Meth Meth and collapsed vein (basilic) VERY WORRIED!

[justme6263]

So I almost never shoot meth or other drugs, I did so 8 days ago for the first time in nearly two years. I was fucked up pre shot and I used a vein which I believe had collapsed previously and I think is the basilic vein (runs from the wrist along the back of my left arm). I got some of the shot and felt the effects but also missed a lot and had a large swelling which went away over the coming days. I still have swelling at the injection site but its not particularly painful unless I knock it unexpectedly and the swelling is minor. When I investigate it I can feel the slight swelling and hardness around it.

My concern is - how important is the basilic vein? If it was already collapsed and I used it what are the dangers? If it is now gone and I missed some but blew the vein in the process is it likely to be dangerous to my health?

I never shoot up anymore and I am already a paranoid person, so my mind is doing overtime and I just don't know how to decipher the information on the web. Please someone put my mind at ease or inform me on what risk I am at?

 

[fairnymph]

We really can’t know without pictures and even if we had pictures, we’re not doctors, and definitely not YOUR doctor. Why do you think it is collapsed in the first place? One missed shot is extremely unlikely to cause a vein to collapse.

People with vascular damage tend to suffer from a lot of edema (swelling in the extremities, especially hands and forearms) and other symptoms of poor circulation, like cold hands. But if you’ve damaged one vein, even if you’ve fully collapsed one vein, it’s not like you’re going to imminently die. Other veins can compensate. Once you collapse multiple major veins in your arm, then you start having more major problems.

 

[justme6263]

We really can’t know without pictures and even if we had pictures, we’re not doctors, and definitely not YOUR doctor. Why do you think it is collapsed in the first place? One missed shot is extremely unlikely to cause a vein to collapse.

People with vascular damage tend to suffer from a lot of edema (swelling in the extremities, especially hands and forearms) and other symptoms of poor circulation, like cold hands. But if you’ve damaged one vein, even if you’ve fully collapsed one vein, it’s not like you’re going to imminently die. Other veins can compensate. Once you collapse multiple major veins in your arm, then you start having more major problems.

Hi,

thanks for the reply. I feel like I am being so over the top but I just can't help my mind going like the clappers and overthinking. I thought it had collapsed previously - before the shot in question - as part of it had sunken and looked 'bubbled' is the only way to describe it after I'd tried to hit the vein and wasn't successful. However, it must not have been blown as I was able to hit it for this shot I referred to in the OP? Also when I tie off my arm atm the vein still 'pops'? I just panic a lot and with no access to medical advice until tomorrow morning I am slightly scared. You've eased that fear and I apologise if I've been too quick to post about this or if I am not making sense.

My mental health and paranoia is off the charts since this most recent meth binge - first in over a year and a half - and I think thats contributing to my fear. Thanks though, I do appreciate the reply and its helped. I've never blown a vein aside from this one I *think* I blew. So I definitely don't have multiple veins shot to bits or and signs of thrombosis or stuff.

EDIT: I think my main fear is a clot, I guess I need face to face medical advice to alleviate these fears right?

 

[fairnymph]

Hi,

thanks for the reply. I feel like I am being so over the top but I just can't help my mind going like the clappers and overthinking. I thought it had collapsed previously - before the shot in question - as part of it had sunken and looked 'bubbled' is the only way to describe it after I'd tried to hit the vein and wasn't successful. However, it must not have been blown as I was able to hit it for this shot I referred to in the OP? Also when I tie off my arm atm the vein still 'pops'? I just panic a lot and with no access to medical advice until tomorrow morning I am slightly scared. You've eased that fear and I apologise if I've been too quick to post about this or if I am not making sense.

My mental health and paranoia is off the charts since this most recent meth binge - first in over a year and a half - and I think thats contributing to my fear. Thanks though, I do appreciate the reply and its helped. I've never blown a vein aside from this one I *think* I blew. So I definitely don't have multiple veins shot to bits or and signs of thrombosis or stuff.

EDIT: I think my main fear is a clot, I guess I need face to face medical advice to alleviate these fears right?

If that vein is still popping when you tie off then it’s not collapsed. It sounds like you just poked through it, which is quite common - it’s happened to the me numerous times when I’ve had blood drawn because my veins are kind of flat and small - but my vein healed fine and I don’t even have scars. And most maybe you ‘blew’ your vein, which is like a slightly more severe version of a poke through, and the vein requires about two weeks to heal. So definitely avoid using that vein for at least a few weeks if you can.

You generally have to poke through/blow a vein repeatedly and frequently to get a vein to collapse. I don’t think you really need to worry about a clot or DVT given what you’ve described. Of course if you are truly concerned, you should get your fears allayed, but I suspect you’re just hyper anxious from using meth which is extremely common.

You don’t need to apologise for anything. The whole purpose of this forum is to answer these kinds of questions and hopefully it will help others reading this in the future too. If you do see a doctor, though, please report back!

 

[Chickens]

My body is pretty much all "secondary" veins now. I fucked them up bad years ago. Then I started to get back in physical shape, and all of the veins that I used to have, were gone, but veins that used to be super tiny are now large and in charge.

Point is, a few veins collapsed won't do all that much. I'd be more worried about the acute damage from the missed shot.

 

[justme6263]

If that vein is still popping when you tie off then it’s not collapsed. It sounds like you just poked through it, which is quite common - it’s happened to the me numerous times when I’ve had blood drawn because my veins are kind of flat and small - but my vein healed fine and I don’t even have scars. And most maybe you ‘blew’ your vein, which is like a slightly more severe version of a poke through, and the vein requires about two weeks to heal. So definitely avoid using that vein for at least a few weeks if you can.

You generally have to poke through/blow a vein repeatedly and frequently to get a vein to collapse. I don’t think you really need to worry about a clot or DVT given what you’ve described. Of course if you are truly concerned, you should get your fears allayed, but I suspect you’re just hyper anxious from using meth which is extremely common.

You don’t need to apologise for anything. The whole purpose of this forum is to answer these kinds of questions and hopefully it will help others reading this in the future too. If you do see a doctor, though, please report back!

My body is pretty much all "secondary" veins now. I fucked them up bad years ago. Then I started to get back in physical shape, and all of the veins that I used to have, were gone, but veins that used to be super tiny are now large and in charge.

Point is, a few veins collapsed won't do all that much. I'd be more worried about the acute damage from the missed shot.

Thanks for the replies - you helped with calming myself down.

I saw a doc today and they said the same more or less - my veins are in good condition and the one in question, while damaged, isn't collapsed. They pointed me in the direction of drug services and offered a one hour course to learn how to properly and safely inject. I am actually clean (well was, until last week but I am now not using again). The doc said that its a one way road with IV use and my veins wouldn't stay around forever if I continued. He was concerned with the area of the missed shot and said to watch for signs of infection, did want me to go to the hozi so they could watch me as my heart was very high? I went but it was 14hr wait so went home.

 

[TheUltimateFixx]

Don't worry, your arm's not about to fall off. Xd

 

[fairnymph]

Thanks for the replies - you helped with calming myself down.

I saw a doc today and they said the same more or less - my veins are in good condition and the one in question, while damaged, isn't collapsed. They pointed me in the direction of drug services and offered a one hour course to learn how to properly and safely inject. I am actually clean (well was, until last week but I am now not using again). The doc said that its a one way road with IV use and my veins wouldn't stay around forever if I continued. He was concerned with the area of the missed shot and said to watch for signs of infection, did want me to go to the hozi so they could watch me as my heart was very high? I went but it was 14hr wait so went home.

Thanks for reporting back! I doubt you need to be in the hospital but definitely keep an eye out for infection.