Clonidine and Drowsiness: What Users Say (Page 3)

• phe...
• February 7, 2011

Clonidine for ADHD "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."

• man...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 24, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "I take it at night because my doc said it could cause drowsiness, but I have taken it during the day if I have a BP spike, and I've never had drowsiness or dizziness. Guess I'm lucky considering what I have read here. I also take amlodipine in the morning and don't have any side effects with that."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 19, 2021

For Anxiety "I was given clonidine 0.1 mg to take as needed for anxiety, and it works really well. I am in recovery from drugs and alcohol and cannot take any mood-altering substances. I took meds like Buspar and Vistaril previously for anxiety, and they did nothing. I also have bipolar II disorder (rapid cycling), and I've noticed that when I'm in my depressive episodes, clonidine helps my mood too. I don't know how that works, but it does. I was sensitive to clonidine when I first began taking it, and I would go to sleep. I only take it 3-7 days (1x/day) per month, but my body is used to it now, and I do not get drowsy. I am also pregnant, but I'm okay to take it."

• Bil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 10, 2019

For Anxiety "Psychiatrist prescribed 0.1 mcg clonidine once a day for anxiety, then upped to twice a day. I also take 20 mg duloxetine, 20 mg buspirone, and 40 mg dicyclomine every 6 hours for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Clonidine may help a little, but leaves me so drowsy I can barely function. It also causes severe dry mouth. I doubt I’ll be able to stick with it. Xanax works well for me, but I have to restrict use to avoid dependence. A higher dose of duloxetine helps reduce anxiety but causes severe constipation."

• Emm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 14, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "I am new to this drug. I've never had high blood pressure before now. Weight gain doesn't help it. I was on Norvasc 5 mg. It made my heart race and my face bright red. I called the pharmacy and asked about cutting it in half. They said it was okay to do. My pill cutter is inaccurate, so it was more like a 2/3 to 1/3 split when I cut it. I am cowardly regarding Rx medicine. I took the 1/3 pill. Same exact reaction - very fast heartbeat and red face. I was only walking from the kitchen to the computer - not exercising. So I had this one (Clonidine) in the ER when I went in for back pain (which turned out to be shingles). It worked quickly in the ER but made me dopey. I'm going to try it for a week. I'm in my mid 60s."

• Jes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 27, 2019

For Insomnia, Stimulant-Associated "Got on this for chronic insomnia. Seemed to help the first day but not after that. It made me lose my vision for a second when I stood up out of bed and consistently woke up for the day at 3-4 a.m. if I could fall asleep around 11. Left me feeling so groggy in the day I couldn't really function at work. Worse than no meds and insomnia."

• Anonymous
• February 4, 2009

For Opiate Withdrawal "Works great for the withdrawal from Dilaudid and OxyContin, which I have been on for at least 2 years. The sweats were awful part of the withdrawal, and this patch has taken all that away. Just a little dizzy and drowsy, hoping that will pass. It's only been 2 weeks."

• lan...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 25, 2017

For Insomnia, Stimulant-Associated "I've been taking this medicine since I was little (4-6 years old?). It helped for a few years, but now suddenly the side effects have been hitting me hard for 2 years. I definitely don't recommend this medicine for sleep, as it is a high blood pressure medication. It makes my blood pressure extremely low, to the point my legs give out and I can't help but fall to the floor. I get very pale, drowsy, lightheaded, weak, and it's not nice. It doesn't really help me 'sleep' anymore, I wake up 2-3 hours later, and sometimes I wake up more than once. And the pills always seem to be in my system, I experience side effects every day. I totally regret my mom putting me on this medicine."

• Aus...
• September 8, 2015

For Anxiety "My psychiatrist prescribed this for me for my anxiety (I worry about every little thing), and it worked, but it made me extremely drowsy during the day. I was taking 0.1 mg three times a day. I am a full-time college student, so that didn't work out too well. I couldn't really tell if it was helping with my anxiety or not. I only took it for two weeks."

• Nih...
• February 5, 2018

For Tourette's Syndrome "I have never used medication for my tics. I have always had a high frequency, but my tics are very mild and hard to notice. At the age of 23, my life got consumed by my tics. I was struggling with severe tic anxiety, which made my tics significantly worse. I ended up having between 10-20 mild tics every minute. I started taking 0.15 clonidine 3x a day, and after roughly two months, my tics reduced significantly and my anxiety was gone, further reducing my tics. My tic frequency has been reduced by roughly 90-95%. The only bad side effect I have is trouble sleeping (I wake up too early). My other side effects are mild sedation, which helps my ADHD, and dry mouth and dry hands, which are beneficial as I used to have sweaty hands and excessive saliva production. Start with a lower dose. I started on 0.15 three a day, and I was sick for the first week. I am also a big 6'2" fellah who attends the gym rather frequently, so I had my body weight in my favor too. Be careful starting your treatment!"

• LOV...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 13, 2017

For Tourette's Syndrome "Oh my God. This stuff is no joke. It's time for me to talk about this one. I have a lot to say. First of all, this stuff works very quickly in almost completely neutralizing tics. It also works almost instantly. The problem: a lot of side effects. This stuff will basically knock you out the first time you take it. I used to be on 0.3 mg three times a day. I slept for three days straight, except for getting up maybe two or three times a day to urinate, in a fog. I honestly don't remember hardly any of it for the first few months I was taking it. It's all just a blur. It also made my blood pressure drop very low. I'm talking fainting as soon as I stand up low. NEVER mix this drug with alcohol. I'm on 0.1 mg now. It's much better."

• Ash...
• December 21, 2015

For Tourette's Syndrome "After 3 days of taking clonidine (50 mcg twice a day), I can't bear to continue. I've had little to no relief from my tics, and the side effects surely outweigh any minor benefit. Side effects have included: dry mouth, increased thirst, irritability, mood swings, extreme feelings of anger, constipation, nausea, drowsiness, nightmares, feeling like I'm in a constant, almost disassociated state, and dizziness. My vocal tics before starting this medication were generally only at a normal speaking level of voice, and I could usually tell when I was about to tic, but they have increased to loud yelling with little or no premonitory urge. I would like to have tried this drug for longer, but due to the side effects, I will not be continuing it."

• Nig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2023

For Anxiety "Took the first dose to lower anxiety and regulate emotional reactivity from GAD, complex PTSD, OCD, and ADHD (combined type), and ASD. Being a night owl with all those conditions, I struggle with sleep avoidance insomnia (aka revenge bedtime procrastination), especially during stressful, high-demand times when I don’t get enough solitude and downtime during the day. Times like these are the reason I’m trying this medication. The biggest thing to consider is timing the dose based on when you need to wake and get going in the morning. Last night, my willful hermiting self decided to take the new pill at 12:45 a.m. without regard for morning me, who had to get up before 8 a.m. Felt extra groggy and cranky, of course. Lesson learned: take clonidine the optimal number of hours before scheduled wake-up time. Based on other reviews, I’m guessing about 10 hours. Will need to experiment and track times/effects to fine-tune. Hope it helps with all my angst-related issues — time will tell."

• sop...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 1, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "For some reason, this was the very first med my doctor RX'd me for hypertension at a dosage of 0.1 mg twice a day. It lowered my blood pressure, but not by much, so he increased it to 0.2 mg twice per day. Blood pressure still high, and he AGAIN increased it to 0.2 mg 3 times a day. It lowered my blood pressure very little, but mostly it just made me groggy and gave me dry mouth. He finally added metoprolol XR, and my blood pressure is getting better. However, the clonidine does come in handy for other things like opiate withdrawal, sleep, and headache prevention."

• Don...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 21, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "In a nutshell, my experience was horrible. Extreme fatigue to the point of not being able to get up from the couch for several days. The fatigue was coupled with dizziness. Also, I would fall asleep while doing things, like in the middle of a conversation. It really didn’t help me much in lowering my BP."

• Geo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 30, 2016

For Perimenopausal Symptoms "My oncologist put me on clonidine two days ago for nighttime hot flashes caused by chemo for breast cancer in 2009. My cancer was estrogen-based, so I can't do HRT. I'm on an estrogen blocker. My hot flashes start immediately when I go to bed, and it takes me several hours to go to sleep. After taking the clonidine the first night, I slept from 10 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. and could not go back to sleep due to the hot flashes. Last night I got 4 hours of intermittent sleep with no change in hot flashes. Little sleep coupled with the drowsiness side effect of the med is really kicking my butt. Since it's really not helping with the hot flashes, I'm not taking it anymore. I'll live with the hot flashes."

• Met...
• December 5, 2017

For Perimenopausal Symptoms "Have been having hot flushes for years at night, which are getting worse. Tried HRT for years but had to come off because of my age. Chemist suggested I ask the doctor about this drug. After 3 days, I couldn't keep my eyes open. I managed for 4 hours, then went to sleep for 4 hours. Hot flushes don't seem quite as bad. I only hope that this tiredness and drowsiness goes. Can't be doing with this."

• tap...
• June 18, 2019

For Opiate Withdrawal "I’ve been taking prescription fentanyl, high dose, for 15 years after a bad lupus attack and transverse myelitis that damaged my spinal cord, muscles, and nerves. The end result was chronic, excruciating pain, and my neurologist prescribed fentanyl patches. Now it is considered the evil of all opiates. I am currently on 200 mcg, and my doctors want me to taper down. I tried clonidine for 2 days, but all it did was make me drowsy and gave me a very dry mouth and dry eyes. It did nothing for my withdrawals and the agonizing myoclonic jerks. Some people say they tried it after 3 days of withdrawals, and it worked wonders. Acute withdrawals often don’t last more than 3 days, so if you made it that far, you were probably over the worst of it anyway, and clonidine likely had little to do with your recovery. With or without clonidine, I can’t get through even a few hours of withdrawals yet. I am still hoping to find something to help me get through it."

• RLG...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 14, 2022

For Tourette's Syndrome "My son started with tics at 4 years of age, with throat clearing, which escalated to multiple motor tics. At age 7, he started bilateral shoulder shrugs and smacking himself in the nose/sinus area, for which brought him relief. Also, smacking his ears sometimes. The neurologist complied with our request to start meds at that point. He’s now 7 1/2, and his motor tics are very, very well controlled on meds. He still clears his throat throughout the day and blinks occasionally, but he can suppress it during school for the most part. It also helps with his ADHD, so he’s much better with 2nd-grade homework. Major improvement over 1st-grade homework, which required more of our time as parents. Currently, he takes 1/2 tablet in the morning, then 1/4 tablet with his lunch (he takes it himself), then another 1/4 tablet around 3:30 pm, then a full tablet at 7:30 pm. Every time we try more than 1/2 tablet, it makes him very drowsy, so we back off. No dry mouth and no blood pressure issues."

• Oka...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 25, 2021

For Opiate Withdrawal "I’ve been on Norco 10 mgs 3 times a day since 2013. I was using it as the doctor said, but who am I kidding, I enjoyed the buzz and the energy it gave me. My pain specialist's office recently shut down, and I couldn’t get Norco anymore (legally, at least). So, I talked to my primary care physician and was prescribed clonidine 0.1 mg 3 times a day, and for the first day, it didn’t work. The second day, I couldn’t take it, so I did 0.2 every 4 hours, and that’s what helped me. The 2nd and 3rd day weren’t so bad, just sleepy and feeling heavy, plus some sedation, but overall, I’m on my 5th day. I stopped clonidine this morning, hope everything goes well from now on. (Do not stop clonidine on your own.) I tapered off in one day because I’m on roofs working, and I can’t be sleepy up there. Good luck."

• Riv...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "Was recently at the doctor, and my BP had spiked, so he tried adding clonidine twice a day. After the 1st dose, just before going to bed, I was initially a little dizzy (not bad), and I slept well. However, later, when I was driving home from an appointment, I nearly passed out. Not good! After the next dose, same dizziness and drowsiness and later followed by again almost passing out. The 1st 2 symptoms can be handled, but the risk of passing out while driving is not worth it."

• fre...
• February 1, 2017

For Tourette's Syndrome "Clonidine was the first medication I tried after being diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at age 14. I took it for about a month, and it heavily sedated me, thereby helping my minor tics. I took it again for about a week when I was 21, 0.1 mg prescribed by another neurologist. This second time, I did not notice any sedation but instead experienced a day of constipation, so I discontinued."

• Eli...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 2, 2021

For Tourette's Syndrome "I take 0.1 mg of generic clonidine ER every night. I started this med to help with a combination of anxiety, Tourette's, and ADHD-like symptoms. But the biggest benefit I've had is with my borderline personality disorder. I get agitated and aggressive very easily, and clonidine has significantly reduced my impulses and leveled out my mood. It hasn't helped much with attention or tics, but I'm sleeping better, and it definitely helps me not be so on edge. Sometimes it can be hard to get out of bed in the morning, but nowhere near as bad as the antipsychotics I used to take. Once I'm up and about, I don't notice any drowsiness at all. I definitely recommend trying clonidine if you get agitated easily."

• Chu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 29, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "I have the side effects others have mentioned -- drowsiness, dry mouth, etc. -- but they're manageable. Sometimes it works great to control my blood pressure, but other times it's totally ineffective (on the same day). I would rate it higher if it wasn't so inconsistent."

• lif...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 6, 2021

For Insomnia, Stimulant-Associated "I was diagnosed with insomnia in high school and was prescribed trazodone. While that did the job, it did it a little too well considering I woke up groggy every morning. I spoke to my psychiatrist, and he prescribed clonidine 0.2 mg, which has changed my life! I can take it early or late in the night, and it will knock me out within 30 minutes, give me uninterrupted sleep, and not leave me drowsy in the morning. My psychiatrist told me it’s to help my body fall asleep but not stay asleep since I can rest deeply on my own with a little help."