Heroin I'm kinda scared..... please help?

[herionhealer21]

I injected the back of my hand, now there's a biiig bruise, it doesmt hurt to touch, but its very large and noticable. What is this? I hope not an abcess. Please help and thank you so much!!!

Fyi this injection happend 10 hours ago I think. And I am never doing heroin again or inject anything!!

 

[dieselbaby]

Is it raised? Swollen? Warm to the touch? If so, then it could be an abscess. You injected 10 hours ago? How long after that did the bruise arrive? Most likely, you probably used too large of a gauge needle for your hands (only use something that is a 31 gauge, short tip [5/16"], ultrafine syringe for that...30G 1/2 inch can be a little rough, only to be used if you know what you are doing). Also other likely culprits are that you slipped out when doing the shot, therefore you have a little bit of localized bruising around the injection site from leaked blood that's pooled into the tissue surrounding the puncture mark. Also sometimes if you use a 31G or a 30G in those spots and inject too quickly into the vein, you can do a semi (or full, ouch!) vein blowout and that'll DEFINITELY leave you bruised up as FUCK.

So, to sum it up - I'm 99% sure that it's just a bruise. Hand veins tend to bruise incredible easily unless you really know what you are doing, and it sounds like you are new to this. I would totally totally totally totally not going in your hands unless it's being done by someone who has a lot of experience with this, or you have no other place to go. From the sounds of things, you seem relatively new to the whole injecting this, so it might be a good thing for you to do to quit. If you're able to, go for it! I've been off heroin for almost 3 years now thanks to methadone maintenance and it has been a godsend. If you're able to quit dope so easily (I know I wasn't, for like, 7 years! (( ), kudos to you OP.

One last question(s): a) What rig did you use? b) What kind of heroin was it? Regular east coast powder, mexican powder, afghani base with citric treatment, black tar heroin (#4)? c) Also, did you miss any of your shot at all? d) Did you use a new rig? A dulled rig will definitely help bruise the fuck out of your arms, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUR HANDS!

My guess, is, you used either too big of a gauge syringe for your hands, or a dull one, or you had it slip out or just had trouble registering in your hands.

Download some vein map images on google image search. It'll help you a ton as you really shouldn't have to resort to your hands until your arms and other upper arm spots are completely shot out.

 

[hazejunk]

Dont worry its nothing and it will go away. If you have got bad injecting skills you get a bruise every now and then.
If it gets swollen and red and you can feel a lump under your skin it could be a abces but they also go away most of the time like 95% of the time for my atleast.

Now learn your lesson and stop injecting drugs. If you keep injecting you will have much more of this shit.

 

[Znegative]

Yeah but if it turns into an abscess it's best to go to the hospital cause you can get gangrene and have your hand amputated in a worst case scenario. But it's probably not an abscess, when I was first shooting drugs I would get some nasty bruises from missing and they were exactly like what you describe. They went away within a few days

 

[BananasAndOranges]

Just from first hand experience yes this can be scary. I had to make a thread on here when I stuck a needle in my arm wrong. I was getting subutex from my doctor at the time so I went and they told me I just bruised myself. An abscess gets Hard, and will feel like a Knot under your skin. I have Felt abscesses before and after just getting over a nasty abscess that swelled half my face due to amp abuse I will never not take those lightly. Any abscess can get UnBearably painful as Fuck. if it is an abscess you may need it drained depending on how severe its easier for us to answer is you can post a pic?

If its just a btuise it will still take awhile to heal which tbh it sounds like you shot silly and Im gonna say its bruise and will leave but We need to See your hand to help

 

[Sepher]

Just to reassure the OP, it most certainly is NOT an abscess at +10 hours after a shot. It takes longer than that for a miss to become infected to the point where an abscess develops, probably 2-3 days on average. Keep an eye on it over the next few days for signs of heat, redness, pain, swelling all the same, and seek medical help if you notice any of those signs but it doesn't sound like a miss. As stated above it just sounds like you've been digging around in the vein maybe puncturing straight through the other side of it and you've just got a little local bleeding under the skin. It should fade out just like any other bruise over the next coupla days.

I know you said you're not gonna inject again, but just in case you forget how scared you were and decide to try again, there's lots of good advice on the IV Complications MegaThread.

 

[BananasAndOranges]

^Word


Im not an expertise with needles but I did IV heroin until I got on MMT. The one time I bruised my arm I went and showed my fuckin dad it scared me so bad. My arm looked deformed but it was just a bruise. I Didnt even shoot where my bruise arose it was the needle and me being stupid using a slightly Dull tipped needle. It will probably hurt for a week. Again an abscess will feel like a fucking nasty Knot under your skin. I have felt them and its usually lumpy hard feeling lol like a knot.

Always use new needles. Never reuse that shit I remember using a needle six times nasty shit. If you get any extreme pain go to er and be honest. Be more careful next time and try to not shoot in odd ball places where its easier to poke bone.


if you get super paranoid post a pic and one of us can probably tell you if its an abscess. Pictures help a Lot when questions like this arise but I do know the above poster is right on the 10 hr thing. Be Safe!!!!

 

[Ridethecircuswheel]

You'll be fine. Usually if I get a hold of some dope i sit there for a half hour poking my body all over until I have marks everywhere, blood smeared everywhere, and I end up missing anyway. It makes me so frustrated I could cry.

 

[Dr.kush]

Its fine, the same has happened to me before!

What I am more afraid of: you saying "I will never inject again or do heroin again". Not to be rude but I have never seen anyone inject heroin to experiment. If you are like me then this will occur: you will be afraid of injecting or any other ROA of heroin until you feel sick then you will find that needle again.

Also, why would you inject in your hand? That is the spot you use when there are no more good veins. I am concerned about that. Hopefully you never will do that again!

Just be careful and conscious of what you are doing is all I am saying. Its so very hard for me to read a thread that sounds EXACTLY like my old ones.

I wish you the best!

 

[livetheopiatedream]

Apply heat if its a missed shot this will help a lot

 

[livetheopiatedream]

Plus u used hand veins they roll and r so easy to miss so prolly nothing but if it doesnt show improvement in a day n half -2 go get it checked. Also if u did miss it helps to massage it in

 

[OpanRanger30]

Thank god I have resilient veins... I've seen some messed up hands and ankles

 

[Ridethecircuswheel]

Me personally I think the hand is the best place to hit/least frustration. But at the same time it's also the place where its really easy to miss. The vein connecting your forearm to your...other part of the arm thats not the forearm, what is it? basically the fold of your arm has a really fat vein but when that shit doesn't show it does NOT show. I'm lucky to ever see blood on that vein. sometimes my hand veins are so fat and easy to hit. I think the worst part to hit would be the foot because hit or miss its gonna hurt and itch. no fun.

 

[ms4104]

Hand veins are not optimal.. a lot of nerves and hands bruise/swell very easily. Best is start with crook of the elbow and cephalic a few inches from base of the thumb. Those will be easiest to hit with no experience