You should not take Dilaudid if you have severe breathing problems, or a blockage in your stomach or intestines.

Dilaudid can slow or stop your breathing, especially when you start using this medicine or whenever your dose is changed. Never use Dilaudid in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. Do not crush, break, or open an extended-release pill. Swallow it whole to avoid exposure to a potentially fatal dose.

Dilaudid may be habit-forming, even at regular doses. Take this medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Never share the medicine with another person. MISUSE OF NARCOTIC PAIN MEDICATION CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, OR DEATH, especially in a child or other person using the medicine without a prescription.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant. Dilaudid may cause life-threatening addiction and withdrawal symptoms in a newborn if the mother has taken this medicine during pregnancy.

Do not drink alcohol. Dangerous side effects or death could occur when alcohol is combined with hydromorphone.

You should not take Dilaudid if you have ever had an allergic reaction to hydromorphone or other narcotic medicines, or if you have:

• severe asthma or breathing problems;

• a blockage in your stomach or intestines; or

• a bowel obstruction called paralytic ileus.

Do not use Dilaudid if you have used a MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others.

Some medicines can interact with hydromorphone and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Be sure your doctor knows if you also take medicine for depression, mental illness, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting. Ask your doctor before making any changes in how or when you take your medications.

You may not be able to take Dilaudid if you are NOT already being treated with a similar opioid (narcotic) pain medicine and are tolerant to it. Talk with your doctor if you are not sure you are opioid-tolerant.

Dilaudid may be habit-forming. Never share this medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Selling or giving away hydromorphone to any other person is against the law.

To make sure hydromorphone is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• any type of breathing problem or lung disease;

• a history of head injury, brain tumor, or seizures;

• a history of drug abuse, alcohol addiction, or mental illness;

• urination problems;

• liver or kidney disease;

• sulfite allergy;

• Addison's disease or other adrenal gland disorders;

• problems with your gallbladder, pancreas, or thyroid; or

• if you use a sedative like Valium - diazepam, alprazolam, lorazepam, Xanax, Klonopin, Versed, and others;

It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. If you use hydromorphone while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug. This can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby after it is born. Babies born dependent on habit-forming medicine may need medical treatment for several weeks. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Hydromorphone can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are using Dilaudid.

Get emergency medical help if you have any signs of an allergic reaction to Dilaudid: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Like other narcotic medicines, hydromorphone can slow your breathing. Death may occur if breathing becomes too weak.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• weak or shallow breathing;

• confusion, feelings of extreme happiness or sadness;

• severe weakness or drowsiness;

• a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;

• infertility, missed menstrual periods;

• impotence, sexual problems, loss of interest in sex; or

• low cortisol levels - nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, worsening tiredness or weakness.

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.

Hydromorphone is more likely to cause breathing problems in older adults and people who are severely ill, malnourished, or otherwise debilitated.

Common Dilaudid side effects may include:

• constipation, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;

• dizziness, drowsiness;

• headache, tired feeling;

• feelings of extreme happiness or sadness;

• sweating, mild itching;

• dry mouth; or

• flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling).