So, I was shooting dope all night, and I got really high and my vision got blurry and I had trouble moving and speaking. My eyes got better quickly, but I still had a slight amount of trouble with the other 2. I though it was just cuz I got so high, but I somehow stumbled across the symptoms of wound botulism and got super paranoid, seeing as how it was tar. Now, my question is, does it sound like I might have it (I'm not quite sure what would tip one off)? I don't wanna go turn myself in if its just some stupid hypochondria...
Maybe you should go to the doctor`s and find out, considering we can`t really make an educated response without seeing the symptoms.
I just feel like the info I've been able to find is enough to let me know if I just did a bit too much or if its botulism and I don't want to sign up for expensive tests and have heroin-related problems on my medical record unless it is truly necessary.
I would assume you could see some indication at the injection site (wound???), but I am having difficulty finding anything about that...
Wound Botulism Among Black Tar Heroin Users --- Washington, 2003 During August 22--26, 2003, four injection-drug users (IDUs) in Yakima County, Washington, sought medical care at the same hospital with complaints of several days of weakness, drooping eyelids, blurred vision, and difficulty speaking and swallowing. All four were regular, nonintravenous injectors of black tar heroin (BTH), and one also snorted BTH. This report summarizes the investigation of these cases, which implicated wound botulism (WB) as the cause of illness. Of the four patients, two were men; the patients had a median age of 38 years (range: 31--50 years). Two patients were married and used drugs at the same time and in the same setting as the third patient; however, they did not share injection equipment with the third patient. The fourth patient had no social connection with the other three. All four purchased BTH from the same dealer. No meals or gatherings were attended by all of the patients, and no single common food item had been eaten recently, including no home canned or vacuum-packed foods. On examination, all had cranial nerve palsies, including ptosis, ophthalmoplegia, dysarthria, and diminished or absent gag reflex, and upper extremity weakness, clear sensorium, and no sensory deficits. Three had infected wounds from drug injections. In two patients who went simultaneously to an emergency department, botulism was suspected immediately by the admitting physician, who alerted public health officials promptly and sought antitoxin. Antitoxin was administered within 14--24 hours of admission for all patients. Wound care and treatment with intravenous ampicillin/sulbactam was initiated within 12 hours for the three patients with wounds. Two patients, both subcutaneous IDUs, progressed to respiratory failure despite antitoxin administration and continue to require mechanical ventilation. One is improving in strength and might progress to extubation. The other probably will require long-term ventilatory support. The third and fourth patients, both intramuscular IDUs with milder presentations, were discharged with minimal residual weakness 17 and 9 days after admission, respectively. At the Washington State Public Health Laboratories, botulinum toxin type A was detected by mouse bioassay in serum specimens obtained from the first two patients, but not from serum of the third and fourth patients. Toxin assays and anaerobic stool cultures from all patients failed to demonstrate botulinum toxin or Clostridium growth, respectively. Anaerobic culture of a wound specimen from the third patient is pending, and a nasal aspirate from the fourth patient was negative. Injection paraphernalia and a sample of BTH have been submitted to CDC for further testing for toxigenic Clostridium bacteria. Local and state public health officials have notified health-care providers and acute-care facilities to increase suspicion of WB in IDUs and have emphasized the importance of prompt recognition of WB, early antitoxin administration, and appropriate wound treatment (1). Outreach staff are working through a needle exchange and other venues to inform IDUs about the outbreak, the need to seek immediate care if affected, and the ongoing risks for using BTH.
Wound botulism is a potentially fatal illness that occurs when spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum contaminate a wound, germinate, and produce botulimum nerve toxin. The doctors made the diagnosis promptly, and so were able to offer appropriate treatment, including putting the patient on a ventilator and giving him botulinum antitoxin. The patient made a full recovery. The team of doctors who treated the man, a team by led Professor Sanjeev Krishna (St George's Hospital, University of London), says that the incidence of wound botulism following heroin injection into skin or muscle has risen dramatically in the UK since 2000. The reasons for this increase remain unclear, they say, "but may involve contamination of specific batches of heroin as well as changes in injection practices."
Description of Wound Botulism What is wound botulism? A very serious disease caused by a bacteria. It can cause paralysis and death. Why is it affecting injection drug users? This disease comes from an infection caused by dirty works, dirty skin or dirty drugs. Most patients have used black tar heroin. What are the symptoms? Beginning symptoms are drooping eyelids, blurred or double vision, sore throat or trouble swallowing. This can progress to complete paralysis and death. What is the treatment? There is no cure. Treatment is to keep the patient alive with a respirator until they get better. What can I do to protect myself? Not injecting drugs will prevent you from getting this disease. If you continue to inject be sure your works and skin are clean. Don't use black tar heroin. It is not possible to kill wound botulism by cooking or cleaning the dope. Don't share-needles, syringes, filters, cookers, or water. Always use a new sterile syringe. If you must re-use (even your own), clean it well with bleach. What should I do if I think I have this disease? Go to the nearest emergency room and tell them you might have wound botulism.
So it sounds like I can wait a few days to see if I get better... But I would have to go in the next few days if I don't... I guess...
How many of these symptoms do you have: complaints of several days of weakness, drooping eyelids, blurred vision, and difficulty speaking and swallowing? How/s the slurred speach? Better, worse, or the same? How long has it been now?
I think I'm getting better. I started to worry about it after about a 20hr tar binge, so I guess I should have waited until I got more over that. I do feel weak, but by now that is the only remaining symptom. I am slurring much less and my blurred vision and droopy lids have pretty much cleared. It was probably just me having never shot so much in one night and becoming a hypochondriac because I was too weak to move... Thanks for your help and sorry about freaking out on here. I think I'll be fine (and more careful in the future)...
If I thought I had the correct information on a disease I had and it was supposedly Wound Botulism, I'd fuckin' go to the hospital right away. Playing with needles is bad, but becoming violently ill and dying sounds a lot worse. Do you think your friends and family (whoever you're trying to keep this from) would care more that you are doing H or would they care about you using H and dying because you were afraid that they would be mad? Anger is a short-lived feeling. Death lasts forever.
And H is going to kill you eventually no matter what you do. Except for getting clean that is. Good luck man.
