What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
- Kidney disease
- An unusual or allergic reaction to clonidine, other medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives
- Pregnant or trying to get pregnant
- Breast-feeding
What may interact with this medication?
- Alcohol
- Benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam
- Medications that cause drowsiness before a procedure, such as propofol
- Medications that relax muscles
- Opioids for pain or cough
- Phenothiazines, such as chlorpromazine, prochlorperazine, thioridazine
- Some medications for blood pressure, heart disease, or irregular heartbeat
- Some medications for depression, such as amitriptyline or trazodone
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.
What should I watch for while using this medication?
Visit your care team for regular checks on your progress. Check your heart rate and blood pressure as directed. Know what your heart rate and blood pressure should be, and when to contact your care team.
You can shower or bathe with the skin patch in position. If the patch gets loose, cover it with the extra adhesive overlay provided.
This medication may affect your coordination, reaction time, or judgment. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. Sit up or stand slowly to reduce the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Drinking alcohol with this medication can increase the risk of these side effects.
Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your care team if the problem doesn't go away or is severe.
Do not treat yourself for coughs, colds, or pain while you are taking this medication without asking your care team for advice. Some medications may increase your blood pressure.
If you are going to have surgery, tell your care team that you are using this medication.
If you are going to have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedure, tell your MRI technician if you have this patch on your body. It must be removed before a MRI.