Cotton Fever

[moviebuff927]

After recently suffering from Cotton Fever, I researched this illness and was wondering if:

If you've had Cotton Fever once (and it is a bacteria) does your body produce antibodies so that if you were to get it again, you would be immune to it?

Just curious because it makes sense that once you have it, you won't get it again. I know I've only had it once and I haven't had it since. But it was quite recently so I don't know. I do know that I was really worried that I was dying and didn't know it was Cotton Fever until afterwards. My temperature got up to 104 and I the main thing it was accompanied by was this exteme inability to get warm. I thought I was freezing to death and I took a HOT shower and then jumped in a cocoon sleeping bag. Then a few hours later I was too hot. It didn't last long, and I suspected Cotton Fever because I had shot up an hour prior to the effects.

[goagirl23]

I have had cotton fever a few times now. It's awfull. However; a long time ago someone on this site posted some brilliant advice. As soon as you feel it coming on (chills, shakes, sick stomach etc.) Stick an asprin under your tongue and let it dissolve while wrapped up in warm blankets. If you catch it soon enough and do that you can make it go away in about 30 min.

[opiATEmALL]

So cotton fever is just a severe shaking and inability to get warm right? cuz i had these sypmtoms for about an hour or two a few weeks ago. It roughly 15-20 mins after i shot up, was this cotton fever or sumthing else?

[moviebuff927]

I have had cotton fever a few times now. It's awfull. However; a long time ago someone on this site posted some brilliant advice. As soon as you feel it coming on (chills, shakes, sick stomach etc.) Stick an asprin under your tongue and let it dissolve while wrapped up in warm blankets. If you catch it soon enough and do that you can make it go away in about 30 min.

Hey, thanks for that advice...that makes sense. I will definately keep that in mind if I do get it again. I take it from your post that it's unlikely that you do build an immunity to it. That sucks.

[Dirtyrockstar]

ive never heard of this before, is it what i think it is? cotton from your filter gets into your blood? symptomatically it sounds similar to w/ding. yuck. would you describe it that way?

[oxydose]

I've had the shit 4-5 times, so no, not for me atleast.

and yes opiATE, that is exactly the fever.

horrible feeling, expecally cause when you first feel it you KNOW its gonna happen, w/e u are just get where you can sit/lay down, cover, and something to bite.

[Black_Pony]

I'm pretty sure bacteria doesn't work like that. I know with virus's your body makes antibodies that keeps you from getting that particular strain again. Thats how vaccines work, to give you a bit of the dead virus so your body can defend against it.

I'm pretty sure you can get infected with the same strain of bacteria over and over again. If not, there are plenty of types of bacteria out there that can grow on your cottons.

[moviebuff927]

I'm pretty sure bacteria doesn't work like that. I know with virus's your body makes antibodies that keeps you from getting that particular strain again. Thats how vaccines work, to give you a bit of the dead virus so your body can defend against it.

I'm pretty sure you can get infected with the same strain of bacteria over and over again. If not, there are plenty of types of bacteria out there that can grow on your cottons.

Okay...that makes sense...didn't know if some bacteria are like that...but Cotton Fever isn't limited to IV drug users...people who work around cotton sometimes get it.

I've only had it once but I thought I was dying. I did not want to get out from under the covers. I did figure out that laying on your stomach with a pillow under your chest helps with the teeth chattering. For a while you can't get warm, and then you're too hot. Thank God it only lasts a few hours.

I think the aspirin under the tongue was very interesting. I haven't taken aspirin since my ulcer. I had been doing morphine for a few days so I was really constipated and then I took some aspirin for a few days (I never took anything under 975mg (3 aspirin) and it hurt everytime I ate, drank, or swallowed. I thought it was the morphine but I realized I had been doing a bunch of pills and taking aspirin while shooting morphine. So I started taking Pepcid and drinking honey and mixing baking soda in water (that worked the best). Pretty soon I was back to where I could eat something without my stomach hurting like hell.

[nick]

In the U.K. cotton fever,known as a dirty dig, is cured by having another hit.

[oxydose]

In the U.K. cotton fever,known as a dirty dig, is cured by having another hit.

So does it work or what? Never tried it myself but would for sure if it worked.

[Duckfeet]

That sounds like cotton fever to me...chills, shaking, usually happens shortly after fixing...once u get it a couple of times, u recognize it immediately....


So cotton fever is just a severe shaking and inability to get warm right? cuz i had these sypmtoms for about an hour or two a few weeks ago. It roughly 15-20 mins after i shot up, was this cotton fever or sumthing else?

[nick]

So does it work or what? Never tried it myself but would for sure if it worked.

It always made me feel better,but then a hit always does.

[Duckfeet]

I don't think it produces anti-bodies,.... if you've had it--and this sounds like it--you never forget it...chills, aches...doesn't last too long...I've had it more times than I can count....somewhere around 20 times I'd guess....



After recently suffering from Cotton Fever, I researched this illness and was wondering if:

If you've had Cotton Fever once (and it is a bacteria) does your body produce antibodies so that if you were to get it again, you would be immune to it?

Just curious because it makes sense that once you have it, you won't get it again. I know I've only had it once and I haven't had it since. But it was quite recently so I don't know. I do know that I was really worried that I was dying and didn't know it was Cotton Fever until afterwards. My temperature got up to 104 and I the main thing it was accompanied by was this exteme inability to get warm. I thought I was freezing to death and I took a HOT shower and then jumped in a cocoon sleeping bag. Then a few hours later I was too hot. It didn't last long, and I suspected Cotton Fever because I had shot up an hour prior to the effects.

[Duckfeet]

No, I don't think it's the same as withdrawing, for one thing, there's no "mental" componant, like there is in kicking...and it comes from all kinds of things: using menthol filters, cooking down paregoric, "beating" old cottons, using toilet water...generally it seems just being careless and unhygenic...but u know it when u get it: chills, fever, aches, all shortly after fixing....


ive never heard of this before, is it what i think it is? cotton from your filter gets into your blood? symptomatically it sounds similar to w/ding. yuck. would you describe it that way?

[OxyContinuously]

No, I don't think it's the same as withdrawing, for one thing, there's no "mental" componant, like there is in kicking...and it comes from all kinds of things: using menthol filters, cooking down paregoric, "beating" old cottons, using toilet water...generally it seems just being careless and unhygenic...but u know it when u get it: chills, fever, aches, all shortly after fixing....

Duck, what is it though? Like a bacteria? or a piece of cotton that goes in ur vein? SOunds fucked up though, sheesh!!

[oxydose]

Times i've had it I've tracked it down to the needle for two occassions, water for two.

and a few times who knows.

[Duckfeet]

I'm not sure, to be honest. I don't think it's *always* cotton, tho old cottons, when we used to save heroin rinses for a few days would do it, and certainly menthol filters have given me and others cotton fever in old days.... and dirty water...but there's no way to be sure. I think Rach explained it once in way that made sense, and I think he said it was bacterial infection or something like that.... but I don't remember ever getting it from percodan or percocets or tylox or dilaudid I fixed, so I thought maybe it also was was something in the heroin process, crappy cut, as in old pre-tar days, H would get cut with all kinds of garbage....

But for me, and anybody who's had it once or twice, knows exactly what it is, when it comes on, and u just usually gotta lie down and wait for it to pass....


Duck, what is it though? Like a bacteria? or a piece of cotton that goes in ur vein? SOunds fucked up though, sheesh!!

[OxyContinuously]

I'm not sure, to be honest. I don't think it's *always* cotton, tho old cottons, when we used to save heroin rinses for a few days would do it, and certainly menthol filters have given me and others cotton fever in old days.... and dirty water...but there's no way to be sure. I think Rach explained it once in way that made sense, and I think he said it was bacterial infection or something like that.... but I don't remember ever getting it from percodan or percocets or tylox or dilaudid I fixed, so I thought maybe it also was was something in the heroin process, crappy cut, as in old pre-tar days, H would get cut with all kinds of garbage....

But for me, and anybody who's had it once or twice, knows exactly what it is, when it comes on, and u just usually gotta lie down and wait for it to pass....


Cool, thanks, cuz I've heard the term a lot on this site, and w/ some of my buds that shoot and always wondered wtf it was...thx 4 clearing that up Duckfeet ;-)

[chopstix]

I've had it from shots where I've known there was sediment in the hit, and I've had it several other times from seemingly random hits. I think it can be caused by a lot of things but it's usually bacterial.

BP is right, you can't build anti-bodies to bacteria, that's a viral thing. I haven't had a cotton fever in a really long time and about the time I got the last one, I started using larger cottons than most people do. I think a lot, including bacteria, can be filtered out of a solution with enough filtration... The cotton is there for a reason, hell, if I'm beating cottons I always push the rinse back into a spoon and run it through another fresh cotton. I wouldn't be surprised if you could get it from a dirty injection site also, I've never used alcohol pads but I'm sure they help.

I've been really close to being in full on shock from CF, I think it can be quite dangerous.

edit: re: duck, I've had it from a K4, that was the one with sediment and the weird thing is some people don't even filter K4s.

[nick]

Old cottons are bad news.

[Duckfeet]

I wonder why it seems less prevalent than it used to, is why I thought possibly it was something in the heroin cut...

And honestly, when it comes to diluadids, and I've done, Jesus, I'd say thousands, but anyway, over thirty years of chasing those bitches, and here's how I'd do them...*NOT RECOMMENDED!!!* Take a K4, grab the cleanest bill out of my wallet (higher denominations usually better) crush up the pill, usually by pounding on the bill with my buck knife, but u can also use your teeth. Then pull plunger out of syringe, and pour powder in. Replace plunger. Look for any water source, and suck enough water into rig to be able to inject. Shake it up a minute or two, or at least until most powder has dissolved. Fix.... If it clogged at all, just suck up a little blood, push harder. This was reality of longterm dilaudid users.

That's it...me and anybody I knew, rarely if ever used cottons, or filters of any kinds...even K2s, which had much more crap in them, and which we had hear all kinds of horror stories about, we done this way...
the only times I'd use cottons, would be when I'd be fixing heroin, or perks,, because you had to...

Also, I don't even know how to put this, but it does seem like this next generation is a little more careful, harm reduction, all that...you have to remember I started out when both AIDs and HepC were unkown, and most of us shared rigs after maybe one rinse, and were clueless--and cared less--about long term damage caused by APAP, u know, the aspirin or tylenol in perks and tylox, and the old cottons, all that...nobody much gave a shit...the immediate trials and tribulations of being addicts kept us busy enough, without worrying about our future...

But every junky had, and knew about, cotton fever, while now it does seem a little less common....


I've had it from shots where I've known there was sediment in the hit, and I've had it several other times from seemingly random hits. I think it can be caused by a lot of things but it's usually bacterial.

BP is right, you can't build anti-bodies to bacteria, that's a viral thing. I haven't had a cotton fever in a really long time and about the time I got the last one, I started using larger cottons than most people do. I think a lot, including bacteria, can be filtered out of a solution with enough filtration... The cotton is there for a reason, hell, if I'm beating cottons I always push the rinse back into a spoon and run it through another fresh cotton. I wouldn't be surprised if you could get it from a dirty injection site also, I've never used alcohol pads but I'm sure they help.

I've been really close to being in full on shock from CF, I think it can be quite dangerous.

edit: re: duck, I've had it from a K4, that was the one with sediment and the weird thing is some people don't even filter K4s.

[oxydose]

DF ive always heated K4's. Do you know if this destroys much HM?

[Duckfeet]

No, I don't know: I was always a "cold shaker," and there's a few other guys on here who remember when dilaudids *were* cold-shakers, no pounding or crushing necessary...but again, you'all are more into harm reduction, and god knows the beating my liver, heart, and kidneys have taken from this crap...


DF ive always heated K4's. Do you know if this destroys much HM?

[chopstix]

The whackjob I got my K4s through in Miami was a "cold shaker"- same thing, powder straight into the rig and shake. D was new to me at the time , I had been shooting tar and C and there was no way I was going to believe this crazy old hag telling me that it was ok to not filter them. I've since been told by many people that they did the same straight-into-the-rig deal.

It's quite possible the fever I got from that D was something else, I dunno.. I used to put some heat on them too, they break down quicker that way. They're kind of a bitch in a spoon but oh, SOOOO worth it..

[oxydose]

It's quite possible the fever I got from that D was something else, I dunno.. I used to put some heat on them too, they break down quicker that way. They're kind of a bitch in a spoon but oh, SOOOO worth it..

you must of had some odd brand, Ethex for example. Mallindokt are made for the needle and spoon.

[chopstix]

Yellow K4s purchased right behind Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami around 92-3. They were good, I just wasn't used to dealing with pills at the time..

And they don't "make" pills for the spoon, they make ampules for the needle.

[moviebuff927]

I believe 9 times out of 10 it can be traced back to the cotton...like I said before, people who work in cotton mills used to get it just from inhaling the air so I'm pretty sure it's a bacteria.

It's not limited to IV drug users.

[Duckfeet]

That's what I call "the good old days" when k4's were in a lot of places...and there weren't online databases to keep track of shit, and docs weren't so paranoid...last place like Miami u described, was Scott St. in Houston, to me, never failed....

And btw, I always encourage people to put a little heat, and use a cotton, now...this was more just me, showing what an idiot I used to be...anybody who knows what fixing perco*cets* was like, and Tylox, knows just how insane u had to be, to IV those...but k4's...whooo boy, I sure liked those old yellow jobies ur talking about....I was just always in a hurry, figured I'd worry about my health "later..."... I've had liquid D's too, from drugstore heists...and even had coke to put in'em....but that was rarer....


Yellow K4s purchased right behind Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami around 92-3. They were good, I just wasn't used to dealing with pills at the time..

And they don't "make" pills for the spoon, they make ampules for the needle.

[oxydose]

edit: re: duck, I've had it from a K4, that was the one with sediment and the weird thing is some people don't even filter K4s.

Everytime i've had it has been from Dil.

Oddly enough i've never got it injecting anything else, every dumb shit like Meprigan.

[Dirtyrockstar]

i think i recognise this, only here its not called cotton fever its called "getting a dirty hit" and yeah the universal cure is having another shot, nearly always works, costly but effective.

[Lu_cid]

In the U.K. cotton fever,known as a dirty dig, is cured by having another hit. that does take care of some of it. still persists tho for some. i had it several days in a row. once is started to dissapate i would take a shot and it would come right back, eventually i had to throw out my kit and restock. never had it sense.

[Dirtyrockstar]

also to chopstix, if u can get to a pharmacy with a coupla bux, if there's noone handing 'em out for nothing, get a box of swabs dude, they're the first line of defence, you just wipe once on each side and chuck 'em. kills a lot of nasties and gives your skin a good clean. i knew this one guy this one time, he was a plasterer, didn't swab, got some plaster in his vein, talk about sick. but thats an extreme example.

only drawback, particularly with IV users of the more hardcore substances like hammer or dilaudid, is the psychological association that develops between the smell of the swab and the expectation of relief from the drug. after a long long time the smell of isopropyl alcohol in the abscence of smack leads to all the classic hangs such as sneezing, shivers etc. can anyone chime in and back me up?

[jonny-5]

No, I don't know: I was always a "cold shaker," and there's a few other guys on here who remember when dilaudids *were* cold-shakers, no pounding or crushing necessary...but again, you'all are more into harm reduction, and god knows the beating my liver, heart, and kidneys have taken from this crap...

actually your lungs is what you need to worry about. blood travels in these TINY blood vessels called arioles or something...we just learned about em in class. blood goes to the backside of your lungs to get oxygenated, and they get clogged, and die from lack of blood supply. you can die. so ya its your lungs that you need to worry about there.

[Jade Warrior]

I have an interesting twist to the cotton fever issue. I've had cotton fever several times from taking from taking methadone that I was getting from an off shore pharmacy. And I'm talking about oral not IV . If I would take too large a dose I would get cotton fever almost every time. So it may also be caused by some kind of impurity in the drug, or cut.

I got a mild case last Saturday night from shooting. I had not been cleaning up my spoon very well thinking that heating would probably kill anything. I won't be doing that any more. Also tossed the cottons I had been saving up. Just ain't worth it!

[oshicawntin]

Hey.. What do you guys think? I just fixed a shot about 20 mins ago.. No problem with bangin the 80 but when I went to get a second wash with some diphenhydramine, that is when the problems started to kick in mustve filtered thru cotton 3 timess.. im sstartin to feel funny. a little bit of a panic attack. noddin like a mofo, random stinging pain inmy arm/hand... could pass out and slllleep like a baby if i wanted to. wwweird feelings all over my body.. eh, maybe it is juss me benig freaked but iiivee neeverfelt thisway ;)

[SeVeN]

In the U.K. cotton fever,known as a dirty dig, is cured by having another hit.

SEE!! That is the only thing that has ever cured it for me. And the only times Ive gotten it was when I used the "washes" because I was desperate. Never from a big shot of dope. I still think the cotton fever thing is pretty much misunderstood by medicine today.

[Duckfeet]

I think most of what we deal with in opiate world is either misunderstood, or absolutely denied by medical world...and since so many fairly incompetent medical types now get good salaries *being* in the field of "addictionalogy" or whatever they call it, it's even less to be trusted...

I'm not a great one for buying into junky bullshit, but so much of what I've learned, about heroin, about methadone, about bupe, about dilaudids, about oxycontin, about tar...and just about being an opiate addict in general, hasn't come from medicine, but from listening to other junkies, and figuring out what was what...

I think the medical world is way too over respected in this country, anyway, and they are really like all academics, mostly engaged in obscurantism and self-worship...and want to keep it that way...they've been given more and more power over *our* lives, at the same time the medicos themselves have been more and more co-opted by the federal gov't...

I learned about cotton fever by getting it repeatedly, and listening to other junkies on how *not* to get it: don't use old cottons and menthol cigarette filters, be hygienic w/anything u put in yer veins...

SEE!! That is the only thing that has ever cured it for me. And the only times Ive gotten it was when I used the "washes" because I was desperate. Never from a big shot of dope. I still think the cotton fever thing is pretty much misunderstood by medicine today.

[chopstix]

I think most of what we deal with in opiate world is either misunderstood, or absolutely denied by medical world...and since so many fairly incompetent medical types now get good salaries *being* in the field of "addictionalogy" or whatever they call it, it's even less to be trusted...

I'm not a great one for buying into junky bullshit, but so much of what I've learned, about heroin, about methadone, about bupe, about dilaudids, about oxycontin, about tar...and just about being an opiate addict in general, hasn't come from medicine, but from listening to other junkies, and figuring out what was what...

I think the medical world is way too over respected in this country, anyway, and they are really like all academics, mostly engaged in obscurantism and self-worship...and want to keep it that way...they've been given more and more power over *our* lives, at the same time the medicos themselves have been more and more co-opted by the federal gov't...

I learned about cotton fever by getting it repeatedly, and listening to other junkies on how *not* to get it: don't use old cottons and menthol cigarette filters, be hygienic w/anything u put in yer veins...

I completely agree, almost everything I've learned about dope I've learned from Junkies or my own experience and research, and I also believe that medical care in this country is fucked up in a lot of ways; doctors get golf bags and vacations and shit for writing enough prozac - that's fucked up.

We're all guinea pigs, the FDA releases shit all the time that needs another 5-10 years of testing, much easier and more profitable to just ok a new drug and then pull it if it turns out that one in a thousand people grow purple horns if they take it with whiskey and someone draws the connection. The American FDA, medical, and pharmaceutical industries are evil money hungry bastards. I get heated on this subject. Doctors get authority complexes from those pretty little degrees on the wall. I had a guy charging me 400/hr for benzo dependency and he was a completely closed minded asshole, board certified sleep specialist, all kinds of awards and he knew less about benzo addiction than I do, and he made my problem A LOT worse by ignoring me and giving me the wrong meds for the circumstances. Fucker wouldn't even give me an email address (he spent half of my first and only visit on his fucking cell phone - at 400/hr, I want a dialog motherfucker). I should have wiped my ass with the check he got.

As a dopefiend, it's your responsibility to educate yourself about the drugs you're using. Never take everything a doc says as gospel. I fully believe that a lot of elderly suffer needlessly because they wind up eating so many fucking pills. I have a very sick friend right now that is in this state, prescriptions a go-go, it's ridiculous, we're pushing for a single doc to consolidate everything and research interactions - fortunately he has enough money to hire someone to oversee what's happening because it's totally out of control.. I could go on and on..

Last visit I had my doctor had her notebook out taking notes - cos she's smart and her head ain't all fucking swollen up.. A degree doesn't make you an expert, experience and knowledge make you an expert.

Anyway, I started this post to say that although I largely agree that the medical community is largely ignorant about addiction and related issues, I think cotton fever is actually pretty well understood. It's your bodies reaction to foreign particles or bacteria in your bloodstream; the symptoms tell the story. For me it's always been very sudden fever (which causes uncontrollable shivering) and MASSIVE, MASSIVE thirst. I can't get enough water and I (usually) get a monster headache. Typically I'll drink a couple gallons of water and lay down thirsty and shivering, I usually fall asleep and wake up a few hours later just fine. I think it's a pretty simple mechanical reaction to (usually) IV introduction of bacteria or particulate. As mentioned earlier, it's a known phenomena in cotton mills.. Fiber gets in the bloodstream and the symptoms are your body throwing everything it's got at the problem..

[candy]

Actually cotton fever is caused by an endotoxin produced by bacteria found in cotton fibers. The bacteria that
causes this is called Enterobacter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterobacter) agglomerans.


And I do agree that it is the responsibility of the drug user to know the drugs they are using and how to use them safely.
Chopstix and Duck make some great points and I would comment more but my hands keep going numb, (something to see the doctor about I guess.)

[candy]

I completely agree, almost everything I've learned about dope I've learned from Junkies or my own experience and research, and I also believe that medical care in this country is fucked up in a lot of ways; doctors get golf bags and vacations and shit for writing enough prozac - that's fucked up.

We're all guinea pigs, the FDA releases shit all the time that needs another 5-10 years of testing, much easier and more profitable to just ok a new drug and then pull it if it turns out that one in a thousand people grow purple horns if they take it with whiskey and someone draws the connection. The American FDA, medical, and pharmaceutical industries are evil money hungry bastards. I get heated on this subject. Doctors get authority complexes from those pretty little degrees on the wall. I had a guy charging me 400/hr for benzo dependency and he was a completely closed minded asshole, board certified sleep specialist, all kinds of awards and he knew less about benzo addiction than I do, and he made my problem A LOT worse by ignoring me and giving me the wrong meds for the circumstances. Fucker wouldn't even give me an email address (he spent half of my first and only visit on his fucking cell phone - at 400/hr, I want a dialog motherfucker). I should have wiped my ass with the check he got.

As a dopefiend, it's your responsibility to educate yourself about the drugs you're using. Never take everything a doc says as gospel. I fully believe that a lot of elderly suffer needlessly because they wind up eating so many fucking pills. I have a very sick friend right now that is in this state, prescriptions a go-go, it's ridiculous, we're pushing for a single doc to consolidate everything and research interactions - fortunately he has enough money to hire someone to oversee what's happening because it's totally out of control.. I could go on and on..

Last visit I had my doctor had her notebook out taking notes - cos she's smart and her head ain't all fucking swollen up.. A degree doesn't make you an expert, experience and knowledge make you an expert.

Anyway, I started this post to say that although I largely agree that the medical community is largely ignorant about addiction and related issues, I think cotton fever is actually pretty well understood. It's your bodies reaction to foreign particles or bacteria in your bloodstream; the symptoms tell the story. For me it's always been very sudden fever (which causes uncontrollable shivering) and MASSIVE, MASSIVE thirst. I can't get enough water and I (usually) get a monster headache. Typically I'll drink a couple gallons of water and lay down thirsty and shivering, I usually fall asleep and wake up a few hours later just fine. I think it's a pretty simple mechanical reaction to (usually) IV introduction of bacteria or particulate. As mentioned earlier, it's a known phenomena in cotton mills.. Fiber gets in the bloodstream and the symptoms are your body throwing everything it's got at the problem..


Cotton fever was first noticed in cotton mills along time ago, but i believe it was named by IV drug users in the 70's.
The medical community turns a blind eye to addiction. When I got busted at work, I was escorted out of the hospital and that was it. Sadly, many nurses don't get to go back to nursing. But, addiction is still not seen as a medical condition.It is seen as a personal problem that one should be strong enough to stop, which is the opinion of most health professionals.
I would say, unless you are really sick with something serious, it is a don't tell policy!