fioricet

[scared2]

i have been addicted to fioricet without codeine for over 6 year s, i take just about 6 or 7 a day, i take about 3 every morning to get me going, because i feel it is the only way to get me going.  i want to stop.  i am scared that i may have caused liver damage, and i do not want to die.  i also in addition at night right after work pop 1 1/2 of vicodin es, but not any more than that.  but none the less still addicted.  and i have been doing that for the same amount of time, but just in the past year taking 1/1/2 everyday, it used to be just on the weekends.

i need some advise on stopping, what kind of withdrawls i might have.  what kind of herbs can i take to help maybe correct my liver damage.  i am 31, and i think i still have a chance to reverse any damage, if i can just stop using.

please help

scared

[Kat49]

Hey enigma!  Read your post and couldn't believe how many you take on weekends!  I've been taking fiorinal since 1985 and the most I ever took was 10/day!  I've gone cold turkey 4 times and each time have gotten deathly sick and then felt much better than I did while on them.  My problem is that I get migraines and it helps abort them before they're out of control and I have to take Imitrex which is $22/pill! How do you get so many fiorinals prescribed anyways? The aspirin alone will destroy your stomach and blood platelets and if you take fioricet the tylenol will kill your liver. You probably don't have much symptoms from going cold turkey because you have SO MUCH of the drug in your body built up. When did you start CT?  If it's been weeks, then maybe you are one lucky guy! There are a whole bunch of us fiorinal addicts who post on drugabuse.com because our really long thread on this was cut down and then deleted. Our stories of how and why we got into this were erased, but if you read all the info on the other forum, you can get an idea of how we all can't shake this drug either. It sucks!!! Hope to talk to you again.  Good luck - Kat

[enigma0301]

hi everyone im new to this form.. i have taken fiornal for  about 10 years now.. i startted out taking about 60 to 100 pills in a week.. in the last year i cut it down to taken about 60 in a weekend... and would only take it on the weekends...and in the last 3 monthes i have take probally about 80 - to a hundred in 3-4 days... i have tried to stop taking it many of times and the longest i have gone was 2 1/2 monthes... but i get the craving and have to have it... i use to be addicted to many other drugs ranging from coke to xanax and many other different pills... i have stopped everything else ... but just cant kick the fiornal.. no matter how much i try.. i just cant... but just last week my wife told me i had to stop completely or she was leaving for good this time... so i have stopped.. so far its been ok  but then i havent  got a craving yet... im not sure really how to live completely with out it... and im not sure what will come next without taking it... im doing this cold turkey and so far i havent got any major withdrals.. so i was wondering if anyone has any advise on what i do next and how to stay off  of it doing it cold turkey...

thanks  enigma0301

[chronicheadaches]

Thanks for all the info, ya'll have been really informative.

I do have the PDR, it's just been awhile since I've looked up the drugs I'm taking.  When I get a new one I'll look it up but I always forget the info, daily use of Ativan will do that to you.

Thanks again.

[Thomas03]

save your money, the PDR is online:

http://www.itzalist.com/hea/physicians-desk-reference-online.html

Thomas

[FiorinalJR]

Hi, chronic.  I can assure you that nobody here wants to "beat you up" or anything.

But, regarding the "small amount" of Butalbital in Fiorinal/cet, there is 50 mg of Butalbital in each.  That may not sound like a lot, but it is.  If you read some of the info on the Web (do a Google search on Fiorinal/cet) you will find that the experts say that taking F's, as little as a couple a day for more than three days a week can get you hooked.

As far as the Tylenol, that's the least of our worries right no.  It's not addicting, and even though it can cause liver damage - if you stop taking it, your liver will repair itself.  As you may know, your liver is the only organ in your body that can regenerate and repair itself.

I was taking 18 to 20 Fioricets (some were Fiorinal's and Fiorinal #3's) for 25 years!  My liver function test were a little bit off, but okay.  I have now tapered off Fioricet (no more Fiorinal or codeine) and I'm down to 5/day.  Still working to get to zero.  I had a liver function test two weeks ago, and I am in the mid-range of normal.

So, don't worry about the Tylenol (acetominophen).  Worry about the addictive stuff that it's mixed with.

Good luck, CH.

JR

[Kat49]

Jerri is correct - thankyou Jerri!!!!  I knew that. I think someone above needs to get a Physician's Desk Reference or better known as PDR book at the bookstore and learn about drugs and their generic equivalents before he/she goes around saying, "I don't take vicoden"! and they really are.  And at 6/day for headaches ...........!!!!