clonidine in opioid withdrawal

In my opinion, opioid withdrawal is so miserable that both can and should be used-- IF in a controlled environment, such as a detox center or hospital. But I would be very careful about prescribing benzos for outpatient withdrawal---- they are respiratory depressants, and if the person starts using opioid agonists in combination with benzos, there is significant risk for overdose and even death. Clonidine, on the other hand, doesn't have the respiratory depressant actions.

Clonidine is a medication that is generally used to ease the symptoms of opioid withdrawal. To be honest, though, clonidine is only slightly helpful, and comes with its own side effects like sedation, dry mouth, fatigue, and dizziness. Opioid withdrawal can be very severe in people taking high-potency opioids like heroin, fentanyl, or oxycodone-- so severe that people generally cannot even walk during the first week, and the legs are kicking uncontrollably.

The medication that can help depends on your symptoms. What is it you're feeling? Perhaps you are withdrawing too quickly? Some doctors like to push for small reductions every week. Others will reduce by 15-25% and let you stabilize for a month or two. The thing with tramadol is that you're withdrawing from two neurochemical aspects of the medication -- from its opioid action and from its serotonin reuptake inhibitor action.

Sorry, I didn't answer your questions about "how" it helps. This is what WebMD says about it: Clonidine is a blood pressure medicine that acts on the brain. Clonidine reduces the effects of the "fight or flight" response, which is over-activated during opioid withdrawal. However, clonidine does nothing to reduce drug craving, and is mostly ineffective when used alone.

The problem is that it is still not completely FDA approved and only certain approved docs can prescribe. You will have to call many of them in your area in order to find a Doc that is not predatory in the way he/she prices his treatment. In Portland, OR for example, there are only two Doctors who are reasonable in their pricing and the rest are absolutely immoral in the way they profit from this care.

Today, I was curious about how long does it take to detox and didnt see any comments about Clonidine. If anyone can get your hands on it, it is a life-saver during the withdrawal period. Last time I only took it a few days. a week tops. I would pop one every now and then if I felt jittery. It is not a controlled substance and there is NO risk for addicton to this medication (Clonidine). I am suprised it is not more widely discussed or known about.

The quacks would call it "reactive depression" combined with "opioid withdrawal-induced depression," if you care about pigeon-holing. Oh, and mosts doctors aren't quacks -- just a short-form I use ... Have you ever been treated for "endogenous depression," which is a blanket term for "We have no idea what's causing it -- here, take these.

Hey...clonidine is a blood pressure Med they have used in withdrawal for qiute some time...I'm taking it now, only b4 bed, it helps & kinda knocks me out for 2hrs at most..but yes I say clonidine has definitely helped me!!!..after sitting get up sloooow, or u kinda black out...at least I do!!..LOL...

I would read the posts on this site about suboxone withdrawal. I have seen many people report that the sub withdrawal was worse than the drug of choice I was on hydro and oxy for many years. I used valium for the first few days and clonidine or another sleeping aide cant remember now for about 5 days. It did take the edge off quite a bit. But withdrawal isn't painless for sure.

But.. opioid withdrawal is NOT necessarily associated with increases in blood pressure. I suppose it may be in some people. But in my case, my blood pressure was very low during withdrawal. In fact, the doc in my detox wrote to 'hold clonidine if BP less than 90'-- and I could not get a dose for the 4 days I was there, as my systolic BP never broke 90! Of course, I was dehydrated from diarrhea and sweating buckets...

He actually got angry and walked out of the room,called in 90 tramadol 50mg and .02 clonidine blood pressure patches.Tomorrow is the last day of my patch. Am I going to be okay? Does anyone know what can happen. I haven't abused my meds but have real chronic pain. I have no Insurance...what in the world will I do?

The initial fentanyl reduction was from 200 ug to 175, however, I am very sensitive to any reduction. (I tried going from 200 to 150 and was in severe withdrawal.) . I have heard many benefis of clonidine and asked for a prescription of .1 mg BID. I also asked for an rx for gabepentin, i know this is for nerve pain but I have heard it used off lable for arthritis. I have also heard it is excellent for treating withdrawal symptoms.

this was only how it hit me, the wds off Gabe were more intense than any opioid I ever withdrawal Ed from. I went thru a Dr supervised taper. took over 6 months. Your Taper Buddy- providing you'd like one.

anyone have any info on using Clonidine .1 mg for opiate withdrawal systems? Suppose to be a high blood pressure medication, but says it can be used for withdrawal systems too? wondering if it really works?

You would have a hard time finding pure buperenorphine anyway (sold under the brand Temgesic, and only in injectable form I think). Suboxone is designed specifically for the purpose of opioid withdrawal management and not as an analgesic pain killer as Temgesic is. Get her back into her Suboxone doctor ASAP. He will advise you as to how to proceed. As I said, she needs to stop the heroin cold turkey and go without it for at least 12 hours, better if she can hold out longer.

well at first I would say that methadone has a 36hr half life so acute withdrawal will not set in until the 3rd day if you do not have any it will get progressive worst day one will be uncomfortable day 2 will have a lot of anxiety sweets and day 3 it will hit with force a lot has a lot to due with how high your dose is how long you been on it and your age I would not recommend this fill us im on the dose and how long you been on it............................Gnarly.......................

I have chronic back pain, disc problems, spinal stenosis, bone spurs in neck and ruptured disc in lumbar. I am a 54 yr old woman and had to go out of work in sept 2011 due to these issues. Surgery not an option. This medicine has made me depend any on it for quite some time. I have to take care of both elder parents, mother with dementia. I have a full load daily. Found that I will run out of meds which I have done currently. having withdrawals which are terrible.

Short answer: Yes it is safe. Long answer: Vicodin contains paracetamol & hydrocodone, and Zoloft contains sertraline. paracetamol is a non-opioid analgesic, hydrocodone is an opioid, and sertaline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). These classes of drug do not react with each other.

Despite of the many claims of illiterate doctors, Ultram is a synthetic opioid and is the worst-take it from a former user, and many others here can sat the same-Its wd effects are very difficult to handle and considered by people that have use them and other painkillers, that Ultram is the most difficult to w/d and the more painful.

Clonidine in opioid withdrawal

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