Will Clonidine Help With Opiate Withdrawals and Getting Off of Vicodin?

Question by fracture669: Will Clonidine help with Opiate withdrawals and getting off of Vicodin?
I am really truly trying to get off Vicodin on my own at home. I can’t afford outpatient therapy and I can’t be gone for weeks at a time since I am married and have 3 children and don’t want to be away from them for that long. So, I am trying to wean myself off of the Vicodin. I am working with my Doctor and he is helping me with the weaning process and recently prescribed Clonidine and Librium. Was just wondering if anyone out there has used these to help with withdrawals and weaning themselves off of Opiates and if it worked for them. I am seriously committed to this, I am tired of my life revolving around a freaking pill, and it is ruining my marriage and affecting everyone in my family. I want my old self and my old life back. My Doctor is weaning me off very slowly which I think will help and my mom is keeping my pills and giving me my daily allowance. Man I feel so pathetic about this! Anyway, anyone out there ever done it this way, and does anyone know if the Clonidine and Librium will really help me to not want the Vicodin as much, or at least not feel so bad when I am cut back by the doctor. Thanks so much for all your time and answers in advance. I appreciate all of your input Thanks so much!

Best answer:

Answer by Jon8RFC
I’m neither a physician nor a pharmacist. That being said, I’ve only heard of Clonidine a few times and haven’t learned much about it in detail. I have heard of Naltrexone and how successful it is as an opioid antagonist, which is a more direct mechanism than the Clonidine, as I understand it. If you’re concerned about the efficacy of Clonidine, you could ask your physician what he/she thinks about Naltrexone. It might be a little overboard of a medication, but it’s worth asking about. It should help not only curb your desire, but curb your withdrawal symptoms from the Vicodin, whereas the Clonidine, I believe, focuses more on the withdrawal symptoms. Clonidine may be a better approach, however, because it will teach you that you can control your situation rather than rely entirely upon medication to solve the problem.

The librium is there, most likely, to manage withdrawal symptoms by keeping you calm and relaxed, and help you sleep if the Clonidine is keeping you up at night.

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