# clonidine to inhibit blushing?



## Intent (Sep 5, 2009)

has anyone tried it?


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## arth67 (Aug 6, 2009)

Its a type of BP med but not a beta blocker, this type is ususlly best for blushing


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## Intent (Sep 5, 2009)

right, it's an alpha 2 agonist, not antagonist. anything else to add? thanks


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

Beffrey28 is the expert on blushing, clonidine... on this forum. You may contact him via PM if he doesn't read that thread.


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## colliver19 (Jul 12, 2009)

Have you ever considered using propranolol (Inderal)? - it works a treat for my blushing (and trembling and shaking etc). Oh, and I should say I'm not a doctor!


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## Intent (Sep 5, 2009)

colliver19 said:


> Have you ever considered using propranolol (Inderal)? - it works a treat for my blushing (and trembling and shaking etc). Oh, and I should say I'm not a doctor!


thanks, I do get it online. THANK GOODNESS, It got me through my father's funeral. How incredibly freaked up can it be to go through that and one's foremost thoughts are about the blushing/sweating. I hate living  hehe

Colliver, my friend, what insights have you discovered about the blushing/sweating thing? You know, for me it was so much about always being told in the brain-formative years and beyond: "you should be ashamed of yourself".


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## Intent (Sep 5, 2009)

Medline said:


> Beffrey28 is the expert on blushing, clonidine... on this forum. You may contact him via PM if he doesn't read that thread.


ok, thanks, JD. I'll say publicly, I just have to do this, I just have to take a flight in two months to see a girlfriend. She's paying for the ticket, and I absolutely cannot stand the thought of the flight being paid for and me wasting it by wimping out. Six months ago she came here instead on me going there, because I was a yellow belly wimp  unconsciously, of course

It's like being a Jekyll/Hyde, my true self unleashed and my sweating/blushing self


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## Ununderstood (Jun 8, 2005)

How does someone get prescribed these medications?


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

Propranolol (Inderal) or Clonidine are pretty easy to get in general. Telling the doctor / Pdoc the truth about the 'blushing / sweating problem' is probably the most logical way to get them prescribed.


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## maggie2009 (Sep 28, 2009)

I don't have much of an issue with facial blushing (possibly slight facial blushing but not too bad). However when I feel a blush coming on, I tend to blush (blotch) on my neck/chest and sometimes upper arms. This can be caused by anxiety, a strong emotion or even a hot room.

I have been prescribed both clonidine and betablockers (atenolol, propranolol & nadolol at different times).

A lot of people seem to have success with one or the other, but for me they don't do too much unless taken together. I generally take 40mg of propranolol and .1mg of clonidine and this has been the most effective thing I have found to control what I call "body blushes". 

I don't take this everyday. Only once every week or 2. I've heard they lose effectiveness with repeated use (especially the betablocker) and an increase in dosage is required.

With the clonidine I did not have any major side effects other than initial drowsiness when i first tried it. Dry mouth is also a side effect but manageable.

My doctor is very reluctant to prescribe any unnecessary medications, but had no problem prescribing either of these.


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## arth67 (Aug 6, 2009)

beta blockers were the first effective bloodpressure lowering med, they also calm the body but not the mind, I know of no better meds for blushing, sweating, the shakes, racing heart, etc
a fairly large dose may be needed for a special occasion, with some valium type meds to help still more

probably a good idea to experiment with the dose at home a few days before


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## Positive (Jun 29, 2009)

I'm in the same situation as you. I currently am on probonolol now.

I'll try and see.

How does the dosage work for you?


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## maggie2009 (Sep 28, 2009)

Positive said:


> I'm in the same situation as you. I currently am on probonolol now.
> 
> I'll try and see.
> 
> How does the dosage work for you?


I know your question isn't for me, but for my issues (posted above) I take 40mg propranolol together with 0.1mg of clonidine on an as needed basis (not often - couple times a month). My doctor started me with 0.025 clonidine pills telling me to take 1 or 2 as needed and worked up to the 0.1mg. Both lower blood pressure, but I haven't had any problems since when I take them I'm generally in a situation where my blood pressure is up. What is your dosage?


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## Positive (Jun 29, 2009)

maggie2009 said:


> I know your question isn't for me, but for my issues (posted above) I take 40mg propranolol together with 0.1mg of clonidine on an as needed basis (not often - couple times a month). My doctor started me with 0.025 clonidine pills telling me to take 1 or 2 as needed and worked up to the 0.1mg. Both lower blood pressure, but I haven't had any problems since when I take them I'm generally in a situation where my blood pressure is up. What is your dosage?


I have 20mg, but still experimenting it. It's for on off usage as well.


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## Positive (Jun 29, 2009)

arth67 said:


> beta blockers were the first effective bloodpressure lowering med, they also calm the body but not the mind, I know of no better meds for blushing, sweating, the shakes, racing heart, etc
> a fairly large dose may be needed for a special occasion, with some valium type meds to help still more
> 
> probably a good idea to experiment with the dose at home a few days before


any suggestions?


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## Intent (Sep 5, 2009)

Positive said:


> I'm in the same situation as you. I currently am on probonolol now.
> 
> I'll try and see.
> 
> How does the dosage work for you?


hi. If you meant me, then here it is:

In the not too far past, I did okay with 160mg propranolol. "Okay" means that the drug put an upper limit on the Niagara falls effect, and so with a huge amount of Intent and furious mental strategies, I was able to forestall anything super bad.

Just tonight was different. It was a family viewing/wake, in what turned out to be a small and packed in situation at the funeral parlor. I should have maybe taken 320mg. I also had lots of phenylephrine, which is an OTC a2 agonist (which suppresses epinephrine while mimicking norepinephrine).

There was a long line, and then every few steps afterward was another relative to talk to. After a while, I could see them taking a quick glance at my brow (sweating bullets). After 30 minutes or so, I made excuses and left.

Damn, I should have taken more or everything, but I didn't have time to prepare and analyze. Frig this world 

Anyway, I'm om the track of thinking that NORepinephrine is the way to go. I'm so sick of the phrase "fight vs flight" uttered by shrinks who don't know their you know what from their other you know what.


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## Positive (Jun 29, 2009)

Intent said:


> hi. If you meant me, then here it is:
> 
> In the not too far past, I did okay with 160mg propranolol. "Okay" means that the drug put an upper limit on the Niagara falls effect, and so with a huge amount of Intent and furious mental strategies, I was able to forestall anything super bad.
> 
> ...


I didn't know you could take up to 160 MG? in 1 hour?

Should I try 60 MG?


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## Guccipiggy (Nov 8, 2009)

Do you still get the sensation of blushing on this stuff?


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