ESGIC PLUS HELP

[1258th]

Hi,
I have a family member who has been taking esgic plus for about 6-7 months.
She has been taking 5-6 per day.  For the past 6 days, She has been taking 8-9.
I told her she cannot do this any longer.  She wants to come off of them.
I have set her on a schedule to come off of these in a 5-8 week time frame.
8 for 3 days, 7.5 for 3 days, etc... on down to 1 pill per day until she is done.
I need to know if there is any recommended to help with this?  Is there anything she can take to help ease the headaches, feeling bad etc?  I need to know.  She does not want to take this up with the doctor even though he has given them to her.  I am weaning her off of these altoghther.  Is this possible?  Can I do this without medical help?  Please if anyone can help, I greatly appreciate it.
Vitamins, exercise, etc....
Please can someone help?
She has to continue to work, and cannot stay out of work.
Thank you in advance

[my_mayberry]

i know what you mean. i've had opiates, benzo's, smoked cigs, the works...but NEVER have i found a habbit so hard to kick as barbs. it started in the 90's with fiorinal and progressed from there. i dream about seconal and nembutal...it has truly destroyed my life. i don't get it. it's like your brain literally can't function without it. with cigs, i felt addicted. i felt an incredible urge to smoke, but still i was able to push on because it felt like an addiction. with barbs...butabital in particular...i feel like i HAVE to have it....like breathing or eating. another thing i've found is that so many who become addicted to this drug never do quit....most have been on it for 10 years or more. whats worse? it really IS one of the best most effective drugs i've ever used for migraines. thats the shame.

[Jan737]

I have been down this road twice.  I detoxed off of 20 a day in 2003.  I am lucky to be alive.  The amount of tylenol in the esgis plus should have killed me.  I am going through it again now with fioricet which is the same thing just lower amount of tylenol thatn the esgic plus and I am taking 9 a day instead of 20.  I have been unable to get the "professionals" to give me much help.  Barbiturates are not widely prescribed these days and the "professionals" just don't know what to do with you. You can't find a lot about it on the internet, so, what I have been able to put together through experience and reading the PDR and talking with pharmacists is that you do not want to reduce the butalbital more that 10 percent a day and then stay at that dosage for 3 days.  It is true that you can be off of them for months and have seizures but I wouldn't worry about that at this point.  When you get down to 2-3 a day the craving is so strong I can't even begin to describe.  The weakness and anxiety that goes with the withdrawl is unimaginable.  I hope this helps.

[emmarogo]

my mom takes esgic every month, and it makes her so loopy and angry, it lasts for about a week then shes back to normal, then it starts all over the next month, i dont know how much longer i can take. shes lost. if anyone even mentions addictions to her, she blows up and threatens to kick me out.. idk what to do.

[1258th]

Up to date -
3 days into it and she is working on 6 today.
We are going to go slower.
But I PRAY she will be able to keep going strong.
If anyone still has any information, please let me know.

God bless any prayers!!!
Please continue to pray for her!!!
Please!
Thank you

[1258th]

I really appreciate everyone trying to help me!
I really thank each and everyone.
If anyone gets any more information, please let me know.

Thank you so much!

[FLaddict]

This is a patient to patient forum not one with a doctor... The doctor forums are separate and there is not one for addiction.

[GA Guy]

I think they stopped having doctors answer these things some time ago. Just too many posts to answer. Sorry we couldn't be of more help. You could try calling the pharmacist. They are usually great at providing confidential and free advice.

[1258th]

Hi,
Thanks, I thought there were supposed to be DOCTOR's who reply to these POST Topics.
Can anyone please refer the physicians who read these posts to please read mine so I can have one of them take a look and please let me know?
I really appreciate everyone's help!
Thanks

[Steve L]

Hi...this is a post I feel I should respond to. My wife takes 2 Esgic per day as prescribed for a jaw muscle condition called TMJ. All her Drs say this is a very low dose. Esgic contains 3 ingredients:
Butalbital 40mg, Tylenol325mg, Caffiene 80mg. Butalbital is a weak barbiurate not associated with the severe and life threatening withdrawls associated with the now rarely prescribed Schedule 2 barbs like seconal, tuinal, etc. These are definately horrific, MUCH worse than any benzo or opiate.
Still, at the doses your friend is on, I think an MD consult would be prudent...and she is toxifying her liver with about 3,000mg of tylenol per day now. It is very kind and noble of you to help her, but I think you should get a physician involved. The PLUS on the Esgic refers to a Vitamin additive.
Hope this is helpful,  God Bless       Steve

[GA Guy]

Is there any way she can talk to her doc about this? I really think she should be under a doctors care while tapering this. Like FLaddict said, most people on here are opiate or benzo addicts. We know little about barbituates.

[FLaddict]

Try googling  "barbituate withdrawl"  that may help... many of here take opiates... these are different..  I am not even sure what the withdrawl is like for those.. that may lead you in the right direction.. let us know what you find so we can help you..

[1258th]

I am hearing that folks are saying that if you quit, you can still have a seizure months after quiting.
I am very worried.
She and I are working on the tapering these down, and I have been praying that she will be fine.
I think she will.  Normally she would take at most 6 per day, like I said the past 6-7 days she has been taking the 8-9 per day.
Please let me know if you or anyone you know can find out any information.
Thank you so much!

[GA Guy]

The rebounds occur from taking the meds. The only way to stabilize them is to go off all the meds for awhile and tuff it out. I know. I had to do it. It was hell for about a week but it was worth it. What type of headaches was it prescribed for? Usually Esgic is for tension headaches.

[1258th]

No,
I am calling another doctor tomorrow.
I wish there was just a way that would help her "Rebound headaches" (caused by the pill).
If anyone out there knows, please help!
I really am begging!
Thank you very much in advance

[GA Guy]

I took this stuff years upon years ago as needed for migraines. I have heard of people being addicted to the stuff though. I would believe that it would be best to taper it. Has she discussed any of this with her doc?

[grievingwidow]

I have a friend who took Esgic-Plus for years until she had her total knee replacement.  As far as I know, she was able to stop it without any type of withdrawal symptom, but, and this is a BIG BUT, she did not take more than 2-3 per day, so this info may not be applicable to your friend if she is taking as many as 8-9 per day.  I would not think the symptoms would be as severe as if it were hydrocodone, percocet, etc.

I agree with FLaddict, it is great that you are helping your friend.  I wish some of my friends had stepped into help me after I confided in them.  As it was, I was just made to feel inferior, and regretted telling them in the first place.

Good luck to you both.

Love, Cindy

[FLaddict]

I had never heard of this med prior to this post... I had to look it up.. It seems that it is another name for Fiorcet.. which is  a combo of tylenol, a barbituate, and caffeine... as far as cutting down this med I am not really sure what the proper way to taper down a barbituate is..  I don't know if its similiar to opiates.. I am not really even sure what the withdrawl from a barbituate is.. Hopefully there is someone on the site familiar with this..

Welcome.. Its great that you are helping your friend