How Long Does Clonidine Stay in your System?

Medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction raises concerns from patients and some professionals. The process of detoxing from opioids can be painful and time intensive. Therefore, medication-assisted treatment is an excellent process to address the discomforts of withdrawal and reduce the timeline. Clonidine is a drug used to treat opioid withdrawal, which causes additional alarm when drug tests are regularly required. Patients in sober living or treatment situations may be wondering, “How long does Clonidine stay in your system?”

What is Clonidine?

Clonidine is a centrally acting alpha-agonist hypotensive agent commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure. Other uses include treatment for ADHD and generalized anxiety disorders, severe menstrual cramps, and Tourette’s syndrome in conjunction with other medications. Also, found to be helpful in the treatment of opioid addiction to reduce withdrawal symptoms and reduce detox time. For those unfamiliar with medication-assisted detox and concerned about drug testing, ask, how long does Clonidine stay in your system?

Common brand names for clonidine include

• Catapre
• Kapvay
• Nexiclon

Clonidine can control alcohol, nicotine, and opioid withdrawal symptoms. Still, the concern of how long does Clonidine stay in your system during treatment. Relief from excessive sweating, watery eyes, hot flashes, and anxiety during detox can outweigh the problems of having to rid the body of the drug. Generally taken as a tablet or transdermal patch every few hours on the first day of detox, extended usage depends on the severity of withdrawal during detox.

Inpatient treatment centers detox patients using Clonidine in medication-assisted detox. Every drug has side effects, and Clonidine’s effects may include vomiting or constipation. However, prescribed in medically monitored situations, professionals feel the benefits outweigh the discomfort. How long does Clonidine stay in your system depends upon the frequency of use and dosage during detox.

The Uses and Effects of Clonidine

Clonidine can be practical for medication-assisted detox within the confines of an inpatient program. However, it is unlikely that medical professionals would prescribe this drug for at-home detox, as it is addictive, and overdose could be life-threatening. In addition, in planning the treatment process, many people ask how long does Clonidine stay in your system? This is an unknown factor when used in detox.

Medication-assisted detox programs find Clonidine an effective measure to treat the flu-like symptoms opioid withdrawal causes. Used in conjunction with other medications to treat vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea, Clonidine addresses the other uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. The treatment team believes the benefits of Clonidine outweigh the potential problems that could occur. How long does Clonidine stay in your system depends upon the amount used and the duration of the prescription.

Clonidine helps minimize the following side effects of opioid withdrawal in detox. Completely safe for use in detox, many professional detox programs use Clonidine.

• Pain in muscles, joints, and bones
• Anxiety and restlessness
• Agitation and sweating
• Stomach cramping
• Runny nose

How Long Does Clonidine Stay in Your System?

Families and patients are continually concerned with the question, how long does Clonidine stay in your system? The effects of Clonidine will generally extend from twelve to sixteen hours. Drug traces can remain in the body for an extended period, depending upon individual factors. A urine drug test can detect Clonidine up to three days after the last dosage of the medication.

The following factors determine how long Clonidine will stay in your system.

• Metabolism: Every metabolism is individually fast or slow
• Age: Older people have slower metabolisms
• Body Size: Those with a higher BMI will not process as quickly
• Frequency of use and dosage: How much of the drug was consumed and length of usage during detox

Is Clonidine Addictive?

Clonidine does have the potential for abuse and addiction. Therefore, those who obtain this drug usually combine the usage with heroin, alcohol, methadone, or prescription painkillers.

While addiction to Clonidine exclusively is uncommon, using this drug with other drugs can reduce the amount of other substances needed to get high. Those required to perform regular drug testing ask, how long does Clonidine stay in your system?

Again, the answer to the drugs staying in the system depends on many factors. Misuse and abuse of Clonidine can cause physical dependence, and withdrawal symptoms are sometimes life-threatening. Misuse of Clonidine can spur damaging and long-lasting problems. Education can be an essential factor in monitoring misuse and abuse.

Signs and Symptoms of Clonidine Addiction

Risk factors for addiction to Clonidine include previous substance abuse, participation in an inpatient detox program using Clonidine, and current abuse of other drugs. Treatment for Clonidine abuse can be complex, and success is most likely in a professional setting. How long does Clonidine stay in your system when there is an addiction? Dependent on personal factors, it could take months to be released entirely. The signs and symptoms of Clonidine addiction include:

• Consuming more than a prescribed dosage
• An inability to withstand withdrawal symptoms
• A strong urge to use more Clonidine
• Doctor shopping to get additional prescriptions
• The use of drugs disrupts the lifestyle
• Need a higher dosage to achieve the same effect

Treatment for Clonidine Addiction

Detoxing from Clonidine addiction can be difficult and present severe symptoms. Long-term inpatient rehab for relapse prevention and successful sobriety is the best treatment option. Extensive therapy will reveal the cause of the addiction to prevent further usage. How long does Clonidine stay in your system in rehab?  While the effects of the drug may run their course in detox, the drug could stay in your system for months.

Find Answers about Clonidine in Georgia

The Retreat of Atlanta understands the concern of using drugs in addiction detox. Let our staff explore your options and give definitive answers about medication-assisted detox using Clonidine. Our programs have been successful, and our relapse rate remains low. We offer a wide array of services to choose from. Contact us today.