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Fioricet 3-Please help

Hi, I've been addicted to fioricet with codeine for almost five months now. Started on December 2nd when I went in for a horrible migraine, got a shot, and left with a script. Well, I guess it actually started with plain fioricet back in October/November. The first day I got them I took 5, but only stayed on those for 3 weeks at about 2-5 a day. After that stint, I shook for 3 days and felt crazy. Luckily, I had ativan, because I have been on 2 milligrams for about 7 years. Anyways, this time, I managed to go from 5 to 7-10 very quickly. Like I stayed at 5 until February but since then its usually about 7 until about two weeks ago I got up to 10. In the meantime, in the last like week and a half, I've seen a headache specialist who told me to get off of them immediately. He said I'd be fine as far as withdrawals went when I asked him to cut me down slowly, but no. This weekend, I managed to get down to 4 before I ran out and on Saturday, major anxiety and a headache that 8 vicodin didn't touch. Then Sunday, the major headache, plus even worse anxiety. I've actually been awake for about 25 hours despite taking 4 ativan yesterday and 2 this morning. I should have gone to the hospital, I know, especially when I started seeing weird **** yesterday and felt like completely not even in reality at all. However, my mom is very ill and I don't really have anyone that could take me and I certainly couldn't drive. So, I went completely against his advice and got 100 today, hoping that I could cut down slowly. However, I have taken 9 fioricet 3 today, so I have only 91 left. I'm really kind of scared, but I'm guessing that surely 5 months isn't that long and surely it would only take a few weeks to cut down, especially since I'm pretty sure that these are really causing my migraine/tension headaches to not be as infrequent as they used to be. So, anyways, could anyone please give me some advice on how to cut down with these last 91? I'm really pretty scared and not exactly in a good place. I realize that it was really stupid for me to abuse them, especially knowing my past issues with substance abuse and my extensive family history of addiction on both sides, but they were honestly the best drug I've ever had and I do actually get migraines. And, sorry if my post doesn't make any sense. I'm not exactly in a great place right this minute. Any advice would be appreciated, thank you :).
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Avatar universal
One other thing to check out if you can't take triptans: Botox for migraines.
I've had the shots for about a year and they have really worked. Now I can see how much they work after 4 months off Fioricet. If you get over 15 a month, have tried many other migraine meds, etc., you may qualify for your insurance to cover it. It's every 3 months and at some point, people can space out the shots to longer intervals, and hopefully stop at some point. It interrupts the whole migraine pain response. That's how Advil actually works for me now.
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Avatar universal
Sorry, you can private message me and I will give you the website I was referring to above.

Gasten
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Avatar universal
I, too, have been a chronic migraine sufferer for years.  I took fioricet or fiorinal a number of years back.  However it was not the type with codeine.  At first they worked, but I had to continue increasing the frequency as the effectiveness wore off.

You actually have several issues going on here.  Chronic migraines, addiction to codeine, as well as addiction to benzodiazepines (Ativan).

If I were in your position, I would seek out a top neurologist who specializes in migraine headaches.  Tell him or her the honest truth of how you can't stop the fioricet with codeine.  You will need to taper off.  If he or she says stop cold turkey, then seek another doctor!

Next, ask the neurologist about Triptans (as Vicki suggested).  They work far better against migraines than Fioricet.  (BTW:. Fioricet has Tylenol in it, while Fiorinal has aspirin)  The most effective Triptans I have found are Maxalt or Relpax.  

Finally, get the neurologist to work with you on tapering off the codeine first.  If the neurologist is not willing to work with you, ask for a pain management specialist who will be.

After you have accomplished managing your headaches and tapering off the codeine, may I highly recommend you taper off the Ativan.  Benzos are extremely addictive and at some point you will reach Tolerance Withdrawal--a hell I don't even want to describe.  Join ************.org for an amazing support team for that.  There are many different tapering techniques you can learn there.  You must find a benzo-wise doctor to help you.  (Most doctors do NOT know the proper technique to tapering off benzos.)  It is best to crossover to a longer lasting benzo such as Valium first and taper SLOWLY from that.  Again, the team at ************ can offer invaluable support.

I completely relate to the agony of migraines and how easily it is to become dependant on ANYTHING that brings relief.

Again, first things first--find a good neurologist or pain management doctor to help you taper off the codeine, and try Relpax or Maxalt for the migraines.  You can also take Excedrin WITH a Maxalt or Relpax for immediate relief.  

Good luck and keep us posted!

Gasten
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Avatar universal
When you're tapering, someone else needs to hold on to the pills for you. Ask your Mother to dole them out to you...As I told you, it's difficult to do this without help and support.

I'm sure the treatment is causing the condition now!  Start taking Motrin every 6-8 hours around the clock, not just here and there. You really need to make some adjustments here and work on this.  I know it's hard but it's what you need to do. Even with rehab...YOU need to do the work.

I think you'll adjust to a taper very quickly; you just haven't been taking this very long according to what you've written.  I really recommend talking to your PCP about this.  Just know that Fioricet doesnt get a lot of respect as a highly addictive drug so you may have to do some educating. Let the doctor taper you and rx the med from now on. If you continue getting it from other sources you're just defeating your plan.

Call your PCP today, stick to your current dose (4?), have your mother hold ALL the pills and hand them out at the same times every day.

Why can't you take triptans?
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Avatar universal
Thank you again for the reply, Vicki. I will be checking in. Today was just an extremely long day. I did actually tell the headache specialist how many I was taking and he promised that I would be fine. That's what annoys me the most about the whole thing. He's just like oh you could cut down in 3 days and then quit and then you'll be fine. Yeah, no. I really am interested in nonaddictive things for migraines, but unfortunately am not able to take triptans. I wish I was. My life would be so much easier. Obviously not the addiction aspect, but at least the migrainesnot being treated with addictive substances. However, I am sure that there are some other non-triptan nonaddictive treatments. And, I do notice that they have gotten worse since I started really going nuts on these. Luckily, the rehab said today that I might be able to go in on Saturday. I really pray that they're serious. Despite my mom being sick, she said she would rather me go there than worry about taking care of her since I do seem to be having a very hard time tapering. And, she, like me, is worried that I am going to end up in jail, which honestly I don't know if I'd survive it. But, I am starting to worry that taking these isn't leading to a good place, either. I honestly would do the taper with the plain fioricet, but the funny thing is, I seem to take more of those when I only have those than the ones with codeine. Idk why, but I just do.

Wodagirl, I, too, have an addictive personality and I understand becoming a shell of a person and the shame and embarassment that goes along with all of this. If you start to feel too bad, though, please call someone to take you to the hospital, because depending on how long you have been on them, seizures are a possibility. I hope you begin to feel better soon and good for you for quitting these things..

Cork, thank you for the reply. Maybe I should talk to my primary instead of my headache specialist if I don't get into rehab, since the headache guy obviously doesn't get it. I am also glad to hear that your migraines have gotten much better since getting off of these. And, you are definitely right about getting scared of a migraine and that pretty much causing one. I always seem to get the worst ones right when I'm about to run out of my pills. Stress is a big trigger for me and running out is a big stressor. What I'm honestly the most scared about is getting one while I'm in rehab, if I get in. Thank you again for the reply.

Twin Nolaa, I will definitely look into that doctor. Right now, I'm interested in tons of info on addiction and I do believe that childhood trauma did play a big role in where I am today. Thank you for the well wishes :)

Right now, I am really just in a very strange place. I'm absolutely terrified to get off of them, but I'm also absolutely terrified to stay on them. It's all very confusing. Thank you all so much for the support.
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2003871 tn?1336168469
I'm glad you are getting some help from people who understand... I do know that addictions are not genetic. I know you had mentioned that they run in your family, and this may very well be possible, but it's due to lifestyle. Genes are either turned on or off due to experiences during our lifetime. It's a matter of the question of if you're susceptible to becoming an addict or not based on those events. Studies have shown that women who are stressed during pregnancy, along with children who are exposed to traumatic situations have a higher risk of becoming an addict when they're older, than those who are not. Another fact: contrary to what many believe, no substance itself is addictive... Look up Dr. Gabor Mate sometime. He is a psychiatrist that specializes in addiction. He gives a lot of good information that I believe you would benefit from.. I wish you the best of luck. :)
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Avatar universal
Please listen to Vicki595--she can help you through this. My little contribution is that the Fioricet caused many migraines for me, even though I thought it was helping. It would help, then I'd be back with another massive migraine (rebound one)! Within a month off of Fioricet (maybe less), my migraines  almost vanished. Anything that comes up can be dealt with with Advil or Imitrix (for stronger ones).Aspirin even works for me now.
And I've have migraines for almost 40 years! For migraine people, the fear of an out-of-control migraine can almost cause a migraine. Sumatriptans are not for everyone-depends on your heart, etc--but if you can take them and just have them for worst case, it really can ease your mind. You can get through this! Have a plan, talk to your doctor, go slowly, and things get MUCH better! Hang in there! Good for you to taper!
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5350624 tn?1368535783
I have an addictive personality as well...but I am determined to quit this time. I have become a shell of a person, and am too embarrassed to tell anyone, so I have no support system either. Since I am currently in withdrawal right now....all I can say is....even though I feel like I'm gonna die, I just keep telling myself that I DO NOT want to be controlled by this evil thing anymore. It just gets harder and harder to quit. But knowing this will stop, and the addiction won't is what is helping me. Good luck.
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Avatar universal
Keep checking in so we know how you're doing...
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Avatar universal
And...at this point, the pills are causing your headaches. They're famous for that. Ask about Maxalt...
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Avatar universal
They'll kill you. I mean it.  I can't confirm your taper because we're not allowed to...your post may even be deleted. But, you take too much of this, it sounds like you binge, and you need to stop now and slowly taper off.

I think you should dump the Fioricet with codeine and stick to a taper with Fioricet plain.. TALK to your doctor. If he knew how much you really took, he wouldn't tell you that you'd be fine...because you won't be...

Doctor shopping is a felony, as you know. Stop it immediately!  Be honest with yourself and those around you, you need the support. Rehab is an excellent idea and so is in-patient detox. Not everyone can do this on their own.  I did it...but I had help and I was seldom alone...

It begins TODAY.  You know how to do this so just do it!
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Avatar universal
Thank you so much for replying, Vicki. The anxiety and confusion were indeed not worth quitting cold turkey, not to mention the headache that absolutely would not go away. I am really actually afraid to talk to my doctor. Every time I try to talk to doctors about tapering down from something, they just seem to be like no, you'll be fine. But, definitely cutting down slowly would work, I think. Or at least, I hope. I'm not too worried about the codeine. I quit vicodin cold turkey last year and didn't have too much of a problem. What I am worried about is the fioricet. I swear, this is way more addictive than anything I have ever taken in my life. I've never had such weird withdrawal symptoms. This last weekend were the craziest days of my life.

I wrote out a plan. Like take 7 pills for 3 days, 6 for 2 days, 5 for 3 days, 4 for 3 days, 3 for 3 days, 2 for 3 days, 1 for 3 days, then like a half for like a week, then maybe a 1/4 for a week after. But, I don't know if that's actually safe. I really should talk to my doctor. It's just that I'm supposed to only be taking 4, but he also prescribed the regular fioricet at the same time, so sometimes I would combine the two. Plus, I added another doctor to the mix a couple of months ago who gives me about 45 more, so it was pretty easy to get really into them. And, it wasn't always abuse. It was also headaches, so this is why I'm so confused and so scared. It does seem to work really well for migraines and other headaches, except the rebounds from it. But, then I used to think that the only thing that would fix my migraines was a shot and vicodin the next day, until they gave me fioricet with codeine which can actually work better at treating the aura that I get than vicodin. So, hopefully, after I get off of this, I can find a medication that is non-addictive that works. I'm really kind of sick of worrying about going to jail for doctor shopping or running out or whatever else comes along with this insidious addiction...which actually includes winding up in the hospital in January and then in March for taking too many....also the stress its placing on my already sick mother....she really deserves better than this, especially right now....

But, thank you so very much for the advice. It gives me hope that I can actually do this with a taper program and maybe avoid the whole rehab thing or at least wait until she's a little better, because these have become some weird way of allowing me to function and take care of her, except for the days I take too many. Then I'm just useless to everyone....
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Avatar universal
Hi there-  You have a few choices here; stopping abruptly is not one of them. The anxiety and confusion is just not worth it...

Unfortunately, both Fioricet AND codeine are addicting. Fioricet should be tapered. So, either taper down or get the doctor to change you to plain Fioricet and taper down from that; eliminating the codeine right away.

We are not allowed to offer tapering advice here but it's simple. Just cut back a small amount of the pills per day every week. Or ask the doctor to give you taper plan. Fioricet is difficult to detox from because the wd's are very strange AND dangerous...There is a seizure risk with Fioricet but you're covered right now by the Ativan...

The secret is slow and steady with the taper and you can do it...
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Avatar universal
Thank you for the reply, Twinn_Nolaa. I am actually interested in any information you have on how addictions form. I've been trying to get out of addictive tendencies for about a year now, so any info would be appreciated. Unfortunately, though, I can't go the medical marijuana route considering I was hooked on pot from the time I was 12 until I was 16. It was another awesome drug to me, until at the very end when it started making me paranoid. Also, alcohol at the same time back then, only much harder to get and then cocaine when I was 16, which sent me to the hospital with an overdose and all my secrets came out and it was bye bye everything until I was like 23. Now, I'm 26 and definitely ready to be finished with all of this, Well, except for the fear that comes along with me wondering how I can get along without some sort of drug or alcohol or whatever. So, any information on addictions would be great. I've actually signed up with a rehab, but haven't heard anything yet. Maybe that would be the best bet. I'm not sure. I'm really kind of in a lost place.

Thank you so much for your reply as well, Laurel. I do hope to hear from someone who has kind of been in the same place I have been, especially a fellow migraine sufferer. I have tried so many things for migraines in the last year and it does seem that the thing that works is usually something I shouldn't go near, like vicodin or fioricet or fioricet with codeine or a painkiller shot when it gets really really bad. So, I'm really kind of like ready to get out, but scared too. Thank-you for the kind reply though.

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617347 tn?1331293081
hang in, buttalbuddy.... i know a good friend here Vicky who was addicted to fiorect and suffered from migraines and she is clean and feeling better than ever. I am sure she will chime in and advise you about your questions. We can not give tapering down plans but guess that the slower the safer.. GOOD LUCK !!
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2003871 tn?1336168469
Unfortunately, I'm not too familiar with how to cut down on medications except to try to convince yourself to not touch them. However, I do know a tad bit about addictions and how they form, not that you're interested at the moment, but I would encourage you to learn as much as you can since you are a sufferer from it. understanding your condition is the key to getting over it. As for the migraines, I would suggest cannabis. I'm not going to convince you to get it from your local drug dealer, but since you seem to be in severe pain, I wouldn't see an issue with you being able to be prescribed medical marijuana. It would ease your pain, without the harsh side effects.    
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