Well for the past 24 hours I've been shooting cocaine and for those who have done such a thing, it becomes incredibly difficult to not cause scar tissue or miss.
I tried my bicep vein and missed most of the shot (27g needles all I have)
It's only been like 12 hours but it is red, a circle with lines around it. Some of my veins have a blackish tint as well.
What can I do and when should I seek treatment?
Hospital. I got an abscess in my leg. Intramuscular. It ended up so painful I couldn't walk (they gave me a wheelchair when I met the specialist and he said it would be less painful if I'd just broken the leg). It was very large and infected and I had to have an operation to remove it and now I have a 5 inch long scar on my thigh.
Red lines indicate infection. SPREADING infection, potentially getting into the blood. This can cause sepsis and is absolutely classed as a medical emergency (AKA a 911 situation). The black could be necrosis. Also a medical emergency. The fact that all this has happened means you could have something like Necrotizing Fasciitis.
Go to the emergency room right away if you notice any of these symptoms:
Swelling or oedema in at the wound area
You have a fever
Weakness or dizziness, especially if accompanied by racing heart [indicative of falling or low blood pressure]
Severe pain that feels out of proportion to how the wound looks
If you have a rash, use a biro and trace around the outside of it in pen. If the rash has spread notably beyond the line you drew around the border (spread of more then 2 inches in two hours)
ANY blackness (note: necrotic tissue - particularly on the surface of the skin where the infection is actually deeper CAN often appear a deep purple, similar to bruising, or even ashy grey)
Flu-like symptoms
The skin appears "bubbly" or makes a crackling noise if you press down on it
Vomiting/diarrhoea
You start feeling confused
[these, especially if you have more than one, along with how you describe your wound could suggest a severe soft-tissue infection or other dangerous problems like Necrotizing Fasciitis, Gas Gangrene, Sepsis etc]
NOTE: While I have done extensive studying in general as I would like to be a nurse one day, I am NOT a medical professional.
If that was all too long and boring, the short answer is: YES. Please at the very least see a doctor. TODAY. Preferably right now. It's not worth the risk. It's better to get help and be told you're fine than to not get help and....you know.
