A recent study says that Dilaudid can be traced up to 48 hours in your urine, five days in your blood, and 30 to 90 days in your hair. Several factors could affect the prolongation of drugs in your system.
Table of Contents:
- What Is Dilaudid?
- Reasons For Prescribing Dilaudid To Patients
- Side Effects, Signs And Symptoms of Overdose of Dilaudid
- Is Dilaudid A Controlled Substance?
- Essential Information About The Dilaudid Drug Test
- How Long Does Dilaudid Stay In Your System?
- Factors That Affect The Detection Time Of Dilaudid Drug In Your System
- What Should You Do If You Are Tested Positive For A Dilaudid Drug Test?
What Is Dilaudid?
The generic name is Hydromorphone. It is sold under the brand names of Dilaudid, Palladon, and Hydromorph Contin. It is an opiate type of painkiller prescribed to patients with severe pain over a long period. It is available in both liquid and tablet forms. The dosage may vary based on the patient's age, sex, and other factors. It should not be used to treat pain that can be controlled with painkillers. If the patient has no effects on opioid medications, doctors may prescribe Dilaudid to suppress the pain. Dilaudid is not necessary for moderate and mild pains.
Dilaudid comes under the class of opiates used as analgesics. Opiates work by changing the nerves that stimulate pain in the brain. The effects of Dilaudid drugs can be eight times more effective than morphine. Liquid Dilaudid drugs can be taken as an injection up to 4- 5 times a day. The dosage may vary from person to person. Extended-release tablets should be taken only under the doctor's prescription. If the patient can't take via any of the above methods, they can take Dilaudid rectally.
Reasons For Prescribing Dilaudid To Patients
As discussed earlier, Dilaudid is a drug prescribed for patients with severe pain for a long time. Patients who are intolerant to usual medications are usually prescribed Dilaudid drugs. Doctors typically start with prescribing regular painkillers, oxycodone, morphine, etc. If these painkillers are not effective, doctors may advise the patients to take Dilaudid as an alternative painkiller.
There are two forms of Dilaudid in terms of concentration. The diluted form of Dilaudid is what doctors suggest for patients. Dilaudid HP(High potency) is a highly concentrated form of Dilaudid. HP is not usually prescribed to patients who haven't been exposed to diluted Dilaudid.
The effects of Dilaudid drugs can be eight times stronger than morphine. Hence doctors prescribe only if there lies a condition that the pain can be controlled only via hydromorphone. Dilaudid is highly addictive, and taking the drug without a prescription might make the person dependent and addicted.
Side Effects, Signs And Symptoms of Overdose of Dilaudid
Consuming Dilaudid without prescription, even at controlled dosage, is not a healthy practice. It is a medication for relieving severe pain. If it is taken for a long time or irrelevant dosage, it could show symptoms of overdose. The pain-relieving effects can sometimes extend and urge you to refill the medication even after the treatment period. So, it is advisable to take the medications as directed by your doctor.
Some of the notable side effects of Dilaudid medication
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Mood shift
- Hallucinations
- Low pressure
- Cardiac arrest
- Seizures
- Skin irritation
- Dry mouth and lightheadedness
Some of the side effects can be relieved without any medical assistance. But, severe side effects like cardiac arrest, seizures need medical assistance.
Symptoms of overdose
A small amount of hydromorphone overdose can make you sleep deeper than usual. Even worse, it could lead to death. You have to be cautious about taking the prescribed amount of Dilaudid. Overdose of Dilaudid can be identified with some symptoms. They are
- Coloration of nails and fingers (bluish)
- Breathing issues
- Drop-in body temperature
- Unusual confusions
- Fatigue and dizziness
- Flushing and itchy skin
- Muscle twitches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Unusual tiredness and weakness
- Stable pupil
- Loss of consciousness
- Weak pulses
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms due to Dilaudid consumption, you may have to consult your doctor regarding your prescription.
Measures for Overdose
If you or your friend or family have any of these symptoms, reach out to medical assistance. Ensure you have enough information, such as
- Patient's age, medical condition, and weight
- Prescription details
- Name of the product/brand (ingredients/strength of the drug)
- Amount of drug consumed
- Last time the drug consumed
- Amount of drug consumed per dosage
Is Dilaudid A Controlled Substance?
Yes. According to the Federal Controlled Substance Act, Dilaudid (Hydromorphone) is a schedule II drug. Dilaudid comes under the opiate class of painkillers. Doctors prescribe the drug only under certain circumstances. They include
- If the patient has severe pain related to cancer and is tolerant to minimal medications, then doctors will prescribe Dilaudid.
- If the patient has severe burns and is tolerant to narcotic painkillers, doctors may prescribe opiate analgesics like Dilaudid.
- Doctors also prescribe Dilaudid for patients with severe pain over a long time.
Patients under the above circumstances can only purchase the drugs from an authorized drug store/pharmacy. In general, controlled substances have specific procedures to prescribe. For instance, the prescription should consist of some of the mandatory elements such as issuing date, name, and address of the patient, details of the prescribed, DEA registration number of the prescribed, refill details, dosage form (tablet/injection), manual signature of the prescribed, etc.
"Taking Dilaudid without any prescription or taking additional doses without consulting your doctor, taking Dilaudid in a way it is not prescribed" these circumstances are considered as abusing Dilaudid medications.
Medical Reasons Why Dilaudid Is A Controlled Substance
- Dilaudid works by attaching to the central nervous system receptors that make the mind and body feel less pain.
- It also urges the brain to release massive amounts of dopamine, one of the pleasurable neurotransmitters.
- This phenomenon causes the activation of the reward center of the brain. It interprets this event as something important and should be repeated.
- The more this phenomenon happens, the more the brain loses the ability to produce dopamine naturally.
Along with this, there could be some severe side effects of taking Dilaudid without prescribed amounts. High amounts of taking Dilaudid can slow breathing and cause low blood pressure. Sometimes, it could result in death. So it is recommended to take only the prescribed amount of Dilaudid at the prescribed intervals.
Essential Information About The Dilaudid Drug test
The federal government may test for Dilaudid in their drug test as it is included in the group of drugs that comes under opiates. The federal government conducts a standard 5 panel drug test for the employees and candidates during certain circumstances. They are
- If you are applying for a safety security job, you may have to take a drug test before and after joining the job.
- If you are applying for a position under the Federal government, you may have to take a drug test whenever you are asked.
- The US Department of Transportation requires every truck driver to take up a drug screening once every six months.
- If you are working in a company/organization with a drug-free workspace, you may be asked to take a drug screen randomly or under suspicion.
- If you are applying for a job in a company/organization that follows drug-free workspace programs, you may have to take a drug screening as a part of the hiring process.
You may have to be in-person to submit the biological sample for the drug screening. The tester will test the temperature and PH of the urine samples to identify the fake urine samples. The optimum temperature of the urine sample should be around 90° to 100° Fahrenheit.
If the temperature of the sample is not up to the optimum levels, it is considered invalid, and you may have to submit another sample under supervision. Also, urine is not the only sample used to identify drug consumption. You may be asked to provide other biological samples such as hair, saliva, or blood.
How Long Does Dilaudid Stay In Your System?
Generally, it will take nearly 24 to 48 hours to ward off the drug metabolites from your urine. Dilaudid can be detected in your saliva for about 12 to 36 hours as per the dosage frequency and amount.
Dilaudid can be detected up to a day from the hour of usage in your blood. As the samples are taken under supervision, blood samples are practically suitable for both the sample provider and the tester.
The drug can stay in your hair for a pretty long time, say, 30 to 90 days. In case if you are a heavy user or addicted to the drug, the drug may stay longer than expected, which could show up in your drug test. Many employers do not prefer the hair follicle test. However, Dilaudid can be detected in your hair samples from one to three months.
Factors That Affect The Detection Time Of Dilaudid Drug In Your System
As discussed earlier, the detection time could vary from person to person based on certain factors. However, the detectable time of the Dilaudid depends on certain variables such as metabolism, age, sex, health condition, drug brand, amount, dosage, etc.
Age - Detectable time for older people can be greater than the younger people to eliminate the drug from your system.
Metabolism - If you have a balanced metabolism rate, Dilaudid can be removed from your body faster. Metabolism plays a vital role in eliminating drugs in your system.
Kidney and liver function - People with liver and kidney disease or dysfunction could take longer to eliminate the Dilaudid from their system.
Dosage - The prescribed dosage matters. The amount and drug name could vary the detection rate in your system. Extended-release tablets could require high metabolism activity to let the drug out of the system.
How to get Dilaudid out of the system?
If you are taking only prescribed amounts of Dilaudid, the best way of getting the drug out of your body is simple. You may reach your doctor and reduce the dosage so that it may not show up in your drug test. But, taking Dilaudid without a prescription needs medical assistance. Stopping suddenly could bring you some withdrawal symptoms along with severe health issues. If you wish, you can take up a de-addiction program to recover. However, you might require medical assistance to help you with the best suggestions.
What Should You Do If You Are Tested Positive For A Dilaudid Drug Test?
If you are taking the prescribed amount of the drug, you may get negative results for Dilaudid. But if you have symptoms of Dilaudid abuse, your provider may require you to take more tests.
If you are tested positive with a high level of Dilaudid in your system, you will be assisted with a medical emergency. The Substance Abuse Professional will recommend you the best de-addiction program to get rid of opioid addiction. You may face drug tests while you are in the program to identify the development. If you are found guilty of abusing Dilaudid in the drug de-addiction programs, the police may file a case against you to violate federal laws.
What if I got a false-positive test result?
If you think you have got a false positive result, you'll have enough time to justify your results after the drug test results. If you are not using any drugs and tested positive, you can apply for a retest. The retest will be conducted in the presence of a healthcare professional. Although, rules for taking a retest may vary from state to state in the US.
Final Words
Dilaudid can be a boon for patients with severe pain. But, taking more than the prescribed amount could lead you to severe health issues. Moreover, consumption of Dilaudid illegally can make you sick mentally and socially. So say no to drugs if it's only a mental trauma. Always consider consulting your doctor before treating yourself with opiates like Dilaudid.