Stimulants Missed shot of meth resin, should I be more worried about an abcess than I would be from a normal shot?

[Solias3689]

Like the title says, I missed an IV shot of previously smoked meth that was resin broke down in water. I didn't miss a lot but the water was fairly brown so I'm a tad worried. The swelling and redness has gone down about an hour or so after the shot.

 

[SKL]

Yes, you should. Injecting that kind of stuff was a very, very bad idea. Don't do it again. The human body being a resilient thing, though, your chances of getting away with this just the once are decent until you start to get more swelling/redness/pain/heat/tightness at the area in which case you will need to seek medical attention. Resist the urge to fidget with the site, though, that will only invite more trouble. Just apply warm compresses for 30-45 minutes, 3-4 times over 24 hours, and see where you are then. Go to the ER if you develop symptoms.

 

[Winstontjones]

I’ve baby-sat an abscess before (successfully) by taking antibiotics I happened to have on hand. I only decided to chance taking the antibiotics because of past abscesses I’ve endured- having gone to the ER and per the doctor’s prescription received either oral or IV antibiotics. I figured hell why not; what could they hurt?.

Twenty-four hours later the cellulitis around my abscess had subsided, and two days later my abscess had gone down significantly...

The antibiotic was simple penicillin.

 

[SKL]

I’ve baby-sat an abscess before (successfully) by taking antibiotics I happened to have on hand. I only decided to chance taking the antibiotics because of past abscesses I’ve endured- having gone to the ER and per the doctor’s prescription received either oral or IV antibiotics. I figured hell why not; what could they hurt?.

Twenty-four hours later the cellulitis around my abscess had subsided, and two days later my abscess had gone down significantly...

The antibiotic was simple penicillin.

Nope. (Usually) not the right thing to do. An abscess by definition is a sort of closed off pocket. Antibiotics have trouble getting into the infected pocket to do their stuff. The thing to do with an abscess is let it drain.

This is best done by a doctor in the ER but, as I didn't always practice what I preach, I've done it with a scalpel with a sterile blade to make a small cut (you can see guides to this online, in an uncomplicated situation it's definitely not one of the more complicated things Doctors do) and then wrapped it in gauze over a sterile dressing, changing dressing frequently. Note I don't say sterile razor. I mean a medical scalpel, in original sterile packaging. Running a razor over a flame a few times isn't going to cut it. Some people have used syringes to pop the abscess, which might work but is not ideal, the cut should be a little larger.

Antibiotics only come into play if the abscess isn't draining well and doesn't heal or more commonly if the infection is left alone without drainage and then becomes systemic in the body, at which point you'll probably have symptoms like fever which you may or may not have with the abscess when still closes off.

If you get an abscess, go to the ER.

 

[LivingOnValium]

I’ve baby-sat an abscess before (successfully) by taking antibiotics I happened to have on hand. I only decided to chance taking the antibiotics because of past abscesses I’ve endured- having gone to the ER and per the doctor’s prescription received either oral or IV antibiotics. I figured hell why not; what could they hurt?.

Twenty-four hours later the cellulitis around my abscess had subsided, and two days later my abscess had gone down significantly...

The antibiotic was simple penicillin.

The most common antibiotic for abscess' (caused by IV drug use) is cephalexin. Sometimes it can be doxycyclin as well.

 

[Winstontjones]

Yea, def recommended to go to the ER! I just happened to be in a personal situation-type predicament and happened to catch it early enough. All-in-all though, the safest thing to do is to suck it up, face the embarrassment, and hit the ER.