Chronic Staph Infections.. A Poll of IDUs & a Request for Advice

[greywoodfoxhall]

In 2008, I began a daily IV habit that began with 2mg Suboxone pills and now is a daily prescription 15mg Oxymorphone IR and 40mg Ritalin IV habit. From the Fall of 2008 until the Spring of 2011, my late-fiance and I only had one abscess each, even though we didn't filter our daily dose of IV Subutex and IV'ed Adderall (if your blood tastes sugary, it should be a sign you shouldn't be doing it...). I went to the psych ward and when a nurse went to draw my blood, she couldn't find a vein, got frustrated, and triple stuck me with the same needle. While in the lock-down psych ward (no access to needles or drugs), I developed an abscess from this. For the past two years now, I have been getting Staph in the form of cellulitis and abscesses at an excessive rate (longest I went was almost three months, then got one around NYE and am currently battling my THIRD so far this year). I pocketed a bottle of Lidocaine and do home I&Ds now as I am uninsured. I tested positive for the Hep-C antigens in July of last year, but the virus being present in my system is unknown as the lab sent me a bill, but the doctor says the lab botched all that day's samples. I know plenty of IDUs who don't get Staph... like ever. What could be going on?

Those of you who are IDUs... How many years have you been on the needle and how many Staph infections have you had?


I know I need to quit the needle... and I am going to. I just have to do a Fireball (out of respect to those who are sober to avoid triggering them, I won't describe what that is), or I know I won't stick to quitting.

I am just very alarmed by the number and frequency of Staph infections I've had in two years... I know I don't have HIV.... but I worry that the frequent Staph infections are just a symptom of a more serious issue.

Thanks,
~f.xy

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I have never had a staph infection or an abscess. It sounds like you need to be using micron filters if you are going to keep injecting.

My advice is to quit while you still can; best of luck.

 

[Vaya]

HL mods, I was unsure as to whether or not this might be best suited for OD or HL... It certainly isn't quite TDS material, but please feel free to send it OD's way if you, too, feel as though the OP's topic doesn't quite fit your bill, either.

In the meantime, greywoodfoxall, I'm going to move this to Healthy Living where, I believe, you're going to garnish a roster of more appropriate responses. I hope your health maintains

With love and respect,

~ Vaya

 

[greywoodfoxhall]

Thanks for the words of support guys... I'm going to be putting the needle down soon (it's been multiple injections a day since the fall of 2008 for all but the two weeks I was in detox, the 18 days in that rehab, the 11 days in the psych ward, the just short of two months in jail, and then the week around Thanksgiving when I was in TX this year.... I even was shooting in court-ordered rehab in the fall of 2011, got an abscess, was shooting my Opana in the hospital on top of my Dilaudid IV, and then got kicked out on day 27 when they searched my room after a girl came and saw me and we blew through 30 Roxys 30s in 2 days... a rumor started she had brought me Heroin... Luckily, the rehab didn't tell my PO why I got asked to leave and my PO like me enough to count the rehab requirement of my sentence complete). Point of all that is, I have an addiction to the needle more than the drugs I think. Except for weed and hallucinogens, if you can't shoot it, I won't do it. But, these staph infections are making it impossible to work and I figure not shooting up will have to help a little at least.

God, it's almost been 5 years... How times flies when your killing yourself....

Peace,
~f.xy