Dilaudid what is it

Dilaudid and other versions of hydromorphone are stronger drugs than oxycodone. These drugs are often used for serious pain caused by surgery, broken bones , or cancer. The first step is non-opioid analgesic medications.

These drugs are available without a prescription, and include aspirin , ibuprofen , and acetaminophen Tylenol. The third step is potent opioids such as oxycodone and hydromorphone. WHO also recommends scheduled dosing, instead of giving the drugs only as needed, for serious pain. Oxycodone dosing depends on the needs of the patient, as well as whether the drug is in liquid form or as a tablet designed for immediate or extended release. The dose of hydromorphone also depends on its form, too. The immediate-release forms are usually dosed every four to six hours.

The strength of oxycodone or hydromorphone can be gradually increased if a person develops a tolerance for the drugs or if the severity of pain increases. The dose will depend on the cause of your pain and will be determined by your doctor.

If you take one of these drugs for a long time and your dose goes up, your doctor may change your prescription to the extended-release form. The most common side effects of oxycodone and hydromorphone are similar. Hydromorphone is very potent, so its side effects can be more intense.

Side effects for these drugs can include:. As mentioned, the extended-release forms of these drugs can cause severe constipation, which can be dangerous. This is especially true for hydromorphone. This is one reason why extended-release forms are reserved for people who have taken the drug long term, and who need an increased dose. Both drugs affect your ability to drive or use machinery.

They also affect your judgement and physical skills. Long-term use means your body can adjust to the drug. If you suddenly stop taking it, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor before you stop taking either medication. Your doctor can help you taper off the medication slowly, which reduces the risk of withdrawal.

Both of these drugs can also lead to overdose and are very dangerous for children. Some pills are round, and some are triangular in shape. Dilaudid is also available as an oral liquid. In a hospital setting, doctors may administer the substance intravenously. Other brand names for Hydromorphone are Exalgo, Palladone, and Dilaudid-hp. All three of these drugs are CNS Depressants. Mixing these drugs amplifies their effects but also dangerously slows breathing and heart rate.

Mixing Dilaudid with other drugs can lead to respiratory failure, coma, seizure, or even a fatal overdose. Galloway, NJ. View Center. Boca Raton, FL. Those abusing Dilaudid often inject the drug; the effects experienced through this route of administration are stronger than those associated with swallowing the pill form. Some users also crush the pills and snort them.

As with other Opiate Painkillers , people abuse Dilaudid for the intense sensations of euphoria and relaxation. Dilaudid abuse is taking the drug in any way not prescribed by a doctor. This includes taking Dilaudid in higher doses than prescribed or taking it without a prescription. Dilaudid abusers have a high risk of overdose, which can be fatal. Someone prescribed the drug may not feel enough pain relief and take a higher dose, putting them at risk of overdosing.

High doses of Dilaudid slow breathing and blood pressure, sometimes resulting in death. Learn More. Many people who try to quit Dilaudid on their own relapse. The support and medical assistance of a professional treatment setting can make it easier to quit. Treatment for Dilaudid addiction often involves counseling and medications for cravings and withdrawal.

Contact a treatment provider to learn more about your rehab options. After graduation, he decided to pursue his passion of writing and editing. All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.

Theresa is also a Certified Professional Life Coach and volunteers at a local mental health facility helping individuals who struggle with homelessness and addiction. Theresa is a well-rounded clinician with experience working as a Primary Addiction Counselor, Case Manager and Director of Utilization Review in various treatment centers for addiction and mental health in Florida, Minnesota, and Colorado.

She also has experience with admissions, marketing, and outreach. As a proud recovering addict herself, Theresa understands first-hand the struggles of addiction. There is no limit to what Theresa is willing to do to make a difference in the field of Addiction! Mallorca, Spain. Athens, Greece. Andover, MA.

Boston, MA. While you are taking hydromorphone, discuss with your health care provider your pain treatment goals, length of treatment, and other ways to manage your pain. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family drinks or has ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, uses or has ever used street drugs, or has overused prescription medications, or has had an overdose, or if you have or have ever had depression or another mental illness.

There is a greater risk that you will overuse hydromorphone if you have or have ever had any of these conditions. Talk to your health care provider immediately and ask for guidance if you think that you have an opioid addiction or call the U. Hydromorphone may cause serious or life-threatening breathing problems, especially during the first 24 to 72 hours of your treatment and any time your dose is increased.

Your doctor will monitor you carefully during your treatment. Tell your doctor if you have slowed breathing or have or have ever had asthma. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take hydromorphone. Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease a group of diseases that affect the lungs and airways , a head injury, a brain tumor, or any condition that increases the pressure in your brain, or kyphoscoliosis curving of the spine that may cause breathing problems.

The risk that you will develop breathing problems may be higher if you are an older adult, or are weakened or malnourished due to disease. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment: slowed breathing, long pauses between breaths, or shortness of breath.

Taking certain medications during your treatment with hydromorphone may increase the risk that you will develop serious or life-threatening breathing problems, sedation, or coma.

Tell your doctor if you are taking or plan to take any of the following medications: benzodiazepines such as alprazolam Xanax , chlordiazepoxide Librium , clonazepam Klonopin , diazepam Diastat, Valium , estazolam, flurazepam, lorazepam Ativan , oxazepam, temazepam Restoril , and triazolam Halcion ; medications for mental illness or nausea; muscle relaxants; other narcotic pain medications; sedatives; sleeping pills; or tranquilizers. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications and will monitor you carefully.

If you use hydromorphone with any of these medications and you develop any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical care: unusual dizziness, lightheadedness, extreme sleepiness, slowed or difficult breathing, or unresponsiveness.

Be sure that your caregiver or family members know which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor or emergency medical care if you are unable to seek treatment on your own. Drinking alcohol, taking prescription or nonprescription medications that contain alcohol, or using street drugs during your treatment with hydromorphone increases the risk that you will experience serious, life-threatening side effects.

Do not drink alcohol, take prescription or nonprescription medications that contain alcohol, or use street drugs during your treatment. Swallow the extended-release tablets whole. Do not split, chew, dissolve, or crush them. If you swallow broken, chewed, crushed, or dissolved tablets you may receive too much hydromorphone at once instead of receiving the medication slowly over time.

This may cause serious breathing problems or death. Do not allow anyone else to take your medication. Hydromorphone may harm or cause death to other people who take your medication, especially children. Keep hydromorphone in a safe place so that no one else can take it accidentally or on purpose.

Be especially careful to keep hydromorphone out of the reach of children. Keep track of how many tablets or how much liquid is left so you will know if any medication is missing. Dispose of unwanted or no longer needed tablets, extended-release tablets, and liquid by flushing the medication down the toilet. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

If you take hydromorphone regularly during your pregnancy, your baby may experience life-threatening withdrawal symptoms after birth. Tell your baby's doctor right away if your baby experiences any of the following symptoms: irritability, hyperactivity, abnormal sleep, high-pitched cry, uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body, vomiting, diarrhea, or failure to gain weight.

Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet Medication Guide when you begin your treatment with hydromorphone and each time you fill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. Hydromorphone is used to relieve pain. Hydromorphone extended-release tablets are used to relieve severe pain in people who are expected to need pain medication around the clock for a long time and who cannot be treated with other medications.

Hydromorphone extended-release tablets should only be used to treat people who are tolerant used to the effects of the medication to opioid medications because they have taken this type of medication for at least one week and should not be used to treat mild or moderate pain, short-term pain, pain after an operation or medical or dental procedure, or pain that can be controlled by medication that is taken as needed. Hydromorphone is in a class of medications called opiate narcotic analgesics.

It works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. Hydromorphone comes as a liquid, a tablet, and an extended-release long-acting tablet to take by mouth.

The liquid is usually taken every 3 to 6 hours and the tablets are usually taken every 4 to 6 hours. The extended-release tablets are taken once daily with or without food. Take hydromorphone at around the same time s every day.