What is Dilaudid?

Dilaudid is an opioid pain reliever that helps relieve moderate to severe pain. It acts on specific centers in the brain to give you pain relief.  Do not take alcohol while using Dilaudid.

It is a combination of alcohol with hydromorphone that could cause dangerous side effects or death.

Hydromorphone, also known as dihydromorphinone, and sold under the brand name Dilaudid among other names, is an opioid used to treat moderate to severe pain.

It is often used with other medications to treat pain after surgeries, in addition to cancer, chronic pain, and other medical conditions.

Important Information

• Dilaudid can stop or slow your breathing, especially when you start or change the dosage of this medicine. Never use this medication in smaller or larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Inform the doctor if the treatment is not working efficiently in relieving your pain. 
• Tell your medical healthcare provider if you are pregnant. This medicine may cause life-threatening addiction and withdrawal symptoms in a newborn baby if the mother takes this medicine during pregnancy. 

Doctor usually prescription Dilaudid for the treatment of moderate to severe pain.

What to know before taking Dilaudid?

• Before taking Dilaudid, tell your medical healthcare provider if you are allergic to it or other opioid medication such as hydrocodone or morphine, or if you have other allergies. It may contain inactive ingredients such as latex and sulfites, leading to allergic reactions or other problems.
• You should avoid taking Dilaudid if you have breathing problems (severe) or a stomach or intestines blockage. Do not take alcohol while using Dilaudid. A combination of alcohol with hydromorphone could cause dangerous side effects or death.

Before taking it, inform your medical healthcare provider about your medical history, especially of: 

• Stomach or intestinal issues such as constipation, blockage, paralytic ileus, diarrhea due to infection
• Brain disorders such as a tumor, brain injury, seizures, increased intracranial pressure
• Breathing problems such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, sleep apnea, severe asthma
• Heart problems such as low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, heart failure
• Pancreatitis (a disease of the pancreas)
• Mental disorders or mood changes such as psychosis, depression
• Kyphoscoliosis (a specific spinal problem)
• Family or individual history of a substance use disorder such as overuse, abuse, or addiction to drugs or alcohol
• Difficulty urinating due to urethral stricture or enlarged prostate
• Gallbladder disease
• Liver disease 
• Kidney disease
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)

How to take Dilaudid?

Take Dilaudid precisely as per the doctor’s prescription. Dilaudid may be a habit-forming drug even at regular doses. Therefore, take this medicine precisely as per your doctor’s prescription. Misuse of narcotic pain medications like Dilaudid can cause addiction, overdose, or death. 

Measure the liquid form of this drug with a medicine cup or special dose-measuring spoon, not with a regular utensil. Ask your pharmacist for a medicine dose-measuring device if you do not have one. Never break or crush a pill to inhale the powder or mix it into a liquid to inject the drug into your vein. This practice caused death with the misuse of Dilaudid and other similar prescription drugs. 

Do not suddenly stop taking Dilaudid, or you could face unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Instead, take your doctor’s help to stop using this medicine safely. Store all forms of Dilaudid away from heat, moisture, and light at room temperature. Dispose of any unused liquid after 90 days. 

Keep track of your drug. For example, Dilaudid (hydromorphone) is a drug of abuse, and you must be aware if someone is misusing your medicine or without a prescription. Never keep leftover Dilaudid pills or liquid. Instead, learn about drug take-back disposal programs and dispose of the leftover medicine carefully.

Dilaudid dosage

• Your Dilaudid dosage will depend upon your age, your medical condition, your response to the initial phase of treatment with Codeine, other medical conditions you have, and other medicines you take. 
• Never use this medication in smaller or larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Do not break, crush, or open an extended-release pill. Swallow the whole table to avoid exposure to a potentially fatal dose. 
• Initially, Dilaudid oral solution must range from 2.5 mL (one-half) to 10 mL (two teaspoonfuls), 2.5 mg to 10 mg, within every 3 to 6 hours according to the need for pain. 

Overdose

In case of an overdose of Dilaudid, take medical help immediately or call the Poison helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Overdosing hydromorphone can be deadly, especially in a child or someone else taking it without a prescription. Symptoms of overdose of Dilaudid may include slow heart rate and breathing, muscle weakness, severe drowsiness, pinpoint pupils, cold and clammy skin, and fainting. 

What to avoid while using Dilaudid?

• Avoid alcohol consumption while taking Dilaudid. A combination of alcohol with hydromorphone could cause dangerous side effects or death.
• The use of Dilaudid may cause impairment in your thinking or reactions. Avoid operating or driving any heavy machinery until you know this medicine’s effect on you. Dizziness or drowsiness can cause accidental falls or severe injuries. 

Dilaudid side effects

Dilaudid may cause nausea, constipation, vomiting, dry mouth, flushing, dizziness, lightheadedness, drowsiness, or sweating. Redness, pain, or swelling at the injection spot may also occur if you use Dilaudid in the injection form. If any of these persist or worsen, contact your medical healthcare provider.  Tell your medical healthcare provider instantly or call for medical help if you have any severe side effects, including:

• Interrupted breathing during sleep or sleep apnea
• Severe stomach or abdominal pain
• Extreme drowsiness leads to difficulty waking up
• Slow, shallow, or irregular breathing
• Rapid, slow, or irregular heartbeat
• Mental disorders or mood swings such as confusion, agitation, hallucinations
• Seizure (or convulsions)
• Trouble in urination
• Signs of an adrenal gland not functioning efficiently such as weight loss, unusual tiredness, loss of appetite

A severe allergic reaction to Dilaudid is rare. However, take instant medical help if you have Dilaudid allergic reaction symptoms, including rash, trouble breathing, severe dizziness, itching, or swelling in the face, throat, lips, or tongue. It is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. For further information regarding side effects, contact your medical healthcare provider.

You may report it to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What drugs can interact with Dilaudid?

Dilaudid (hydromorphone) can interact with various drugs and cause dangerous side effects or death. Ensure that your doctor knows if you also use:

• A sedative like Valium- alprazolam, diazepam, Xanax, lorazepam, Versed, Klonopin, and others;
• Other narcotic drugs- prescription cough medicine or opioid pain medications;
• Drugs that affect serotonin levels- a treatment or stimulant for depression, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, nausea, vomiting, or serious infections; or
• Drugs that slow down your breathing or make you sleepy- a muscle relaxer, sleeping pill, treatment to recover from mood disorders or mental illness.

It is not a complete list, and others may affect Dilaudid, including prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, herbal products, and vitamins. 

FAQs ( Frequently asked questions )

Can you smoke Dilaudid?

Dilaudid is an effective opioid pain medication that offers relief from moderate to severe pain. People also buy Dilaudid 8 mg online to use it for several other purposes not enlisted in any proper medication guide, such as abuse. Yes! Some people misuse this drug’s potent and fast-acting effects by smoking or snorting it without any health requirements or proper medical prescription.

Suppose you consume Dilaudid orally and let it move through the digestive system gradually. In that case, it will release more slowly and safely into the blood than any other effective method of drug consumption. Absorption of some substances takes place through the esophagus and stomach lining, but usually, when a person eats or drinks anything, it is digested by the liver, intestine, and kidneys. By entering the bloodstream in this traditional way, the medicine will be bioavailable for an extended period but will take more time to reach the brain.

If you smoke Dilaudid, you must be aware that the fastest measure to get high on any substance is to smoke it. When you inhale Dilaudid, it enters the lungs, where the alveoli permit it to be rapidly absorbed into the blood vessels and quickly sent to the brain.

If you smoke any substance, the alveoli evolve to send oxygen to the brain and the rest of the system very quickly. When someone consumes Dilaudid in this way, the drug moves through the body extremely fast, leading to a “high” experience within a couple of minutes.

Can you snort Dilaudid?

Snorting is a standard method of abusing Dilaudid and other opioids, especially prescription drugs. It is possible to crush and snort Dilaudid as it does not require much paraphernalia and can in several instances. One can easily bypass this drug’s time-release mechanisms in extended-release tablet forms. When such medicines are bypassed, the person quickly consumes all the drug components in a short duration.

Snorting Dilaudid can increase the risk of overdose as the chemical absorption takes place through the mucous membranes in the nostrils, the upper respiratory system, and the back of the throat. Intoxication happens more gradually than smoking, but it is still a fast-acting measure of abusing drugs, resulting in a “high” experience in 20 minutes or less.

People usually prefer buying drugs online at platforms that do not ask for any proper medical prescription for abuse. Several online drug stores understand the need of an individual to take Dilaudid and offer to buy the drug at significant discounts from the comfort of home. If you want, you can use the safest and most efficient payment gateway and buy Dilaudid online with a credit card. With increasing demand, some online platforms offer QR codes for digital payment.

Is Dilaudid more potent than morphine?

Dilaudid and morphine are pretty similar as both are available in tablet form and liquid form. Both drugs have extended-release versions administered to people who are taking opioids for an extended period and need a higher, controlled amount of the medicine to feel comfortable. Yes! Dilaudid and other drugs consisting of hydromorphone are stronger medications than morphine.

These drugs are often prescribed for severe pain due to surgery, cancer, or broken bones. WHO has a three-step ladder for cancer pain treatment. The first step is the administration of non-opioid analgesic medications that are available without a prescription, including ibuprofen, aspirin, and acetaminophen (Tylenol).

When an individual does not get enough relief from over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, the second step consists of offering mild opioids, such as codeine. And the first step is the use of potent opioid medications such as Dilaudid and morphine. Whether Dilaudid or morphine is the proper pain medication for you depends primarily upon the type and severity of pain you are experiencing.

Dilaudid is a more potent drug. Your medical healthcare provider will decide what kind of pain relief your body requires and will probably start your treatment with a short-acting pain reliever first. If there is no reasonable control of your pain, you may need an extended-release (ER) version or may ask your doctor to prescribe a more potent drug.

How long does Dilaudid stay in your system?

Dilaudid tablets (both IR and ER) and sustained in your system for about 1 to 4 days depending upon several factors such as age, metabolism, liver and kidney functioning, and dosage. One may detect Dilaudid in the urine for two to four days after the last use, while one can track the same drug in the hair follicle test for about three months (90 days).

For most healthy individuals, dilaudid is more likely to stay in the blood for one to two days. At the same time, the chances of its stay in the saliva are for 1 to 4 days after taking the last dose.