Harm Reduction Meth/skin picking emergency

[nahmadds]

excoriation disorder whether sober or using, fairly experienced user, skin picking is under control for the most part but just a few hours ago dug a hole in chin for probably an hour and a half (yeah, just the one spot) and now whole left side of jaw is VISIBLY swollen, hanging quite a bit lower than the right side of face, the spot is hard around the wound, and the whole thing is numb and tingly. what the eff do I do? It's day 4 and panic is near, I dread a trip to the ER, and I can't comprehend the info I am finding on infections to my situation in my current state. Please help a bish out.

 

[Snafu in the Void]

You really need to go to either a clinic or hospital right now. Sounds like it could be a severe infection. It sounds very serious. Please seek medical attention ASAP. Infection can and will be fatal.

None of us are medical doctors. I know enough to know that sounds potentially VERY serious and you need medical.

Please take care of yourself friend.

 

[nahmadds]

You really need to go to either a clinic or hospital right now. Sounds like it could be a severe infection. It sounds very serious. Please seek medical attention ASAP. Infection can and will be fatal.

None of us are medical doctors. I know enough to know that sounds potentially VERY serious and you need medical.

Please take care of yourself friend.

can infection set in that quickly???

 

[Snafu in the Void]

can infection set in that quickly???

I cannot answer that question for you. but yes, it can. All I can say is there are certain points with my own health I don't joke around. I have gone to a doctor with no insurance several times. As long as you can put down $5 they cannot refuse you (in the US).

If I were in your shoes I would go to a local clinic not the ED

I'm not saying ignore medical bills but you should never hesitate to go to a doctor about this or anything serious. Don't be ashamed to tell them the truth either. You're only hurting yourself when you lie to a medical doctor. They don't care.

 

[Snafu in the Void]

Maybe someone else can chime in on this.

I'm not the most knowledgeable on this.

 

[4meSM]

Do you have a fever?

I don't know about this, you've been awake for 4 days and got to the point of picking your face for hours. That particular spot on your face is probably swollen (as it should) but the thing about your jaw hanging lower than usual and the tingly sensation could be paranoia. It could be your sleep deprived mind playing tricks on you.
It could be serious or just regular inflammation...

Do you have someone who can check on you? Or at least take a photo of your jaw and send to someone who has "sober eyes". Alternatively, I guess you could post it here if you want.

It sounds like you really need to sleep as well. Got any benzos?

 

[nahmadds]

The numbness on my jaw is gone now, it still seems just as swollen, it is a bit sore but it isn't throbbing or aching and it isn't red whatsoever. it's actually paler than the rest of my skin.
No fever.
No weeping pus, just the type of scabbing I'd expect for any pick wound.
I am fatigued and dazed and feel generally weak and unwell but I would think it would be wrecking me if there were infection taxations on top of my 4 days.

The sober eyes thing is a good point, especially because 4 days is atypical and because this week's episode of my life has had me in a strange mindset... I will update with the response to the photo sent to my person. Don't need anything in order to go to sleep right now, just don't wanna go to sleep and wake up dead.
Also, I did the same thing to my leg one time and I thought I had somehow fucked up a nerve because the area was completely numb, but it went away and healed up fine.

Do you have a fever?

I don't know about this, you've been awake for 4 days and got to the point of picking your face for hours. That particular spot on your face is probably swollen (as it should) but the thing about your jaw hanging lower than usual and the tingly sensation could be paranoia. It could be your sleep deprived mind playing tricks on you.
It could be serious or just regular inflammation...

Do you have someone who can check on you? Or at least take a photo of your jaw and send to someone who has "sober eyes". Alternatively, I guess you could post it here if you want.

It sounds like you really need to sleep as well. Got any benzos?

 

[Zephyn]

I cannot answer that question for you. but yes, it can. All I can say is there are certain points with my own health I don't joke around. I have gone to a doctor with no insurance several times. As long as you can put down $5 they cannot refuse you (in the US).

If I were in your shoes I would go to a local clinic not the ED

I'm not saying ignore medical bills but you should never hesitate to go to a doctor about this or anything serious. Don't be ashamed to tell them the truth either. You're only hurting yourself when you lie to a medical doctor. They don't care.

Is this true? I know ERs can't turn away people, but doctors offices or urgent cares? Regarding the $5

 

[Snafu in the Void]

Is this true? I know ERs can't turn away people, but doctors offices or urgent cares? Regarding the $5

Its ultimately up to them since clinics are private. I've never been denied by putting $10 down on an intake bill. Without insurance. Just don't act crazy and they will help you

 

[nahmadds]

I cannot answer that question for you. but yes, it can. All I can say is there are certain points with my own health I don't joke around. I have gone to a doctor with no insurance several times. As long as you can put down $5 they cannot refuse you (in the US).

If I were in your shoes I would go to a local clinic not the ED

I'm not saying ignore medical bills but you should never hesitate to go to a doctor about this or anything serious. Don't be ashamed to tell them the truth either. You're only hurting yourself when you lie to a medical doctor. They don't care.

The local clinic is closed, the ER is 50 mins away from me, and I am uncertain about driving myself. I am also in that stuck brain mode right now.
Fuck. It is raining and my car's windshield wipers randomly stopped working this week, so I can't even drive myself if I do work up the capability of driving for 50 minutes.
Have you ever had an infection? It would be showing signs of progression, right? Like... it wouldn't just silently kill me without getting worse first? Wounds tend to all be/look more swollen when a person has been up for days on meth, veins are prominent, skin is sucked in, but I have never had something this fucking freaky happen while high.

 

[Snafu in the Void]

Have you ever had an infection?

I have nearly died from severe infection more than once, yes, but not drug related..

There are ultimately people here more qualified to advise you here than me. My DOC was always heroin but I sure loved my meth too. I was never a scratcher.

 

[Jabberwocky]

If you’ve only just dug this hole in the last several hours it’s very unlikely you will have an infection, although you may have created the conditions for one. It sounds like you are pretty strung out. If you have some benzos, take them and have a lie down for a few hours and relax. Sleep if you can. Then get up, clean yourself up, have a nice long shower, and go see a doctor at a clinic.

There is no real need to tell them you were on meth. Just say you were absent mindedly picking at an itch and it has become very inflamed.

Most likely they will prescribe you an OTC cream to help heal the wound and prevent infection. If it were me, I’d actually go ask a pharmacist before I saw a doctor. It may be less serious than you think and an OTC cream enough to deal with it.

 

[Zephyn]

You may be okay, I have caused some serious lesions on my face doing the same thing. Maybe some tea tree oil, triple antibiotic, and hydrocortisone might help, but if it's been more than a few hours, yeah maybe go to the ER. Can always give give a fake name.

After a week, some heavy moisturizer and might want to look into some scar fading cream as well

 

[Zephyn]

I had a theory that crack, and meth, prevent proper healing of skin wounds, because I've never had the problem sober even though I pick then too.

 

[nahmadds]

If you’ve only just dug this hole in the last several hours it’s very unlikely you will have an infection, although you may have created the conditions for one. It sounds like you are pretty strung out. If you have some benzos, take them and have a lie down for a few hours and relax. Sleep if you can. Then get up, clean yourself up, have a nice long shower, and go see a doctor at a clinic.

There is no real need to tell them you were on meth. Just say you were absent mindedly picking at an itch and it has become very inflamed.

Most likely they will prescribe you an OTC cream to help heal the wound and prevent infection. If it were me, I’d actually go ask a pharmacist before I saw a doctor. It may be less serious than you think and an OTC cream enough to deal with it.

Yay! This is so rational. I nearly burst into tears when my brain said "sag face-wait-only half- stroke?" and I'm grateful I managed to stay present enough to hop around some Google searches I couldn't process whatsoever at the time and eventually remember this site.
I do need sleep, don't need benzos for it, might smoke some herb after I feel confident that my lumpy chin isn't going to murder me in my sleep.
I'm thinking when I wake up the wound be much tamer. They pretty much always are. Sleep is magical.

 

[deficiT]

I believe a combination of sleep deprivation, vasoconstriction, and likely dehydration and or/malnutrion are probably doing a number on your mind right now, This could easily cause you to panic.

My ex-wife not only picked, but she did it for a lot longer than an hour and a half, and she had many many terrible looking sores and shit all over her body. Foam clyndamycin will help if you put it on your skin, (it burns like fuck). It's doubful you would scratch yourself and become infected in that quick amount of time. I mean, definitely try your best to let it heal at this point, otherwise those sores can stay there for as looooong as you scratch em.

 

[nahmadds]

I had a theory that crack, and meth, prevent proper healing of skin wounds, because I've never had the problem sober even though I pick then too.

Yuuuuuup. Literally after a fat nap all the marks have simmered down just as my cheeks have regained their chub and my hands have lost that taut, shiny creaky mood.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Yuuuuuup. Literally after a fat nap all the marks have simmered down just as my cheeks have regained their chub and my hands have lost that taut, shiny creaky mood.

Very glad we helped you out here and very happy you are feeling better. Nothing beats a nap for getting on top of things and resetting a tweaky brain.

 

[nahmadds]

I believe a combination of sleep deprivation, vasoconstriction, and likely dehydration and or/malnutrion are probably doing a number on your mind right now, This could easily cause you to panic.

My ex-wife not only picked, but she did it for a lot longer than an hour and a half, and she had many many terrible looking sores and shit all over her body. Foam clyndamycin will help if you put it on your skin, (it burns like fuck). It's doubful you would scratch yourself and become infected in that quick amount of time. I mean, definitely try your best to let it heal at this point, otherwise those sores can stay there for as looooong as you scratch em.

Thank you. A personal anecdote trumping my present nightmare is what I was waiting for in order to feel comfortable about believing that errythangs gon be okay. I just wasn't present enough, didn't make myself eat, sacrificed my presence of mind in todays comedown for last night's fantastical production of 'Day 4: the one ya didnt see comin and wont see goin'.

 

[nahmadds]

Very glad we helped you out here and very happy you are feeling better. Nothing beats a nap for getting on top of things and resetting a tweaky brain.

I made this acct in a flustered, desperate panic, but the engagement with yall as I worked through these hours has helped ground me and I feel rightfully human again. Much love.