Clonidine Questions - Addiction & Recovery Message Board

octomon · 10-02-2004, 08:26 PM

Some of you may know I'm currently on a suboxone taper [12-16mg/day 3 weeks ago, 4mg/day now].

I keep hearing the drug clonidine mentioned for WD symptoms. My questions are basic - What does it help with, how effective is it, is there a huge difference when using it, any troubles with side-effects or discontinuing use?

I'm very fine right now, but of course my ultimate goal is to be opiate-free. If anyone has some general knowledge or personal experience to share, it will be so helpful to me, and may improve my taper experience/success.

Thank you VERY much in advance.

octomon

psychbaby · 10-02-2004, 09:07 PM

I just mentioned that I used that in detox myself.

Probably the most important thing to watch is your blood pressure since that's it's main use. In detox, obviously they monitored that periodically - limits were to give it if above 100/60. One night I almost passed out standing, lost my vision for a few secs, then when they took my BP, it was 80/50, whoopsie! So the dose was lowered.

Did it help? Hard to say, since it's not like you get a "feeling" like from taking a narc or something... but since the detox wasn't too awful for me, it must have been doing something?

I sure wish I had something now though. I feel like I'm about to jump out of my skin!

Good luck m'dear,
~pb

Vanguard · 10-03-2004, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by octomon

Some of you may know I'm currently on a suboxone taper [12-16mg/day 3 weeks ago, 4mg/day now].

I keep hearing the drug clonidine mentioned for WD symptoms. My questions are basic - What does it help with, how effective is it, is there a huge difference when using it, any troubles with side-effects or discontinuing use?

I'm very fine right now, but of course my ultimate goal is to be opiate-free. If anyone has some general knowledge or personal experience to share, it will be so helpful to me, and may improve my taper experience/success.

Thank you VERY much in advance.

octomon

Hi Octomon! I just started clonidine too. Yes the biggest concern is monitoring your blood pressure. It usually has a parameters set by the prescribing doctor (ie hold if the systolic (top number) BP is less 100). It has a calming effect too. Be careful is sudden change of movements, avoid laying to standing right away. Clonidine (or almost all blood pressure medicine) causes orthostatic hypotension. Therefore, be careful of sudden change of position.

Van

octomon · 10-03-2004, 10:28 AM

Thank you both for sharing. What drove me out of my freakin' mind at 36 hours into my cold turkey detox, were the leg shakes/spasms/"crawl out of my skin" feeling...

I'm assuming the clonidine helps a lot with these symptoms? Lastly, is this something one can get a script for, or is it only administered by a doctor?

Thanks again.
octomon

agentalias · 10-03-2004, 10:42 AM

clonidine is a RX written only by a doctor. It helped me but it made me so so sleepy. It did help with the physical WDs as well. It didn't take them away completely but made the WDs bearable temporarily. There is no cure all pill with WDs, only time can be your friend. Again- exercise does help tremondously and hot baths.

Good luck. You're doing great. Take care and be strong.