Stimulants questions on safely iv meth

[socandycoated]

okay so it's a little late now since i've already done it but i will ask anyways. i read on this site as well as others that when injecting you should clean the skin where you will insert the needle prior to actually doing it. i did not do this and i have shot about 10-12 times. also, i read not to share spoons, i did share a spoon, with 2 other people. i was stupid and did not even think about it. i know them to be disease free at least... but it has been at least 3 days since i last shot and i've been doing it about a week or two now...(how do i now even know?) what are the dangers of what i have done and should i be worried? wouldn't i be able to tell if something was wrong??

 

[splenda]

I thought most people knew that you should use alcohol prep pads (70% isopropyl alcohol) before injecting anything at the injection site.. this is the standard and most common procedure in every form of injecting. You risk getting abscesses, other infections, sepsis, etc. from not cleaning the injection site before injection.

Also, sharing spoons is notoriously known to be the most common way blood-borne pathogens, such as Hepatitis C and HIV are transmitted. Sharing spoons/cookers is the MOST common way HIV/HEPC viruses are transmitted, much more so than sharing needles.

Don't share cookers or any of your works ever again. If I were you I'd get tested for HIV/HEPC antibodies but that's up to you... Also, almost always clean the site and use proper injection technique if you are dead-set on injecting... I'm sure there are other threads on BL which show you proper injection technique.

If any problems arose from not cleaning the site prior to injection they would have risen already. You should be in the clear if you do not have any infections.. but you must not ever inject without cleaning the injection site ever again... this is basic stuff dude.

 

[Jabberwocky]

^nice post

 

[HdoubleODeezy]

^ i agree.. i was gonna say stuff but it was already said lol

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Your skin is crawling with bacteria and other parasites which, if entered into your blood stream, could cause fatal problems. But no offense to you, all of our skin is the same way. You're not alone there.

Just go to a pharmacy and pick up a 100 count alcohol wipe box for < $2-3 dollars, depending on where you go.

Washing your hands with soap and water works very well too. - the alcohol wipe helps sterilize the area, so that if anything is left after washing your hands, it's killed via isopropanol.

Splenda also summed up well why you should not shared spoons/cookers/anything IV related (includes sharing syringes).

 

[thelung]

Don't share anything iv related especially the syringe itself. Always use your own rig! And sharing spoons is bad like splenda said, its a very easy way to get Hep-C and a number of other diseases that you really don't want to have.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Don't share anything iv related especially the syringe itself. Always use your own rig! And sharing spoons is bad like splenda said, its a very easy way to get Hep-C and a number of other diseases that you really don't want to have.

Exactly. I don't think there's concrete proof that Hep C is killed by isopropanol or bleach, which is why you should never share needles.

In the United States, you have 3 ways to get your own clean, new needles:

1) buy them online
2) buy them from a pharmacy
3) visit a syringe exchange program regularly

Any one of these options should be available in all states. I know NJ for example you can only go to an exchange (you need an RX, and online sites will not ship to a NJ address), in my state buying them online or visiting an exchange regularly is the only real way to get them regularly.

 

[dwade2009]

I'd like to know how you are more at risk at infection by sharing spoons / cookers? sharing needles is by FAR a much easier way to transmit disesases. think of it this way, if you use a clean needle and dump whatever drug into that spoon, then there is no risk of transmitting blood-borne diseases because there is NO blood involved. the only risk is whatever bacteria is on the spoon. even if a dirty needle is put into the cotton and then the solution, it's still very unlikely for that pathogen (if there even is one) to make it's way from the needle to the spoon and then ultimately be sucked up by another needle

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I'd like to know how you are more at risk at infection by sharing spoons / cookers? sharing needles is by FAR a much easier way to transmit disesases. think of it this way, if you use a clean needle and dump whatever drug into that spoon, then there is no risk of transmitting blood-borne diseases because there is NO blood involved. the only risk is whatever bacteria is on the spoon. even if a dirty needle is put into the cotton and then the solution, it's still very unlikely for that pathogen (if there even is one) to make it's way from the needle to the spoon and then ultimately be sucked up by another needle

If you've used a spoon/cooker with a used needle, or somehow blood is emitted from a used needle, the disease can be left behind in the spoon or cooker.

Obviously sharing needles is the worst. If only clean needles touch the spoons and cookers (something you can't verify IMO unless it's your own equipment) then you should be fine.

 

[socandycoated]

thanks guys. i was just new to it all and stupidly thought as long as i used my own needle i would be fine. luckily i have not gotten any infections or anything by not sterilizing the site...i mean it would be obvious by now right? but i have not yet gone to be tested for disease thanks to sharing the spoon. what an idiot i am. hopefully all is well but knowing my luck...i will keep that in mind for next time...i was hoping there wouldn't be a next tim. but there will be.

 

[splenda]

If you've used a spoon/cooker with a used needle, or somehow blood is emitted from a used needle, the disease can be left behind in the spoon or cooker.

Obviously sharing needles is the worst. If only clean needles touch the spoons and cookers (something you can't verify IMO unless it's your own equipment) then you should be fine.

In most studies done, sharing spoons/cookers causes the most risk for the transmission of HIV, HEP C, and other infectious diseases.

 

[DeLee]

Where I come from nobody washes the skin before and I know of one fella who developed an abscess and that was because he missed a dirty, bloody shot into his bicep.
Not being said that its not important in harm reduction as much as everyone grew up and saw the older generation never do that, and alcohol swabs are expensive.

Anyway, you shouldn't be worried. Next time bring your own spoon.