What are the symptoms of using too much Dilaudid?

Dilaudid, though a synthetic opiate, has all of the typical side effects of most natural opiate derivatives. The primary symptom of opiate overdose is Respiratory Depression and drowsiness or unconsciousness if enough is taken, or the patient isn't opiate tolerant. Respiratory depression (shortness of breath with eventual lung failure) is the biggest problem most people deal with. Unless dealt with immediately, respiratory depression can quickly lead to complete failure of the lungs and heart, leading to death or worse if the person is revived and brain damage has occurred as a result.

The standard drug for overdose reversal of opiates is Narcan (Nalaxone) which is an opiate blocker. Within 2 minutes is completely reverses the effects of an overdose, but the patient is still in for a rough time as a result, especially since Dilaudid is typically used for post-op pain and Narcan's effects last for around 2 hours or more.