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Harm Reduction Injection Complications FAQ and Mega Thread

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countryfuck said:
is that directed at me? i didnt really think a femoral vein was considered a tiny vein? when i would use any smaller guage needle to try to hit it, the needle would always bend.
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The femoral vein is in your thigh, not your neck.

If your needle is bending you're not using it right IMO; I have used 31G for hundreds of shots and bending has never been an option.
 
^ Hundreds of times to actually inject, or hundreds of times as a backloader and/or other tool? 8o That sounds awful to pierce yourself to many times with one needle.


I know you have seen this (but I would like others to):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/2328527271_5e2fd3f25e.jpg



Imagine how horribly dull it would be after ten uses (as if six isn't bad enough.) Its always good to remind people to (1) use fresh rigs, (2) filter, and (3)rorate injection sites. Take extra care all you IVers.
 
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Captain.Heroin said:
The femoral vein is in your thigh, not your neck.

If your needle is bending you're not using it right IMO; I have used 31G for hundreds of shots and bending has never been an option.
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i know where my femoral vein is. in my original post i was saying how i was using my neck because i cant use my femoral veins anymore and since i had been hitting them (each side) for a long time it started to get hard so the smaller guage needles would bend when i would try with them.
 
I've only shot by myself once, and I found it really difficult to pull back the plunger on a brand new rig with only one hand. I was inserting the needle perfectly every time, but ended up taking 3 tries to actually make a successful injection just because pulling back the plunger was so hard for me.

How can I hold the rig to make it easier to do this? I'm sure I was just inconveniencing myself haha.
 
johanneschimpo said:
^ Hundreds of times to actually inject, or hundreds of times as a backloader and/or other tool? 8o That sounds awful to pierce yourself to many times with one needle.
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Um...obviously not with the same needle? I only use a new needle each time.

I must have not typed something as coherently as I should have.

nearjat said:
I've only shot by myself once, and I found it really difficult to pull back the plunger on a brand new rig with only one hand. I was inserting the needle perfectly every time, but ended up taking 3 tries to actually make a successful injection just because pulling back the plunger was so hard for me.

How can I hold the rig to make it easier to do this? I'm sure I was just inconveniencing myself haha.
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Get a friend who can help you inject, that should help you out tremendously.
 
johanneschimpo said:
Why 27g? If its tiny veins you're going for (I think I know what type you mean, they are a bitch), why not go even smaller, say 29g or 30g? They are just available, if not more so, at any pharmacy, than bigger gauges. I figure thats the size your (and most) exchange program gives out, then tend to pass somewhat high gauged syringes (perhaps so they can handle the excessive use they expect them to get? :\), but of course small is better, for hitting the vein and for minimizing the chance of track marks.
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you musta been barred out=D

CH meant why use such a large gauge (27g) on those tiny veins - they'll only rip them up and cause missed shots etc - instead of a 29-31g.

^ Hundreds of times to actually inject
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yeah, having used 31g needles hundreds of times:)
 
nearjat said:
I've only shot by myself once, and I found it really difficult to pull back the plunger on a brand new rig with only one hand. I was inserting the needle perfectly every time, but ended up taking 3 tries to actually make a successful injection just because pulling back the plunger was so hard for me.

How can I hold the rig to make it easier to do this? I'm sure I was just inconveniencing myself haha.
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i assume you're using the 1cc (100 units) syringes? are you able to acquire smaller barrels like a .5cc or .3cc? if not then you're either using too much water to mix up your shot and making it even harder on your fingers being able to reach the plunger to register and push down. or you simply have to work on your technique.
 
leftwing said:
this is a perfect example of why anyone, who is in any doubt at all, should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

i'm sorry to hear you ended up having cellulitis but am extremely glad you got the help you needed, you've set a good example for a lot of other posters who come in here refusing to go see an ER for whatever reason they have.

i hope you have a speedy recovery:)
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thank you for all the supportive replies. So yesterday I was to follow up within a 24hr period at the ER or my doctor, my doc is only in on certain days and today wasn't one of them so I went back to the ER for the followup. Apparently, it didn't get any better, it was still 9/10 on the pain scale and was throbbing the same if not slighly worse. I had taken only 2 of the 20 anitbiotics prescribed as well as a decent amount of shitty ultram/tramadol.
They ended up telling me it didn't get any better only worse so they operated on it and took the abcess out! **OUCHIES** I was wailing and crying for 10 minutes while they took the shit out. It was the worst pain I've ever felt in a long long time. They packed it with some type of medicated gauze on the inside as well as some gauze on the outside, the nurse that did it said that if I don't come back on Friday to get the gauze replaced that the whole procedure would be worthless. Whatever that means, so yeah, I've gotta go back Friday morning and i'm praying that it won't hurt nearly as bad as it did when they injected the litocain and pressed on my arm to get the abcess out. I HOPE IT DOESN'T HURT!!! I'm like freaking out over the fact that I'm going to have to go thru the pain again and again and again, when will stop?!!! :!

This whole situation has been a definite wakeup call to me. I'm not fucking with that shit anymore I'm done. As for the rest of you take into consideration that this is VERY COMMON among heroin users who inject. But when you go thru the pain maybe that will make you think twice before you buy your next bag(s). I know I certainly will. I'm done.:p The nurse that removed it even said it was a pretty bad abcess, I could go into details about how bad it was, but I'll spare it for those of you with weak stomach's:|

Unfortunatley, I still have a fever that is coming and going, mainly at night and when I'm lying down. It's hard for me to sleep and I've even noticed myself twitching when I fall asleep or as I'm sleeping and have been told this too by my mom who was watching me for a few mins.

FYI:
if cellulitus isn't treated it could turn into a life threatening condition, also i've had an abcess before on my wrist and luckily enough that one popped by itself and went away, but this time I wasn't so lucky. I had never experienced so much damn pain in my life, such agony!


 
wow, that's some rollercoaster you're on at the moment. you've done everything right in your power(after the fact) so don't go beating yourself up too much and try to move on as positively as you can. what's done is done.

have you got health insurance that is covering you with these procedures or are you going to be out of pocket? im interested in knowing a ball park figure for what you'd expect to cough up over this kind of situation. i cant imagine it being cheap at all:|

you're definitely going back on friday to get it redressed right? you'd be crazy if you werent

best of luck with everything again, you seem to be coping well under what would be an extremely testing time. get well soon:) and dont forget to keep us updated as things progress.
 
Alright well I tried it again today (injecting by myself). First try on a little smaller vein in my forearm, I didn't register. Second try in my elbow pit , I registered with ease this time likely because of a more relaxed environment. Injection went smoothly with a very unnoticeable mark from the needle.
 
nearjat said:
Alright well I tried it again today (injecting by myself). First try on a little smaller vein in my forearm, I didn't register. Second try in my elbow pit , I registered with ease this time likely because of a more relaxed environment. Injection went smoothly with a very unnoticeable mark from the needle.
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Glad you got it. The closer to the heart, the better the injection site.
 
The closer to the heart, the better the injection site.
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14.gif
indeed
 
By the way, just yesterday I had a friend give me a shot in the same vein on the opposite arm. The injection itself was successful, but she was high on H and while pushing down the plunger she was slightly pulling the needle out without realizing. I saw this and pointed it out, she corrected herself. I got a much stronger and longer lasting histamine reaction from that injection, and now the site is somewhat sore with no visible problems with the injection site. It's mostly a dull pain that is only noticeable when I bend my arm a certain way, or actually agitate the area with my finger or something (not violently or anything haha, just inspecting it).

Anything wrong? Did the "reinsertion" create some scar tissue, or possibly let some of the solution into the surrounding area?
 
it's likely some of the solution has leaked out from your vein while she corrected the needles position like you stated. it would have been absorbed IM(intra-musculary) which is why you're experiencing the histamine reaction and the dull pain. is the area where it's sore a little harder and red in colour?
 
leftwing said:
it's likely some of the solution has leaked out from your vein while she corrected the needles position like you stated. it would have been absorbed IM(intra-musculary) which is why you're experiencing the histamine reaction and the dull pain. is the area where it's sore a little harder and red in colour?
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Yes, minus the redness. The only redness is the spot where the needle actually punctured. So should I just maybe keep an eye on it? I assumed that my guess was right, it feels just like the IM injections I've gotten at the doctor in my upper arms.
 
i'd run the area under some hot water for 5mins or so and repeat that 3 or 4 times and then use a warm compress on it. it will help the missed shot absorb into you and take away the majority of the the soreness as well as hardness of the lump. try massaging the area where it's sore as well. and yes definitely keep a close eye on it, you dont want it turning into an infected abscess. if youve got any neosporin or other creams similar then it wouldnt be a bad idea to rub some into the area eliminate further possibility of an infection
 
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johanneschimpo said:
^ Hundreds of times to actually inject, or hundreds of times as a backloader and/or other tool? 8o That sounds awful to pierce yourself to many times with one needle.


I know you have seen this (but I would like others to):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/2328527271_5e2fd3f25e.jpg



Imagine how horribly dull it would be after ten uses (as if six isn't bad enough.) Its always good to remind people to (1) use fresh rigs, (2) filter, and (3)rorate injection sites. Take extra care all you IVers.
Click to expand...

I been using the same needle for at least a week now.Hard gettin new ones when u need a script to get them.

My needles very dull, no numbers at all, mustve been used at least 60-75+ times just sticking myself and missing a lot. Its also harder to suck in the dope since the plunger tends to get stuck in the barrel for some reason...

O well, atleast im high right?
 
^^^wait till none of them work one day....Happened to me, I had used all my rigs way too many time. All were dull as fuck. Well, I was on my last rig, the needle was bent after using the same rig like 50+ times...I fixed everything up and when I put the needle in my arm, the needle broke in my arm! Needless to say that was the last of my dope and my last rig and I was sick as fuck. I ended up trying to sniff some of the brown sludge, ended up throwin up it was so nasty. Terrible day that was :(
 
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