How Long Does Dilaudid (Hydromorphone) Stay In Your System?

Hydromorphone can stay in your system for between 10 hours to 2 days after the last dose. Factors such as your frequency of use, method of use, and medical history can affect how long hydromorphone stays in your system.

Hydromorphone is an opioid analgesic that can have legal uses in the treatment of chronic pain and severe pain. Dilaudid, a common brand name prescription drug for hydromorphone, may be available in oral tablets, intravenous solutions, and rectal suppositories.

Drug testing methods can detect recent hydromorphone use for an average of several days after your last dose. Drug testing can be useful for employers and addiction treatment programs to help victims of drug abuse.

Drug Testing Methods For Hydromorphone Use

Drug testing methods can detect recent hydromorphone use by picking up unchanged hydromorphone or its unique components known as metabolites. Hydromorphone metabolites found by drug testing may include hydromorphone-3-glucuronide.

In Ohio, drug tests may be required by employers to determine your eligibility or by substance abuse treatment programs.

How Long Does Dilaudid Stay In Your Urine?

Urine tests can detect Dilaudid use for about 2 to 3 days after the last dose. Extended-release formulations of Dilaudid may have a longer detection window.

Urine tests can be a preferred method of drug testing for opioid addiction treatment centers and medical professionals. You may be asked to avoid eating poppy seeds before testing to avoid false positive results.

How Long Does Dilaudid Stay In Your Saliva?

Saliva tests can detect hydromorphone use for up to 2 days after the last dose.

Oral fluid tests can be used to test for drug use by healthcare professionals due to the test’s convenient nature. You may be asked to avoid eating or drinking for a short amount of time before a saliva test.

How Long Does Dilaudid Stay In Your Blood?

Blood samples may return positive results for hydromorphone between 10 hours to 2 days after the last dose.

Blood tests may be performed in hospital settings on patients presenting with side effects or withdrawal symptoms of opioid use, such as respiratory depression, sedation, or vomiting.

How Long Does Dilaudid Stay In Your Hair?

Hair follicle tests can detect hydromorphone for about 90 days after the last dose. Hair tests can have long detection times compared to other forms of testing, because opioids can remain in hair follicles as they grow out.

Half-Life Of Hydromorphone

Half-life is the amount of time it takes for a drug to decrease to half of its peak concentration in the body. After about five half-life cycles, most drugs may be virtually eliminated from the bloodstream.

The half-life of immediate-release hydromorphone is an average of 2.5 hours, while the half-life of extended-release hydromorphone is about 11 hours. 

Hydromorphone can stay in your bloodstream for an average of 10 hours to 2 days after last use. After hydromorphone leaves the bloodstream, it may stay in other parts of your body for a longer period of time.

Factors such as body fat, frequency of hydromorphone use, and the formulation of hydromorphone taken can affect how long Dilaudid stays in your system. 

You may feel the effects of Dilaudid, such as pain relief, sedation, drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, and lightheadedness until the drug leaves your system.

Dilaudid Addiction Treatment

Drug testing for Dilaudid use can be prevalent in Ohio due to the drug’s status as a Schedule II controlled substance with a high potential for illicit drug abuse. If you or a loved one test positive for hydromorphone, you may be referred to a drug addiction treatment program.

At Ohio Recovery Center, our individualized inpatient opioid addiction treatment options include opiate detox, withdrawal management, and mental health services. To find out if our program works for you or a loved one, please contact us today.