Harm Reduction Fent incident

[Tommyboy]

Prep: Well I had my fent in some 1/4 tequila 3/4 bottled water

I think that using tequila to prep your shot had something to do with it. When the guide said to use alcohol, it didn't mean to us any alcohol lying around.

 

[tricomb]

You used tequila? That's not an alcohol that was intended for IV use.

 

[jackie jones]

You may want to read the Case Studies thread.

 

[Trigeminal]

Hm, now were getting somehwhere. Just didnt seem very OD

Prep: Well I had my fent in some 1/4 tequila 3/4 bottled water, but could see little particles of the glue floating in it. So then I ran it through a cotton ball twice (in a clean spoon, clean everything i believe). I totally thought it was just a bacteria too at first (or something crazy!... shakes freak me oooout) but the fever didnt start for about an hour+ and broke in like 3-5 hours (not sure was trying to sleep).
Doesnt most bacteria having longer lasting effects?
Now in spite of my cleanlinesss I wont rule out bacteria. So Im wondering: that, Mega tiny glue, or cotton fever (which I know nothing about at all)?

Hmm, due to the short-lived nature of your fever, I'm guessing you just injected some pre-formed bacterial toxin rather than actual bacteria. It could have been in the cotton--unless you actually sterilized the cotton (e.g., with an autoclave--pressure + steam, or a disinfectant), the bacter could still have been growing.

Also, the glue/tequila shouldn't give you a fever. It could definitely cause some sort of reaction, and you definitely don't want to IV glue/tequila, but a fever is a very specific symptom mediated by your immune system that is generally caused by some sort of bacterial/viral component, called a pyrogen.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrogen

Your symptoms sound like pretty classic cotton fever:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_fever#section_1

 

[Bottle]

It couldve even been a combo of things!
I dont see severe shaking on the cotton fever link so Im thinking some kinda bacteria must've touched something in the prep process.
Bacteria wouldnt be in the solution due to the alcohol Im assuming.
...and maybe it was dumb of me but when the guide said he used high quality filtered vodka (which i dont think is -for- iv use either) and id heard of people shooting all kindsa trashy liquor. So my fancy tequila (all i had on hand) seemd like a good idea. Whether it was or not, I dont think it was the perpetrator here.

I suppose ill just have to be -even- safer when I get the balls to try my hand with needles again D:

Edit: Aha! after some research its got to be cotton fever. Thats kinda a relief cause other than the tequila I was rather proud of my whole process :D lol.
But how to avoid this! Ive been IVing with q-tips for sometime and ALOT of people do. Is it just a crapshoot? Besides micron filters what can I do?

Edit II: I reused my cotton for this shot maybe 2-3 minutes apart. Which i hear can cause it but that seems like a very small time frame.
For the sake of HR of any readers: dont reuse cotton, sterilizing your cotton before use cant hurt, and for more info http://www.heroinhelper.com/user/health/cotton_fever.shtml

 

[Trigeminal]

It couldve even been a combo of things!
I dont see severe shaking on the cotton fever link so Im thinking some kinda bacteria must've touched something in the prep process.
Bacteria wouldnt be in the solution due to the alcohol Im assuming.
...and maybe it was dumb of me but when the guide said he used high quality filtered vodka (which i dont think is -for- iv use either) and id heard of people shooting all kindsa trashy liquor. So my fancy tequila (all i had on hand) seemd like a good idea. Whether it was or not, I dont think it was the perpetrator here.

I suppose ill just have to be -even- safer when I get the balls to try my hand with needles again D:

Edit: Aha! after some research its got to be cotton fever. Thats kinda a relief cause other than the tequila I was rather proud of my whole process :D lol.
But how to avoid this! Ive been IVing with q-tips for sometime and ALOT of people do. Is it just a crapshoot? Besides micron filters what can I do?

Edit II: I reused my cotton for this shot maybe 2-3 minutes apart. Which i hear can cause it but that seems like a very small time frame.
For the sake of HR of any readers: dont reuse cotton, sterilizing your cotton before use cant hurt, and for more info http://www.heroinhelper.com/user/health/cotton_fever.shtml

The tequila is only about 40% alcohol, not strong enough to kill all the bacteria unless you left it soaking for quite a long time.

Edit: Ah, you said 1/4 tequila 3/4 water, so the shot was only 10% ethanol, definitely not strong enough to be bactericidal.