Dilaudid (or Hydromorphone) is a an extremely potent painkiller of the opioid narcotic family.
Synthetically derived from morphine, dilaudid is roughly NINE times more potent than it’s parent morphine and FAR FAR more potent than common painkillers like hydrocodone. This makes it extremely prone to abuse and addiction.
Also, it’s effects are felt in under 15 minutes and last 6+ hours. Strong stuff.
It’s prescribed for moderate to severe pain. It absolutely works in treatment, but because of the strong euphoric effects, the risk of both physical and psychological dependence is very high.
And that goes for everyone. Whether a previous drug user or not.?Of course, those who have previous habits around opiate use will have the greatest chance of abusing dilaudid when prescribed.
The insanely fast road to dilaudid addiction
Dilaudid is an especially dangerous drug because of it’s potency.?
Tolerance and likelihood of addiction most often occurs around 2-3 weeks.?Withdrawals will become noticeable ?and the urge to use will become increasingly overwhelming.
The particular dangers of this drug are it’s crazy potency. Fatal drug overdose is a serious risk and can happen in an instant, even with moderate doses.
If dilaudid is unavailable a user will grab for any other opiates around them to scratch the itch that opiate use leaves behind. You can bet that the user will take very high doses of other opiates to try to match the effects. Which is obviously very dangerous.
Methods of use
- Rectal suppositories
- oral solutions / tablets
- injectable form
Ease of acquisition
Despite efforts by the government to keep such strong drugs out of opiate addicts hands, the drug is quite easily found on the illicit market and in constant demand.
Those who are legitimately prescribed the drug will often sell their prescription for quick cash. Users will also “doctor shop”, meaning they hop around from doctor to doctor complaining of severe pain symptoms in an effort to get as many doctor prescription write ups as possible.
Withdrawals
Withdrawal effects will vary depending on the individual and their patterns of use .
Typically, acute withdrawal symptoms will peak between 9 and 21 hours after the last use. These acute symptoms typically drop off around 26 to 72 hours.
This is the norm. But for heavy users who’ve been dosing up high amounts of the drug over long periods of time will experience lasting and painful withdrawals for 2+ weeks.
Further reading:
- How to Treat an Addiction to Dilaudid
- Dilaudid Side Effects
- Dilaudid Dosage
- Snorting Dilaudid
- Types of Dilaudid pills?
Extreme risk of overdose
As stated, overdoses on this drug occur frequently. It’s just too easy to misjudge the amount one is taking in and unintentionally administer more than their body can tolerate.
Those who are particularaly at risk are users who will mix dilaudid with other drugs. Alcohol and the broad variaty of CNS depressents (cold meds, sedatives, sleep aids) are particularly sketchy to combine with opioids.
You’ll know if you’ve overdosed if you have slow or irregular breathing, bluish skin color, limp muscles, cold/clammy skin, low pulse rate, sudden drowsiness, low blood pressure, and cardiac arrest.
If this happens to you. CALL 911. Seriously. You could very easily die from an OD on this stuff if you’re not careful.
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