Clonidine for Tourette's Syndrome User Reviews

• Bet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 20, 2014

"My son was having severe motor and vocal tics (30 per minute). It was horribly scary for us all. He already had been diagnosed with ADHD and was taking guanfacine. Upping the guanfacine dose did not help so they prescribed clonidine for the tics. At first, it seemed not to work at all, although it did help him sleep because he could not sleep due to the tics. But the MD upped the dose, and we waited for the meds to kick in (can take 2-4 weeks!). His tics have almost completely stopped! He is back in school and back to a normal life thanks to God and clonidine. I recommend giving this medicine time to work. ALSO, it still makes him very sleepy for about 2-3 hours after each dose. We manage this by dosing him at times when he could sleep after."

• tic...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 28, 2012

Clonidine "My son was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome at an early age. He was put on clonidine. It made him sleepy, so we gave one-fourth of his dose, and it suppressed his tics. Very beneficial to his quality of life in my eyes. Did cause mild dry mouth."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 12, 2019

"My son began trying this medication for his Tourette's at 8. He has mild Tourette's. This medication, .1 mcg, puts him to sleep for at least 12 hours. Sure, he stops having tics, but is out like a light. He's 14 now and just endures his tics, and he hasn't taken his clonidine in probably 2 years. Hoping he grows out of it, but will consider CBDs in the future. Best of luck and best wishes to everyone who is suffering out there. I'm pulling for you."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 21, 2013

"I started taking clonidine, one pill 4 times a day about a month ago. It made me sleepy, but most of my tics were gone for the first 2 hours, then just less violent. Until 4 hours when they'd be back full force. My doctor recently doubled my dose, and if I take my first dose first thing in the morning and don't forget a dose, it'll only tic maybe 5-10 times in a day, which is amazing for me. The only downside is that I get very sleepy and have to take a nap to be able to function properly. It has also been amazing for my generalized anxiety disorder. I'm much less nervous."

• Anonymous
• December 27, 2009

"My young son was diagnosed with Tourette's and had both speech and eye tics, which were interfering with life. Fortunately, we found a neurologist expert in tic conditions who prescribed the Catapres patch. Once we found the appropriate dosage, the tics subsided completely, and no adverse side effects have been noted. We have used this drug now for 5 years. Now, our daughter is showing signs of multiple tics, so we will try Clonidine with her. We are very thankful for this drug."

• Tom...
• February 6, 2010

"Works well intermittently, meaning that sometimes the dosage has to be increased, then decreased, then stopped in favor of a different medicine like Tenex. It definitely helps control motor tics. I'm not so sure it decreases phonic tics. My own phonic tics aren't as severe as they were in my early teens (I'm 21 now). I've been taking this medicine for 7 years now, and if it's discontinued for a while and then started again, it has good results. I have never found any medicine that completely removed all symptoms of Tourette, but this, Tenex, Quetiapine, Risperdal, and Haldol have all worked well for me personally in different ways. Clonidine stops tics for a while, and that's better than nothing, especially for someone in agony like me."

• 30Y...
• September 19, 2010

"Prescribed clonidine in December when my motor tics had become debilitating. One pill three times a day didn't accomplish much. My neurologist upped my dose to 5 pills 3 times a day, and my tics ceased completely within 10 days. When my life gets really stressful, the tics come back, but a few days at 2 pills 3 times daily, and they usually subside. Side effects with 3x5 daily were significant...could not stay awake for more than an hour or two at a time (couldn't drive), and the dry mouth (cotton mouth) was terrible, but the tics went away. Side effects with 3x2 daily are similar, but not as severe."

• Tou...
• June 9, 2011

"I used clonidine for Tourette's syndrome when I was 15. I would fall asleep in class all the time. So I quit taking it. Now 30 and I'm going to give it one more try. So far, the side effect is I can't sleep. I feel sleep fine, but up at 2:30 in the morning, I have dry mouth really bad. I will keep everyone updated."

• sti...
• February 14, 2018

"I would like to say that I've had Tourette motor tics since I was about 11. I would gain new ones now and again, some will go away, then develop a new one. Anyways, I just got a new one about 2 months ago, cranking my neck and head movements. They were getting really, really bad, 24 hours a day, constantly doing this thing with my neck/head. And because I'm trying to get pregnant, my doctor was trying to find the right med I can take, so she chose clonidine, which I will have to stop once I get pregnant. I don't care, I just want relief like now! But anyways, I took my dose about 2 hours ago, and I am now at home, laying down on the computer researching this medicine, and I haven't ticked!! I am literally laying here normal and shocked. OMG, I am so happy, but shocked at the same time because I literally just took my dose 2 hours ago and it's already working for my tics! Anyways, just wanted to share that. My dose is 0.05 once daily of clonidine. So far, it's working, and I'm hoping it continues to work."

• Nik...
• July 19, 2015

"I have been on Clonidine (Teva) for a while now, and it is pretty good for what my doctor diagnosed me (Multiple Tic Disorder). He prescribed that because I don't have vocal tics. It slows down the tics."

• GoP...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 24, 2017

"I was diagnosed with Tourette's when I was about 12 years old. I'm now 32. I've mainly been on clonidine and Tenex for it over the years. The dry mouth is terrible, I will say that, but Biotene (sp?) makes a dry mouth spray that is a lifesaver! That being said, I think the patches are amazing. My last switch from Tenex to clonidine was so I could give the patches a try. You change it once a week, feels like you have constant coverage and I don't have sweaty palms like I did every time I was due for an oral dose. My dry mouth is not as bad on the patch - anyone that has suffered from this side effect knows how awful it can be and so embarrassing! I was only tired when I went from 0.1 to 0.2 mg, and it was only a couple of days. Try the patches!!!"

• Nih...
• February 5, 2018

"I have never used medication for my tics. I have always had a high frequency, but my tics are very mild and hard to notice. At the age of 23, my life got consumed by my tics. I was struggling with severe tic anxiety, which made my tics significantly worse. I ended up having between 10-20 mild tics every minute. I started taking 0.15 clonidine 3x a day, and after roughly two months, my tics reduced significantly and my anxiety was gone, further reducing my tics. My tic frequency has been reduced by roughly 90-95%. The only bad side effect I have is trouble sleeping (I wake up too early). My other side effects are mild sedation, which helps my ADHD, and dry mouth and dry hands, which are beneficial as I used to have sweaty hands and excessive saliva production. Start with a lower dose. I started on 0.15 three a day, and I was sick for the first week. I am also a big 6'2" fellah who attends the gym rather frequently, so I had my body weight in my favor too. Be careful starting your treatment!"

• Deb...
• January 26, 2016

"My son is 12 years old. He has had the tics for 8 years. The neurologist put him on clonidine, 1 tablet a day as needed. He just started taking it 2 days ago. We will see how it goes from here. It breaks my heart to see him going through this. During these times when he has the tics, I try my best to make sure he has no added stress. It does get him sleepy after an hour or two with one pill. And it seems to slow the tics down a bit."

• LOV...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 13, 2017

"Oh my God. This stuff is no joke. It's time for me to talk about this one. I have a lot to say. First of all, this stuff works very quickly in almost completely neutralizing tics. It also works almost instantly. The problem: a lot of side effects. This stuff will basically knock you out the first time you take it. I used to be on 0.3 mg three times a day. I slept for three days straight, except for getting up maybe two or three times a day to urinate, in a fog. I honestly don't remember hardly any of it for the first few months I was taking it. It's all just a blur. It also made my blood pressure drop very low. I'm talking fainting as soon as I stand up low. NEVER mix this drug with alcohol. I'm on 0.1 mg now. It's much better."

• Anonymous
• April 1, 2008

"I was using Risperdal before, experiencing very bad anxiety attacks and a great loss of impulse control. I then started Catapres, and it helps ticks moderately but mostly with the anxiety and impulse control."

• Anonymous
• August 25, 2016

Clonidine "I was first diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome (a lot of neck and facial twitching and some humming noises) when I was 14. When I was 18, they put me on Catapres, and it was excellent! I only needed one pill a day at first, but then, as I went off to college and law school and was under more stress, I needed to increase to 2. I take them at night, and it helps me fall asleep. I've found that not only will it last till my next dose, sometimes (if I'm having issues refilling my prescription), I can go up to 3 days without tics. I tried Clonidine, but it wasn't as effective. If someone knows why, I'm interested to know."

• Ash...
• December 21, 2015

"After 3 days of taking clonidine (50 mcg twice a day), I can't bear to continue. I've had little to no relief from my tics, and the side effects surely outweigh any minor benefit. Side effects have included: dry mouth, increased thirst, irritability, mood swings, extreme feelings of anger, constipation, nausea, drowsiness, nightmares, feeling like I'm in a constant, almost disassociated state, and dizziness. My vocal tics before starting this medication were generally only at a normal speaking level of voice, and I could usually tell when I was about to tic, but they have increased to loud yelling with little or no premonitory urge. I would like to have tried this drug for longer, but due to the side effects, I will not be continuing it."

• SLD...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 8, 2020

"My son uses this medication for Tourette's, and it is the best thing that has helped him tremendously. I am very thankful to the doctor who suggested this medication after trying others that did not work."

• Tay...
• March 26, 2017

"I'm 25 and have had minor motor tics since I was around 12. I was recently prescribed this because my tics became too much to bear without medication, but I'm not noticing much of any change. Sometimes the following day after I take 2 mg the night before, I'll notice my tics are less frequent, but it definitely didn't relieve them when I need it to. It also gives me really bad dry mouth and sometimes gets me so tired I fall asleep at my desk at work. I'll continue taking this for a little while longer, but if the tics persist, I'm gonna have to try something else."

• RLG...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 14, 2022

"My son started with tics at 4 years of age, with throat clearing, which escalated to multiple motor tics. At age 7, he started bilateral shoulder shrugs and smacking himself in the nose/sinus area, for which brought him relief. Also, smacking his ears sometimes. The neurologist complied with our request to start meds at that point. He’s now 7 1/2, and his motor tics are very, very well controlled on meds. He still clears his throat throughout the day and blinks occasionally, but he can suppress it during school for the most part. It also helps with his ADHD, so he’s much better with 2nd-grade homework. Major improvement over 1st-grade homework, which required more of our time as parents. Currently, he takes 1/2 tablet in the morning, then 1/4 tablet with his lunch (he takes it himself), then another 1/4 tablet around 3:30 PM, then a full tablet at 7:30 PM. Every time we try more than 1/2 tablet, it makes him very drowsy, so we back off. No dry mouth and no blood pressure issues."

• Twi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2020

"I've had tics my entire life. I've tried a couple of different meds over the years but have taken nothing for the last 12. My current tics are in my eyes, head, neck, and chest. They can be quite painful at times. I have been on clonidine .1 mcg once per day for about 90 days. My tics haven't gone away but have lessened by about 1/2 frequency and intensity. I've had no real side effects. This drug has been added to my normal dosage of Lamictal and Risperdone. I am tired most of the time. I attribute that to the Lamictal. I'm currently monitoring my blood pressure to see about increasing the dosage next time I talk to my neurologist. This med is a positive for me."

• CJa...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 29, 2018

"I was on this medication for a long time, and it did work, but it will thin your hair and cause you to have less sexual desire. Also, it causes erectile dysfunction. I got taken off this medication. The side effects were not what I wanted. To be honest, there’s really not a decent medication out there for Tourette’s, yes, they all work in some form. But I’d rather live with the tics than have side effects from the medication."

• fre...
• February 1, 2017

"Clonidine was the first medication I tried after being diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at age 14. I took it for about a month, and it heavily sedated me, thereby helping my minor tics. I took it again for about a week when I was 21, 0.1 mg prescribed by another neurologist. This second time, I did not notice any sedation but instead experienced a day of constipation, so I discontinued."

• Eli...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 2, 2021

"I take 0.1 mg of generic clonidine ER every night. I started this med to help with a combination of anxiety, Tourette's, and ADHD-like symptoms. But the biggest benefit I've had is with my borderline personality disorder. I get agitated and aggressive very easily, and clonidine has significantly reduced my impulses and leveled out my mood. It hasn't helped much with attention or tics, but I'm sleeping better, and it definitely helps me not be so on edge. Sometimes it can be hard to get out of bed in the morning, but nowhere near as bad as the antipsychotics I used to take. Once I'm up and about, I don't notice any drowsiness at all. I definitely recommend trying clonidine if you get agitated easily."

• Maz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2017

"I used this medication for 3 days for motor tics (blinking and head jerking). The first day, I took half a tablet in the morning and half a tablet at night. The side effects were horrible: insomnia, feeling weak and lethargic, limbs would go numb especially when I'm trying to sleep, dry mouth, depression, falling asleep/dozing off at work and while driving (very dangerous). Day 2 and 3, I just took half a tablet at night, and the side effects in the day weren't as bad, but still there. The effects at night were just as bad, if not worse. I was only getting 3 good hours of sleep, the rest is praying to sleep. But in saying that, the tics did ease a little bit. I have now stopped the meds today. Will not take it again."