• 💊 OTHER DRUGS 💊 Welcome Guest
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Notable Threads 1 Notable Threads 2
    Dangerous Combos Addiction Support
    Emergency Services Benzo Guide v.1
    Addiction Stories Scary Case Studies
    Biology, Pharmacology & Drugs 101
  • Select Your Topic Then Scroll Down
    Alcohol Bupe Benzos
    Cocaine Heroin Opioids
    RCs Stimulants Misc
    Harm Reduction All Topics Gabapentinoids
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums

Opioids Swollen bicep, no redness

vacathizzle

vacathizzle

Bluelighter
Joined
Feb 20, 2008
Messages
263
Location
California
I'm on day 2 now of having a swollen bicep... there's no redness at all, but it's pretty painful. It's swollen about 2 inches up from my elbow crease. The vein there is kind of hard, but It does not feel like an abcess. It's not really much, if any warmer than the rest of my body either. Does anyone have any ideas on what this might be? I don't want to go to the doctors for it.. I get treated like shit already by my medical provider, and going in for complications from iv heroin (tar) use would just make things much worse... but if it is absolutely necessary I will go.
 
It is impossible for one to diagnose your problem via the internet. Here is a link to the section of the bluelight wiki, regarding abscesses. *Click Me!* Take a gander at that to become more informed about abscesses and the different types, and symptoms.

Since we are not doctors, the only way to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment would be to go to the doctor, or the emergency room. Regardless of how your regular doctor treats you, maybe you should go to the ER since they seem to be a bit more compassionate, and they are obligated to treat you.

Whatever is the case, I wish you luck and hope that it is nothing serious. But, not getting an abscess treated can be very serious. You can lose a limb, or maybe even your life if the infection is bad enough.

Just make sure you do the right thing !
 
I know I can't really get a diagnoses on the internet.. but I was hoping maybe someone else had some experience. I've been doing the hot-towel thing off and on all day, and it seems to make it feel a little better for a short time. I'm also taking some amoxicillin just in case. It doesn't look like any of the pictures of abcesses that I've seenthough.
 
Find a different medical provider. Being treated like shit should never make you hold back on having something like this looked at. First of all, an abscess isn't going to form in 2 days exactly. Unfortunately, word on the street is tar is notorious for causing abscesses. Lack of heat and redness is a good sign, but it doesn't mean you are in the clear. That's all I can tell you about a lump I've only been told about.
 
Secobarbital said:
Find a different medical provider. Being treated like shit should never make you hold back on having something like this looked at. First of all, an abscess isn't going to form in 2 days exactly. Unfortunately, word on the street is tar is notorious for causing abscesses. Lack of heat and redness is a good sign, but it doesn't mean you are in the clear. That's all I can tell you about a lump I've only been told about.
Click to expand...

Agree.. I hate seeing people not getting medical help because they are treated badly for being a drug user, grr!

Lack of heat and redness is a good thing, but as abscesses can be very localised infections you don't necessarily get the full set of signs (redness, heat, swelling, pain). Can't think of many things that could cause a swollen area downstream of the vein you have been using apart from infection, abscess/missed shot or an unrelated cause..

Also agree about no pressure bandages. Hot compresses can help but really if it is an infection or abscess you will need antibiotics and possible minor surgery to remove it. I'd say if it is staying the same or getting worse you definitely need to get it seen to..
 
It started to look pretty bad so I went in to the ER.. ended up having to pay $150 for the doctor to draw a circle on me with a sharpie and tell me to come back if the redness goes past the line. I used to have respect for the medical profession, but the last drop that I was trying so hard to hold on to just evaporated and floated away. I would change providers but I'm under my parents health insurance still, and they don't want to have to pay upfront and then get reimbursed. No one really believes that I'm treated poorly because they all get treated so well.
 
Haha that is actually common practice to see if the infection is worsening or not. Am surprised that is all they did, but not surprised they did that. It does look ridiclous though, I agree!

Glad you got some medical help - hope it starts to get better soon :)
 
Oh, I know about it being common practice. I was just astounded by the fact that I was charged $150 for a 5 minute visit that consisted of me telling him what the problem was, him drawing on me, then him telling me to come back later if it got worse. That is NOT worth $150 by any stretch of the imagination
 
yeah man, you have to be a savvy medical consumer to make sure you always get the most out of your money you spend on healthcare. And so much of the cost is just getting into the office, not necessarily the amount of time you spend there. I always throw in 1 or 2 prescriptions they can write me, and have them look at anything else that is bothering me, ask them for samples of creams and shit for scars, hit em up for free condoms, bandages, drug company paraphernalia, etc...

Did you just tell him your bicep was swollen after an intravenous injection?

I had to go in one time for complications from injecting, so i just told them that I had been given EPO incorrectly by a fellow cyclist and I didn't get treated like a drug addict, I got treated like an athlete who dopes, which is to say I got treated alot better than I most likely would have.

The doctor was just like, "I know this is really popular with you cyclists, but you have to be careful and have a trustworthy trainer. Oh, and here's a script for percocet, because that probably hurts, and here's a script for antibiotics. What kind of bike do you ride?" "Oh that's cool, where do you guys ride? I ride with a group of doctors on the weekend, they are pretty slow, though." "When are your training rides? Do you think I could come on a few?" etc, etc...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top