The Dangers of Dilaudid

Did you know that Dilaudid can be a very dangerous drug? It is highly addictive, and yet, it’s a medication that’s prescribed frequently. When used according to doctor’s instructions, it is relatively safe. However, the potential for abuse is extremely high with this drug. Perhaps you have experienced the Dilaudid high before, yourself. It’s possible that you are even abusing it, or addicted to it. You may not even be aware that your misuse of this medication poses a problem. What are the dangers of Dilaudid, and is it possible for you to stop taking it safely? These are questions we’d like to answer for you.

What is the Dilaudid Drug?

Dilaudid is an opiate pain reliever. Drugs in this classification are sometimes referred to as narcotics. It is frequently used to treat moderate or severe pain. It may be given to patients who don’t get pain relief from other medications, like Oxycodone or Vicodin. Most of the time, it works best when it is given through an IV. For this reason, it’s a drug that’s usually reserved for people who are in the hospital. It may be given after surgery, or when other types of pain relief are needed. This drug goes by a few different names. It is also sold as:

Hydromorphone
Exalgo
Exalgo ER
Hydrostat IR
Dilaudid-HP

Street names for this drug include:

Hospital Heroin
M2s
Hydro
Dillies
Dust

The Contraindications of Hydromorphone

Hydromorphone is a powerful drug, which is why it comes with a long list of warnings. For example:

Anyone who has a history of breathing problems should not take this medication.
This medication is not indicated for anyone with a history of stomach or intestinal blockages.
Hydromorphone should never be used long-term, or in higher dosages
Crushing, breaking or opening an extended release Hydromorphone pill can result in an overdose.
Pregnant women should consult a doctor before taking this medication.
Women who are breastfeeding need to communicate this to their doctors. A different medication may need to be prescribed.
Alcohol should always be avoided while taking this drug. Dangerous interactions may result when consuming alcohol while on Hydromorphone.

What is the Dilaudid High Feeling Like?

If you go by online forums like Bluelight, Reddit and Erowid, the high varies. There are so many factors that come into play when describing it. Namely, these include:

Your drug use history
Whether you’re using other drugs along with it
Your dosage (for example, 2mg vs. 4mg produces a better high)
Your method of using this medication
Your tolerance level regarding opioid drugs

Some people claim that the high with this medication is mild and weak. Others state that it’s intensely euphoric and long-lasting. Most agree that simply swallowing pills doesn’t produce much of a high. Other abuse methods are preferred.

Are You Abusing Dilaudid?

So many opiate addiction stories begin with stories of abuse. This is a medication that can be addictive even when used appropriately. This is why doctors don’t prescribe it as often as other opiates. You are abusing this drug if you’re taking it in any way that’s contradictory to your prescription. In fact, Dilaudid abuse could even be just taking more of the pills than you should. Many people find that they’re inadvertently abusing this medication simply because it stopped working as well as it once did. Of course, there are many others who choose to abuse this drug just for the high it can produce. If that’s you, please be cautioned. The addictive potential of this medicine is quite high, and an addiction always begins with repeated abuse.

Common Hydromorphone Abuse Methods

There are a lot of different ways that Hydromorphone can be misused. For many, their methods come down to a matter of personal preference. However, all of the following are extremely dangerous.

Snorting the Drug

Snorting is a very common method of misusing most opiate medications. It’s relatively easy to snort Hydromorphone. You simply grind up the pills, or crush them, and then inhale them. This is also called insufflation. Some people may even dissolve the powder in water and inject it into the nose with a syringe. Snorting Hydromorphone gets the medication into your bloodstream very quickly. The high is almost immediate.

The Dilaudid IV

Most drug addicts know that using a drug intravenously is much more effective than other abuse methods. The same is true for this medicine. Abusers will typically inject the medication into a vein. Most of the time, they will need to obtain IV Dilaudid on the street. This means the purity of the drug is in question. Using this medication in this way will produce a rapid and lingering high. In fact, the onset of the high is as much as 10 times faster than snorting the pills.

Plugging Hydromorphone

Plugging Hydromorphone has been said to increase the drug’s bioavailability. This means that more of it is readily absorbed into the body. It’s no surprise that this method has grown in popularity. Plugging involves inserting the medication anally. This can be done in a number of ways. People who need to know how to plug Dilaudid properly can find plenty of information on various online forums. Less of the drug needs to be used with this method, as you might expect. It may be even more dangerous than other abuse methods.

What’s the Best Way to Get High Off Dilaudid: Pills, IV or Snorting?

Everyone has their own opinion about the best way to take it to get high. People tend to find what works for them and stick with it for quite some time. No matter how you abuse it, this drug is still very dangerous. Please keep that in mind.

The Effects of Hydromorphone Abuse Explained

This drug is extremely potent. It’s possible to experience its powerful, negative effects, even with short-term use. Abusing Hydromorphone should always be avoided. Those who do misuse it are likely to experience:

Painful stomach cramps
Nausea and vomiting
The possibility of seizures
Rapid changes in their blood pressure levels
Itching all over the body
Bouts of anxiety
A loss the consciousness

Unfortunately for many, the positive effects of using Hydromorphone outweigh the risks. So many people will continue to use this medication even with these and other dangerous effects.

How Addiction to This Drug Occurs

The longer you use any opiate medication, the more likely you are to become addicted to it. This is because drugs cause significant changes to a person’s brain chemistry. When you use this medicine, you immediate experience increased dopamine and serotonin levels. These and other chemicals are responsible for your feelings of happiness. When these levels are high, you feel content and secure. When Dilaudid is abused, the levels of these chemicals automatically increase. With time, the brain gets used to this. Without the medication, you don’t feel happy anymore, or you just don’t feel like yourself. This is one indicator that an addiction has occurred.

Am I Addicted to Dilaudid?

Maybe you’ve been taking this drug for quite some time. However, you’re not sure if you have formed an addiction to it or not. You’d be surprised how common this is. It’s very typical for people to be unaware of their addictions. Fortunately, you can find out in a few different ways. You may need to talk with someone to determine if you have an addiction. It can be beneficial to discuss your situation with someone in the addiction treatment field. Most drug rehabs offer free phone assessments for this purpose.

Dilaudid Addiction Symptoms

Are you aware of the symptoms of having a Dilaudid addiction? If you know what to look for, it may be quite easy to determine if you’re an addict. For example, you may be addicted to this drug if you:

Have legal problems related to using this drug
Are having relationship problems because of your drug use
Are having health complications as a result
Are not able to hold down or get a job
Having financial issues due to spending so much money on your medication.

If you’re still unsure, you could also take an opiate addiction quiz. It’s important for you to learn what your relationship with this drug really is. If you’re addicted, you need to get help to quit.

How Long Does it Take to Get Addicted to Dilaudid Pills or IV?

It’s difficult to say how long it may take to become a Dilaudid addict. This timeframe may vary from person to person. Someone with a history of addiction is likely to get addicted much faster. If you’re abusing Dilaudid for any period of time, you’re at risk for an addiction. It could happen within a few weeks, or it could take several months. However, every use of this drug puts you one step closer to becoming addicted to it.

Dangerous Side Effects You Should Consider

Hydromorphone has several dangerous side effects associated with it. Anyone who is misusing it should be aware of them. They include:

Bloody, tarry or black stools (indicates intestinal bleeding)
Severe changes in behavior
The risk of convulsions
An irregular heartbeat
Feeling dizzy, or fainting
Stiffness in the neck
Thoughts of suicide

When you have a Hydromorphone addiction, you are putting yourself at great risk. It may be a prescribed drug, but it is not safe, by any means.

Quitting Dilaudid and the Withdrawal Timeline

You may be someone who has been using Hydromorphone for pain, but didn’t know you were addicted. Or, perhaps you’ve been using it recreationally. Either way, you want to stop. You need to know what you can expect with withdrawal. The withdrawal symptoms you might experience include:

Anxiety
Nausea and vomiting
A fever and swating
Cravings for the drug
Irritability
Muscle spasms
Depression that may lead to suicidal thoughts
Problems with your memory

Your symptoms should begin about 4-8 hours after your last dose of the medication. You should experience a peak of symptoms within 12 to 48 hours. After you reach the peak, your symptoms should begin to improve. However you could still have periods of time when they’re severe. By the seventh day, most of your symptoms should be much better. Some may linger, and you may feel more tired than you normally do.

Does Everyone Go Withdrawal?

It’s possible to have audid withdrawal after surgery, with minimal exposure to this medication. In fact, withdrawal after short-term use is actually quite common. That means that anyone who has been abusing it willingly will definitely experience symptoms.

Dilaudid Withdrawal Remedies

If you do some research, you’ll find plenty of information on opiate withdrawal remedies. There are a lot of ideas you can use to stop this medication at home. However, please be very cautious. This is a powerful drug, and attempting a cold turkey quit is never recommended. It’s best for you to be on an appropriate opioid tapering schedule. This will allow you to wean yourself off the drug in a professional setting. It will reduce your risk of an opioid overdose, which could be fatal.

The Best Way to Quit Hydromorphone

Taking your Hydromorphone quit into your own hands can be dangerous. You want to quit as safely as possible, and you want your results to be long-lasting. Get the help of a Dilaudid rehab if you want to have the best chance of a successful and safe recovery.

What Did you Think About This Blog?

Give it a Rating!