sue1234 Posted October 24, 2009 Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 I started the clonidine patch today for my b/p that starts out fairly normal then rises the longer I am up and about. So, I took a resting b/p this morning to have sort of a baseline, so I can compare it in the next few days to see if I'm getting a good trend. My b/p was 125/85, pulse 72. Then at noon I put my patch on. WELL, after an hour with the patch on, I was watching tv, I noticed I was getting palpatations and my hands were a little shaky. I took my vital signs and my b/p was 111/87, pulse 92. Soooo, I took the patch OFF and cleaned the skin. It took me all afternoon to finally feel like I could stand and not feel immediately lighthead. What kind of reaction was that?????? My systolic went down, but the diastolic went up! I was feeling awful, and was not going to sit around all day seeing how v sys/^dias was going to go! When my heart starts forcefully beating, I know somethings wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Burschman Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Bleah! I've been thinking about talking a doc into letting me try clonidine, because it's so obvious that my sympathetic nervous system is constantly in overdrive, and it's sometimes used for ulcerative colitis, which I supposedly have. But I have LOW blood pressure, so I'm not sure what it would do to me.Sorry you had a bad reaction. I'm freaked out about trying it. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 I'm not a clonodine expert but I think that the lowering of systolic is the expected response. Not sure about the diastolic effect.Clonodine is supposed to reduce norepinephrine output and "lower sympathetic tone" which was probably what is suspected of causing your typical excessive BP climb from being upright for a while.Perhaps there is an acclimatization period or a specific technique to using it, like only timing it with specific periods of time when you'll be upright and exerting? I should yield to someone who knows first hand... but there's my dangerously-half-informed info based on prior reading, for what little it's worth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue1234 Posted October 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Please don't let my experience keep you from trying it. I've read your posts on why you want to try it, so go ahead. All it did was give me an afternoon of feeling bad. It might work for you.I just seem to always react badly to most meds. I don't know why my pulse pressure was getting narrower(is that a word?). All I could imagine was my systolic was going to meet my diastolic halfway, and then what????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddm1960 Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Sue I had the same reaction, how did it effect your brain fog? Clonodine had me in a fog all day long, along with the narrowing pulse pressure and being very dizzy. We all react so differently to meds others need to try it for themselves. I've also had bad luck with all of the beta blockers I've tried, I hope you find something that works for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue1234 Posted October 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 It did make me somewhat dizzy, which I am usually not, and definitely more lightheaded than I usually am. It seemed to give me anxiety, and that's what made me check my b/p. I was not nervous about it at all, I was engrossed in a tv show when it started making my heart beat faster and harder. I don't think I had worse brain fog, but it made me more anxious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notgivinup Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 It did make me somewhat dizzy, which I am usually not, and definitely more lightheaded than I usually am. It seemed to give me anxiety, and that's what made me check my b/p. I was not nervous about it at all, I was engrossed in a tv show when it started making my heart beat faster and harder. I don't think I had worse brain fog, but it made me more anxious.I am so confused as clonodine is suppose to block norephinephrine. Which I would think would slow your heart rate down. GRRRR this is all so confusing. Sorry it isn't working for you so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notgivinup Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Crap, I put my response inside your quote. Sorry, see how much worse my brain fog is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rene S. Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Sue, I had almost the same reaction. I took 1/2 of the smallest pill dose and it accelerated my heart rate and made me feel awful. That was the end of that!Our bodies are so sensitive to drugs it makes me wonder what in the world is happening? Glad you were able to feel better quickly. I had taken it at night and just listened to my heart pound. Sorry for your experience.Rene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue1234 Posted October 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Notgivingup--you can just let your foggy brain write where ever it wants to! Yea, I thought it was going to meelllooww me out, but nope.Ruekat--I was wondering about the over-reaction. I feel I don't have enough blood volume, so I would think that a normal dose of meds under those conditions would possibly be too much. Does that make sense?? And, nice to know I'm not the only odd reactor to clonidine. I almost forgot, I emailed the prescribing physician(cardio) and he wanted me to continue on it for a few more days!!I think NOT!!! Anything that is going to make me MORE lightheaded is not going to be tolerated in my house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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