Newbe Needs Help

[Neurotic Paradox]

Hi,

I am new to the list and just wanted to introduce myself and ask for help. I am Neurotic Paradox and have been an IV use of Methamphetamine for over 10- years. Due to government crackdowns on Crstal, I have been forced to go to Cocaine, as it is readily available in my area. I have been doing the cocaine for only about 2 months now. I have been having problems with injection sites -- my arms, since the use of the Coke. I never had any problems at all while injecting Methamphetamine!!

If this is not the proper place to post this, would the moderator please excuse me and move this post to the correct place? Thank you!

Now, since IV'ing the Coke I have super large knots in the anticubital/elbow crease of my arms. They are slightly red, warm (not hot) to the touch and are pain free. Instead they itch like crazy! I could easily bruise them just by just scratching, the itch is so intense.

The last night (2 nights ago) when at a friends home, they did hurt a little bit. Sore, really, not 'painful'. I noticed going home that they were sore, but usually I can just put hot wash cloths on them and by the next morning they are OK.

This time is different. I have had the heating pad on them over night for 2 nights and done the wash cloth thing, but they are still swollen with hard knots in them. The knots have decreased in size from about 3 inches diameter to about 2 inches in one arm and 1 & 1/2 inches in the other arm. There is still visible reddnes and slight warmth...and intense itching! I can move the knots around in my arms with no pain. I can mash on them with no pain. I had thought about abcess' but they usually present with pain, so I ruled that out.

I know little about Cocaine, since I am a Methamphetamine user. Could it be diferent kinds of cocaine? Could I have done the 'wrong' kind of Coke? I know the high has always been great (NOT as good as Meth, but still good), so I have kept dong it. The man I buy from talks about different kinds of cut, but I do not know what the cuts are. I know some use baking soda. The small gold looking rocks in the bags I get, break down clear, but when mixed with the white powder in there (somtimes I would take a blade and cut it all up together) it does not draw up easily into the syringe and I have lots of white power in my cotton after it dries. I noticed this in my spoon once when I forgot to clean everything. It seems like every dealer has his own thing going on. I am the only one who uses it IV. So I cannot compare to the others who snort their lines.

I really would appreciate any help with my arms, and if anyone can educate me on the cocaine thing I would like that too. It is obvious that I am going to do it, but I sure would like to be safer and my arms will say thanks too!!!

[antigonemuse]

You need keflex (sp) antibiotics

you got an abcess... the itching is probably an infection, and moist heat could make it worse over long perriods of time. Dont fuck around, go to a doc.

Coke will kill your veins man. You probably missed a bit when injecting.

[southernbelle]

Welcome to the site Neurotic Paradox! ^^ Listen to what Anti said, don't delay, and get to your doc. Again, welcome.

[flipside]

Got to agree with what has already been said. Having has an abcess from Iv'ing coke, it sure sounds like you may well have one. Better safe than sorry, go to the doc.

If you wont or can't at least see if you can get your hands on some antibiotics.

it's also possible that it may be the cut. Coke is nasty stuff kinda like battery acid to the veins at least it was for me.

As for injecting safely, your procedure should be no different then when injecting meth in terms of how to inject it. How are you preparing your shot?

[Neurotic Paradox]

HI again,

I have been doing the deal the same way as I was with the meth. Adding about 30units of water, mixing well, using a tiny bit of cotten to pull it up thru.....I use U100 syringes, 29g needle, 50unit size.

Thanks for all the responses. I can try to get some antibiotics, but I live in a small town where seeing any type of doctor/hospital is simply not an option.

[flipside]

HI again,

I have been doing the deal the same way as I was with the meth. Adding about 30units of water, mixing well, using a tiny bit of cotten to pull it up thru.....I use U100 syringes, 29g needle, 50unit size.

Thanks for all the responses. I can try to get some antibiotics, but I live in a small town where seeing any type of doctor/hospital is simply not an option.


You could try adding some more water to see if it helps with the cut, or switch dealers if you can and see if an different batch works better for you.

As for the hospital not being an option, if you see any red marks traveling up your arm, you really must go to the hospital unless you want to lose your limb or worse yet, your life.

Not being there to physically see it , it is hard to say what it is. Do you have a fever? If so, you've gotta get some treatment. Can you drive to the next town over?

Hopefully this is just a cut reaction and it will pass, but watch for the fever and any traveling of the reddness, heat and swelling, All very bad signs.

Oh and welcome.

[devilsdrug]

go to another town this really is the answer

[HistoryofMadness]

hey welcome and hope you get to a doc soon... I've moved your thread to 'harm reduction' where our resident and amazing nurse candy can help out... she moderates this area... anyway keep us posted and get well soon!

[vaxn8]

I don't know, I'd really doubt abcess if you're not having pain. I could see not having any right away just due to the coke's local anesthetic action, but i can't believe you'd continue several days and not devleop pain at the site.

Coke is a lot harder on veins, that's a known fact. Part of it is due to the frequency of injection- users injecting over and over in a short period of time. You also have the constant vasoconstriction caused by the coke. All that is not even considering the cuts- and god knows what they are and how they vary bag to bag.

The way i read it, correct me if i'm wrong, you're experiencing the knots frequently, it's just that this time, you are having a hard time getting rid of them. This also makes me think not-abcess. Any way you could post a pic? If you had a temp, i would agree with the abcess, but it really sounds like coke induced veinous damage. Also, if it's decreasing in size on it's own, it's most likely not an infection.

Is the itching an always thing, or just this time? How long has that lasted?? If it was a few hours, i'd guess maybe a little opiate contamination in the coke. If it's prolonged, it could be a cut- or something in the cut you're allergic to. Try some cortisone cream if it's horrible to deal with, or an antihistamine. Personally, i'd go with the topical cortisone not knowing what is causing the itching.

One thing you could look into is purifying your coke if you want to continue to shoot it. It's pretty easy to do and the chemicals aren't that hard to get. Will save or decrease damage to your veins, and would be healthier for your overall body.

[candy]

Hi there and welcome. You posted in the right section and as moderator and health pro here, I am going say you have yourself some abscesses and need to see a doctor. While they may not be painful, the itching, redness, and other things you describe points to abscess.

The hot compress is a good idea and I would advise not using those sites, or around those sites. Would it be possible to snort or smoke the cocaine instead? I am not very informed on cocaine and most of my patients and what I have dealt with personally is opiates, but either something in the cut or small particles are causing the abscesses.

I would suggest you don't use this IV any longer. Remember that not only is this causing the abscesses, but it is passing through your heart and lungs and can cause more serious problems!

If going to the doctor or clinic is not an option, continue with the heat for 20 minutes, 3-4 times daily. Ibuprofen will help with inflammation and any fever you may have. Do not try and drain them yourself!

If you have Needle Exchange sites in your area, see them about abscess care. They can refer you out to someone or help you out there. You can also check with your county health department for help or referrals.

[Coddfish]

if something in your coke or h doesn't dissolve, then you don't want that something in your shot. period. if there is stuff you can separate out before you mash it up, please do that; you aren't losing anything, cause that stuff ain't coke.

[Neurotic Paradox]

Hi again,

I never said I was the brightest light bulb on the string. About 2 hours ago, I was over at friends and guess what??? "Oh this is the bomb. This is the deal, here! You just gotta try this shit out! It's a lot better than that other shit......." And, I did. I really did not want to, but the other part of me really did want to ...and you know the rest of the story. I hate when I do that to myself. Promise to lay off for a while and then mess up again. It is crazy, I tell you, crazy! But, on to why I am posting again,,,

It hit me while in the shower a little while ago, something I forgot to mention. And it may (or may not) be important to what is going on with my arms.

Doesn't it take a few days or so for cysts to come up? These knots come up like in 30 minutes. They would start in like 15 minutes, but by 30 to 45 they were as big as they got--huge.

FYI Another interesting point is that I did break down and shoot up before I left home. In the forearm tho, not the antecubital/elbow, (not much consulation, but thank you, Cindy, I remembered at least part of what you said--the part about not using the same place!) and after about 10 to 15 minutes the swelling began. At my friends house, I actually shot up twice (it was better than the other shit) and I have no swelling after about4 hours.

I may have gotten some of the bad coke that I thought I threw away about a week ago, mixed up with my good coke. I did get some that messed up a lot of my friends with bleeding noses and pain. I did a couple of hits IV but thought I threw it all out. We all came to find out it had been cut with ajax. Or at least that was what the man told us as he was bitching to another dude on the phone, trying to get his money back.

Anywho, how long does it take for cysts to come up? And If I did get some of the bad stuff, how will I get it out of my arms???

Thanks again, from a dim light bulb:(

[HistoryofMadness]

Man please purify your coke if you've gotta shoot it...

Also, that wouldn't be a cyst, it would be an absess...

But everytime I shoot I got a little sore, and if I wasn't careful it would swell BUT

I can't help but think you're missing...

And missing with some badly-cut shit... forget about shooting it if you can (I know that's hard) and maybe cook some rock and smoke it or something...

[Neurotic Paradox]

OK, so please tell me how do I purify it?? How can I be missing if I pump it like 4 or 5 times while I am injecting? I will put in about 5 to 10 units and then I pull back and get blood. I ususally do this about 4 -5 times with each shot. And I definately feel the high....
Please tell me more about purifing the coke. I have never purified anything.
Thanks a lots...
...and can it abcess in 10 minutes????
my arms say thank you and at the same time.... I feel like crap. been in bed for about 8 hours and my arms hurt. I wish I felt better...

[HistoryofMadness]

OK, so please tell me how do I purify it?? How can I be missing if I pump it like 4 or 5 times while I am injecting? I will put in about 5 to 10 units and then I pull back and get blood. I ususally do this about 4 -5 times with each shot. And I definately feel the high....
Please tell me more about purifing the coke. I have never purified anything.
Thanks a lots...
...and can it abcess in 10 minutes????
my arms say thank you and at the same time.... I feel like crap. been in bed for about 8 hours and my arms hurt. I wish I felt better...

honestly, the only way I know how to purify anything for shooting is to use a filter or cotton... you will lose some that way, but you can always put the cotton under your tongue, against the blood vessels, and leave it there for about 15 minutes... I've done that before and it does work.

I will look in my 'database' of dope info, and see what I can find, but to my knowledge there's not an easy way to do it...

But based on the shitty cut you're obviously getting in with your dope, filtering through a cotton should help at least a little so you can at least stop hurting.

And yes I think you can get an absess, or at least get one started, fairly immediately after you shoot...

You may want to start another thread, just on purification, and let some of the chemistry experts on this site discuss different ways it might be done.

As for missing, if you are seeing blood when you check your hit, you shouldn't be missing. Maybe you're putting too much in each shot? Or maybe you're actually checking too much?

But the bottom line to me is simple: You need a new connection because it sounds like the one you have isn't as concerned with what the dope's cut with as he/she is with making big money... you might end up shooting powdered milk or some crazy shit.

[Neurotic Paradox]

OK, I know what you are talking about now.

I do (and always have) used cotton to draw thru when making the fix. I thought that you maight have been talking about heating the spoon just till the dope bubbles.

It has been years since I saw some dope, that a friend of mine had and saw him doing that. He said it was to break it down or something. Been a long, long time tho and I can't even remember what he was doing. Some kind of downer, since that was all he did. He would break down dilaudid and lemon747, etc. He would put his cig. lighter under the spoon till it just started to boil, then filter thru cotton and shoot.

Yes, I agree about needing a new dealer. Every time I say I am going to find one, he has said that he had another source and it was different shit. But it seems like it isn't any different, but still I reach for the vasoline, cause I know I am probably getting the shaft again! Seems like I would learn one day...

...the 'man's' mouth ain't no prayer book! :(

[nick]

go to another town this really is the answer
Or forget dope and join a choir.
P.S. Welcome and please get this kind of thing checked out quickly.There's some really nasty shit you can get from IVU.Mercer,sepsis,that nasty flesh eating bug,that I'm not even going to attempt to spell at this time of night.Anyway take care.

[Neurotic Paradox]

LOL ....but, I can't sing! :)
Thanks for the welcome!

[candy]

Hi again,

I never said I was the brightest light bulb on the string. About 2 hours ago, I was over at friends and guess what??? "Oh this is the bomb. This is the deal, here! You just gotta try this shit out! It's a lot better than that other shit......." And, I did. I really did not want to, but the other part of me really did want to ...and you know the rest of the story. I hate when I do that to myself. Promise to lay off for a while and then mess up again. It is crazy, I tell you, crazy! But, on to why I am posting again,,,

It hit me while in the shower a little while ago, something I forgot to mention. And it may (or may not) be important to what is going on with my arms.

Doesn't it take a few days or so for cysts to come up? These knots come up like in 30 minutes. They would start in like 15 minutes, but by 30 to 45 they were as big as they got--huge.

FYI Another interesting point is that I did break down and shoot up before I left home. In the forearm tho, not the antecubital/elbow, (not much consulation, but thank you, Cindy, I remembered at least part of what you said--the part about not using the same place!) and after about 10 to 15 minutes the swelling began. At my friends house, I actually shot up twice (it was better than the other shit) and I have no swelling after about4 hours.

I may have gotten some of the bad coke that I thought I threw away about a week ago, mixed up with my good coke. I did get some that messed up a lot of my friends with bleeding noses and pain. I did a couple of hits IV but thought I threw it all out. We all came to find out it had been cut with ajax. Or at least that was what the man told us as he was bitching to another dude on the phone, trying to get his money back.

Anywho, how long does it take for cysts to come up? And If I did get some of the bad stuff, how will I get it out of my arms???

Thanks again, from a dim light bulb:(


It wouldn't be a cyst that would be forming, but an abscess. You didn't say that in your first post that this was happening right after injection. If so, then it is in whatever it is your using. With a missed shot, you should see swelling right away and can feel it forming under the skin.
I would say it the swelling begins 15 minutes after injection, you could be having a reaction at the site and if this can become an abscess days later.
Hard to say. Sounds like a missed shot as well.
You say you changed the product and are not getting the problem anymore?

If you do have an abscess or more than one, antibiotics will work to get rid of it or if not they need to be drained. If an abscess has become hard, a small incision is made and they work that hard pus out(kinda like popping a pimple. Some abscess are softer and will drain over a few days after a small cut is made. You should be on antibiotics is you do have an abscess and as I said before, don't try to drain them yourself. Abscesses can go away on their own with warm compresses applied and avoiding using that arm for injection.

If you can purify your product, make sure your equipment is clean as possible and always wash your hands and the site your going to hit.

That is just some nasty shit going in your veins and unfortunately your going to run into problems. Problems such as scarring and collapsed veins can also cause the problems your having as well.
Heroin seems to be easier on the body when injected. I see more problems with injectors who are injecting pills, coke, etc.

Hope you get it worked out and I know your in a small town, but see about the Health Dept in your area or in your state. Even by calling the states number for the Health Dept. they should be able to direct you to clinics or docs that deal with this sort of thing.

[robojunkie]

I used to go on big speedball/coke shot runs, always in the same hole in my arm but this kind of thing never happened unless I missed, and that was coke or H. Maybe just cook the coke into rock, and resalt with some kind of mild acid like they use with tar. Just don't overheat and make the ecgonine or whatever that derivative is called. If basers have the patience to cook powder this is doable. Best way would be just dissolve the rock a little HCl (just enough to dissolve it and sprinkle a tiny bit of baking soda to neutralize any extra, I've done it with shitty stomped coke). Pretty easy once tried but make damn sure its neutralized. Just an idea, I'm not a nurse/doctor so it could be anything but I don't know why an IV shot would cause that much reaction in your arm, but I guess everybody's different. Maybe you're allergic to some kind of cut, who knows.

[HistoryofMadness]

OK, I know what you are talking about now.

I do (and always have) used cotton to draw thru when making the fix. I thought that you maight have been talking about heating the spoon just till the dope bubbles.




well I was talking about heating it, there's a way to do it, with ammonia or something, and then separate the results, and then heat again, but I hate to be anything but incredibly vague because I don't know how to and I'd hate for someone to think I knew, then go do it, and because of me they ended up poisoned with ammonia in their blood or something...

but there is a way with heat and another chemical... I just don't want to even try to remember

try goooogling some phrases and also check into some of the alt. groups, because the info's out there somewhere... I'll try to find it too.

[madnesscult]

It sounds to me like you've been missing, even though you said you register several times. When you miss a shot with coke, it won't hurt, because of coke's numbing effect.

As for the hard spots, I get those too. What they are depends upon how long they last. I get scar tissue that is very hard sometimes, especially in my hands and wrists. Scar tissue takes years to go away, and never fully disappears. There are also temporary hard spots that I get, which are most often caused by using dull needles. They'll be little raised, hard bumps at the injection site, and usually go away in a day or so. I'm sure you know that you should use a new needle every time, but I assume you're in the same situation that I'm in, where you just don't have new ones, or very few. It sucks, I have one clean left, and I'm trying to save it, going through all the old rigs that have been used only a few times.

Anyway, hope your situation clears up, and that I was of some help.

[reddragon3668]

this is a quick and prolly (sorry Vax :) ) stupid question, but is it possible to sharpen a used point? Seems like a little soap stone and a bit of patience would sharpen it right up... is it possible?

[nick]

Anyting is possible man.I'm not sure that sharpening your spikes would be desirable unless you really had no choice.

[candy]

this is a quick and prolly (sorry Vax :) ) stupid question, but is it possible to sharpen a used point? Seems like a little soap stone and a bit of patience would sharpen it right up... is it possible?


It is possible, but unless you have no other choice, I would avoid it. Are you in need of new needles? Is there a needle exchange in your area?
It has worked for countless junkies, but I don't recommend it and will lead to infection, increased scarring, and missed shots.

[NineLives]

this is a quick and prolly (sorry Vax :) ) stupid question, but is it possible to sharpen a used point? Seems like a little soap stone and a bit of patience would sharpen it right up... is it possible?

Many years ago I was using morphine IV and wondered the same thing - could I resharpen points? Odd as it may sound, sharpening was a little hobby of mine for awhile. I had tons of carving tools I needed to sharpen, got a great book on it, and before too long I could sharpen almost anything like a pro. So I thought if anyone could sharpen a needle, I could. I also had a high power microscope which I would use to inspect tips when I was desperate and wanted to know which old needle was in the best shape.

Long story short, I don't think it can be done. I could resharpen a dull X-acto blade to almost it's original razor sharpness, but nothing I tried ever worked on a needle. I used everything from chemically coated leather to ultra expensive ceramic stones (I even had a jig to hold it at a constant angle) and the results were always terrible. The needles would look great to the naked eye, but when I put them under the microscope they were just mangled. If I compared what I thought was my dullest beat up tip to one I had tried to sharpen, the dull beat up tip still looked a hundered times better then the one I thought I had sharpened! I spent about 2 weeks trying to find a technique that would work, but I never succeeded. It was pretty fascinating to see how much damage is done to a new tip after just one stick, but I kept wondering where all the little metal bits were ending up after they chipped away!

This was just my experience with it, though, you might find a way to do it that I never thought of. If you do find a way, I'd love to hear about it.

[NineLives]

It has worked for countless junkies, but I don't recommend it and will lead to infection, increased scarring, and missed shots.

Wow, so it is possible? Wish I had known that back then! Now it's going to drive me nuts wondering how they did it....

[Neurotic Paradox]

:)
Hello again everyone!

I just had to put some closure on things and let everyone know how things turned out. I am sorry it has taken well over a month to get back online, but I had to go down the mountain before I could get back up to the top of the next hill..if you get my drift so to speak....

My arms did eventually clear up and all the knots went away. I never did go to the hospital or see any doctor. I am just too ashamed of who I am and what I do to myself for anyone to ever find out. I know that sounds really dumb, but it is true. I toughed things out and I made it. One more bullet dodged.

I know what the whole problem was though. The coke I was getting was cut with ????? I don't know exactly what, but I was having reactions to the cut.

I found a new dealer in another city over from me. Come to find out, he was the man that the guys I was buying from, was getting their coke from. They would take their personal shit out and then add talc, baking soda, etc to raise the weight back up and resell to me and others.

What I have been getting now is not cut at all. It is what is called 'cooking quality' here. It does not come in powder, but one superhard rock. I get 2 eights (7g) at one time so I see the dealer like 3 times a month vs. 3 times a week.

So, it was the cut!!

Thanks to all of you for being there for me. I really hope I can somehow pay you all back some time, some how... you can not imagine what a life line you all have been. When there was absolutely no one I could turn to or talk to YOU ALL WERE THERE!

I will still be reading and hopefully staying in touch via Opiophile... :p

Neurotic Paradox