This medicine is given by epidural infusion (an injection into the spinal cord) to treat severe pain. It is usually used with strong pain relievers when they alone have not stopped the pain.

Proper Use

How much of this medicine you will receive depends on how severe your pain is and how you respond to this treatment. Keep all your appointments and follow your doctor's orders exactly. When you need to stop receiving these injections, your doctor will gradually reduce your dosage.

Please Note

This medicine may make you drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

This medicine increases the effects of alcohol and sedatives. Do not drink alcohol or take other medicines unless your doctor approves.

You may need to monitor your blood pressure because this medicine may cause it to become too low. Talk to your doctor about this.

You may feel dizzy or faint when you get up quickly after sitting or lying down. Getting up slowly may lessen this reaction.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding an infant.

Possible Side Effects

Serious (report these to your doctor): Drop in blood pressure (feeling dizzy, faint, or lightheaded).

Other: Dry mouth, nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, vomiting, chest pain, anxiety, ringing in your ears, sweating.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Possible Drug Interactions

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it may increase or decrease the effects of the medicines. Or the combination may cause harmful side effects. Some medicines that may interact with this medicine are:

• alcohol
• amitriptyline (Elavil)
• barbiturates such as phenobarbital, butabarbital (Butisol), and amobarbital (Amytal)
• beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), betaxolol (Kerlone), carteolol (Cartrol), bisoprolol (Zebeta), pindolol (Visken), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), timolol (Blocadren), acebutolol (Sectral), nadolol (Corgard), and propranolol (Inderal)
• calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine (Norvasc), felodipine (Plendil), isradipine (DynaCirc), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat), nimodipine (Nimotop), and nisoldipine (Sular)
• digoxin (Lanoxin) and digitoxin (Crystodigin)
• tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), and doxepin (Sinequan).

Be sure that you tell all doctors who treat you about all medicines you are taking, including nonprescription products.

This educational document includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.
Other Names For This Medication:

clonidine hydrochloride, epidural; Duraclon (clonidine hydrochloride, epidural)