Heroin Swollen Arm PLZ HELP!

[thehyphWoW]

Ok so today was my first time shooting black tar heroin. I've been smoking heroin for a few months now and the past 3 years doing nothing but oxycontin. I got on subs and quit using heroin daily. My best friend does heroin too and had started shooting up which made me curious about shooting as well. Today he bought a T and came over with the rig already loaded he shot himself up first and then with a brand new needle did me. it took us a while to find a vein on the crese of my arm but he didnt want to do it any other place so we kept trying and then i guess one popped up, idk, i couldnt really see it but he said he could feel it. so he drew back the needle to make sure it was in a vein but it wasnt so he moved it two more times til he got it and then slowly shot me up to make sure it was in. he said he put about $7 dollars in the shot. i was already high off 2 OP 80s so i guess thats why i didnt feel any rush..idk..but when he took the needle out there was a small bump that was already bruised almost looked like a huge bug bite, basically like something was stuck in there, it was about half the size of a fingernail. it didnt bleed much but about 20 mins later or so it started to swell and now its sore and about a inch around the site its all swollen..im really concerned and i dunno what it could be, if anyone has an idea please tell me, also what should i do? THANKS ALOT GUYS! i appreciate all answers. all i know is im never going to shoot up again, lol, not worth the scare.

 

[amapola]

Sounds like he just missed the shot. You now have the heroin chilling in your arm under the skin. You should use a warm compress and massage the area for a few hours to get the drug to dissolve. Then apply some ice to try and keep the swelling down and monitor the area daily looking for signs of infection or an abscess. If this is what it is (likely) then it's not that big a deal so just relax.

In the future you should check out the injection mega thread, and be sure you register in the vein by drawing back and seeing blood before injecting, and make sure you can feel it before pushing the whole shot it (though you mentioned the OC80s). If he did do that then it may have slipped out or he may have pushed right through after registering anyways.

Good Luck!

edit:
here's the injection megathread for your perusal.
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=487276

 

[thehyphWoW]

Awh ok thanks, yah i was freaking out, not to mention my friend dipped out the minute he did it too so it seemed some what odd. but yah ill do that, the swelliing has gone down a bit but its really bruised.

 

[Swerlz]

the bruising will go away in a day or two. Remember, if you ever miss or have a slight bump after IV'ing. Take a warm wash cloth and lightly massage the area. It'll help break down the missed shot and absorb into your body. BUT first, please try and practice safe IV'ing technique. Filter good, if you can Micron Filter for safer results. Alcohol swab. Tie off and always check your in the vein before you go and start pushing off. re-registering helps tons when first starting, it insures you that you're still in the vein and also, inject slowly as to not blow out the vein.

 

[thehyphWoW]

yah i was like a nut when it came to being clean i made him wash his hands a bunch and used a ton of rubbing alcohol pads i highly doubt i could ever shoot myself up thats just crazy imo but then again im a addict so i'll do what i want. is there a better spot to use then the crese in my arm? i dunno why but my veins dont really stick out much there

 

[Swerlz]

Here's a step-by-step:

1. Wash hands and injection site with antibacterial soap.
2. Clean injection site with isopropyl alcohol.
3. Wrap the tourniquet around your arm just above the injection site.
4. Insert the needle at a 45 degree angle with the vein. You are injecting WITH the flow of the vein (which flows towards the heart). If you are hitting a vein in your arm, the needle will point towards the elbow
5. Pull back the plunger slightly to test for blood. If their is no blood, pull it out - you missed. If the blood is bright red, foamy, and has considerable pressure behind it, pull out and apply direct pressure - you hit an artery, you don't want it there. (Hitting an artery is generally unlikely unless you are going for deep veins.)
6. If the blood is dark, you're there.
7. REMOVE THE TOURNIQUET. Injecting while a tourniquet is tied will cause too much pressure to build and may cause the vein to burst.
8. Slowly push in plunger and administer chemical.
9. Pull out and apply pressure with clean gauze.
10. Keeping wound above heart will facilitate clotting and minimize bruising.
11. Put a band-aid on it.



I've found it best to find veins is when you're fresh out of a nice hot shower. Also working out your arms(like some push-ups or curling some weights) can help raise your veins to make them more visible.

 

[twatnopjkarna]

is there a better spot to use then the crese in my arm? i dunno why but my veins dont really stick out much there

Ofcourse, I have always gone arm (forearm, elbow, bicep) to hands (top side of wrist, top of hand) With safe IV techniques and constant rotation of sites (switching it up a bit) so your veins can properly heal. I personally do not shoot in again in a certain location for atleast 2-3 days. If you for some reason run out of good locations in your arms and hands then you could move to your ankle/feet, although I really wouldn't suggest that. (legs/feet farther from your heart, your body will have a much harder time getting rid of these "lumps" and misses in your feet as opposed to your hands or arms which are much much closer. Always inject towards your heart and with the flow of the vein. When you think you're in, slowly pull the plunger back, looking for a dark crimson red squirt into the syringe. Now stay steady and focused and begin to slowly depress the plunger on your rig, if you feel any sharp pain that begins to tingle down into your hands you may be dealing with nerve endings. If you begin to feel a sharp pain at on the site you're in, you may of slipped out of your vein or gone right through it. The key to IV is safe technique. There are plenty of guides around here including an IV megathread with a ton of info.


GL/Be Safe!