iv abscess

[marie9103]

my sister used an iv drug in her arm not sure if the rig was dirty or whats going on there isnt  alot of redness but i is swollen under skin more so than on top. feels like a pretty good not. Ive been drained before. I put her on an antibiotic and going to see if that works. is a week two long and it seems to be getting larger but just got antibiotic today.

[EvolverU]

Hi,

I'm not sure what your sister was shooting (some drugs can really irritate the vein & surrounding tissue more than others when you miss). I agree with K_Now. She should go to the ER pronto. Don't be afraid, while it may be embarrassing, they see this type of thing frequently. The consequences of waiting are just too chancy. I've seen some horrible consequences when people wait, including death & amputation. I came down with endocarditis, pneumonia & Hep C -- all from dirty gimmicks when I was quite young. (Sorry, don't mean to frighten you but it's important.) Is she running a fever? Is there a red line running up from the injection site?

If she wants to stop, there's a way out. (I say this as a long-time ex-IV'er) Please, get her to the site if possible. If not -- if she continues using, please tell her to always use fresh works or better still, to snort or swallow whatever she's injecting. Wishing you both all the best!

[K_Now]

Hi Marie!
I'm very sorry that your sister is experiencing this issue. I'm sure you are very worried.
Just from my experience in nursing school I wouldn't actually wait for the antibiotic to kick in before having it checked out by a physician..
I know seeing a doctor about drug related issues is pretty scary, but since the lump has gotten bigger and it was caused by a needle it could turn into a very serious problem for her, very quickly if not treated properly :(
I hope everything works out for you guys.
**hugs** goodnight!