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Removed old magnet

euaa

March 2016

edited March 2016

in Magnets

I had installed a lovely, very nice sized magnet into my left ring finger back 10 years ago, back before it was commonly known as a biohack.  Back then I read several articles explaining the dangers, with images, of what happens when you install an unprotected magnet into your finger and took the logical step of coating it in something.

Back then I first experimented by using a small bead of hot glue  implanted into my elbow due to the low number of nerves in the area, so less pain.  I stuck around with that bead for about 3 months I think, give or take a week.  Then I removed the bead and inspected how my body reacted to it, seemed relatively clean overall.  So my first guess in coating was a success, and apparently (after catching up on the whole biohacking movement thing) found that many others have come to similar conclusions.  Way to go younger me.

But as said, back 10 years ago, I didn't find a lot of suitable information about how to do this, what size of a magnet to use and didn't find any other precautions other than "If you put it inside you, it'll corrode and totally mess stuff up yo", so I had bought a decently sized one to coat and implant, figured what the hell right?

It wasn't until later in life, roughly after ACA/Obamacare kicked in and my hubby and I getting seen more often by doctors did I come into contact with MRI machines.  I'm aware others in the community have had little to no problems with MRI's, and many state that it's just a minor discomfort at best.  However I've also taken note that everyone that seems to have little to no issue with being around or in an MRI also has a much smaller magnet than what I had.

When I was nearby an MRI machine, it hurt.  When I got my first MRI, of which I didn't think to even let the technician know I had such an implant, I felt agony.  I bit the bullet and cut that bastard out recently and the only thing I can state after nearly 10 years of having a magnetic implant, and after the pain and throbbing subsided from the cut, I feel oddly blind.  It's a strange sensation of not feeling the regular vibrations and various pulls and things when around electronics or when I touch the stove for example.

Coincidentally back when I got my implant first, I had to be excessively careful.  I did have the issue of accidentally messing up floppy disks and had to make for damn sure my hand remained away from my old computer monitor.  Had learned that quick with the nice color distortion.

I'm going to eventually implant another, much smaller magnet than what I originally had.

Word of note for you guys using lidocaine trying to do a digit block.  I've noticed a lot of you guys seem to always fail to mention that you need to make sure you don't have lidocaine solution that has epinephrine in it which can cause issues with the digit and starve it of oxygen and can increase rejection rates.  Also you're injecting it into a very bad spot.  I've seen people inject it into the web of the fingers and inflate it and/or just go strictly local with it.

I'll share with you two methods that'll work better.

1. If you're going for your left hand's ring finger, just inject just below the knuckle but next to the tendon (not in the tendon) on the back of the hand, then do the same on the other side of the paw in the same spot and wait for it to kick in.  You'll have greater success blocking the digit without having to restick.
2. Do a local at the fingertip in 3 spots.  The very tip of the finger and the two spots in between where the incision will be made (If you're doing the injection method, I can't help you, I don't know, should work the same I'd guess).  Wait for it to kick in.  Afterwards, start slicing carefully.  You're going to still feel the cutting, after you're in as much as you can comfortably do, inject more lidocaine into the open wound and wait once again.  You should be able to finish with relative ease after this.

I'm not a medical doctor, just someone who minored in medicine during my education to become a physicist.  So while I have some knowledge, I don't know everything and don't take what I say or advise as gospel because everyone is different.  The several people I've stabbed doing this I've had zero complaints, but when method one hasn't worked for one of them, method two cut the mustard quite nicely.

Hoped this helped someone, especially if you're thinking of going for a larger magnet, just don't.

Tagged: magnets, magnetimplant

Comments

1. 

   ThomasEgi

   
   March 2016

   edited March 2016
   That's an interesting read. And quite ahead of the time back then indeed.

   
   

   About lido-injection. When I accidently milled into my fingertip (a 2mm wide, almost 12mm long slot down to the bone) the emergency room had to sew it back together. They placed 3 injections of lidocaine-like substance (I asked for the name but can't remember) in the finger. The location was near the proximal phalange bone. On the left and right side, and for safety also on the back-hand side of it (as some people appear to have a nerve running there too, apparently no nerves on the inside of the hand for obvious reasons). It was like 3 liquid filled pockets. Fingertip was completely pain free.

   I'd very much recommend to talk with some people from the emergency room, they get a lot of "i cut myself into the finger" things and know how to deal with it really well.

   If not already, we should probably add such information to the wiki. Not injecting directly into the implant site and still get a perfect nerve block would help quite abit.
2. 

   euaa
   March 2016
   Agreed, an ER physician would know a heck of a lot better.  Also just realized after watching a few more vids that people are using insulin needles, wrong needle, you will not get a proper block using that.  At best you'll have half the digit numbed but not the fingertip.

   
   

   I'm not placing my next magnet in the fingertips, going to with it elsewhere on the hand to experiment with sensation and the like.  Going to try this on account that it would be easier to make external wear to interface with the magnet when it's away from the fingertip, so various sensors can be placed on a glove instead more readily.

   
   

   I just know what I've done when stabbing others.  Bring your own crap, I'm only there because some people don't have the nuts to cut into themselves, and that's fine. :p