![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tomatheus on January 13, 2012, at 0:28:53
Hi Babblers,
I'm considering asking my psychiatrist about clonidine the next time that I see him. What I'm hoping that the medication might help me with are my concentration difficulties, overall cognitive impairment, positive psychotic symptoms (particularly ideas of reference, pseudohallucinations, and sound hallucinations), and restlessness.
At the same time, I suffer from anergic depression, and that for me involves hypersomnia and a delayed sleep phase. I'm aware that clonidine can potentially worsen depressive symptoms, but what I'm interested in knowing is how those of you who've taken the medication ended up sleeping while you were taking it.
Was it easier falling asleep on clonidine? What about waking up? Did you spend less time asleep, more time asleep, or about the same amount of time asleep as usual while you were on clonidine? Finally, how soundly did you sleep when you took clonidine? Did you sleep through the night without waking up much if at all, or was your sleep interrupted and fragmented?
Any responses would be appreciated.
Tomatheus
Posted by SLS on January 13, 2012, at 6:16:19
In reply to Clonidine and sleep, posted by Tomatheus on January 13, 2012, at 0:28:53
Hi.
I know you already know this, but...
I know only one person who ever took clonidine. She took it for high blood pressure. She had no history of mental illness. She became very depressed while taking clonidine. The depression resolved immediately upon its discontinuation. I never asked her about sleep.
If you have enough evidence that clonidine would help with sleep, it won't cost you much to try it. If you get depressed, you simply stop taking it, and the depression should resolve quickly.
What about guanfacine? It is worth a look.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on January 13, 2012, at 10:01:29
In reply to Re: Clonidine and sleep » Tomatheus, posted by SLS on January 13, 2012, at 6:16:19
Clonodine causes depression? they used to give it for addicts during acute withdrawal. Doesn't sound like it would have helped not want to use if causes depression? Phillipa
Posted by Tomatheus on January 13, 2012, at 21:00:51
In reply to Re: Clonidine and sleep » Tomatheus, posted by SLS on January 13, 2012, at 6:16:19
Scott,
Thank you for your reply. I don't think that the evidence that clonidine might help with my sleep is impressive, although there does seem to be evidence that the medication suppresses REM sleep and prolongs slow-wave sleep at higher doses. I also came across a post on another forum from someone who reported falling asleep more quickly and waking up more easily while taking clonidine, so that got me wondering about how it might affect my hypersomnia and sleep/wake difficulties.
I think that the evidence that clonidine might help with my concentration, overall cognition, and psychosis is somewhat compelling, hence my desire to ask my psychiatrist about it. I also agree that guanfacine is worth considering, and I wonder if it might be less likely to worsen my depressive symptoms than clonidine. If I make it to my next scheduled appointment with my psychiatrist, I think I will go in there with the goal of discussing both clonidine and guanfacine.
Tomatheus
Posted by emmanuel98 on January 14, 2012, at 18:53:39
In reply to Re: Clonidine and sleep » SLS, posted by Tomatheus on January 13, 2012, at 21:00:51
They still give it to opiate addicts in acute withdrawal, mostly to help them sleep.
Posted by Phillipa on January 14, 2012, at 19:45:58
In reply to Re: Clonidine and sleep, posted by emmanuel98 on January 14, 2012, at 18:53:39
That's what I thought. Phillipa
Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on January 14, 2012, at 20:05:55
In reply to Re: Clonidine and sleep » emmanuel98, posted by Phillipa on January 14, 2012, at 19:45:58
Well, all I can tell you is that it can slow things down. I am on .1mg X 4 daily for anxiety and high blood pressure.
It will slow some reaction time depending on what dose your on but im sure the doctor will start you on .1mg x 2-3 daily and that shouldnt have any effect on psychomotor skills. It's only higher doses that it slows down some speed. It mainly relaxes the blood vessels in the human body making it easier for blood to flow and slow down.
It will help you sleep but it also can cause depression depedning on what dose you take.
Posted by Tomatheus on January 14, 2012, at 22:11:05
In reply to Re: Clonidine and sleep, posted by emmanuel98 on January 14, 2012, at 18:53:39
Interesting. Thanks for your post, emmanuel98.
Tomatheus
Posted by Tomatheus on January 14, 2012, at 22:25:16
In reply to I take Clonodine, posted by rjlockhart04-08 on January 14, 2012, at 20:05:55
RJ,
Thank you for your post. I'm not really big on the idea of being slowed down since psychomotor retardation has been a problem for me for a long time, but from what you've written, it sounds like added psychomotor retardation from the clonidine shouldn't be a big problem as long as I take a low dose. Plus, my psychomotor retardation isn't nearly as bad as it used to be before I took aminoguanidine and began experiencing cognitive impairment and psychotic symptoms, so maybe clonidine will do me some good without being too intolerable, assuming that my doctor doesn't put me on too high of a dose.
Do you take clonidine for ADD/ADHD? How long have you been taking it for?
Tomatheus
Posted by Tomatheus on January 15, 2012, at 0:24:30
In reply to I take Clonodine, posted by rjlockhart04-08 on January 14, 2012, at 20:05:55
RJ,
Please disregard the question I asked concerning what you take clonidine for. I see that you wrote in your post that you take it for anxiety and high blood pressure. For some reason, I forgot about that as I was writing my post.
Tomatheus
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.