Harm Reduction Cocaine and Clonidine safe together?

[SuperPsych]

I'm wondering if it's safe to take Clonidine to help with the high blood pressure from a night of coke use. I've looked it up and am having a hard time finding a clear answer. I can't seem to find any sort of medical literature on the subject and after searching Bluelight and another online forum, I have found that some people say it's safe, some people say that it's a no-no.

Some people say it's unsafe to use a-2 adrenergic receptor agonists like Clonidine with cocaine but safe with other stimulants. Some say that it is safe but not to use beta blockers.

Does anyone have an answer? I would be using 0.1mg of clonidine or less

 

[CFC]

It's quite safe to use Clonidine alongside cocaine (or other stimulants like amphetamines). However, for most people, you would expect it to deaden the high quite a bit because of the way it works pre-synaptically to shut down adrenergic signalling in certain parts of the brain and CNS. In my case it totally kills most stimulant effects and so is best used afterwards (comedown) to shift the body towards sleep. From time to time I've read others who found it had minimal effect on their subjective pleasure though, so it's likely a case of figuring it out for yourself.

FWIW you're also safe to use a beta-blocker with any stimulant. You're right that there is some very dated, unproven dogma regarding so-called "unopposed alpha stimulation" from beta-blocker use with stimulants. However, more recent research that actually bothered to investigate patients in hospitals given beta-blockers categorically refutes that nonsense, and has demonstrated clear safety and efficacy of using them to attenuate stimulant side-effects even in cases of extreme stimulant overdoses.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Although don’t be tempted to also throw a Seroquel into the mix, especially near the top of your peak. Stimulants + clonidine + Seroquel = likely hypotensive crisis.

It seems to make logical sense to combine them to cut short a high and get some sleep but the effects are quickly addiditive.

 

[SuperPsych]

It's quite safe to use Clonidine alongside cocaine (or other stimulants like amphetamines). However, for most people, you would expect it to deaden the high quite a bit because of the way it works pre-synaptically to shut down adrenergic signalling in certain parts of the brain and CNS. In my case it totally kills most stimulant effects and so is best used afterwards (comedown) to shift the body towards sleep. From time to time I've read others who found it had minimal effect on their subjective pleasure though, so it's likely a case of figuring it out for yourself.

FWIW you're also safe to use a beta-blocker with any stimulant. You're right that there is some very dated, unproven dogma regarding so-called "unopposed alpha stimulation" from beta-blocker use with stimulants. However, more recent research that actually bothered to investigate patients in hospitals given beta-blockers categorically refutes that nonsense, and has demonstrated clear safety and efficacy of using them to attenuate stimulant side-effects even in cases of extreme stimulant overdoses.

Awesome! Thanks for the detailed response. I feel a little better after about giving it a try. I'll start slow if I find the need to consume Clonidine after any stimulant. Wanted to try it last night but hadn't seen your response yet. Took a couple lines of blow and felt like My heart was gonna hop out of my chest. It seems like it'd be a great help so I'm happy to hear that they appear safe.

 

[SuperPsych]

Although don’t be tempted to also throw a Seroquel into the mix, especially near the top of your peak. Stimulants + clonidine + Seroquel = likely hypotensive crisis.

It seems to make logical sense to combine them to cut short a high and get some sleep but the effects are quickly addiditive.

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind! I don't have seroquel available but was thinking about trying to get some last night when I couldn't sleep. I'll probably avoid it now though! I didn't know about that risk

 

[Jabberwocky]

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind! I don't have seroquel available but was thinking about trying to get some last night when I couldn't sleep. I'll probably avoid it now though! I didn't know about that risk

By itself is fine and Clonidine by itself is fine. It’s only when you mix them with stimulants that you potentially get a hypotensive crisis. Which is indescribably frightening too have when you are very high.

 

[SuperPsych]

By itself is fine and Clonidine by itself is fine. It’s only when you mix them with stimulants that you potentially get a hypotensive crisis. Which is indescribably frightening too have when you are very high.

I can imagine that it's terrifying. Thanks for clearing it up for me. Been on a bit of a coke binge the past 3 days and have had a few moments where I really wanted to take Clonidine to ease the High BP. I've been too scared to give it a try thus far, and for good reason it sounds like. Well if I do end up needing to give it a shot I'll try to wait until a few hours into the comedown

 

[CFC]

I can imagine that it's terrifying. Thanks for clearing it up for me. Been on a bit of a coke binge the past 3 days and have had a few moments where I really wanted to take Clonidine to ease the High BP. I've been too scared to give it a try thus far, and for good reason it sounds like. Well if I do end up needing to give it a shot I'll try to wait until a few hours into the comedown

A beta-blocker is going to have less of an impact on your subjective pleasure during a binge than an alpha blocker or a drug like clonidine, so that might be a safer bet if you find your BP and heart rate are becoming dangerously high for too long and you're determined not to stop the binge.

As ever though, make sure you try to eat/drink and rest at least a little during your binges, and do try your hardest not to stay up for several days or use large amounts.