Sounds like you didn't shoot into an artery. Perhaps it was just an allergic reaction to the heroin?
-
OD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic
Harm Reduction Injection Complications FAQ and Mega Thread
- Thread starter `bLow?
- Start date
- Status
Captain.Heroin
Bluelight Crew
I'll merge this now, but please update us - I hope you're OK.
If it's deflated to the point where it's barely noticeable, it sounds like you may have gotten lucky.
But, now that you've gotten a chance to lay back and relax, it's time to call a lawyer - that or post her name/address on BL so we know where not to go!
puffy red lump three days after heroin injection
Hello all,
A friend of mine shot heroin for the first time on saturday evening and it is now wednesday. His arm still has a red lump, some itchiness, but not really any pain. There is a pink area around the lump. I am attaching a picture. I tried to post this in the other Drugs forum but it would not work.
He is currently treating with a hot compress and vitamen e oil, as well can cleaning with alcohol periodically. Currently it is not so red around the perimeter as in this picture and does not appear to be growing.
HE has also drawn a circle in marker around the lump to ensure it doesn't enlarge.
Any thoughts on whether thsi warrants a trip to the clinic/er?
Thanks
Hello all,
A friend of mine shot heroin for the first time on saturday evening and it is now wednesday. His arm still has a red lump, some itchiness, but not really any pain. There is a pink area around the lump. I am attaching a picture. I tried to post this in the other Drugs forum but it would not work.
He is currently treating with a hot compress and vitamen e oil, as well can cleaning with alcohol periodically. Currently it is not so red around the perimeter as in this picture and does not appear to be growing.
HE has also drawn a circle in marker around the lump to ensure it doesn't enlarge.
Any thoughts on whether thsi warrants a trip to the clinic/er?
Thanks
Attachments
tathra
bluelighter
just to be on the safe side, a trip to the clinic is definitely warranted. even if its a sterile abcess, it still needs to be treated.
IF you wish to avoid having a big black mark in your medical records marking you as a drug user, it would be possible to drain it by yourself, but it isnt advisable, and its unlikely you have antibiotics lying around which you would most certainly need if you decided to drain it at home
IF you wish to avoid having a big black mark in your medical records marking you as a drug user, it would be possible to drain it by yourself, but it isnt advisable, and its unlikely you have antibiotics lying around which you would most certainly need if you decided to drain it at home
Okay, he will go in to an urgent care after work tomorrow (you guys don't suppose he needs to rush much more than that?) It seems like whatever it is isn't progressing in anyway.
ALso in regards to the big black mark, Can he just not mention to the DR that he was injecting, and if asked, he does work in an environment with aggressive and often dirty children who often scratch, bite, and otherwise break his skin. Coudl he just say they appeared after an incident with a child who he imagined had a bacteria or other nasty under fingernails?
Thanks for the help guys!
ALso in regards to the big black mark, Can he just not mention to the DR that he was injecting, and if asked, he does work in an environment with aggressive and often dirty children who often scratch, bite, and otherwise break his skin. Coudl he just say they appeared after an incident with a child who he imagined had a bacteria or other nasty under fingernails?
Thanks for the help guys!
djsim
Bluelight Crew
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2007
- Messages
- 3,220
In all honesty I'd be able to tell if it was an IV shot gone bad, but I'm not sure that goes for all docs are just me cos I have used IV in the past. If you say it's a bite or whatever then they'll treat you for something which may not be what you have. Be truthful IMO
djsim,
Thanks for your help so far. I spoke with my friend this morning and he says the lump has not gotten larger, and if anything has gone down a bit. The area of inflamation around the wound has also disappeared. There is still a detectable tough spot, but it is small and certainly not enlarging. Should he wait another day or two and see if this will resolve on it's own. Is it likely that the infection is spreading even though in all visual sense, it appears to be self resolving? Like I said before, he has been treating with hot compresses and vitamin E and seems to think this is effective.
Thanks again!
Thanks for your help so far. I spoke with my friend this morning and he says the lump has not gotten larger, and if anything has gone down a bit. The area of inflamation around the wound has also disappeared. There is still a detectable tough spot, but it is small and certainly not enlarging. Should he wait another day or two and see if this will resolve on it's own. Is it likely that the infection is spreading even though in all visual sense, it appears to be self resolving? Like I said before, he has been treating with hot compresses and vitamin E and seems to think this is effective.
Thanks again!
Captain.Heroin
Bluelight Crew
I can't really say - but if it is small, not enlarging, the inflammation has disappeared, this is a sign the body is recovering - especially after the heat compress.
Looks like you are OK - try to get better injection technique in the future - practice with sterile saline solution if possible - and let your veins heal in between injections. There are always other ROA's to pursuit - don't forget that.
Since this is basically solved with the help of a heat compress, I'm going to merge this into the IV Complications Mega Thread & FAQ.
Sound good, rugreen?
Looks like you are OK - try to get better injection technique in the future - practice with sterile saline solution if possible - and let your veins heal in between injections. There are always other ROA's to pursuit - don't forget that.
Since this is basically solved with the help of a heat compress, I'm going to merge this into the IV Complications Mega Thread & FAQ.
Sound good, rugreen?
Captain.Heroin
Bluelight Crew
Sounds good man.
Merged into the IV Complications Mega Thread & FAQ.
Merged into the IV Complications Mega Thread & FAQ.
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
whoa, Binge Boy, hope everything comes good, man. definitely update us on the situation.
you know better as well bro, go persist with the doctors and get reassessed
you know better as well bro, go persist with the doctors and get reassessed
Captain.Heroin
Bluelight Crew
Alive & Kicking (well not really kicking it ..)
yeah im ok , was really scared for a bit cause i lost control of 2 fingers in my right hand , i looked up vascular ischemia and had all the symptoms (but you know what they say about internet diagnoses)
maybe the doc was right however the swelling only receded when i started taking ibuprofen and aspirin (they should have given me anit-coagulants) , havent bothered finishing the anti-biotic treatment since the pills give me terrible stomach aches / ulcers)
so i guess this is a stroke of luck , im damn sure this wasnt an allergic reaction (since i frequently have them) , maybe i pierced a big vein and the internal bleeding caused the swelling and loss of motor control (happened with the veins on the back of my knee , turned into a festering wound due to inadequate treatment , different hospital though , couldnt walk for 2 weeks and have A huge scar as a reminder)
yeah im ok , was really scared for a bit cause i lost control of 2 fingers in my right hand , i looked up vascular ischemia and had all the symptoms (but you know what they say about internet diagnoses)
maybe the doc was right however the swelling only receded when i started taking ibuprofen and aspirin (they should have given me anit-coagulants) , havent bothered finishing the anti-biotic treatment since the pills give me terrible stomach aches / ulcers)
so i guess this is a stroke of luck , im damn sure this wasnt an allergic reaction (since i frequently have them) , maybe i pierced a big vein and the internal bleeding caused the swelling and loss of motor control (happened with the veins on the back of my knee , turned into a festering wound due to inadequate treatment , different hospital though , couldnt walk for 2 weeks and have A huge scar as a reminder)
Opiatesrarely
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2008
- Messages
- 300
Last edited:
jigsawpuzzlepiece
Bluelighter
I have a wierd pain about 3-4 inches up from the crook of my arm where I have been injecting mostly dope for the past couple of days.
There is a tiny red dot near the area that the pain is localized, I only feel the pain when i stretch my arm all the way out and move it upward and the pain is central to the spot where the red dot is.
Again, this is about 3-4 inches up from my injection sites. I did not inject into the area where the red dot is nor do I feel any pain. The red dot where the pain appears almost looks like an injection site (its about as big as the red dot that using a needle leaves). The injection sites themselves at the crook of my arm do not hurt at all.
This could be a totally unrelated problem, and I just started noticing it yesterday. I'm just wondering if it is possible for a painful area to appear "upstream" from an injection site... like I said, the pains proximity to the crook of my arm where I do the majority of my injection is scaring me. And it definitely seems related to this red mark that is under the skin. Directly pushing the red spot causes some discomfort but nothing like the pain that I experience when I outstretch my arm all the way and move it up and down. Otherwise pinching and pulling on the red spot where the pain is localized does not cause the pain that outstretching my arm does.
Should I give it a few days and see if it goes away on its own or does this sound like something serious? It certainly doesn't feel serious, and it doesn't seem directly related to injecting other than the fact that its located near the crook of my arm where I have been injecting. I read the whole first post and didn't read about anything that sounds like what I'm experiencing so I hope it is something unrelated... maybe a wierd bug bite or sting I have no idea.
I want to be absolutely sure there is a problem before I seek medical attention though because I'll have to admit to IV drug use which would not be terribly great for my life right now even though I have quit and this last binge only lasted 2-3 uses.
There is a tiny red dot near the area that the pain is localized, I only feel the pain when i stretch my arm all the way out and move it upward and the pain is central to the spot where the red dot is.
Again, this is about 3-4 inches up from my injection sites. I did not inject into the area where the red dot is nor do I feel any pain. The red dot where the pain appears almost looks like an injection site (its about as big as the red dot that using a needle leaves). The injection sites themselves at the crook of my arm do not hurt at all.
This could be a totally unrelated problem, and I just started noticing it yesterday. I'm just wondering if it is possible for a painful area to appear "upstream" from an injection site... like I said, the pains proximity to the crook of my arm where I do the majority of my injection is scaring me. And it definitely seems related to this red mark that is under the skin. Directly pushing the red spot causes some discomfort but nothing like the pain that I experience when I outstretch my arm all the way and move it up and down. Otherwise pinching and pulling on the red spot where the pain is localized does not cause the pain that outstretching my arm does.
Should I give it a few days and see if it goes away on its own or does this sound like something serious? It certainly doesn't feel serious, and it doesn't seem directly related to injecting other than the fact that its located near the crook of my arm where I have been injecting. I read the whole first post and didn't read about anything that sounds like what I'm experiencing so I hope it is something unrelated... maybe a wierd bug bite or sting I have no idea.
I want to be absolutely sure there is a problem before I seek medical attention though because I'll have to admit to IV drug use which would not be terribly great for my life right now even though I have quit and this last binge only lasted 2-3 uses.
Oxymorphone
Bluelighter
- Joined
- May 20, 2008
- Messages
- 1,258
Tips for IVing when you have really hard to find/hidden veins?
So I have really hidden and hard to hit veins. There are very few places I can even find, let alone hit. i get jealous of my friend's huge bulging veins everywhere and even started noticing and envying strangers on the subway with nice veins.
There is one small area on my inner arm I can hit. The most sucessful location is on my hands and I don't want to keep shooting there because I will use it up fast and you can't hide the marks at all. I want my current marks there to heal since I have lines of dots on the top of my hand.
There are also a fw big veins on my foot and that's what I just hit.Any suggestions of other locations that might be better or some tips or tricks to expose veins?
I have some veins that can be found alright on the tops of my arms but they are surprisingly hard to hit and yesterday I managed to get in then it must have slipped out of the cein and ended up missing for the first time (I've failed to hit veins many times, but never hit one then inject to find out it came out until then).
So who else has 'recessed' veins and what tips and tricks can you share?
So I have really hidden and hard to hit veins. There are very few places I can even find, let alone hit. i get jealous of my friend's huge bulging veins everywhere and even started noticing and envying strangers on the subway with nice veins.
There is one small area on my inner arm I can hit. The most sucessful location is on my hands and I don't want to keep shooting there because I will use it up fast and you can't hide the marks at all. I want my current marks there to heal since I have lines of dots on the top of my hand.
There are also a fw big veins on my foot and that's what I just hit.Any suggestions of other locations that might be better or some tips or tricks to expose veins?
I have some veins that can be found alright on the tops of my arms but they are surprisingly hard to hit and yesterday I managed to get in then it must have slipped out of the cein and ended up missing for the first time (I've failed to hit veins many times, but never hit one then inject to find out it came out until then).
So who else has 'recessed' veins and what tips and tricks can you share?
Hmm. My veins suck too.
But they've always sucked.
There's a thread around here about other veins you can hit other than the ones in your arms..and it has a vein map. :]
I use(d) my feet, but it's not exactly the best idea...
Trust me you aren't the only one who has shitty veins!
But they've always sucked.
There's a thread around here about other veins you can hit other than the ones in your arms..and it has a vein map. :]
I use(d) my feet, but it's not exactly the best idea...
Trust me you aren't the only one who has shitty veins!
Philoscybin
Bluelighter
I used to have trouble finding veins on my arms back when I had a heroin & coke habit. I found the best solution was to get the blood flowing in my arms by doing jumping jacks and pushups and then rubbing my arm, scratching it a little bit, while letting it dangle until my hand starts falling asleep. Please be safe.
firesilverlullaby
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2007
- Messages
- 201
My girlfriend veins are really hard to feel and see. But even if you cant see the veins their still there like everyone else's but just deeper.
The most successful technique I use is to just barely insert the needle into the skin, then pull back. while keeping the syringe pulled back insert the needle deeper, where you think their is a vein. As soon as you hit it blood will come rushing in.
To retry take it out just enough so more air DOES NOT get into the barrel and try at a different angle/location. Other than this i just try to use fresh rigs, rotate veins, really bright lighting, and alot of feeling around. Hope this helps!
The most successful technique I use is to just barely insert the needle into the skin, then pull back. while keeping the syringe pulled back insert the needle deeper, where you think their is a vein. As soon as you hit it blood will come rushing in.
To retry take it out just enough so more air DOES NOT get into the barrel and try at a different angle/location. Other than this i just try to use fresh rigs, rotate veins, really bright lighting, and alot of feeling around. Hope this helps!
- Status