Clonidine Rebound

Have been struggling to taper off Clonidine since mid Feb. Was on 0.2mg transdermal patch for 5 wks; switched to 0.1mg patch for 10 days. Had 5 withdrawal rebound attacks in that time, the first time when I stopped cold turkey, a couple times when the patch would lose its potency from peeling off, and then when I dropped from 0.2mg to 0.1mg. In each case, BP spiked between 160/95 to 180/100 and had anxiety, tremor tachycardia. I can always tell when my BP is elevated by the surge in anxiety and HR.

Doc prescribed Verapamil 80mg TID to help manage the rebound which I soon after stopped, as it didn't help with the rebounds; later added Lisinopril 10mg to no avail, but am still on it. I now am trying to manage weaning off using Clonidine 0.025mg caps I had compounded and still rebounding unless I take no more than every 6 hrs.

The idea is to decrease by 0.025mg every few days, but now, I don't know if I will be successful and not rebound. The symptoms persist and I have to use a higher dose to stabilize. Doc recommended Bystolic 5mg to use as pre-treatment for managing tapering off the Clonidine, but I read that it can interact w/ Clonidine & magnify the rebound, yet studies show beta blockers being used to deplete the excess catecholamines which are the cause of the rebound effect. Doc says unlikely and that those warnings are in rare cases only. I don't think I can manage without first having another agent on board before I start weaning off. The question is which one and will it be safe? A pharmacist suggested increasing the Lisinopril but again, that may help with lowering BP in general, but will not address the anxiety, etc. My entire well being is tied to this Clonidine demon. If I don't have a steady amount, I will go from being slightly agitated to having full-blown rebound.

I am just coming down from a rebound as I write this. I am terrified I will never come off this nasty drug. I feel it has me addicted. Can't believe I am experiencing this with only being on it for less than 60 days. Some people are on this drug for years and at much higher doses.

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Hello, Carl! How are you doing? I am very sorry about the problem that you are having.

However, if you were only on it for 2 months, it is possible that your problem might actually be due to your anxiety and not just from stopping the Clonidine. That could also be why the blood pressure medications aren't helping it.

Have you asked your doctor about something you can take for the anxiety? That might be a better approach to this.

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I never had the anxiety like this ever. What I surmise Clonidine did was sensitize me to adrenaline. Whatever anxiety I had before was tolerable and minor. The withdrawal rebound from Clonidine amplified it 10 times. I am now off it completely and on Bystolic and Xanax to help manage the anxiety and BP. Not out of woods yet.

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