different.

But maybe the OP has a mental addiction to "booting" and just wants to know exactly why this is said to be harmful? Like why precisely is it damaging to your veins?
 
^^

I didn't even read what you wrote... I was responding to the OP's post directly..

But, Kale, if you want more specifics on why it is harmful and not just pointless, (which it is)... it's not harmful in any way other than typical repeated injections are harmful. Except, one added level of stress to your veins is when the barrel of the syringe is totally empty, it requires more pressure to draw up any liquid..therefore causing more strain on your veins. Then when you re-inject the blood over and over, you are putting unneeded pressure on your veins again. It's not that it is inherently more dangerous than injecting anything else is... it's just that pushing anything into your veins causes damage, so why would you do it excessively by booting when you don't achieve any effect from it other than to satiate your own OCD compulsion to do it? You're just battering your veins for no reason... that's where the HR really comes in.
 
mr.scagnattie said:
^^

I didn't even read what you wrote... I was responding to the OP's post directly..

But, Kale, if you want more specifics on why it is harmful and not just pointless, (which it is)... it's not harmful in any way other than typical repeated injections are harmful. Except, one added level of stress to your veins is when the barrel of the syringe is totally empty, it requires more pressure to draw up any liquid..therefore causing more strain on your veins. Then when you re-inject the blood over and over, you are putting unneeded pressure on your veins again. It's not that it is inherently more dangerous than injecting anything else is... it's just that pushing anything into your veins causes damage, so why would you do it excessively by booting when you don't achieve any effect from it other than to satiate your own OCD compulsion to do it? You're just battering your veins for no reason... that's where the HR really comes in.
Click to expand...

Good explanation.
 
Yea, you're all right. I only do it after I've done the whole shot as part of a junkie ritual. Something nice about seeing red come into the syringe and then back down.
 
KaleB541 said:
Yea, you're all right. I only do it after I've done the whole shot as part of a junkie ritual. Something nice about seeing red come into the syringe and then back down.
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Hah - That's common I do believe I certainly understand it. Take off shortly follows the red myst of success.
 
It can cause haemolysis (destruction of blood cells) to force them through a fine needle - needles used by IVDUs are much finer than any IV needle used in hospital. Not a good practice. The amount of extra drug you will get is going to be tiny, and you run the risk of damaging veins and red blood cells.

+1 on the blood entering syringe thing though.. I get my kicks from registering though not flushing afterwards ;)
 
nAON said:
The one advantage I can think to this is to ensure you've hit a vein and not an artery
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They're talking about doing it after the shot has been fully injected. How would it ensure you've hit a vein and not an artery? And would it give you any advantage in knowing that when you have already injected your shot?
 
the junkie jackin' flash. mick jagger started the trend. i kid you not.

The one advantage I can think to this is to ensure you've hit a vein and not an artery
Click to expand...

it's rather apparent when you hit an artery. they're pushing blood to your bodies extremities, veins carrying blood to the heart. blood will come frothing into the barrel when you hit an artery.
 
I've hit arteries shit loads of times... there is no mistaking that... I too have a thing about flashing. It took me ages to figure out when my needle was in properly, and re-registering became a habit I can't shake now :( But this thread has given me food for thought-so cheers
 
Swimmingdancer said:
They're talking about doing it after the shot has been fully injected. How would it ensure you've hit a vein and not an artery? And would it give you any advantage in knowing that when you have already injected your shot?
Click to expand...

Aha, I didn't realise. I thought it was before they did the shot.


leftwing said:
it's rather apparent when you hit an artery. they're pushing blood to your bodies extremities, veins carrying blood to the heart. blood will come frothing into the barrel when you hit an artery.
Click to expand...

Yeah you'd think so, but the number of times i've talked to or read about people who still manage to hit arteries accidentally.. always better to have a way to doublecheck.
 
KaleB - I can totally put my finger on why you love to do this. Well at least why I do.

For me, Its not always easy to find a vein, in fact sometimes it can be downright frustrating. But there is something about seeing that first rush of blood into the syringe that I just love. After pushing the whole shot in, I also like to pull back about 15 units and push the blood back in.

For me, its not at all about getting "every last drop" of my shot. Its about "yay, the whole shot made it in the vein, I didn't miss, I'm going to feel high in a second" and also I just love seeing blood go into a syringe and if the opportunity is there... Gosh how sick is that?

Am I making any sense at all?
 
i see what you mean but only found the red swoosh into the full pin "beautiful" if you could call it that.
 
^ yeah def with you there but i can see how any part of the ritual could become a focus.. wow is this thread triggering :|
 
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