• 💊 OTHER DRUGS 💊 Welcome Guest
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Notable Threads 1 Notable Threads 2
    Dangerous Combos Addiction Support
    Emergency Services Benzo Guide v.1
    Addiction Stories Scary Case Studies
    Biology, Pharmacology & Drugs 101
  • Select Your Topic Then Scroll Down
    Alcohol Bupe Benzos
    Cocaine Heroin Opioids
    RCs Stimulants Misc
    Harm Reduction All Topics Gabapentinoids
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums

Harm Reduction Finishing up 12 weeks in Hospital due to IV Complications (All Pill Shooters Read)

My ex got something very similar twice in her lower back. We figured it was from her last back surgery (her 5th at the time) and the infection just set in. The first time she was in the hospital 12 weeks, the whole first month she tanked hard on vancomycin - turns out she had VRE (vancomycin resistant enterococcus) so she got worse. By week 6 I was so fkn frustrated I told a nurse all her doctos needed to be fired, her file burned, and to start the fuck over. They did 2 weeks later (retesting).

The second time was an infection around her spine, another 11 week stay. They wouldnt even drain it b/c they were worried about infection going thru her body and killing her. like the OP she couldnt go home with a PICC line, and because she was also an addict they were very fkn sparing with her meds.

My ex had about the dirtiest needle technique Ive ever seen, and preexisting conditions, but you are fooling yourselves if you think you cant get sick by IVing stuff. The problem with pills is they have (usually) been thru a few people's hands, and not heated, so anything on the surface is going right in you. Of the friends of mine that are still alive, I only know one beside myself who hasnt had to be hospitalized at some point for a dirty hit. If you count the times I SHOULD have gone to the hospital (badly infected arm I cut open myself, fevers of 106+, etc), that number is one. and he has hepC anyway, so its only a matter of time.

Thank you for the story and follow up OP.
 
DimeBagJohnny said:
Sorry for the confusion Dash. I was responding to this guy.
Click to expand...

No it could be my fault because I really was just confused, that is why I attempt to quote people when I am talking to a specific person. My bad, it has been a really long day.
 
UHHHHHHHH! I am totally freaking the fuck out after reading this. OP, thank you for giving me a reason to never inject again. And to anybody who says they practice 100% safe technique: you're either full of shit, woefully undereducated, or a newbie to this. Because I too once thought I was being "safe". As my addiction progressed so did my harm reduction practices, and any opiate addict will tell you that if you are an IV user and you get pills, you're *most* likely gonna inject them, because the needle addiction is part of the problem. So yeah, when it comes to IV pills, there ain't no safe about it.

Anyhoo - OP, I hope you feel better. Reading your post made me so glad that I am finally clean. I feel so lucky to have escaped without any complications. But I'll tell you this much - a few years of IVing coke and heroin AND pills, and I've got, like, 2 tiny ass veins left in the back of my hand. God forbid if I have to get an IV at the hospital. And this is from somebody who used micron filters, rotated injection sites, never shared needles, and rarely ever reused a pick. And thought I was being "safe". The veins and the body don't lie. Nobody gets away scot free. It's a fucking Faustian pact.
 
dognasher said:
UHHHHHHHH! I am totally freaking the fuck out after reading this. OP, thank you for giving me a reason to never inject again. And to anybody who says they practice 100% safe technique: you're either full of shit, woefully undereducated, or a newbie to this. Because I too once thought I was being "safe". As my addiction progressed so did my harm reduction practices, and any opiate addict will tell you that if you are an IV user and you get pills, you're *most* likely gonna inject them, because the needle addiction is part of the problem. So yeah, when it comes to IV pills, there ain't no safe about it.

Anyhoo - OP, I hope you feel better. Reading your post made me so glad that I am finally clean. I feel so lucky to have escaped without any complications. But I'll tell you this much - a few years of IVing coke and heroin AND pills, and I've got, like, 2 tiny ass veins left in the back of my hand. God forbid if I have to get an IV at the hospital. And this is from somebody who used micron filters, rotated injection sites, never shared needles, and rarely ever reused a pick. And thought I was being "safe". The veins and the body don't lie. Nobody gets away scot free. It's a fucking Faustian pact.
Click to expand...

I can say I inject with perfect technique. I don't IV pills. But if I did I would definetely have a stash of micron filters. They make it relatively safe to inject pills, 95% safer then injecting pills without them. If you have a local needle exchange there is no excuse ever to not always use a brand new rig, brand new sterile water, alcohol swab, brand new cooker, and one of those mini marshmellow looking filters they have at needle exchanges. Always wash your hands prior to shooting up, and also wash where you plan on IV'ing. Always use the alcohol swab to wipe the area down again before you inject. This is all very simple stuff and I don't see how anyone would just stop practicing good injection technique because their addiction is getting too bad. You know what really sucks? Getting cotton fever because you did a dirty shot. That's going to require a lot more time and effort and wasted dope then spending a few minutes or hours going to the needle exchange to get clean supplies once a month. Being hospitalized for an infection, an abcess, or something like endocarditis is going to require a lot more time and effort and shitty withdrawals while you are in the hospital then taking a little bit of time to go to the needle exchange once a month. Even if you don't have one near by, you can order 100 clean rigs online for under 20 bucks, aswell as sterile cookers, sterile water, and alcohol swabs, and if you are injecting pills, micron filters can be found for a reasonable price.

If you shoot pills, micron filters are a must as well. Even if you don't shoot pills, they should be used but I understand most people would view that as a little excessive, and they typically aren't supplied at needle exchanges so it would require purchasing them online. But all the other stuff above should be standard procedure for any self respecting junkie, and your veins and health will thankyou for not being so beat that you can't find a vein, or for not having to undergo iv antibiotics for a week or more at the hospital.

I don't care how bad your addiction is, there is always a way to get large amounts of sterile supplies for next to nothing or completely free if you spend just a little bit of time looking. If your addiction is that bad, you could even make selling sterile supplies to other junkies as part of your hustle. There is no excuse for not following proper sterile injection procedures, and if you think otherwise, then your just lazy and are willing to make something as dangerous as IV'ing, that much more dangerous by introducing the possiblity of health problems or death from something other then overdose. Quit being lazy and look up a local needle exchange, they will give you 100 clean syringes and everything else that you'll need if you ask. Again, if there are no needle exchanges where you live, order your supplies online for cheap in bulk.

No excuse...
 
Thank you for taking the time to care about everyone on Bluelight. I just said a prayer for you. I don't I.V but I will use your posts to focus on my own harm reduction. Thanks again. Get well for all of us at Bluelight.
 
After all if you do it properly it a hundred percent safe anywho who says different are either ignorant, stupid or have no idea what they are talking about
 
chase_in_56ace said:
Just as an update, I'm clean for the most part now. I am looking back on this thread for a friend who is going to the hospital tomorrow to treat his 3rd abscess in 6 months. He's compulsively shooting a-pvp.

I now live with serious pain for the rest of my life and never had them smash through my c spine for the anterior lamenectomy (*shudders*). Love you guys. Thanks for helping me thru everything.


-chase
Click to expand...

this reminds me of me. altough my injury was not from IV drug use ( i don't IV) I was not in serious pain and I was taking oxy for shits and giggles mostly then I got FUBARED last year. To a point where I have to take a strong opiate now to live with a controllable level of pain. It's ironic.

yeah this got any ideas I had lurking of shootin my oxy(to conserve my script) that may have been lurking at my most desperate moment. thsr IV complication threads always do so thanks. Been on opiates for 7 years and ain't picked up the needle and will not cos I like my limbs and stories like these help deter me and I'm sure many others.
 
JebJebJeb said:
I agree just because one person messes up their body they have to try and drag us smart users down with them
Click to expand...
JebJebJeb said:
After all if you do it properly it a hundred percent safe anywho who says different are either ignorant, stupid or have no idea what they are talking about
Click to expand...

Are you kidding me? It is this careless attitude that people get harm.... It's not risk removal or harm away, but harm reduction. poking a hoke directly into your bloodstream opens a hole for any bacteria on the skin that is usually harmless to get under and become an infection nightmare. Just like popping pimples, which had me in the hospital last thanksgiving with the side of my face swollen to a tennis ball thanks to bacteria aroud the pimple getting under the broken skin making it a problem that could have gotten really bad. Serriously wise up.

Also what you said is beyond rude. He isn't trying to make everyone look as bad as him so he doesn't feel like a failure as your context suggests.... This is someone in misery trying to find a way to turn his needless suffering that would not have happened without iv and possibly micron filters, which doesn't mean 100% safe, but is also no reason not to go all out and get one.

To the OP I hope that you find more strength, happiness, and support. Don't let ignorant doubleposting jerks like jebjebjeb here that I have seen make carelessly rude and/or ignorant statements, which is a warning for you as if I notice the rude behavoir the staff must notice too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top