Clonidine for ADHD User Reviews (Page 2)

• RED...
• August 14, 2009

Clonidine "My son has been on this for about 2 years, as well as Vyvanse. It really calms him down so he can go to bed and get a good night's sleep! He used to have nightmares, but since he's been on this medication, he hasn't had one! Again, I thank the makers of these wonder drugs, and I know my son thanks you all as well!"

• Ram...
• April 4, 2011

Clonidine "My 8-year-old son has been on various stimulants, in addition to regular clonidine, Intuniv, Risperdal, Seroquel, Strattera, and Abilify. My son is extremely impulsive and aggressive towards our family on a daily basis, and I had been thinking that nothing would help our son. Our new psychiatrist recommended Kapvay, and we were very skeptical, as our son was irritable and even more aggressive with regular clonidine. With Kapvay, there has been a SIGNIFICANT decrease in our son's aggressiveness. He is still very obsessive, rude, and verbally defiant. So physically, we rate Kapvay a TEN in decreasing aggression, but we only rated it a seven due to other factors. It is the ONLY medicine that has helped reduce physical aggression for our son."

• Wal...
• April 6, 2016

"We have a child with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). He is now 6.5 years old and has suffered very bad sleep quality for the past year. Waking up suddenly in the night, 2 AM-3 AM, and cannot rest properly until 5 AM or 6 AM. Very nervous during the day, not having good attendance at special needs school. Melatonin, from 2 to 3 mg 1 hour before sleeping, was helpful for falling asleep quickly, but not effective to avoid night wake-ups or hyperactivity. Since 3 weeks ago, we started clonidine 0.1 mg, 1 tab nighttime before sleep, and it works very well. Since day 1, he is calm and rests well. A few nights he woke up but was not nervous or crying/shouting, just calm for a couple of minutes and back to sleep. Also, at school and during the day, he's quieter and calmer."

• Pat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 30, 2024

"This helped when I couldn't take stimulants due to abuse issues. It relaxes me, helps with focus and concentration, and helps with emotional stability. It makes me sleepy, so I try to take it at night."

• phe...
• February 7, 2011

Clonidine "My 6-year-old son was diagnosed with ADHD last year. I saw signs during the preschool years as he was kicked out of three schools. This has been a trying year as we started him on Concerta, Focalin 2.5, and Focalin ER. Intuniv: Although the stimulants were great and we saw the benefits, it was difficult for me to see the negative side effects (tics and meltdown). I had mentioned to my doctor a month ago about Clonidine to reduce side effects of stimulants. She declined as she was uncomfortable with providing adult medication to children. However, she contacted me about Kapvay, which has been wonderful. Day 6 and a bit sleepy, unlike Intuniv (sedated). I will keep you up to date."

• Qui...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 15, 2021

"Just started clonidine today, testing out the idea with my psychiatrist that as a 31-year-old female, I’ve had undiagnosed ADHD since childhood. It is far too early to make lasting claims, but for me, the effect was shocking within a short time of taking it. I would describe it as literally the volume on my thoughts has been turned down. My thoughts would often be so rapid and escalate to catastrophizing before I could even catch them. I can think clearly and even sit through a movie, which is something I struggled with significantly since a very young age. I started with 0.05 and found that while it helped me quiet my mind, it didn’t seem to be quite enough for sleep. Will try the prescribed 0.1 dose tomorrow!"

• got...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2023

"I was diagnosed with ADHD/BPD at 15 years old and am 47. I was on Lamictal/Wellbutrin for 20/10 years, respectively, and then tapered off both due to some other medical issues. Was off all psych meds for 3 months until things were so bad I couldn't stand it anymore. No motivation, always wanting to be on the go, mind wouldn't stop, irritable, etc. Have to be careful what I take because of other meds, so my doctor tried Clonidine XR because I was getting a caffeine habit. So far, I have been on it for 2 1/2 weeks. There was effective relief after the first dose. I felt calmer and could focus. It was a miracle for me! Now this is technically a blood pressure drug and I don't have a problem with HBP. I actually run on the lower side, and my typical BP reading is around 105-110/64-68 with this. I do get a headache and get tired, so I take a supplement with a sip or two of caffeine when this happens and don't bend over a lot at once or stand up quickly. However, that is a small price to pay for my (and my family's) sanity!"

• Mom...
• November 29, 2016

"My 11-year-old son has been diagnosed with PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome). Clonidine is so effective with my son that we only give him 1/8 of his pill. If I give him 1/4, he is very tired in the morning. He is also on a very small dose of Prozac. He takes Clonidine as needed for anxiety, as the Zithromax (antibiotics) got rid of his tics, so he doesn't need Clonidine anymore for that. But sometimes his anxiety acts up at night, and Clonidine relaxes him so he can sleep. He also has 1/2 of a 3 mg of melatonin, but he can only take melatonin now that his tics are gone because before it made him tired while he was wired, and that was uncomfortable. Anyway, Clonidine is the best medication for his anxiety, but if we give him the diagnosed amount, he is a zombie in the morning."

• Anonymous
• January 20, 2012

Clonidine "My 6-year-old tried this after Intuniv failed. It made him constantly tired and irritable, and actually made his impulsiveness worse since he just seemed cranky and emotional all of the time. It also constipated him to the point that he ended up with fissures. It never made a meaningful dent in his ability to concentrate or sit still, and he became more argumentative in school and less willing to comply. I've yet to meet anyone that these work for, but it sure would be nice if there were a non-stimulant that worked. We're on stimulants now and still haven't found a miracle there, either. I will say that it didn't affect his appetite, which was nice."

• 11d...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 17, 2022

"It works slightly worse than psychostimulants (methylphenidate and amphetamines), but it lasts 12+ hrs and works for anxiety as well. Overall, a gold standard for treatment of ADHD combined with anxiety."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2017

"My son used various stimulants for years for ADHD and ODD. Now 10, newly diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and still struggling because of impulsiveness and high metabolism, the docs added non-stimulants. Intuniv dropped his BP way too low. Clonidine IR worked GREAT the first 2 days, then okay. Changed to Kapvay for long-acting effects, but we stopped because of awful insomnia for 2 weeks. I rated Clonidine IR as an 8 because when we went back to Clonidine IR, his insomnia stopped, and it decreased his impulsiveness. It just stinks that he has to take it over and over again because it's short acting."

• JES...
• April 29, 2010

"My son just recently started taking this and so far so good. It helps him sleep at night and also he has had a wonderful 4 weeks at daycare, which is unheard of for him! It just really calms him down but doesn't make him doped up."

• CDa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 1, 2019

"Sadly, clonidine left me feeling lethargic, foggy, and ultimately depressed after 3-4 weeks of daily use. Rather than persevere, I decided to stop the trial and felt better within 48-72 hours. I've given it two stars because it did help me to sleep for longer, but it didn’t improve my quality of sleep, nor did it reduce symptoms of anxiety/RSD."

• ADD...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 1, 2020

"I occasionally take half of a 0.1 mg clonidine (0.05 mg) if my stimulant medication is causing too many side effects and generally causing me to 'freak out.' It's really beneficial at slowing down your thoughts and helping to maintain focus; but if you don't have a tolerance to this medication, you will definitely become very sleepy and more distractible, lol! I find it's really great at canceling out the negative side effects of stimulant treatment (namely Adderall IR in my case), while still maintaining the focus from the stimulant."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2015

"My son is 5 and was born with FAS, has been diagnosed with ADHD and autism. He was prescribed clonidine a few weeks ago and has really started to stutter. He has had issues with being overly excited while speaking. Maybe he had a slight stutter that is now worse, we are not sure. He also takes Adderall and risperidone. For any parents with kids that have sleep issues, we use liquid melatonin at night. 3 mg works great for him, may not work for all, but thought I would share."

• Mar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 18, 2020

"My son is 14 years old, and he takes clonidine for ADHD - one upon waking and one an hour before bed to support his long-lasting Vyvanse (he's got a very high metabolism). We've used it for 3+ years, and having needed to adjust, it has worked well. Has anyone had trouble with extended/habitual coughing? For the past year, he's been cleared by ENTs, pulmonologists, etc., but we recently read about nasal and cough problems and think this is the cause. Anyone?"

• adh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 4, 2025

Clonidine "We have recently switched from clonidine XR tablets to Onyda XR due to it being a liquid, so having more flexibility with dose adjustments. Going from 0.1 mg to 0.2 mg clonidine XR was way too sedating for her. Onyda XR also works 24 hours as opposed to the 12 hours, so it's given once a day at night. My 8-year-old ADHD girl has been doing so well on it. Her impulsivity is improved, so is her focus. Much less tears and much less frustration at school. She went from getting all her questions wrong to now telling me, 'I had another great day at school.' She sleeps better and overall has less anxiety. I wish I had tried this sooner. If you have commercial insurance, make sure you apply for coupons on the manufacturer's website, it brought it down from $288 to $27 for us."

• sus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 11, 2016

Clonidine "My granddaughter started Kapvay, and she is almost 10 years old. She has been diagnosed with ADD. She was using Intuniv, but 1 mg was not enough for attention, and 2 mg made her so, so tired. Started Kapvay, and WOW…cannot sleep…huge blister on her lip…legs hurt so bad. She is almost 10 but small, she weighs 47 pounds (she was a 2.8 lb preemie-11 weeks early). Have to stop medicine. I also read that it was not a great choice for ADD alone."

• Amu...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 17, 2021

"My son's Biphentin (methylphenidate) slow release wears out by midday sometimes. Son has 0.2 mg clonidine twice daily as needed as I can't get him out the door to go outside, etc., without it. So he has one before we can go anywhere to avoid a problem. One at bedtime if that's needed, mostly it isn't, but sometimes it is to help him sleep through the night. The clonidine is amazing. Without it, phobias to guess, etc., his emotions all get the better of him and affect the day for hours. After this medication, he can focus, stay calm, and function so well. It's a fantastic medication, we used to have huge problems at home and out and about, but not when he's on this one. I have to give it before we go anywhere. Thank you to the producers of clonidine."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 27, 2020

"3 yr old son prescribed low dose clonidine, without even a diagnosis of ADHD. First few days he was sleepy but improved his mood and impulsiveness. After 4 days it made his behavior drastically worse, and within 2 weeks we discontinued."

• ora...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 25, 2017

"This review is more frustration with my doctors than this drug. I was diagnosed with inattentive-type ADHD over a year ago, although I've had it for my entire life. Because my heart rate was high, I was initially put on Strattera. Didn't work, massive headaches, gross night sweats. Gave up for a while. Finally got a new doctor, and she puts me on Catapres because it helps with anxiety (which I have bundles of), and prescribing a stimulant would lead to 'questions about her qualifications' (seriously tho). Taking it at night with my Trazodone does help put me to sleep, but has long-lasting lethargic effects during the day that end up causing ironic panic attacks at work because I hate feeling sedated when I need to be alert. Back to square one."

• And...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 4, 2021

"I had been on Vyvanse and Dexedrine for about 5 years. However, I developed an alcohol problem and ended up in long-term treatment because of it. The treatment center took me off of my stimulants to pursue non-stimulant medications, one of which was clonidine. Even on the starting dose, I noticed extreme fatigue, though when the dosage was upped after a week, I became full-on narcoleptic. Falling asleep randomly throughout the day, fatigue so extreme all you can do is sleep and think about sleep every waking moment. YMMV, but everyone else at the treatment center I was at had the same issue as me. Back on Vyvanse now, will never consider non-stimulants again."

• Rx2...
• October 27, 2009

Clonidine "I used it to come off of oxycodone, and it helped some. My doctor continued it as an adjunct to my ADHD medicines, and it was a nice mellow touch. Discontinued after a year; I take enough medicines as it is."

• Ami...
• June 29, 2015

Clonidine "My son is 6 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, Asperger's syndrome, and possible bipolar disorder. We have tried so many medications: Ritalin, Adderall, Focalin XR, Risperdal, Seroquel, and regular Clonidine. He is now taking 300 mg of Trazodone, which doesn't help, 15 mg of Abilify, and Kapvay. I've spaced the three medications out, but he still wakes up at 9 am and goes to bed at 3 am. I am at a loss right now because the psychiatrist says he's limited as to what he can put him on, but the Trazodone, I swear, seems to wire him up. He's wide awake as I am writing this post. The Kapvay does make him cranky and irritable during the afternoon. Any advice, please."

• kel...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 15, 2022

"I (age 28) take clonidine for a few things— I have ADHD (combined type but more affected by my inattentive symptoms), bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety, OCD, complex PTSD, Autism, tics. It works for me quite well, especially in terms of generalized anxiety (the very physical symptoms) and ADHD. It’s even helped me take the edge off of hypomania (bipolar). My only complaint is that I take it morning and night, and I’ve noticed my blood pressure spiking midday, and wondering if my new blood pressure issue is related to the drug withdrawing or a separate issue altogether (I am overweight). Will be checking into that. Either way, clonidine .1 twice a day works for me alongside several other drugs— Effexor XR, Rexulti, Depakote ER, Concerta, and Vistaril, as needed."