Injecting - "Cotton Fever" - Ever Had It? How To Avoid

[dyingtomorrow]

Worse than withdrawals, it's, Cotton Fever!

Most IV heroin users will probably be familiar with stories of cotton fever. There's generally 2 stories on the street of what it is:

1) Where you inject a little bit of cotton accidentally and it makes you sick as hell.

2) Q-Tips, cotton balls, etc. contain cotton obviously, and common to this cotton is a certain type of bacteria/fungal spore. When you leave moist cottons out for too long, these bacteria/spores activate, and if you don't cook them up enough (when you are reduced to scraping your dregs and can't afford proper powder), they are injected into you alive, and cause a type of blood poisoning.

Personally, I believe the 2nd explanation is the truth.

SWIMs story: one time SWIM was desperate and out of dope, and had a cooker full of nasty old cottons that had been moist for at least a week. SWIM didn't cook them up very well, and shot them up.

About 30 minutes later, SWIM knew something was very wrong. SWIMs head started pounding, and every breath made it feel like a sledge hammer was hitting his head. His body temperature dropped dramatically, and he was shaking like he had a seizure. His entire body was literally spasming, and he got incredibly thirsty. SWIM was in excruciating pain and became incredibly weak - it took him about an hour to inch-worm crawl on his stomach to the refrigerator and get some 7up to drink. He ended up drinking a 12 pack of it because the thirst was so bad. Finally he blacked out from the pain. Couple hours later, he went back to just regular ungodly horrible withdrawals, albiet with a lot more muscle pain from frantically shaking and spasming for so many hours non-stop.

I was hoping with this thread to prevent this from happening to anyone else. If anyone knows anything more about cotton fever, I'm sure everyone would appreciate it if they posted about it. Personally I believe it comes from old nasty moist cottons, and not cooking the water up hot enough to kill bacteria/fungus.

Anyone else get it and have a story to share? Anyone know for sure what causes it, and how to prevent?

Reputation Comments on this post:

	nasty story. be safe buddy.
	This is an impotant topic to address
	An interesting topic and a safety issue that is good to know of. Thanks!

[Junkhead23]

This is a bad dig and has happened to SWIM twice now and both times it was from trying to squeeze more gear out of old cottons so I am pretty sure this is what gives you a bad dig. The first time it happened SWIM started shaking violently and got this immense headache that could not shift. SWIM was so scared as didn't know what was happening. I think the only way to ensure it doesn't happen is not to reuse your old cottons that have been left out.

[dyingtomorrow]

Heheh, I think that might be asking a lot of junkies. I think the best way is to always let your cottons air dry if you are going to save them, and make sure to get a little simmer going with the water.

Reputation Comments on this post:

not always works, and could still potentially (even though addmitttedy) rare bacterila infection, its not very safe advi...

[Junkhead23]

Originally Posted by dyingtomorrow

Heheh, I think that might be asking a lot of junkies. I think the best way is to always let your cottons air dry if you are going to save them, and make sure to get a little simmer going with the water.

SWIY is probably right. I think it is something to do with mould and bacteria growing on cottons. I think a dark cool drawer would probably be better though

[Ragnar Danneskjöld]

you do realize that fungus grows in dark cool places right?

fungus doesnt need light genius and a little heat could speed evaporation as it does need water.

dry them out and keep them dry... being like genius here and keeping it away from light will only hurt.

Dhadz22 added 2 Minutes and 34 Seconds later...

and anyway old jack here has used old cotton and scraping baggies for withdrawl relief... old jack only ever ended up with a fever and an hour or two at best relief.

old jack also feels that SWIM is about as stupid a way of avoiding self incrimination as possible...

you really think that would ever stand up in a legal situation? Old jack feels you are better off at least sounding less like you want to do laps.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	good point about fungus.
	flaming
	This is an abusive post and while poster has factual info, he is being terribly rude.
	This kind of rudeness will not get you far here.
	rude & abusive & attacks other posters - all frowned upon here at DF!

[msmogadon]

SWIM just wanted to mention quickly an experience with so called cotton fever or as SWIM prefers to call it a dirty hit.
Approx an hour after shooting up SWIM went to the bingo. A major headache was coming on strong, SWIM felt weak and was feeling weaker and weaker by the second. The muscles in SWIMs body ached all over. SWIM could barely lift the dabber to mark he numbers. Exhustion took over SWIMs body and it felt similar to severe withdrawls but with a migrane headache on top. SWIMs muscles tensed up so much that she was shaking but the stiffness made it so sore to even shake. SWIM was ridgid like SWIM thinks a person with Parkinsons Disease would feel.
SWIM has no idea how it happened as she did not use a dirty filter and her bf did not experience the same feelings. The headache was gone by the next morning but SWIM would not wish that feeling on her worst enemy.
Well maybe a certain one or two heh he
SWIM supposes it comes with the territory. Yet another drawback of being a smackhead
Take care all ye swimmers and SWIM hopes this never happens to those who have not yet experienced it

[Junkhead23]

Originally Posted by msmogadon

SWIM just wanted to mention quickly an experience with so called cotton fever or as SWIM prefers to call it a dirty hit.
Approx an hour after shooting up SWIM went to the bingo. A major headache was coming on strong, SWIM felt weak and was feeling weaker and weaker by the second. The muscles in SWIMs body ached all over. SWIM could barely lift the dabber to mark he numbers. Exhustion took over SWIMs body and it felt similar to severe withdrawls but with a migrane headache on top. SWIMs muscles tensed up so much that she was shaking but the stiffness made it so sore to even shake. SWIM was ridgid like SWIM thinks a person with Parkinsons Disease would feel.
SWIM has no idea how it happened as she did not use a dirty filter and her bf did not experience the same feelings. The headache was gone by the next morning but SWIM would not wish that feeling on her worst enemy.
Well maybe a certain one or two heh he
SWIM supposes it comes with the territory. Yet another drawback of being a smackhead
Take care all ye swimmers and SWIM hopes this never happens to those who have not yet experienced it

Yes that is what is known as a dirty hit. It doesn't have to be from old cottons. It can be from bacteria or if SWIY hasn't cleaned the injection site or used boiled water or distilled water. It really is one of the most awful things SWIM has ever experienced. The headache brought tears to SWIMS eyes. Very nearly thought of calling an ambulance!!!

[dyingtomorrow]

I think what makes it so fucked up is the fact that it's the one thing in the world that Heroin CANT fix. lol

[Birkill]

swims never experienced a dirty hit but a few of his friends has and to cure it he said that he needed to do another hit which seemed to sort it out, also the second time i was with sum1 she dun a hit of speed which seemed to also sort it out, i dont know what the science is about that but they defo seemed to stop shaking n that after they had a hit of sumin!

[Charolastra]

Yeah same exact thing happened to swim and her boyfriend. It really sucked, swim started crying at one point cause she couldn't take the pain anymore.

Hey, at least she wasn't alone.

[drug-bot]

swim experienced it once, it was awful he was having uncontrolable body twiches, hot and cold flashes, high anxiety, and dry mouth and eyes. it lasted about 5-6 hours.

it occured about 15-25 minutes after swim shoot up. he believes he got it from using cotton balls that came in a in a cheap plastic bag and they were labeled unsteralived on the bag (he was usually using steralived cotton balls but that day felt like saving a couple dollars as the unsteralined oned are cheaper); now when swim uses he only uses sterialized cotton balls (which is labeled on the box), since using these again he has never got it again.

swim would also recommend not doing 'cotton shots', as the old cottons are most likely a breading ground for bacteria, some of which could potentially (even though its only small chance) cause a bacterial infection in your blood which is much more seriose than cotton fever and would require going to a hospital to get the approprate anti-biotics.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good Advice

[dyingtomorrow]

For "people" complaining about the advice - obviously it's not completely safe to do H, or to shoot up. Or have sex, even with a condom. Or drive a freaking car.

It's called HARM MITIGATION. Doing your best to minimize the harm people who engage in dangerous activities can do to themselves or others through education and information sharing. Telling someone just not to do it is childish. It's called being mature, recognizing the world for what it is, and having compassion.

[drug-bot]

Originally Posted by dyingtomorrow

For "people" complaining about the advice - obviously it's not completely safe to do H, or to shoot up. Or have sex, even with a condom. Or drive a freaking car.

It's called HARM MITIGATION. Doing your best to minimize the harm people who engage in dangerous activities can do to themselves or others through education and information sharing. Telling someone just not to do it is childish. It's called being mature, recognizing the world for what it is, and having compassion.

swim doesnt thinks as you say -'people" complaining about the advice- obviously it's not completely safe to do H', swim doesnt believe its against using heroin (since most people on the heroin boared proberbly use it or have an interest in using it and a good percentage proberly shoot up) people may only be against your statement dried used cottons dont have bacteria gowing in them and are significantly safer than using cottons that are not dried.

-peace

[chillinwill]

Originally Posted by dyingtomorrow

For "people" complaining about the advice - obviously it's not completely safe to do H, or to shoot up. Or have sex, even with a condom. Or drive a freaking car.

It's called HARM MITIGATION. Doing your best to minimize the harm people who engage in dangerous activities can do to themselves or others through education and information sharing. Telling someone just not to do it is childish. It's called being mature, recognizing the world for what it is, and having compassion.

Exactly and that's why he was saying its not best for people to use old cottons as he was trying give some harm reduction advice....sure it can be done probably many times without getting cotton fever, but we are trying to minimize the risk here in these forums by giving information that might be helpful to someone else

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good prevention advice.

[dyingtomorrow]

Originally Posted by chillinwill

Exactly and that's why he was saying its not best for people to use old cottons as he was trying give some harm reduction advice....sure it can be done probably many times without getting cotton fever, but we are trying to minimize the risk here in these forums by giving information that might be helpful to someone else

Telling someone they can avoid cotton fever by not shooting their cottons is not helpful information, because everyone already knows that. It's almost insultingly patronizing. Even someone who doesn't know the first thing about Heroin would instantly be able to figure out that if there is a such a thing as "cotton fever" that you can get from cottons, you could avoid it by not using old cottons. Pretty much a redundant and pointless thing to say.

The purpose of this thread is to give technical advice for people who ARE going to shoot their cottons, which is the vast majority of addicts. I also wasn't specifically addressing him, rather the people who neg repped me for trying to tell people how to more safely shoot their cottons.

Don't mean to sound mean, just trying to keep this thread on topic and with useful information (for example like telling teenagers to use a condom, not to just not have sex) - and I appreciate other info you've given trying to help people.

[chillinwill]

Originally Posted by dyingtomorrow

Telling someone they can avoid cotton fever by not shooting their cottons is not helpful information, because everyone already knows that. It's almost insultingly patronizing. Even someone who doesn't know the first thing about Heroin would instantly be able to figure out that if there is a such a thing as "cotton fever" that you can get from cottons, you could avoid it by not using old cottons. Pretty much a redundant and pointless thing to say.

The purpose of this thread is to give technical advice for people who ARE going to shoot their cottons, which is the vast majority of addicts. I also wasn't specifically addressing him, rather the people who neg repped me for trying to tell people how to more safely shoot their cottons.

True that people are going to do whatever they want and I guess it's good to have a topic llike this. However, its kinda like saying that since everyone knows that its best to use new needles and not to reuse them, that lets have a topic for ways to keep an old needle from getting dull and keep using that old needle.

My bad on the previous post I made in this thread as I wasn't realizing the whole intent on this thread. It's best not to reuse cottons, but if you are going to do it, this is the ways to minimize the risk with doing that

[Pope Albacore]

SWIM has seen this occur with several individuals. One of SWIM's associates had stayed on a 3 day run with methamphetamine and happened to go to hospital for hot/cold flashes, pain in the limbs, etc. The doctors gave this person antibiotics and dismissed the symptoms as a "bug" that was going around. SWIM says he and others knew better. This was a result of being dirty or careless when using with the intravenous method.

Sadly, SWIM says once this happens all one can do is ride it out(unless anyone has found a remedy). Just try to be sanitary even in extreme moments of craving. Always resist the urge to rush things when IV use is in play. Clean needles and tight fresh cotton are great places to start for the prevention of many things including cotton fever.

-Pope Albacore

[joshua666]

Well this has happend to wim 3 times now.
The first time he was getting ready for work and did a shot,from a bunch of cotton balls,well everything was fine until he got to work,he staeted getting realy cold,even with a sweatshirt on he was freezing cold,and it was realy hot inside,then he got the worst pain ever,and a wicked headache that wouldent quit.

The next time he did the same thing with a bunch of balls,filtered them 2-3 times threw fresh cotton so he dident get the fever again,this time he did 2 shots back to back,probably the worst thing he ever felt,wicked pain in ever muscle,joint,to the point of crying,followed by the worst chills of extreme cold ever,constant shaking,every muscle violently jumped around,almost like having a seizure,he said he felt like he was going to die,and he couldent get a breath in because of the shaking,he said from now on he will just throw them away...

[Zendo]

a clean taste always cures a dirty taste, this is kind of common knowledge in swims area, if anyone has a dirty hit from there cottons the best advise swim has heard is to have a clean hit,
swim has had a few dirty hits, a clean hit has always rectified it

[Junkhead23]

Originally Posted by Zendo

a clean taste always cures a dirty taste, this is kind of common knowledge in swims area, if anyone has a dirty hit from there cottons the best advise swim has heard is to have a clean hit,
swim has had a few dirty hits, a clean hit has always rectified it

SWIM has heard that having another hit can actually make it worse/ SWIM haven't done it himself

[joshua666]

Well he did this once also,the first time he got the sickness,he wondered why he was so sore and sick instead of feeling good,so he did hi lat bag and felt fine after words,it pretty much took the sicknes away...

[Euthanatos93420]

Swim has never shot and cannot personally vouch for the validity of this nor has he witnessed any of the shooter who claimed this do such. But when Swim was tweakin' his g/f at the time (a 7 year speedballer from hollywood) said the best way to get rid of cotton fever was to shoot clean distilled water after rinsing out the needle (in a different water glass).
Maybe this has been mentioned and I didn't catch it but I was wondering if this actually is effective or if anyone has experience with trying this?

[dyingtomorrow]

After reviewing different stories both here and around, I have a feeling there's a bunch of different shitty things that can happen to you that fall under the umbrella of "cotton fever."

I think the "worst" variety is the actual blood poisoning type from moldy cottons, where your body temperature drops dramatically and you are shaking like you have a seizure. SWIM's brother claimed to have it before, but it was more like just being really sick, not like SWIM's violent seizures and chills, and SWIM thinks that's the kind that could be cured with another shot.

[electros[h]ock_patient]

Originally Posted by dyingtomorrow

After reviewing different stories both here and around, I have a feeling there's a bunch of different shitty things that can happen to you that fall under the umbrella of "cotton fever."

I think the "worst" variety is the actual blood poisoning type from moldy cottons, where your body temperature drops dramatically and you are shaking like you have a seizure. SWIM's brother claimed to have it before, but it was more like just being really sick, not like SWIM's violent seizures and chills, and SWIM thinks that's the kind that could be cured with another shot.

came upon this thread because one was started in which swiy referred to this one.

the symptom of the shakes, or blood poisoning, is exactly what swim would call it. it's better known in the medical field as Sepsis or Septicemia. Anyway the chills swim assumes is the body's response to the bacterial invasion. The chills are so bad it seems like the core body temperature is dropping, as a result the body's response is to warm itself up and what happens is you shiver. Shivering is nothing more than small contractions in the large musculature of the body in attempt to induce hyperthermia, or fever.

The best thing swiy can ever do, without just sitting there freezing, and spasms so bad swiy's neck begins to stiffen and ache is to induce the hyperthermia swiy's self. Easiest way is to jump in hot water in a large tub and remain there for a while. 1-2 hours will help the initial onset... swiy has to remember like metaphor, its as if the body is trying to BOIL the bacteria out of the bloodstream. Hot bath will stop the chills and relax the spasms. Keep refilling the tub with hot water if swiy has to, unless swiy has a fancy heated tub. When swiy is done, get out QUICKLY and DRY FAST. Put on multiple layers of clothes, raise the ambient temperature in the dwelling, and get under several layers of bedding and lay down. Swiy will likely pass out and sleep a lot of it off, mostly just enduring a headache-like hangover for the next 24 hours.

Be sure to have someone close to swiy around to take care of swiy's hydrating needs. In fact they should wake swiy to have swiy suck down fluids every now and then and to check on swiy's overall well-being. Most "blood poisoning" could probably be nursed at home without enduring much pain or stress by elevating the body temperature and giving otc meds for headache the next day. And for heaven sake, no opiates until swiy's head and body feel ok! Swiy's brain and body is in no condition for the added stress of intoxication. Swim recommends giving a good 18-36 hours from onset perhaps... swiy will be so warm and tucked in w/d won't be that bad anyway. Then shoot with sterilized or brand new gear to get swiy's dopesickness off later down the line. Sepsis is not an induction of withdrawal; while it's very likely that withdrawal may come on later when swiy is recovering from the sepsis/cotton fever, it is in swim's most humble opinion that one can be simultaneously "right" on an opiate and develop the fever.

Again, hope this was of help. This has been swim's experience, and it has had nothing to do with cottons, but with syringe barrels that were left to "air dry" over several weeks, or even months time, and then confused with the syringe swim had been using up until that day. Obviously proper care and sterilization techniques, in swim's mind, should always prevent this from happening, but sometimes dopers get forgetful or careless in their quest for a high; and when accidents happen, knowledge is the best friend swiy can have (professional, or even anecdotal in this case... with a touch of deductive reasoning and research put into it, of course).

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Good info about body temperature
	interesting to know about those fearful shakes
	excellent addition of more medical oriented information to the personal experiences of the thread
	great info on what's happening during cotton fever

[H Bomber]

Originally Posted by dyingtomorrow

After reviewing different stories both here and around, I have a feeling there's a bunch of different shitty things that can happen to you that fall under the umbrella of "cotton fever."

I think the "worst" variety is the actual blood poisoning type from moldy cottons, where your body temperature drops dramatically and you are shaking like you have a seizure. SWIM's brother claimed to have it before, but it was more like just being really sick, not like SWIM's violent seizures and chills, and SWIM thinks that's the kind that could be cured with another shot.

Swim just came upon this thread and must say, with no degree of uncertainty, that DT has been quite right with pretty much everything he has said thus far. In fact, he can't find one thing that he disagrees with. Particularly, in SWIMs slanted opinion, the part about air drying the cottons and the last part of the quote above. SWIM got real messed up a few times using wet cottons he had stored in the white cap on the back of his syringe or other small unventilated places. And SWIM also feels that in circumstances like the condition described above that doing more dope does provide at least some symptomatic relief. Or at least it'll make you stop shaking as though in the throes of an epileptic fit, toning it down to more like a case of delirium tremens.