Harm Reduction IV Drug Use: I think my arms veins aren't working? Now What?

[Lizabeth]

I did IV meth for about 4 years when I was younger, got clean for years then relapsed like an idiot. I've only been using about 5 months now, and my veins are not working for the first time ever suddenly. I made the mistake of not rotating. I have had three good veins. But always went the same injection site. My veins are still plump and big, but there's allot of scar tissue built up on two of them where I've injected, and I'm not even getting my shots anymore when I shoot into those veins?! I'm not missing? But I don't feel the shot or the rush AT ALL? WEIRD. My best vein is still there with blood flowing, but when I tourniquet it it gets swollen and engorged looking and it's not delivering the shots to me either? I know I'm not missing. I don't get why their not working?! I've been trying other veins in my arms I've ever used and it has not been a good outcome. I have a rule where I don't treat myself like a pin cushion. I've got big ones that start up on top of my wrist and wrap around down the bottom of my arms, but their deep, hurt like hell and hard to hit. I've tried other smaller veins with careful technique, but their too fragile and it's causing dark purple bruising. NOT OKAY. #1 Why the hell aren't my veins delivering the shots when they appear to be huge and plump, and still registering?! #2 Is there anywhere else that's easy and not totally unsafe to hit? Please? I need advice... Thanks

 

[nznity]

You need to take a break from IV...consider a diff route smoking?

 

[Lizabeth]

I hear ya, but once you've injected and are used to that, the other outcome of other routes are mostly just frustrating.

 

[MsDiz]

They might be frustrating but you need to take a break from IV.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Is there anywhere else that's easy and not totally unsafe to hit?

Edit: feet apparently can cause infection easy.

I'd try your hands. Take a hot shower, do push ups, and try to find a vein.

Use a half inch tip.

 

[nznity]

I hear ya, but once you've injected and are used to that, the other outcome of other routes are mostly just frustrating.

I went from IV coke to crack, too mny risks associated with IV use

 

[Jabberwocky]

I went from IV coke to crack, too mny risks associated with IV use

Basically the same rush since you can put in a giant rock in the pipe.

With meth, IVing in comparison to smoking is a lot different, unless you blow like 5 massive clouds back to back, which even still isn't the same.

 

[PtahTek]

once you've injected

Ahhh. Therein lies the rub.
One either continues as is or tries something different for a bit.
We will let the mind conjure scenarios of each option and then make a more sensible, educated and safer decision.
Loved the needle back in the years and probably took getting locked up for the umpteenth time to get off it. Most times it takes drastic measures to be free from IV use... hope this isn't the case here. No judgements just want to see more posts from ya and what is going on may not facilitate this.
Hope all works out for ya and one can make the decision that is right for you. Fuck what I say as it is just from experience.
Please be careful as possible and get back with us on this?
Best,
Ptah

 

[LadyAlkaline]

There are a few good veins in the thighs. One is to the left above the knee on your left leg. Another one is tricky, you have to basically do a split with your right leg, its about 4 inches down from the hip. No way to explain that one.

Use a flashlight pressed against the skin, it will help you to see them

 

[I_Hate_This_Place]

I went from IV coke to crack, too mny risks associated with IV use

Indeed. With cocaine you are likely quite right. Personally for me I actually usually went IV over smoking crack for my own HR reasons. Though IV use is clearly riskier in my case I had such a harder time putting the pipe down as opposed to just doing a shot & being good with it that I found IV to be less of an issue. In my case the turning into a fiend & doing stupid shit / blowing $ on it was more harmful.

I find that smoking crack hits considerably faster than IV in my experience. Perhaps that's part of it. I'm not quite sure exactly why TBH I don't find needles to be anything other than tools; so perhaps I just find smoking to be more addictive / repetitive.
I'm digressing though; my apologies. I would say that from experience I do agree that smoking crack & IV cocaine are similar enough in my experience to be an acceptable substitute.

Basically the same rush since you can put in a giant rock in the pipe.

With meth, IVing in comparison to smoking is a lot different, unless you blow like 5 massive clouds back to back, which even still isn't the same.

I've never IV'd methamphetamine as I'm not really a stimulant guy. I always smoked it when I have consumed it. So I can't report back on the comparison between routes. Seeing as madness00 does seem to have experience with it I'll take him at his word.

As other posters have mentioned you can try the various practices people have come up with to make "hitting" easier. I think there may be a thread on it? I can't recall off-hand & have not had the best luck with the search engine since returning to BL.

I'll name a few off the top of my head though. As madness00 mentioned exercise (push-ups if trying to hit the arm; for example) can help. As mentioned being sure to be appropriately warm is helpful. If you are a cigarette smoker try abstaining prior to your injection? I know in my personal experience when I was a smoker that the effects of nicotine could make my veins harder to hit. I don't know if this is the case for others but from my personal experience it made a difference. I know madness00 mentioned it as well but the tip size of your needle could also be a factor. Perhaps adjusting the tip size may be able to help you hit veins you otherwise would have problems getting to. Other than the afore-mentioned tips; as LadyAlkaline mentioned you may need to hit other veins. It may be difficult at first but if you wish to continue IV usage it is very important to develop a proper system of rotation. I'm not quite sure why your shots are "not working". I don't think I have enough information to really even hazard a guess as to what's occurring there.

You mentioned that the vein that wraps down from your wrist & around is large but deep & hard to hit? Perhaps with a change of tip size it might not be so hard to hit? I know that I've had good success with the vein you refer to. Just like anything else appearances can be deceiving though. Something to keep in mind. Visual appearances are not always accurate. A different tip size could make the difference. I know that anecdotally I've had plenty of experiences where there was a situation of "not being able to hit" be it myself or others where a change in tip size made all the difference. In some cases it went from being virtually impossible to hit the vein / person's vein in question to being a simple one & done. This may not be the case in your situation & may not be as helpful as you where hoping but as stated from experience tip size can often make a world of difference.

Regardless hopefully things work out for you as well as they possibly can. Best of luck in your efforts.

 

[Jabberwocky]

OP - Ah, and stay hydrated will help with vascularity too.
IHTP - Vaporizing meth takes a longer time than breaking down a crack rock, that's all. Also you're right in that finding the right size needle will make all the difference.

 

[PtahTek]

oh, yeah... hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, repeat as necessary.

 

[draculic acid69]

I hear ya, but once you've injected and are used to that, the other outcome of other routes are mostly just frustrating.

Is that any different from your shitty results of making a pincushion out of your self now? Smoke it snort it swallow it whatever.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Towards the end of my IV romance with meth, and before that with coke, I found veins when I traced the fucked up ones a little higher up my arm and went in a little deeper and at a sharper angle with the needle. Usually only an inch or two higher than the last entry point before they stopped working. Of course, it pays to be really hydrated so you can feel the vein with your finger even if its deep. But if it's your second shot and you are vascodilated, don't even bother.

 

[Flower Fairy]

My best vein is still there with blood flowing, but when I tourniquet it it gets swollen and engorged looking and it's not delivering the shots to me either? I know I'm not missing. I don't get why their not working?

Its because of the scared viens, all that scar tissue is blocking your hit from being a rush, the drug is "seeping" slowly though scared viens instead of "rushing" you're still getting the drugs but slowly, so you're not feeling it, you need to go higher up the site you use that vien in or elsewhere

I've only recently found this out but I used to inject heroin and didn't know why I wasn't feeling it I thought it was my tolerance

Why the hell aren't my veins delivering the shots when they appear to be huge and plump, and still registering?!

Its still registering because its in the vien but when you push that plunger it can't get through as much as you want it to as the vien is damaged, shriveled, blocked, scared etc

 

[Lizabeth]

Is that any different from your shitty results of making a pincushion out of your self now? Smoke it snort it swallow it whatever.

Good point I just meant if I can’t get it after two tries that I won’t continue trying / poking myself repeatedly trying to hit a vein. I won’t even try until the next day sometimes. If I’m that desperate, then it’s gotten out of control. Actually using IV method is already out of control all in itself, but you know what I mean. I got long syringes. I’ve been using short, which I’m not really used to. I’ve had no issues whatsoever since, but I’ve still slowed down quite a bit, and I’m not using that method continuously anymore. Thankfully. Now, if only I could pull my head out of my ass enough to stop all together. Meth use is bad enough, but iv meth use really is just death waiting to happen...

 

[Lizabeth]

Its because of the scared viens, all that scar tissue is blocking your hit from being a rush, the drug is "seeping" slowly though scared viens instead of "rushing" you're still getting the drugs but slowly, so you're not feeling it, you need to go higher up the site you use that vien in or elsewhere

I've only recently found this out but I used to inject heroin and didn't know why I wasn't feeling it I thought it was my tolerance


Its still registering because its in the vien but when you push that plunger it can't get through as much as you want it to as the vien is damaged, shriveled, blocked, scared etc

That’s terrible. Poor veins. I hope they’ll heal as long as I’ve quit using them. That’s scary. To inject something into a vein, and the vein not delivering it properly as it should. Can’t be good. Just sounds like a recipe for all sorts of health hazards. My veins are terribly inflamed. I know that much. My blood pressure will be completely normal, but after using my veins get huge/bulging, bright blue, and my hands will throb like crazy with pressure and feel like their hot. I think I’ve got chemical phlebitis? I think that’s what it’s called. I’ve been slowing way way down, wearing compression sleeves & taking ibuprofen, but it’s not working

 

[Lizabeth]

Its because of the scared viens, all that scar tissue is blocking your hit from being a rush, the drug is "seeping" slowly though scared viens instead of "rushing" you're still getting the drugs but slowly, so you're not feeling it, you need to go higher up the site you use that vien in or elsewhere

I've only recently found this out but I used to inject heroin and didn't know why I wasn't feeling it I thought it was my tolerance


Its still registering because its in the vien but when you push that plunger it can't get through as much as you want it to as the vien is damaged, shriveled, blocked, scared etc

Sure wish someone would have told me to start lower and jump around. I’m not sure I can go up any higher? I started on all my good veins in the middle of the arm by the crook and elbow region

 

[Jabberwocky]

That’s terrible. Poor veins. I hope they’ll heal as long as I’ve quit using them. That’s scary. To inject something into a vein, and the vein not delivering it properly as it should. Can’t be good. Just sounds like a recipe for all sorts of health hazards. My veins are terribly inflamed. I know that much. My blood pressure will be completely normal, but after using my veins get huge/bulging, bright blue, and my hands will throb like crazy with pressure and feel like their hot. I think I’ve got chemical phlebitis? I think that’s what it’s called. I’ve been slowing way way down, wearing compression sleeves & taking ibuprofen, but it’s not working

Have you tried a heparinoid cream? Where I live there is an OTC cream called Hirudoid ointment that I find helps restore damaged veins if used 3 times a day.

 

[Flower Fairy]

My blood pressure will be completely normal, but after using my veins get huge/bulging, bright blue, and my hands will throb like crazy with pressure and feel like their hot. I think I’ve got chemical phlebitis? I think that’s what it’s called. I’ve been slowing way way down, wearing compression sleeves & taking ibuprofen, but it’s not working

That don't sound good at all, and yeah sounds like some sort of Phlebitis yeah but I'm not a doctor, have you tried your wrists, I've got big rolling veins on the sides of my wrist, I've been in my hands too, and once or twice in my foot but I didn't like it,

I kept going in same veins as didn't know this advice about danaged/blocked veins back then I thought it's its it's registering and push lol