Heroin Colors of heroine?

[fairnymph]

And since then everything has been a bit of a disappointment?

Red flecks you say? How odd.

That experience was a disappointment. There was nothing special with regards to how it felt, really, except that it was my first time and it was IV. Indistinguishable from lab grade used nasally except for the initial onset. I never actually ended up IVing h again because my veins are tiny and it’s not worth damaging them.

 

[4DQSAR]

No - unless your have a product intended for injection, it's a ROA best avoided. Yes there are HR thing to do, but it's how most overdoses occur.

My veins are the same. Even taking blood can take a phlebotamist a dozen tries. One used the startling opening gambit of directly asking if I was an IV drug user. I wasn't angered, I just pointed out that if I was, surely there would be scars all over my arms which clearly there were not. Still, a bold question to ask a stranger, don't you think?

 

[fairnymph]

No - unless your have a product intended for injection, it's a ROA best avoided. Yes there are HR thing to do, but it's how most overdoses occur.

My veins are the same. Even taking blood can take a phlebotamist a dozen tries. One used the startling opening gambit of directly asking if I was an IV drug user. I wasn't angered, I just pointed out that if I was, surely there would be scars all over my arms which clearly there were not. Still, a bold question to ask a stranger, don't you think?

Even if you have the purest, least damaging stuff and the best equipment and technique you’re always going to be doing some damage to the vein. I don’t even like getting blood drawn because I worry about scar tissue building up at the crook of my elbow.

That’s messed up. I too typically have difficulty with phlebotomists - most often they poke through the vein - but I’ve never been accused of being a junkie or even looked at strangely. It probably helps that I’m female, so I have more excuse for my veins being small. Mine are also quite

 

[4DQSAR]

Well, I can't say I was offended but I can't help thinking that if a phlebotamist PRESUMES IV drug consumption even when it's at odds with the evidence, it's merely going to result in people who do use IV drugs being less likely to undertake blood tests.

I forget exactly what was being tested on that occasion. I rarely am. My carer simply informs me that I'm going for a blood test.

I THINK it may be to check my potassium level. I've collaped and ended up in hospital a few times due to hypokalemia. Now hypokalemia is mostly associated with chronic alcohol abuse so I've also been presumed to be an alcoholic. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that if you need to take opioids, you can't drink. I don't know the exact reason but you do not get the social relaxation one might expect from a couple of beers. You just get a feeling of nausea and dysphoria. Again, you might think they would know this... apparently not.

 

[fairnymph]

Well, I can't say I was offended but I can't help thinking that if a phlebotamist PRESUMES IV drug consumption even when it's at odds with the evidence, it's merely going to result in people who do use IV drugs being less likely to undertake blood tests.

I forget exactly what was being tested on that occasion. I rarely am. My carer simply informs me that I'm going for a blood test.

I THINK it may be to check my potassium level. I've collaped and ended up in hospital a few times due to hypokalemia. Now hypokalemia is mostly associated with chronic alcohol abuse so I've also been presumed to be an alcoholic. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that if you need to take opioids, you can't drink. I don't know the exact reason but you do not get the social relaxation one might expect from a couple of beers. You just get a feeling of nausea and dysphoria. Again, you might think they would know this... apparently not.

Do you think you look, act or dress at all like a junkie?

I despise alcohol so no reason I would use it anyway, but it doesn’t have much effect on me except for destroying my motor control if I take really really large doses. I can’t tolerate the dehydration from even a small amount.

 

[4DQSAR]

Well, I certainly dress for comfort. Not cheap - I have something like 40 pairs for skateboarding trainers (sticky so I don't fall over) and an array of quite costly boots and jackets. But I do go for jogging pants because I find it hard to get anything tight-fitting on or off what with being crippled.

But I'm hardly waiflike. I only eat once a day but I do try to avoid empty calories. It's all simple things like soups, pastas or stews but I've never gone hungry because I spent my money on drugs.

I SUSPECT that opioids alter the electrolyte balance of the body so even a single drink will send things haywire. Last Christmas I went for a meal with a friend and consumed 2 pints of stout... two hours later it felt like a bottle-of-vodka level hangover.

I sort of miss being able to have a casual pint on a Friday night but on the other hand, nobody could ever assert I spend my money on getting wrecked. I AM a wreck, but that's a different thing ;-)

 

[fairnymph]

Well, I certainly dress for comfort. Not cheap - I have something like 40 pairs for skateboarding trainers (sticky so I don't fall over) and an array of quite costly boots and jackets. But I do go for jogging pants because I find it hard to get anything tight-fitting on or off what with being crippled.

But I'm hardly waiflike. I only eat once a day but I do try to avoid empty calories. It's all simple things like soups, pastas or stews but I've never gone hungry because I spent my money on drugs.

I SUSPECT that opioids alter the electrolyte balance of the body so even a single drink will send things haywire. Last Christmas I went for a meal with a friend and consumed 2 pints of stout... two hours later it felt like a bottle-of-vodka level hangover.

I sort of miss being able to have a casual pint on a Friday night but on the other hand, nobody could ever assert I spend my money on getting wrecked. I AM a wreck, but that's a different thing ;-)

You sound like you’re doing pretty well all things considered. And you have your mind, which is very valuable. I love soups and stews! And mashes.

I think it’s the dry mouth that makes it so intolerable because I hated alcohol even before my chronic pain but with opiate dry mouth it’s next level unpleasant. I’m trying to be better about sucking on xylitol lozenges. My whole life, I’ve always been chronically thirsty, but as you can imagine, it’s worse now. And no, I’m not diabetic… my dad thought maybe he had Sjogren's, and my brother is also chronically thirsty despite drinking much more water than most. My eyes are definitely chronically dry as well, but I don’t have any of the other symptoms and if anything I am overly wet in my other mucous membrane areas, so, it seems to only be affecting my head. I think my brain runs hot and requires extra water, and being nearby my eyes and mouth are affected.

 

[4DQSAR]

Yes - from being a child my family worried I was diabetic simply because I've always consumed a lot of fluids. The funny thing is, there was this whole big think on how imporant it was to stay hydrated which resulted in a spate of people arriving in hospital suffering from pseudohyponatria. They were drinking when not thirsty and washing all of the electrolytes out of their bodies.

I take low dose potassium BECAUSE I've suffered severe hyopkalemia a few times and let me tell you, it wasn't a trivial illness. I collapsed on a Friday and woke up in hospital the following Thursday with a drip in each arm. Then I collapsed again and had to tell the doctor I was subject to the condition. 3 days and they hadn't spotted the issue.

I do what I can. I guess we both do what we can. As long as my mind is clear, I feel there is always hope.

 

[fairnymph]

Yes - from being a child my family worried I was diabetic simply because I've always consumed a lot of fluids. The funny thing is, there was this whole big think on how imporant it was to stay hydrated which resulted in a spate of people arriving in hospital suffering from pseudohyponatria. They were drinking when not thirsty and washing all of the electrolytes out of their bodies.

I take low dose potassium BECAUSE I've suffered severe hyopkalemia a few times and let me tell you, it wasn't a trivial illness. I collapsed on a Friday and woke up in hospital the following Thursday with a drip in each arm. Then I collapsed again and had to tell the doctor I was subject to the condition. 3 days and they hadn't spotted the issue.

I do what I can. I guess we both do what we can. As long as my mind is clear, I feel there is always hope.

I’m also prone to low potassium, but not THAT low. People don’t realise how important electrolytes are. My water is full of Himalayan salt, potassium citrate, and magnesium chloride. My favourite are Trace Mineral drops, because they make water taste so good, but they’re expensive and my own homemade mix is almost as good.

Have you ever tried to dry fast while awake and if so, how long can you go?

 

[4DQSAR]

I've not eaten on certain days. Normally if I consumed more than usual on the day before. I simply don't feel hunger so it's not a measure of self-control.

In fact, sometimes I have to force myself to eat when I'm not hungry. I HAVE noted that failure to eat does result in low mood. One has to do everything to keep on that tightrope between mania and depression. Sleep too much, depression. Don't sleep, mania. But I've been that way for all my life so I deal with it.

 

[fairnymph]

I've not eaten on certain days. Normally if I consumed more than usual on the day before. I simply don't feel hunger so it's not a measure of self-control.

In fact, sometimes I have to force myself to eat when I'm not hungry. I HAVE noted that failure to eat does result in low mood. One has to do everything to keep on that tightrope between mania and depression. Sleep too much, depression. Don't sleep, mania. But I've been that way for all my life so I deal with it.

I have no trouble with fasting, but I can’t dry fast, which is no food or water/liquids. I also find too much sleep depressing but fortunately I’m not prone to mania.

 

[4DQSAR]

Well, hypomania would be more accurate. I don't lose touch with reality but I DO lose judgement. Not in a bad way. I don't get nasty or violent. But I have been known to hand out a lot of money to everyone I passed who was clearly homeless and begging. The thing is, I ended up having to live off £40 for the remaining 26 days. It's rare but about twice a year I hand over my ATM card to my carer who buys my groceries and gives me a bit of pocket money.

It FEELS amazing. No need to sleep, endless non-stop creativity and the ability to complete huge amounts of research. But it feeds into itself. I don't sleep so I become more manic so I don't sleep so I become MORE manic... and so on.

On the other hand, if I sleep too much, I get depression. I feel tired so I go back to bed and get more sleep which makes me feel more depressed... and so on.

So I walk that tightrope. Each 24 hours consists of 8 hours of sleep, 1 hour of exercise, 8 hours of research, remaining time reading, writing, design, development and research. Knowledge is like a net, it's mostly holes.

 

[Foreons]

I read an article saying that it became illegal to grow poppies in Afghanistan around 2020 then the Taliban also made it illegal to export heroin in 2023 which contributed to the huge increase in fentanyl and other agnostics here in the US. I will try to link it here later today

 

[4DQSAR]

I read an article saying that it became illegal to grow poppies in Afghanistan around 2020 then the Taliban also made it illegal to export heroin in 2023 which contributed to the huge increase in fentanyl and other agnostics here in the US. I will try to link it here later today

Heroin has NEVER been legal in Afghanistan. But given the huge size of the country and it's extremely limited infrastructure, combined with the fact that opium is the ONLY caash product that can be grown, it hasn't mattered who is nominallly in cotrol of the government. Not to mention that said cash is frequrntly used to fund rebel groups.

You also appear to presume that The Taliban are ignorant of the fact that Heroin is vital to the nation's economy. After all, it;s not as if ANY foreign government is providing funds. So ask yourself it their apparent hard-line on poppy cultivation is for internal or external consumption.

I'm not defending poppy cutivation, I'm merely pointing out that with no transport infrastructure, if a farmwer wishes to rise above subsistance with all it's attendent outcomes, poppy is the only crop he can grow.