Category: Tension Headache

Which Patients are not Allowed to Buy Fioricet online

Fioricet is a tension headache killer even migraine killer and it has three main components butalbital, apap, caffeine. Butalbital, acetaminophen, and caffeine combination is used to relieve symptoms of tension (or muscle contraction) headaches.

Butalbital belongs to the group of medicines called barbiturates. Barbiturates act in the central nervous system (CNS) to produce their effects.

Acetaminophen is used to relieve pain and reduce fever in patients. It does not become habit-forming when taken for a long time. But acetaminophen may cause other unwanted effects when taken in large doses, including liver damage.

When butalbital is used for a long time, it may become habit-forming, causing mental or physical dependence. However, people who have continuing pain should not let the fear of dependence keep them from using narcotics to relieve their pain.

Physical dependence may lead to withdrawal side effects if treatment is stopped suddenly. However, severe withdrawal side effects can usually be prevented by gradually reducing the dose over a period of time before treatment is stopped completely.

Caffeine is a CNS stimulant that is used with pain relievers to increase their effect. It has also been used for migraine headaches. However, caffeine can also cause physical dependence when it is used for a long time. This may lead to withdrawal (rebound) headaches when you stop taking it.

This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.

It is very effective for tension headache and even neck pain. But some patients are not allowed to take fioricet. Some patients are not allowed to buy fioricet online.

If you are additive to alcohol, you are not allowed to take fioricet; if you are allergy to acetaminophen, caffeine, or butalbital, you are not allowed to take fioricet.

If you have porphyria, or if you have recently used alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or other narcotic medications. You are not allowed to take fioricet.

You are not allowed to buy fioricet online if:

1. You have liver disease,  cirrhosis, a history of alcoholism or drug addiction, or if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day;

2. kidney diseases;

3. Breathing Disorders;

4. Heart Diseases;

5. Stomach Diseases;

6. Mental Health problems;

7. You are pregnant;

8. You are breast feeding.

         9. Drug dependence, or history of or;

10. Weakened physical condition;

11. Porphyria (an enzyme problem);

12. Stomach problems

When we say “you are not allowed to order fioricet online“, we do not mean you cannot take fioricet. If you have above eight health concerns, you should go to your local doctors and have your health conditions be overall checked. Your doctor may prescribe you fioricet or they may not.

We really donot suggest you take fioricet if you are pregnant because fioricet can cross placenta. But it is your rights to listen to your doctors. If you are going to order Fioricet Online, please complete the health questionnaires very carefully and honestly. Never cheat the doctors.

Fioricet Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

  • Riociguat
  • Viloxazine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Alfentanil
  • Alprazolam
  • Amobarbital
  • Anisindione
  • Aprobarbital
  • Butabarbital
  • Calcium Oxybate
  • Capmatinib
  • Carisoprodol
  • Chloral Hydrate
  • Chlordiazepoxide
  • Chlorzoxazone
  • Clarithromycin
  • Clonazepam
  • Clorazepate
  • Dantrolene
  • Darunavir
  • Diazepam
  • Dicumarol
  • Doxorubicin
  • Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Liposome
  • Esketamine
  • Estazolam
  • Ethchlorvynol
  • Etonogestrel
  • Flunitrazepam
  • Flurazepam
  • Givosiran
  • Halazepam
  • Imatinib
  • Iobenguane I 131
  • Isoniazid
  • Ketazolam
  • Lorazepam
  • Lormetazepam
  • Magnesium Oxybate
  • Medazepam
  • Mephenesin
  • Mephobarbital
  • Meprobamate
  • Metaxalone
  • Methocarbamol
  • Methohexital
  • Midazolam
  • Nifedipine
  • Nitrazepam
  • Oxazepam
  • Peginterferon Alfa-2b
  • Pentobarbital
  • Phenindione
  • Phenobarbital
  • Phenprocoumon
  • Piperaquine
  • Pixantrone
  • Pneumococcal 13-Valent Vaccine, Diphtheria Conjugate
  • Potassium Oxybate
  • Prazepam
  • Primidone
  • Quazepam
  • Secobarbital
  • Sodium Oxybate
  • Temazepam
  • Thiopental
  • Trazodone
  • Triazolam
  • Ulipristal

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Acenocoumarol
  • Cannabis
  • Carbamazepine
  • Fosphenytoin
  • Lixisenatide
  • Ospemifene
  • Phenytoin
  • Prednisone
  • Warfarin
  • Zidovudine

Other Fioricet Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

  • Ethanol
  • Tobacco

Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

  • Cabbage
  • Ethanol

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Alcohol abuse, history of or
  • Drug dependence, or history of or
  • Weakened physical condition—Use with caution. May increase risk for more serious side effects.
  • Kidney disease or
  • Liver disease—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.
  • Porphyria (an enzyme problem)—Should not be used in patients with this condition.
  • Stomach problems—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

Fioricet Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress while you or your child are taking this medicine. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to take it.

This medicine may be habit-forming. If you or your child feel that the medicine is not working as well, do not use more than your prescribed dose. Call your doctor for instructions.

Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.

Serious skin reactions can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have blistering, peeling, or loose skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, or fever or chills while you are using this medicine.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you or your child have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are using this medicine.

This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or not alert.

This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other CNS depressants (medicines that can make you drowsy or less alert). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicine for allergies or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicine, other prescription pain medicine or narcotics, medicine for seizures or barbiturates, muscle relaxants, or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics. Also, there may be a greater risk of liver damage if you drink three or more alcoholic beverages while you are taking acetaminophen. Do not drink alcoholic beverages, and check with your doctor before taking any of these medicines while you are using this medicine.

Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you or your child are taking this medicine. The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

 

How Should I Take Fioricet ?

Take Fioricet exactly as prescribed. Follow all directions on your prescription label.

Do not take more of this medication than recommended. An overdose can damage your liver or cause death.

Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.

Take the medicine with food or milk if it upsets your stomach.

Store Fioricet at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Keep track of the amount of medicine used from each new bottle. Butalbital is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.

For the treatment of the symptom complex of tension headache or occasional migraine†.

Oral dosage (products with 50 mg butalbital, 300, 325, or 500 mg acetaminophen, and caffeine 40 mg per tablet or capsule, e.g., Esgic, Fioricet, or Zebutal)
Adults

1 to 2 tablets or capsules PO every 4 hours as needed. Do not exceed 6 tablets or capsules in a 24-hour period.

Oral dosage (oral solution with 50 mg butalbital, 325 mg acetaminophen, and caffeine 40 mg per 15 mL, e.g., Alagesic LQ, Vanatol LQ)
Adults

15 mL to 30 mL PO every 4 hours as needed. Do not exceed 90 mL in a 24-hour period.

Children and Adolescents 12 years and older

15 mL to 30 mL PO every 4 hours as needed. Do not exceed 90 mL in a 24-hour period.

MAXIMUM DOSAGE

Adults

Acetaminophen 4 grams/day PO, caffeine 240 mg/day PO, or butalbital 300 mg/day PO.

Geriatric

Acetaminophen 4 grams/day PO, caffeine 240 mg/day PO, or butalbital 300 mg/day PO.

Adolescents

Acetaminophen 4 grams/day PO, caffeine 240 mg/day PO, or butalbital 300 mg/day PO.

Children

12 years: Acetaminophen 4 grams/day PO, caffeine 240 mg/day PO, or butalbital 300 mg/day PO.
Less than 12 years: Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Infants

Safety and efficacy have not been established.

DOSING CONSIDERATIONS

Hepatic Impairment

Acetaminophen should be used with extreme caution in patients with impaired hepatic function or with a history of overdose. Acetaminophen should not be used in patients with a history of alcoholism. Patients with stable hepatic disease may receive therapeutic doses of acetaminophen for episodic pain of short duration (< 5 days).

Renal Impairment

Dosage should be modified depending on clinical response and degree of renal impairment, but no quantitative recommendations are available.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since this medicine is used when needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are on a schedule, use the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

 

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of Fioricet can be fatal.

The first signs of an acetaminophen overdose include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, sweating, and confusion or weakness. Later symptoms may include pain in your upper stomach, dark urine, and yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.

Overdose symptoms may also include insomnia, restlessness, tremor, diarrhea, increased shallow breathing, uneven heartbeats, seizure (convulsions), or fainting.

What is Signs and Symptoms of Fioricet Overdose and the Treatment of Fioricet Overdose

Butalbital Overdose:  drowsiness, confusion, and coma; respiratory depression; hypotension; and hypovolemic shock.

Acetaminophen Overdose: dose-dependent, potentially fatal hepatic necrosis is the most serious adverse effect. Renal tubular necrosis, hypoglycemic coma, and thrombocytopenia may also occur. Early symptoms following a potentially hepatotoxic overdose may include: nausea, vomiting, diaphoresis, and general malaise. Clinical and laboratory evidence of hepatic toxicity may not be apparent until 48 to 72 hours post-ingestion. In adults hepatic toxicity has rarely been reported with acute overdoses of less than 10 grams, or fatalities with less than 15 grams.

Caffeine Overdose: insomnia, restlessness, tremor, and delirium, tachycardia and extra systoles.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of Fioricet can be fatal.

The first signs of an acetaminophen overdose include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, sweating, and confusion or weakness. Later symptoms may include pain in your upper stomach, dark urine, and yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.

Overdose symptoms may also include insomnia, restlessness, tremor, diarrhea, increased shallow breathing, uneven heartbeats, seizure (convulsions), or fainting.

Fioricet Detox

Fioricet is known to have withdrawal symptoms when regular use is discontinued. These symptoms can decrease gradually over an estimated two-week period.  However, the safest way to proceed through withdrawal from Fioricet requires medical assistance, as withdrawal symptoms from Fioricet can be fatal if they are not properly supervised.

Detoxification is the body’s natural process of removing toxins. People who frequently use a substance never truly detoxify from the substance because they are always adding more into their system. When someone with a Fioricet use disorder chooses to seek treatment, the first thing they must do is stop taking Fioricet and let the body detoxify.

The detoxification process can be challenging, but it is a necessary part of a person’s recovery. A medically supervised detox program is important to safely remove the substance from the body. Some people choose to try “cold turkey” detoxification, which is a potentially dangerous detox approach that involves an individual abruptly halting the intake of the drug. Because of the sudden lack of the substance that the body and mind have become used to, a person can experience severe withdrawal symptoms that often result in a failed attempt at detoxing. Quitting Cold Turkey is not a recommended or an efficient way to detox from Fioricet.

There is not one specific detoxification program that works the same for everyone. To meet individual needs, The Recovery Village has staff and resources to tailor a detox approach for each client’s unique needs. At a rehabilitation facility, trained medical professionals will guide each patient through their unique treatment plan and usher them safely through their personal withdrawal symptoms.

Detox Process for Fioricet Abuse

There are two ways to detox: “cold turkey”, or by tapering, which is gradually lowering substance dosages. Many people who choose to detox on their own at home attempt the “cold turkey” method. However, a cold-turkey detox can be dangerous, because the onset of withdrawal symptoms is more severe. Because of the potential intensity of Fioricet withdrawal symptoms, the person going through detox may end up experiencing setbacks without the proper supervision and care that a rehabilitation facility can provide.

Professional medical detoxification is the safest option when it comes to beginning on the path to recovery. At The Recovery Village, clients are monitored 24/7 to ensure that withdrawal is as comfortable as possible, that their vitals are at healthy levels and that they are not experiencing any life-threatening symptoms.

The primary risks during detox include dehydration and delirium tremens. Severe dehydration can lead to seizures,, which can easily become lethal, especially if they occur in an at-home environment without medical supervision. Delirium tremens can also lead to cardiac arrhythmia and respiratory failure, which can be fatal if left untreated.

Following detox, the patient is ready to begin treatment for their Fioricet use disorder. The Recovery Village offers many different treatment options including inpatient and outpatient rehab. Rehab is a proven treatment method for Fioricet addiction because it addresses both the physical and psychological sides of the disease.

fioricet over dose treatment
fioricet over dose treatment

The Treatment of Fioricet Overdose

A single or multiple overdose with this combination product is a potentially lethal polydrug overdose, and consultation with a regional poison control center is recommended.

Immediate treatment includes support of cardiorespiratory function and measures to reduce drug absorption. Vomiting should be induced mechanically, or with syrup of ipecac, if the patient is alert (adequate pharyngeal and laryngeal reflexes). Oral activated charcoal (1 g/kg) should follow gastric emptying. The first dose should be accompanied by an appropriate cathartic. If repeated doses are used, the cathartic might be included with alternate doses as required. Hypotension is usually hypovolemic and should respond to fluids. Pressors should be avoided. A cuffed endotracheal tube should be inserted before gastric lavage of the unconscious patient and when necessary, to provide assisted respiration. If renal function is normal, forced diuresis may aid in the elimination of the barbiturate. Alkalinization of the urine increases renal excretion of some barbiturates, especially phenobarbital.

Meticulous attention should be given to maintaining adequate pulmonary ventilation. In severe cases of intoxication, peritoneal dialysis, or preferably hemodialysis may be considered. If hypoprothrombinemia occurs due to acetaminophen overdose, vitamin K should be administered intravenously.

If the dose of acetaminophen may have exceeded 140 mg/kg, acetylcysteine should be administered as early as possible. Serum acetaminophen levels should be obtained, since levels four or more hours following ingestion help predict acetaminophen toxicity. Do not await acetaminophen assay results before initiating treatment. Hepatic enzymes should be obtained initially, and repeated at 24-hour intervals.

Methemoglobinemia over 30% should be treated with methylene blue by slow intravenous administration.

Toxic Doses (for adults)

Butalbital: toxic dose 1 g (20 tablets)
Acetaminophen: toxic dose 10 g (30 tablets)
Caffeine: toxic dose 1 g (25 tablets)

In all cases of suspected overdosage, call your Regional Poison Control Center to obtain the most up-to-date information about the treatment of overdosage. Telephone numbers of certified Regional Poison Control Centers are listed in the Physicians’ Desk Reference®*.

Why Fioricet is not Controlled but Fiorinal is Controlled Substance

Fioricet contains: 325 mg of acetaminophen (APAP), 50 mg of butalbital, and 40 mg of caffeine.  The max dose of acetaminophen per day is 4000 mg, and since there’s only 325 mg in Fioricet, you’ll have to take a lot at once or take them for a long time to get the damage from acetaminophen, whereas someone on warfarin takes aspirin and isn’t aware of it the effects could be immediate….The fatal liver damage from acetaminophen comes when you take it with alcohol, so if you don’t take your Fioricet with a shot you should be ok at this dose

Fiorinal contains: 325 mg of aspirin (ASA), 50 mg of butalbital, and 40 mg of caffeine. Fiorinal is scheduled because drug abusers can easily perform an “acid wash” to remove the aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) component. It is much more difficult to remove the acetaminophen component in Fioricet. 

The only difference between these two is the aspirin in Fiorinal vs acetaminophen in Fioricet.

The interesting thing is that Fiorinal is a scheduled class III substance, while Fioricet has a non-scheduled status. It seems really strange because both combinations contain equal amount of the controlled substance butalbital.

Exceptions from the scheduling have been made if the drug meets the requirements of section 811(g) (3) (A) of the Controlled Substances Act2. The exemption requires that one of the active ingredients be a non-narcotic controlled substance and one of the others be a non-scheduled compound. The potential for abuse is decreased if a sufficient amount of a non-controlled substance (e.g., aspirin or acetaminophenn) is added. The ratio required for exemption is 70 mg of acetaminophen to 15 mg of butalbital. In contrast, the ratio of aspirin to butalbital is 188 mg to 15 mg.

The acetaminophen to butalbital ratio is approximately 97 mg to 15 mg in Fioricet, thus it is exempt from scheduling1. In Fiorinal the aspirin to butalbital ratio is approximately 97 mg to 15 mg, which is less than the 188mg:15mg ratio, so it is classified as a Schedule III substance.

Citation: Section 811(g)(3)(A) Controlled Substances Act

**Please note: Under the following states law, Fioricet is classified as a Schedule III controlled drug. **

  1. Georgia
  2. Maryland
  3. New Mexico

 Alabama Pharmacy State Board Newsletter that gives somewhat of an explanation:

In the past, there has been confusion over the controlled status of Fioricet. Fioricet is not scheduled federally. In 1980, a federal panel set forth criteria to except certain compounds if they were combined with butalbital and fell within the proper ratio of acetaminophen and butalbital. Fioricet met the criteria to be an excepted compound and was excepted in 1980.

Fiorinal is a much older drug than Fioricet and was released at a time when all butalbital-containing drugs were listed as Schedule-III. Butalbital was later removed from that listing but brand name Fiorinal was never taken off of the list. Fioricet came along after butalbital was removed from the list and it therefore carries no control status. However, butalbital does still carry some danger of dependence and there is no difference in the dependence levels between butalbital with aspirin and butalbital with acetaminophen.

 

Fioricet Abuse and Dependence

Fioricet is the brand name of a combination drug that’s used for the treatment of headaches that can include tension headaches, headaches from muscle contractions and post-dural puncture headaches.
While not an official indication, Fioricet is also often given to treat migraines and other causes of pain.The three components of Fioricet do the following:

  • Acetaminophen is a pain reliever, and it also acts as a fever reducer
  • Butalbital is a barbiturate that can help relax muscles which often lead to tension headaches
  • Caffeine is included in Fioricet because it stimulates the central nervous system and helps improve blood flood through the blood vessels

Some Fioricet may also contain codeine, so it contains both butalbital and another potentially addictive narcotic.

There are certain people who are advised against taking Fioricet. These people include anyone who has a history of liver disease or cirrhosis, people who drink more than three alcoholic beverages a day, and people with a history of substance abuse. It’s also not intended for use in people with kidney disease, breathing disorders, or a history of suicidal thoughts or mental illness.

Some of the potential side effects of Fioricet include:

  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • Feeling restless or anxious
  • Feeling drunk or intoxicated
  • Sleep problems

The more severe side effects that can occur with Fioricet include confusion, seizures, shortness of breath, nausea, upper stomach pain, or jaundice.

So is Fioricet addictive? The answer is yes, which will be detailed below. With that in mind, the prescribing of Fioricet is intended to be a last resort for migraine sufferers. Doctors are advised to exhaust all other possible routes of treatment before prescribing this addictive, habit-forming drug.

Is Fioricet Addictive?

NO.  Fioricet is not addictive.  You need take 40 tab fioricet per day if you are addictive to Fioricet. The butalbital in Fioricet belongs to a class of drugs called barbiturates, a central nervous system depressant. Like other barbiturates, it has the potential to cause physical and psychological dependence, which can lead to abuse. But we do not think taking Fioricet can cause addiction because the addiction dosage of barbiturate is 1500mg per day which will exhaust 30 tablet fioricet (Around 10,000 mg acetaminophen ).  30 tablet of fioricet with 10,000mg  of acetaminophen will kill an adult. The Max dosage of Fioricet is six tablets so it is safe and no addiction concerns.

But some websites say fioricet may  get you high . The belief is that the Fioricet high is caused by the fact that butalbital can increase the inhibition neurotransmitters in the brain called GABA. It can bind to certain receptor sites and ultimately central nervous system activity is depressed. This can lead to what feels like a buzz or to some people possibly a high.

Fioricet Dependence

Fioricet cannot cause addiction, but it can cause dependence. The first sign of possible Fioricet dependence is when a person notices that their regular dose  does not help their headache. People begin increasing their dose, until they are able to achieve the same effects they have experienced in the past. Prolonged use of Fioricet will build a person’s tolerance to it; this means they will need larger doses to achieve the same results.

When a person is dependency on Fioricet, he experiences withdrawal symptoms when the dose is suddenly stopped or decreased. If you are suffering from nausea, delirium, anxiety, convulsions, and hallucinations, contact your doctor immediately. These, according to the FDA, appear within 16 hours after the last dose. People who are withdrawing from the drug also feel emotional, depressed, anxious, and irritable. Some have hypertension, depression of the respiratory system, and confusion.

Psychological symptoms of dependence are usually more powerful than the physical, and are not as obvious to the person taking the Fioricet. However, others may notice that they have become obsessed or preoccupied with taking their medication. Prolonged Fioricet use will also make a person believe they are unable to function properly without it.

Never take your Fioricet overdose. If six tablet Fioricet cannot treat your headaches, please find a neighbor doctor or your family doctor and let them to check your health conditions and prescribe you new fioricet prescription.

While it seems like opioids get the bulk of the attention right now regarding prescription medication addiction, Fioricet is addictive. When people take Fioricet, they should be warned of the potential for Fioricet abuse and Fioricet addiction. It’s the butalbital that may be habit-forming in Fioricet, and if it contains codeine, that element may also be.Butalbital is a central nervous system depressant, and it can sedate how a person feels pain. This is combined with the pain-relieving effects of acetaminophen, which works differently than the butalbital.

So how do Fioricet abuse and Fioricet addiction occur?

When someone is addictive to Fioricet, it usually begins as tolerance. With a drug tolerance someone takes the substance for a period of time, and then their body becomes used to it, so they need continuously higher doses to get the same effects.

A tolerance can be developed for butalbital as well as codeine if it’s contained in Fioricet. There is research that shows the average barbiturate addict may need to take 1500 mg of the drug to feel the effects they want. Unfortunately, people who are addicted to Fioricet also often take other opioids and narcotics either to amplify the effects of the Fioricet or when they run out of it to achieve the same effect.

What are the signs of Fioricet addiction?

  • One of the first outward signs of Fioricet addiction is often when people start doctor shopping, meaning they try to go to multiple doctors to get more of the drug.
  • People may be taking more doses of Fioricet for the treatment of recurring headaches.
  • You may have not only a physical dependence but also a Fioricet addiction if you start to experience symptoms of withdrawal when you stop taking it or take a lower dosage.
  • People who are addicted to Fioricet may feel like they can’t function normally without it.
  • When you’re addicted to Fioricet, you may be obsessed with finding it and taking it.

While all addictions to prescription drugs are worrisome, with Fioricet, there is not only the concern of being addicted to the butalbital, but there are the risks of the acetaminophen component of the drug. Acetaminophen can cause liver damage or failure when high amounts are taken, and it can be an acute situation where it happens very suddenly. It’s important for people who take Fioricet to be aware of this.

Acute liver failure can occur in doses of more than 4,000 mg in a day.

In addition to the dangers of acetaminophen, with Fioricet abuse, there is the risk of overdosing on butalbital as well. Butalbital can cause respiratory depression and excessive sedation, so Fioricet addiction is dangerous in multiple ways.

If you or someone you know may have a Fioricet abuse problem, it’s important to seek professional help, because it’s an addiction that can very easily be dangerous or deadly.

Barbiturates may be habit-forming: Tolerance, psychological dependence, and physical dependence may occur especially following prolonged use of high doses of barbiturates.

The average daily dose for the barbiturate addict is usually about 1500 mg. As tolerance to barbiturates develops, the amount needed to maintain the same level of intoxication increases; tolerance to a fatal dosage, however, does not increase more than two-fold. As this occurs, the margin between an intoxication dosage and fatal dosage becomes smaller.

The lethal dose of a barbiturate is far less if alcohol is also ingested. Major withdrawal symptoms (convulsions and delirium) may occur within 16 hours and last up to 5 days after abrupt cessation of these drugs. Intensity of withdrawal symptoms gradually declines over a period of approximately 15 days.

Treatment of barbiturate dependence consists of cautious and gradual withdrawal of the drug. Barbiturate-dependent patients can be withdrawn by using a number of different withdrawal regimens. One method involves initiating treatment at the patient’s regular dosage level and gradually decreasing the daily dosage as tolerated by the patient.