Addiction to Fiorinal? Doctor giving friend unlimited refills on Fiorinal.

[William Mong]

My closest friend of 30 years has been taking Fiorinal for three years now,and I am concerned that he has become dependant and addicted to this drug. His doctor has given unlimited refills, and my friend denies his dependence even though he goes through sixty to eighty fiornal a week. Should I approach his doctor(call him-I live in another state)and remind him of the amount that is consumed by my friend. I cant seem to get my friend to admit his addiction and abuse. Is there someone I can call for help with these questions. What is the best way to approach this type of problem. My friend seems to always be somewhat high on this drug, and I want to help him without alianating him and losing any chance of helping him. His wife is aware of the problem and his reaction to her is the same as to me. Denial and anger.Help Please.

[dawnmichele]

GIVE YOUR FRIEND SOME PATIENT EDUCATION. GOOGLE THE DRUG AND SIDE EFFECTS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT A PATIENT KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TAKING ADDICTING DRUGS CAN DO. IF YOUR FRIEND KNOWS THE LONG TERM EFFECT, SUCH AS THE ASPIRIN IN FIORINAL CAN DESTROY THE LIVER, MAYBE HE WILL THINK TWICE ABOUT THE AMOUNT HE IS TAKING. HOPEFULLY HE WILL EVENTUALLY DECIDE TO TAPER THE DRUG  AND DISCONTINUE IT ALL TOGETHER. AS FAR AS CALLING HIS DR. I WOULD NOT SUGGEST IT. JUST BE A PERSISTANT FRIEND, WE ALL NEED ONE. JUST DON'T GIVE UP ON HIM. YOUR ALREADY A GOOD FRIEND JUST BY POSTING THE QUESTION. GOOD LUCK.  SINCERELY DAWN MICHELE

[Addicted2Pain]

I would be highly pissed if one of my "friends" called my doc and told them I was taking too many drugs. For one thing, a patient-doctor relationship is very personal. For 2, if his doc believes he's abusing his meds, he might be reluctant to prescribe certain drugs in the future, when your friend might really need them. About all you can do is talk to him. As has been mentioned on the board many times, the 'want-to' has to come from the addict themselves.

Just my .02 worth...

[RoxyRoller2]

Dear William,
My father suffered migraine headaches since I can remember. He took fiorinal to treat his headaches and I now am not sure why except that they made him somewhat "high" and better able to cope with the pain. When I was a teenager I became aware that he was not acting right and we would sometimes make fun of him for not remembering my boyfriend's name (someone I might have been dating for a year) or doing silly things, like a person who was high. He would have a headache and then become very "talkative" at times when he took more medication than other times, but would never remember our "bonding session". Other times he kept to himself. I am now 40. I have found out that he stopped taking Fiorinal finally when I was in my mid-30's. His new wife helped him to stop taking the meds. For 20 years or more he had been taking at least 12 Fiorinal per day. Now he suffers from pain that was masked from all the years of taking the pain killer. He has degeneration of the spine and constant pain from that (and ironically does not help his headaches). His stomach is now "shot" - he is retired and 65 and cannot enjoy wine or scotch or many of his favourite foods... ever again. He did not have a proper relationship with us since we were small kids. And he could not stay married to my mother. I consider my father a recovered addict and so does his wife. I have no idea what it has done to his organs as he is only recently opening up and owning up (to me) regarding his problem. He has bad arthritis in his knees and hands, which previously went undetected and untreated.

I don't know what you might do in your friend's case. However, if it were my friend I would do my best intervention. If you love him, you'd be willing to risk your relationship to help his health and life, but you would have to think very carefully on how to approach this. Calling his doctor I agree is a bit too invasive and besides, the doctor is prescribing the stuff. It is better you than his wife because he will need his wife for support, and not see her as "against" him. Does he have children? He will miss out on the best years with them. Try to find evidence on the internet about the adverse effects that prolonged use will bring on and show it to him. There are alternatives to Fiorinal.

I came upon this forum while doing a google search on side effects of Fiorinal as I am trying to help my father be proactive about his health. From so many years of his keeping secret his addiction, I am more helping his wife because he is still a bit reluctant to talk so frankly about it.

Good luck.