joey2006 Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 I was wondering if anyone out there can share your experience with clonidine. Any advice for taking it, such as how often you needed to take it to avoid rebound problems? I have to start out with a REALLY small dose of 1/8 of a .1 mg tablet, so the patch is not an option for me yet. Thank you for the help. I appreciate it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stellakitty Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 Hi,Wondering??? Who prescribed this for you and why? In my opinion, (disclaimer, I'm just a mom); this is an outdated drug with nasty side effects. Clonidine is used to control blood pressure, but is it also used in mental health facitilies, I'm sure you've seen One FLew Over the Cuckoo's Nest's? That's my kid on clonidine, a listless, breathing matter on my sofa, no lie. My daughter got prescribed clonidine just about a year ago, she was having some horrific bp spikes and she had some abnormal bloodwork indicating a "pheo-tumor". The doc's had her taper off of her usual bp meds, go on clonidine because it is one of the few bp drug that does not interfer with bloodwork and scans for a "pheo". She was on clonidine for about 3 weeks, I am just thankful no one is in jail on some sort of murder charge...If the kid wasn't passed out from an overdose of the stuff, (it's hard to get the dosage right), she was having mood swings, mostly in the wrong direction. The day my daughter had her last scan, she was DONE with clonidine!!! On the upside...I think a paid like one dollar for the whole supply.Yuck...Just say no to this. (IMO, OC)Angie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wareagle Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 I've been taking Clonodine for several years now. I started with just 1/4 tablet at night...I'm currently at 1/2 tablet but don't forsee increasing the dose. I was given this med. to help relax my sympathetic nervous system and it's helped me a lot. I haven't had any adverse side effects thus far. I only take it at night time as it can make you drowsey. I'm not sure if this medication will work for you but I wanted to let you know that I can be effective. Everyone reacts differently to treatments, I would strongly suggest discussing your concerns with your doctor and if you are having adverse side effects perhaps look into other medications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM3KIDZ Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 I was given this med for narcotics w/d. I've been on vicodin for 6 mon. for migraines and want to try something new. When I tried stopping the vic I got horrible w/d so the clonidine is suppose to help with this. Weird that it's used for pots patients but I haven't done my usually research on the drug because I just want the vics out of my system.Dayna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted October 14, 2007 Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 Angie, are you sure it wasn't klonipin your son was given? I was given that many years ago for a reaction to a drug that made me have seizures. I couldn't even function. I know a lot of people use very tiny amounts w/o any problems, but it isn't too great for others. A lot of people confuse these two drugs, because the names are so similar.As far as clonidine, I just never got use to it. The pills caused peaks and valleys and I had a horrible skin reaction to the patch, and it was too strong anyway. I can't believe how some can do so well on a drug and others just can't take it....morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willows Posted October 14, 2007 Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 IF YOU WANT TO NOW ABOUT CLONIDINE READ THIS .I have been on Clonidine for about 3 years now , I take 10 X 25 micrograms tablets a day , yes , 10 tablets that's 5 tablets at night and 5 in the morning ( 1+ 1/4 tablets a day twice a day = 2 +1/2 tablets each day )I was put onto this drug because of the following reasons .1. It controls the amount of sweating I do 24 /4 , sweating so bad that the amount of water my body can put out exceeds the amount of water I can take in = me passing out , me getting dehydrated , me felling like I'm in the Sahara dessert.2. It controls my blood pressure , without it I'd be sitting on the ceiling and not aware of anything around me .3. It controls my bladder , you know the little trickles before you get to the loo, as you think of the loo and after you've been to the loo .SIDE EFFECTS.Even on this amount of drug I am on I am fine , I dont get heights and lows of blood pressure, I am not asleep all the time nor does it make me sleepy , worst luck ! I dont get skin problems , sickness , stomack troubles ............not a darn thing in fact .Sometimes I get 'used it it ' and have to ween myself down to 0 a day and then leave them off a week or more , OMG its **** on earth for me , sweats , dehydrated all the time , cant keep water in my system so headaches ,as either I'm peeing it out or sweating it out , water from every orifice of my body in the bed , chairs , clothes ...........its times like this I wish I was never born and me saying this to you, and you all knowing me for my' lunacy' and 'happy go luck attitude I have to life' , well I think you can say that this drug is OK with me . Without clonidine I would never be able to eat at all because just having a plate of food in front of me makes me sweat even now , eating hot food is **** and eating at all is very hard for me to do at times , I tend to live on child size portions and cold foods a lot and thats with the 10 a day I take , take them away and I think I'd be on a drip feed . Cant say what it will do for anyone else but this drug has been a life saver to me and without it my life is a living **** .Willows ....................Clonidine my life saver . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxine Posted October 14, 2007 Report Share Posted October 14, 2007 I heard clonidine can be helpful for the "hyper adrengic" forms of POTS, or for people who have very high heart rates even while on their beta blockers.It was prescribed to me in 2005. "Hyper adrengic" POTS was diagnosed. My Catecholamines were never checked, so I suggested they BE tested before taking this drug. I wanted to do this, as my BP was already running very low, sometimes as low as 60s/something standing, and I didn't think this drug would be the right choice considering this.My catecholamines were NORMAL. This drug could have cause further problems with BP. I was misdiagnosed with the "hyeradrengic POTS". I guess this was diagnosed because I was having some panic attack type spells with high heart rates------------no blood work was done----------it was just diagnosed based on that. I just have POTS---- .Klonopin has helped me with the over activity of my sympathetic nervous system. I take half of a .50, or on a bad day I take one half in the morning and one half at night.Maxine :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Share Posted October 15, 2007 I have read GREAT things about Clonidine as well.Then again I have GREAT aid from KLONOPIN for sleep and have had since 1990.So we are all different. Klonopin was first called and anti seixure med when I would first take it. Now it's anti anxiety med ??? Odd how that changed over time. But when I FIRST took it, I was on prescription health coverage and they PAID for Klonopin )seizure med) but would NOT pay for xanax...anxiety med.Weird...course things have changed over the years and now I pay all out of pocket but I digress.I have heard small doses of clonidine can be helpful for the tachy stuff even if BP is normal to low.You never know with this stuff...have to just do trial and error and listen to your body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
set2586 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Share Posted October 15, 2007 I was diagnosed with POTS this summer (finally!) and my dr. started me on wellbutrin and then a month later added clonidine. I take 1/2 of a .1 mg tablet twice a day. Originally it did make me a little tired, but my body has since adjusted. It has worked very well at controlling my adrenaline surges, bp, and even my tachycardia. I was originally on Toprol and that practically made me a zombie.Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Burschman Posted October 15, 2007 Report Share Posted October 15, 2007 Welcome, Susan! I'm glad you got a diagnosis and medication that is helping!Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stellakitty Posted October 16, 2007 Report Share Posted October 16, 2007 Hi Morgan, "Angie, are you sure it wasn't klonipin your son was given? I was given that many years ago for a reaction to a drug that made me have seizures. I couldn't even function. I know a lot of people use very tiny amounts w/o any problems, but it isn't too great for others. A lot of people confuse these two drugs, because the names are so similar."I am not confused about the two drugs, I am know this was without a doubt Clonidine, because Lex also had a Clonidine suppression test later to be sure about the catacholomine levels. Klonipin, she has been on a very slight dose of this for sleep, then we found something bettter. The point here, every reacts differently to meds, someone stated they could not tolerate Toprol, Lex does great on Toprol. I did speak with Lex's pcp during and after the clonidine incident, she tells me it can be difficult for some patients. The poster asked for my opinion and I gave it with the proper disclosers.Angie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Stellakitty, sorry if I offended. I was a nurse and have had medical personnel confuse this drug with me, when I was on it. I did not intend to imply you didn't know what was going on. If offense was taken, I am sorry.It made me feel awful, but not with mood swings, just sick. It made my surges worse, actually because of the peaks and valleys it caused. What can be a miracle drug to one person, can certainly be a nightmare to another, and you don't have to have pots for this to happen.Anyway, sorry I upset you....morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzygirl Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 I havebeen on clonidine since 2003 and dr grubb put me on this medication. Its is pretty much the only drug that has helped me with the adreanaline sureges that i get.. ive got from getting them nearky every night to only having them maybe real bad 3-4 nights out fo the monthUhm i agree with others that getting the dose right is tricky...I have uppped my dose many many times. UHm i just went upot to 2mg twice a day...i do hav side-effects of this meds.. it makes me very drowsey.... and it does affect my mood on occasion.. but the benefits far out weigth the side effects for me...hope that you can find something that helps you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey2006 Posted October 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 Thanks for your input. I appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinalremains Posted October 20, 2007 Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 Been on Clonidine .1 mg twice a day for almost a year due to strange BP spikes. I have had no unusual side effects and have tolorated it quite well. Everyone is so different. You just gotta try it and see... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eli6596 Posted October 21, 2007 Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 dizzygirl,You said that clonidine sometimes affects your mood. In what way...depressed? Anyone else have mood changes from it? Karyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzygirl Posted October 21, 2007 Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 uhm i notice that at time on clonidine i will be fine before i tak it... then with in an hour or so of taking it i will fell very "witchy"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eli6596 Posted October 21, 2007 Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 dizzygirl,I had to smile because I get witchy even without clonidine!!!! I think it is a symptom of depression for me.Karyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted October 21, 2007 Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 I remember now it made me really really cranky too...I had forgotten that one. It was a personality change even the hubs noticed, so it must have been profound...LOL....morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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