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is butalbital a controlled substance?
I had brain surgery in 1990 for a cerebral aneurysm. I've been being prescribed Fioricet since then, as I have bad reactions to aspirin, n-saids, SSRI'S, the newer anti-depressants, most recently Depakote, and the codeine family. Fioricet is the only thing that keeps me from getting what I call my "Killer headaches from hell!" My doc said he won't give me anymore Fioricet because it's very addicting and you're supposed to take only 2 per day. I searched PlanetRx and it says Fioricet is not a controlled substance and that the maximum dosage recommendation is 6 tablets per day. Yet, because of anxiety and depression, he has been dishing out first Xanax, (but it made my headaches worse) then Valium like they were candy! I checked with PlanetRx and both benzodiazepines are controlled substances and highly addictive. I realize that the Butalbital in Fioricet is also addictive--if this is true, then why isn't it a controlled substance? Also, after taking 4-6 tablets per day for the past 10 years, why can I go for days without it and not have severe withdrawal reactions? I'd appreciate any information you can give me, as I can't seem to find out much on the web. Thank you.
My best friends mother was prescribed butalbital caffeine for headaches and has become extremely addicted to them. Her doctor no lnoger prescribes them to her and she instead gets them online without a prescription. She has gone into a 7 day treatment once already and says she will never go again. Since then her addiction has gotten worse and worse. We are all extremely worried about her and do not know what do. I guess im just looking for any kind of information that could be useful. Also ive tried researching on the web, but when you type in butalbital addiction it sends you to pages where you can order online. Thats just not right!
I can't help you with your question but wanted to know you should start your own post. This is a pretty old post and they tend to get overlooked. At the top of the page you will see in a green box "post a question". Click on that and then type your questions. Doing this will also start a thread that is pretty much dedicated to you. I do know there are a few members that recently got off of fiorecet so they should be able to give you some advice.
I can say that if your best friends mom is not ready to get clean there is probably not much that can be done. Most addicts will only quit when they are good and ready. There are certain ways to go about talking to her about her problem but you have to be very careful. You just have to approach it tactfully. Does she admit to having a problem or does she say she has her use under control?
I can say that if your best friends mom is not ready to get clean there is probably not much that can be done. Most addicts will only quit when they are good and ready. There are certain ways to go about talking to her about her problem but you have to be very careful. You just have to approach it tactfully. Does she admit to having a problem or does she say she has her use under control?
butalbital addiction is horrible...i don't know how it compares to other drugs, but i do know that the high never lasts long enough with that drug so it's VERY easy to just keep taking more and more and more and more....
it's not as sedating as pentobarbital or secobarbital (nembutal and seconal) but it's just as addicting. a 7 day detox would never work with this drug if the person is taking a high dose...generally an addict will take 10-20 per day or sometimes more. at these doses, it's actually very dangerous to attempt a detox in only 7 days. i was forced to go cold turkey from 10 a day and it was HELL, believe me...pain like you would not believe and vomiting...luckily thats all that happened.
obviously the person will have to want to stop before any treatment can be effective at all.
and yes, it's probably better that you start your own post. you'll get more input that way.
it's not as sedating as pentobarbital or secobarbital (nembutal and seconal) but it's just as addicting. a 7 day detox would never work with this drug if the person is taking a high dose...generally an addict will take 10-20 per day or sometimes more. at these doses, it's actually very dangerous to attempt a detox in only 7 days. i was forced to go cold turkey from 10 a day and it was HELL, believe me...pain like you would not believe and vomiting...luckily thats all that happened.
obviously the person will have to want to stop before any treatment can be effective at all.
and yes, it's probably better that you start your own post. you'll get more input that way.
Fiorinal has codeine in it and as far as I know, they don't make it w/o codeine, hence the reasoning for a controlled substance. Fioricet comes with and without codeine. The codeine is the key to whether or not you get a controlled rating.
Both are very addictive and I'm finding more doctors who won't prescribe it or when a different doctor finds out that you take them, they want you to discontinue them.
Both are very addictive and I'm finding more doctors who won't prescribe it or when a different doctor finds out that you take them, they want you to discontinue them.
fiorinal comes 2 ways...with and without codeine. both are C-III substances...including the one WITHOUT codeine. this would lead you to believe that butalbtial is a C-III substance, but unfortunately they only rated the compound as a C-III, and not the actual drug since you can't get just plain butalbital. this means then other compounds do not automatically have to be a C-III substance just because they have butalbital in them, and so they aren't. fioricet, phrenelin, phrenilin forte, esgic...they're all different forumlations containing the same amount of butalbital but without being controlled. however, codeine in and of itself is controlled, which means that the other formulations that do contain codeine DO have to be controlled.
its very confusing and doesn't make a lot of sense. its also very surprising that this drug continues to make it under the radar...phenobarbital is the least abusable barbiturate there is because of its very long half life, and yet even it is controlled.
but the key actually is the fact that only certain formulations containing butalbital are c-III, where as the drug itself isn't....even though those formulations don't contain codeine so the only reason they are c-III is because of the butalbital.
its all very retarded, and this an old post. i just thought i would add this because butalbital is actually considered a C-III even though it isn't. butabarbital (very similar to butalbital) is a C-III, and both are very similar to amytal which is a C-II...so all in all it SHOULD be controlled but it isn't. its still flying under the radar like soma, tramadol, and a few others. i think it will eventually change though.
its very confusing and doesn't make a lot of sense. its also very surprising that this drug continues to make it under the radar...phenobarbital is the least abusable barbiturate there is because of its very long half life, and yet even it is controlled.
but the key actually is the fact that only certain formulations containing butalbital are c-III, where as the drug itself isn't....even though those formulations don't contain codeine so the only reason they are c-III is because of the butalbital.
its all very retarded, and this an old post. i just thought i would add this because butalbital is actually considered a C-III even though it isn't. butabarbital (very similar to butalbital) is a C-III, and both are very similar to amytal which is a C-II...so all in all it SHOULD be controlled but it isn't. its still flying under the radar like soma, tramadol, and a few others. i think it will eventually change though.
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