Hydromorphone and Constipation: What Users Say

• mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 25, 2015

Dilaudid (hydromorphone) for Pain "I have been taking oxycodone for almost a year now for severe back pain. Not only did they not work, but the side effects were terrible! Really bad constipation and dry mouth, so I had to get two other prescriptions for those. Back in June, I was admitted to the ER locally, and at first, they gave me morphine after they figured it out that it was acute pancreatitis. Right before the ambulance came to take me down to the VA Hospital in Pittsburgh, they gave me Dilaudid in the IV, and within 10 minutes, the pain was pretty much gone. So they continued me on it while I was in the hospital and afterwards for my back pain. It's been the only thing that has helped with both. Oxycodone and morphine have no real effect on my pain."

• Mar...
• January 23, 2018

Dilaudid (hydromorphone) for Pain "I have a low tolerance for pain, and after an outpatient surgical procedure, I was prescribed Percocet for pain. They didn't help, so the doctor prescribed OxyContin. It worked, but it made me nauseated. He then prescribed Dilaudid. It really helped to ease the pain, I experienced none of the side effects, except constipation. I took it every 4 hours, then, as I healed, I decreased the dose to every 6 hours. Then I took one only at night. After the pain was gone, I stopped taking the medication and experienced no withdrawal issues."

• Hep...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 19, 2017

Exalgo (hydromorphone) for Chronic Pain "I was on Exalgo for several years. It gave better pain relief than morphine but still constipating. During that time, I kept having episodes of waking in the middle of the night with a fast heart rate and cold sweats, which no one could explain. Then I developed severe abdominal pain and stopped eating, with a thirty-pound weight loss. While doing a bowel prep for a colonoscopy, I passed five Exalgo 'ghost' tablets in my BMs. (Ghost tablets are the leftover shell of controlled-release pills.) I realized that they were accumulating in my bowels because of my severe constipation. When I changed pain meds, the night sweats and tachycardia stopped."

• Jul...
• November 2, 2011

Dilaudid (hydromorphone) for Pain "I had surgery for a colon resection. I can't take Hydrocodone because it upsets my stomach, gives me headaches, nausea, and constipation. The morphine (patient-administered pump) didn't work for me at all, but Dilaudid worked wonderfully, 2 mg every 6 hours. I had no unpleasant side effects, which is very unusual for me with any medicine. I had no withdrawal problems when I left the hospital. If I ever have surgery again, I'm going to request Dilaudid. It gave me great relief and let me rest and heal!"

• Big...
• February 19, 2012

For Pain "The only problem I have is constipation and urination. It's very hard to get a stream going. This is the best pain pill I have taken. I know everyone is different, but what quantity has to be taken before having withdrawal symptoms? At the present time, I take (1) 4 mg every 4 hours. I hope to cut it back to (1) every 6 hours. I have never had any pain medicine as fast-acting as this."

• Dav...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 26, 2022

For Chronic Pain "Hydromorphone 4 mg, 4 to 5 times per day, works very well at pain relief. An added benefit is no acetaminophen, therefore, you can take APAP as needed. For me, the Dilaudid starts to wear off at 4 hours, and by 6 hours, it is gone. No side effects except constipation, which is true of any opioid. I take care of this with Senokot natural laxative every morning. I still have flare-ups, but I treat that with Celecoxib 200 mg until the flare is gone."

• san...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 27, 2023

For Chronic Pain "I was given 12 mg to start 2 times a day and had problems with constipation. ER means everything is extended. Did better taking one 16 mg a day with oxy. The last time I was prescribed 7.5 mg, and that was a waste of time, and it caused me to be constipated. Not worth taking in the 7.5 mg ER. It's like taking a 5 mg Vicodin. No relief."

• Anonymous
• February 3, 2011

Dilaudid (hydromorphone) for Pain "I had this in the hospital when I broke my arm. It worked awesome. The only negative was the constipation, unable to relieve myself for 4-5 days after."