IV'ing stigma

[gimpan]

Ayone here when buying a fitpack travel far from your regular chemist because youre embarrassed and dont want your pharmacist knowing you IV, and even then I hate doing it thats why ill reuse needles.

 

[eldub v7.0]

i'm in the position where if i go to get needles from a pharmacy or the exchange my dr is pretty well let known. i had a shot the other week and at my last visit he asked (for the umpteenth time) whether i used to IV; i've got to be honest with him and just let him know i'd slipped up a little and had shot up recently.

i've left myself in the position where i have to be upfront and honest with my doctor otherwise i'm cut off from my meds and i don't need that when the condition i have has to be managed for life- degenerative disc disease.

 

[Crankinit]

i'm in the position where if i go to get needles from a pharmacy or the exchange my dr is pretty well let known. i had a shot the other week and at my last visit he asked (for the umpteenth time) whether i used to IV; i've got to be honest with him and just let him know i'd slipped up a little and had shot up recently.

Pretty sure exchanges are supposed to keep their clientele anonymous, they don't even take any identifying details. Pharmacists there's nothing you can do about but hope they won't be a douche I guess, but exchanges definitely shouldn't be telling anyone anything.

 

[eldub v7.0]

Pretty sure exchanges are supposed to keep their clientele anonymous, they don't even take any identifying details. Pharmacists there's nothing you can do about but hope they won't be a douche I guess, but exchanges definitely shouldn't be telling anyone anything.

you're right, but i've also given them my consent to relay, to my GP, any information i've shared with them. it's a long and complicated story.

it doesn't bother me because my Dr has told me straight don't reuse, share, etc if i'm IVing. just don't turn up there sick, early and wanting refills before i'm due. pretty simple terms to abide by

 

[What was it?]

Generally IVing is more reinforcing/addicting. Faster and stronger onset and faster peak and drop-off. As such it is just more 'indulging', 'decandent' and shows more signs of a lack of control. I've done it once and it's definitely grat and therein lays the problem. I have enough on my hands with a semi-opioid dependance.....don't need a semi-iv or full-iv dependance. people who draw the line at iv usually recognize that their drug taking poses big riskr and that they want to limit those risks somewhere. The general public probably just sees it as a complete lack of self-discipline. For the record, I find IVing and being overweight an equal evil - both somehow lack self-control. If anybody on here can IV once a month or less and still be a happy camper, hats of to them!!!! For people who have chronic pain though I totally support IV. Personally if I really want the rush I'll smoke opioids,but keep that as a treat too.

 

[Ashley]

Generally IVing is more reinforcing/addicting. Faster and stronger onset and faster peak and drop-off. As such it is just more 'indulging', 'decandent' and shows more signs of a lack of control.

This is truth. If I shoot up around someone that doesn't I feel like I'm masturbating in public or something.

Ash.

 

[dais]

^i get the exact same feeling. i don't hang around anyone who injects so when i do go for a bunt it's usually taken care of before catching up or i do it in the comfort of my home.

 

[junkie skumbag]

This is truth. If I shoot up around someone that doesn't I feel like I'm masturbating in public or something.

Ash.

tru that when i IV i dont do it in front of everyone i get the one person who knows what there doing to take me to my room and do it or go into the kitchen n do it,i dont like advertising that i IV now n then.i dont wanna make it a habbit.i've hung around IV users for years and seen it done in front of me so it dosnt really worries me like a non IV user or observer.

 

[Azron]

iv is just a another roa. fuck anyone else... my mates smoke meth and most of it ends up landing on the top of the ceiling fan... i iv for bioavailibilty mainly and cause its fun. (so is smoking) but with H ill always iv or im, smoking just a waste ino

 

[junkie skumbag]

iv is just a another roa. fuck anyone else... my mates smoke meth and most of it ends up landing on the top of the ceiling fan... i iv for bioavailibilty mainly and cause its fun. (so is smoking) but with H ill always iv or im, smoking just a waste ino

yeah but non IV users dont rly like watching people stick needles in there arms n all that

 

[dais]

iv is just a another roa. fuck anyone else... my mates smoke meth and most of it ends up landing on the top of the ceiling fan... i iv for bioavailibilty mainly and cause its fun. (so is smoking) but with H ill always iv or im, smoking just a waste ino

yeah but we're talking to the stigma attached to it here.

generally you pull a few looks of despair around the place when you pull out your works and baggy and prep up in a room full of people who might use but certainly don't shoot. it's the polite thing to ask for a room to yourself - if there's such a thing.

accept it or not, IVing has a negative stigma attached to it after everything possible can be presented.

if you're a user don't let yourself fulfill the active stereotype by taking the utmost care in your "work".

 

[Sustanon]

Ive never IV'd before and never planning to either but I dont mind people shooting up around me, Im kinda used to it plus it makes me feel slightly bit better knowing that I can resist it all and control that ROA. The stigma is only coming from the non informed people. You dont look down on someone just because they are using needles, hell even in the bodybuilding world people frown upon pill takers opposed to injectors because of the health risks associated with it (Injectables are slightly friendlier on the kidney and liver than oral steroids)

 

[gimpan]

Im a real hypocrite when it comes to needles. I can happily dose myself, but cringe a bit when Im with others shooting up especially if its before im high.
Thats why if im going to get on it with other people Ill usually drink beet and pop a xanax first.

 

[tentram]

i was staged as the "guinea pig" to test new batches of speed we were getting when i was addicted to it because i was an avid IVer back then. talk about young and dumb.

but cringe a bit when Im with others shooting up especially if its before im high.

i always felt like a bit of a cunt around an ex-gf when we used to use together. i injected, she didn't - though i was pressed to give her a hit, i never fell into it - and i could never wait the 45-60mins it took for her to come up before i would have my shot. i'd have had my fix, gotten past the peak and onto the plateau by the time she was proper high. it was me being a selfish junkie taking care of only himself. the relationship turned toxic rather quickly as we both fell to addiction, though, thankfully she got out a lot quicker than me and as far as i know it never escalated too far for her. i caught up with her a few years down the track and she seemed to be doing well for herself in that respect.

the same unease was about when i would use around any other friends as well. sometimes i could wait, other times it was in my arm before they could even think of how much they wanted to rail. before too long the needle usually comes before most everything in my life which is why i avoid it as much as possible now.

my doctor still gives me the up and down of the arms every few visits and i can't help but give him a big smile back and answer "no" when he pulls up his sleeves and ask "you been putting this up your arm lately?". it's my choice to shoot, he says, just don't share and practice the safest possible technique.

 

[Ashley]

It's worse when you overdose in someone's house, even if they do IV and even if they do IV heroin, that have graciously let you have a blat in their home. I swear, I never mean to, but the number of time's I've done this is scary. It's so embarrassing.

Ash.

 

[tentram]

i've had that happen as well and it's left me in a pretty bad situations before; last time especially. otherwise my friends have been cool about it and kept me in check as much as they care to intervene. i usually only use alone but generally give someone a heads up when i do intend to get high to kinda keep tabs.

last it was the simple case of abstaining use for a while and overshooting what my tolerance really was. i've used up a few lives already and they've always had benzo's thrown in the mix. another rookie error.

 

[jackie jones]

I find the problem comes when the respective IV user stops (or never starts, as it may be) caring, and just wants the drug in a syringe and into a vein as quickly as possible. It is a good many of IV users (the majority, I imagine) that give the practice a stigma. When a proper IV user uses new needles with every injection, filters properly, rotates veins, et cetera, there is not much problem outside of the addiction itself.

I have injected drugs from time to time, and have, after certain binges, found my veins on each arm (I have fabulous veins and never have a problem registering) lined with tracks, and it is at this point when I know it is time to chill out away from the needle for an undetermined amount of time. This is when other ROAs are utilized.

Plugging is a ROA that I have never tried, not because there is something wrong about it, yet because I just never gave it much consideration, utilizing mainly oral administration (yes, taking the hit of lower BA, and delayed onset) and sometimes insufflation (which is a ROA that I tire of very quickly, usually after one session).

 

[Ashley]

I find the problem comes when the respective IV user stops (or never starts, as it may be) caring, and just wants the drug in a syringe and into a vein as quickly as possible. It is a good many of IV users (the majority, I imagine) that give the practice a stigma. When a proper IV user uses new needles with every injection, filters properly, rotates veins, et cetera, there is not much problem outside of the addiction itself.

This is very true, I have found myself up until recently falling into more reckless behaviour when injecting drugs. Not swabbing the spoon, for example. Not using a filter. Not swabbing my arm. Letting tap water puddle up in my hand and drawing it up like that. Not using micron filters (when I ALWAYS have) for pills like Subutex/Suboxone or even OxyContin. And re-using old needles, even though fresh picks and supplies can be delivered (one phone call away) by the local Outreach service that works for our local NSP.

I used to be meticulous when it came to injecting, but I think it has a lot to do with how you view/feel about yourself at the time. Lately, I couldn't give a fuck about my health, if I die, or lose an arm due to certain life events. I just wanna get that shot in my arm and distract myself from the pain of existence.

If someone had have told me 6 months ago that they drew up a solution without using a filter (sterile cotton or otherwise) and proceeded to pass me my taste I would have cringed and most likely re-filtered the shot with a cotton. I have since grasped just how slack I have become, and how dangerous it is, and I'm pulling my head in as we speak. I still shudder to think of all the times I have injected cloudy solutions of buprenorphine and if and how much of that insoluble particulate matter has ended up in my lungs or caused damage to any of my other internal organs. And since keeping the practice of re-using needles, my injection sites (track marks) are now rather apparent, whereas before by looking at my arms you wouldn't have been able to tell that I was an IV drug user.

This is how you get sick people and this is why injecting drugs has a stigma attached to it, because you can be filthy about the practice. On the other hand you can inject whilst maintaining a near sterile environment. Take pride in your injecting ritual, it only takes mere seconds longer to make sure things are disinfected, prepare a filter, etc. And these mere seconds will likely save you from a serious medical complication that will no doubt pop up at some point or another.

Ash.

 

[Crankinit]

Speaking of speed (not that kind, necessarily) and sterility, how long do you guys generally take to prepare and inject a properly filtered, hygienic shot of your DOC? Obviously a pill shot will take longer, but I've found the quickest I've managed was 10 minutes (oxycontin), and often it drags on to 15, 20. Now I thought that was fairly normal but the last few times I've shot up with someone else (something I don't do often) they've commented on how long I take. Is it just because I'm pedantic about doing an extra wash to get all my drugs? But a lot of people do the same, for the obvious reason.

 

[jackie jones]

Not swabbing the spoon, for example. Not using a filter. Not swabbing my arm. Letting tap water puddle up in my hand and drawing it up like that.

Haha. One time relatively recently, I found myself in my car in the sticks with no filter at all and used the old Burroughs' trick of using a ball of lint from my pocket.

...

It worked surprisingly well.

...

As you mentioned, however, sterility is a must. I do not believe I have ever injected without cleaning the spoon and my injection site thoroughly. I have also never understood why people re-use syringes. They are so inexpensive and available (NY) here, there is no reason not to.