Clonidine for NIght Sweats Options

[nancybc]

HI Everyone,I'm new to the website and have been reading the posts on Night Sweats before "jumping in".I'm 65 and have been on HRT for over 20 years. When I tried to stop last year the sweats and insomnia were miserable. Like all of you, nightime was not my favorite time. I went back on jsut to get relief. After the latest findings, I asked my family physician for some help in tapering off. He has prescribed Clonidine - a drug that is used to help addicts come off their addictions as well as some other uses. It affects the autonomic nervous system and is supposed to be good for short term use. Relieves the sweats and helps induce sleep. I have not seen this drug mentioned anywhere on this site. Anyone familiar with it? Has your doctor mentioned it? I'm in British Columbia but have immigrated here from the States so I know about health care there-but no US physician mentioned it to me.Sure would like to learn more before I start on it. I am still tapering off the HRT so it wil be a month or so before I'm ready.What do you think?Regards,Nancy

[Suseyq]

Clonidine is used to treat high blood pressure.  The main problem with clonidine is that it can have serious side effects (did he tell you that), including sweating, tremors, flushing and severe high blood pressure.  Can cause severe depression.  This info is from my trusty "Worst Pills Best Pills".  It is on the do not take list.  I don't think that is your best bet for night sweats and hot flashes!  Try something like Black Cohosh, some other herb.  There's info on this site.  (PS, you have to withdraw from clonidine-causes those same symptoms if you stop suddenly!!)  Your body was addicted to estrogen.  It just needs to readjust, but not with clonidine!  Good Luck.

[nancybc]

Thanks, Suseyq,I've not read  about all the nasty side affects. I'm sure they vary from person to person just like herbs etc. do. I am really interested in your Worst Pills list. Where is that located? It's so tough to make the right decisions due to potential side affects, cost, other drugs that might interact. I guess it boils down to trial and error. My guess is that if the male CEO's and military commanders had our symptoms and they were interfering with the running of business or country, we would have had a great solution years ago!Thanks for the input!Nancy

[Suseyq]

Nancybc:  The book I refer to, "Worst Pills, Best Pills" is by Sidney M Wolfe, MD, Larry Sasich, Pharm.D., MPH, Roseellen Hope, RPH., and Public Citizens' Health Research Group.  The later is a large watchdog organization especially for the over 60 population on drugs.  These were not occasional side effect and far from minor.  When they put a drug on the NO list, it is serious.  Drs. and the drug industry do not like this organization.  I had my mother almost die on Christmas Eve two years ago due to a drug interaction.  This book stated the two drugs should not be given together.  To this day her Dr. doesn't believe it.  However, she almost died.  I put my faith in this book, not some of the Drs. and drug companies.  (they find out about interactions after the fact, drugs are not studied for that) However, the Dr. put on her record never to give her those two drugs!  

[nancybc]

Thanks again Suseyq!Your experience with your mother(thank goodness she's ok!) Just proves again that we need to be careful. I'll see if that book is in the library here in British Columbia.I appreciate your taking time to give me such detailed information!Regards,Nancy

[winnie54]

Nancybc, I'm also from B.C., my doctor prescribed clonidine for night sweats also...it made me to drugged I couldn't function the next day, I have only taken 3 pills..I only take them when I really need some relieve but I still woke up with night sweats just not so many.

[nancybc]

Winnie,Wow,what a bummer! What dosage did he give you?So sorry to hear about the side effects. Not only do you still have the sweats but your daytime hours are affected. I haven't filled the prescription yet as I am still tapering off.  Thanks for sharing your experience!Nancy

[Lori]

Hi,I took Clonidine for night sweats and sleep for quite awhile.  It really didn't help me as I woke up during the night still and sweating.  It also took me a long time to come off of the medication.  My nervous system is in overdrive and I would cut the pill down by 1/4 and feel every cut.  I have since changed to prometrium at night and I sleep much better without the night sweats unless my hormones fluctuate.  I'm still in peri.  Prometrium has been a godsend to me.   Lori

[nancybc]

Hi Lori,Prometrium is a new one for me! I'll look it up and talk to my doctor as Clonidine seems to have to many negatives attached to it for our symptoms.Thanks so much for letting me know about it!Nancy

[Lori]

Hi Nancybc,Prometrium is a natural progesterone.  It is taken orally.  It comes in 100mg and 200mg.  I take 200mg.  I started on 100mg but I still didn't sleep well so they increased my dosing.  It can make you feel really out of it.  I take it before I go to bed and it works really well.  I don't try to stay awake with it because sometimes you feel really drunk from it.  But these days I welcome being knocked out at night and sleeping well.  Good luck to you, Lori.

[Lapwing49]

I saw a nurse practitioner the other day and she recommended clonodine for my severe night sweats.  The dosage is .1 milligram once a day at bedtime.  I am so desperate and have tried so many things (including Revival, black cohosh, vitamin E -- you name it) that I was willing to give it a try.  The first night it did nothing.  In fact my night sweats and insomnia seemed worse.  She told me I could double the dose and that I should try it for 30 days before giving up.  Last night I took two and could feel the sweat spurting off my back at my usual first-sweat time of 1:30 a.m.

Has anyone tried using this for an extended period?  I'm willing to give it a chance.  I already have low blood pressure, so I'm not sure what happens when you lower it further.  But I want so much to sleep.  My whole life is affected by this chronic insomnia.

[Suseyq]

I am still not sure why practioners prescribe clonidine for menopause.  One of the side effects is sweating, along with possible tremors, flushing and high blood pressure!  It is, ironically, a blood pressure medicine!  It can also cause severe depression and is dangerous for anyone with a history of depression (from "Worst Pills/Best Pills".  Seems with all the new ways to treat hot flashes, etc., this is something that's being ill advisedly prescribed for some unknown reason.  Perhaps to find a use for a drug that is no longer recommended for hypertension?  (This is not my idea, it has been discussed in some publications)  Also you have to avoid sudden withdrawal.  Can cause severe sweating if you miss doses!  Odd drug for menopause.

[nancybc]

HI,Since my last post I slowly weaned away from the HRT. I was afraid  that the sweats would return with a fury-but- I've been lucky. I stopped altogether about three weeks ago and have had mild sweats and no real insomnia. I can tolerate the sweats as long as they don't get worse. HOpefully they will either recede or go away  soon.I have not taken any thing else but will try and increase soy .So sorry there is no easy way to get around these symptoms!Nancy