Dilaudid Doesn't Work For Pain (Top voted first)

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I am allergic to Vicodin and Percocet so for my last 2 surgical procedures have been prescribed 4mg oral Dilaudid. I understand that it is a very powerful pain reliever but I get minimal relief from it so is it possible that my pain receptors are not responsive to this type of medication? The only other pain med that I take is Lodine (NSAID) for arthritis. It seems that I get more pain relieve from 2 Tylenol but am still in alot of pain with that. Both times after surgery I have stopped taking the Dilaudid after 3 days because I'm still in pain and on top of that constipated. Has anyone had this same minimal response and any suggestions on other pain meds I could use if needed?

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6

So sorry to hear about your pain. I have been suffering from chronic Migraines since i was 12 years old, i am now 30. I have tried every drug there is out there and the one pain med that seems to help a little is the Oxycodone aka Percocet. I go to the Hospital 2 to 3 times a month and get the dilaudid injections for my migraines..they work wonderful and fast. My dr gave me some of the dilaudid pills 4 mlg. I have tried them 4 different times and no pain relife. I have no idea why the injections work so good but the pill does not. But i have had no relife from the pill and quit taking them.

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10

I have stage 4 metastasized (to the liver) colorectal cancer. It appears I stopped responding to the regular chemo treatment and the liver lesions started to grow again. I eventually received hydromorphone (Dilaudid) orally but it did not work. My oncologist switched me to oxycontin, which is working fine. Last week I developed acute pancreatitis. A pain I don't wish on my worst enemy. Had to call 911 and in the ambulance they gave me morphinem which worked fine and then in the hospital Dilaudid, which worked like a charm. 3 days latter I was discharged with a prescription of oral Dilaudid for breakthrough pain. 5 hours later I was back in tghe hospital because the oral Dilaudid did not work. After they got pain under control, they wanted to discharge me again with oral Dilaudid. After a long discussion and back and forth with the hospital doctor andsome intervention from oncologist I was put on oxycontin for long term pain management and oxycodone for breakthrough pain and it has bee working fine.

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17

I have had a very similar experience multiple trips to Er's over years and up until January of this year all doctors couldn't find a problem so they thoughthought I was just seeking drugs but it turned out I have stage 4 endometriosis which covered my uterus ovaries fillopian tubes ligaments bowels bladder and rectum and now the doctors finally believe I'm not a drug seeker

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1

Odd. I too had little relief from Dilaudid. I was in a motorcycle accident, and they gave me that after my shoulder was dislocated. Didn't work. I switched to Lortab instead and it worked out great.

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12

I am 21 years old and for the last 2 years I have had unexplained excruciating pelvic pain. I have no idea what caused it or how to stop it I have been at my local ER which is a whirl hospital at least 47 time I have been admitted to that hospital close to 10 times. I have been to Stanford 3 times I have been to UCSF once I have been to doctors hospital in Modesto ca as well as well separate physicians offices throughout California. I have had numerous MRI cats and x-rays blood test for everything you could think of ultrasound physical therapy. Because of my age and the unexplained nature of my pain most of the doctors that I see think that I am seeking narcotics and this cannot be farther from the truth. It seems as though I am being judged just because of my age many doctors refuse to give me medication to help the pain because they cannot find a reason for the pain. I have been told numerous times that this pain is psychological I know that too is wrong. The pain is so intense and awful that I have lost almost 2 years of my life to a problem without an answer. The pain is located on my lower left side of my abdomen on top of my left ovary. The pain feels as though shards of hot glass are being continuously stabbed into my side this pain is constant for the last 2 years I have felt it continuously Sundays the pain is barely there most days the pain is there an quite terrible but still manageable but then there are days when the pain is absolutely unbearable! Lately that has been all I've been feeling and then bearable pain that has caused my life to be put on hold. Lesson 7 months before my pain started I met my husband and we begin a relationship it was my first sexual relationship but we never did anything that hurt me or could have caused this pain. My husband was tested for STD's before we began to be intimate so I know it was not caused by that. And with this pain I can barely get out of bed in the morning often times during the flaps of this pain I will go for 3 days without sleep simply because the pain is so overwhelming. When I do eat vomit the food right back up because the pain is so close to my intestines that my muscles cramp up and atrophy and my muscles will then spasm causing my intestines to expell the food. I was recently told that the pain could be Pelvic Floor Pain which basically means just what I described. My pelvic muscles tightened up and then forgot to relax so they just atrophied snd now that I am attempting 2 work with an internal physical therapist we are using a TENS unit to electronically stimulate these muscles to spasm so that they will remember how to release but this is doing nothing to help the pain if anything it is worsening. I don't believe that pelvic floor dysfunction can cause this much pain in such a drastic fashion. Yes at I may have pelvic floor dysfunction but there has to be something else going on in my body for me to be in this much pain for this long. My life has been completely changed I have no social life anymore because I can't see my friends I can't go out because I'm in so much pain. My relationship with my husband has been adversely affected he is such a wonderful man and has stood beside me through all this pain has cared for me has stayed up all night with me and held me well I cried and we'll pillow for days on end while I was unable to work for over a year and a half my husband was the one who was working and supporting our family! He does not deserve to have to work all day and then come home to a broken wife who is in so much pain she cannot even fix him a homemade meal or do the laundry so he has clean clothes he should not have to come home every night and pick up the pieces of our life. Our sex life has been greatly affected by this the we still do engage in sexual activity it is limited greatly and quite painful for me which psychologically affect him because he does not want to cause his wife pain like any good husband he would prefer to abstain until I can enjoy our intimate life again but it's difficult for the both of us. I have become a burden on my kind and caring husband and that may be the most painful part of all of this. I am back to work now I cannot effectively do my job because my job is very physical and very demanding and I am on my feet and moving all 8 hours. My doctors have me on very strong opioids pain medications but they are not helping my pain enough they are not effective enough. I am on dilaudid 4 mg every 3-4 hours I am on 75 mg fentanyl patch ever 48 hours and I am on carisoprodol (soma) 350 mg every 8 hours. I HATE these medications!! I hate there sideaffects! I hate feeling like a f***ing zombie because I take them, but when I don't the pain come roaring back at me like a predator that was lying in wait. Just waiting for me to slip up and forget to take my medicine or to try to go a few days without taking anything to maybe even try or hope to get back to the young woman that I was before this pain hijacked my wonderful life. I need help I need answers and I definitely need to be on different or better yet no medicine. So please I beg anyone who reads this post if you have an idea, if you know a doctor or even if you have a similar story please help me!

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16

This has tondo with how your liver breaks down medication. I had a similar problem when I was prescribed morphine. My dr did a liver function analysis, which showed how my liver broke down medications. I urge you before you have the need for any type of opiate pain medication to have this done. They will then be able to identify a medication that WILL work for you. I hope that helps

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7

Because I have been on heavy pain med's to hold away my surgery for a couple years nothing I use since surgery seems to work including Dilaudid 2mg...I am also on psychotropic meds that affect my dopamine & serotonin receptors pain meds have a difficult time with me unfortunately...

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18

I just had surgery the other day for the removal of a bunion. My doctor prescribed me 2mg Hydromorphone and it feels like its not doing a thing for the pain I'm in

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19

I too habe had surgeries after an acvidentnwith onjuries and had NO relief from oral opioids. Zero relief from Vicodin, percocet, & dilaudid pills. In hospital the IV injections of Demerol and Fentanyl were great, but pills did nothong at all. Turns out that after suffering 6 surgeries and their recoberies, someone figured out I lack the CYP2D6 liver enzymes that convert the pills to morphine. YES I had "drug seeking behavior" but that's because effectively I had no drugs!

A blood analysis can check your genetics and see if you are also in the 7-10% of people made this way. A blood analysis can also show if you are an ultra-fast processor too--this problem is scary: your body processes the drug so fast you don't get hours of relief, but you still get byproduct build up. If you keep piling the drugs on more frequently, you can hit dangerous toxicity. All of the woes, none of the relief.

I had the Fentanyl patch last time. I achieved a bland numbness which became annoying somnabulessence during the day and restless sleep at night, with astonishing constipation. Distraction by day and alcohol before bedtime is a better choice for me. Fewer side effects. I wish any of you who is suffering to find a dr who listens well and the will to do some research and advocate for yourself. You have my pity and sympathy even if I don't know your whole story. I know pain is isolating and it helps to have a place to be heard.

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8

I'm allergic to codeine. I am on 72 hr fentyl patch & have oxycodone for break thru pain 15 mg every 4 to 6 hrs. I have had 8 spinal fusion surgeries since 2007 in 6 operations 4 neck 2 lumbar multi level and anterior and posterior at same time in last neck and last back surgery. Dilaudid did nothing for pain in the 2 ant post double fusion surgeries I had I wanted to die. My dr was insurgery but pain mgt was paged so I was given fentyl injections as I was previously on that and had patches with me but wasn't wearing it as it was time to change the patch. I get good relief from demerol as well. I am on topamax and 2400 mg neurontin maybe something is blocked by these drugs as it does something w/ the seritonin receptors and other chemicals in the brain. I am just hoping to help others as I realized it was only the 1 medication Dilaudid or hydromorphone that dropped my bp causesfast heart rate and does nothing for pain & constipation causing ileus(bowels stopped).

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14

Hydromorophone other than actual name brand Dilaudidin oral form works for m like sugar candy.
The only one that works for me is Oxycodone or Oxytone

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20

Suboxone is no where as powerful as morphine !! It is a synthetic form of opiates and the normal dose for opiate withdrawal is one 8mg film. I think maybe you should stop mixing meds and bragging and get some help. !!!
Your posts are embarrassing , there are people on here who are actually looking for help.. You need another kind if help, you are an abuser. Nobody is supposed to mix oxycodone with suboxone ..

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25

de anna ... if you are indeed still alive after your self- prescribing and self-dosing until you feel "oh soooo good" seek professional help and not for pain or even pain management ... for out and out addiction and your attitude which is totally warped i suspect in EVERY area of your life to come on here and post as you did and think you are giving out advice that ANYONE should take without harm to themselves and are in the same boat as you which is the "good ship f*** me up" ... mt gawwwd!!!

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11

If you get no relief from oral dilaudid, you will probably not get good relief from ANY oral pain med. Ask them to give it to you as a shot and see if it works, or IV if you are in the hospital. If that WORKS, then you are probably having a CYP2D6 enzyme problem in your liver so you are not metabolizing oral pain medications properly. I have this issue myself, and it's difficult, because I have had several orthopaedic surgeries, and when I go to the ED, they think I am drug seeking.

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15

I had an ER doctor ask me why dilaudid pills don't work but the shot did. (Really??? And who's the doctor???) Anyway, I mentioned it to a nurse practitioner at a Med Check. She told me it's because of the "first pass effect." Basically, your liver (or kidneys) remove a LOT of the medicine before it gets into your system, so the pills don't work.

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22

I'm really worried about all these people in unmanageable pain. It's unreal. I've been on hydrpmorphone for 9 years and in the last 2 years I've been in unmanageable pain and really don't know what the next step is.
I was in a car crash(not the driver) and had over 50 operations and spent almost 3 years in the Hospital,that's all behind me now but now I have to put up with the pain. It was great for a long time but in the last 2 years I don't seem to get relief as I should. I'm going to see my Dr tomorrow and have my meds changed. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.
Thanks and I hope you all get the relief you need.

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40

I had surgery yesterday and was given dilauded through the IV. It didn't seem to touch the pain. They administered oral Vicadin and the pain was gone in about an hour, but it made me feel lightheaded, so last night I took 2 OTC Tylenol and had complete pain relief. I have to go back for another surgery but was wondering if there is any research that would explain why I had no response to the dilauded. Morphine makes me extremely sick and I don't tolerate Percocet enough to use it, I would rather put up with the pain. Any guidance would be appreciated so I can have an intelligent conversation with my surgeon.

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44

I've had about 5 major surgeries. The first one, I was treated with Vicodin. It worked well, and then toward the end of the 4 hour timing it would start to wear off.Afterward, I was treated with Percocet- with the same results. This is the first time I was given Dalaudid after surgery and not during any point was I totally without pain. I asked the nurse if dalaudid was supposed to be stronger than percocet and she said yes- it was about 7 TIMES STRONGER! NOT FOR ME!

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57

Oral dilaudid only has 15-30% bioavailability which means once processed by the body you only get 15-30% of meds. That's why as a pill it is useless and many pain management docs who understand this will tell you that. Now IV administration dilaudid is 90-100% bioavailability, that's why it's the strongest opioid in IV form but not in oral at all. Some hear strongest and assume it's for all routes of administration and it's not.

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68

Stinks I have the same problem I got no relief from it even if I triple the dosage. I don't know why but the only relief I get is from Oxycodone and OxyContin. I have tried everything else and have gone back to the Oxycodone. I get no relief from anything else.

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