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Heroin Swollen foot, missed vein? REALLY CAN'T go to doc, please help!

hero13

Greenlighter
Joined
Nov 11, 2015
Messages
8
I'm new here, so I apologize if I'm doing something wrong. I'm not even sure if I'm posting this in the right spot, but I need to get this out there quickly and get answers quickly before I make things worse.
I will try to make this simple and not too lengthy, but I am a writer, so I tend to embellish (and sometimes ramble).
I am fairly new to injecting. I had only injected into my foot one other time. I'm just too afraid of injecting anywhere other than my arms. My preparation method was probably not the best since I'm new to this and on my own, so there are possibilities for error on that part of the process before I even get to the injection part. I was reusing a needle for probably the 4th or 5th time (brand new to me/NOT SHARED - I can be stupid at times, but not THAT stupid). I cleaned the site well with rubbing alcohol as I have done for all my sites, and I've had little to no problems in other areas (except when I reuse the needle too many times, which I have stopped doing now). I have missed the vein several times in my arm or hand and the swelling has gone down within a day or so. When I injected, it did inject slowly and more painfully than usual, which I've come to understand usually means that you're not in a vein. I am 99% sure that I wasn't in an artery. I've been lucky enough to avoid that experience.It didn't swell instantly, but I didn't get the rush I normally get from injecting. And I don't mean delayed or slower because of having to travel further from my foot, I mean not at all. It was more like a subQ/IM injection where you feel it slowly over 10 minutes or so. I wasn't really paying close attention to my foot so I'm not sure how long it took for the swelling to start, but about 3/4 of the top of my foot was VERY swollen, painful, and reddish in color at about the 15 minute mark after injecting. I iced my foot, as this has helped when I missed in my arm or hand. The swelling pain continued to get worse over the next 3 days, which is where I am now. I became worried about abscess so I did a 30 minute heat treatment, which hurt quite a bit. When I took the heat off, it was more swollen, even darker red, almost purplish. but not quite. The skin looked very dry and beginning to crack. It became pretty clear to me that this was probably not an abscess. However, it still could be. When I press on my foot, it is soft, tender, & seems to be filed with fluid, sort of like edema, which i have only seen mild cases of a few times. If I press on my skin, it stays indented and white (where my finger was) for about 10 seconds or so. I began to do research online for my symptoms (a lot of it right on this website, but I browsed quite a few medical websites as well) and since I couldn't stand the pain, I iced my foot for a while which seemed to help the pain, but not much else. I read about an eastern medicine acupressure treatment where you just continue to press on it over and over for longer periods of time and the swelling is supposed to go down and relieve some of the pain and pressure. That seemed to be helping at first, but I can't spend hours pressing spots on my foot over and over. And before anyone suggests it, it's not an option for me to go to a doctor. That may be different tomorrow or on another day, but for now, I have to try to handle this at home. Any and all suggestions, observations, recommendations, advice, etc. PLEASE HELP! I don't want to lose my foot! I'm really really worried right now! And if you need clarification on anything or have any questions, feel free to ask. I am falling asleep right now, but I'll try to keep checking throughout the night and definitely again when I get up.
As a quick side note, at some point during the last 3 days I have also had a fever, but I don't think it's related. It did cross my mind that it was an infection causing the fever, but my symptoms were more consistent with one of two things. Cotton fever or a mild case of Serotonin Syndrome. Either way, that is under control now and I'm close to 24 hours with no fever. All these stinkin problems and I want out of this stuff completely! I have been using opiates for about a year and a half. Sometimes morphine, oxy, hydo, and now I've upgraded to heroin because none of that worked for me anymore and was just becoming waaaaay too expensive. At this point, I just want to get sober and live a normal life!!! I will post about that at another time on another forum, though.
Thanks in advance for your help!
 
It sounds like an abcess. Shooting in your foot was a bad call. See a doctor
 
Crimsonjunk,
Thanks for trying. I know I'm new here but I think you're supposed to read the ENTIRE post b4 you respond. Did you read my post at all or did you just read the title and ASS-U-ME.
Yes, shooting in my foot was a bad idea. I was afraid to in the first place. And, no, I'm pretty sure it's not an abscess, but I explained why in my post. If you have any helpful thoughts, please let me know if you have anything more helpful, let me know.
Thanks!
Update: pressure/compression & acupressure seems to be helping a little. Definitely more than heat! I'm still very worried tho! I don't want to do the wrong thing and make it worse.
Someone educated & experienced, please take the time to read this & respond with your diagnosis & reasoning or at least some options or intelligent thoughts!
Thank you!
I don't mean to sound like a jerk! I'm really not, I have just been in a lot of healing and I'm exhausted right now!
 
Add-on

Oh and in case you didn't notice the part in the title where I said I REALLY CAN'T go to a doctor. It would just take me to long to explain why. I don't have time to go to a scheduled appointment with a regular doctor, let alone sit in the emergency room for hours. Thanks anyway!
 
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Well, get a new needle and drain it, use swabs and whatnot, wash your hands, Use A NEW NEEDLE man c'mon you know this shit. If you can get it OTC then get an antibiotic like amoxicillin or like and take the full course. You may have to repeat. Now you sit back praying it all goes away.
 
Seems like you're about to lose your foot. Please call 911 and get emergency assistance. It's not worth delaying it. A foot is worth everything in this world
 
Call 911 and tell them you passed out at a crack house last night :sus: and woke up at home with this foot issue.That way the docs will consider you a "normal citizen" for you geographic area(USA):).If you tell them it REALLY hurts:X maybe they'll hook you up with some oxycontin8( and don't forget the anxiety(Xanax);) due to not knowing what happened last night.
If they ask if your butthole hurts please exclaim NO 8o as that KY in the ER is really really cold.
 
People are right. Go to the ER.... Do not lose your foot over fear of a label.... Serriously this drug war is such a problem
 
Ok--first thing--if the injection site is red and hot to the touch you need to get antibiotics ASAP because that would be infected and clearly you want to keep your foot

If it is merely swollen, ice it a few times today and see how your foot responds. It sounds like you definitely missed the shot (no rush, feeling pain, swelling from the liquid going into surrounding tissue). You didn't have cotton fever, nor injected into an artery. Those have much different symptoms.

The concerning part is that it has gotten worse from your description. Although how much of that is due to your heat application and how much is from the liquid that went into the tissue I can't say. Keep in mind when you miss in the foot there is very little muscle or fat there to absorb liquid, and it often swells up then. If you continue to want to shoot in the foot area I would suggest using the big vein that runs by your ankle. It's a large pipeline one and easier to hit than those rolling foot ones

Take ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory. If you show no signs of improvement or if the swelling gets worse--you must seek medical treatment. If you can't go to your doctor go to an urgent care. Even give a different name. But you don't want to lose your foot.

You don't sound at all like you have an abscess. It sounds more like either just swelling or it could be like a cellulitis or something. But no one can diagnose you here. If the at home treatment methods don't help bytomorrow please seek out a professional's medical opinion
 
Holy shit man I'm in the exact situation as you... I shot at the crook of my elbow where the bicep ends and forearm starts but I had a nasty batch of blk tar (live in Cali) and it didn't hurt at all when I shot it I think I got a rush but not really kinda like you the 10 minute come up . And now it's day 5-6 just today it's getting better the first 3 days it was kinda hard red rash and tender couldn't extend my arm much I put neosporin on it never felt sick though just as if I pulled a muscle, and only waking up today it feels better I was gonna go to the doctor if it didn't feel better today ... Usually you gotta drain it which is what I wanna do but I think it might be a spider bite also maybe I'm thinking it's the shot but either way I shower with hot water and apply the water coming out on the spot moving it around the swollen area , using pretty damn hot water on it daily and it feels better when u come out listen to music while you do that . Also used small hand towel soaked in hot water applied with weak pressure on the spot hope we're both ok
 
First off who is haley? What does she have to do with it? Second off, go to a doctor, go to the ER. If your symptoms have only gotten worse you are going to need some antibiotics. If you use needles over and over again bacteria build up in them...thus injecting bacteria right into your muscle. This can lead to sepsis. be smart! The more people like you that don't go in and get treated the harder it is to get the idea of harm reduction across.
 
Listen to manboychef I just got out of the ER since I posted this morning had the abcess drained and removed and on anti biotics don't wait , weird thing is reading your post this morning scared me into going which was a good thing so now it's my turn to return the favor go get it checked dude they know what they're doing and they have tons of experience if you're over 18 by law you can keep it between you and the doctors my mom was waiting in the waiting room and she doesn't know I told her it was a normal infection they by law have to keep it a secret if u want to
 
First off who is haley? What does she have to do with it? Second off, go to a doctor, go to the ER. If your symptoms have only gotten worse you are going to need some antibiotics. If you use needles over and over again bacteria build up in them...thus injecting bacteria right into your muscle. This can lead to sepsis. be smart! The more people like you that don't go in and get treated the harder it is to get the idea of harm reduction across.
"Haley" was a typo. I was using the microphone instead of typing, I was tired, & I didn't check before I posted. I fixed it now. My symptoms only got worse over the first few hours or so and have stayed the same, except when I applied heat. I started taking some antibiotics (azithromycin) that I had from a few months ago from something else. And, yes, I checked to make sure that it is prescribed for abscesses or other bacterial infections. Studies actually show that azithromycin can work better than clindamycin. Yes, I know I'm not supposed to use needles over and over, but sometimes they're hard to come by so you do what you gotta do. If I think I may need to reuse one, I flush it with rubbing alcohol first, then sterile water and leave the plunger out for it to dry properly. I haven't had to do this since Cuz I found a place closer to me that will sell them. And you all are missing the point. It's not about anonymity, etc. There are some very serious reasons that I can not go in for something like this. And for all those of you who believe in doctor patient confidentiality, you are kidding yourselves. I worked for doctors for years & I know that all it takes is your signature on a form (that you may HAVE to sign for something like a job, etc) & the doctor can give all your medical details, every juicy bit, to whoever is holding that form. Not to mention how much I've overheard doctors talking about in hallways. AND, I know plenty of people who have gotten waaaay more info than they should by asking the right person the right question &/or "overhearing". But, that's not the only reason I can't go. My kids were at their dads when I had my "party" but they're back now & I can't take 4 kids to the ER with me. Also, if they even know I'm a parent, they can inform Children's Protective Services because technically using drugs, even recreationally while your kids are away is putting them in danger. Then, there's the matter of my insurance. I am only allowed to see my appointed primary care physician without a direct referral from her, or to go to the ER that is in my physician's assigned hospital network. My physician is also my kid's doctor. So, save the freakin lectures and I'd rather lose my foot than my kids!
 
HIPPA laws at work my friend. Its between you and the doc, or whomever you release it to. I would suggest reading the IV complications megathread...its insightful.

Secondly. Your foot your life. Do you know its an abcess. There are different types of infections you can get from improper use of needles. I had phlebitis....this is an infection in your blood vessel and blood. This is only one problem that can arise. Since you have worked in the medical profession then you know sepsis can kill you and is endgame for a lot of blood infections.

If I was in your shoes, I would find a babysitter and hit the emergency room. When I had the phlebitis in my arm I was in and out in under an hour with no insurance. A shot of antibiotics, and about a week of antibiotic pills and my vein wasn't so hard and my pain subsided, and the intense swelling went down. But like I said before, your foot, your life.
 
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The more I look at it, the more scared I'm getting. does anyone think they'll buy it if I say I slept on a friends couch Cuz I drank too much and when I woke up it was like that. Or should I go with something else like my cat scratched me, I dropped something on my foot and it had a small cut (which it does) or some other accidentally injury (if you have a good one let me know). I gotta go in tonight if I'm gonna go Cuz I'm moving first thing tomorrow morning. And please don't think I'm stupid, just scared, cautious, and stubborn! Thanks for your patience!
 
I had phlebitis too and treated like you. But there are worse things than phlebitis.
Suggest you look for a doctor a.s.a.p.
 
wow well i hope this has put things into perspective for you.

and if you get to the stage the foot has to come off are you going to gnaw it off yourself?

as soon as possible without involving the kids, you should go to the ER if things havent improved.
 
It is okay to be scared. You don't have to tell them what happened. They will be able to piece it together themselves. Chances are that many addicts have come in there with the exact same symptoms in the exact same spot so regardless of what you tell them they will come to their own conclusions.

I think the lie is more for you than anything. Chances are if you are just straight up with the doctor they will be straight up with you.

Just go. You will be okay. I would go now once you have your affairs in order in regards to your kids. I hope you are safe, and things get better. Keep us posted.
 
Dude I was scared shitless before I went today , I'm leaving the pharmacy as I type with two powerful antiobiotics specific for this type of situation the doctor told me I was very smart to be honest cause one of the anti bio is for blood infections cause even if you stop abcess it can lead to sepsis (however that's spelled) I got cephalexin and Sulfamethoxazole dude go I was lucky I got insurance in my mail finally first time in my life literally the day this started like a sign from God to quit ... This scared me shitless IV now I did it 3 years straight no problem and I think it was from a bad batch I could clearly tell was extremely cut but was so sick had school work etc. all the nurses were very nice . And honestly dude I feel id rather have it my arm like it is than the foot cause she shot me up 3 times with a huge rig of lytocain and bursts it squirted puss and blood literally like 3 feet up and had to keep squeezing it and fill it with gauze took probably 10 minutes but I can't imagine how it would be draining a foot there's not much meat or fat to it where would the hole be for the gauze ... I wouldn't wait bro go .
 
This thread was my sign to go this morning I was persistent on figuring out my insurance calling up asking what's covered what's not my mom told me to wait till tomorrow cause she's not working but I was laying in bed in the morning read this and it was a weird sign . Also when I was laying there waiting the loudspeaker in the hospital turned on at 11:11 am on the 11th month on the 11thday they had a prayer for the veterans and there was a 3-4 year old girl with a broken collar bone crying I felt like it was one massive sign . I prayed , for the veterans and myself go dude
 
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