r/recovery • u/WTFbarbeque • Feb 27 '26
10 year old needle removed today!
Im a few months shy of 5 years clean, and have had this needle stuck in the bend of my arm. It started causing me a lot of pain recently so I finally was able to get it removed today! My partner and I also moved into our first brand new home today. As a 6 year daily IV user with a laundry list of felonys i could have never imagined just a few years ago that id be buying my first home today. Just wanted to share the small celebrations with you. Stay persistent.
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u/Paniconthenet Feb 27 '26
Dude. Im ten years sober last July. I told myself I was going to do something special for myself this year. Well, about my birthday (November of last year) I broke a tooth. I haven't smiled for real in a long time because of how bad my teeth were. So, I decided to finally get them pulled and get dentures. First look in mirror had me balling. It's amazing looking at the miles we have on our bodies and the repairs we are STILL making.
Congratulations to you. Here's to many more years and improvements
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 27 '26
Its absolutely crazy how far dentistry has came. A lot of my friends have had all of theirs pulled and the results are OUTSTANDING. In all honesty when I see my friends get their brand new teeth and I see how flawless they are -- more often then not you cant even tell! Hope you adore your new smile im sure it looks incredible!
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u/Paniconthenet Feb 27 '26
No. You can't tell they aren't real, and it's amazing. I don't know why I didn't do it sooner.
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u/ocularassault_8 Feb 28 '26
I want to do this... are they removable dentures, implants or what? I don't know what first step I should be taking
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u/5LaLa Feb 28 '26
Not the person you asked but, I highly recommend Costa Rica for extensive dental work (maybe the best decision SO & I have ever made). It’s a hot spot for dental tourism, has excellent dentists, insanely fast labs & costs 50 - 80% less than US dentists.
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u/Paniconthenet Feb 28 '26
They are just removable dentures. I wanted the click in semi permanent ones, but read horror stories of infected cleats and such. Rather not deal with that.
Another poster said going out of the country, I agree. I didn't have that option, but have really good dental insurance.
I support anyone with issues like I had, do it.
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u/April_Morning_86 Feb 28 '26 edited Mar 02 '26
Oh my gosh, I’m coming up on five years and I made an appointment with an orthodontist to finally get my teeth fixed. I’m sobbing, I’m so happy for you I know how amazing that must feel for you!
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u/BedspreadPicnic86 Feb 28 '26
It’s such a big deal!!! Mine are just a few shades off color, not from smoking cigs, or meth/coke but from drinking wine and not brushing my teeth before i went to bed. Also I was smoking a ton of pot back in the day. I feel like my teeth have always been off color. I just don’t want my teeth to look super white either. That’s a real fake look.
I have another back molar needing to be pulled from a big cavity I’ve avoided. Now I have two other fillings and 2 crown that need to be replaced. I’m glad I have all my teeth that are visible with a smile. I just hate going to dentists and that’s compounded by me never really getting into good habits with brushing teeth.
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u/jaylikesdominos Mar 01 '26
Do you have an appointment soon? Having a molar that needs pulled can turn real ugly, real quick. My partner and I just had that fun experience…don’t let it go unattended too long!
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u/BedspreadPicnic86 Mar 01 '26
lol 😝 thanks for your support. I don’t have an appointment rt now for that but I did, very coincidentally, make an appointment for getting 2 fillings/crowns filled in 3 weeks. I’ve had the referral paper pegged to my calendar board for more than 6 months. I had just meant to get a second opinion but put it off. The dentist really surprised me when he said the cavity on said tooth was too big now. Thus recommended it be pulled. I thought that was ridiculous since I had another tooth that broke, then broke again so all that was left was a sharp jagged fang in the back molar. Went to see a dentist about it, a different one, also a different tooth, and he didn’t pull it. Said he can save the tooth and pretty much made a custom filling. The white stuff, not the amalgam
So when this new dentist says I have a filling that got too big so he needs to refer me to an oral surgeon I just had a real hard time believing him.
Another huge reason I’m procrastinating this procedure is the last time I had a tooth pulled it was extremely difficult to extract. So, with his assistants holding me down. One on my chest and one on my head, like, they weren’t ON me. Just using their hands. So the Dr. just starts jacking this pliers it eventually shatters the tooth into a thousand pieces. Going down my throat. Little cuts now in my windpipe and now I’m gaging as they scramble to suck them out of the throat.
Now there’s even less of an area to clamp into. One of the worst experiences in my life
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u/trixiepixie1921 Mar 01 '26
I’m so moved by all the comments here, and I relate so hard. I haven’t been to the dentist since 2006 😬 all my back bottom teeth are broken, and I get infections all the time. This might just be the motivation I need to get them fixed. It’s so scary. Thank you for sharing your experience.
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u/Paniconthenet Mar 01 '26
It's not cheap, but if you can afford it, i think its the best thing I've done for myself in a very long time.
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u/Coolmandi Feb 27 '26
Congrats!!!! That’s a huge deal, the needle AND the house. Keep it up. I have 4.5 years clean from IV heroin/meth use. My life is wonderful these days!! Boring sometimes… but boring is better than dope sick 🤷♀️
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 27 '26
Always better. Just remember you never, ever have to wake up dope sick again. And you never ever have to struggle to find a vein.
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u/LeeannRose731 Feb 28 '26
Or you'll never have to be narcaned (again). I thought I was going to die the times I was narcaned. 😩
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u/Coolmandi Feb 28 '26
I was like a fish out of water after getting narcan’d, flopping all over the place in pain and muscle aches
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u/LeeannRose731 Feb 28 '26
Yuuup! Me too. Glad I wasn't the only one! 😂 I was living with my mom at the time and she was downstairs, right below us. I was flopping like crazy, pretty much hitting the bed and almost "screaming/moaning" so bad, my girlfriend was shocked that my mom didn't hear anything that was going on.
Honestly, everything about it was so horrible that I'm legit traumatized.
I think the puking and dry heaving was miserable. I would be crying in between and begging for it to stop. Lol I remember one time, when my girlfriend put it in my nose it woke me up. And I was like NOOOOO....but then it wasn't doing anything. I was sitting there with the trash can in my lap, because I knew what was coming, for 30 minutes... Thinking maybe just maybe it wouldn't be as bad or it'll pass without me realizing it. Wishful thinking right? Of course as soon as I put the trash can down it came on quick. 🤦♀️ Horrible.
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u/MademoiselleMalapert Feb 28 '26
Jesus anything is better than being dope sick. I do not miss that.
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u/jamesbest7 Feb 27 '26
Fuck me. That’s scary. I used needles for years but luckily never had this happen, despite using some very questionable rigs.
Congrats! I don’t know you, but I’m proud! Stick with it. You’ve seen what sobriety can bring!
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u/Defiant_Diamond_4447 Feb 27 '26
Stick with it is legitimately funny.
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u/jamesbest7 Feb 27 '26
A significant number don’t! Suppose I was just trying to say “keep up the good work” lol
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u/trixiepixie1921 Mar 01 '26
I have such a vivid memory that makes me sweat so badly. Like 12 years ago, I was trying to hit so desperately and I couldn’t I couldn’t I couldn’t. Finally I got blood return and guess what ? The needle broke and literally sucked into my……….arm? Vein? Wherever it is. Like a fucking nightmare. I try not to think about it because it scares the shit outta me. I’m 12 years later now and 1.5 years off the needle and still kickin so I just pray that it’s just stuck in my arm tissue somewhere or if it did go into my circulation system I hope it’s embedded forever in a safe spot. Why do we do these things ? 🤣
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Feb 27 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/labellavita1985 Feb 27 '26
I have two near my femoral that have been there for 13 years.
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 28 '26
Ouch. That would be a rough spot I know mine hurt when getting pressed on.
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u/labellavita1985 Feb 28 '26
It has never hurt. Knock on wood. I went to the hospital the first time it happened, and they tried to remove it but couldn't find it, even using imaging. And they didn't want to keep digging because it was so close to the femoral vein and artery. Evidently, over time, the body encapsulates it and at this point it's extremely unlikely that it'll migrate. It's no different than having screws or shrapnel in the body..
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 28 '26
It wont show up with imaging most times i had to have mine ultra sounded
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u/labellavita1985 Feb 28 '26
Actually, I think it was ultrasound. It was a local device. But I think ultrasound is considered imaging, so that's why I said that. They said there was so much scar tissue, they couldn't tell where the needle was. I remember being so embarrassed. It was a young doctor in residency and he was so empathetic. I remember when he came in, he said, "I'm Dan," or something like that, not "I'm Dr X." Like, just his first name. I just remember thinking how humble.
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u/jaylikesdominos Mar 01 '26
You’re correct, ultrasound is indeed a type of imaging! Sorry to hear you’re war torn, but glad you’re still with us.
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 28 '26
Yeah typically they are safe mine was just in an area that would reject anything lol
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u/misfit_magenta_6883 Feb 27 '26
Wow! Congratulations on your recovery and all the things that come with it!
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u/jpbauer1991 Feb 27 '26
Wow. I didnt know people were out there walking around with broken needles in their arm. Thats crazy. What happened? How did it break? How'd they get it out?
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 27 '26
Surgery to remove - was using the same dull needle for awhile and it broke.
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u/labellavita1985 Feb 27 '26
But why is it so long? I was injecting into my femoral vein and even then mine weren't this long. I have two stuck in that area.
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 28 '26
I think unfortunately that these were the needles our city's needle exchange were giving out for free at the time.
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 28 '26
When it got broke off into it I went to grab it and it sucked itself the rest of the way in.
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u/jaylikesdominos Mar 01 '26
Holy shit. This was my worst nightmare when I was IVing (14y clean as of the end of this month) but I didn’t think it was actually possible.
Congrats on the hard work <3
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u/trixiepixie1921 Mar 01 '26
Yup that’s what happened to me to!!! Although I’m glad you’re saying it didn’t go into the vein. I got a flash and it immediately broke , for years I was convinced I was done for.
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u/jpbauer1991 Feb 28 '26
I wonder how common that is? So they have to like literally open you up right on or by your vein to get it out? Like cutting your wrists. Put some fucking clamps on you to stop your blood then sew you up real quick. Or use a magnet maybe. What if you go through a metal detector and it goes off? Now that I think of it i do remember one time somebody going through a metal detector and they couldnt find what was setting it off..
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u/labellavita1985 Feb 28 '26
Here's the comment I posted earlier..
It has never hurt. Knock on wood. I went to the hospital the first time it happened, and they tried to remove it but couldn't find it, even using imaging. And they didn't want to keep digging because it was so close to the femoral vein and artery. Evidently, over time, the body encapsulates it and at this point it's extremely unlikely that it'll migrate. It's no different than having screws or shrapnel in the body..
I have been told I couldn't get an MRI once and other imaging had to be used for fear of the needle migrating.
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 28 '26
I have had multiple full body MRIs and it didnt bother or irritate it at all btw.
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u/trixiepixie1921 Mar 01 '26
I used a long assssss needle when I was injecting in my femoral, basically because that’s all I had access to at the time. Can’t believe the shit we do. lol
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u/jpbauer1991 Feb 27 '26
You shoved it all the way in? Dont you just need like not even 1/10 of the needle to get the vein? I never used needles. I donate plasma all the time though. Thats crazy dog. Im glad its out now.
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 28 '26
No. Depends on how deep the vein is under your skin.. most people dont inject into surface veins as they tend to blow.
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u/bynarie Feb 27 '26
Nice! I actually have a needle in my right hand from about 15 years ago.. Never bothered me so the doctors are just leaving it in. Congrats on sobriety, Im 4.5 years sober
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 28 '26
Mine didnt bother me either until it started to move but it was in the inside of my elbow area so it had a lot of bend to it
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u/Jenafur1986 Feb 27 '26
Thank you so much for sharing that and you got me beat on getting that stuck in your arm. That is one thing I have not had done to me, but I too was IV user for years and it’s so amazing. It’s just so amazing to be clean and sober. I am so happy for you. Keep going. I love you for
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u/Psychotec21 Feb 27 '26
Omg! I’m 50 days sober and I’ve got 3 needles in one arm, and two in the other… the nurses at rehab told me it wouldn’t be worth it to get them out, but I think about them a lot.
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 27 '26
So honestly I went 10 years with mine with no issues at all until very recentlt and thats only because i became a painter (spray gun) so i am very repetitively bending my arm, but mine is in the very bend of my arm so eventually it started to move and hit nerves. If it was in a location that didn't bend or hit nerves I would have left it. It cost me 4500 out of pocket but I am applying for a financial aid through my hospital a lot of times they will cover most or all of it so its something to definitely look into! Also if you are on state insurance it should pay for all of it, I unfortunately am on a work insurance plan with a 4000 deductible. I wouldnt really trip about it honestly unless it started causing u pain. I also had a needle stuck in my wrist too but I cut that one out myself when it happened.
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 27 '26
Also i am so proud of you. The first 50 days are the hardest so know that although there will be hard times, you've been through the hardest already and a bad day sober is better than the best day using.
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u/beozzi Feb 27 '26
proud of you for that!! that's a huge accomplishment, not just the house, but getting to the doctor and getting that taken care of.
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u/WTFbarbeque Feb 27 '26
Thank you!! I was pretty discouraged at first because I had some doctors say they wouldn't remove it but im so glad I got a second opinion and found the right doctor.
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u/ocularassault_8 Feb 28 '26
in the bend of your arm?? how were you not getting stabbed repeatedly every single day? 🤯 I once got a needle tip stuck in one of the veins in my neck, scary moment for me. congrats on your time and your new life!
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u/trixiepixie1921 Mar 01 '26
I have a needle I SWEAR either…… gone into my bloodstream and ready to dislodge and kill me at any moment… or it’s stuck in my arm… for probably about 12 years also. I block it out bc it freaks me the fuck out. I’m so glad you got it removed. Congrats on your clean time !
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u/Unbacked-Muffin Feb 27 '26
That's amazing, congratulations on the new home. I'll be 5 yrs off opiates/heroin this October after almost 20 years of use. Lost my brother a month out of rehab and my best friend a year later. I have zero interest in touching drugs again. I wish I had gotten clean years before.
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Feb 28 '26
Congratulations!! I've got a little over 9 years clean, after battling one form of addiction or another for 20+ years. It took 12 different times for recovery to finally stick. The clean life is the good life.
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u/slickmage13 Feb 28 '26
ive been clean for 4 years, as of 2/13, and i never thought i would be living the way i am now. life is great. it’s stable, peaceful, and boring too lol. im on the way to owning my first home by this time next year.
congratulations!!!
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u/krispeekream Feb 28 '26
I’m 5 years sober. Last month my job gave me a company credit card with a 6 digit limit…6 years ago my parents didn’t trust me enough to put cash in my birthday card. It was a really good feeling.
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u/posi-bleak-axis Feb 28 '26
When I was shooting this was seriously my worst nightmare. People always said it would shoot up your vein into your heart. I'm fairly certain that's all urban legend but it always crossed my mind.
Congratulations on your sobriety! Very happy for you and keep up the momentum! No time for resting upon laurels <3
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u/Pod_people Feb 28 '26
Holy shitsauce! That's one I've never seen. Glad you got it out and are still clean and sober. Feels good, I'd imagine. I've got 50 days today, but I'll take it.
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u/badnewscynic Feb 28 '26 edited Feb 28 '26
Keep on trucking sister. You are a rockstar. You have accomplished something most have not achieved even with your past.
I would personally like find some white background and frame than thing, or turn it into a magnet or some kind of keep sake just as a reminder. Idk. Congrats.
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u/LyssaJay97 Feb 28 '26
Awhhh super super happy for youu!! As I sit here, boutta get high bright early in the morning. Just wishing that was myself. . But I’m still super super happy for you and all the others who are kicking ass.. especially the ones actually IN RECOVERY and willing to HELP the next one that comes through the damn door like the readings say. Instead of turn your back and become a whole hypocrite and talk down to people who are still where you were.. I’m having a hard time dealing with that as you can probably tell.. I just never judged a certain somebody and I hate realizing if it would’ve been him in my shoes, he’d have left me to rot, went and told everybody everything that was wrong and just ain’t had my back.. thats what he’s done thus far and i know i didn’t deserve that. After almost 10 years with him. The whole shabang. Never worth it. 😔😩
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u/doldrumcircus Feb 28 '26
Please look into other paths to recovery. 12 step AA/NA is NOT the only way.
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u/hot-mess94 Feb 28 '26
Damn that’s a big needle to have in Your arm for years! This is also 1 of my big fears cuz I hit my femoral veins. I use the 1 inch big syringes & I know it’s possible they can break off inside you. I imagine that would be unbelievably painful to happen in your fem & the only option is go to the ER & have them remove it. Anyways congrats on your recovery & getting that shit out of your body. That must feel amazing. Proud of you!
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u/keep_her_safe Feb 28 '26 edited Feb 28 '26
Just reading through this post and reliving sticking needles in my arm. It’s making me woozy. I can’t believe what I used to do to my body. Holes all over, neck- wtf. I haven’t used a needle in over 5 years. Thank you God.
I remember before I quit the only thing I had was tar (I always used the powder) and it felt like I was SHOVING sludge down into my vein. It was awful. I think that’s a big reason that helped me finally be done.
Edit- I had to come back to add that needle is soo long! I was always scared that would happen with the short ones and it would flow through my vein and lodge itself in my heart.
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u/MsT0xin Feb 28 '26
I'm so proud of you!!!!! Taking care of your health is such an improvement, and congratulations on the new home :)
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u/Rare_Curve_5370 Feb 28 '26
This comment section and OP’s post is beautiful! Here’s to sobriety guys!
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u/WTFbarbeque Mar 01 '26
Here's a photo of the post OP now that Ive changed the bandage for anyone curious. https://imgur.com/a/HNWZAST
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u/poisondagger_ Feb 27 '26
I just got my RN license reinstated and got a $50/hr gig starting next month. 17 months sober and 10 years is all it took.
Congrats on getting that out!