Opioids Having severe circulation problems. Any ideas?

[Inlakesh]

Have been injecting tar heroin for about 6 months. I always inject in 1 spot on the leg and sometimes the neck. I never inject anywhere else and have never injected the arms. The vein on the leg I use is long and I cycle to injection sites.

I'm having very severe circulation problems, especially in the arms and hands. Right now my right hand is freezing cold even though the rest of me is warm. I have to keep it in front of a very hot heater to warm it up at all. It's numb and some of the fingers are hard to move. Also tingles like when one sits on the hand or sleeps funny and wakes up with the limb asleep and tingling. Right now the tip of the finger is really numb and hurts. So it's like that even though there is nothing directly cutting off the circulation. It's like I can't get blood to flow into the arm and hand properly. But I haven't done anything to the veins there, nothing at all.

So I'm wondering. Is there something in the heroin that is damaging the blood itself? So I don't have enough blood because the heroin is destroying it? That's what it feels like. So I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about this?

I also get serious problems while sleeping. On a few occasions I've woke up with the circulation to both my legs almost gone. It's from laying on the back while sleeping, somehow the circulation got stopped at the butt. The disturbing thing is my butt was totally asleep from no circulation but hurt like hell, really really bad, like I got hit really hard by a baseball bat. It took over an hour for the circulation to return fully and the pain to go away.

I eat well, very healthy, and enough. I take vitamins and minerals. Not too many, just enough as directed. I drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. Everyone I know in the scene who takes drugs is habitually dehydrated and they all refuse to drink water or eat healthy. I have no idea why. But I make it a point to take very good care of myself (besides taking heroin). I follow excellent injection hygiene as well.

So since I only inject in those 2 locations I'm thinking there must be something in the heroin that is causing the blood to get messed up? Hoping someone knows something.

Just to note: I'm working on getting on a waiting list to an inpatient detox facility. I used this stuff for a while for a specific reason and now I'm done with it.

Also, I know I should see a doctor. Which is not so easy for various reasons. Besides, doctors don't want to help people who use drugs.

 

[amapola]

Also, I know I should see a doctor. Which is not so easy for various reasons. Besides, doctors don't want to help people who use drugs.

Yes well this is your best bet.

Due to the varying locations it doesn't sound like a blood clot anywhere (unless one damaged your heart and now cardiac output is low). It could be some sort of anemic problem as well. I don't really know the causes...maybe infection, internal bleeding, iron deficiency. You need a blood test. Have you taken your resting heart rate and blood pressure? Either way tell a doctor.

 

[jctoona84]

Have been injecting tar heroin for about 6 months. I always inject in 1 spot on the leg and sometimes the neck. I never inject anywhere else and have never injected the arms. The vein on the leg I use is long and I cycle to injection sites.

I'm having very severe circulation problems, especially in the arms and hands. Right now my right hand is freezing cold even though the rest of me is warm. I have to keep it in front of a very hot heater to warm it up at all. It's numb and some of the fingers are hard to move. Also tingles like when one sits on the hand or sleeps funny and wakes up with the limb asleep and tingling. Right now the tip of the finger is really numb and hurts. So it's like that even though there is nothing directly cutting off the circulation. It's like I can't get blood to flow into the arm and hand properly. But I haven't done anything to the veins there, nothing at all.

So I'm wondering. Is there something in the heroin that is damaging the blood itself? So I don't have enough blood because the heroin is destroying it? That's what it feels like. So I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about this?

I also get serious problems while sleeping. On a few occasions I've woke up with the circulation to both my legs almost gone. It's from laying on the back while sleeping, somehow the circulation got stopped at the butt. The disturbing thing is my butt was totally asleep from no circulation but hurt like hell, really really bad, like I got hit really hard by a baseball bat. It took over an hour for the circulation to return fully and the pain to go away.

I eat well, very healthy, and enough. I take vitamins and minerals. Not too many, just enough as directed. I drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. Everyone I know in the scene who takes drugs is habitually dehydrated and they all refuse to drink water or eat healthy. I have no idea why. But I make it a point to take very good care of myself (besides taking heroin). I follow excellent injection hygiene as well.

So since I only inject in those 2 locations I'm thinking there must be something in the heroin that is causing the blood to get messed up? Hoping someone knows something.

Just to note: I'm working on getting on a waiting list to an inpatient detox facility. I used this stuff for a while for a specific reason and now I'm done with it.

Also, I know I should see a doctor. Which is not so easy for various reasons. Besides, doctors don't want to help people who use drugs.

That hasn't been my experience. They may be on guard if you're trying to fish for narcotics, but I'm sure they'll help treat any possible problems from use. It could be any number of things causing this issue and it will require some medical testing/diagnoses to truly figure it out. Best of luck to you and I really hope it turns out to be nothing troublesome.

 

[Swerlz]

It could be an infection.. Are you running a fever at all?

I'm sorry but the best advise we could give you is to see a doctor. And doctors are required to treat people regardless of their lifestyle choice.. They might not like it, but they took an oath to do no harm and to leave you untreated is doing exactly that. So don't be afraid to see a doctor cause you're a drug user.

I'm a poly drug user and I've been treated for numerous things. You might get the stink eye, but they can't deny you care or treat you in such a manor that will cause you more harm.

 

[tifotra]

it is ridiculous how drug addiction is treated in this country but you're best bet is going to a doctor or may a cash clinic. If you get an abscess you're really in trouble.

 

[amapola]

I can think of worse things than an abscess. For example the current undiagnosed circulation problems the OP is suffering from.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

You don't have to tell the doctor you are using drugs; I think it is more important that a doctor will begin to address your circulation issues.

If you know for a fact that the drug use is involved, you wouldn't need a doctor to tell you to quit. Maybe a doctor would help with prescribing Suboxone, but you would know to quit if it was the source of the problem.

Assuming it isn't the source of the problem, or isn't the only source to the problem, then you need to find the other source(s), and address them.

If the doctor can't help you, and you feel that it is necessary to tell them, then you should. In the United States you are protected by doctor/patient confidentiality. Doctors aren't allowed to break this confidentiality unless you sign papers to that effect.

 

[klemme]

you could have hit a nerve while injecting , you could also be forming various clotting, do you have any edema(swelling),s/s of a thrombosis i.e hot area of skin which sometimes can be a raised area,any shortness of breath,id say if possiable avoid these sites, for now use warm packs but dont rub the site just incase your to have a thrombi but, you really need to see a dr and make sure you also havent done damage to your heart

 

[Nightlites]

When you have your shot in your syringe, what does it look like?

Is it clear brown/yellowish?

Is it cloudy so that its not completly see-through?

If its not crystal clear and just colo4ed brownor yellow then you could be injecring particles into your veins and that could cause problems.

If I were you I would stop using.
But since your using H atleast smoke it and stop injecting until you see a doctor. Or completly stop injecting ...

See a doctor it does sound like it could be serious so definatly go soon as u can and find out what the problem is so u can work towards fixing it.

Best of luck man I hope your fine.
Keep us posted

 

[Inlakesh]

No fever.

I've read some posts where people have been dropped by their doctor because they were using recreational drugs. I have state sponsored medical coupons, if I lose the doctor I have I won't have any doctor. My concern is that I should not tell the doctor anything about drug use to keep him for the sake of other needs. If there is some way to confirm that my doctor absolutely cannot drop me due to the drug use then I would like to get some work done.

Sorry for taking so long to reply. Things are hectic here.

It could be an infection.. Are you running a fever at all?

They might not like it, but they took an oath to do no harm and to leave you untreated is doing exactly that. So don't be afraid to see a doctor cause you're a drug user.

I'm a poly drug user and I've been treated for numerous things. You might get the stink eye, but they can't deny you care or treat you in such a manor that will cause you more harm.

 

[Inlakesh]

I'm thinking of going to the needle exchange downtown. I've heard they have some sort of medical system there.

I've never had an abscess, not even once. Many years ago I used heroin daily for almost 2 years strait then quit. I never had an abscess then either. I'm very sterile in my needle use.

I use drugs as a medicine foremost, secondly as experimental and to study the mind, and enjoy the whole thing as a given. I'm not in it just to get off, or because I'm bored, or primarily to have fun and party, I never party.
I go to the street because there is no other source. I wish many drugs were more available to the public somehow.

it is ridiculous how drug addiction is treated in this country but you're best bet is going to a doctor or may a cash clinic. If you get an abscess you're really in trouble.

 

[amapola]

The problem is OP that your symptoms are systemic and could be directly due to, exasperated by, or completely unrelated to your drug usage.

For the sake of your health you should get this checked out and withholding the information about injecting heroin could delay or even throw off a correct diagnosis.

My concern is that I should not tell the doctor anything about drug use to keep him for the sake of other needs.

Those other needs could very well be cropping up now

 

[Inlakesh]

you could have hit a nerve while injecting , you could also be forming various clotting, do you have any edema(swelling),s/s of a thrombosis i.e hot area of skin which sometimes can be a raised area,any shortness of breath,id say if possiable avoid these sites, for now use warm packs but dont rub the site just incase your to have a thrombi but, you really need to see a dr and make sure you also havent done damage to your heart

I don't think it's any of that. I only ever hit 1 fine line on 1 leg and occasionally on the neck. I'm quite careful when I hit. I would know if I hit a nerve I think. The problem is all over the body and especially in the hands which is far from the injection sites. There is no swelling, no hot area, no shortness of breath.

The numbness flairs up in the hours right after a shot. I do about 2 shots a day. 1 at night before bed, I wake up through the night feeling really weird. It was never like this when I did tar about 6 years ago. The stuff is way different now, I can tell in many ways.
I'm wondering if there isn't some insoluble matter in the solutions that is passing through the cottons.

I'm going to start pre-processing multiple shots into injectable solution and running the whole thing through a micron filter. My only concern is keeping the final solution sterile for a few weeks. I don't have bacteriostatic water nor benzyl alcohol. I'm going to try and find some USP grade benzyl alcohol to make an injectable heroin solution with a shelf life. Anyone see anything wrong with that idea or have any advice? Maybe where to get USP grade benzyl alcohol?