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How many attempts does it take to inject into a vein?

BlueIV

Bluelighter
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
256
Just wondering how many attempts you usually need to make before successfully hitting and then fully injecting into a vein? I'm specifically curious about hand veins, but if you tend to use other sites just state what they are.
 
It's all about finding the vein. Once you find it, in my experience, it shouldn't be so hard. And I've hit my hands more than any other part of my body... Once you find it, I tie off below my elbow some do above the wrist it goes a long damn way. But, with messed up way too used veins, it has taken me as long as 30 min to find it and hit it. Just from what you're asking, and I have shitty veins naturally, then shouldn't be a problem for you though. Find it, it should feel like a tube with fabric stretched over it. There are lots of feeds and videos about how to do it safely-- check that out.
 
Someone who's had practice can easily hit themselves on the first poke, if your a newbie its a little tougher though. The easiest veins to hit are usually in the crook of your arm above your elbow. Look for fat ones, use a turnicate and if your stil having trouble try running your arms under warm water. As you are injecting, slightly pull back on the plunger to create a little air pocket. This way, when you hit the vein the syringe will fill with blood. Then you know your in, time to blast off!
 
I've been doing this for over 2 months and still having issues. I can find the vein, but then I often have trouble getting the needle into it. When I do get blood, sometimes I can get a small amount of the volume in, but have issues with infiltration before a significant amount gets in.

In the clinic, I only get to try twice. I was just hoping to feel better after reading responses. I'll either eventually catch on if most people get it right away, or I'm not as bad as I think and it's normal to have to try a few times to get it.
 
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Like nearly everything in life, just something you get better at the more that you do it. I struggled for the first few months I used and it wasn't something I felt confident about do especially when I was outside of my house and in a rush. Eventually there came a point where it wasn't an issue to me anymore and nowadays I can fix up and hit very fast with no need to use a turniquite (spelling? Never had to use one, by the way) in almost any setting. Not something I'm boasting about, but it makes life all the more easier.

It's so much easier to hit yourself on the first try if your always using new pins. Also causes less chance of developing noticeable track marks and minimizes the chance of health complications.
 
If your veins aren't shot you should only need to poke once. Check out the IV megathread for more tips but as far as staying in once you hit the vein, I always hold the needle at a small angle (close to parallel with the vein I'm hitting) and insert the needle almost completely in. This seems to help with stability and reduces slipping out (which I did in my hand the other day resulting in a somewhat painful and annoying partial missed shot). Although the veins on your hand are good size and easy to hit initially I find they tend to move and are easier to slip out of than forearm veins so that may be adding to your problem. Hope that helps.
 
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^^ agreed, I struggled before but even with bad veins since I was a child I could find it and if you know how to put it in-- from the side not going through or as I do directly with the direction of the vein-- then it shouldn't be that hard. I'm always seeing people who's veins are visible all the time who don't shoot. Good luck! The crook of my arm was never the best place for me, I think you'll have to find where is best for you. Feet, hands, and arms are safest.
 
How does not using a tourniquet make things easier? My veins don't really stand out much. I'm not trained yet for beyond my hands and the inner elbow, so no forearms yet.
 
I've been doing this for over 2 months and still having issues. I can find the vein, but then I often have trouble getting the needle into it. When I do get blood, sometimes I can get a small amount of the volume in, but have issues with infiltration before a significant amount gets in.

In the clinic, I only get to try twice. I was just hoping to feel better after reading responses. I'll either eventually catch on if most people get it right away, or I'm not as bad as I think and it's normal to have to try a few times to get it.

If you're using new needles, and consistently can't get it within 2 tries, then you seriously need to rethink your lifestyle.

2 tries huh? What do they do if you fail? I assume you inject SQ/IM? Since it's pharmaceutical grade?

But no, it's not "normal". Here lately I have had to reuse points(haven't been able to restock/order any online) and I still never need more than 2 tries.

You need to practice, but some people just aren't good at hitting themselves. If worst comes worst, just inject intramuscularly. IM/SQinjection is EXTREMELY effective with diamorphine. Bioavailability is around 90%[in some cases more) and it is rapidly absorbed. The only functional difference(as long as you have pharm grade) is you won't get a rush, but the overall effect is exactly the same, with virtually identical morphine plasma levels.

(Some people even report a rush, with large doses IM, though obviously it's not as intense. )
 
How does not using a tourniquet make things easier? My veins don't really stand out much. I'm not trained yet for beyond my hands and the inner elbow, so no forearms yet.

If your not "trained", how did you get into a clinic?(I assume it is heroin-assisted treatment, lucky bastard.?
 
How do I rethink my lifestyle? I didn't ask for this condition. I am far from lucky. It's a plasma product and without it my risk of dying is around 30%. When I fail the nurses take over in clinic, if I fail at home the ER will start an IV for me and then I inject myself. I am trained, but just for my hands & elbow crook. There are subcue trials but not in my country. I believe those are more concentrated than what I'm working with and even then, that's for prevention not to treat an attack.

Currently, my options available are
1) Keep trying this
2) Get a port
3) Give up on self-treatment, spend an hour or so twice a week in a clinic and risk dying because I can't treat myself during an attack. The doctor and nurses know patients who died because they went with this option, and with it being a rare condition they don't treat that many of us for this issue.
 
I appreciate all the answers, sounds like most of you are pretty good, hopefully I can get there.

Abracadabra, when I'm really frustrated I think about it. I'm going to wait it out a bit longer, see if I can get better. Maybe when they teach the forearms I won't have the same problems. Just calling up programs to see what help I can get leads to people who shouldn't even be giving advice telling me what I should be doing. The opinions are also polarized, it's frustrating and confusing. It's nice to hear the support if I do choose to go that way, without the demand that it's something I absolutely must have :)
 
How do I rethink my lifestyle? I didn't ask for this condition. I am far from lucky. It's a plasma product and without it my risk of dying is around 30%. When I fail the nurses take over in clinic, if I fail at home the ER will start an IV for me and then I inject myself. I am trained, but just for my hands & elbow crook. There are subcue trials but not in my country. I believe those are more concentrated than what I'm working with and even then, that's for prevention not to treat an attack.

Currently, my options available are
1) Keep trying this
2) Get a port
3) Give up on self-treatment, spend an hour or so twice a week in a clinic and risk dying because I can't treat myself during an attack. The doctor and nurses know patients who died because they went with this option, and with it being a rare condition they don't treat that many of us for this issue.

Man I am sorry, I thought you were talking about dope. I didn't realize you're the same person who was talking about needing a port.

Seriously, sorry, I thought it was a heroin-treatment clinic you were referring to. But surely that was obvious from my post?

Anyway, sorry man, no offense. I'm not sure if regular use of a port is hypergenic, but learning to inject is just about impossible for some people. Sorry again man.
 
It can take me a few pokes to hit a vein, but im not an experienced dude. If youre having trouble, try to put your arm in hot water for a while or in front of a heater. This makes the veins really stand out. Insert the needle parallel and hold the area around the vein to make sure they dont slip/move. I always shoot in my forearms... Big veins there

Good luck
 
sometimes for myself it only takes 1 try, other times i have gone over 20 mins trying to find a vein and hit it.
 
Just wanted to add, if youre having trouble hitting in your hands or staying in the vein, you could try a smaller gauge needle. It might help. Best of luck though!
 
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