Dilaudid is a strong pain medication, also known as hydromorphone hydrochloride. This substance is a hydrogenated ketone of morphine and is an opioid agonist.. Do you have a problem with Dilaudid? You aren’t alone. Dilaudid is one of the more powerful synthetic Narcotics in the Opioid class of drugs; an addiction to the substance can rapidly develop through continued use.

History

The brand name, Dilaudid, comes from the word laudanum, an opium product from the 16th century that was used to relieve pain. Morphine was first removed from opium early in the 19th century when it was used during the Civil War to help soldiers with their pain, many of which became addicted to the drug.

This drug was first developed in Germany in 1921, patented as Dilaudid in 1923, and had begun being used by doctors in 1926. It is made in a way that is similar in structure to morphine.

The FDA approved Dilaudid for use in the United States in 1984. By 2019, hydromorphone, with over 2.5 million prescriptions written, ranked as the 212th most prescribed medicine in America.

Dilaudid comes in liquid and tablet form.

Addiction to Dilaudid

There’s a reason so many individuals in this time are experiencing addiction to opioids and other substances. It’s far too easy to become addicted, especially with a prescription after an injury or surgery. Addiction does not discriminate.It can affect anyone regardless of age, race, gender, or economic status. With a pill as insidious and powerful as Dilaudid, you can become addicted in what seems like the blink of an eye.

What is Dilaudid Withdrawal?

Dilaudid functions similarly to heroin and morphine, but it is significantly more potent than those. It’s casually referred to as “prescription heroin” because of its similarity to the street drug. While Dilaudid is not an opiate, it is a full opioid agonist, meaning that it fully imitates opiates.
Like opiates, Dilaudid attaches to the neurotransmitter receptor sites in the brain that are specialized to receive endorphins and endogenous opioids. These parts of the brain, along with the neurotransmitters, control pain and stress. With the introduction of opiates of opioid agonists, pain and stress are reduced. Dilaudid is most often used for postoperative pain because it has a quick onset of action and a short half-life, meaning it works quickly and doesn’t stay in the system long.

Because of how powerful the drug Dilaudid is, physical dependence happens very quickly. Physical dependence consists of both tolerance and symptoms of withdrawal. Those experiencing tolerance require a larger amount of medication to receive the same amount of benefit.

Tolerance happens as you continue to use Dilaudid, and when you stop using the medication, withdrawal sets in. Your body developed a tolerance because it became habituated to having the substance in your system, so when you remove something it’s become habituated to, it reacts.

This cycle of tolerance, withdrawal and relapse is a common thread for those with a Dilaudid addiction. You want to get off the medication that’s controlling your life, so you give it your best shot. But then when the symptoms of withdrawal set in, your once steadfast convictions to get off it easily crumble.

Dilaudid Withdrawal Symptoms

Just as there can be huge individual differences in how you react to a substance, there are also big individual differences in how you withdraw from it. There can be many interacting variables at play: how long you’ve been on Dilaudid, how much you have been taking, and the method in which you’ve been taking it. Your metabolism, body composition, diet, and other medications or medical issues can also have an impact on the overall timeline of withdrawal from Dilaudid.

Despite individual differences, there is a general timeline that withdrawal from Dilaudid tends to follow. Because of the relatively brief half-life associated with Dilaudid, mild symptoms may begin to appear within 4 to 8 hours after a Dilaudid detox begins. The most common withdrawal symptoms from a Dilaudid addiction are nausea, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, fever, sweating, and cravings for the drug.

Once the symptoms of withdrawal appear, they will begin to intensify with time. For most individuals, they peak within 12 to 48 hours. The most common and intense symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Chills
• Profuse Sweating
• Headaches
• Muscle Spasms
• Aches And Pains
• Insomnia
• Decreased Appetite
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Severe Cravings

Some people become extremely depressed, confused, and suicidal. At the peak of the withdrawal, many people fall victim to relapse or other poor decisions, such as self-injury behaviors.

Usually, after 48 to 72 hours, the symptoms become less intense and many people find themselves feeling determined to get through the withdrawal. Individuals are less prone to relapse and poor decisions once the symptoms begin to subside. However, you should still expect to have issues with nausea, anxiety, appetite loss, irritability, depression, and cravings. Typically from 5 to 7 days after stopping the use of Dilaudid, most people find that their withdrawal symptoms have been resolved.

However, many people continue to experience emotional issues for undetermined periods of time after the discontinued use of the drug. This can be due to biological aftereffects of the drug; anything that impacts your neurotransmitters can have lasting effects. You may experience psychological, rather than biological, issues after stopping Dilaudid use. This is why a medically assisted detox center is so beneficial for those struggling with addiction, where medical and therapy professionals are on hand.  

Dilaudid Detox

Detoxing from any prescription drugs is extremely difficult, and Dilaudid is no different. Dilaudid’s potency makes the withdrawals intense. Even though the withdrawals from Dilaudid are not considered to be potentially fatal or of serious physical consequence, withdrawals can certainly result in serious ramifications.

One of the most common issues among individuals going through withdrawals is dehydration. Because of the symptoms, a lot of the water in your body is expelled, and you may have difficulty taking in more water. Another common serious ramification is self-injurious behavior due to the increased depression and suicidal ideation common during the peak of the withdrawal. It’s during this time that people overdose during a relapse attempt.

Even though detoxing from Dilaudid is difficult, it is something that you can get through. Prepare yourself by reaching out to individuals in your life whom you can trust to support you in your efforts to get off of the drug. Participating in a professional detox program provides the best possible chances of recovery. Addiction is something that so many of us today face, and it is the shame of it that feeds the cycle. Ask for help. There are people who care about your health and safety.
For more information on drug detox, withdrawal, and other addiction information, visit our website today. Contact us today to take the first step towards recovery today.