What is dilaudid 4mg

Throw away any unused liquid after 90 days. Keep track of your medicine. You should be aware if anyone is using it improperly or without a prescription. Do not keep leftover opioid medication. Just one dose can cause death in someone using this medicine accidentally or improperly. Ask your pharmacist where to locate a drug take-back disposal program. If there is no take-back program, flush the unused medicine down the toilet. Since hydromorphone is used for pain, you are not likely to miss a dose.

Skip any missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not use two doses at one time. Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at A hydromorphone overdose can be fatal, especially in a child or other person using the medicine without a prescription. Overdose symptoms may include slow heart rate, severe drowsiness, muscle weakness, cold and clammy skin, pinpoint pupils, very slow breathing, or coma.

Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you. Dizziness or drowsiness can cause falls, accidents, or severe injuries. Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Opioid medicine can slow or stop your breathing, and death may occur. A person caring for you should seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up.

Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Serious side effects may be more likely in older adults and those who are malnourished or debilitated.

Long-term use of opioid medication may affect fertility ability to have children in men or women. It is not known whether opioid effects on fertility are permanent. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Opioid medication can interact with many other drugs and cause dangerous side effects or death.

Be sure your doctor knows if you also use:. This list is not complete. Other drugs may affect hydromorphone, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise.

Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient.

Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.

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The strength of oxycodone or hydromorphone can be gradually increased if a person develops a tolerance for the drugs or if the severity of pain increases. The dose will depend on the cause of your pain and will be determined by your doctor. If you take one of these drugs for a long time and your dose goes up, your doctor may change your prescription to the extended-release form. The most common side effects of oxycodone and hydromorphone are similar.

Hydromorphone is very potent, so its side effects can be more intense. Side effects for these drugs can include:. As mentioned, the extended-release forms of these drugs can cause severe constipation, which can be dangerous. This is especially true for hydromorphone. This is one reason why extended-release forms are reserved for people who have taken the drug long term, and who need an increased dose.

Both drugs affect your ability to drive or use machinery. They also affect your judgement and physical skills. Long-term use means your body can adjust to the drug. If you suddenly stop taking it, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor before you stop taking either medication. Your doctor can help you taper off the medication slowly, which reduces the risk of withdrawal. Both of these drugs can also lead to overdose and are very dangerous for children. Keep your medication locked and away from any children in your household.

Because hydromorphone is so potent, it could be fatal if a child takes just one extended-release tablet. Hydromorphone comes with a black box warning on its label. This means research has found the drug may have serious and even life-threatening side effects. Hydromorphone may also cause a drop in blood pressure. It should be used carefully, if at all, in individuals who already have low blood pressure or who take medications to lower their blood pressure.

Oxycodone also carries serious warnings. Like hydromorphone, oxycodone can enhance the depressant effects of alcohol. Oxycodone can also cause gastrointestinal complications. They can become habit-forming if taken consistently for weeks or months. You could find yourself taking more than the prescribed dose, or taking the drug more frequently than prescribed. This means you may be becoming dependent on the drug. You may need to taper off the drug gradually. If you suddenly stop taking it, you could experience withdrawal.

Talk to your doctor to get help tapering off either medication. Hydromorphone is the more powerful medication. Your doctor will decide what kind of pain relief you need and will probably start you on a short-acting drug first. Severe pain can have a debilitating effect on your quality of life. When these drugs are used as prescribed and for short periods of time, they can provide much needed relief.

Methadone and Suboxone are both powerful opioid medications. Naproxen and acetaminophen both treat mild to moderate pain, but they work differently. Learn if you can take them together and how to use them safely.