Opioids questions about IV

[pinksocks]

I posted this in the IV complication megathread, but I thought maybe I should start my own thread

Long time Bluelight lurker here. I have a few questions that I feel more experienced IVers could help a novice out with (I have been enjoying opiates for over 8 months, I live a functional life enrolled in a university as a full time college student, and have just recently begun to experiment with IVing; please do not tell me not to start IVing, that I'll regret it, that my life will spin out of control, etc etc.)

(I know this question has been asked, but since I have another question, I thought I should bundle em together!) My question is this, the veins in my left arm are much more deep then my right arm... this really sucks because I'm right handed! Is there anything I could do to improve upon the visibility of the veins in my left arm? I have tried a hot shower, a brief workout, and a using a turnakit Nothing seems to help!

Secondly, I feel like an idiot for this. I previously stated I am right handed, my lift hand is absolutely gimped. I attempted to inject myself with my left hand into my right arm. I hit a vein, pulled back on the plunger to see blood... success! Now I just needed to bang it... if only. My gimped left arm started to hake, and the needle sunk deeper into my arm. I pulled back on the plunger only to see air. I removed the needle (I would never blindly shoot into my arm, I'm not about to lose a limb over this) without injecting and now the it's swollen.

I haven't had swelling happen before, so I am a bit worried. Thing is, nothing was injected into me! Chances are likely that it's nothing, that I agitated the vein with the needle or something similar to that, but this is a site for harm reduction! Better safe than sorry!

 

[robatussin]

you poked a hole in the vein and blood leaked into your muscle tissue, expect swelling/bruising. Google abscess and make sure that doesnt happen

 

[jihnsius]

Fortunately, though, abscesses aren't very common with heroin since you cook all of the bacteria out anyway. It's much more common with uppers that you don't cook.

As for shooting with your opposite hand, I have the same problem. I can't shoot in my right arm for the life of me. My left hand is just too untrained. I can register fine, but as soon as I move my fingers to push the plunger, I end up moving the needle out of the vein and screwing everything up.

 

[craigyt2k]

instead of a brief workout try simple arm exercises along with slapping your veins, do arm pumps where you just do bicep curl movements while your tourniquet is on, make sure tourniquet in close to you elbow and just make sure the vein is surface before piercing the skin to save your veins in the long run. good luck

 

[Fuzati]

Fortunately, though, abscesses aren't very common with heroin since you cook all of the bacteria out anyway.

Stop spreading that myth people, it's seriously annoying...

 

[John_Burrows]

Hey pinky, you posted that exact same message in the IV megathread and haven't given it even 24 hours to get responses. Have a little patience before you start a brand new thread and dilute the body of help for IV users. Chances are a mod is going to stick all this in the megathread anyway.

Also, if you're going to start a new thread, at least give it a subject line with a specific question - vague titles aren't very helpful if you're looking for specific answers.

Personally, I'd be up for shooting everyone who starts threads called "help please" but that's just because I'm so giving.

And having a specific request will give you a better chance at NOT having your thread merged; a thread called "one armed teen with nervous tick needs help IVing black tar while standing on one foot" has a better chance at finding help than the absolutely useless "need IV help."

The latter also annoys the fuck out of people and might make them NOT want to help you.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

THANK YOU stuck and fuzati, its drives me crazy to see people disseminate potentionally dangerous misinformation.