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Alcohol Swollen red hands- alcohol related?

InHerOwnWrite

InHerOwnWrite

Bluelighter
Joined
Nov 26, 2006
Messages
1,064
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Hey guys,
A few days ago I remember someone posting about having "blown hands" (swollen red hands) for over a year that they thought might be due to IV drug use in their arms/hands. It got me thinking about my own and I've not been able to stop thinking about it.
Lately my hands have been extremely red and look swollen, and they feel even more swollen than they look. My hands have been this way for a few years actually, it's just in the past couple months they look and feel worse than they usually do. I have stopped IV'ing entirely, but I do drink a lot of alcohol and am starting to think this may be the reason behind this problem. People often remark on how red my hands are, to the point that it is embarrassing.
My question: Is having consistently red swollen hands primarily indicative of a dehydration issue due to alcohol use, or could there be a more serious problem (alcohol related or not)? I had a severe kidney infection last year and from what I've read online it seems that red hands might indicate a continuing kidney-related issue.
Does anyone have any further thought on this? Are there certain other signs I should look for that would lead me to seek a doctor's advice concerning this?
Thank you!
 
I get the swollen red hands and feet during heavy vasocontriction while on stims but this should go away when not under the effects or at most a day after. If this remains while off any drugs for multiple days i would be concerned?
 
The only way you're really going to know for sure what is or isn't wrong with you, is to seek medical attention. With your past kidney issues, and the continued swollen/redness, it is due time to get things checked out. It's also probable that your drinking is contributing to your swelling. Sorry If I just told you everything you already know.
 
I'm sorry, I really couldn't tell you if it's the alcohol causing this, OP, but IME the swollen red hands are a sign of poor circulation. I've had the same thing, only through injecting. I haven't injected for a few years, and I no longer have this problem; the body heals itself in time.

Btw I was alcoholic for 3 years, drinking up to 18 units a day, sometimes more, and I never got the swollen red hands-there's a chance this may not even be alcohol-related.

Circulation is very important, so it's gonna be a very good idea to see a doctor, and get an expert opinion on this.
 
Pretty sure it's the booze. I'm no doctor, but looked at my arms tonight and they were purple!
Alcohol messes with you in so many ways so it's hard to diagnose, vascular constriction? my veins used to pop, but they're way underneath and thin. also I had dermatitis, not to mention a cough that won't go away until an abstain from drink for at least two weeks. this pales with the fact that my liver is fatty as hell, I feel swollen and bloated, put on 4 stone in 3 years.
I could go on. the government condones it, but no way you can smoke MJ.
 
Honestly it does.
And it's sooo non productive, but the government condones it cos the lobbyists (aka alcohol and tobacco companies) give them huge amounts of money to run in the first place. EG, minimum alcohol prices in England were booted off their agenda.
It also prop's up the NHS for people that suffer from these skanky drugs, yip drugs; just to coin a term
 
Definitely ^
They'll do some blood test to check your liver enzyme count, take your blood pressure as it can shoot through the roof if you try and detox yourself.
Maybe check in as a day in day out patient in a clinic, NHS will cover this if your in the uk. They'll stick a needle in your butt cheek for extra vitamins, and give you Librium (Chlordiazepoxide) depending on how many units you drink per day.
They'll even pay the taxi fee.
 
Yeah, the NHS are great for that; they treat advanced alcoholism as a high priority here, because coming off it can be dangerous. If you want to get an alcohol detox, you should contact your local drug treatment provider; (you could go through a doctor, but they'd refer you to them, making the process longer) trust me, you'll be considered a high priority for detox if you're showing those types of symptoms. I've done the detox myself, it was a 7 day one, and they give you Librium to practically eliminate the withdrawal symptoms. You'll definitely want to see a doctor in the mean-time for LFT's and blood tests. Of course, this is only if you're ready to give up the booze; you may not be ready for that yet, OP
 
I agree, the NHS are a good system; or a fail safe.
They do work to strict regimes though, that'll work for some. The funny thing I've found though, working through this system of NHS work/ Charity funded Schemes. The more messed up you are, the more drugs they'll give you. Of course people will lie when the GP says how many units a week? They know this, most folks usually cut it by half; but it's to your own demise.
Personally, I've been looking for a proper diagnosis and treatment for ADHD. I've seen 7 consultants, several of which sent a letter to my GP. The problem is nobody is willing to script amphetamine of any kind; because it's their ass on the line if things go tits up. Funnily enough, my addictions consultant has tried to push it through after explaining the risk of psychosis, high blood pressure and heart problems.
After 4 years, I went for all these tests after seeing my GP with letters etc. ECG, blood pressure, height, weight etc.
They still said no.
Atomexine; but my liver is messed up with booze as it is....
Sorry to go off topic, but speed is shit in scotland unless you live in a scheme selling base. Flights to Holland are not 30 pounds there and back any more.
Red hands? Yeah it's a problem, but a legal one; treated by the NHS.
 
Lol they gave me way too many benzos IMO; they started me out at 21 Librium pills a day-a massive dose for somebody with no benzo tolerance. In fact, even after a taper I had some seriously bad rebound anxiety for almost a month. I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the benzos that did that.

They have harsh detox units, but they also offer a lot of places in residential rehab clinics: that's where I did mine, and the place wasn't bad at all, it depends on the place.

You don't even need to go have an in-house detox; they also offer an outpatient one where you go to the hospital every day, and they give you your Librium, vitamin b, and theamine pills. I knew somebody who did this, and they gave her far too few Librium for her WD's-she was still as sick as a dog and craving like hell. So, I'd say from experience it's easier to do the in-patient one. Being in a place with no access to booze is a pretty big thing, also.

Btw it's pretty shite for speed down South as well; it's mostly base down here, at least it's cheap though.
 
Yeah dopemegently, librium comes in 5 mg or 10 mg tabs, they can be pills or caps; depending on what is cheapest for the NHS at the time. Some people swear by them, others say they do nothing. Most other benzo's put me to sleep. My bugbear was I got put into a half way house; for people coming outta prison, opiate addiction. With social anxiety it was a nightmare; everyone was doped up on methadone mainly, or valium. 70 people in a very confined space, a small microwave and not much else, even chairs.
I just thought, why won't the GP even give me benzo's to get through this? In the UK; you have to be on a drug to get prescribed a drug. Even my Addiction Consultant said, you have to be on drugs before I can prescribe you anything.
4 years later, seven different consultants they said atomoxetine, which is really bad for the liver; even under nice guidelines.
nice.org.uk; search for ADHD.
They talk the talk, but just not willing to script dexamphetamine even when I say I'll sign a disclaimer to wayver their obligation.
 
There's way too much discrimination against alxohol on this forum, man...
Anyway, i appreciate the replies.
I also appreciate all that discussion about the NHS. Wish i lived in the UK. " Swanny taught us to respect and adore the National Health System, for it was the source of much of our gear"
 
Hehe true...

I'd say the Librium worked in that they stopped the WD symptoms completely, but I didn't feel like I was on benzos,even on high doses; I felt perfectly normal, but pretty damn rough for around a month afterwards. But yeah wasted nightmare, I've heard some of those detox units and halfway houses can be a bit of a nightmare. If you're gonna detox, it's prob best to do it in a residential rehab clinic, although even some of these can be pretty harsh; it all depends on the place.

Anyway sorry InHerOwnWrite, I sometimes make the mistake of assuming people are in the UK; there's bound to be similar treatment where you are, but I don't know much about foreign healthcare systems at all. If it's the US, aren't you supposed to have some kind of insurance policy in place, or do you need to pay for any treatment?
 
I would think if kidney related you'd have noticeable swelling in the ankles prior to noticing it in the hands. Maybe there is rebound vasoconstriction from the alcohol abuse which is causing blood flow to get backed up in the hands. I suppose IV drug use would be a potential to worsen the effect, limiting the elasticity of the veins. Does it go away when you are drunk or is it constant?
 
Insureance policy indeed. If you have this in the states there shouldn't be an isssue. They'll dope you up good. I heard a story on telly though; about a professional cyclist from the UK in Texas. He was mowed down buy a truck.... what do you call em there, 12 wheelers? They wouldn't peel him off the pavement until he showed his credit card.
The NHS will give you garbage; because it's off patent. Not d-amp though, or any other dangerous drugs that can implicate them in some way.
To answer Rtrain in some kinda way, booze is the worst drug. It'll actually lower your blood pressure while on it, but spike it through the roof when off. Why it's legal in the UK; is coz it prop's up the NHS system; puts bums in seats in government, actually here after the past few years the past a policy for 24/7 drinking. Quit drink. The first step is to buy some Dioralyte to replace the salts and forgo the hangover stage. America has a patch for this; but it wasn't allowed in the UK. Start to use benzo's when you get the craving. Librium is the best, but expensive and hard to find online.
A good brand of Valium is welcome also. Anything with a long half life and slow onset.
After 3 weeks you should have came to the stage of clarity 'why did I need this stuff'. At this point cut down on the benzo's and try to enjoy life some more, take a walk; or a cycle. Integrate with people.
Sounds easy, but it isn't. Hang in there though.
 
You've made some good points there, but honestly if you're using benzos for alcohol withdrawal, taking them for as long as 3 weeks is almost certainly enough to give you a benzo dependence. Alcohol withdrawals last around 72 hours, and standard practice (at least here) is to give you Librium, usually on a 6 day taper. Even after the taper, I felt like shit for a few weeks-I can only put that down to rebound symptoms from the v high Librium doses I was on.

But yeah, if booze was invented now, there's no chance in hell they could justify selling it so openly.
 
I had something similar like this happen to me when i couldnt find my normal opiates so i decided to get tylenol 3's.. my hands ended up swelling and burned like a motherfucker like they were covered in fire ants. constasnt itching and stinging. Turns out it was a mild allergic reaction to codeine.
 
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