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Oxycontin Withdrawal
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Before you knew what was happening you found yourself addicted to Dilaudid, a powerful drug. You need help to stop the addiction, and that help is available now. Call now and speak with a Recovery Connection coordinator who understands what you are suffering. Our helpline is open 24/7 and all calls are free of charge and strictly confidential.
Dilaudid is the trade name for a drug called hydromorphone, which is a powerful and highly addictive opiate medication. As with codeine, Demerol, morphine and OxyContin, Dilaudid is an opiate used to assist in pain management, and is legally available only through prescription. It is a Scheduled II substance controlled by the DEA.
Hydromorphone, or Dilaudid, can be found in a tablet, an extended release tablet or capsule, or in a rectal suppository. It is generally used as a substitute for morphine but is considered to be many times more powerful than morphine. It can also be used for the treatment of severe coughs. It is considered one of the strongest antitussives (cough suppressants) available. In fact, Dilaudid is so powerful that if it is taken for merely one week tolerance can develop.
Dilaudid addiction occurs when one develops a mental obsession and physical craving for the drug. Because of the intensely high potency of Dilaudid, it is easy to become addicted in a very short period of time. The opioid receptors in the brain adjust rapidly to the presence of this powerful narcotic by decreasing their numbers and function. The addict then needs more of the drug to achieve the euphoric effect that he/she seeks. Once the dose or frequency of the drug is increased and the addict is again satisfied with the euphoria produced by this higher dose, the brain adjusts yet again. This process occurs over and over again until the addict must have Dilaudid in his/her system just to be able to get out of bed in the morning.
It is obvious to a non-user that this behavioral pattern is pure self-destruction. However, for the addict it is a way of life. Denial is a powerful psychological defense mechanism that prevents an addict from seeing how his/her use is destroying his/her life and the lives of those around them. It is not uncommon for one who suffers from Dilaudid addiction to place the importance of locating and using the drug far above that of caring for his/her children, paying bills, or even eating. Even more astounding is the fact that friends and family members can exhibit the same denial patterns and protect the addict from the consequences that, if allowed to be experienced, may eventually lead him/her to seek treatment. The family member or friend in denial essentially “protects the addict to death”, literally. Dilaudid addiction is a serious, destructive, and life-threatening disease that requires intensive medication treatment for opiate addiction to safely detox.
As the addiction increases in severity, so will the physical and social symptoms of this disease. These symptoms include the following:
Other behaviors exhibited by those with Dilaudid abuse are false calls to 911 and visits to emergency rooms in order to get Dilaudid. This is an example of the extreme selfishness an addict exhibits, placing other people at risk of not being able to receive emergency services so that they can “score” more drugs. Often addicts will claim to have lost their prescriptions in an attempt to get more drugs. When a user is ingesting Dilaudid for reasons other than pain or severe cough, he or she will often combine its use with other psychoactive drugs.
People with a history of substance abuse, a family history of substance abuse, or a history of mental health disorders have a greater risk of addiction to Dilaudid than others.
If the patient has been using Dilaudid for a few weeks, a regimented and medically supervised Dilaudid withdrawal in a detoxification unit will be necessary. Never abruptly stop the use as intense withdrawl symptoms will begin. Dilaudid withdrawal symptoms include flu like symptoms, lack of energy, nausea and muscle fatigue. The severity and duration depends on quantities taken but typically last 3-7 days. Following detox, an inpatient treatment episode is recommended in order to learn how to live life free of Dilaudid and to treat the addictive behavior of denial.
Dilaudid detoxification that is not followed by treatment is simply not effective. Despite this, thousands of Dilaudid addicts each year enter detox and do not follow-up with treatment. Without a doubt, going through Dilaudid withdrawal and detox alone leads directly back to the path of self-destruction and a renewed, addictive behavior that reflect a stronger addiction to Dilaudid.
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