-
OD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | Tryptamino
How do I know when I hit vein
- Thread starter PlutoMars
- Start date
SmokeTrails
Bluelighter
^
any smart person will not talk to you via phone... sorry... its not gana happen on a site like this bud
you missed... i generally press on it ((not too hard... dont go all out)) you will get a rush ((SOMETIMES)) if you press on it and move it around plus your arm will go numb
any smart person will not talk to you via phone... sorry... its not gana happen on a site like this bud
you missed... i generally press on it ((not too hard... dont go all out)) you will get a rush ((SOMETIMES)) if you press on it and move it around plus your arm will go numb
xxanxx
Bluelighter
^Not to be an ass, but you might want to think twice about injecting large amounts of obviously cut cocaine. It can be cut with ANYTHING, yeah, I know, all drugs can be cut with anything but never have I seen so many nasty cuts than with cocaine. Were you saying you injected a nice fat line? As n4k33n said, when you hit with even low-grade coke, you should know - your ears start to ring, you get queasy, etc... Also, you should notice a little bump at the injection site if you miss.
I recommend reading Phreex's IV guide linked earlier in the post as well as paradoxcycle's link - both very good. If you are going to make a regular habit out of IVing coke you should definitely look into cleaning your stuff, I can post some info if you want.
I know learning to shoot yourself up can be really frusrating, just take it slow. As for how to hold the syringe, try gripping firmly with your four fingers and use your thumb to pull back and inject. This can be tough at first but it's the best way to keep steady and ensure good hits/minimal vein damage, especially when repeatedly banging coke. Cheers...
I recommend reading Phreex's IV guide linked earlier in the post as well as paradoxcycle's link - both very good. If you are going to make a regular habit out of IVing coke you should definitely look into cleaning your stuff, I can post some info if you want.
I know learning to shoot yourself up can be really frusrating, just take it slow. As for how to hold the syringe, try gripping firmly with your four fingers and use your thumb to pull back and inject. This can be tough at first but it's the best way to keep steady and ensure good hits/minimal vein damage, especially when repeatedly banging coke. Cheers...
Not that I'm disagreeing with anyone here, there's a lot of useful information in this thread - but I'm going to have to agree with the above quote, from my experience anyway. I read all I could off the internet and educated myself as much as I could, but when it came time to inject, all I did was end up bruising my self horribly and skin-popping (wasting) a lot of good dope. If you can get someone who knows how to do it right to do it for you the first few times, and then teach you how to do it yourself, you'll be much better off. I remember having to go to work several times with like 6 band-aids on my arms covering up bruises from failed injection attempts.
Now a lot of people can probably do it right themselves the first time, but I have shaky hands and had SO much trouble trying to hit a vain, even when I did pull back and draw blood, when I went to push in the dope, I would accidentaly move the needle and end up skin popping it and leaving nasty bruises on myself.
Moral of the story - some can do it well, some can't - those who can't should get someone else to do it for them.
Again, just my opinion, others may disagree and say it's easy as hell but I didn't find it that way no matter how much research I did on the internet. Only thing I can do right it IM injections, but of course that's not near the same as IV'ing as we all know...
Once again though, there's a lot of useful information in this thread and maybe you can get it to work for you - only wish I could have, lol...
twominds
Bluelighter
If you use a torniquet and there significant pressure the dark red blood should shoot up rapidly as you draw back on the plunger.
Thanks for everyone's good responses. I have read all the faqs but you are probably correct that the best way to learn is in person...however, I just don't know anyone who could help me.
A few more questions please:
1. Tourniquet: I can't understand how to use this exactly. You tie above the vein right? How does this make them stand out? Regardless, how far above and how tight? Is it vital to release the tourniquet before shooting?
2. Besides the arms, where are your favorite places? I don't want people seeing this on me. I have seen the recommended areas in the faqs but would like your opinion.
3. I did try in my foot (top) and clearly screwed up. It hurts like shit and is swollen on the top. I have iced it which helps. I will not use the foot again but did I do serious damage? What should I do to help it heal?
4. As for why to inject coke with all the cuts. Well I thought this was standard practice. Why is it more dangerous to IV coke than H? Aren't all street drugs full of impurities? Why is coke more risky?
A few more questions please:
1. Tourniquet: I can't understand how to use this exactly. You tie above the vein right? How does this make them stand out? Regardless, how far above and how tight? Is it vital to release the tourniquet before shooting?
2. Besides the arms, where are your favorite places? I don't want people seeing this on me. I have seen the recommended areas in the faqs but would like your opinion.
3. I did try in my foot (top) and clearly screwed up. It hurts like shit and is swollen on the top. I have iced it which helps. I will not use the foot again but did I do serious damage? What should I do to help it heal?
4. As for why to inject coke with all the cuts. Well I thought this was standard practice. Why is it more dangerous to IV coke than H? Aren't all street drugs full of impurities? Why is coke more risky?
Kandy K
Ex-Bluelighter
n4k33n said:
No, you have to do it before, otherwise you will probalby miss a good portion of the shot (it will kind of "backwash"), not to mention it does more damage to your veins
speedball_racer
Bluelighter
Edit: Kandy K and I must have been writting our responses at the same time, I didn't mean to echo her. But please read on:
It is certainly possible to keep the tourniquet tied while you inject. I have done it hundreds of times. But, and this is a big but, it is much better to register and then release the tourniquet. At least if it is possible for you to do so. The reason is that by keeping the tourniquet tied and injecting you are building a lot of pressure between the vein and the rig. It is very possible to rupture the vein from this excess pressure.
All of the harm reduction manuals I have read recently state to release the tourniquet prior to injection, after registering that you are in the vein. The purpose of the tourniquet is to assist you in inserting the needle into the vein. Once that is done it is best to release the pressure built up by the tourniquet so that your vein does not rupture with the added pressure of the injected solution.
Also, by not untying the tourniquet before you inject you may not feel the drugs until you untie the tourniquet in which case if your hit was too big you have no chance to stop the injection. If you have untied then as you inject you can feel the drugs hit and often times, if you inject slow enough, you can stop a hit that is too big. I have had to do this with coke hits that would have floored me, maybe killed me, if I hadn't stopped injecting 3/4 of the way into the injection. If I had a tourniquet on I would not have felt anything until I released it and would have possibly OD'd.
Just some more input to help people make good injection decisions. It is possible that someone can't get a good hit if they untie first, but I think every IVer owes it to themselves to try untying first and see if it isn't possible to do so - it probably is. You will save your veins and maybe even your life by doing so.
speedball
It is certainly possible to keep the tourniquet tied while you inject. I have done it hundreds of times. But, and this is a big but, it is much better to register and then release the tourniquet. At least if it is possible for you to do so. The reason is that by keeping the tourniquet tied and injecting you are building a lot of pressure between the vein and the rig. It is very possible to rupture the vein from this excess pressure.
All of the harm reduction manuals I have read recently state to release the tourniquet prior to injection, after registering that you are in the vein. The purpose of the tourniquet is to assist you in inserting the needle into the vein. Once that is done it is best to release the pressure built up by the tourniquet so that your vein does not rupture with the added pressure of the injected solution.
Also, by not untying the tourniquet before you inject you may not feel the drugs until you untie the tourniquet in which case if your hit was too big you have no chance to stop the injection. If you have untied then as you inject you can feel the drugs hit and often times, if you inject slow enough, you can stop a hit that is too big. I have had to do this with coke hits that would have floored me, maybe killed me, if I hadn't stopped injecting 3/4 of the way into the injection. If I had a tourniquet on I would not have felt anything until I released it and would have possibly OD'd.
Just some more input to help people make good injection decisions. It is possible that someone can't get a good hit if they untie first, but I think every IVer owes it to themselves to try untying first and see if it isn't possible to do so - it probably is. You will save your veins and maybe even your life by doing so.
speedball
Last edited:
Update:
1. On the issue of bruising of my foot. I hope others can learn from this. Two days later my foot BLEW up to twice its size swollen. Very painful. I was with a medical professional but a visit to the ER was possible. The foot was reacting to a poisin by infusing with histamines. I think that what happened is that (early on in my lack of experience) I injected a full shot into the foot, not vein.
This was VERY painful and scary so be careful.
2. I am still have problems hitting veins. Many bruises still. I have trouble hitting vein then loosening the tourniquet. Its very hard to get into a vein. For example, on my upper legs I can see these blue lines that seem like veins. Legs, perfect area since its covered. But I never seem to hit those veins...too deep?
Obviously the best way is to inject as soon as one sees blood, but moving around to get to that tourniquet always screws me.
3. This is an experiement for me, I am quitting c soon forever. The stuff is good quality, some even cleaned with the acetone method. I seem to use alot in one shot. But I have not gotten that really intense rush yet. Wonder why?
I have gotten creative getting needles from the drug store :D
peace
1. On the issue of bruising of my foot. I hope others can learn from this. Two days later my foot BLEW up to twice its size swollen. Very painful. I was with a medical professional but a visit to the ER was possible. The foot was reacting to a poisin by infusing with histamines. I think that what happened is that (early on in my lack of experience) I injected a full shot into the foot, not vein.
This was VERY painful and scary so be careful.
2. I am still have problems hitting veins. Many bruises still. I have trouble hitting vein then loosening the tourniquet. Its very hard to get into a vein. For example, on my upper legs I can see these blue lines that seem like veins. Legs, perfect area since its covered. But I never seem to hit those veins...too deep?
Obviously the best way is to inject as soon as one sees blood, but moving around to get to that tourniquet always screws me.
3. This is an experiement for me, I am quitting c soon forever. The stuff is good quality, some even cleaned with the acetone method. I seem to use alot in one shot. But I have not gotten that really intense rush yet. Wonder why?
I have gotten creative getting needles from the drug store :D
peace
coke isn't really the best drug for a beginner to IV. i've IVed morphine, heroin, fentanyl many many times and have got the technique down pretty well. i've also tried IVing meth twice, and ritalin once(only once cuz i was dumb enough to believe some idiots who told me it was like IVing coke), and oxycontin a few times as well. i rarely ever miss. if i do, it's usually because: a.) i re-used a needle too many times, or b.) because i'm slamming coke.
it's really weird. i've tried IVing coke about 4-5 times, and only the last time did i succeed. usually i insert the needle, register, and then start pushing the plunger while loosening the tourniquet. i never have any problems with most drugs. but with coke, i'll see a noticeable bump forming around the injection site. i have no idea what causes this. this always happened with coke, and i never got a rush. but recently, i mixed some coke with oxycodone, and booted that. on my first try the same thing started happening as i slowly pushed down. i pulled out as soon as i noticed this was happening again. although i could feel a slight rush from the heroin and coke in that 1/4th of a shot, i didn't feel comfortable finishing the injection--so i quickly switched to my right arm. this time i pushed the 1/4" needle all the way in so that it would be more secure, rather than risk slightly raising or lowering the syringe while i injected it. as soon as i registered a full rose, i pushed the plunger down again, much faster than usual, and to my surprise, it didn't form a bump. i got a very nice rush from it and there was no swelling.
i didn't understand why it worked that time, so i loaded up another half shot of coke and tried it again in that arm. and once again i was successful. my guess is, even though i registered every time, if you push the plunger down slowly as i normally do, the coke reacts with the vein and starts constricting it(coke is used in nasal surgery to constrict veins and prevent bleeding) and that leads to the needle being expelled from the vein. also, on those 2 successful shots, i wiped the needle off before injecting to make sure it had no coke residue on the outside to react with the vein before i could finish the shot.
i'm not sure if i'm right about this phenomenon. but i do know that coke is much harder to inject than other drugs, and is probably more dangerous to boot than heroin. also i've noticed that the swelling that forms on a missed shot of coke is a hard lump, whereas when i've missed with h on the rare occassions, it's usually soft bubble kinda.
it's really weird. i've tried IVing coke about 4-5 times, and only the last time did i succeed. usually i insert the needle, register, and then start pushing the plunger while loosening the tourniquet. i never have any problems with most drugs. but with coke, i'll see a noticeable bump forming around the injection site. i have no idea what causes this. this always happened with coke, and i never got a rush. but recently, i mixed some coke with oxycodone, and booted that. on my first try the same thing started happening as i slowly pushed down. i pulled out as soon as i noticed this was happening again. although i could feel a slight rush from the heroin and coke in that 1/4th of a shot, i didn't feel comfortable finishing the injection--so i quickly switched to my right arm. this time i pushed the 1/4" needle all the way in so that it would be more secure, rather than risk slightly raising or lowering the syringe while i injected it. as soon as i registered a full rose, i pushed the plunger down again, much faster than usual, and to my surprise, it didn't form a bump. i got a very nice rush from it and there was no swelling.
i didn't understand why it worked that time, so i loaded up another half shot of coke and tried it again in that arm. and once again i was successful. my guess is, even though i registered every time, if you push the plunger down slowly as i normally do, the coke reacts with the vein and starts constricting it(coke is used in nasal surgery to constrict veins and prevent bleeding) and that leads to the needle being expelled from the vein. also, on those 2 successful shots, i wiped the needle off before injecting to make sure it had no coke residue on the outside to react with the vein before i could finish the shot.
i'm not sure if i'm right about this phenomenon. but i do know that coke is much harder to inject than other drugs, and is probably more dangerous to boot than heroin. also i've noticed that the swelling that forms on a missed shot of coke is a hard lump, whereas when i've missed with h on the rare occassions, it's usually soft bubble kinda.
Last edited:
oh, and plutomars, if you're missing as much as you are, stop trying to inject it. you're taking a huge risk and probably causing a lot of damage to yourself. get someone who knows how to inject to do it for you and observe them on your first time. and have someone advise your injections until u can do them correctly.
here are some tips also:
-if you're using less than .5cc, u can get away with not loosening the tourniquet if you inject it slowly. it takes a while to get used to loosening it without moving the needle.
-it helps if you use a 1/4" needle instead of a 1/2" and just put it all the way in so it's more securely in place.
-take an anti-histamine such as benadryl before u take something that is going to release lots of histamines in your body--this mostly applies to opiates.
-let your veins heal for about 1-2 months after every 4-6 injections i'd say--this is called moderation. it gets a lot harder to inject after u damage your veins by missing a ton of shots.
-don't go for obscure veins if you can't hit the commonly used ones on your arms. if you run out of injection sites, just stop injecting for a while.
good luck.
here are some tips also:
-if you're using less than .5cc, u can get away with not loosening the tourniquet if you inject it slowly. it takes a while to get used to loosening it without moving the needle.
-it helps if you use a 1/4" needle instead of a 1/2" and just put it all the way in so it's more securely in place.
-take an anti-histamine such as benadryl before u take something that is going to release lots of histamines in your body--this mostly applies to opiates.
-let your veins heal for about 1-2 months after every 4-6 injections i'd say--this is called moderation. it gets a lot harder to inject after u damage your veins by missing a ton of shots.
-don't go for obscure veins if you can't hit the commonly used ones on your arms. if you run out of injection sites, just stop injecting for a while.
good luck.
Jes
Bluelighter
Be careful injecting. You will never want to do any other drug any other way again.
-=navel=-
Bluelighter
hmm that is very strange thursday... i've never experienced coke being harder to inject then other drugs.
but it does get harder after a few shots because i start to shake really bad and my veins constrict to the point where i can //barely// register.
but it does get harder after a few shots because i start to shake really bad and my veins constrict to the point where i can //barely// register.
SmokeTrails
Bluelighter
i read somewhere on these forums that your vains may shrink down or somthing because the coke numbs them... so i guess if you dont get it in the vain semi deep it could shrink the needle out of it? i personally have never had a problem.. just something i read
eagleplatinum
Bluelighter
One thing that I have noticed is a very light break feeling when the syringe is entering a vein. Right after the syringe penetrates the skin, I feel a very slight additional break, almost like poking through a latex condom, and that is when the syringe has entered the vein.
This works everytime for me, unless I have an extremely sharp syringe. When I have the sharp syringes, they poke right through my surface veins at the same time they penetrate the skin.
Also, using a turniquet helps a bunch. Veins stay inflated and circular when using a turniquet, and reduce the chance of poking all the way through. Just use something like a playstation controller's cord. These work very well because they are very easy to release. Just wrap it around your arm once, step on the controller with your foot and put the other end of the cord on your mouth. They grip really well, and just releasing the cord from your mouth is enough to take the pressure off your arm and doesn't require any movement from your hands/arms. And less hand arm movement means the less you move the syringe. And that means less room for error.
This works everytime for me, unless I have an extremely sharp syringe. When I have the sharp syringes, they poke right through my surface veins at the same time they penetrate the skin.
Also, using a turniquet helps a bunch. Veins stay inflated and circular when using a turniquet, and reduce the chance of poking all the way through. Just use something like a playstation controller's cord. These work very well because they are very easy to release. Just wrap it around your arm once, step on the controller with your foot and put the other end of the cord on your mouth. They grip really well, and just releasing the cord from your mouth is enough to take the pressure off your arm and doesn't require any movement from your hands/arms. And less hand arm movement means the less you move the syringe. And that means less room for error.