Hi all, just wondering if anybody has tried Clonidine tablets? I am being woken up 4 times a night with hot flushes and finding lack of sleep is making life a bit tough. My doctor suggested these. They slow the nervous system down which in turn calms the hot flushes. Thanks
Maria
Hi Meltdown, yes my brand is also called Catapress and I am finding it so much better at night. I have upped the night dose to half a tablet and will do the same with the morning one. I didn't think it was working so well cause come about 8pm at night while resting in front of the telly the flushes were so bad when I realised it was 12 hours since I'd taken the morning dose. As it is a blood pressure reducing medication and my blood pressure is on the higher side it shouldn't be a problem. Good luck with your upcoming treatment, hope you find ways to cope with the hot flushes and other problems.
Regards Maria
When I was diagnosed last year with breast cancer the doctor immediatley stopped my HRT so the hot flushed came back 100 fold.
Nothing we could do at that time apart from having operation, then radiation and going from there. I found the Catapress (Clondine) helped me intensely.
I start cancer drugs in a fortnight and they apparently can have hot flushes as well as a side effect. So all good times ahead although I figure will just increase Catapress if I have a problem. FYI am already on Effexor so they do not help my hot flushes.
Good luck and take care.
Thanks Nadine, think I will give it a go. I am already on an anti depressant that is having no effect. I agree no wonder they use sleep deprivation as torture.
Maria
Hi Maria. I have been on this drug for 5 weeks now. I started off with a quarter tablet twice a day and am now on half a tablet twice a day. The brand name I have is Catapres but it is the same drug Clonidine. I was getting hot flushes between every 20 to every 40 mins. They are annoying during the day but really noticeable at night and I was beside myself for lack of sleep as I was only getting catches of sleep here and there. Since starting Clonidine I am still tired and am still getting the flushes and waking between 4-6 times a night but it is better than before. But I am not sure if it is the Clonidine or not. It could be that the pain medication I am on because I recently injured my knees is allowing me to have better sleep or it may because I am just getting used to the hot flushes, or it may be the Clonidine - I don't know. My GP seemed to think that not many women get relief on Clonidine. The other drug she recommend had the brand name Effexor - an anti depressant - but I am allergic to this and couldn't have it. According to my GP Effexor works better than Clonidine for hot flushes but it can cause severe headaches, vision problems and is hard for some people to get off.
Good luck with it - I know how hard it is to get through everything when you get such little sleep. It makes me realise how sleep deprivation can be an effective form of torture!!!
Take care, Nadine
