Harm Reduction Getting the most out of syringes

[Viso]

Greetings fellow junkies!!

I’ve been on blue light and other similar drug forums for years — since I started getting high and experimenting at 11/12 years old. I’ll be 25 in a few months. I’m very experienced with IV use and it’s my preferred ROA as I’ll have been on (and off some) the needle for 10 years this year. It’s very hard to get syringes in ALABAMA of all the god forsaken places I could’ve been born… 1 place in town that sells them and I have a hard time getting there sometimes. Im basically sharpening my 31 g insulin syringes with Pennies. Having to eating the syringe tip syringe with a lighter in an attempt to push out old blood clots… of course every single # is rubbed off the syringes.. my question to other IV drug users is how to get the most out of my syringes and how to “take better care of them” ? Lol I should be taking care of myself better… I’m down to 135 lbs bc the meth here is just so fucking cheap… it’s cheaper than eating. I can go get a half oz right now.

 

[Nurse Ratched]

You sharpen your old needles with pennies? Pushing out old blood clots ?

I realize that in Alabama the stores might not be there for you to purchase new ones but have you not ever heard of getting them on the internet? There are many places that sell them. Pretty sure if you type in " where can I order needles" you will get many hits. No pun intended. Your veins must be in terrible shape.

I had to edit out what you said you paid for you half ounce of meth ( no prices allowed ). All I can say is if you can afford that you can afford a bag of new needles.

I can eat all month for what you are paying for a half ounce of meth. If that's the way you wanna live that's fine but for Gods sake get some new needles.

 

[falsifiedhypothesi]

Telling people to reuse and recondition their syringes themselves is not good harm reduction in my opinion. You can get new syringes online. Trying to resharpen and sterilize syringes yourself is a disaster waiting to happen, besides the already numerous complications already present with IV use.

 

[TheUltimateFixx]

I second that. Easy and cheap to get on the net. I'm surprised you've not given yourself endocarditis yet and that you even got a single line left to use after 10 yrs of this shit. Bulk-buy your needles/syringes, ideally use a fresh one for each hit, disinfect with diluted bleach if you HAVE to re-use one. Sharpening the tip will actually fray the point and even though that's on a microscopic level will do a shit ton of avoidable damage to your tissues. If you wanna keep IVing you need to keep your veins man. Also use the thinnest gauge possible and the shortest length that'll reach your vein.

Try ExchangeSupplies. They're based in Dorchester, UK but ship worldwide and their choice of sterile injecting equipment offers everything a user could wish for. They also publish a leaflet on best injection technique which includes syringe cleaning, as well as one that advises on how to choose the best needle for your requirements. They're available as download on their website if you prefer that to a paper copy.

 

[nznity]

You sharpen your old needles with pennies? Pushing out old blood clots ?

Ikr, for the sake of harm reduction this is wrong in so many levels. Even more now that you express having followed harm reduction forums for a good number of years. I've done some nasty shit too, reusing old cottons, I even got the tip of a needle stuck in my right arm forever. But sharpening old needles with pennies? Wtf, are you in prison or something. Needles are super cheap, even at my worst I've never thought of doing that, you needa be careful if you wanna pass the age of 27. Don't join the club of the kids who lived too fast. If there's no needles, simply don't use them. I know it's hard, you want the more bang for your buck but this kinda stuff you're doing won't let you see 26 if you carry on with this careless unhygienic path. Please try to apply harm reduction better in ur drug consumption. Some of us are no longer in this world for not following some of these basic simple rules. If you have hard time getting needles, don't see it as a curse. See it as a blessing. Trust me, chasing the needle brings you nothing more than pain and misery.
Good luck and cheers man
P.S To avoid this, better break the needles after you're done using em if you feel tempted to reuse them. Developing an Endocarditis from sharing needles and not having the proper hygiene at the time of using is not fun at all. @TheUltimateFixx can assure u this. He recently lost his best friend to it. And srsly, it's a really ugly and painful way to die.

 

[TheUltimateFixx]

I’m very experienced with IV use and it’s my preferred ROA

It's mine too but I learned to take care of myself and my works properly. You may be an experienced IV user but you're a damn reckless one ; also I've seen a quite a number of long - term injectors with a shockingly bad technique.

 

[Jeebis2]

There are needle exchanges that will ship to you

 

[Jen X]

Jeebus , they sell them on amazon. Needle exchange? What you're doing is gonna cost you a leg or arm. A guy at my old clinic lost his leg from reusing needles and it's crazy because here in Canada they are offered everywhere for free.

I wish more countries would jump on this harm reduction train.

 

[falsifiedhypothesi]

I want to be clear OP, we aren't trying to gang up on you and brow beat you into submission, we are just concerned for your safety. I hope you don't feel this is a hostile environment, we just want to assist

 

[Jeebis2]

Jeebus , they sell them on amazon. Needle exchange? What you're doing is gonna cost you a leg or arm. A guy at my old clinic lost his leg from reusing needles and it's crazy because here in Canada they are offered everywhere for free.

I wish more countries would jump on this harm reduction train.

Nextdistro.org for the non Canadians out there (in some areas). If there is not a physical exchange/mobile exchange in your area they will send you harm reduction supplies for free (I believe free if not a small charge)

 

[Survival0200]

I was at the pharmacy the other day. I heard some guy asking for intramuscular needles. The fucker pharmacist didn't sell him those.

Did she think the guy wouldn't inject himself if she doesn't sell the needles.

 

[Just a little pinprick]

I was at the pharmacy the other day. I heard some guy asking for intramuscular needles. The fucker pharmacist didn't sell him those.

Did she think the guy wouldn't inject himself if she doesn't sell the needles.

The pharmacist brushed them off politely simply because of what he asked for which to me screams “ I don’t know wtf I need” a simple clear description is needed like
“ can I have a 10 pack of 31 gauge 3/4” 1cc syringes and the guy would got what he asked for without looking like a newb , I think the pharmacist did good by not making things to easy for someone to start experimenting with IV drug use

 

[Las Veghost grower]

The pharmacist brushed them off politely simply because of what he asked for which to me screams “ I don’t know wtf I need” a simple clear description is needed like
“ can I have a 10 pack of 31 gauge 3/4” 1cc syringes and the guy would got what he asked for without looking like a newb , I think the pharmacist did good by not making things to easy for someone to start experimenting with IV drug use

Now that’s real world harm reduction , good on the pharmacist

 

[Viso]

Sorry I’m a little late getting back to y’all. I had to sober up and realize like “wtf am I doing?”

It's mine too but I learned to take care of myself and my works properly. You may be an experienced IV user but you're a damn reckless one ; also I've seen a quite a number of long - term injectors with a shockingly bad technique.

You’re 100% right. Fuck I gotta do better than this shit. I had to sober up off the meth…. I was in full blown psychosis when I made the original post

 

[TheUltimateFixx]

Did she think the guy wouldn't inject himself if she doesn't sell the needles.

Yeah I've had a pharmacist refuse me needles before. When I asked why the answer was, 'I think you might be using them to inject drugs'.

No shit. I said I was actually planning ti tape them to my fridge door for decoration. That didn't go down well.

 

[Survival0200]

^This might be a bit off-topic, but I think there's no point in pharmacists being assholes, because whatever they say or do won't stop people from using drugs.

 

[lovemissile66]

You sharpen your old needles with pennies? Pushing out old blood clots ?

I realize that in Alabama the stores might not be there for you to purchase new ones but have you not ever heard of getting them on the internet? There are many places that sell them. Pretty sure if you type in " where can I order needles" you will get many hits. No pun intended. Your veins must be in terrible shape.

I had to edit out what you said you paid for you half ounce of meth ( no prices allowed ). All I can say is if you can afford that you can afford a bag of new needles.

I can eat all month for what you are paying for a half ounce of meth. If that's the way you wanna live that's fine but for Gods sake get some new needles.

In regard to buying needles online. Amazon used to be my go-to. That ended a couple months ago when I tried and they denied me. Doing a search for needles

brought up plenty of pharmacies, but they want a script for insulin or whatever your intended use for the sharp is....def not heroin! Now I have a needle, snort and

smoke reduction van that comes right to my back door. Can get all the needles, cottons, cookers, saline etc., that I need. It should not be so hard to try to get

what you need so that you don't end up hurting yourself or getting an abscess. Sucks.

 

[jasperkent]

It’s very hard to get syringes in ALABAMA of all the god forsaken places I could’ve been born…

Ever try an agricultural supply store? They're cheap and don't ask for ID...or at least they didn't in the past.
Yeah, cattle&horse syringes are HUGE, but they usually sell em for dogs, too. I've done that many times.

PS-- I'm not far from AL in Chattanooga, TN

 

[Joey]

Pharmacies should sell syringes to anyone who asks. 100%. They're not an illegal product with any stipulations afaik. Judgment calls aren't on the clerk to make for these in my eyes. They're used to inject drugs, whether the person buying is using them for legal or illegal drugs isn't anyone's business. The end.

 

[lovemissile66]

In regard to buying needles online. Amazon used to be my go-to. That ended a couple months ago when I tried and they denied me. Doing a search for needles

brought up plenty of pharmacies, but they want a script for insulin or whatever your intended use for the sharp is....def not heroin! Now I have a needle, snort and

smoke reduction van that comes right to my back door. Can get all the needles, cottons, cookers, saline etc., that I need. It should not be so hard to try to get

what you need so that you don't end up hurting yourself or getting an abscess. Sucks.

JUST CAN'T GET THE FRIGGIN DRUGS!!