All About “Floaters”

[Harry_ellis]

Disclaimer: I decided to make this thread because I wanted to compile some answers together in an easily searchable thread that answers some of the questions that keep popping up about “floaters”. This thread is in response to some of the recent developments occurring in the Underground Forum with a trusted source. I figured we could get some input from the vets regarding these questions. Shout out to @BigBaldBeardGuy for suggesting this go in the Underground section.


I’ve been a long time lurkers here for years after Datbtrue shut down, but I decided just recently to join the community and help provide what little experience that I might have on the very few compounds I have experience with. The purpose of this thread however is to go over some common questions about floaters. I will be linking threads that answer the questions posed below and will attempt to provide a summary of what the thread concluded. I will monitor the thread to the best of my ability and add links to threads if you post them in a reply. The questions are:

What are floaters?

How do they occur?

What can be done if you discover floaters in your solution?

What happens if you inject a sterile floater IM?

What happens if you inject a sterile floater SUB Q?

Can filtration be performed on both oil and water-based solutions?

Should you trust a source if the community discovers floaters in their gear?

The debated question that can never be fully answered. I am not advocating writing off Sym by any means, as that is not the point of this thread. But history seems to indicate that it is rare (read impossible) for a UGL to bounce back.

Should we be filtering all our gear, regardless of the source, as a safety measure?

Other important questions:

What is an abscess?

Google says it is an infection. So, this brings the question, can you get an abscess from a sterile floater? And if not, what happens to foreign material injected into muscle fibers?

If you go to the hospital with an abscess, will they ask how you got it? Will this affect your insurance eligibility?

Search provided several stories about drained abscess’s, but no reference to how this affected insurance eligibility. What does that hospital bill look like? Please speak up if you have a story and I will link it here.

Should one filter Pharma Ampules be filtered for glass particulates from the ampule breaking process?

Filter Needle

This thread includes a downloadable study that basically states that filter needles are a MUST. Glass can easily be passed through even a 34 gauge needle, into a barrel, and into your injection site! Scary thought.

Is it safer to inject SUB Q rather than IM whenever possible? (TRT doses of Test, Peptides, HGH, HCG, etc.)

Need more info here. On datbtrue’s old forum, he had a post regarding the lower risk of serious infection when injecting into adipose tissue rather than muscle, but if I recall correctly, this was regarding water-based peptides reconstituted with bacteriostatic water. Anyone have any insight here as to why or if it applies to oils?

 

[Neewbiest guy]

Good thread to start! Definitely will be watching. I would think for those on hrt wouldn't have to worry to much about the insurance issue if it came to an abscess as they are already knowingly injecting by doctors orders. Just a thought.

 

[Ari O’Speedwagon]

When I first got a low T diagnosis about 10 years ago, I decided to go the UGL route instead of going the legit pharma route—stupid move on my part because I didn’t know shit. On my very first injection of UGL test E, I got cellulitis in my quad. I ended up going to the hospital and spent two days hooked up to IV antibiotics. Not thinking about possible repercussions, I was honest with the docs about how it occurred. My insurance paid my bills. I’m not sure if my experience is standard, but that’s what I have to contribute. I still remember the shocked looks when I told the docs how it happened. They were in disbelief that anyone would knowingly inject something they weren’t sure where it came from. There’s this inherent, naive assumption that if it comes from a pharmacy, it’s 100% flawless and anything that doesn’t come from a pharmacy is dirty or fake.

 

[WCL]

Hilarious.

All you need to know about contaminants in your injectable solutions is that they are exactly that. Your product is not sterile or safe if there are particles floating around in it.

 

[S317]

As far as abscesses, not in my experience. Even if they do ask you can tell them whatever you want.

 

[cadafi]

Even medium quality gear should have BA which prevent bacteria from growing, most abscesses are produced from a bad injection technique/site and from reusing syringes, also you should never use the same needle you draw your gear with to inject
Shit gear will give you an abscess no matter what

 

[Yuma2010]

As for ER visits for abscess. Most docs know, and don’t ask. I told one doc in 05 after a bad UGL scare with a water based. They must didn’t write anything down to impact insurance. Insurance paid. I was left with a few hundred dollars on the tab.

Note of caution if it requires a scalpel ER docs are trained to treat, not to make sure the incision and stitches don’t leave a scar so get the mederma handy. Sometimes if you catch it in time mere aspiration and bac/Amox will get the job done.

Amps. I never used a filtered needle and never had an issue. Only had issues with UGL and a 2004 source who’s name forgot me out of China but had a Russian type lab name.

Best to get some filters and just filter your stuff or buy pharma.

 

[musclemedicine]

just to clear some things up, sterile foreign bodies will cause non-caseating granulomas, essentially an abscess without puss that has been "walled off". you will initially have all the signs of infection because it is still an inflammatory process. They can ultimately resolve on their own IF they are sterile. (honestly not something to be liberal about, if there might be infection go see a doctor and get some antibiotic)

SUBQ vs IM
I will say this, fat is relatively less vascular. Your immune system relies on the blood/blood vessels to quickly infiltrate areas of potential infection. If whatever you are injecting is suppose to go IM do it IM, if it's supposed to be SubQ then do that. If you don't trust your gear enough to use it the way it is intended, then don't use it. plain and simple.

Should you filter gear?
I do. I have used 22 micro filter loading syringes on every single IM injection since my first cycle. (22-micron filters WILL NOT catch microorganisms for that you need a 0.22-micron filter)

What should you do if you have an abscess?

Go to urgent care when you first think something might be wrong, "I gave myself a vitamin shot and now think I have an infection" If you are 5'10" at 235 and 8%BF they will know you are full of shit, but not give a fuck regardless. You will walk out with an rx of antibiotics and a much cheaper bill than visiting the ER.

Saftey and UGL
This wasn't a question above but I figured it would be a reasonable time to bring this up for some of the younger more naive guys out there. There is no commentary, lab testing, or any other form of validation you can find on meso or any other forum that will guarantee the safety and accuracy of UGL gear. Ultimately you are meeting someone through an anonymous interaction, purchasing a product through untraceable means, and having an unregulated drug show up in the mail. You will always be taking a risk; floater or no floaters.

 

[Harry_ellis]

Okay, I'm just now realizing that there is no way for me to edit my original post to with your provided answers. Should I just make new posts periodically with the updated answers to make it easily searchable?

 

[Harry_ellis]

As for ER visits for abscess. Most docs know, and don’t ask. I told one doc in 05 after a bad UGL scare with a water based. They must didn’t write anything down to impact insurance. Insurance paid. I was left with a few hundred dollars on the tab.

Note of caution if it requires a scalpel ER docs are trained to treat, not to make sure the incision and stitches don’t leave a scar so get the mederma handy. Sometimes if you catch it in time mere aspiration and bac/Amox will get the job done.

Amps. I never used a filtered needle and never had an issue. Only had issues with UGL and a 2004 source who’s name forgot me out of China but had a Russian type lab name.

Best to get some filters and just filter your stuff or buy pharma.

Regarding not needing to filter Pharma Grade, I felt the same way until I read the thread regarding glass particulates passing through. Why take the chance? Couldn't you buy some sterile vials and pull from the amps with a filter needle and fill it into the sterile vial? Dosing would probably be easier as well.