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Home/Medications for Opiate Withdrawal/Using Clonidine Strategically For Fast Opiate Withdrawal Relief

Using Clonidine Strategically For Fast Opiate Withdrawal Relief

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does clonidine help with opiate withdrawal

In this video, I’m going to teach you how to use clonidine strategically for opiate withdrawal. Clonidine is the “go-to” medication prescribed by the majority of physicians for the treatment of opiate withdrawal. Why?

Clonidine is an extremely powerful medication for easing opiate withdrawal symptoms.

Countless opioid-dependent individuals have greatly ameliorated their withdrawal symptoms by using clonidine for opiate withdrawal. It’s a wonderful medication, and I even used it once in the past for heroin withdrawal. It worked incredibly well at reducing my anxiety, insomnia, chills, goosebumps and racing heartbeat. Here’s how clonidine can help you…

Table of Contents

  • 1 How Clonidine Works in the Body
  • 2 Using Clonidine for Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms
  • 3 Clonidine for Opiate Withdrawal Study
  • 4 Clonidine Dosage for Opiate Withdrawal:
  • 5 Clonidine Patch for Opiate Withdrawal
  • 6 How to Have an Easy Opiate Withdrawal

How Clonidine Works in the Body

Clonidine is a blood pressure (hypertension) medication that belongs to a class of drugs known as central alpha agonists. According to the American Heart Association:

“Central alpha agonists are drugs that lower heart rate and reduce blood pressure. They work by preventing the brain from sending signals from the nervous system to speed up the heart rate and narrow the blood vessels. As a result, the heart doesn’t pump as hard and blood flows more easily through blood vessels.”

Clonidine is also classified as a sympatholytic drug, which is a medication that inhibits the postganglionic functioning of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The SNS is part of the nervous system that is responsible for the fight or flight response.

Sympatholytic drugs are commonly used as antihypertensives and for the following disorders:

  • Anxiety
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Panic Disorder
  • PTSD

 

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch the video on YouTube)

Using Clonidine for Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms

Clonidine is the most prescribed opiate withdrawal medication for a reason…it works! Clonidine is by no means a “magic bullet” because it doesn’t eliminate all of your opiate withdrawal symptoms.

However, when used correctly clonidine can ease the following opiate withdrawal symptoms:

  • Reduces anxiety
  • Helps you fall and stay asleep
  • Slows down a racing heartbeat which helps to calm you down
  • Prevents Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) from opiate withdrawal
  • Gets rid of the chills and goosebumps

 

Using clonidine for opiate withdrawal can sometimes lead to the following side effects:

  • Low blood pressure (hypotension)
  • Dry mouth (drink water or chew on sugarless gum)
  • Drowsiness
  • Lightheadedness
  • Dizziness
  • Constipation

 

Some rare side effects from using clonidine for opiate withdrawal include:

  • Breathing problems
  • Cold hands/feet
  • Rashes and/or swelling on your body
  • Depression
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • An allergic reaction to clonidine

 

Clonidine for Opiate Withdrawal Study

Many studies have confirmed the benefits of using clonidine for opiate withdrawal. The following passage is taken directly from a 1980 study, titled Efficacy of Clonidine in Opiate Withdrawal: A Study of Thirty Patients:

“In a placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial, clonidine caused a marked and significant reduction of objective signs and subjective symptoms of opiate withdrawal in thirty hospitalized opiate addicts. In an open trial of clonidine in opiate withdrawal, clonidine was found to suppress opiate withdrawal signs and symptoms, allowing all of the patients to detoxify successfully from chronic opiate addiction. Clonidine was demonstrated to reverse and suppress the signs, symptoms, and effects associated with opiate withdrawal.”

Wow…that’s a pretty powerful statement. Simply put, clonidine for opiate withdrawal is a very effective and simple way to reduce symptoms. However, for clonidine to be effective you need to use the correct clonidine dosage for opiate withdrawal.

Clonidine Dosage for Opiate Withdrawal:

When I was researching the optimum clonidine dosage for opiate withdrawal, I came across a perfect protocol on the website for the Federation of Texas Psychiatry. In my opinion, it’s the best plan for using clonidine for opiate withdrawal. The following passage is taken directly from the article:

Office-Based Outpatient Withdrawal Techniques: A Guide – Opiates


 

Clonidine-Aided Detoxification

1. Oral

Day 1: 0.1-0.2 mg orally every 4 hours up to 1 mg

Day 2-4: 0.1-0.2 mg orally every 4 hours up to 1.2 mg

Day 5 to completion: Reduce 0.2 mg/day; given in divided doses; the night-time dose
should be reduced last; or reduce total dosage by one-half each day not to exceed 0.4 mg/day

2. Patch

The clonidine patch comes in three strengths (#1, #2, #3) and delivers over one week the equivalent of a daily dose of oral clonidine (e.g., #2 patch = 0.2 mg oral clonidine, daily, etc.).

One technique is to apply one #2 patch for patients under 100 lbs, two #2 patches if they weigh 100-200 lbs and three #2 patches for those over 200 lbs. Also, on day one (the day the patch is applied) oral clonidine may be necessary- 0.2 mg q 6hours for 24 hours, then 0.1 mg q 6 hours for the second 24 hours.

The patches should be removed if systolic pressure falls below 80 mm hg or diastolic below 50 mg hg.

Advantages of patch:
• Patients don’t have to take pills several times a day
• Even blood levels of medication
• Buildup of withdrawal symptoms during night is prevented

Blood pressure monitoring is important as hypotension can occur especially in thin patients. Advise patient to take blood pressure before and 20 minutes after a dose of Clonidine. If “lightheaded” or dizzy, patient should lie down. Adequate fluid intake is important. Contact physician if dizziness continues.


Clonidine Patch for Opiate Withdrawal

The clonidine patch is a 0.2 mm square that is applied in the same manner as a self-adhesive bandage. As stated above, the clonidine patch comes in three strengths.

In a 24-hour period, these clonidine patches deliver an amount of clonidine equivalent to twice-daily dosing with 0.1, 0.2, or 0.3 mg of oral clonidine, respectively. The clonidine patch for opiate withdrawal supplies clonidine for up to 7 days.

How to Have an Easy Opiate Withdrawal

Using clonidine for opiate withdrawal can help to relieve some of the most severe symptoms. However, using clonidine for opiate withdrawal will not eliminate all of your symptoms. Using clonidine for opiate withdrawal does nothing for fatigue, nor does have the ability to rebalance brain chemistry that has been disrupted by opiate abuse.

Finally, it does absolutely nothing for the post-acute withdrawal symptoms that arise after the acute withdrawal phase has ended. It’s for these reasons that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND using a powerful and natural opiate withdrawal supplement.

Opiate Withdrawal Supplements can be used in combination with clonidine to further reduce symptoms. This will help to ensure that you have a mild opiate withdrawal. Furthermore, an Opiate Withdrawal Supplement will help to reduce the post-acute withdrawal symptoms in a major way.

The natural herbs, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in these supplements can benefit you in the following ways:

  • Reverses anxiety
  • Helps you fall and stay asleep
  • Fights fatigue and increases natural energy production
  • Soothes aching muscles and limbs
  • Eases Restless Leg Syndrome
  • Helpful for nausea
  • Stops sweating, chills, and hot/cold flashes
  • Reverses depression
  • Powerful mood-enhancer
  • Treats both acute and post-acute withdrawal symptoms

 

If you can afford it, I also highly recommend taking this awesome supplement, because the benefits are just too good to pass up.

Click here now to view my best home detox program. If you have any questions on using clonidine for opiate withdrawal, please post them in the comment box below.

Written by:
Matt Finch
Published on:
July 24, 2018
Thoughts:
3 Comments

Categories: Medications for Opiate Withdrawal, Opiate Withdrawal

About Matt Finch

Matt teaches people how to get off opioids strategically and as comfortably as possible. He beat opioid addiction over 14 years ago then became a counselor at an Opioid Treatment Program. Present day Matt is an Opioid Recovery Coach, Author, Podcaster, and Speaker. Check out his Free Opioid Recovery Course to learn everything you need to quit opioids holistically. And you can call/text @
(619)-952-6011 for more information on coaching.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tony

    November 14, 2020 at 8:39 pm

    my name is Tony. I hope this is seen soon. I’m currently trying to get off fentynal using methadone. I have about 20 10mg methadone tabs. I’m hoping to do the 4-5 day thing. My question is how much methadone should i be taking daily for those 4-5 days and how long should I be abstinent from fentynal before starting the methadone? I found this site while searching for answers. I hope I can find it again to check for answers. If at all possible could someone please email me with answers just for the sake of just in case I can’t navigate back here? My email is tjbaca4@yahoo.com I’ve tried several times to quit cold turkey but it’s just to excruciating for me and I always break. I’m so scared of overdosing and I want so badly to be free of this. Please help me! I’d be forever grateful. I’m disabled and I started in on fent for pain now I’m stuck. I hope to hear back from someone soon. Hopefully Matt himself. God bless!

    Reply
    • Matt Finch

      November 14, 2020 at 9:07 pm

      Hi Tony I”m emailing you right now.

      Reply
  2. Danielle

    July 24, 2018 at 3:38 pm

    Need help getting off Subutex! I have a one year old and can’t be super sick. I’ve read a lot on this site and think it can really help. I’m ready to get off of this just don’t know where to start! I take one 8 mg a day.4 mg in morn and 4 at night Please help thanks!

    Reply

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