Opioids Can't shoot into a vein *after* registering

[SpaceYourBassAgain]

I am having problems hitting this one vein in my arm - a big one about halfway in between my wrist and elbow (actually it isn't me, but I will refrain from any form of SWIMing). I go in the vein and register, although the blood shoots in with about half the force of a normal register for me (still bright red and a normal register, but weaker)...I start to slowly put the plunger down, and there is pain. I re-register successfully without moving the needle at all, and try to plunge again slowly, and there is slight pain again. I take the needle completely out, and there is a little bump as if I had just missed a little bit of the shot altogether. I made sure to have the needle all the way in the vein, so that it was not moving at all. There was a belt a few inches above my elbow, but it wasn't even that tight really. How can this happen after registering, when the vein is obviously not collapsed?

Why is this happening? Could the vein be pseudo-collapsed? I have dug through many IV threads with no luck, but I'm sure that there is a quick answer.

Also, this same thing happened about a month ago, so I stayed away from the vein until yesterday, when what I just described happened again. There's no way I was in the same exact spot each time, so there has to be something wrong with the entire vein. It was not the solution (liquid morphine, not crushed pills) - I had no problem hitting the next vein. No more shooting in the screwed up one, but what's wrong with it?

 

[Albion]

You could be slipping out of the vein after you register.

 

[junkieman412]

You might be going through it when u push ib. Push then pull a couple times to make sure ur in it happens to me all the time. Well happened i mean when i was still shooting dope

 

[mr. mudd]

I have a vein like that on my right hand--it's easy to hit (being about an inch wide, but it burns like the devil if I put anything in. I think the answer is that it's just a really slow-flow vein so it's easily overwhelmed. You can try doing it a drop at a time, like on a drip, but I always just used a different vein.

 

[Znegative]

It could be that you have phlebitis. I know that when some veins become damaged, they will still register, albeit much slower. Injecting into such veins does cause a burning sensation, and is very bad to do as it will slow down or halt the possible healing of that vein.

Does the vein in question feel slightly harder than others? Almost like a cord?

 

[Swimmingdancer]

I have had this happen as well. It's usually a vein that is damaged or small. Provided the needle is not slipping out of the vein, here are a few things that can cause it:

- As Zneg said, it could be damaged (that would probably be my first guess).
- The vein could be very small and delicate and the blood flow/pressure in it is not enough to support the volume of liquid (also very common). Or you could be injecting too fast for the vein.
- If it's happening almost everywhere you try, it could be what you're injecting (I've had certain batches of dope do this, probably something in the cut).
- You could be injecting too close to a vein valve. The valve may not be able to cope with the pressure of the extra fluid, or it could be getting caught on the sides of the valve instead of flowing through the vein. Injecting near a valve can damage the valve, which further slows blood flow.

 

[Kid Amine]

I have had this happen as well. It's usually a vein that is damaged or small. Provided the needle is not slipping out of the vein, here are a few things that can cause it:

- As Zneg said, it could be damaged (that would probably be my first guess).
- The vein could be very small and delicate and the blood flow/pressure in it is not enough to support the volume of liquid (also very common). Or you could be injecting too fast for the vein.
- If it's happening almost everywhere you try, it could be what you're injecting (I've had certain batches of dope do this, probably something in the cut).
- You could be injecting too close to a vein valve. The valve may not be able to cope with the pressure of the extra fluid, or it could be getting caught on the sides of the valve instead of flowing through the vein. Injecting near a valve can damage the valve, which further slows blood flow.

QFT. Excellent post. Only thing Id add is you punctured the vein, but that usually manifests itself in a big bruise and swells pretty fast. But from what the OP is describing, I'd guess scar tissue has occurred at that particular injection site. or it could just be a crappy vein?

 

[xburtonchic]

I have the exact opposite problem. Hardly any of my veins will register anymore, even though I used to be pro at it... and I've only been doing IV for a few months! So there is no way I've done significant damage to my veins. But what happens with me is, that I can tell I'm in the vein (for me I know when there's a small burning sensation at first, then the rest slides in amazingly smoothly)... but it doesn't register! I don't know what the hell that's all about, but I always inject it anyway if I'm sure I'm in the vein... probably not the smartest idea ever, but I haven't missed a single shot since I first started learning to do it myself, so... *shrugs*

Someone once told me that the reason for this is probably that there's a blood clot in the vein somewhere that's preventing it from registering. And since we have kind of the same problem... but kind of not the same problem... that might be what's going on with you as well? That there's a clot somewhere slowing the blood flow, and it causes too much pressure when you inject the solution? Could be wrong, but I suppose it's a possibility. Good luck figuring it out.

 

[SpaceYourBassAgain]

I have had this happen as well. It's usually a vein that is damaged or small. Provided the needle is not slipping out of the vein, here are a few things that can cause it:

- As Zneg said, it could be damaged (that would probably be my first guess).
- The vein could be very small and delicate and the blood flow/pressure in it is not enough to support the volume of liquid (also very common). Or you could be injecting too fast for the vein.
- If it's happening almost everywhere you try, it could be what you're injecting (I've had certain batches of dope do this, probably something in the cut).
- You could be injecting too close to a vein valve. The valve may not be able to cope with the pressure of the extra fluid, or it could be getting caught on the sides of the valve instead of flowing through the vein. Injecting near a valve can damage the valve, which further slows blood flow.

-It is definitely damaged
-The vein is large and used to be one of my mainstays for IV'ing
-It is not happening everywhere. I have no trouble getting in my other veins. I am using stuff that is meant to be injected (I won't go into more details on that for obvious reasons).
-Thanks for the help, though!

It could be that you have phlebitis. I know that when some veins become damaged, they will still register, albeit much slower. Injecting into such veins does cause a burning sensation, and is very bad to do as it will slow down or halt the possible healing of that vein.

Does the vein in question feel slightly harder than others? Almost like a cord?

Yes it does actually. It definitely feels hard and cord-like.

Phlebitis, huh. I must google it now. Any helpful info you can give me?

Edit: It is definitely phlebitis of the vein. Here is some info on treatment:
"In general, superficial phlebitis of the upper and lower extremities can be treated by applying warm compresses, elevation of the involved extremity, encouraging walking, taking an oral anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). Topical anti-inflammatory medications may also be helpful, such as diclofenac gel."
(ahttp://www.veinhealth.com/conditions-we-treat/phlebitis/)

I feel like it might be too late for warm compresses and ibuprofen. Is phlebitis reversible?