Clonidine

[MumMattersX2]

Can anyone give me any background, long term effects, nasty symptoms, improved night sweats info in relation to Clonidine?

I'm on day 3

Question for you!

Why has this been prescribed as opposed to HRT?

Do you have current or past medical history meaning hrt not for you?

NICE meno guidance is that hrt is the first line treatment not blood pressure medication. Obviously if you have had breast cancer or any blood clots that would be a factor.

I've tried on 2/3 occasions for HRT.
Even barred from 1 doctor for arguing with her about it, she sent me (last May) for a hormone blood test, results didn't show any issue!

I've got to go for another blood test to check hormone level again before HRT will be prescribed!

I'm off work sick as I cannot concentrate!
I can't sleep at night an when I do get tired in the day I sleep for hours and hours!
The night sweats are horrendous an make me feel so horrible! Even my legs are wet!
My moods r up an down - it's just not nice, I feel like I'm going nuts an it's not fair on my kids!

I was also given sertraline - I advised I'm being given drugs to mask perimeno, however, I'm not the doctor!

I'm so sorry.

You are a perfect example of why I have posted asking MNHQ to pin the NICE meno guidelines here as your GP is talking rubbish.

NICE tells GPs not to do blood tests, not to prescribe anything except HRT to women who have symptoms of menopause.

It's a disgrace and nothing less.

PRINT OFF THE NICE GUIDELINES, TAKE THEM IN AND ASK FOR HRT AND DO NOT LEAVE UNLESS THEY LISTEN TO YOU.

Please change practices if you can or insist on seeing a meno specialist NHS , report your GP to the practice manager and create a fuss.

THIS IS THE SECTION YOU NEED.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations#diagnosis-of-perimenopause-and-menopause 1.2 IN THE REPORT

1.2 Diagnosis of perimenopause and menopause

1.2.1 Diagnose the following without laboratory tests in otherwise healthy women aged over 45 years with menopausal symptoms:

perimenopause based on vasomotor symptoms and irregular periods

menopause in women who have not had a period for at least 12 months and are not using hormonal contraception

menopause based on symptoms in women without a uterus.

1.2.2Take into account that it can be difficult to diagnose menopause in women who are taking hormonal treatments, for example for the treatment of heavy periods.

1.2.3Do not use the following laboratory and imaging tests to diagnose perimenopause or menopause in women aged over 45 years:

anti-Müllerian hormone

inhibin A

inhibin B

oestradiol

antral follicle count

ovarian volume.

1.2.4Do not use a serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) test to diagnose menopause in women using combined oestrogen and progestogen contraception or high-dose progestogen.

1.2.5 Consider using a FSH test to diagnose menopause only:

in women aged 40 to 45 years with menopausal symptoms, including a change in their menstrual cycle

in women aged under 40 years in whom menopause is suspected (see also section 1.6).

AND ON HRT

1.4 Managing short-term menopausal symptoms
The recommendations in this section are not intended for women with premature ovarian insufficiency (see recommendations 1.6.6 to 1.6.8 for management of premature ovarian insufficiency).

1.4.1Adapt a woman's treatment as needed, based on her changing symptoms.

Vasomotor symptoms
1.4.2Offer women HRT for vasomotor symptoms after discussing with them the short-term (up to 5 years) and longer-term benefits and risks. Offer a choice of preparations as follows:

oestrogen and progestogen to women with a uterus

oestrogen alone to women without a uterus.

1.4.3 Do not routinely offer selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) or clonidine as first-line treatment for vasomotor symptoms alone.

1.4.4Explain to women that there is some evidence that isoflavones or black cohosh may relieve vasomotor symptoms. However, explain that:

multiple preparations are available and their safety is uncertain

different preparations may vary

interactions with other medicines have been reported.

I have been on clonidine for about 12 months. I am menopausal at 46 so quite early and cannot be precribed hrt due to other meds. The clonidine does work re hot flushes which I no longer have, I take half my prescribed dose and this works well. If I take a lemsip or paracetemol at the same time it makes me v sleepy but that is my only negative side effect. Happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you @pooptastic I've been taking nearly a week tomorrow going on 3 tablets tomorrow, very slight decrease in sweats atm x

@JinglingHellsBells Thank U for this info, I will most definitely print this off, read it then take it with me on my next app x

I'll let u know how I get on x

I've stopped taking Clonidine - can't be dizzy like that, it isn't normal!! If anything, makes u feel worse!!

It has worked brilliantly for me. Stopped horrendous hot flushes immediately. I can’t take Hrt. I have no side effects from clonidine.

Giving this a whirl...

Clonadine reduces the night sweats slightly. It does fuck all for brain fog, mood swings or insomnia. My gp was insistent that I use clonadine and she was putting it on repeat prescription for me. I might try a babylon gp. I have a mirena coil and want oestrogel. It's impacting on my work and that's really frustrating.

@Mabelface yr post made me lol, I've had my blood results back!!
Hormones normal!!!!
Well let's see what she has to say!!!!

I've had my hormone blood results back!!
Normal and releasing eggs!!

I'm depressed she said!!

Upped my Sertraline, referred me to a psychologist!

Depression mimics an similar symptoms to perimeno??!!

Does it?

Everything your dr has said and done is oncorrect according to NICE.

1 Go back and take print off of the Nice guidance- there is a link at top of this page here. Take note of the fact they say GPs are NOT to give ADs for women with peri meno symtoms. Neither are they to do blood tests.

2 Your GP cannot tell you are ovulating regularly from a single blood test. It shows a snapshot on one day. That is why Nice says do not do blood tests.

And even if you ARE ovulating, you can still use HRT.

It is disgraceful. Nothing less. This comes up time after time on this board here and GPs are WAY out of date and ignorant.

Look at the website of Dr Louise Newson and read the many articles there about women being given ADs not HRT.

I am a health journalist and have written about this topic. The message is still not getting through even though it's been in the media for 5 years or more.

3 Pay and see a private meno expert if all the above fails.

Do NOT take the ADs. get some decent help and consider reporting your GP to the practice for not following medical guidelines.

You are going to have to go back and be more assertiv

Honestly, you are really going to have to argue your corner here.

You said upthread you had tried hrt 3 times.

so what happened?

why did you stop?

what types did you try?

were you using it for moods and it didn't help?

why did you get it then but now she won't prescribe?

I genuinely cant get my head round this.

Don't allow her to talk over you or down to you.

Ask her outright why she wil not prescribe hrt.
She clearly has some issue with it.

Managed to persuade my gp to scrap the clonadine and give me oestrogel. Yay me