Fiorinal use

[Bev]

Dear Dr. Adelman,
     I have been using Fiorinal C1/2 for migraines and tension headaches.  Since I went off the birth control pill my migraines are fewer and less severe but I still have a lot of tension headaches.  I have tried other prescription medications for them but nothing else works as well as the fiorinal do.  I get a prescription for 60 caplets approximately every 45-60 days, I have to take 2-6 caplets per day when I get a headache which is usually about 3 days per week.  Am I taking too many?

[JC1961]

For all who talk about detox and addiction. I suffer from chronic nerve pain from a botched operation. Addiction is the least of your worries when you are in pain everyday. If you have found something that works and are likely to be on it for the rest of your life then take what works..

[cmt2010]

I am going through the same thing. I have terrible migraines, on Coumadin and not much out there over the counter that I can take. I am finding myself yes "addicted" as well to the fact if I don't have them, I'm afraid to what will happen if I get that blurry vision/head pain start of a migraine. I get a couple a week. On and off at times, some weeks better then others. I do not exceed over 6 a day, and when I feel I am almost at that point, I know and stop taking anymore. With my heart condition it does scare me to accidentally overdose or something. But last year and twice this year, I have had routine lab work done, and had a ruptured ovarian cysts back in January and no one ever said anything about my liver/kidneys. I am very lucky so far ( knock on wood). Just when I know I am taking a bit to much, I back off. Unfortunately, its just hard when I can not take regular aspirin, or anything. Anything even to much Tylenol is not good for you now a days.  I am not a drinker at all either, I think that is obviously on my side more then other people who do have alcoholic drinks. Don't get me wrong, I have one or two a month but nothing excessive. Its just how you use it. Just watch yourself if you feel you used to much, you need to take a break from it and save it for you when you do get those full blown migraines. I already feel it affecting my body slightly and don't want to make it worse. But agreed for people and doctors who do not get migraines that this so far is the best medication out there. I have tried Midrin and Tylenol migraine tablets. Nothing. Good luck out there and just be careful don't exceed over 4-5 a day, if that much :))

[parttimepain]

I have pain and lots of it, Arthritis and migrains learn to love your pain as if it were a normal part of your life and it gets easyier to deal with. I have the pills on hand but I rarely take them. If you feel pain your still on the right side of the grass.
Broken but still givener

[tallulah09]

Fiorinal is HIGHLY addictive ive seen three neurologist.. experts on this subjects.. theyve all told me to never exceed more than two a week.. the pharmacy and doctor told me 2 -4 a day.. which i did and got very dependent..they work very well. They are banned in most countries.. my neurologist called it " watered down heroin" he wasnt impressed. Dont exceed more than 2 a week.  The pharmacists and doctors dont seem to know about this.

[Soon2BMrsTurner]

This post is really old , If you go to the top of the page it will say post new question and you can write there=) Want to make sure that you arent overlooked and that you get the help and support that you need ,
Good luck

[tly]

i have been taking fiornan with codine for years only as needed but about a year ago i heard of a doctor that would give you anything you want and of course i went there..... now i am taking them everyday 3 to 5 pills a day along with 2 vicodin i can not go into rehab because of family obliagations (money and care of kids) so i have done alot of reseach and the best way i see is to wean off...... has anyone done this and if so what to expect and how often do i decrease???????????   if anyone can help please do thank you and god bless anyone with mirgranes.


thank you TLY

[Dr. Myriam (Canada)]

Way too much....
You are loosing the effect it should have
try Emtec-30 instead...
Good luck

[whitedove]

Just wanted to make sure you got my message and see how you are doing.

whitedove

[whitedove]

Yes, Bev, they are extremely addictive if you are an addict.  AND, through the use of this medication,  I found out I was.  I ended up, after man year, taking up to 25 each day of fiornal #3. I defitely "hit a bottom" and knew it the day I couldn't drive my car to pick up my kids.

In summary for now, because I need to get going at the moment, I began using them for true migraines and followed the instructionss but then, I began to notice the "feel good" feeling and it gave me confidence I lacked in social situations.  So, I continued to use it, in increasing quantities, manipulating my original Dr. for why I needed more and then found other Drs. to add to the supply, etc.  You get the picture.

Eventually (after many years), I didn't like the feeling anymore, I was hurting my family, didn't like manipulating everyone around me,  my husband had drawn up an invisible wall, etc.  So, afer various calls to AA/NA, Drs., the few friends I had left, I miraculously got in with a counselor that had seen me years prior for another issue and less than 12 hrs. later, I was in the rehab at a hospital withdrawing, medically safe.

It had to be done.  My liver was shutting down and in fact, my whole body was.  I slept all the time.  My husband felt like he just had another child.  Looking back, I certainly understand.  I could go on and on and will be more than happy to tell you more, but I must go for now but with the final words of, listen to yourself, follow what your hearing and go forward.  Don't look back, get help and LIVE again without this drug.  It works for the right people without chemical addictions.  Unfortunately, that's not me.  Had I stayed with that medication, I would have died.  The tests in the hospital showed how it had already affected my liver. There were many people in the hospital on street drugs, alcohol, etc. and I was the only one that had liver problems. Can you believe that?  Everyone went home before me.

Now, I struggle again.  But, with a different addicting substance. The bottomline is that I just can't take narcotics, no matter how bad the pain.  I thought I conquered the struggle about 3 years ago and was strong enough to handle a prescription of narcotics but I was DEAD WRONG!!  All the psychological and physical cravings came back and I was back at the game.  Go to the hydrocodone section and you'll see me comments under white dove. Then, you'll get a better idea of where I am now.  

I wish you the best.  My hospital called Fiornal #3, the happy pill because of all the varying substances and I believe they were right.  The good news is, you can get off of it far easier than I can get off half the amount of the hydrocodone I'm taking now.  So, hang in there.  Feel free to write me direct at ***@****.

Best wishes and find your higher power; you need one and all of us.  Everyone is so helpful on this site.  I come here 1st thing every am.

whitedove
Pam

[Violet]

I think that all of these people that say Fiorinal is bad for a person have never had a migraine.  I've been on & off Fiorinal c1/2 for almost 12 years.  You need to be smart about taking your medication.  There are risks with any medication.  I've had no problems with it.  I've stopped taking Fiorinal for a year at a time & then gone back on it, because it is the only medication that works for me.  I think that these ones that want to ban Fiorinal should have a migraine & then they'll think differently.
With any medication you have ones that won't listen to their doctor, why not take these ones off & not make the rest suffer.
My doctor & I control very carefully how much medication I take.

[HedHurtz]

I have been taking Fioricet (Caffeine, Butalbital and Tylenol)for about 6 years. I get 100 a month for migraines. I take Midrin for breakthroughs, but Fioricet really is the only thing that works. I too had to off birth control because the hormones in them triggered headaches. I'm going to tell you (and I'm sure you can empathize) when I get a full blown migraine, addiction is the LAST thing on my mind! Peace is! There are days that I take more than prescribed, but then there are days that I need on or two for prevention.....out of FEAR that I may get one. I have been through that "trail and error" roller coaster ride of headache medications. If you really "use" it for headaches and it works,then stick with it. Just ask your self "If I could wake up one morning and never have a headache again, would I still take Fiorinal for a high, or would I just thank god and toss them away?" I know my answer and hopefully that day will come!!!!!!! I'm waiting.

[zip]

Hi all, I have had real bad migraines for years now ( From being in many car accidents) and have not had any big successes for treatments til now. I have done the Fiorinal route and the imatrex and the migrainal. as well as things as strong as Talwin. With no avail. Now my NEW doc is trying "inderal 20mg 2xs aday and Amatriptyline 10mg 2xs a day..........plus either tylenol 3's or fiorinal c1/2 's when needed. I have so far found the inderall and amatriptyline combo really help alot but  you have to get through the firts few weeks of being lathargic. Then all of a sudden WHAM you feel better. Lots of luck and keep the pain pills in check.............I ended up likeing them way too much . Try toradol if none of the narcodics work .

[Michael]

I have have using biorinal for three years.  Two tabs a day as a prevention and some times up to five a day and if that does not work I deal with it or go to Emergency and get knock out.  I have gone four to five weeks with out my medication with out any problems. I think I get more tention worring if I am going to go back to being totaly incopasataed with a head achs from the doctor not refilling then I do in all of life.  My problem is broken down disk in my spine c6-7.  Fiorinal is the only medication that has worked.  Every ones body is different and is more likly then other to have problems with drugs then others.  I would love to be able to take no medication but until thy find a solution I need my Fiorinal

[Cheryl]

I take fiorinal for headaches too. I get 30 every week. I understand the deal with the rebound headaches. Those are NOT what the problem is. When I go off fiorinal, I get those, but those are easy to deal with compared to the migraines I get. I have a jaw problem due to an accident while on a rafting trip that gives me alot of pain. I also get severe tension headaches. I have tried EVERYTHING else. All the other medications whether they are preventitive or other, just do not work at all. If my doctor decides to stop prescribing fiorinal, I would not be able to function. Not because of withdrawls, but because of the pain. There is no means to measure such pain. I don't walk around high, or whatever..I feel more normal than curled up in a ball with pain.

[jd]

It depends on the person.  I realized that Fiorinal was addictive for me when I kept hoping the physician would not stop prescribing them.  After not taking them for a month, and having a gradual reduction in migraines, I realized many of the headaches were rebound headaches from taking Fiorinal almost daily.  Inderal (beta blocker)appears to work as a preventative.

[Man in Pain]

I take percocets, vikodins, and vicoprofen for relief from a pinched nerve I aquired in a auto accident. I have done extensive research on the opium derivitives and cant find any thing bad about the medication. Yes its addictive and there are side effects such as constipation ( rare ) but over all it is the only med that I have found to effectively reduce the pain. It hasnt hurt my social life nor my professonal life. I have moved up the ladder of success at a full power TV station and have many production projects happening at the present.

It doesnt hurt human liver and I cant understand why they are so played up as a "bad drug" when all it has done is improve th equality of my life.

If you suffer from pain, find one that works and dont listen to anyone else unless it is destroying your life.

I get head aches occasonally but a good dose of Ibuprofen usually ends it soon. Plus a lot of regular coffee helps as well.

this is onluy my opinion and my experience.

Be careful but get rid of the pain. pain sucks !

[gee]

I used to take Fiorinal #3 every single day.  It was prescribed to me for my migraines and it took about five years of using it to reach the point of taking it every day.  There is no question that I was addicted.  I took at least 6 and as many as 20 pills a day.  I was hospitalized for nearly overdosing, but I guess mainly because of the aspirin that's in the fiorinal.  I had to drink charcoal to absorb it... it was horrible!  

I reached a point where I was definitely ready to quit.  I wasn't feeling "good" by taking the pills anymore and had to worry every day about how I was going to get more.  The withdrawal was horrible.  Not just the shakes and the sweating and the irritability, but I wasn't able to sleep for about two weeks.  I was given phenobarb for a few days and then I was on my own.  I went to a support group and it helped a lot.

Make no mistake, you can become addicted and it's just as bad as any other narcotic.  While I was on it, I appeared drunk, unable to speak properly, unable to walk properly, etc.  Maybe my threshold is lower than some, but it is an addictive drug and withdrawal can be a nightmare... especially if you do it alone.

[Lynn]

I saw Bev's question but not the answer. What is too much Fiorinal.  I have about one migraine a month but it usually lasts 3 days. I take up to 6 Fiorinal and Midrin a day during a migraine. The Dr. recommends Midrin as a "kicker" rather than increasing the fiorinal.  I take both occasionally for tension headaches also.  Nothing works as well as Fiorinal. It is the only way I can hold down a job.

[Brian to Joan]

You sound like someone who is dangerously close to becoming addicted to the fiorinal.  Be careful because most of us started with prescribed medication that we too thought we could control.

[Joan C]

I have taken fiorinal with codiene on and off for the last 5 years and really don't have any problem when I go off them.  Some days I would take as many as 8 a day for migrians.  I always start out with at least 3 and then take as needed through out the day.  I usually get 50 with 2 refills but use them up before I should. I'm always afraid my doctor will cut me off.  Isn't it terrible that we have to act like we don't care if we get them or not just so the doctor won't cut us off.

[d]

Just a word to the wise: BEware of IMUS3.This person HAS been thrown out of OTHER forums for telling people to chew their medications.He/She IS NOTHING BUT TROUBLE...Best thing to do IS IGNORE!

[to imus3]

you're not mean, just high. Sherri hit it on the head -- going through barbiturate AND opiate withdrawal would be not only unpleasant but quite possibly life threatening. Ever see Ray Miland scratching at invisible bugs in Lost Weekend? That's pretty close to barbiturate withdrawal. I know what you mean though --  a lot of people in this forum agonize about using what is to me (and you, I guess) pathetically small amounts of drugs. Many people on this forum eke out over a day what I would have inhaled in one sitting. Yet their withdrawal is every bit a bad as they say it is. It's all relative. Enjoy the xanax ...

[imus3]

I took it for a long time, 2 years, 5 pills a day,, and quit with no trouble, if you were taking 1,500 fiorinal pills a month, you should go thruogh withdraw, i dont think you were taking that many, you need to go to a hospital alright, but not the kind your thinkin of

[Sherri Rice]

This comment/response is to Imus3's post on 4/7/00:

Yes, Mr. Jokester, detox for Fiorinal #3!  When one has been using F#3 for over 12 years - at the rate of 30 to 48 capsules per day - you bet you need a detox ward!  One could have a stroke and/or heart attack from the physical withdrawal. And guess what they use to detox you - a barbiturate!

This isn't funny stuff my friend - F#3 worked better than anything I'd ever used for Migraines, but it's also highly addictive.  And because it contains butalbital and codeine, you get the double whammy of an opiate and a barbiturate.  Which means you ALSO get a "double withdrawal" - and one you need to be careful with.  But - thankfully, it is possible.  Been there, done that - and 5 years off.

Sherri