Harm Reduction Injection Complications FAQ and Mega Thread

[Captain.Heroin]

Fuck man.

I got caught a couple days ago, and had to use a 2'' long blue needle.

It was like a fucking bull-dart.

It made such a big hole in my fem, that blood was running down as if it was an open wound

Fucking horror show.

Too bad you don't live near me - I would have just given you a few 10 packs of the 27g 1cc 1/2" insulin needles I have lying around.

I know what it's like to watch blood pour out and it's like . Even when you hold the needle in an extra few seconds so it doesn't pour out like hell...it still does. That's the only problem I have with anything that isn't a 30 or 31G needle, sometimes there's a lot of blood.

I mean, sometimes that happens with a 31G too though. I guess it depends on how fast your blood clots and all.

LoL lately i've been liking you more and more by the day even if you hate me. just that mental picture made me smile. Man the things we will do to get high, craziness. Off to take an early lunch and have a Dillie shot that's been waiting for me

I think 808 is just still in the using phase of his life and you're well outside of it, and that's the main difference between you two.

I'm way past the using phase of my life (at least for hard drugs IE the heroin).

I don't hate anyone here.

Same here. I'm pretty much cool with most of the people on this forum.

 

[TheDankaholic]

I don't hate anyone here.

Good dude cause truthfully, I like you. Maybe even love you after i've had my pain med's and I feel a little bit better.

I think 808 is just still in the using phase of his life and you're well outside of it, and that's the main difference between you two.

I'm way past the using phase of my life (at least for hard drugs IE the heroin).

Also I totally understand being in the using phase (IE hard drugs like heroin) & I personally know I would of NEVER gotten out of it if I hadn't purposely moved myself 1000 miles away from my heroin connect's. Even then I flew back a few times to relapse. It's just opiates, especially strong IV ones like heroin will always have a place in my heart.

Sometimes I feel that I might even be semi jealous that Eight0Eight is still in his using phase of the hard drugs. Deep inside i'm glad I got out when I did but boy do I still wish sometimes that I was coming home to do a big shot and forget about life. But there's something's ill never miss like not having a good job, waiting on the man! Always!, never having money, having to hide shit from anyone who cared about me (my fiance especially, who i still feel damage to our relationship to this day from it), etc.

My best friend who I used with everyday is still back there in the mess of things, he never stopped when I moved, and to see where he's at and where I would be If I hadn't gotten out then is scary. I have too much to lose. Beautiful fiance, beautiful daughter, good job, people who love me, etc. & in the blindness of heroin I was willing to lose it all to stay in that opiate dreamland.

 

[Eight0Eight]

I've been on Subutex for a year and a half.

I'm down to 1mg/day.

I only use when I have to go into the city to pick up my script - once every 2 weeks.
Moving to a new city and getting a naltrexone implant in around 6 weeks.

I wouldn't consider myself a hardcore junky anymore. I certainly was.

Its just that I have no veins left, so when I do use I have to use my groin and it can get a little grimey if I have to use a MASSIVE needle.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Sometimes I feel that I might even be semi jealous that Eight0Eight is still in his using phase of the hard drugs. Deep inside i'm glad I got out when I did but boy do I still wish sometimes that I was coming home to do a big shot and forget about life. But there's something's ill never miss like not having a good job, waiting on the man! Always!, never having money, having to hide shit from anyone who cared about me (my fiance especially, who i still feel damage to our relationship to this day from it), etc.

I know for a fact my girlfriend to whom I am engaged now would have left me if I didn't quit using heroin and I probably would be homeless. I was homeless for a little while and those times were rough.

I also would have had to start dealing all day every day to keep up w/ my habit, or would have started to have to steal/etc for it and I wasn't willing to compromise my values as an individual.

Beautiful fiance, beautiful daughter, good job, people who love me, etc. & in the blindness of heroin I was willing to lose it all to stay in that opiate dreamland.

And all of those things are what keep you where you are. I mean, I don't have children or a job nor many friends and I'm still happy with just a great relationship and some bud.

I know I'm not jealous of those at all who get to use because I certainly had my time with it, and I would've lost myself forever had I not pulled my ass out of being down in it when I did.

 

[Eight0Eight]

It was the hurt I was causing my family, and my own sanity that made me clean-up.

Did I mention I somehow went through college and now University with a BAD smack habit?
Theres only so long any one person can juggle emergencies with such a chaotic life before cracking and throwing in the towel.

 

[Beast13]

Need advice ASAP!!!!

I injected heroin into an artery or vein on my left hand, between my thumb and wrist and immediately a white bump the size of a quarter appeared. It is red and awollen around the white bump and half my hand is completely numb. What do i do????

 

[bingey]

did you feel pain when you pushed the plunger? electrical agony that shoots all the way along your arm? Was the blood in the needle bright (video game) red or dark almost black like wine?


anyway put your hand under lukewarm water and massahe the swollen area , if its a vein this and the following will really help ,, after massaging for 5-10 mins dry your hand very well now make a compress with some rubbing alcohol or everclear , the longer the alcohol is allowed to soak into the bump the quicker swelling will go and the risk of inflammattion or abscess is Greatly reduced (i have even managed to reverse small abscesses wih this simple procedure)

best material is cottton padding , and wrap some linnen bandages ariound (not too tight)


do some searches for what to do/ how to recognize in case of an artery , based on the limited informatio you gave me i dont have the idea you hit an artery but thats just a guess really , only wy to be sure is to seek medical attention

p.s if you are covinced you hit an artery keep a close eye on your hand / arm if the feeling in your hand doesnt return or i starts to swell / discolor seek immediate medical attention / go to the hospital , if you dont you might lose limbs or more.

 

[ingannilo]

I injected heroin into an artery or vein on my left hand, between my thumb and wrist and immediately a white bump the size of a quarter appeared. It is red and awollen around the white bump and half my hand is completely numb. What do i do????

if your whole hand is swollen, red, &throbbing then you've popped into an artery & you should really go to the doc. right away. otherwise it sounds like you've just missed a bit. if it swells up more (whole hand, or that spot), gets hot, or discoloration spreads you need to go to the ER.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I injected heroin into an artery or vein on my left hand, between my thumb and wrist and immediately a white bump the size of a quarter appeared. It is red and awollen around the white bump and half my hand is completely numb. What do i do????

If it's painful and your whole hand is swollen, go to the ER immediately.

If the injection site is swollen, you probably have an SI. It will still be painful to touch it, but it shouldn't be that painful when resting it.

But, as you said, half your hand is completely numb. I would go into the ER now.

 

[dopiate]

I injected heroin into an artery or vein on my left hand, between my thumb and wrist and immediately a white bump the size of a quarter appeared. It is red and awollen around the white bump and half my hand is completely numb. What do i do????

I used to get numbness in the area when i missed shots...that's what this sounds like but i would go to the doctor if it does not get better in the next 30 minutes to an hour.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I used to get numbness in the area when i missed shots...that's what this sounds like but i would go to the doctor if it does not get better in the next 30 minutes to an hour.

I've had a missed shot which took more than just "30 minutes to an hour" to go away.

I would recommend to go to the ER because if "half your hand is numb", it's not just a "missed shot".

 

[dopiate]

I've had a missed shot which took more than just "30 minutes to an hour" to go away.

I would recommend to go to the ER because if "half your hand is numb", it's not just a "missed shot".

I did not say "go away," i said "get better."

In any case he would be going to a doctor within an hour. I've never hit an artery but research shows it would not get better within an hour.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I did not say "go away," i said "get better."

In any case he would be going to a doctor within an hour. I've never hit an artery but research shows it would not get better within an hour.

Fair enough. I guess what you meant by "get better" wasn't "completely healed".

By the way, if it is a missed shot, a heat compress will work wonders.

 

[Eight0Eight]

Once thing I have wondered about heavy IV use - is that when I'm an old man, am I going to have circulation problems?

Or are there enough deep-veins that I cannot see (and abuse) to keep me going OK in later life?

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Once thing I have wondered about heavy IV use - is that when I'm an old man, am I going to have circulation problems?

Or are there enough deep-veins that I cannot see (and abuse) to keep me going OK in later life?

Yeah. They are typically smaller, and less likely to be able to be used for IV. Once you see new "smaller" veins appear, don't use those. Those are your body's last resort for circulation. So, I think you'll be fine.

 

[Eight0Eight]

I have had serious problems in hospital with nurses, and even anethestists (sp?) not finding suitable veins .

What I mean, is am I going to have joint/limb problems when I get older as a rsult of fucked-up veins?.

 

[dopiate]

I have had serious problems in hospital with nurses, and even anethestists (sp?) not finding suitable veins .

What I mean, is am I going to have joint/limb problems when I get older as a rsult of fucked-up veins?.

I'm sure it depends on whether you continue to abuse your veins. If you were to have 10 years without injecting then i'm sure your body can make up for it.

The human body is amazingly resilient but the problem is that you're inecting into MAJOR blood pathways like the femoral and veins like that don't come back.

 

[bingey]

No 2/3 of your vascular system lies deep below the skin and although it's not useable for iv it does take care of transporting the blood back to the heart.

on the other hand stuff like arthrosis or wear & tear on the hart valves for instance is more likely exarcebated by heavy IV use , just like it is by smoking and cholesterol

 

[phazeshifter]

IV - Tips for pulling back to register blood

Hey guys. I shoot in either my arms or hands rotating to let spots heal. This means I normally only have one hand free. Looking to see if anyone has any tips when it comes tip to pull the p;lunger back to see if blood registers so you know you hit the vein? I fond it hard to hold the needle ion place with my hand while trying to find a way to pull back the plunger a bit with My finger and I don't want to be twisting the needled around inside of my vein. I'm fine with blind shooting into my arms but the smaller ones in the hand I like to check and make sure by registering. ideas?

 

[Lost and Confused]

Yeah...when the needle first gets under the skin, pull the plunger back just a bit. This will create a vacuum. Then all you have to do is move the needle and once it finds a vein the vacuum will register for you...its like an auto-register.