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Dilaudid
This is my very first post and first time on this site. I have been reading some questions from other members and I must say that I enjoy reading the response to many questions asked by members. I have learned a alittle my self.....lol..... So now I have a question. I am taking Vicoprofen for leg pain. It works for allmost 2 hours then I feel like I have not taken anything. Someone told me to ask my MD to write for Dilaudid. If Dilaudid does work me (if MD writes for it) what are the chances I will get hooked and take it for the high and not for the pain? How long does Dilaudid stay in your system? What are some side effects that come with taken Dilaudid?
Thank-you for your well written and easily understood post. I'm 58 and have suffered from MS since I was 31. I also suffer with severe osteoarthritis and rheumatoid. I've already had one total knee replacement in 2011, and was advised last year when I fell and tore my ACL and meniscus, to start considering another replacement. I've developed Achilles tendonitis now. The pain is mainly confined to my right side, even during a MS flare up. I'm under the care of a neurologist, rheumatologist, internal medicine, and a pain management doctor. I have many known and documented severe reactions and allergies to medications, and have been hospitalized a couple times due to being prescribed a medication that contained a known allergen. Treating my pain is issues is a bit more difficult than normal. I'm on 4 different daily meds, and I normally take 1-2 vicoprofen 200-7.5 @ 4-6 hours. I usually have wonderful control of the pain, and have been on this routinely since January. Friday night I started getting severely razor sharp pain on my right front rib cage, in a line going around my back! Yes, it's shingles AGAIN! I say again, because this is now my 3rd case in 10 years. I have even been given the shingles vaccine and was seen by a wonderful infectious decease doctor, who said that I had one of the worst cases of shingles that he had seen. My primary care doctor had given me a prescription of Valtrex to keep on hand if I ever felt the pain of shingles starting. I've been on the prescribed dosage since Saturday morning. I've been taking the vicoprofen to control the intense pain from the shingles, but it's not even touching the pain. I've tried so many nerve pain medications and that's why I ended up in the hospital before with severe allergic reactions. My infectious specialist has since pasted away, or I would be calling him for help. He had used two different oral pain medications . One was Dilaudid and the other was Demerol. I wasn't on these at the same time, and I can't remember which medication worked the best to control the pain. I live in daily pain, so when I say that I'm in severe pain, and that vicoprofen isn't helping, you know it's bad! Any thoughts or comments?
Hello To all I have lupus & my organs seem to be clotting up. I'm in severe pain all the time, I also have chronic anemia, I get migraines daily, I guess what I'm trying to say to u all that have tooken the patch please let me know if it cures the pain because the ER is really not helping anymore thank you..
I've tried almost most medicines for both my RSD and joint paint. I get the best relief from what I'm on now, which is the Fentanyl patch with oxycodone for the BT pain, as well as other meds for the nerve pain and a couple of gels to apply topically.
They gave me a high dose of Dilaudid after my surgery in March as they thought I might be too tolerant to the oxycodone. Big mistake for me. It wasn't even as effective as ibuprofen. It was like I had taken nothing.
I also, over the summer, tried morphine as a BT med. It did help the pain but whether it was the morphine alone or the combination with the Fentanyl, I could not stop eating ... it was constant. I also got bad hot flashes. I get the hot flashes with the combination of oxycodone and Fentanyl but they are not as bad and don't last as long.
I agree with those that mention about asking specifically for a certain medication. Caution is somewhat warranted I think. I've mentioned what I've heard about several drugs and then I talk with the NP about all of them, and then we come to a decision of what to try together.
They gave me a high dose of Dilaudid after my surgery in March as they thought I might be too tolerant to the oxycodone. Big mistake for me. It wasn't even as effective as ibuprofen. It was like I had taken nothing.
I also, over the summer, tried morphine as a BT med. It did help the pain but whether it was the morphine alone or the combination with the Fentanyl, I could not stop eating ... it was constant. I also got bad hot flashes. I get the hot flashes with the combination of oxycodone and Fentanyl but they are not as bad and don't last as long.
I agree with those that mention about asking specifically for a certain medication. Caution is somewhat warranted I think. I've mentioned what I've heard about several drugs and then I talk with the NP about all of them, and then we come to a decision of what to try together.
Dilaudid - this drug gets a bad name it does not deserve. It is really a form of synthetic morphine. It is easy to dose and has few side effects at low doses (ie 2 mg oral). The most common side effect is constipation. Prune juice helps, as well as Senna and Colace). I think that a jump to dilaudid is significant but not HUGE. If you are on another narcotic, you will notice the change but not to the degree that you get knocked out or something worse. It is a great drug for cancer patients and patients with diseases with long standing pain (multiple myeloma, shingles etc). There is a difference in addiction and tolerance. Most patients will develop tolerance and need more drug to control their pain - this is to be expected. Adding Motrin is often very helpful (watch your kidneys with long term Motrin). Withdrawal from Dilaudid is predictable and easy to manage by almost all physicians.
Going to the doctor with a specific drug in mind. You will not be "red flagged" if you are open and honest. Bring supporting literature. Say up front you are not drug seeking, you are in pain and want the best answer and that you look to the doctor for help. Say "given the positive results of others, I would like to try a short term trial of dilaudid and if it does not work, I want to work with you to find something that does". As a physician, that kind of honest approach is most welcome and rarely raises my suspicions. BTW, dilaudid is my drug of choice for moderate to severe pain from all causes. It is cheap and effective, unlike some of the extended release drugs. Go to:
http://tinyurl.com/38xkpsq
for an extremely well written article on the use of narcotics for severe pain. Read about the under-treated, estimated to be upwards of 80%. Very sad story.
I would say good luck, but you really don't (shouldn't) need it. Be honest with your physician, bring along some of these articles and even parts of this blog. Ask for his/her help, don't demand.
Benjamin Lankheet MD
Going to the doctor with a specific drug in mind. You will not be "red flagged" if you are open and honest. Bring supporting literature. Say up front you are not drug seeking, you are in pain and want the best answer and that you look to the doctor for help. Say "given the positive results of others, I would like to try a short term trial of dilaudid and if it does not work, I want to work with you to find something that does". As a physician, that kind of honest approach is most welcome and rarely raises my suspicions. BTW, dilaudid is my drug of choice for moderate to severe pain from all causes. It is cheap and effective, unlike some of the extended release drugs. Go to:
http://tinyurl.com/38xkpsq
for an extremely well written article on the use of narcotics for severe pain. Read about the under-treated, estimated to be upwards of 80%. Very sad story.
I would say good luck, but you really don't (shouldn't) need it. Be honest with your physician, bring along some of these articles and even parts of this blog. Ask for his/her help, don't demand.
Benjamin Lankheet MD
word of advice...dont go marching into your PM doctor and ask for dilaudid! You will find yourself marching back out the door with no RX in your hand! Its a huge red flag to go into a doctor demanding any specific drug. They will think you are an addict and likely give you nothing. Talk with your doctor and let him/her decide what med you should be tried on next. Seriously..if you go in there and say "I want to try Dilaudid" they're going to think you must have tried it already somewhere and liked it. Not to mention its a heavyweight, highly addictive opiate. You have to be very careful with PM doctors or you will find yourself without any medicine..
You are on point. Yes shingles produce nerve pain, BUT there are other componets of the body that are effected as-well...such as joint pain in the hip area (for me)...etc. I have been through Lyrica and Cymbalta and both did nothing for me. Neurotin which i am currently taking 300mg twice a day is OK but does not help alot when it comes to walking and standing for me. I have and will do another search on Medhelp!!! Thanks again....
Thanks Tracy for your comment. Am i serious........I guess so, thats why I posted here to get information...... If one does not know then one should ask!!!!......get it!!!!
Thank you for your kind words. I am just glad to help.
One thing though and it is a question from me. Isn't shingles nerve pain? I am not a doctor by any means but search this site for shingles and you will get some insight. I was thinking Lyrica or something like that. Maybe I am totally off base.
Medhelp search is your friend as well as Google itself.
One thing though and it is a question from me. Isn't shingles nerve pain? I am not a doctor by any means but search this site for shingles and you will get some insight. I was thinking Lyrica or something like that. Maybe I am totally off base.
Medhelp search is your friend as well as Google itself.
Thank you for taking the time out to give me some first-hand knowledge about Dilaudid. I think Dilaudid would help with my pain. As you said, when I see my doc soon I will have a open and honest conversation with him about my pain and I am hoping he will understand and write for something that may make my day to day struggle better. Thanks!!!
WOW.......your last post was just what the the DOC ordered...(no pun intended)...lol... The reason I posted my questions on this site was to get open and honest answers from other members. You did not let me down. Thanks so very much for your insight. My leg pain stem from shinges. I go back to PM doc in 3 weeks. I will inform my doc the last meds wrote for, just are not helping. In a way one could say I have "drug seeking behavior". The difference between my seeking and one that just wants the high is I am seeking relief. If you know of any one that has had or has shingles.......then you know what I am talking about when I talk about PAIN!!! Thanks again!!!!!
I just wanted to speak up as I do take Dilaudid. It comes in 2mg tablets as well as the 4mg and 8mg tablets. Dilaudid is the instant release of Hydromorphone, and the extended release form is Hydromorph Contin, which comes in 3mg, 6mg, 12mg, 18mg, 24mg, 30mg pills. The Prescription for the IR Dilaudid is to take 1-2 tablets of Dilaudid every 4-6 hours...not every 2-3 (at least for me).
I take the ER Hydromorph Contin every 12 hours, and the IR Dilaudid every 4-6 hours for breakthrough.
This medicine is actually sometimes seen as less addictive than other drugs (or at least easier to come off of), and has less side effects than most of the rest.
It is true that the liquid form of Dilaudid given in the hospital is much more potent than the tablet forms.
I started Dilaudid when I became too tolerant to Oxycodone. I am so happy with the pain relief it gives me. It is hands down more effective for me than any of the other drugs I was prescribed before it.
The difference between the Dilaudid and the Oxycodones (both forms, ER, and IR) is amazing to me. I don't get all the loopy side effects at all, nor do I feel withdrawal symptoms if I skip a pill... and because of that, I'll never go back on the Oxys.
****Now, one thing I have learned, is that all medications are subjective, and all results are very individual. What might work for you, may not work for me. Many people have great success with the Oxycodones, and I did for almost 2 years. My options besides the Oxy when it stopped working, were the Fentanyl Patch, or Dilaudid. We had already tried Fentanyl some months before, and could not function while it was in my system, So Dilaudid was for me, and it works so well. And as I said with the Oxys, many people have great success with Fentanyl, but it was not for me. Another thing, is that for some of these drugs like the Fentanyl and Dilaudid, you MUST be "opiate tolerant", otherwise they are very dangerous.
If the Vicoprofen is not working any more, talk to your doctor...you probably need something that is extended release if you feel you need something every 3 hours.
I hope this was helpful...and I hope you get something to relieve your pain soon!
I take the ER Hydromorph Contin every 12 hours, and the IR Dilaudid every 4-6 hours for breakthrough.
This medicine is actually sometimes seen as less addictive than other drugs (or at least easier to come off of), and has less side effects than most of the rest.
It is true that the liquid form of Dilaudid given in the hospital is much more potent than the tablet forms.
I started Dilaudid when I became too tolerant to Oxycodone. I am so happy with the pain relief it gives me. It is hands down more effective for me than any of the other drugs I was prescribed before it.
The difference between the Dilaudid and the Oxycodones (both forms, ER, and IR) is amazing to me. I don't get all the loopy side effects at all, nor do I feel withdrawal symptoms if I skip a pill... and because of that, I'll never go back on the Oxys.
****Now, one thing I have learned, is that all medications are subjective, and all results are very individual. What might work for you, may not work for me. Many people have great success with the Oxycodones, and I did for almost 2 years. My options besides the Oxy when it stopped working, were the Fentanyl Patch, or Dilaudid. We had already tried Fentanyl some months before, and could not function while it was in my system, So Dilaudid was for me, and it works so well. And as I said with the Oxys, many people have great success with Fentanyl, but it was not for me. Another thing, is that for some of these drugs like the Fentanyl and Dilaudid, you MUST be "opiate tolerant", otherwise they are very dangerous.
If the Vicoprofen is not working any more, talk to your doctor...you probably need something that is extended release if you feel you need something every 3 hours.
I hope this was helpful...and I hope you get something to relieve your pain soon!
Wow, I don't know what I was trying to say when I said, "The really bad is that lie all opiates, Dilaudid is very addictive;" hehehe. But really, the Dilaudid is very addictive and is another opiate.
As far as dependency goes, if you take opiates every day, there is about a 99% or more chance you are dependent. Maybe you will be lucky and not have to go through that. Some people do not even get withdrawal symptoms after years of taking opiates. Those are few and far between.
You said you had leg pain. Can it be fixed with surgery? Opiates were never meant to be taken long term. I don't say that lightly. If I were you, I would be looking for a way to fix my leg rather than upping drugs, especially in the opiate realm.
I am not trying to be mean in any way. I too started out like you except with a much worse abdominal condition. In the beginning, I was taking 5 mg percocet (Oxycodone Immediate Release (Oxy IR) to which I took about 2 every other day. In the end, which was 32 days ago, I was up to 450 mg per day just to not be crying on the couch in pain. My very compassionate doctor would up my dose everytime I asked. Looking back, I wish I had done some things differently. What was the turning point? My doctor started giving me fentanyl patches. I wore one and after the three days decided that I was NOT going down that route. Long story short, I found a specialist who fixed my issue and then I had to get off the pain meds.
Sorry to get long winded. I am not calling you an addict by any means. You, like me, took the meds exactly as prescribed. It has been said that our bodies are actually built to accept and like opiates. We can talk about the MU Receptors another time.
If you still need and want to up your meds, I have heard that if you ask for a drug by name, your doctor will think you are a drug seeker. Just tell the doctor that what he has prescribed is not working. Always tell them the truth. Let them decide whether they want to up your medicine or not.
The next step up for you might be a 10/? Vicoden/Lorcet/whatever which is hydrocodone mixed with tylenol/ibuprofen. After that, you go to percocet, oxycodone, which is 1.5 times stronger than hydrocodone. The highest strength in comes in is 10/350 to which all percocet is IR.
After that, you start getting into the pure oxycodone without the tylenol. They do this to limit the amount of tylenol your liver is getting. The limit is 4000mg per day. Ibuprofen also has a limit so I would talk with your doctor about that.
Bottom line is to talk with your doctor, trust your doctor, ask lots of questions, and take as prescribed.
Hope this helps!
As far as dependency goes, if you take opiates every day, there is about a 99% or more chance you are dependent. Maybe you will be lucky and not have to go through that. Some people do not even get withdrawal symptoms after years of taking opiates. Those are few and far between.
You said you had leg pain. Can it be fixed with surgery? Opiates were never meant to be taken long term. I don't say that lightly. If I were you, I would be looking for a way to fix my leg rather than upping drugs, especially in the opiate realm.
I am not trying to be mean in any way. I too started out like you except with a much worse abdominal condition. In the beginning, I was taking 5 mg percocet (Oxycodone Immediate Release (Oxy IR) to which I took about 2 every other day. In the end, which was 32 days ago, I was up to 450 mg per day just to not be crying on the couch in pain. My very compassionate doctor would up my dose everytime I asked. Looking back, I wish I had done some things differently. What was the turning point? My doctor started giving me fentanyl patches. I wore one and after the three days decided that I was NOT going down that route. Long story short, I found a specialist who fixed my issue and then I had to get off the pain meds.
Sorry to get long winded. I am not calling you an addict by any means. You, like me, took the meds exactly as prescribed. It has been said that our bodies are actually built to accept and like opiates. We can talk about the MU Receptors another time.
If you still need and want to up your meds, I have heard that if you ask for a drug by name, your doctor will think you are a drug seeker. Just tell the doctor that what he has prescribed is not working. Always tell them the truth. Let them decide whether they want to up your medicine or not.
The next step up for you might be a 10/? Vicoden/Lorcet/whatever which is hydrocodone mixed with tylenol/ibuprofen. After that, you go to percocet, oxycodone, which is 1.5 times stronger than hydrocodone. The highest strength in comes in is 10/350 to which all percocet is IR.
After that, you start getting into the pure oxycodone without the tylenol. They do this to limit the amount of tylenol your liver is getting. The limit is 4000mg per day. Ibuprofen also has a limit so I would talk with your doctor about that.
Bottom line is to talk with your doctor, trust your doctor, ask lots of questions, and take as prescribed.
Hope this helps!
Vicoprofen only comes 7.5/200.....(i think)....lol.... I didn't know that going from Vico to Dil would be a HUGH jump. I assume you say that because Didaudid is a form of morphine. I take the Vicoprofen every 4 to 6 hours. But yes, I would like to take it as needed (every 3 hours). As far as me being opiate dependent...hmmmm. I guess YOU could say that I am, BUT I don't so. The opiates really work for me and helps me with the ability to walk and stand. Some mite say its a trade off!!! OK...next step is Oxycontin or oxycondone!! Thanks for your point of view, it really helps me to understand alittle more about what I may or may not put in my body!!!
In my humble opinion, you are take a HUGE jump in pain meds to go from a Hydrocodone (Vicoprofen = hydrocodone + ibuprofen) to Dilaudid (HydroMorphone, a derivative of morphine.). Also, you didn't exactly say but if you are taking Vicoprofen every 2 hours, every day or whatever amount with every day being the key, you are already opiate dependent.
Dilaudid also has a short half life and all the prescriptions I have seen say take as needed every 2-3 hours. This medicine will also sky rocket your tolerance. It's availability rate to the body when taken orally is very low. You will be prescribed either 4 mg or 8mg for oral consumption. If you were to have alot of pain and go to the hospital, they would be giving something in the .1mg range into the IV. The stomach acid actually destroys the dilaudid when taken orally.
You also did not say what strength Vicoprofen you are taking. Anyway, the next step in pain control is oxycodone. This can come in the form of immediate release or extended release known as oxycontin
The really bad is that lie all opiates, Dilaudid is very addictive;
Hope this helps!
Dilaudid also has a short half life and all the prescriptions I have seen say take as needed every 2-3 hours. This medicine will also sky rocket your tolerance. It's availability rate to the body when taken orally is very low. You will be prescribed either 4 mg or 8mg for oral consumption. If you were to have alot of pain and go to the hospital, they would be giving something in the .1mg range into the IV. The stomach acid actually destroys the dilaudid when taken orally.
You also did not say what strength Vicoprofen you are taking. Anyway, the next step in pain control is oxycodone. This can come in the form of immediate release or extended release known as oxycontin
The really bad is that lie all opiates, Dilaudid is very addictive;
Hope this helps!
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