Hydromorphone (Dilaudid): Uses & Side Effects
Hydromorphone (Dilaudid): Uses & Side Effects Hydromorphone (Dilaudid): Uses & Side Effects.Hydromorphone is an opioid medication that treats severe pain by blocking pain signals in your brain. The brand name of this medication is Dilaudid®. This medication comes in a tablet form that you can take by mouth with a glass of water as directed. Advertisement Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy What is this medication? HYDROMORPHONE (hye droe MOR fone) treats severe pain. It is prescribed when other pain medications have not worked or cannot be tolerated. It works by blocking pain signals in the brain. It belongs to a group of medications called opioids. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions. COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Dilaudid What should I tell my care team before I take this medication? They need to know if you have any of these conditions: Brain tumor Frequently drink alcohol Head injury Heart disease Kidney disease Liver disease Lung disease, asthma, or breathing problems Seizures Stomach or intestinal problems Substance abuse Taken an MAOI like Marplan, Nardil, or Parnate in the last 14 days An unusual or allergic reaction to hydromorphone, other medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives Pregnant or trying to get pregnant Breast-feeding How should I use this medication? Take this medication by mouth with a glass of water. Follow the directions on the prescription label. You can take this medication with or without food. If it upsets your stomach, take it with food. Take your medication at regular intervals. Do not take it more often than directed. Do not stop taking except on your care team’s advice. A special MedGuide will be given to you by the pharmacist with each prescription and refill. Be sure to read this information carefully each time. Talk to your care team about the use of this medication in children. Special care may be needed. Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once. NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others. What if I miss a dose? If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses. What may interact with this medication? This medication may interact with the following: Alcohol Antihistamines for allergy, cough and cold Certain medications for anxiety or sleep Certain medications for depression like amitriptyline, fluoxetine, sertraline Certain medications for seizures like phenobarbital, primidone General anesthetics like halothane, isoflurane, methoxyflurane, propofol Local anesthetics like lidocaine, pramoxine, tetracaine MAOIs like Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate Medications that relax muscles for surgery Other narcotic medications for pain or cough Phenothiazines like chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, prochlorperazine, thioridazine This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine. What should I watch for while using this medication? Tell your care team if your pain does not go away, if it gets worse, or if you have new or a different type of pain. You may develop tolerance to this medication. Tolerance means that you will need a higher dose of the medication for pain relief. Tolerance is normal and is expected if you take this medication for a long time. There are different types of narcotic medications (opioids) for pain. If you take more than one type at the same time, you may have more side effects. Give your care team a list of all medications you use. They will tell you how much medication to take. Do not take more medication than directed. Get emergency help right away if you have problems breathing. Do not suddenly stop taking your medication because you may develop a severe reaction. Your body becomes used to the medication. This does NOT mean you are addicted. Addiction is a behavior related to getting and using a medication for a nonmedical reason. If you have pain, you have a medical reason to take pain medication. Your care team will tell you how much medication to take. If your care team wants you to stop the medication, the dose will be slowly lowered over time to avoid any side effects. Talk to your care team about naloxone and how to get it. Naloxone is an emergency medication used for an opioid overdose. An overdose can happen if you take too much opioid. It can also happen if an opioid is taken with some other medications or substances, like alcohol. Know the symptoms of an overdose, like trouble breathing, unusually tired or sleepy, or not being able to respond or wake up. Make sure to tell caregivers and close contacts where it is stored. Make sure they know how to use it. After naloxone is given, you must get emergency help right away. Naloxone is a temporary treatment. Repeat doses may be needed. You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medication affects you. Do not stand up or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may interfere with the effect of this medication. Avoid alcoholic drinks. This medication will cause constipation. If you do not have a bowel movement for 3 days, call your care team. Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your care team if the problem does not go away or is severe. What side effects may I notice from
