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Injection; IV Complications and Information MEGATHREAD and FAQ II - show me the blood

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I'd say a more than reasonable rule of thumb is that if the tiny mark left behind from the injection has healed (approx 5 days to a week for healing and to mostly disappear) then the vein is almost certainly back to 100% and ready for more.

Honestly, if you can give a vein 48 hours and you're injecting safely/cleanly you're probably fine. Just try to avoid injecting in the same exact spot. Hell, I inject several times per "session" (it usually takes a few shots for me to go through 16mg of dilaudid) and sometimes I use the same vein for each shot, but by spacing them out along the site (this particular vein gives me about 6 inches of play) I'm preventing serious damage.

Several shots a day in the exact same spot is probably not a good idea; just keep in mind that using the SAME VEIN is not the same as using the same spot.

If you have to use the same vein more than once a day, try to space out the injection point by at least an inch or so - as much as possible.
 
Has this happened to you? What causes it? Need some help here.

I shot some dope last night and went to bed.

I woke up this morning and took a shower, after getting out of the shower I notice this on my arm.

NSFW:
rash.jpg


I usually get fairly flushed when I'm out of the shower, but that's mostly my face, neck and chest and this doesn't resemble that.

There's no texture to it, it doesn't hurt or itch and it looks kind of like a big hickey. You know when you were necking with your girlfriend in 8th grade and you sucked like a horny vampire on her neck and it left a mark. Kidding aside - I'm actually really worried about this.

The rash appears to run from roughly the injection site (I marked it with the orange circle in the photo) down my forearm. It seems to follow the vein. It doesn't feel hot to the touch or anything. It just looks like a collection of little blood blisters or a (massive) hickey on my forearm.

Has anyone else had this happen to them? Is this a result of a collapsed vein? This injection site is actually quite new, I can't recall ever injecting there before. I've injected in the same vein, but not that far down stream. I feel like I would have noticed it immediately if I burst or collapsed it.

Please help if you can. :(
 
Almost looks like u scratched it while u were high and that's the mark tpday. But o see what you mean where it goes from injections and follows your vein pattern but on the skin with the rash. Good luck and good health !
 
No one here can tell you.

You should check out the case studies DJISM has posted, and I would say if there is anything unusal, go to the ER. Immediately.
 
It looks like you scratched yourself a bit too much. It happens to a lot of heroin users.

If you didn't, then there's probably no telling.

Also, this belongs in the IV complications thread, so I'm going to merge it into there.
 
Captain.Heroin said:
It looks like you scratched yourself a bit too much. It happens to a lot of heroin users.

If you didn't, then there's probably no telling.

Also, this belongs in the IV complications thread, so I'm going to merge it into there.
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I don't think I scratched it, although I could be wrong. It's still there today, still doesnt hurt or anything.

I was thinking, after I did the shot I wasn't really paying attention and I rubbed it down quite heavily with an alcohol swab - which I never do, and Im wondering if that could be the cause. Another thing a bit abnormal for the shot was that I had to register twice. Well I didn't have to, but I did when I was halfway done cause I wasn't sure if I was in.
 
While i agree this is a great thread, at 31 pages it's going to be a daunting task for someone to go through it all if they are looking for help with IV issues. That's the problem with megathreads, it's just too overwhelming for people to dive into.

On the other hand, if a mod took the time to go through it and trim the excess fat (getting rid of posts that don't actually contribute to the topic, like this one) I bet this thread would be cut in half and make navigation a whole lot easier.

What about it, Captain?
 
Wake up people! Put your needles down and get back to posting, this is an important thread!

Anyway, I just had a thought to share - you know how after you draw up you tap the air bubbles to the top of the syringe then press the plunger a bit to get the air out and a little bit or your solution spurts out the tip?

You know how you sometimes lick the needle to make sure you don't waste a single precious drop of your shot?

Well don't. Your warn, wet mouth is like a zoo for bacteria and you don't want to be transferring a family of evil microbes onto your needle tip right before you shove it into your bloodstream.

Now I'm not a doctor (nor do I play one on TV) and my instincts tell me i'm right about this, but if anyone reading this can back me up and say with a certainty that this is a valid concern, by all means speak up!
 
Question...
There is something obviously wrong with my vein after using it repeatedly because it was the only place i could actually hit. I've gotten some methadone so I don't have to IV H for a while to give it time to heal, but I'm concerned that it wont get better. It hurts to even move my arm and when I listed all of my symptoms someone here suggested that it may be thrombosis. I couldn't find too much info on it but I'm just curious if that's what it is, will the vein ever heal so that I can use it again? I have no insurance so going to the doctor isn't an option, not to mention that my doctor is the one who gives me methadone and if he knows I'm still getting high he will cut me off for sure!
 
Personally, I wouldn't use a vein more than once every 24 hours; I think at that level you'd be ok (in any case that's what I do and aside from the track mark not having time to heal, the veins are fine (seems like you need to give the skin about a week to get rid of all marks).

You should start by telling us how often you hit that one vein. Finding another spot to inject is obviously essential, and I think everyone who really tries can find more than one spot (I can't see ANY veins in my arms but I managed to find them through sense of touch).

I think there is a difference between people who really can't find more than one vein and people who are a bit lazy and just stick with the one easy one. Most people probably fit into the latter category, but it's stories like yours that should serve as a reminder to people that if you're going to commit to IV drugs you MUST find more than one injection site.

I'd say if your arm doesn't seem better in another day or two you should go to a planned parenthood or find a free clinic. They won't narc on you - especially if you simply don't tell them who your doctor is!

In the mean time either find another vein or start plugging (my favorite ROA).
 
Probably a silly question, but has anyone found any difference in pulling the needle out slowly, vs a quick retreat?

I thought maybe if you pull the needle out very slowly, it might leave less of a track mark behind, but I haven't seen a difference.
 
i have never licked or had the thought of licking my needle pre or post injection..
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Licking the needle or injection site is a very bad idea. I bet it is even mentioned in the first post of this thread.

It hurts to even move my arm and when I listed all of my symptoms someone here suggested that it may be thrombosis. I couldn't find too much info on it but I'm just curious if that's what it is, will the vein ever heal so that I can use it again?
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That's hard to say. If scar tissue blocks off the vein then that is pretty much the end of it. Otherwise it may be able to heal itself and if it can heal itself at all then of course you could use it again (not really recommend though).

Probably a silly question, but has anyone found any difference in pulling the needle out slowly, vs a quick retreat?
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I think straight and steady is the most important factor here. Unless moving quickly or slowly helps you with getting it out straight it probably doesn't make much difference.
 
just don't shoot up

Yeh the best way to avoid all of this is to just not shoot up. =D=D<3
Eight0Eight said:
Well I have just fucked up BIG TIME.

Just got back from hospital (in for 4 days) - had to have a 1 1/2'' long needle removed from my groin. The fucking thing snapped off right at the end (the entire needle was completely submerged
in my groin).

The surgeons said I was lucky as fuck, as when they removed it it was missing my artery by just a couple millimeters.

Thats it for me, I'm throwing in the towel.

The hospital have me stable on 70mg methadone. I feel SO MUCH better than when I was on subutex. I have no physical WD and no mental cravings. Going to make a real go of it this time - I don't want to die. I've just been given a script from my GP for a regular methadone supply.

So just a word of warning folks - the needle I used had been used just once before, and it still snapped!
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Hi,
SWIM is a relative novice with a non-urgent question. SWIM has been reading thoroughly and feels like she understands now what an abcess is, how to recognize one, what a missed hit feels like, what an artery hit feels like, etc.

But here is one thing I don't understand yet: SWIM shot h in a vein on the forearm. The hit did not miss--no stinging, no lump, and got really high. A few hours later, and especially the next day, there was a large bluish purple spot. It looked like a bruise. Is that all it is? It had no temperature, and did not hurt. It went a way in a few days. How does this happen and how does one prevent it? Extra information: the shot was missed once before, (in a different vein), and so had a lot of blood in it from registering. Is the blood part of the problem here?
Thanks,
j
 
It likely just some bleeding from the vein into the surrounding skin. To prevent it make sure you insert the needle carefully, shoot slowly and steadily, and remove the needle carefully. Once the needle is removed immediately apply pressure to the location to prevent internal bleeding.
 
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