Bath after IM injection: DON'T!!!!
I injected my thigh with Test E last Sunday and around 30 min after that, took a very hot bath because I had a lot of muscle tension I needed to relieve. I was a little worried that water could enter the recently opened wound in my thigh but went for it anyway.
So, it felt great at first: no infection, no anything. But starting with the morning after the bath I get a very hard lump in my thigh that makes it hard to flex the muscle and even walk or put my clothes on. It's been 4 days since and the lump is still there (although slowly subsiding). I know it's not infected because I'm not feverish or feel sick.
My theory is that the hot water and my position in the bath tub made the oil of the injection come out of the muscle and into the outer layers of fat in my thigh. That or maybe the contrast between hot and cold made the steroid crystalize or something like that. What I'm sure of is that it hurts like a bitch.
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If you Z-track the skin when you inject it should seal the subcutaneous fat over the muscle when you release blocking any leakage: http://www.karitoverud.com/illustrations/C70/895/
Where did you inject? what size pin did you use and how far in did you push it.
How close to the skin is the lump, does it feel like it's in the fat or the muscle.
I always have a bath or shower the area immediately after and have never had any issues.
If you're not too squeamish and don't want to go to the docs you could drain it with a needle and syringe then flush with saline, depending on the colour of the stuff that comes out you'll be able to tell if it's infected.
You say you had muscle tension to relieve does that mean you'd trained than particular muscle within 24 hours of injecting? I try not to inject a freshly trained area and leave 24 hours before and after injecting a site I've trained or will be training. I used to find the PIP much worse otherwise.
Keep us posted if you have any other symptoms.
Sorry for not updating in a while.
Yeah, I had already seen that animation explaining how to avoid leakage. Haven't used it yet nor have I had problems with leakage again, but it's good to know.
I used a 21G, 1.5" and didn't push it all the way in. I've been thinking that injecting not deep enough may have something to do with this situation.
It's obvious to me that I have some sort of abscess but not infection. During the weekend I tried to drain it with srynge and needle: pinned in at least 4 different places around the abscess but very little blood (and not pus) came out only from one place. My guess is that the abscess is too deep into the muscle to try to remove it just like that.
I'm not worried though: I'm sure it's not infected and I can see it becoming smaller everyday, just not as fast as I want. I'm on day 8 after the injection that caused it and it's almost (but not completely) gone and I guess in another week it will be.
Thanks!
A 21G might be a little on the large side but shouldn't cause any problems.
If it's a 1.5" I bury them in my glute but if it's into my quad I have say 5mm of needle left sticking out.
Good news that it's not infected, going to the hospital or your doctor cus you've jabbed yourself is always a pia.