Been IV'ing in Artery Passed Couple Days - Help? (Heroin)

[King J]

Hello,

Don't know what happened to thread prefixes. This really threw me off?!

Anyway the past couple days it's like every shot of mine hit an artery, obviously known by the red spots, swelling, and burning. It all would go away.

Now I have a bump on my hand where I was hitting it and it's just a bump. Doesn't look like an absess but my elbows and knees have been REALLY itchy since hitting it. I didn't IV at all today.


Edit: Is this normal? Does anybody have any experiences with this?

 

[Br1tannia]

Go and see a doctor, right now!

 

[King J]

Go and see a doctor, right now!

I really want to hear people's experiences. The bump on my track mark doesn't look like an absess. I don't know it's just a bump and I press it, it's hard like flexing a muscle but not like hard as stone etc. But not squooshy like an absess. I look online searching Google for elbows and knees itchy and it immediately gives me results for artery diseases. I've researched a lot about artery infections and how risky it is to IV in your artery. Obviously I didn't do it intentionally but only like 3 times, once per day, because my veins always turn into arteries for some reason lately. >.> I don't know why or how an artery just pops up where my veins/track marks are. Always felt the hit though. I don't even know the signs of an artery infection etc...just really want some insight other than see a doc, or what steps or what will happen IF it gets worse.

And I really don't to have to get anything amputated so I respect you for telling me to see a doc but you know the stigma. I hope I can get some people who missed their vein and had the same thing happen.

 

[BurroughsTheCat]

What would you rather man?, the stigma of a random doctor knowing you are a drug user or the stigma of missing a limb from drug use?...seriously GO TO A DOCTOR. In the early stages you have a much better chance to get things fixed. Go to a doctor you wouldn't normally use and bite the bullet. And I am a user who always shoots, so I know it's hard to go back, but maybe you should smoke/snort your gear a bit and give yourself a break. No high is worth losing a limb. SO GO TO A DOCTOR!

 

[ados]

Its a lot easier to say GO SEE A DOCTOR if you are one of those that live in a country where you get free healthcare, heh.

Anyway, I have gotten similar bumps before from missing, they were itchy too, but they went away after a few hours from what I remember. I am unsure what exactly they were from but I think in my early IV days I would naturally push down on the plunger after missing...like I would draw up and realize I didn't hit, and push the air back into where I missed at. Just make sure you arent doing that I guess, its kind of a fast reaction.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

How long has this bump lasted? When did it show up? What exactly does it look like? Does it hurt? Is it hot? Do you have any other symptoms?

Itching is a common reaction to injecting opioids.

And seriously DO NOT inject into arteries!!!

BUT hives, swelling, and mild burning does not automatically indicate an artery, that can be a miss or a histamine reaction. An artery will have bright red blood, that may enter the syringe more forcefully, and when you inject it will hurt a lot. Has this been happening with every shot you've done from this batch, even in different veins?

Also thread prefixes are in Other Drugs, not Basic Drug Discussion.

 

[King J]

This bump has been around for about 2 days now. No swelling, nothing, just a bump where I shot. It's where I shoot in my hand, but my knees and elbows itch not my hand since hitting. It's an artery because it was like black blood and swelled up my whole hand with the red swelling bump things (if you're an H user you know what I'm talking about). Never happened before, but never been hitting an artery like I've been doing and for 3-4 days straight as well.

Edit: For example didn't do any H or anything IV today, and am very itchy from it still...didn't get high today, w/d'ing in fact.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

This bump has been around for about 2 days now. No swelling, nothing, just a bump where I shot. It's where I shoot in my hand, but my knees and elbows itch not my hand since hitting. It's an artery because it was like black blood and swelled up my whole hand with the red swelling bump things (if you're an H user you know what I'm talking about). Never happened before, but never been hitting an artery like I've been doing and for 3-4 days straight as well.

Actually I used IV heroin for most of my life and I'm not quite sure what you're talking about. Arterial blood would not be black, it would be bright red. Why do you think you've been hitting an artery for 3-4 days? Has this been happening with every shot you've done from this batch, even in different veins?

How much did your hand swell up at the time of the shot? Do you mean like huge swelling of the entire hand happened very rapidly? That can happen when you hit a nerve or artery.

Did it hurt when you injected?

"Red bump things" with light swelling are hives, causes by a histamine reaction, which also causes itching (anywhere on the body). This can happen normally with dope, but when it is more pronounced it can be due to a bad batch (poorly produced with heavy impurities), missed shot, partially missed shot, or hitting a nerve or artery (but a histamine reaction in and of itself does not mean you hit a nerve/artery).

When did the bump at the injection site first show up? What exactly does it look like? How big is it? Does it hurt? Is it hot?

Do you have any other symptoms like fever, feeling sick, red lines going from the injection site, numbness anywhere, etc?

For now, start by applying hot wet cloths to the area for 10-15 min several times a day. Monitor it closely for any signs of infection or other complications. don't hesitate to see a doctor if it doesn't rapidly improve or you have any signs of infection etc.

Please try to answer all my questions so I can better help you

 

[King J]

Hey, thanks for not starting an argument guys. I thought I'd start a flame war against me for not being too specific and trying to get advice other than "go see a doctor."

I know it's an artery from years of shooting and doing dope. Arteries are always off color when the blood comes in, sometimes it's real dark/black, and sometimes it's more of a bright red, but you can always tell it's different than a vain. It's also a lot thicker..

Not to mention shooting in veins, even unfiltered, at least white powder dope on east coast USA, doesn't typically make that area swell up like a artery shot. I hit in my hand, and then my fingers swell up. I've searched a lot to find out this is an artery. I still feel it and even though I knew better this week, I didn't care (yeah I know, mistake I know), I just wanted to get high and not sick.

The bump is just a bump on my track mark where I usually hit. I don't understand where my vains used to be now a little deeper are arteries in that area. Maybe the vain exploded or something and disappeared and because I go deeper than where the vain used to be I hit an artery. The bump doesn't cause pain etc. I know opiates make you itchy by the way. I'm talking days after getting high and even into w/d. It's ridiculous.

Anyone have any experience?

 

[BurroughsTheCat]

sorry if i sound harsh, that wasnt my intention to sound like a mammy and be all in your face saying GO TO A DOCTOR, just i know someone who lost a limb due to heroin and it was so terrible. i'm on your side man, I just think it seemed like the best thing to do, because the things you are describing have never happened to me in about 5 years of injecting no.3 heroin, which we have to mix with citric acid or some vinegar to make it into a solution..so if this reaction is happening to you then the difference between something serious and not is a possible trip to a GP.
I apologise if I came off as a cunt but what you are describing is obviously not good, vein or artery wise, so best be safe than sorry.
hope you are all right man.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

I know it's an artery from years of shooting and doing dope. Arteries are always off color when the blood comes in, sometimes it's real dark/black, and sometimes it's more of a bright red, but you can always tell it's different than a vain. It's also a lot thicker..

Actually blood from a vein can vary in colour and thickness too, so that doesn't prove it's an artery.

I feel like you are not listening to my posts and you're neglecting to answer a lot of my questions, so if that continues I can only say "go to a doctor!" and not give you more detailed advice.

Not to mention shooting in veins, even unfiltered, at least white powder dope on east coast USA, doesn't typically make that area swell up like a artery shot.

Every batch of dope is different. I usually never had that problem from white powder H either except particular batches of dope would cause it. As I asked:
- Has this been happening with every shot you've done from this batch of dope? Even when injected in different locations?

I hit in my hand, and then my fingers swell up.

As I asked:
- How much did it swell? Are we talking HUGE swelling of the entire hand?
- Did it hurt when you injected?

The bump is just a bump on my track mark where I usually hit.
- How big is the bump? What colour is it? Is it getting better or worse?
- Have you been putting hot wet cloths on it like I said to?
- Do you have any other symptoms like I asked about?

Anyone have any experience?

Yes I have lots of experience. Both with hitting arteries (if that is in fact what happened to you) or nerves, and with impure dope that caused these reactions even if injected perfectly into a vein. And also with partly missing shots/irritation because I was using tiny damaged veins in my hand (which you should not be doing).

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

I'm confused... were you purposely hitting in an artery? If so.... why? Hah. Arteries pump blood away from your heart... so if you are expecting a rush.. it's not going to happen. The blood has to circulate too long before it actually crosses the blood brain barrier. Second... how did you deal with the pain? Injecting into an artery is super painful..like a scolding hot iron being shoved into your arm... Did your extremities swell up? Because that is what happens when you inject into an artery. And also, your post title isn't correct.. if you have in fact been shooting up into an artery.. it wouldn't be IV'ing... I guess it would be IA'ing....? Whatever the hell that is... hah. Are you sure that this was in fact what you were doing? Sounds a bit odd to me...