some questions about fioricet

I've been taking these for a week because of tension headaches. I went to the ER this morning because of some involuntary muscle movement. Nothing too severe, it disappeared quickly. Also, I have hardly slept at all the past 2 nights. It's like I fall asleep for five minutes and then wake up. The doc said I should discontinue the fioricet. I've been taking 2-3 pills a day for a week. I last took one at 8pm last night. Is it possible to go through withdrawals after using this drug for only a week? I cannot fall asleep at all and it's really irritating.

[fogmussher]

Oh yeah. Don't underestimate the power of chemicles in your body and mind. How are the head aches? You may need to to something to make you tired if you can. Get your blood pumping and get the fioricet out of your system.

[bpbeelen]

My head really isn't too bad at the moment. I think I might be getting minor rebound headaches, but I can deal with that. I've had a ctscan and everything was normal.

I've read that you can get seizures by quitting fiorecet cold turkey, which is basically what I've done. The thing is I've only been on them a week. And the doctor never mentioned any hazards about quitting these things cold turkey. Like I said, I was in the ER this morning after some minor muscle spasms. I also feel some discomfort in my stomach right now.

What's killing me though is that I did not sleep at all last night, and the night before I only got a few hours. I've tried all day to fall asleep, but it just won't happen.

[dominosarah]

I would let your doctor know about the side effects you are having with this med.  They are addicting as well.  They can definently wire you up and make you not sleep.  Get ahold of the doc......sara

[bpbeelen]

I was literally in the ER this morning, and the doctor didn't really react to the fact that I'm having trouble sleeping. He told me to quit fioricet cold turkey, which also kind of worries me, even though I've only been on them for a week.

[dominosarah]

Did you see your regular doctor in the ER?

[avisg]

you have only been on it a week you would not have to worry about seizures durning wd .

I am surprised you are having any wd with only 7 days but anything is possible .


My18 yearold doctors gave her the floraset  I was not trilled but I watched over her.She took it about a week and was fine but everybody's body reacts different to different drugs .

Hopefully it will pass in a day or too if not I would go back to the doctor to see if anything else happens to be going on .

Let us know what happens

[bpbeelen]

Yeah, I'm not really worried about having a seizure. But I have this kind of a burning feeling in my stomach that I assume to be related to quitting the fioricet. Also dry mouth. Plus the insomnia. Is it anything that requires immediate attention? I just really don't know how I'm going to be able to sleep.

[dominosarah]

If you have a tummy ache, dry mouth and insomnia i wouldnt think it would require immediate attention.  This may take a couple days to go away.  Have you taken pain meds before?

[avisg]

I agree with Sara I would watch your symptoms the next few days and see what happens .
I really think in the next few days you sleep pattern should go back to normal .

Try getting exersise the next few days as well that will help as well.

[dominosarah]

Try taking a warm bath or shower before bed too so you can relax.

[bpbeelen]

Thanks for the advice.

And no, I've never been prescribed pain meds any time before this. I admittedly have abused Vicodin before for recreational purposes, if you really want to know.

Honestly, I wish I had never been prescribed this stupid drug. It's given me horrible insomnia and now symptoms of withdrawal. Its a terrific pain reliever, but the side effects absolutely suck. I'd rather deal with the pain of the headache than have to deal with being physically unable to sleep despite my best efforts.

[beatingthis]

Just a FYI It has caffeine in it. Here is the breakdown. I was on this for migraines.
Yes it will wire you up.

Fioricet® (Butalbital, Acetaminophen, and Caffeine Tablets USP) is supplied in tablet form for oral administration.

Each tablet contains the following active ingredients:
butalbital USP . . . . . . . . . . . .50 mg
acetaminophen USP . . . . . . 325 mg
caffeine USP . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 mg

[bpbeelen]

Thanks for all the prompt replies. I've been all over the internet trying to get responses from anyone, and this is the only forum that appears to be somewhat active.

Do you think Tylenol PM would help me sleep? My doctor said not to take any other medicines with acetaminophen in it, but I've been off the fioricet for about 24 hours now. Is it safe?

[flob]

fioricet discontinuation will cause increased anxiety and probably trouble sleeping for the first night or 2...even though you're not taking it as a sleep aid. those are the most likely effects of discontinuation.

most commonly, seizures, etc. will occure when a barbiturate is used over an extended period of time...and usually in large doses (500mg-1gm+)

if your doc told you to stop cold turkey, then i feel comfortable saying you've got very little to worry about other than possibly an increase in anxiety and trouble sleeping for a couple nights....even though it wasn't being used to treat either, it still has an effect on both of them.

[bpbeelen]

I think I'm suffering from a "rebound headache". This really makes sleeping even harder. I had to take 2 Tylenol PM just to get a few hours of sleep last night.

Is it okay to take ibuprofen for rebound headaches? Or will that just give me more rebound headaches? I feel trapped in a bad cycle of headaches.

[vicki595]

Hi~    I've read your post and I have to say I wish this had happened to me 25yrs ago.
I would never have become addicted to fioricet!  I'm not making light of your situation,trust me.  I've just dealt with that devil and it's a horrible drug that works really well!!  YUK !!     Anyway,what you're saying sounds all too familiar to me even though you've only taken 20 or so pills.   Our bodies are all different;amazing.  I'm thinking the Dr. told you not to take tylenol because there's already tylenol in the Fioricet. But you've been off that for two days now.  If you've taken Motrin/Advil before and you tolerate it well maybe you should try that but call your Dr. first just to get it on the record and hear what he/she says.   I feel for you and I'm happy you're not taking Fioricet anymore!!   I'm not either...it's been 6 weeks   :)    Now I take Excedrin Migraine otc.

Post back so we know how you're doing~

Vicki

[bpbeelen]

ugh, my head feels horrible. I don't know if it's a rebound headache or what. On one hand I want instant relief, on the other I know more medicine might lead to more rebound headaches. again, does ibuprofen contribute to rebound headaches, or is this just because of the fioricet?

[vicki595]

Hi again~   Ibuprophen worked very well for me for rebound headaches.  It did not seem to "feed" the headache at all.

Good luck with this~

V.

[bpbeelen]

Thanks Vicki.

I desperately need a good night's sleep. Hopefully tonight is the night.

[vicki595]

No problem Sweetie~  Do you have Benadryl?  You could try that for sleep or even the TylenolPM with some ibuprophen...follow label directions   :)

Goodnight~   V.

[bpbeelen]

yeah, I'm just gonna do TylenolPM again. I don't want to make a habit of it but it's literally the only way I can get any rest.

[vicki595]

That sounds good actually.Then later on or tomorrow try the ibuprophen.  I really feel for you...I've been there many times...headaches are awful.  In this situation EVERYTHING will feed them: lack of food,lack of sleep,lack of good hydration.  Water will really help you,as simple as that sounds.   You'll feel better~

Vicki  xo

[bpbeelen]

Thanks Vicki. It's nice to hear from people who have actually dealt with stuff like this before. My family really doesn't get it.

[vicki595]

This is hard for most families especially in your situation where you only took Fioricet for a week.  It's hard to imagine having trouble after such a brief period.  But...it happens and I know it. I do hope you feel better soon.  Did you have a bite to eat?Fluids?  Be good to yourself right now...lay down,cool cloth etc... You will feel better soon.
Vicki  xo

[beatingthis]

As a migraine suffer myself I use Zomig. You have to get it from a doctor it is non narcotic. These migraines is what drove me to pain meds. Triptians can be stoped at any time and they work if you use it early enough.
Imtrex, Zomig, and there a few others. It is the caffiene that is keep you awake.

Speak to you doctor about tripitians. They do help.

Terry

[bpbeelen]

I don't know about the caffeine, I haven't taken fioricet in 48 hours. Every time I'm ready to doze off I just feel the pressure on the side of my head and it prevents me from falling asleep.

[vicki595]

Take some ibuprophen now?  It sounds like a migraine...it's lasted way too long. Start forcing fluids now.   Ice to your head...ask for some help there at home...    Max dose of ibuprophen is 800mg at one time.  I've taken that many times and it helps a lot.

V.      :)

[bpbeelen]

I took 400mg a couple hours ago. I'm going to take one more, then Tylenol PM and hopefully fall asleep.

[bpbeelen]

And I've never had migraines before. Every doctor has called it a tension headache. I first got it when I was doing pushups, and I've had them on and off for over a week now. Had a ctscan and everything was normal. I'm starting to fear that I've somehow developed a chronic problem.

[vicki595]

...you need to sleep now...try to relax.   I will tell you this from my own experience :
Sometimes it's the combination of being without the combination that causes the rebound headaches.  You've covered the Tylenol,taken Motrin and Benadryl so now you might(hate to say it)need to have some coffee.  It does help and I know you're tired but it's an option if that pain in your head doesn't go away.

I'm just trying to share what I know...hope you feel better soon.                 xo

[vicki595]

You've had a headache off and on for a week? Never before huh?  All this is new...okay it's not chronic yet.  It's acute.  Try not to worry...that makes it worse.  It's strange though so I understand your concern.  I imagine your B/P was checked and that's okay right?  CT was normal.   Headaches are funny devils...tension/sinus/Migraine...They CAN appear to come from no where but there's usually an underlying stressor(I'm not diagnosing here just sharing from MY experiences) A stressor can be almost anything: work,family etc..A drug or lack of one...the list is endless.    Push ups huh?  Another good excuse for me not to exercise.  LOL     Seriously though,once you get through tonight you should really call the Dr. in the am.  Not so much for meds but to talk this over.   I,personally,think you just have a rotten headache and possibly something like a sinus infection. Please get the Dr.'s opinion tomorrow okay?    

[flob]

i would recommend you talk with your doc if your headaches are still bothering you. fioricet is ok to be taken for the amount of time you took it without causing issues other than the anxiety and trouble sleeping i mentioned...though they likely wouldn't be extreme unless you've developed an addiction/tolerance to the butalbital...this would take more than a week.

if you're not feeling better tomorrow, you should talk to your doc. butalbital compounds in general work wonderfully for tension headaches and even migraines...but it also comes with a huge risk. if you're well aware of the risk and take the right measures to avoid addiction, it's safe. if not, it's like playing with fire. in any event, as suggested triptans are another option...though they aren't an option for tension headaches. the only other med commonly rx'd for tension headaches is midrin....another combo drug thats not as addiction as butalbital formulations. however, midrin contains dichloralphenazone (which is 2 parts chloral hydrate) so it does have a potential for abuse...not nearly the potential as butalbital, though. and it DOESN'T contain caffeine...which is good.

all in all though, i hope you're speaking with your doc. rebound headaches do occure but at your doses, excedrin should be enough to take care of them...so my guess is that you and your doc might want to look more closely at this. perhaps it's all just stress...but maybe not. it's always best to know for sure.

[bpbeelen]

I took tylenol PM again and slept off and on. I never can sleep continuously.

I really don't think it's stress. It all started when I was doing pushups. It's funny, they suggest you try meditation to get rid of the headache, but meditation has been a part of my life for months now. I wish I COULD meditate, I just don't see how I'd be able to do it. I guess I should try though.

When I went to the er, my b/p was a lot higher than usual. They measured again after I spoke to the doctor and it had returned to around normal.

[bpbeelen]

I've noticed I'm pretty sensitive to light and especially sound the past couple days. Aren't migraines usually on one side of the head though?

[flob]

i'm confused.

what exactly is your situation? how long have you been having these headaches and how often? what have you done to treat them? and it sounds to me like you're experiencing issues with anxiety as well...and this alone can cause tension headaches every day. are you actually having migraines or just tension headaches? and also what have your doctors said?

perhaps i missed something. you asked if migraines are usually only on 1 side of the head...for me they are. not for everyone though. migraines are like seizures in that the result is the same...a seizure is a seizure...but there are many different types of them caused by different things.

[flob]

and also...what meds have you tried besides just the fioricet and how have they worked? actually...was the fioricet actually working for you?

[bpbeelen]

Here's everything you need to know. It's a bit long.

I first got this horrible tension headache last Monday after doing pushups, and I started taking fioricet on Tuesday. I felt pretty normal by Thursday night, but it was probably just because I was on the drug. I didn't share this next part out of embarrassment, but I got another splitting headache early Friday morning. Let's just say I was doing something alone. You can probably guess. This one was so unbearable that I went to the ER. I got a CTscan and everything came back normal. Doc said to just keep taking the fioricet. Once again, after a few days I'm feeling pretty good while I'm on the drug, and once it wears off I have a light headache. I remember on Saturday night thinking, okay, I'm fine now. Then on Sunday the headache returns. Nothing compared to the pain of the other ones, but a headache nonetheless. I also felt really nautious. I was starting to have trouble sleeping. Fastforward to Monday night, I'm on the fioricet, feeling pretty good. However, sleeping has become impossible. That night I got about 15 minutes of sleep, which took place between 6:15 and 6:35 am (Tuesday morning). When I wake up, I try to return to sleep, except now I am involuntarily shaking. I freak out and go back to the ER. By the time I get there I'm fine. This is when I was told to quit the fioricet. Since then, I have still had headaches, which I guess are "rebound headaches" but I don't really know how to classify them. I've been more sensitive to light and sound the past couple days. I take ibuprofen and I feel somewhat better, but the headaches are still present. I also had minor withdrawal symptoms like dry mouth and a burning feeling in my stomach, but those are gone now. What still lingers are the headaches and the fact that my sleep schedule is way off. I can't fall asleep without taking Tylenol PM, and even then I still wake up several times during the night.

yes, the fioricet worked extremely well as a pain reliever. but jesus, it has to be one of the worst combinations for your body imaginable. is there seriously 40 mg of caffeine in each pill? if you take that 3 times a day, that's like drinking 5 liters of pepsi in one day. I regret ever being put on this drug.

I noticed you think I'm anxious. I don't know, I don't think you can really make a judgment on that through a computer screen. You may be right though. I don't have much of a medical history, or any history with headaches at all, so this is all very bizarre for me.

[bpbeelen]

my bad on the pepsi comparison, that was totally inaccurate.

[flob]

well there is a medication called phrenilin that contains only butalbital and apap. the caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, though so it's less efficient for vascular migraine...and without the caffeine the sedative effect is greater. butalbital/apap/caffeine is kind of a throw-back to the old days, i guess. there used to be one heck of a beautiful pill that contained pentobarbital and methamphetamine....can you imagine? they marketed it for treatment of depression. haha. oh how i'd love to get my hands on some of those. but you can't...they're long gone. plus, thats the addict in me speaking....the part if me i truly hate.

in any event, are you suffering rebound headaches? well i think your entire situation is very odd and i think you should speak with your family doctor about it and see if it would be a good idea to see a neurologist. of course, with the filter of internet, it would be EXTREMELY difficult for me to understand your entire situation as a whole. did i rush to judgement on you possibly having anxiety? maybe...but i don't think so. if you are indeed having 'stress headaches'...well, stress goes hand-in-hand with anxiety most of the time...so i doubt i'm wrong, if that's actually what it is...but it could be many number of different things, so in that respect, i indeed could very well be wrong.

your sleep cycle should be addressed with your doctors. perhaps they could temporarily give you something to get that back to normal. abnormal sleep cycles are TERRIBLE for headaches. the right amount of sleep is very important in preventing them.

you see, if this med was truly working, the migraine shouldn't have gone away and then returned so many times. to me it sounds more like it never really went away to begin with...because rebound headaches are very unlikely for taking it for such a short time. just an opinion, though.

[bpbeelen]

I got some anti-anxiety meds and they helped me sleep a little better. Headaches seem to be improving, although not completely gone. Hopefully I'm back to normal in a few days.

[vicki595]

Hi~   Glad to hear you're feeling better!   This has been pretty odd, huh?!

Vicki  xo

[bpbeelen]

yep. thanks for all your help. hopefully this whole episode has come to an end.

[dominosarah]

Glad to hear you are feeling better.......sara