I have an abscess on my wrist on the side of it, kind of at the base of my thumb, and I can't really go to the hospital because I will get cut off my pain meds by my dr. But I poked it with a sterile 21guage needle and drained a lot of the puss out. I could see it come out in the blood, it was more puss than there was blood, like a brown color kind of. It's now smaller than it was, and I'm thinking now it might drain. Will my anti fungal pills, Diflucan, help with this or no? I'm thinking I might poke it a couple more times and try and drain some more of this damn puss. Don't tell me what an idiot I am for not going to the hospital, as I know this, but I had a similar infection in my foot and it went away on its own, and when I did go to the hospital for it, they did nothing anyways. I guess really I'm not sure if it's even an abscess or just another kind of infection...
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OD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic
Harm Reduction What can I do to help an abscess heal?
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Go and buy bituminol (it's a black, tarry ointment). Also known as ichtyol. Epsom Salts can also be used but I have no experience with it. With either bituminol or Epsom Salts the goal is to mature the abcess.
Be careful with poking, you might spread the infection into the bloodstream. Diflucan will not help against the bacteria causing the abcess. If you have metronidazole (Flagyl) and *either* doxycycline or amoxicillin, they can be taken together. They are a common combination when teeth are extracted.
Be careful with poking, you might spread the infection into the bloodstream. Diflucan will not help against the bacteria causing the abcess. If you have metronidazole (Flagyl) and *either* doxycycline or amoxicillin, they can be taken together. They are a common combination when teeth are extracted.
Pharcyde
Bluelighter
vitamin e for the skin
to prevent scarring
to prevent scarring
when I used to miss ms contin I would get an infected red, sore bump and doctors would prescribe cloxicillan.
I was told to put a very hot cloth on the abcess and apply pressure as though you're trying to flatten it. I don't know if this is good advice and you should not do it based on my word alone; all I can tell you is that mine have gone away but they were small.
I was told to put a very hot cloth on the abcess and apply pressure as though you're trying to flatten it. I don't know if this is good advice and you should not do it based on my word alone; all I can tell you is that mine have gone away but they were small.
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
is there some kind of free clinic you can see? an ER? it doesn't have to be your usual GP. please seek a medical professional.
if you're lancing the abscess at home without the appropriate anti-biotic there's possibilities of septicaemia (blood poisoning) occurring, which could lead to other undesirable and sometimes irreversible complications.
IV complications thread - there's some information in there very much worth reading.
Missykins
Bluelighter
Exactly, see an ER or walkin clinic and tell them a cat bit you. They are typically treated by drainage (incision), lavage (rinsing), and broad-spectrum antibiotics like clindamycin which works well and is a cheap generic. Don't even mention your pain dr.
Captain.Heroin
Bluelight Crew
This is a real concern.
I have known someone who had an abscess in real life, and even with the shit-quality hospitals around here, they still drained the abscess for him in a hospital setting.
I can't believe you went to the hospital and they didn't do anything for you. I would try going to a different hospital?
My best advice is to go seek medical attention, just that of a more qualified hospital.
I would also try to prevent an abscess in the future by obtaining micron filters if you plan on continuing to IV drugs, or to quit IVing if you are unable to safely micron filter a solution for IV use.
caseface99
Bluelight Crew
I have succesfully healed multiple abcesses on myself and my girlfriend by covering the abcess with large amounts of neosporin/antibiotic ointment and then cover with a towel soaked in HOT water. Should be uncomfortably hot but obviously don't burn yourself. Dip the towel back in the water and re apply a few times each time you do it, and do it 4 times a day at least. Abscess will be gone in 2, 3 days at most, this has never failed me. My girlfriend and I were getting way to many abscesses when we were using IV coke because we were getting careless, so i KNOW this works. HOWEVER - If it doesn't improve/stop getting worse by the next day then go to another hospital, because this literally makes a noticeable difference that fast in my opinion. So if you don't notice it any better within 24 hours then it may be more serious. Plus with this method there is no poking or prodding involved, I'm assuming it works because the hot water allows the antibiotic to penetrate your skin real easily or something - not sure. All i know is it's never failed me.
again, I've gotten rid of abscesses with the hot towel alone. I should clarify that I learned this from long-time junkies, not doctors so I can't vouch for its safety. I make it as hot as I can and sort of roll it with pressure towards the wrist. Usually I would find that the lump would decrease but the infected area would grow in the short term. The larger (but flatter) infected area appeared to be easier for my immune system to conquer and it would quickly heal without antibiotics.
I used to get antibiotics *every time* I missed my MS Contin or dilly. I'm pretty sure that was bad for my immune system. When I switched to oxy it seemed I was able to fight the infection on my own (but then it's much less gummy than MS Contin--I always heated it, being ignorant of cold water techniques along with every other junky I've met in Calgary, Winnipeg and Ottawa). I've never ever seen a micron filter, for what it's worth, and wouldn't know how to get one in Canada. Thank god I had a harm reduction doctor who took me off MS Contin and put me on liquid morphine while I finished my schooling. Needless to say he's not practising anymore.
The worst abscesses I've seen are from crap heroin in Ottawa. The guy I got it from had an abscess the size of a golf ball!
I used to get antibiotics *every time* I missed my MS Contin or dilly. I'm pretty sure that was bad for my immune system. When I switched to oxy it seemed I was able to fight the infection on my own (but then it's much less gummy than MS Contin--I always heated it, being ignorant of cold water techniques along with every other junky I've met in Calgary, Winnipeg and Ottawa). I've never ever seen a micron filter, for what it's worth, and wouldn't know how to get one in Canada. Thank god I had a harm reduction doctor who took me off MS Contin and put me on liquid morphine while I finished my schooling. Needless to say he's not practising anymore.
The worst abscesses I've seen are from crap heroin in Ottawa. The guy I got it from had an abscess the size of a golf ball!
The Rock Monster
Bluelighter
Jesus christ, what a knarly thread. Op you got good responses already. All i gotta say is be very careful iving..take care odf the abscess asap.
Complications of iv use really soured my view on the needle. After seriously fucking up my arm one to many times, i quit shooting. I even had new needles laying around, and i never touched them. Its like i have a needle phobia now. Thats a healthy fear i think.
Complications of iv use really soured my view on the needle. After seriously fucking up my arm one to many times, i quit shooting. I even had new needles laying around, and i never touched them. Its like i have a needle phobia now. Thats a healthy fear i think.
I just got out of the hospital for it, they cut it open and drained it. It's now a HUGE gouge like 2" thick out of my arm, and like 3" long and 2" wide.... Pretty gnarly. I need some advice from Captain Heroin about snorting heroin, my IV phases have to be done. I have such a huge tolerance I Iv anywhere from a G to a G and a half and up, so I know I would have to snort a lot for desired high. Do you do anything different, or just crush finely and snort? Follow it with nasal saline? Tips/advise appreciated...
Thanks for all the helpful advice guys, but it got bad enough I had to go in. I was honest with them about my use, and they contacted my primary doctor and he came up n threw a fit for real and tried to take my opana from the hospital so I couldn't have it anymore, but they wouldn't give it to him, so he cut me off, and had them search my room. He told me I should be in jail. I know I've done some stupid stuff in the name of my addiction, but I would NEVER wish jail on my worst enemy, and I somewhat despise my doctor for saying that, IMO, no addict deserves jail, I don't commit any crimes outside of buying the drugs them selves. It's not like I'm robbing and stealing to get my money. He just has no clue. It was really hurtful to me, I made the nurses make him leave, and found a new GP that I am happy to be meeting with next week. Also when I left the hospital, the doc there wrote me for another 3week script of opanas and roxys for when mine run out in case I can't get all of this settled before I run out.
Thanks for all the helpful advice guys, but it got bad enough I had to go in. I was honest with them about my use, and they contacted my primary doctor and he came up n threw a fit for real and tried to take my opana from the hospital so I couldn't have it anymore, but they wouldn't give it to him, so he cut me off, and had them search my room. He told me I should be in jail. I know I've done some stupid stuff in the name of my addiction, but I would NEVER wish jail on my worst enemy, and I somewhat despise my doctor for saying that, IMO, no addict deserves jail, I don't commit any crimes outside of buying the drugs them selves. It's not like I'm robbing and stealing to get my money. He just has no clue. It was really hurtful to me, I made the nurses make him leave, and found a new GP that I am happy to be meeting with next week. Also when I left the hospital, the doc there wrote me for another 3week script of opanas and roxys for when mine run out in case I can't get all of this settled before I run out.
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Captain.Heroin
Bluelight Crew
1) I would report your doctor to the state. There is a state review for doctors, and you have the right to do this, as well as the responsibility for other users who don't deserve this neglectful treatment
2) I can't believe they called your GP. They are not supposed to do this, this is breaking patient confidentiality. I would consider suing the doctor who contacted your GP, unless you gave them permission to.
3) If you are IVing 1 gram of heroin, it is either too cut, or your tolerance is just too large to continue doing this successfully. Can you find a better source?
If not, I would consider doing a taper with nasal use.
What you can do is prepare the heroin in water, cotton filter to remove large particle cuts, and then snort the solution back on your palette without drawing it back all the way.
You could also just snort the powder. You may want to just use enough so as to not feel withdrawal, as often as needed, so as to taper off of your tolerance a little.
What your GP did was wrong and I hope that you spread the word about how horrible his treatment was of you. I simply cannot believe how abusive he was, or that the first doctor (the ER doctor) broke confidentiality.
I would consider getting an attorney if you didn't give anyone consent to contact your GP.
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