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Heroin Former IV user (heroin) Been clean for almost a year. Vein problems.

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freddy47

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Oct 26, 2011
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So I posted about this when I first joined BL but it got shut down/ignored. And for a long time this didn't matter because the problem pretty much went away. But it came back today and I am in a country where seeing a doctor about drug abuse related issues is not the best of ideas considering how harshly they treat drug users here sometimes. I'm hoping the mods will leave this open for just a little while so I can see if anybody else has had this happen to them.

So I use to inject heroin as the title says. Been clean for almost a year (about a month shy of a year at the moment) and I have no desire to go back. Anyway this former injection site is swelling up into a bubble. It doesn't hurt or anything but it itches sometimes and the skin gets a little red (although that could be from the scratching). I used to reuse needles (STUPID I know but sometimes it was hard for me to get rigs and I was a junkie so yeah) and I used that particular spot a lot. Never shared anything because I am not that stupid at least Anyway it swells up into this little bubble and then it goes away after awhile. It almost looks like a bug bite sometimes but it feels like hives and itches like a allergic reaction and is bit stiff to the touch.

I guess what I am asking here is, what could it be? Is it life threatening? Did I perhaps break off a small piece of needle in there and it's been stuck all this time? Any advice would be appreciated. Some soothing words perhaps or similar stories? Anything. It's got me a little bit freaked out at the moment. I keep thinking I could lose my arm like in Requiem For a Dream or something. Anyway thanks in advance for any advice and or help.
 
If you are concerned about your arm get it checked out. We can only really speculate here.

If I was to guess I would say keloid.
 
So this was from 11 months ago, or did it only start appearing recently? Is it warm to the touch, and when it becomes inflamed to you have a fever?

Since this has been occurring for a while I highly suggest going to a doctor. Just tell them that you gave blood a while back, this way you don't have to worry about being treated harshly. Considering you didn't share needles, the problem could be something that could have been caused by giving blood, so you should still get an accurate diagnosis by bending the truth a bit.
 
If I was in the states I would totally see a doctor. But around here drug users are treated worse than murderers. That's Asia for you :\

I'm checking out Keloid. It's starting to sound like it might be that. Thanks. I was afraid that it could be something more serious. When I get back Stateside I am definitely going to get it checked out though.
 
Tommyboy said:
So this was from 11 months ago, or did it only start appearing recently? Is it warm to the touch, and when it becomes inflamed to you have a fever?

Since this has been occurring for a while I highly suggest going to a doctor. Just tell them that you gave blood a while back, this way you don't have to worry about being treated harshly. Considering you didn't share needles, the problem could be something that could have been caused by giving blood, so you should still get an accurate diagnosis by bending the truth a bit.
Click to expand...

Well it didn't appear till several months after I stopped using. So around 7-9 months ago I guess and then only appeared very sporadically after that like once in a month or even less. In fact I pretty much forgot about it till now since it hasn't been a problem. It doesn't feel warm at all (usually a sing of abscess right?) and no I do not have have fever as far as I can tell. (It's always warm here so yeah). But I'm not shivering or anything or have any other tell tale signs of fever.

As for seeing a doctor. Believe me I really want to. I'm just scared of what might happen if I do. I've heard of people getting arrested here just for mentioning that they did drugs in the past.

And about lying to the doc. I guess I could do that. But again I'm afraid he might think I'm lying (I am a terrible liar) and then, again I don't know what might happen. Plus there is scar tissue at the place in question and a doc might recognize that it was a repeated injection site. Again I would see a doctor right now if I could. Just afraid of what might happen.
 
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Maybe I just don't understand the full extent of why you are so afraid to go to the doctors for it, as it seems the only real logical course of action. Given that you are clean now, and the time frame you described the skin irritation might not even be drug related. And as others have said irregardless, you are under no obligation to admit to having been a drug user since you are clean now.
 
A doctor is going to be the only person that can give you a real answer, my friend... we're a bunch of people on the internet who haven't even seen your arm in person.. and even if we did, most of us have no medical training anyway..so we aren't qualified to help you.

If you really can't go to the doctor where you are..than I suggest leaving and going someplace you can.. I mean, where are you in Asia that you think it is that strict?
 
I'm afraid all I can do is advise you see a doctor about this, we can't do much but speculate further, and Bluelight isn't an emergency service.

@OP, feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions.
 
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