scar tissue?

[phillyred88]

SWIMs hands are the usual route for IVing, but they were getting hard to hit, so SWIM found a vein in her arm. Used the same spot about 3-4 times a day for about 8-10 days, now right above the injection site it is hard, is this scar tissue? The spot also no longer works. How long will this take to heal? Is the vein actually hard or is there scar tissue around the vein? SWIM uses a new needle everytime. Is there something to do to make it heal faster? Also, can veins just never be used again from constant use after a while? Why is this if so?

Thanks

[blutuesday]

What type of dope are you using? Or is it pharms?

[RxQueen]

it's hard to say for sure without seeing it, but it's probably scar tissue. you should find a few other usable sites and rotate where you hit to avoid further damage. sometimes scar tissue can become somewhat permanent... i've got a couple places that were very overused where the vein stays hard, thick and leathery (scarred).

then again, scar tissue on the vein wall can also become so thick that the vein gets closed up (collapsed). i've got one of those in my right arm. if i stop using it altogether (which i pretty much had to do, since there wasn't enough blood flow left going through it to use it, i.e. no blood to draw back to register, no ability to get a point seated in it cuz it was nearly closed up), i can get a hit in it once or twice every 3-4 months. then it's closed up again for months.

definitely stop using that site now. find some others to use and let that one start to heal. only time will tell how fast it will heal, or if it will heal 100% at all.

[simfromstoke]

if you wanna speed up the healing process of the scars on your body, my doc prescribed me "dermatix". its a gel that you apply to the scar and it clears them up in a few weeks instead of months or even years.its made in america and used for post op patients with bad scarring.its not cheap but its amazing how fast it works!

[candy]

Philly red,

RxQueen, pretty much summed up it, Thank You!
You want to always rotate your sites, esp. if you have good veins to begin with. Those that most use are in the crook of the elbow(also called the antecubital vein). This vein is generally large and I would rotate the veins if you are going to continue using.
Believe me, you will thank us later.
Also rub Vitamin E oil on any marks or in the areas you are hitting. This will help keep your skin smooth and prevent scarring of the skin. Unfortunately most of us find this out too late and I did this at the end of my last run and prevent less scars.

Using a brand new needle each hit will also work to cut down on scarring. I know that is not always possible, but if you can at least only use each needle only a few times you will have better results.

And of course, remember to be safe!

[phillyred88]

I appreciate all the input, I do use a new needle every time. I am one of those people who are not easy to hit, my veins are not easy to see or feel, over the past couple years I have found if I make sure I eat plenty and am hydrated it is easier. I rotate as often as possible but tend to get excited when I find one easy spot and may get carried away b/c of the easiness.

Still curious on the exact reason this happens, I understand that if you poke your vein enough you get scar tissue and the vein can eventually collapse, but curious why.

For the recommendation of the scar cream, will that help scar tissue? i am not concerned with the cosmetic look of the skin, more so the hardness of the vein and anything to quicken the softening of it.



What type of dope are you using? Or is it pharms?

dope as in heroin

[D-Stabilized]

Well several people have already recommended rotating sites after every shot and I can't stress this enough. You hit that same spot 30-40 times in just over a week? Amazing that you got that much use out of it but it's probably gone for good now. Veins have some decent recuperative powers but you have to give then time to heal in between uses. Any time I have abused a vein to the point that it no longer gave access, it NEVER came back. Not trying to scare you but you don't want to end up like me without a single access point on my body. And I always used a fresh 30 ga. and shot only low residue dilaudid tabs that had been run through a micron filter so it's not from all the junk in there. I mean it's so bad that anytime I go in the hospital now, I have to get a PICC line or central line and I can't do shit at home. Now before someone goes saying, "You can always find a place to shoot", let me tell ya, the last time I had some dillies I tried for over an hour to hit something. Ended up plugging it.
:(

Rotate your sites. If you're going to be using the same vein repeatedly, start as far away from the heart as you can and work you way closer on successive shots, leaving at least an inch between each site. If you keep trying to hit the same site, it IS going to fail and if you hit it 30+ times in a row, don't expect it to come back.

They do make a number of OTC creams to aid the in the smoothing/softening of scar tissue and while they seem to work ok, they are predominantly topical and do nothing for the underlying blood vessels. I used them to keep from looking like a needle junkie. Nurses aren't stupid and after they've worked for a half hour trying to get an IV going and see all those scars. their compassion level drops to nil and you can bet they tell the doctor about it.

Good luck and above all else - BE SAFE!

[blutuesday]

I appreciate all the input, I do use a new needle every time. I am one of those people who are not easy to hit, my veins are not easy to see or feel, over the past couple years I have found if I make sure I eat plenty and am hydrated it is easier. I rotate as often as possible but tend to get excited when I find one easy spot and may get carried away b/c of the easiness.

Still curious on the exact reason this happens, I understand that if you poke your vein enough you get scar tissue and the vein can eventually collapse, but curious why.

For the recommendation of the scar cream, will that help scar tissue? i am not concerned with the cosmetic look of the skin, more so the hardness of the vein and anything to quicken the softening of it.






dope as in heroin

Yeah, I know dope as in heroin, but tar, white, raw what?

[candy]

Tar is hard on the veins and will leave you with nasty looking scars/tracks.

Basically, to keep scarring down to a minimum, just try to follow some
basics. This is no different than keeping yourself clean anyway, but just a few more steps.

Use a new needle if you can each injection if possible. Try to anyway. The less
you use one needle, the better.

Always wash your hands and clean the site with warm soapy water and wipe with alcohol.
This also helps the veins to come to the surface.
Having a clean site and clean gear/equipment is important.
Nothing looks worse than some big ugly abscess. That will leave one hell of a scar believe me and the
same is true for track marks and scarring with injecting. Even sites that don't abscess can become infected on the surface of the skin and leave a more permanent mark.

If you miss a shot, put a warm compress on it right away.

This is something not always mentioned. Be patient when injecting. Nothing worse than having to hurry or
just feeling sick and this can lead to pulling out the needle when you don't have to. Because the needle is beveled it can get stuck to the walls of your veins and it will appear as if you have missed or lost the site.
Pulling back with the plunger just a "smidge" ( I couldn't think of anything better) may pay off and you will once again get that plume of blood when you pull back on the plunger.
Sometimes you can also go right through the vein and pulling back will set you back into the vein.
Always inject slowly at first so if you are not in the vein any longer, your shot is not wasted sitting there making a swollen hand or arm. If your in you an always push then.
The meaning of all this is your not making another hole when you don't have to.

I know it is hard to wait, but if your at home and can clean up and have some time without being interrupted then go this route. The less unnecessary pokes the better and less scarring.
And if you can try and wait until your home so you can get a better hit.
I hated injecting in any public places and I know waiting until you get home isn't always an option, but a nicer option.

Just play safe!

[phillyred88]

Yeah, I know dope as in heroin, but tar, white, raw what?

powder consistency, brownish to whitish range in color , no tar, i'm on the east coast, not really much tar here.

[phillyred88]

I appreciate all the input, especially from the health professional. Luckily I am at home most of the time and can take my time in a clean environment. I do not always have alcohol wipes, but to bring the vein I usually put the spot I am going to use under warm water and that has helped the most out of any option.

I know all about scars, my hands are not the prettiest things in the world... and I am going to invest in some vitamin E cream and/or some other scar reduction cream. As for rotating sites, I try as much as I can, but sometimes when I finally find a spot that doesn't take 30 mins to an hour to find a new spot I just want the easy route, not really thinking that maybe if I rotated more I would in the long run get more use out of the spots.

Again, I really appreciate everyone's input.

[candy]

Philly,
That is what we are here for, to help. Anytime you need advice or have a question, don't hesitate to
let us know!

[simfromstoke]

the magical gel..
worked for me in 3 or 4 weeks. and thats after 7 years of poking needles in my arm 3,4, 5 times a day..