Clonidine for Withdrawal Night Sweats

[biohack9]

Anyone ever try Clonidine (0.1mg or so) to help sleep/night sweats after quitting weed? Seems like a good solution for the first week or so... so my dr. prescribed it but just wanted to see if anyone had any direct experience good or bad? Thanks!

[biohack9]

Update, this is a complete gamechanger! I'm very well familiar with withdrawals and PAWS as i've experienced them dozens of times over the past 15 years. Last night was night 3, and the clonidine completely eliminates sweating and helps me get about 6 hours of sleep! I don't want to have to withdraw from the clonidine so doubtful that i'll use it more than the first week or as needed. Wish I knew about this medication years ago!

[biohack9]

Last night was night 4 and I decided to not take the clonodine as I wasn't feeling great yesterday and started feeling some headache, likely from the drop in blood pressure (that's what it's used for). I actually still got about 6 hours of sleep which is incredible for this early in the process, but I was kinda sweaty, but not soaking the sheets like usual.

Perhaps my PAWS are not so bad due to the 3 month break before my 3 month binge haha

[SparkleFly12]

In my experience a 3 month binge is plenty to start up paws symptoms pretty bad. But not necessarily as bad.

My two "relapses"/binges happened, first after I had quit for 1 month and a second time after quitting for 3 months.

Before those binges, I smoked a lot of concentrates and herb every night. PAWS was terrible, 11/10. Then I quit for a month, and then binged concentrates for 12-15 nighs straight; and my PAWS symptoms got a lot worse; but not as bad, 10/10. Then I quit for 3 months, and binged 10 nights or so; PAWS came back 9.5/10.

Also worth to note that each time I binged, my PAWS symptoms were not gone.

Just my experience.

[biohack9]

In my experience a 3 month binge is plenty to start up paws symptoms pretty bad. But not necessarily as bad.

My two "relapses"/binges happened, first after I had quit for 1 month and a second time after quitting for 3 months.

Before those binges, I smoked a lot of concentrates and herb every night. PAWS was terrible, 11/10. Then I quit for a month, and then binged concentrates for 12-15 nighs straight; and my PAWS symptoms got a lot worse; but not as bad, 10/10. Then I quit for 3 months, and binged 10 nights or so; PAWS came back 9.5/10.

Also worth to note that each time I binged, my PAWS symptoms were not gone.

Just my experience.

So your did binge! lol My friend, the counter starts after your very last use if it was a binge no question.

I know i'm not out of the dark yet, because after my last break I was surprised how well I was feeling after a week, but it was way worse than what i'm experiencing now, and those 3 months consisted of both flower and extract.

PAWS is a really tricky thing!

I don't understand how the binge didn't take away your PAWS symptoms? That doesn't make sense to me. As soon as I indulge it's like ahhhhhhhh, finally good sleep and feeling goooooood. Cures all symptoms instantly. Sure not the low libido/ED, but that's not from PAWS IMO. It goes way deeper.

[SparkleFly12]

Last time I binged (that 10 nights of smoking) was when I count as my starting point...I say im at 13 months now (its been 13 months since then), if I ignored those binges Id be at 17.

Yea, I didnt feel any immediate relief when I smoked, but after a few days it was back to normal. One thing though; my "normal" when I was smoking wasnt great. I had mild/moderate paws symptoms on and off (headache, poor sleep, low libido, muscle aches), when I was using concentrates and vape cartridges. When I was using only herb, it was the same - mild paws symptoms - but it wasnt as bad as when I started using concentrates.

When I quit smoking flower, I had mild/moderate paws; but when I stopped using concentrates...thats when hell broke loose and its been an intense shitty ride since then.

[biohack9]

Last time I binged (that 10 nights of smoking) was when I count as my starting point...I say im at 13 months now (its been 13 months since then), if I ignored those binges Id be at 17.

Yea, I didnt feel any immediate relief when I smoked, but after a few days it was back to normal. One thing though; my "normal" when I was smoking wasnt great. I had mild/moderate paws symptoms on and off (headache, poor sleep, low libido, muscle aches), when I was using concentrates and vape cartridges. When I was using only herb, it was the same - mild paws symptoms - but it wasnt as bad as when I started using concentrates.

When I quit smoking flower, I had mild/moderate paws; but when I stopped using concentrates...thats when hell broke loose and its been an intense shitty ride since then.

Did you get night sweats too?

You're right though, I was probably in PAWS daily while using and didn't even know it. And just would use more and more to ward off the PAWS (withdrawals actually).

[SparkleFly12]

Yeah, I got bad night sweats and insomnia too when I quit concentrates. When I quit flower, only moderate insomnia, no night sweats.

[biohack9]

Amazing how for me it was the complete opposite. But I never smoked flower, only vaped it, which is basically like concentrates anyways.

[PAWSsurvivor]

I only vaped weed for 3 months. Ever.

Full blown PAWS. 7 months of it so far.

It's enough.

Hey Biohack. What do you mean vaping is like taking concentrates. I thought I was being safe by vaping. Boy was I wrong.

[biohack9]

Wow, that's crazy.... I figured my issues were due to over a decade of abuse, but only 3 months and still struggling 7 months later?

When you combust flower, much of the cannabinoids are destroy, but with vaping you're concentrating all of it without the plant matter. It's definitely SAFER for your LUNGS, and possibly overall, but you're getting WAY more actual cannabinoids to your brain, and less of the harmful carbon monoxide and carcinogens. I quit combusting in 2005 and never looked back.

But like I said, vaping=concentrates. Not a big deal since concentrates aren't actually "stronger" than flower, since it's THC% by weight.

It's like alcohol. It doesn't get stronger, you just adjust for the amount... like a beer = a shot. You don't drink a beers worth of vodka.

Same with concentrates/extracts, if you adjust for yield you can the exact same amount of THC.

Example - 0.05g "dab" of extract/concentrate is the same THC as about .25g flower.

There is a LOT of misinformation out there. Many use pens/cartridges and those are a completely different ball park because they are so easy and convenient and filled with fake terpenes (food grade).

[PAWSsurvivor]

Yes, you see I took a large dose for my tolerance. About.a grams worth of higher THC.

I went to a public talk from neuroscientist who researches cannabis. Even he said "There's more we don't know than what we know" about it. He also warned against cold turkey withdrawls.

I vaped a large amount, with high potency. Couple in my own biochemistry and a cold turkey withdrawl...here I am. I think vaping is a lot more potent. I noticed it between when I had joints with friends, and when I used my Vape. No one knows the dosage, and there are so many other components within Cannabis...the scientist said basically that the cannabis plant is a giant sledgehammer, it's working on so many systems that we don't understand the full cumulative effect.

It sucks for me, cause I thought I was being safe. I'm getting closer to healed. I certainly hope I'll be better in a few months. I know I'm a more abnormal case.

[biohack9]

It's true, not much is known for sure, but I always go cold turkey. Reason being is that if I don't, and taper instead, I STILL get withdrawal symptoms! lol It just prolongs the agony IMO.

Vaping IS more potent, that was the point of my post. However, if you smoke a joint, you're combusting + Vaping at the same time and the unburned flower vaporizes on its way into your lungs + the toxic smoke.

Hope you feel better soon, i'm guessing after 8 or 9 months things should improve substantially for you.

AND, be happy that you quit, because I was in your shoes....and over a DECADE flew by! It's so easy to get comfortable with this plant!

When I used to vape flower, I was at 2-3g of high THC hydro/per day! I also wasted 10's of thousands of dollars on every vaporizer in the industry lol I became obsessed! These days I much prefer low temp micro dabbing off of gemstone surfaces using high quality extracts. But that's not for now or here.

[PAWSsurvivor]

Thanks for the well wishes. I seem to be alot better, minus an anhedonia / thick headed numb head feeling. Hoping by August I'll be out of the woods, or at least moslty. Your reassurance means alot. I am really glad I quit. Especially with this horrible withdrawl. I learned the cannabis high is artificial. Like drinking soda pop instead of a nutritious smoothie. I'm hoping I'll have a whole new appreciation for life when I'm better.

I hope one day science gets to a place where this syndrome gets recognized. I'm lucky nothing in my life fell apart. I experimented because it was legal and I was curious. Did not realize how harmful it could be . People should be warned about it. I did my research on cannabis and never found out about PAW until after. Live and learn I guess. Have a great day.

[biohack9]

I'm happy you're feeling better and i've helped a little. Cannabis is an incredible plant medicine, it's not the problem - WE ARE. Shouldn't abuse medicine daily.... maybe once a week, twice MAX. Too much of anything including nutritious smoothies (that are packed with sugar) is a problem too. Can't blame it, especially when it's safer than any pharmaceutical. There is no issue with having a beer a couple of times a week, but in excess it's poison right?

The syndrome IS recognized! lol It's in the DSM, same with "Cannabis Use Disorder"... nothing new here. You have to take accountability if you get addicted, as approximately 10% of users do. Same as coffee/caffeine. I had withdrawals that were even WORSE when I quit coffee cold turkey. Not fun. But we're all different.

Cheers mate!