Dilaudid is another prescription medicine from the opioid class of pain-relieving drugs. This medication is commonly used for medium to extreme pain, particularly after the person has undergone a major medical operation. The active components of this medication are hydrochloride and hydromorphone.
The generic name of this drug is Hydromorphone while its known brand names are Dilaudid and Exalgo.
Aside from that, it also has several street names which vary on the culture of the area. These street names are used to hide the real identity of the substance during illegal transactions. Some of its common street names include Footballs, D, Smack, Dillies, Juice, and Dust.
Like other medicines, this one also exists in various forms in the market such as tablets, rectal suppository, injectables, and liquid forms.
Its tablet forms have strengths of 2 mg, 4 mg, and 8 mg. The 2 mg and 4 mg have round shapes while the 8 mg is triangular in shape. The color of the 2 mg, 4mg, and 8 mg are light yellow, orange, and white, respectively. The first two strengths both have pill imprints of “P” on one side while the other side varies reflecting a pill imprint of the number of their strengths. Meanwhile, the 8 mg tablet has a pill imprint of “P D” on one side while “8” on the other side.
Different administrations of this medication have varying time for its effects to kick in and reach peak concentrations in the blood. The common ways of administering this medication are an intravenous injection, intramuscular injection, rectal administration, and oral ingestion.
The fastest means of feeling the effects of this drug is through intravenous injection where the effects can be felt five minutes after the injection. The second method is Intramuscular injection, where the effects can be felt 15 minutes after the injection while rectal administration is 30 minutes. Finally, effects from oral ingestion start 15 minutes after orally taking it.
Dilaudid, How They Work
This prescription drug works the same as the other opioid drugs. After administration, it mixes in the blood and targets the brain. It specifically attaches itself in the opioid brain receptors to inhibit the brain from receiving painful sensations. Likewise, it strengthens the pain-relieving effect by stimulating the secretion of dopamine in the brain.
Dopamine is both a hormone and a brain chemical responsible for the regulation of body movements and motivation. This hormone is also called the “happy hormone” in the body.
Addiction and Dangers
Despite its medicinal benefits, this substance is still dangerous because of its high addictive potential and the dangers it poses when other substances are taken along with it.
It is 2 to 8 times much stronger than morphine and is classified by the Drug Enforcement Agency as Schedule II controlled substance. A very small amount like 2 mg to 5 mg of this medication has a similar effect of 10 mg morphine. Likewise, the potency of this drug is effective enough to alleviate the pain felt by cancer patients.
Aside from being highly addictive, this medication must not be mixed with other substances such as alcohol. The presence of alcohol when medicating with this drug hastens its quick-action time. Moreover, alcohol magnifies its sedative effect where it depresses one’s breathing pattern and blood pressure which can cause paralysis and death.
The moment one starts to use this medication, certain short and long-term effects can be felt by the patient. These short-term effects are similar to other opioid drugs. Some of the common short-term effects include vomiting, sweating, slowed breathing pattern, sleepiness, tremors, constipation and itchiness.
Some of these short-term side effects can be alleviated through some first aid treatment. For instance, constipation can be remedied by eating lots of fiber or drinking laxative.
In terms of long-term effects, the common ones experienced by most users are convulsions, weak breathing patterns, low blood pressure, sweaty skin, discoloration of fingernails, skin, and lips; wheezing, and death.
Medications and Treatments
This addiction can still be treated with proper medications and therapies to be done by the patient. But before letting the patient undergo any treatment program, make sure the patient has gained self-awareness of one’s condition and has fully accepted the need from others to recover from this unhealthy behavior.
The first step to any treatment program is detoxification and abstinence from the drug. Detoxification is flushing out of the chemicals from the body which can be done through stomach lavage, oral ingestion of activated charcoal, or blood dialysis.
Abstinence from the drug, whether gradual or sudden, always induces certain withdrawal symptoms from the user. The common withdrawal symptoms of this drug include sweating, headaches, muscle spasm, vomiting, stomach cramps, seizures, mood disorders, and restlessness.
Other withdrawal symptoms alter the cognitive and behavioral status of the person. These symptoms include suicidal behaviors, highly irritable, depression, and anxiety.
In order to counter the effects of this prescription drug, Suboxone is commonly prescribed to patients. This medication contains buprenorphine and naloxone. The general effect of these active ingredients is decreasing the impact of any opioid substances.
Naloxone decreases the impacts of opioid substances by preventing them from binding at the opioid receptor sites of the brain. Meanwhile, buprenorphine works in a different way by attaching itself in the opioid receptor sites and decreasing the effect of these opioid substances.
The use of prescription drugs in any treatment program addresses the biological aspect of the addiction. Generally, it helps in balancing the hormones and brain chemicals to re-establish proper brain communication pathways and mood.
Aside from these medications, behavioral therapies are included in any treatment program to reinforce positive behavior and hasten the recovery process. Individual and group therapies are both given to patients.
Individual therapy is private one-on-one counseling with a therapist. This intervention aims to help the patient further understand one’s condition and things which influences it. This intervention also helps the patient identify the risk factors which triggers unhealthy behavior. Likewise, the therapist guides the patient in formulating positive coping mechanisms when a trigger kicks in.
Meanwhile, Group Therapy aims to re-establish the social communication skills of the patient. In the group, each member is given the chance to share one’s thought and experiences in dealing with the condition. Moreover, members do community extension service to exercise social responsibility and proof that one is improving from the treatment.
