Heroin When I KNOW I'm in a vein, but still can't register... what's the deal?

[OverzealousCop]

So I've only been injecting for a few months now, and I will admit that at the beginning my technique was very shoddy. I'm thinking I may have already permafucked some of my best veins :/

For example, after not hitting the mainline in the crook of my arm for a few weeks, I decided to go back and try it again. I push the needle in where I KNOW the vein is, and pull back to register, and nothing... except maybe after a couple prods in and out, I might get a tiny bit of blood in the tip of the syringe, but it never fills the whole thing like a good register usually does. However, when I pull the needle out, blood will trickle out, indicating to me that I WAS in fact in a vein.

Part of me is thinking I may just have clots in the vein that clog the needle, or something? The mainline veins in the crooks of my elbow seem to be permanently black and blue (just in a very small area right in the crook), even after a couple weeks of healing time :[ Or maybe I'm using too small of a gauge? I've been using 30g, 1/2 inch, 1mL syringes.

I really feel like I screwed myself with awful technique during the first couple months of IV use, having absolutely no idea what I was really doing. I've got limp noodles for arms and it's always been really difficult for me to hit, so I've had to jab myself an unnecessary amount of times. Oh well, maybe that's just incentive to quit.

 

[meankitty]

You may be running into scar tissue or going all the way through the veinwhich would explain the trickle

 

[SB1981]

So I've only been injecting for a few months now, and I will admit that at the beginning my technique was very shoddy. I'm thinking I may have already permafucked some of my best veins :/

For example, after not hitting the mainline in the crook of my arm for a few weeks, I decided to go back and try it again. I push the needle in where I KNOW the vein is, and pull back to register, and nothing... except maybe after a couple prods in and out, I might get a tiny bit of blood in the tip of the syringe, but it never fills the whole thing like a good register usually does. However, when I pull the needle out, blood will trickle out, indicating to me that I WAS in fact in a vein.

Part of me is thinking I may just have clots in the vein that clog the needle, or something? The mainline veins in the crooks of my elbow seem to be permanently black and blue (just in a very small area right in the crook), even after a couple weeks of healing time :[ Or maybe I'm using too small of a gauge? I've been using 30g, 1/2 inch, 1mL syringes.

I really feel like I screwed myself with awful technique during the first couple months of IV use, having absolutely no idea what I was really doing. I've got limp noodles for arms and it's always been really difficult for me to hit, so I've had to jab myself an unnecessary amount of times. Oh well, maybe that's just incentive to quit.

I had that happen a few times and I'm pretty certain it was because I was dehydrated since I know that vein is healthy and vibrant. I'm pretty certain the needle was clogged as that was my case those few time. What a fucking tease to not be able to push into that vein, huh? I'm sorry you had a difficult time in your early days of injecting. I've been injecting for about two years and have only used my two mainlines in the crooks. Goodluck!

 

[burn out]

You cant use that vein. I dont know why this happens I just know it happens to me also and I cant use those veins anymore.

 

[SB1981]

Sometimes it's a matter of a clogged vein that needs to be purged via the needle. Meth can actually build up inside if you slam a lot in one shot.

 

[ambiviolence]

I would say if you have poor technique you are more than likely doing some pretty bad damage to those veins.
Since the veins still show discoloration even after a few weeks it soounds like you may have done some permanent damage.
I have one on my forearm and i know exactly where to hit it and same thing happens a little blood and ill power my shot in and miss the whole things.

I do notice however when I use larger gauge needles I get alot more blood and hit alot more veins.
Which is awesome because who doesnt like a good register
Maybe its coincidence but I highly doubt it.

 

[SB1981]

You made my "point" stand as is. Smaller gauges (wider) work better in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Lorne???]

You mean literally "larger" or a larger gauge?(which is smaller) it is easier to get blood with a smaller gauge(larger needle) but it is more damaging to the vein.

And you can still use a vein that won't give blood, if you have good technique it won't matter. But you shouldn't, because that is the road to losing them.

But usually, if you just move down further on vein, it is no problem. Typically it is scar tissue that keeps you from getting blood. But once your comfortable with a vein, you don't need to see it, you can continue moving down and using it, and with site rotation, you can use the same 3-4 veins for years if you can afford good needles!

 

[granddeception2]

NPC IIRC no

 

[SB1981]

You mean literally "larger" or a larger gauge?(which is smaller) it is easier to get blood with a smaller gauge(larger needle) but it is more damaging to the vein.

And you can still use a vein that won't give blood, if you have good technique it won't matter. But you shouldn't, because that is the road to losing them.

But usually, if you just move down further on vein, it is no problem. Typically it is scar tissue that keeps you from getting blood. But once your comfortable with a vein, you don't need to see it, you can continue moving down and using it, and with site rotation, you can use the same 3-4 veins for years if you can afford good needles!

Whoops, right as I caught this I was already put on blast. I would have corrected it, too.

 

[Lorne???]

Whoops, right as I caught this I was already put on blast. I would have corrected it, too.

Haha I missed that somehow!

 

[deidara]

The needles you are using are fine, like you said its your technique. Pick the bluest fattest vein in the crook of your arm. USE a FUCKING TURINICATE!!! after swabbing it with alcohol, pump up your arm til you can see your fat vein concave. with your arm straight go in at a 30 degree angle just slide it up and in. as you are sliding it in, slightly pull on the plunger so your syringe will fill with blood whenever you hit a vein. When you are 100% sure you are in the vein TAKE OFF THE TURNICATE and push the shot in. check just once to make sure your still in before pushing it in. have fun and don't kill yourself

 

[Swain]

You cant use that vein. I dont know why this happens I just know it happens to me also and I cant use those veins anymore.

If you get anything less than a steady plume do not inject. The vein is obstructed from previous trauma. You could have a clot but more than likelyyou have built up scar tissue that is causing a restriction in the blood flow. This will probably fix itself in 1-2 months. If you use a new needle for every puncture and rotate atleast 4 sites and are not doing more than 8 shots a day, this should never happen.

I lost 1 or 2 sites (not even the whole vein) after 5 years of shooting dope (probably averaging 5 or 6 shots a day and 2 yearsafter that shooting dope and coke doing 10-15 shots a day. You have to use good technique asnd most importantly a new needle EVERY time.

Yo only have one set of veins. dont kill them.