Heroin IV noobie..already mixed H with water and don't want to waste it (safe to try again?)

[Myxomatosis]

Ok so I'll make this short.

Was trying to IV a small amount of H (using about 50 units of 'sterile water' (comes in a vial at the needle exchange). I was being overly cautious trying to make sure there were no air bubbles that I was overlooking after drawing up the solution through a filter... which wasted some of it.

Basically, I stuck a vein in my forearm twice, but I honestly couldn't pull back the plunger on the syringe to verify that I was in. So I didn't go through with the shot either time, and the guide I was reading (here on BL) said to start over again with a new needle if the one you're using leaves your body. I didn't take heed of this advice at first and tried one more time to register (was this dumb? I hear of people poking themselves like a hundred times trying to hit a vein so I didn't think it was THAT big of a risk), but then became frustrated that I couldn't pull back on the damn plunger AGAIN.

I dumped the solution back into a cooker/spoon and now I'm wondering is it safe to draw up and shoot again?! Should I be storing it in the fridge to minimize chance of exposure to bacteria?

Fuck I don't want to waste the H, I'm insufflating some now to calm myself but I was really hoping I wouldn't have this much trouble shooting up

edit: I feel like an idiot ugh, I really hope I didn't waste this shot.

 

[lolwhatzdrugs]

Pull needle out of syringe (literally, make syringe have no needle), plug it (rectally). Really, any other way is not very sterile or safe IMO. Go read IV HR thread 5 times.

 

[Myxomatosis]

Pull needle out of syringe (literally, make syringe have no needle), plug it (rectally). Really, any other way is not very sterile or safe IMO. Go read IV HR thread 5 times.

Just for future reference: this is the thread you're talking about right?

edit: And yes, after some further reading it seems like plugging is the best thing to do at this point. Going to work on my technique before trying to IV again

 

[lolwhatzdrugs]

Just for future reference: this is the thread you're talking about right?

Yup, that one is a megathread on safe IV use that is still open.

Be safe, IMO rectal use will get you higher quicker as all it takes is dissolving and plugging. No puncturing your veins, no needles, no thrombosis and quick onset. Almost everything IVing offers without most of the danger.

 

[Rybee]

Pull needle out of syringe (literally, make syringe have no needle), plug it (rectally). Really, any other way is not very sterile or safe IMO. Go read IV HR thread 5 times.

This is what I'd have suggested you do too. I'd do it ASAP, if you haven't already.

Also, you just reminded me of this picture that may put repetitive needle use into context:

 

[lolwhatzdrugs]

^And each 'use' is a single insertion.


Pay particular attention to using wheel/syringe .2um micron filters. Those make IV use much safer, but by no means bulletproof.

 

[neurotic]

yeah people do poke themselves multiple times, but it's definitely terrible

as you can see in the pictures above needletips get destroyed with each use. you can feel a dull needle hurts more, and takes more pushing to penetrate the skin. also, dull needles def aren't good for your veins.

the ideal would be one use per needle, but you know how it is... i myself am guilty of reusing needles. but i will go ahead and say that 2 times, MAY BE 3 is - although not the best - not that bad.

seriously i'm cheap as fuck and i've had poking myself like 7, 8 times with the same needle and even 31s hurt at this point. terrible for the veins i believe. the sensation trying to fucking pick your skin is shit too.

so yeah, buy more needles and don't reuse them

 

[lolwhatzdrugs]

so yeah, buy more needles and don't reuse them

Plenty of places online to get huge boxes (50-90 count) of 1cc 31G 5/16" for pretty damn cheap. No reason to reuse. Isopropyl alcohol in a bottle and paper towels to make your own sterile wipes are cheap too. Cut em up into a bunch of squares and throw it in a plastic bag full of 90% Iso Alcohol. Everclear works too, better probably because it's hard to find 100%Iso Alcohol.


Even better, you can buy 100 oral syringes on a major auction site without a needle for really freaking cheap, and plug your doses! Slightly lower BA, 100x safer, especially if you plug using the water from a bacteriostatic solution.

 

[downerhead]

I always preferred needles that had performed 2 or 3 "sticks".With a brand new one it seemed I would sometimes either go through the vein or back out of it as I worked the plunger,missing a good portion of my shot.Then again,I would often use needles untill the numbers wore off and you could feel and actually faintly hear it ripping the skin more than cleanly puncturing it.I would even save a few of those for absolute emegencies(no other rigs immediately available,need them for spare parts like plungers or the rubber stopper at the tip of the plunger etc...).I know many of you will shake your heads and laugh(and rightly so)but what can I say?I was a hardcore junkie with a sick habbit and did what I had to do.Plus,I 'm sure I'm not the only one to have done this,in fact I know.

Regarding the OPs statement about not being able to pull back on the plunger,I'm not quite sure I understand.Do you mean it physically wouldn't draw back.Often,when it won't draw back or push forward the needle is clogged with a piece of cut.Different things break down at different temperatures and when the shot cools a little bit the cut may partially solidify,clogging your rig.What I used to do to fix this was to microwave a half a coffee cup with water and gently place it,needle down,in the almost boiling water that had been microwaved for a 1 and 1/2 or 2 minutes.You have to watch it the whole time though because you'll see the dope all of a sudden begin to flow into the water.Clog cleared and withdraw the syring from the water quickly.I once wasted half a shot by not paying attention.I guess this is due to the vaccume created in a syringe when liguid is draawn up and the tip clogged.Just thought I'd share a way that worked just abouy every time for me.If you have dope that conistantly does this,someone probably fucked up while cutting it,either using too much cut,the wrong cut or just not knowing how to properly cut dope.In this case just don't cook it and cold wash it instead.If you have such a shot already made up and pull the plunger out and empty it into a cooker,don't re-cook it whatever you do.Just add some more water and draw through a fresh cotton.Some dope with a fucked up cut requires a little more water to prepare anyway.Hope this helps.

 

[Lechium]

I too have used needles too many times where they wouldnt even pierce the skin and that shit is no good, but when you're desperate and thats all you got you make do. Definitely wrecked havoc on my arms though and I had a vein collapse because of it. These days if I IV i will only use a needle 2-3 times max but I prefer getting enough so that I can use a new one every time. It is hard going from a old used needle to a new one tho- ive stabbed thru veins like crazy after being used to using dull ones all the time.

 

[Myxomatosis]

Regarding the OPs statement about not being able to pull back on the plunger,I'm not quite sure I understand.Do you mean it physically wouldn't draw back.Often,when it won't draw back or push forward the needle is clogged with a piece of cut.Different things break down at different temperatures and when the shot cools a little bit the cut may partially solidify,clogging your rig.What I used to do to fix this was to microwave a half a coffee cup with water and gently place it,needle down,in the almost boiling water that had been microwaved for a 1 and 1/2 or 2 minutes.You have to watch it the whole time though because you'll see the dope all of a sudden begin to flow into the water.Clog cleared and withdraw the syring from the water quickly.I once wasted half a shot by not paying attention.I guess this is due to the vaccume created in a syringe when liguid is draawn up and the tip clogged.Just thought I'd share a way that worked just abouy every time for me.If you have dope that conistantly does this,someone probably fucked up while cutting it,either using too much cut,the wrong cut or just not knowing how to properly cut dope.In this case just don't cook it and cold wash it instead.If you have such a shot already made up and pull the plunger out and empty it into a cooker,don't re-cook it whatever you do.Just add some more water and draw through a fresh cotton.Some dope with a fucked up cut requires a little more water to prepare anyway.Hope this helps.

I don't think the needle was clogged but I'll keep this in mind. I am just inexperienced and was having difficulty keeping a steady hand while trying to pull the plunger back & got frustrated very easily.

In hindsight, I probably should've just taken another syringe, taken the plunger out, shot the solution into the back of it & tried again. Instead, I dumped it into a cooker and posted here. I ended up deciding not to IV it. I guess I'm lucky to be in a position where that is still an option in my head due to the risks involved. If my habit was worse, there's no doubt in my mind I would've shot it. But then again, I probably wouldn't have fucked up the shot by being a noob if that were the case.

Thanks for all the replies