Post injection best practices

[LotusExige]

I've done a fair bit of searching and while I've read lots of posts on what to do about missed shots and complications arising from mistakes What I'm looking for is what to do post shot when everything goes great. I'd like to keep veins that are hitting well stay that way as long as possible.


There are 3 main things I do post shot. First, I'll use a lot of pressure on the spot by taking a small hand towel, rolling it into a tight ball and put that against my skin at the injection site and wrap that fairly tightly using an Ace bandage. Second, I'll do basically the same thing but will put a small ice pack against my skin, held in place by an Ace bandage. Finally I'll just use a lot of pressure for about a minute and that's it.


Again I'm not looking for things to do when dealing with complications nor best practices for injection in general. I already use a new needle every time I pierce the skin, use saline solution, a hot compress before, wipe with alcohol pads, go very slowly and remove the tourniquet before injecting. Looking for the best things to do after a successful injection to keep a vein happy and healthy so it can be used for many shots to come.

 

[LotusExige]

No one? I guess it's a dumb question, I missed other threads about it, I posted in the wrong place or I just need to wait to see if anyone replies ;-)

 

[wezface]

There's not a ton of traffic around here. Don't be too disheartened if you don't get a reply right away

Anyway, the best things you can do are to always use new needles, make sure your injection site is clean/sterilized before and after injection, and try to have a few different places to hit so you're not using the same spot all the time. Giving injection sites time to heal between uses will help immensely. Also, using Neosporin/antibiotic ointment on an injection site after washing post-hit reduces healing time by a ton and really gives great results.

 

[szuko000]

^ that is actually the best post injection advise there is for when everything goes right. Beyond ensuring the area is treated with an low strength antibiotic ointment and sealed to prevent exposure there really isnt anything else you can do. Using different needles and rotating sites so they may heal is another essential part.

The only other way I can think to keep healthy veins is with exercise and proper diet.

And a note about thread replies, we are from all over the world and if you are in Germany you may be asleep right now where as Wezface and i are awake now we are a global community

 

[LotusExige]

Thanks guys for essentially confirming what I already sorta thought was true, that is the most important aspect of caring for veins isn't post shot it's all about how you do the shot. I think the only thing above I see that I don't do is use Neosporin, that's a great idea and I have a tube of it in the medicine cabinet anyway. I already follow all the other best practices around rotating sites, fresh needle every time, sterilize the injection site, sterilize my spoon, etc. The only time I'll use a needle more than once is if I miss and don't register in a very soft spot I'll move to a tougher spot and try again (by tougher I mean the skin like crook of my arm vs. side of my wrist). Even then 90% of the time a needle only pierces my skin once then hit or not I pitch it. Damn do I go through a lot of needles that way but you just have to.

Oh and as for being in Germany just because my profile says that it doesn't mean I'm actually there I know swimming isn't allowed here so if that's essentially the same thing and should be accurate let me know and I'll change it. Oh and sorry if I seemed impatient, which I guess I was. I sorta figured that would be a way to bump the thread at least.

 

[LotusExige]

Just sorta bumping my old thread to see if anyone else has advice on how to keep a vein as healthy as possible as long as possible. I've had a very hard time hitting a vein lately after a 3-4 month mini-bender most have given out on me. My elbow crook used to be great but now I can't get anything. Sometimes I've been through up to 20 needles in one session before hitting pay dirt somewhere. Many of us have been through this I'm sure and knows the pain and fear it engenders. Lately I've had to resort to plugging just to keep the withdrawals away and while I can't say I enjoy that at all I'm enough of an adult that it doesn't bother me, etc.

Today I essentially found a new vein that's hitting wonderfully. On my left hand on the thumb side on the side of the hand almost at the wrist. With a 6mm needle I go at a bit of an angle and bingo, solid great hit. My right hand used to hit like this but isn't at the moment. I'm hoping I can use this spot for a few days (at least) to let my other spots heal up a bit. I usually shoot 4-5 times a day, no clue really if that's a lot or not.

Obviously I want to take great care with the wonderful spot I just found to keep it hitting and healthy for as long as possible. I was able to hit there on my other hand for a few weeks before it was just too much then a few months later it came back but didn't last nearly as long (to be expected I suppose). While I do try to rotate sites right now I have no others that will it so I sorta can't.

That's a long way to ask if anyone else has advice on keeping this new spot healthy as long as possible. I eat rather healthy but haven't been working out at all lately. Right now I use a ton of pressure right after the hit for 2-3 minutes at least. I then put on some Neosporin at the site mainly to keep track marks down. Many times I'll wrap an ice pack at the site with an ace bandage to keep pressure and cold on it. Aside from that any other things to try? Heat instead? Massage it?

Thanks for any advice you'd have, I'm rather happy to have found this new spot as sitting there stabbing myself for an hour sorta, well, sucks.

~L