IV first timers

[`pr0digy]

If your using a 25 ga needle, you shouldn't have to press that hard. Find a new rig, and start prepping your shot right... Your going to hurt yourself.

 

[chinacat311]

i have a bit of a different register technique. as soon as i put the needle in the skin enough that the bevel is completely in, i pull back about 10 units on the plunger and then continue sticking the needle in until i hit the vein. by "pre-registering" like this, as soon as the needle hits the vein, blood will come back into the barrel and youre ready to shoot.

 

[phatass]

^^this has happened to me a few times n i was quite confused, so took it out n hit another spot... now i know

 

[ifonly]

i dont have a choice of rigs, everywhere has the same.

I'm a uni student studying a very relevant field (wont say which one) so i know what im doing. i know how to prep my shots - read here for a nice succint description - http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=368292

anyway its either 25 gauge or 23 gauge for me. 25 is fine with 3ml and 5ml barrels, but 10ml it gets tricky. and yes sometimes 10ml is unavoidable, when i do everything correctly (see above link)

anyway the force of liquid damaging vein is a good point, i like to think i have good veins (they are fucking popping out all over me, and u cant tell i IV *at all* as there are no marks. i use the same median cubitals every time and they havent changed one bit since before i ever used drugs.

i wish there were 24 gauge needles or something a tiny bit bigger than 25 but not quite 23...and even if there are, i wish i cud get them where i go. (or used to go, seeing as this is all in retrospect and i dont really use anymore)

if i ever make the choice to use in the future, and anybody has any good ways of getting 10ml or so into me without nearly breaking my hand muscles and without being risky, let me know. i am aware of butterflys but have *zero* knowledge or experience, if anyone with knowledge or experience wrote up a guide or an introduction to butterflys itd be heaps cool. but its no biggie reallyy i may not ever use it anyway.

 

[center]

This is a fucking harm reduction site. You're teaching first timers how to shoot when the topic hasn't even been raised by someone planning on doing it?

Are you nuts? Don't fucking encourage people.

If people wanted to know, they would ask. I know you meant well, but this is harm-promotion, more like life destruction promotion.

A better opening statement for the first post of this thread would be.

"First time IV Users? Don't do it. It'll ruin your fucking life"

How can you disagree?

Noone's asked the question, if they truly cared then they would ask. I hate this. It's encouraging people looking for a better high now to go and shoot up, when they probably didn't have the idea in their head before.

Fucking bullshit. This is why people ruin their lives. They learn how to get higher with less material.

Thanks phatass for encouraging people to shoot up instead of telling them not to do it, you go ahead and tell them to do it, AND HOW TO DO IT!

WOO HARM REDUCTION MY FUCKING ASS.

 

[bupropion]

The only IV I've had was 2mg morphine (twice) in a hospital. Even though it was a tiny dose there was a rebound agitation that I never got with oral opioids. This was true to a lesser extent with chewing oxycodone as well.

 

[chicpoena]

This is a fucking harm reduction site. You're teaching first timers how to shoot when the topic hasn't even been raised by someone planning on doing it?

People are going to IV no matter what. It's imperative that they have accurate information on how to IV. Even if no one asked it's always useful for the information to be out there in cyberspace, so that some lurker who's going to shoot up for the first time does it right. That, my friend, IS harm reduction.

 

[jykkE]

This is a fucking harm reduction site. You're teaching first timers how to shoot when the topic hasn't even been raised by someone planning on doing it?
How can you disagree?
WOO HARM REDUCTION MY FUCKING ASS.

Safe information is harm reduction. You're view on "harm reduction" is the drug czar's view on it and I guess you would rather make sure all safe information and proper techniques aren't readily available so people, who WILL DO IT ANYWAYS, will just fuck up something in the process because they *gasp* don't know how to do it right. If people want to do it, they make the decision quickly and the info should be there for them.

 

[phatass]

^^<<center--- i strongly dissagree with your viewfor as i explained, I for instance did not know hwo to IV properly when i started and did a lot of unnecessary damage... i am not encouraging by any means, I am just hoping that by raising the issue, other first timers won't fuck up like i did....

people are going to IV whether or not i start a "1st time IV" thread, is it not better that they approach this MOA well informed rather than not informed, or worse, missinformed...

hope you understand... if not, no sweat of my forehead, everyone is different, and has different views as we see all too often on BL, this is a good thing as it helps show "both sides of the coin" allthough "the coin" often has more than two sides, anyway, nuff said
peace

 

[TheodoreRoosevelt]

People are going to IV no matter what.

Yea and rapists are going to rape no matter what 8)

Harm reduction is not taking the view that people are going to do things no matter what. It's telling people who are already doing it how to do it safely. Harm reduction is, if someone is considering IVing drugs, telling them not to. Harm reduction is having the information out there, but it is not encouragement.

If someone is asking how to IV the first time, they should be encouraged not to, and told the dangers of IV use, not enabling them.

The information how to shoot safely is here, and this has been done over and over and over. If you want to tread the page, the information can be accessed using the search engine.

It's disturbing that people here are so quick to tell someone and encourage them how to IV, and not telling them the dangers of IV usage. It leads to addiction much quicker, which has its own problems, abscesses and other risks become possible, and much more. IVing is arguably the safest way to ingest a drug, it's why it's used so much in the medical setting - you don't damage the lungs with particulate and tar, you don't hurt the nose and septum, and you don't damage the liver and digestive system like you do with oral usage. You are left with a minimal damage to the skin, which heals and isn't damaging. However, it is riskier since the dosage required is smaller and the threshold for overdose and regular use is smaller.

I'd encourage you, OP, to not IV, if you can help it. Do not IV if your addiction is getting out of control, only IV if you truly must for whatever reason, and you are not under any physical addiction. If addiction is an issue, first deal with that and detox your system before trying IV use. You need to be in absolute control of your drug use before you try IVing.

Safe information is harm reduction. You're view on "harm reduction" is the drug czar's view on it and I guess you would rather make sure all safe information and proper techniques aren't readily available so people, who WILL DO IT ANYWAYS, will just fuck up something in the process because they *gasp* don't know how to do it right. If people want to do it, they make the decision quickly and the info should be there for them.

He's never said that and you're constant flaming of center is annoying. This site needs more encouragement to not use drugs and abstain rather than simply writing everyone off as inevitably going to IV use. This is definitely not a decision that needs to be made quickly, and the information is already out there.

center has never said the information shouldn't be there, or been against it. He simply has said that maybe you need to take a second look before you start IVing.

Some of the responses here are just ridiculous. Like T-Lo9999 saying "it is a great feeling... GO GO GO!!!".

ifonfly using a 23 gauge is unacceptable and not healthy at all. Go buy some 29+ gauge syringes, the damage you are doing to your veins is ridiculous. 23 gauge is used for intramuscular injections, not intravenous. They are cheap, there is absolutely no excuse for using such large gauges.

We should be telling people the dangers and benefits of IV use, not just how to do it. The information is there, just use the friggin search engine. Someone saying just the benefits of IV use is just as bad at skewing the information as the drug czar is by saying on the negatives of IV use.

 

[jykkE]

This site needs more encouragement to not use drugs and abstain

Do you know what the main topic of discussion on these forums is at all? Come the fuck on...
Telling people not to do drugs is what N/A is for. I'm not here, and noone else is, to be told not to use the drugs that I choose to.

We should be telling people the dangers and benefits of IV use, not just how to do it.

There actually is a thread containing just that in the DC forums. Here it is in fact: shooters - why do you do it

 

[jykkE]

Back to helping the original thread...hate when these things get side tracked.
Here's some endocarditis information as well as some HARM REDUCTION info on reducing risk.

Endocarditis is an inflammation or infection of the lining of the inner walls of the heart's chambers and valves. The infection that follows creates holes in the heart valves and distorts their shape.

How does one get endocarditis?
- When you inject without first cleaning the spot, you are creating an opening through the skin that lets the harmful organism into your bloodstream.

- These organisms can also be found in water. If the water you use for cleaning or dissolving isn't clean, that raises your risk.

- Also, if your injection equipment is dirty (syringe, needle, cooker...) the same thing can happen.

- You are at an even higher risk if you have a weakened immune system.

How to reduce the risk of endocarditis
- Clean the injection site
Before you inject, wash your skin with an alcohol pad or water and soap. Wipe outward in a circular motion so you don't just move the dirt around.

- Use clean water for injection.
Sterile water is the best, but bottled or distilled water is OK as well.

- Use clean equipment.
A brand new and sterile syringe is essential along with a clean spoon and filter.

 

[TheodoreRoosevelt]

Telling people not to do drugs is what N/A is for. I'm not here, and noone else is, to be told not to use the drugs that I choose to.

Sure, take my comment out of context, that's cool. My point was that there should be less of "it is a great feeling... GO GO GO!!!" and a more realistic approach on what drug use does.

There are many positives and many negatives. Some people are blindly just talking about the positive like how the government blindly focuses on the negative. I'm not saying you're a bad person if you use drugs, hell I do. I'm simply saying that there are negatives as well as positives, and that they should both be available. It's not as simple as "JUST DO IT" or "DONT DO IT".

I never said don't do drugs, so quit fucking flaming me and get off my balls. So "come the fuck on". I'm simply pointing out that your comment that people are going to do it anyways is stupid. People should be told the full extent of the information and they can decide for themselves. Don't decide for them, as you and center obviously have.

 

[phatass]

I still don't see why i shouldn't share something that has helped me not get my arms amputated from infection from a missed shot.... rather than writting ""holier than thou"" messages, why not add more INFORMATION for first time users....

if i wanna do something, i'm gonna do it regardless of what my parents say, what the polioce say, what my teachers say.... so havin someone i don't know tellin me 'dont do it...' is laughable...

stay informed, make YOUR choices....

 

[TheodoreRoosevelt]

Whatever man this has turned way too polemic.

I'm just saying there are positives and negatives to IV use, be careful. Learn all the safe way to do it, it's already here on this site with an easy search. Some great resources have already been posted in here.

I don't think people have made their minds up as solidly as some have implied. There are definitely reasons not to IV drugs. Regardless, the safe way to do it should be out there, and unfortunately it is all too rare and people are fucking themselves up out of ignorance. I learned proper technique from sites like this and have never had any drug use health issues occur because of it.

I disagree with center's just "Don't do it it's bad". You could've made a great post if you went more in-depth but instead look like a jackass. You shouldn't do it, sure, but that's not the question here and we shouldn't be here to make subjective points like that. What you should do, is be safe whatever you do.

 

[phatass]

^^my original post made no claim to cover all aspects of IV... only one aspect which wasd usefull for me that all..

 

[xxl]

Admittedly, some how-to posts should come with a health warning, or a warning like "Don't try this at home". Then again, the effect of such warnings would wear off if repeated too often, and they would end up encouraging people rather than the reverse. Is telling people how to get a better high with the same amount of drug harm reduction? Not in the strictest sense, but then again the concept of harm reduction applied on BL in a generous one. And that is good so I think.

 

[Missykins]

I am always surprised by the notion that IV drug users are "hardcore" addicts and pillheads are not. For example, how long can you go without your drug of choice, Center? I don't believe that IV use leads to greater, faster addiction--I know PLENTY of pillheads that used way more than I did at my peak (clean now).

The member who initiated the thread didn't ask for the pros and cons, but simply technique.

Center and Roosevelt, you need to tone it down a bit. Telling people how to safely shoot is harm reduction.

And besides you are both drug users!

 

[Annapanna]

sorry i am a foreigner, what is IV?

 

[bupropion]

I just got IV'd in the hospital for the first time. I had surgery on my jaw a couple of days ago (to fix my underbite), and when I regained conciousness after the procedure, they started giving me IV dosages of Demerol. I threw up the first four or five times, and I had them reduce my dosage from 50 mg to 25 mg. I think that even after that I got another 50 mg shot, which fucked my shit up, because I was really conscious when it happened. My girlfriend was there with me, and she could tell that I was really overwhelmed when they gave me that one.

I now see the reasons why/why not to IV drugs!

Why didn't they give you something else after you threw up the first time?