Bomb319
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2011
- Messages
- 583
I've run out of Clonidine and can't get a refill because nothing is open until at LEAST Monday Even then, it's gonna be so busy I will never get in to see the doctor. The same thing happened last week when I went in several times to get my Rx refill, yet only ONE doctor was working and about ten people were waiting! I never would've gotten in. Even though I take 220 mg methadone daily, I metabolize it quickly and start going through mild to moderate withdrawal between 16-24 hours; ergo, the Clonidine. It definitely helps with w/d if present, sleep, and even anxiety. But mostly, it's the anti-hypertensive effect that I need.
The last couple times I ran out of Clonidine early from taking a bit more than prescribed on occasion (up to 1.0 mg), I felt like SHIT - nearly as bad as straight-up opiate w/d with many of the same side-effects. When I take it daily (0.5 mg in 2 separate doses morning and night) and run out, it feels like it's somehow combined itself with the methadone so that it becomes necessary to take the Clonidine for the methadone to work as well. I also had the beginnings of a panic attack and was sweating profusely with my heart rate through the roof. My blood pressure was way too high for my liking - around 160/125 with a pulse of 123. Granted, I had just walked to the pharmacy and didn't have a chance to rest, began half-panicking during the test in the first place, and fighting withdrawal from both drugs, so I doubt it would have been so high otherwise.
Still, there is a definite rebound hypertension, and just the thought of going through withdrawal and dealing with it scare me enough to make me flip out and worry I'm going to have a heart attack - that of course making it much worse. My doctor always just told me that stopping it any time was fine, that it doesn't cause physical dependence, etc. Bull.
The last couple times I ran out of Clonidine early from taking a bit more than prescribed on occasion (up to 1.0 mg), I felt like SHIT - nearly as bad as straight-up opiate w/d with many of the same side-effects. When I take it daily (0.5 mg in 2 separate doses morning and night) and run out, it feels like it's somehow combined itself with the methadone so that it becomes necessary to take the Clonidine for the methadone to work as well. I also had the beginnings of a panic attack and was sweating profusely with my heart rate through the roof. My blood pressure was way too high for my liking - around 160/125 with a pulse of 123. Granted, I had just walked to the pharmacy and didn't have a chance to rest, began half-panicking during the test in the first place, and fighting withdrawal from both drugs, so I doubt it would have been so high otherwise.
Still, there is a definite rebound hypertension, and just the thought of going through withdrawal and dealing with it scare me enough to make me flip out and worry I'm going to have a heart attack - that of course making it much worse. My doctor always just told me that stopping it any time was fine, that it doesn't cause physical dependence, etc. Bull.