Well it's been a little bit since I've given an update so I figured it was update time! I've now been on the pill form Clonidine for 1 full week. For the first week I was just on half of a pill and I switched to taking the full pill last night. So now I'll be taking the full pill, I probably should check on how many mg that is, at night 30 minutes before bed. So far its really been helping me sleep. Most nights it takes me at least an hour if not two or three hours to full asleep because of my tics. I am just moving and thrashing about so much in bed usually that I can't fall asleep. Nighttime is a huge tic trigger for me. Now though for the past week on this medication its never taken me more than 15 minutes to fall asleep! I love it!
It's so nice not having to spend three hours ticcing in bed before I finally fall asleep from pure exhaustion. It's so nice not having to dread bedtime. I can once again enjoy sleep!
The medicine isn't really having an effect on my tics during the day yet, but it is making me tired enough at bedtime to make my tics settle down and allow me to go to bed.
My neurologist said it would probably be at least a month before the medicine had much impact on my daytime tics, so for now I'm just taking the Clonidine and enjoying my new ability to fall asleep quickly and have good restful sleep.
I have had one side effect which was an issue with my digestive system/stomach, but I can take another medication to relieve that side effect so that it isn't a problem. Besides that I haven't had any really bad side effects or anything yet and I hope it stays that way so I can stay on this medicine and keep getting the sleep benefits :)
For me, morning was a trigger, and when I first started meds, I remember being in love with "waking up in peace" not experiencing tics. Hope it does you well.
ReplyDeleteI've been taking Clonidine for maybe seven years now (since fifth grade), and I definitely remember having loads of trouble falling asleep before I got it. Now, if it takes me more than half an hour or so, my first thought it always "Did I take my Clonidine?" (hint: the answer is invariably no). I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who's had that experience. Best of luck! I hope it becomes as useful for you as it's been for me!
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