cyclobenzaprine vs hydromorphone
Side-by-side comparison of cyclobenzaprine and hydromorphone. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Examples: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), triptans, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, drugs that affect the serotonin neurotransmitter system (e.g., mirtazapine, trazodone, tramadol), certain muscle relaxants (i.e., cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone), monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (those intended to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue).
Recommendation: Watch for symptoms like muscle stiffness or shivering and let your healthcare provider know immediately if they occur.
Flexeril, Amrix
Dilaudid
Cyclobenzaprine is a muscle relaxant. It helps relieve muscle spasms and pain.
Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) is a strong pain medicine. It is used to treat severe pain when other pain medicines do not work well enough.
This medicine treats muscle spasms caused by painful conditions. It is meant to be used with rest and physical therapy. It should only be used for a short time, usually 2 to 3 weeks.
This medicine treats severe pain that requires an opioid pain medicine. It is for use when other treatments are not adequate. Do not use it for long periods unless your pain stays severe and other options are still not adequate. This medicine carries risks of addiction, abuse, and misuse.
Cyclobenzaprine works in the brain and spinal cord to relax your muscles. It reduces muscle spasms, which helps to relieve pain and improve movement. It does not directly work on the muscles themselves.
Hydromorphone works by binding to receptors in the brain and spinal cord. This blocks pain signals from reaching the brain. This results in a decreased feeling of pain.
- • Drowsiness
- • Dry mouth
- • Fatigue
- • Headache
- • Lightheadedness
- • Dizziness
- • Sleepiness
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- Pain 4,873
- Tiredness 3,808
- Feeling sick to your stomach 3,304
- Headache 3,292
- Long-term kidney problems 2,749
- Addiction to the drug 35,077
- Taking too much of the drug 22,994
- Pain 22,132
- Emotional upset 17,685
- Death 14,869
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. You should not take this medicine if you are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor or have taken one in the past 14 days. Taking cyclobenzaprine with an MAO inhibitor can cause serious problems, including seizures and death. Also, do not take it if you have heart problems or an overactive thyroid.
This medicine has a boxed warning. It can cause serious and life-threatening risks. Taking too much can cause overdose and death. It can cause addiction, abuse, and misuse. It can also cause very slow or stopped breathing. Accidental intake, especially by a child, can cause a fatal overdose. Taking with alcohol or other depressants can cause coma and death. If you are pregnant, long-term use can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn.
It is not known if cyclobenzaprine can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Using this medicine for a long time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the baby after birth. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This medicine may not be recommended during labor.
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How to Read This cyclobenzaprine vs hydromorphone Comparison
cyclobenzaprine is classified in the Muscle Relaxant drug class, while hydromorphone sits within the Opioid Analgesic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, cyclobenzaprine has 18,026 submissions while hydromorphone has 112,757. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to this muscle relaxant and the pain medicine both impact serotonin levels, which can lead to a rare but serious reaction in the body.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between cyclobenzaprine and hydromorphone - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.