Hydromorphone for Chronic Pain User Reviews (Page 2)

• Red...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 25, 2013

"I started taking Exalgo in June 2011 for chronic kidney/flank pain. I started with 8mg once a day. Increased to 12mg in March 2012. Then increased to 16mg in July 2013. I call Exalgo my miracle. I like taking the ER pill rather than popping pills all day long. I've tried so many different opiates, but I much prefer Dilaudid to all the others. I also take 4mg Dilaudid (hydromorphone) as needed for breakthrough pain. Best of luck to anyone suffering from chronic pain, it's a terrible way to live, but Exalgo definitely increased my quality of life. I hope it can do the same for you!"

• Jon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 17, 2013

"I've been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. The pain it brought was excruciating - 15 on a scale of 1 to 10. The rheumatologist ordered an initial dose of 4 mg by IV (this is an unusually high dose, the pharmacy double-checked with the doctor before releasing the medicine). Subsequent doses were only 2 mg. Dilaudid took away ALL of my pain within 60 seconds. The relief lasted through the night, allowing me a full night of sleep. Hydromorphone, the tablet form, is far less effective than I.V. In fact, I was downright disappointed with the tablets. They seemed to do nothing at all for the pain. It's hard to believe that hydromorphone tablets and Dilaudid I.V. are the same medicine. I will request for my doctor to prescribe the Dilaudid injections."

• Kel...
• November 23, 2012

"INTENSE CHRONIC PAIN. No Comparison or Substitute. HEAVILY Prescribed Tons of Methadone and OXYCODONE for 4 Years. When forced at E.R. Dilaudid is the only thing that works. I think it should be used more often. Morphine at ER would take 4 shots and cause nausea, which is bad for my ailments. 10/10 EVERY TIME! Thanks"

• Anonymous
• November 17, 2012

"All I have to say is, give them a bit of time to work. Especially if you were on high doses of another opiate. Your body will not even feel them for the first 4 or 5 days. I was taking 3x40mgs of methadone along with 6x15mgs of oxycodone per day for 4 years until I had a heart attack. My doctor sent me for an EKG and my 'QT' interval was in the 500s along with leg and body swelling, tightness in the chest along with severe constipation (most likely from methadone). Once they got me weaned down from the methadone they prescribed 2x16mg Exalgo per day keeping the oxycodone as breakthrough. I started taking them as directed with no relief, and I felt nauseous with afternoon headaches. On the 4th day, I started feeling more relief. Give it time."

• Him...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 3, 2013

"I've been on Exalgo for about 3 weeks now and the difference is amazing. I have chronic pancreatitis, and the pain from that is just unbearable... the worst I've ever experienced. I had been taking 15 mg oxycodone on an every-8-hour regimen with 2 mg Dilaudid as needed for breakthrough pain. The oxycodone had lost its effectiveness, and I was having more and more pain that was becoming more and more difficult to control. When my doctor suggested Exalgo, I agreed to try it. Once my insurance authorized it, I got the prescription filled. I had to take 2 mg Dilaudid every 4-8 hours for a few days while the Exalgo built up, but once it did, my pain went from a 7 to a 3 on the pain scale. Wow."

• Val...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2014

"I am receiving Dilaudid through a pain pump. It's just been a month since the surgery. I was opioid tolerant at the time. I have sarcoidosis, degenerative disc disease, and osteoarthritis. I feel so much better than I have in a long time. I'm not sleepy, but I did get tingling in the lower left leg that went to my toes. I am stiff in joints, but not sure if it's the arthritis or Dilaudid. I rate it at 8.5."

• Str...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 30, 2024

"I was a career frontline combat soldier in the U.S. Army and was blown into a cinderblock wall in Ramadi, Iraq, on July 15th, 2007. I've had eighteen surgeries over the years to put me back together, and Dilaudid has been a game changer. I have an amazing pain doc who understands my situation and has empathy and compassion. I take 4 mg of Dilaudid five times a day, and my pain level went from an 8 to a very tolerable 4. Chronic pain will never go away. But to me, it's about quality of life. The only issue I have is opioid addicts have ruined it for those of us who need chronic pain control. Finding a pharmacy that carried the 4 mg tablets was like finding the Holy Grail! Now this old soldier is good to go and has my life back. It was an honor to serve this great nation. But I wouldn't wish combat on Satan himself."

• suz...
• January 4, 2014

"My pain management doctor switched me to this medicine 2 days ago. It's a miracle. I have been on everything. I was taking OxyContin 80 mg 2 times per day along with 30 mg oxycodone every 4 hours for breakthrough pain. I felt the difference within hours. I suffer from chronic pain due to my back. I've had 5 spinal fusion surgeries."

• Zum...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 12, 2020

"Due to a severe back injury, was referred to a pain clinic (thankful!). Have been on many meds over the years. Now suffering with spinal stenosis, degenerative disk disease, ankylosing spondylitis, basically crippled, yippee! Take 4 to 5 Dilaudid, 4 mg, and get some relief. Starting today on a long-acting Dilaudid and praying for relief. Good luck and sincere best wishes to all taking this med."

• ROB...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 3, 2013

"In chronic pain since injury in 1999. Surgery did not help. Like many, I was on different narcotics for years. Started Exalgo in 2012 and have found it does work. Some say it gives 24 hr relief, but I think it more of a 16-18 hr."

• New...
• April 28, 2015

"I am 5'. 105 lbs and was a carpenter for 6 years. I have a bad back, 2 discs replaced in neck with a plate and 6 screws, which gets cold, and the pain goes right down my back. Have had 15 operations. Fibromyalgia and arthritis. Tried morphine and butane patches, which made me sick. I take hydrocodone 10 mg 5 times a day, which only lasts 2 to 3 hours. Grit my teeth the rest of the time (broken a few). I started Exalgo 12 mg yesterday, and I started feeling better in about 2 hours. This is a miracle, I don't hurt! There were times I didn't think I could go on, and now I have a new lease on life. I hope it continues to keep working! Happy gal!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 11, 2012

"Worked great for my back pain, but had a whole slew of bad side effects, including anxiety, panic attacks, mental/mood changes, suicidal thoughts. Never have been subject to depression or suicidal thoughts before. Had to be taken off the med immediately when we realized that it was what was causing me to have all these problems."

• Kni...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 5, 2014

"I just started on Exalgo ER 12 mg. After fooling around with Lortab and Morphine CR for years, which would only dull my pain (shot out of the sky in Nam) as well as a major car accident, I have found, or rather my fantastic neurologist decided to go with this. I have been able to sleep a full evening (8 hrs) and not wake up with a hangover effect. I am, after 26 years, narcotic tolerant, so I was quite skeptical about this expensive medicine. Well, I am a believer. I just pray that it will last a year or two before it becomes useless to me. An operation to repair my back only has an 80/20 chance of even helping me, 80% being the negative. If you are tired of the pill counting or a few days' withdrawal, which I have been through, ask your Doc."

• Nan...
• September 24, 2020

"I was diagnosed with transverse myelitis 11 months ago, so I suffered with bad pain. During my 3 months in the hospital, I received Dilaudid in IV the first month, 4 mg at first, then gradually down to 2 mg. Next, Dilaudid in pill form, 4 mg every 4 hours, down to 2 mg every 4 hours through the 2nd month. The 3rd month, 2 mg every 6 hours, which barely cut the intensity of the nerve pain caused by this gawd-awful disease. Once released from the hospital, I was Rx'd hydrocodone 5-325. Now this is in addition to gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, Xanax, etc. By May, I began to have what's referred to as 'saddle burn.' The burn was more like blazing! I went to the ER and was admitted and given Dilaudid again as before through my IV. I cried I was so relieved. But you can't stay in the hospital on an IV permanently, and Dilaudid is not prescribed as outpatient. So suffering is my daily routine, whether I exercise, push my walker a good 3/4 mile a day, go to pool PT, cry, get in my truck and scream, 'FATHER, why hast thou forsaken me!?' Dilaudid works."

• Ger...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 18, 2015

"I am a 30 y/o German automotive technician. When I was 18, I was hit by a drunk driver. I broke my lower back in 2 places, my hip, and knee. I was taking 40 mg OC and breakthrough meds every 3 hrs. I was doing decent until, in 2008, I was involved in a head-on collision which broke my neck in 6 places. The pain from that was worse than anything I had experienced before. My doctor increased my pain med doses. We tried everything from MS Contin to Opana ER, nothing was able to keep my pain under control for long. Being an automotive tech just added to the misery. Finally, Exalgo came out and now 16 mg/day with 2 mg instant release Dilaudid for breakthrough, my pain is finally controlled and I have my life back and don't have to take pills every few hours."

• lbp...
• October 25, 2013

"I have CRPS stage 3 in my left arm and left foot. I started on 16 mg a day of Exalgo, then up to 12, 2x a day, now 16, 2x a day for 32 mg a day. I found the 2x a day was the key for this medicine since it takes a long time to start, so the next dose, 12 hours apart, really helped. I'm just starting the 32 mg a day since my CRPS spread to my entire left arm, so I'm hoping I don't eventually get to the 32 mg, 2x a day. Has anyone else taken that much?"

• Ps9...
• September 21, 2015

"The pain management doctor prescribed morphine sulfate (due to cost) rather than OxyContin. It was horrible. I felt loopy and sick with pain in my side. So a different doctor switched me to Exalgo SR. What a relief! I am finally thinking clearer. I take Dilaudid for breakthrough pain, and between the two, I am functioning much better. I think it is much better than OxyContin as well because OxyContin always made me feel flushed and a bit dopey in a different kind of way. (Not as bad as morphine though.) I am so glad I am getting pain relief without feeling sick and doped up. I think Exalgo is a perfect match for me."

• DrD...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 28, 2014

"Works great, does last 24 hours at the right dose. Give the medication time if you are switching from another pain medicine to Exalgo. For myself, I was on morphine sulfate 90 mg and OxyContin 40 mg. It took almost 2 months to work at 100%. I was just about to give the Exalgo up and go back to my morphine and OxyContin, but now I'm glad I waited, it was worth the painful wait since I have such great pain relief. I take 48 mg of Exalgo now and 60 mg of OxyContin."

• ton...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 28, 2016

"I was taking 80 mg/day of oxycodone (Percocet 10 mg + 325 acetaminophen per pill) and finally found a pain doctor who is a psychiatrist and a neurologist, as well as a pain management specialist and an addiction treatment specialist. He asked how long the Percocet worked for me. I said 2 to 2 ½ hours. He said based on the number of years I had taken it (4) and the increases of dosages over those years (beginning of 4 mg 4 times a day to 8 mg 6 times a day over 4 years) that I had become tolerant to oxycodone. He put me on Exalgo 32 mg extended release once a day, which is hydromorphone, which is Dilaudid, and 4 mg Dilaudid/hydromorphone (the same drug but not timed release) for breakthrough pain 4 times a day. It was pretty amazing. My pain just stopped."

• Boo...
• February 13, 2021

"I have been in chronic pain for longer than 25 years. I have been on OxyContin for many years. I have had gastric bypass with a duodenal switch, so my absorption rate is rather low. I cannot tolerate morphine sulfate because I need to have a clear head when I work. I switched to OxyContin, that worked well for some time, but the addictive properties were extremely high. I switched to Dilaudid and was extremely happy with the results. I was taking 16 to 20 mg every 4 to 6 hours, which is also a truckload. I did not receive any euphoria, but it brought my pain level down from a nine to a four, which is totally tolerable. I have been in motorcycle accidents and have been shot, I understand what a level 10 pain is. I highly recommend trying this medication if you have had problems with fogginess or lightheadedness. It really depends on what your goal is, mine is quality of life and the ability to work, have sex, ride my motorcycle, and to maintain some semblance of joy in life."

• You...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 14, 2018

"I had ankle reconstruction surgery. They gave me 1-2 mg every 4 hours, and it did absolutely nothing to help with the pain. Sounds like only the IV is the only successful route. I had to ask for stronger meds, which did the trick. I wouldn’t bother with such a low dosage. It doesn’t do anything for you."

• Bac...
• September 14, 2016

"In September 2006, I was in a bus accident. I had been in such pain, nothing was working. My blood pressure would skyrocket due to the pain, nothing was helping until I got the Dilaudid IV in the hospital. I also have to take Zofran for nausea. I had undergone 5 back surgeries in 10 years. I never needed pain medication until the bus accident. They tried Toradol, morphine, Percocet, but nothing helped. I was on a high dosage of Dilaudid for 3 years until my screws were removed in November 2013. I have been going off Dilaudid for 3 years now. I take 3.4 mg tabs a day, it takes almost 1 hour to work, but it only helps the pain for about 3-4 hours. This should only be used when nothing else will. I am so thankful."

• lit...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 23, 2017

"I was experiencing pain in my hips like never before. Because I had no insurance, finding any relief meant a trip to the ER. Finally, I was approved for medication. After waiting longer than I should have for care, I saw a doctor that said I have aseptic necrosis. What is this? It is the interruption of blood supply. Without blood, the bone tissue dies and the bone collapses. Treatment is total hip replacement. I have had my right done. It was collapsed. Very painful! Now waiting on my left. That is not the end. My shoulders need replacement. I was prescribed 60 mg Hysingla ER (hydrocodone bitartrate). It was not for me. My doctor finally decided on Dilaudid 4 mg. Thank God! Thinking he needs to up my dose. Much better now!"

• Tig...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 3, 2019

"I have real pain but have been treated as a drug addict. My addiction is being pain-free so I can work and socialize with my friends and family. I had a back operation in 2000, and not long afterward, the leg (sciatica) pain came back. I was prescribed quick-release pain medication: Oxy. My new doctor weaned me off the Oxy and put me on slow-release Hydromorph Contin, and now I can function. The doctor explained that on quick-release tablets, my pain is spiking up and down all day long, you have pain and then you take a pill. Time-released capsules slowly administer pain relief throughout the day, and it works well for me. This medication has saved my life. Thank you, Dr. for first saving my life and now giving me a life."

• SUP...
• June 22, 2016

"I have severe fibromyalgia and possibly still undiagnosed endometriosis. I'm currently in the hospital (admitted), and they have been giving me 1 mg of Dilaudid every 4-5 hours for pain. It helps so much, but eventually it wears off within the 3rd hour. This is through the IV. I have been sitting up and getting back to myself. The 2 cons: super drowsiness and it is addictive. I worry about becoming dependent on it, but at the same time, it relieves my pain better than Norco."