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Posted 3/5/2009 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone...I was prescribed Fioricet ten years ago for migraines. I guess my addictive side reared its ugly head and now I am extremely addicted to them. It has gotten to the point of I take them constantly, migraine or not...usually not. I take approx 20 a day, I have no health insurance so I've resorted to buying them off the internet. I know, not good and its pretty much ruined my life. I need and want to stop, just don't know how, its scary. I would just like to stop, but I can't run to the doctor. Maybe meetings? If someone could please help I'd appreciate it as I'm not ready to admit this to the only people close too me. Thanks for listening.
Posted 3/6/2009 6:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hey i dont know that i can help you. im sorry. but i had a question. I was just prescribed fioricet, and iv heard bad things about it. what makes it so addictive?
Posted 3/8/2009 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
What made it so addictive, at least for me, was it just made me feel good, more outgoing. I've always been quiet and shy, and for some reason this made me feel confident and outgoing. I suppose it depends on your personality and if you have an addictive one. Many people take it and are fine. Just please stick with what your doc tells you, and if you feel it is getting out of hand, get help immediately.
Posted 3/8/2009 5:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Guys,

What makes Fioricet addictive is the codeine in it which is a narcotic!! Yes, that will make you feel better as well as kill the pain. It is possible to make the headache condition much worse by taking too many for too long!!

The good news is that you don't have to carry on that way!!! Firstly please talk to your Doc about the situation, who will hopefully give you a plan on how to cut down gradually, or may have other suggestions. It can be tough coming off meds like that, but dealing with headache all the time make you a pretty tough cookie, so with some grit and determination you WILL do it!!!!

This does not mean that you will never be able to take this for your heads again, you just need support and confidential advice as to how to take them effectively.

I wish you all the best with this, please talk to your Doc or Neuro!

take care

Ann
Posted 3/12/2009 12:43 PM (GMT 0)
Fiorcet does not contain Codeine (but is also available with codeine). The ingredients of fiorcet are caffeine, butabital and tyelenol. I know this because my girlfreind was addicted to oppiates because of her migraines, but is being treated very successfully with Suboxone for her addiction since her migraines have been eliminated after almost 19years.
Posted 3/12/2009 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the info, I appreciate it. Thankfully I don't have the codeine type, but it is still addictive. I wish I had health insurance to try out the Suboxone! Glad to hear it is working for her.
Posted 3/13/2009 6:09 AM (GMT 0)
Sugar-

You definitely need to take this to your doctor. If you continue on this road you are going to have bigger issues than "just" the addiction/dependence to fioricet. They need to get you on a plan and taper you off of this medication! Please let us know what we can do to help. I know this is not an easy road.

ALL: Just FYI- Narcotics are NOT the only things that can give you "Rebound Headaches" (or what they call 'medication overuse headaches') you can get that from medications as 'simple' as tylenol. Basically, it is a cycle where you take medication and your head feels better so once it creeps back you continue to take it and at some point your body gets used to the medication and you have to keep increasing the dosage because your head adjusts and it no longer diminshes the pain like before. This does not happen in a matter of a day or so, this is a pattern of days, weeks and months.

Fioricet is among one of the most common with rebound/medication overuse headaches because of the combination of medicines.

Posted 3/13/2009 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your concern...I don't have health ins so don't really know what to do. Any advice about no insurance and this problem would be soooo helpful. Once again, thank u....
Posted 3/14/2009 3:59 AM (GMT 0)
Im not trying to play doctor, because I clearly am not one rolleyes however, if this were me, I would try to taper down as low as you can. Its not good to be taking that quantity of medications!

 

Posted 3/14/2009 4:07 AM (GMT 0)
I know, I've been trying to slow it down for awhile, its just hard to function. I'm @ the point of going too NA meetings. Do u think that would work? Running out of ideas.....horrible migraines plud addiction is not a good time....
Posted 3/14/2009 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
I've taken fioricet quite a few times in the past 7 years, and twice I took too many in a certain period of time and had to withdrawal off of them, and it wasnt the worst thing to go thru, I vomited alot the first 24 hours. It's the barbituate in the fioricet that makes you so calm and outgoing and very addictive (when it's fioricet mixed with codiene then it's the barbituate and codiene so thats worse), actually after a few days it made me very aggressive and angry when I took alot of them. I talked to my addiction specialist about the fioricet and he said that their isnt alot of addictions to this drug, so he told me not to worry about it, but I just quit them anyways, I have a whole bunch of them in my medicine cabinet, close to 300 of them, and I'm about to throw them out, but I dont know how to do that. I dont want to just throw them whole into the dumpster (I live in an apartments with lots of kids) and I heard it's dangerous to flush them cause it hurts the enviroment, so I need to research this. But just beaware that it can be dangerous to withdrawal coldturkey, it can cause seizures, luckly it didnt happen to me, but if you have a real addiction to them, then you need to talk to a doctor to withdrawal off of them cause it can be life threatening. I hope I helped some.

-hellokitty
Posted 3/15/2009 1:15 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Hello Kitty,

I would also say to sugar that NA meetings couldn't hurt, there you would have support of people who are going through the same thing and that never hurts!!!

Stick with it!! It pays off in the long run.

You may also want to call a nearby clinic and ask if they have a program where you can pay on a sliding scale (based on your income) since you dont have insurance!

Your health is so important.

Posted 3/15/2009 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
Just wanted to say thx for everyones help. I've never posted anywhere and this is proving to be such a positive experience. There has to be some sort of free or cheap clinic that can help with this. Just talking about it and admitting it has really helped me realize how serious this is. The fact that people I don't even know care does wonders. I'm currently trying too lower the dosage and use excedrin migraine, doesn't help the headaches as well, but it still helps. I just pray my experience can help at least one person not end up in this position.....
Posted 3/15/2009 6:16 AM (GMT 0)
You will suffer rebound headaches no matter what, that happens with any pain killer (fioricet/fiorinal, Tylenol, all NSAIDs, and of course all narcotics, I even heard it can happen with triptans, but I'm not sure about that one) and the only way to deal with that is to tough it out, it can take a few weeks of worse pain before it can get better. But you should be really worried about the Barbituate in the Fioricet, actually Benzos (valium, xanax, klonoin, ect) and barbituates can cause seizures when withdrawaled coldturkey. So I cant stress enough to see a doctor, and if any of them tell you it's no big deal then see another, it IS a very big deal. The problem is that barbituates was a drug of abuse back in the 50's, 60's and 70's, and then the benzodiazipine family took over, and people started abusing those instead, so doctors these days dont know alot about the fioricet addiction, just remember that Marilyn Monroe and Elvis abused barbituates, and they beleive it was the cause of their death.
Posted 4/2/2009 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,

This is the one aspect which have very badly affected our life. There are several programs which are run by various society's. But people awareness is the most important factor. As the people will get more aware about this, they will know it's bad effect over our society and family. It's not a answer to our problem's but it increases them. We all need to be very brave and fight to our problems.

Austin

Substance Abuse Center
Posted 7/5/2009 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
That is actually not true. Sure Codeine is addictive but it is just as addictive to many ppl without the codeine; not all fioricet has the codeine. In fact, I've never gotten it WITH the codeine and there are no words to describe the addiction I've had to battle with fioricet. In fact, I've had more problems with fioricet than I've ever had with oxycontin! And to be honest, narcotics is my "drug of choice." Now, I have an addictive personality, but I also suffer from chronic pain and chronic migraines, but because of the addictive personality that I have, I've had a rough road with any medication that's addictive, ESPECIALLY if it helps pain for me. But it is to the point where it actually takes 4 or 5 times the normal prescribed amount to take the same effect for me as one would get off of the prescribed dose. Because of my experiences with addiction, I could ramble all day long, but on the topic of fioricet, it is the ONE medication that produces very undesirable behavior. It is the one medication that if I'm taking it, can not be hidden from others. People know based on the way I behave. I become very irrational. I'm a shy and quiet person by nature but during an ER visit late last year, I have vague memory of it, and I wish I had none at all. I remember using language I just don't use. Toward the medical staff!!! Anyway, it does horrible things to some people. I dont know why some and not others... but to me, it is horrid. I just can't take the drug. I tried taking it twice since that incident at the ER, telling myself... I will control it this time... I won't take too many to end up that way again. I actually ended up in ICU since then. However since that hospital visit, I have not touched it since. I am scared to. I almost lost my life to it.
Now for fioricet WITH codeine, you are very correct about how it makes pain worse (especially headaches) by taking it for too long. I could go into why, but I've written enough here I think... I hope this helps someone.... thanks.
Princess96


Annuk said...
Hi Guys,

What makes Fioricet addictive is the codeine in it which is a narcotic!! Yes, that will make you feel better as well as kill the pain. It is possible to make the headache condition much worse by taking too many for too long!!

The good news is that you don't have to carry on that way!!! Firstly please talk to your Doc about the situation, who will hopefully give you a plan on how to cut down gradually, or may have other suggestions. It can be tough coming off meds like that, but dealing with headache all the time make you a pretty tough cookie, so with some grit and determination you WILL do it!!!!

This does not mean that you will never be able to take this for your heads again, you just need support and confidential advice as to how to take them effectively.

I wish you all the best with this, please talk to your Doc or Neuro!

take care

Ann

Posted 7/5/2009 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
I SO feel your pain. Where are you from if you don't mind me asking? If you don't want to say that's okay. The reason I ask is because I went without insurance for the longest time. Then in 2002, I broke my neck in a freak water skiing accident. Do you think there was anyone that wanted to help me knowing I didn't have a way to pay? Not a chance. In fact, I walked around with a broken neck for almost 18 months before I finally saw an ad on the side of a city bus that caught my attention. It was for a program for ppl w/o insurance. I called the number. It happened to be a medical college in my state of VA. I quickly found out how to take advantage of the program. Because of my condition, I was seen almost immediately. Within 18 months, my neck got to a point where it should never have reached. It could have been fixed had it been treated when the injury happened, but I've had to have 3 surgeries since then and have been told I may have to have several more. The hospital at the medical college has provided every surgery for me, and because of my income, every surgery and every doctor visit has been FREE. You just may have something like that in your state. And you may actually have to do a lot of research before you find it. I don't know why it took 18 months for me to find this, being that it's a fairly big program. It's 2 hours away from me but as many ppl go w/o insurance, you'd think more doctors would be aware of it and inform their patients! Good luck to you!

sugarmagnolia said...
Thanks for your concern...I don't have health ins so don't really know what to do. Any advice about no insurance and this problem would be soooo helpful. Once again, thank u....

Post Edited By Moderator (tysmyboo) : 7/5/2009 9:24:53 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 1/19/2010 5:49 PM (GMT 0)
I am an addictions specialist and HIGHLY recommend that you don't quit this medication on your own you will need a medical detox or the side effects will be too much to bear!!!!
Posted 1/19/2010 7:22 PM (GMT 0)
I use to go through goodys headache powders so fast a box of 50 did not last a week and my doctor made me quit cold turkey he also took away my immetrex cut me back on topamax and made me throw out anything else including all caffinated drinks. Two weeks later i went back to the headache center and they gave me the first set of shots of lidocane marcane and a steroid. all over my face head neck and shoulder about 50 or so. 2 weeks after that the same thing again 2 weeks after that the same thing again. They continued to ween me down on topamax untill i was on 2oo at night and started me on neurton and i am a different person. He described my brain like an onion he had to detox the layors and peel it down and get through the junk to get to the good. Once he retrained my brain and i quit bounceing my brain around from all the junk my life is much better.
Posted 6/5/2010 2:50 AM (GMT 0)

skull  This is very, very scary "20 a day"?

smhair  Woooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww girl be careful

sugarmagnolia said...
Hi everyone...I was prescribed Fioricet ten years ago for migraines. I guess my addictive side reared its ugly head and now I am extremely addicted to them. It has gotten to the point of I take them constantly, migraine or not...usually not. I take approx 20 a day, I have no health insurance so I've resorted to buying them off the internet. I know, not good and its pretty much ruined my life. I need and want to stop, just don't know how, its scary. I would just like to stop, but I can't run to the doctor. Maybe meetings? If someone could please help I'd appreciate it as I'm not ready to admit this to the only people close too me. Thanks for listening.

Posted 6/5/2010 3:30 AM (GMT 0)

rolleyes  Anyone with "migraines headache" try "coffee enema" ..... Google & see it for yourself....It's very helpful.....

nono     sugarmagnolia said...
Hi everyone...I was prescribed Fioricet ten years ago for migraines. I guess my addictive side reared its ugly head and now I am extremely addicted to them. It has gotten to the point of I take them constantly, migraine or not...usually not. I take approx 20 a day, I have no health insurance so I've resorted to buying them off the internet. I know, not good and its pretty much ruined my life. I need and want to stop, just don't know how, its scary. I would just like to stop, but I can't run to the doctor. Maybe meetings? If someone could please help I'd appreciate it as I'm not ready to admit this to the only people close too me. Thanks for listening.

Posted 6/6/2010 6:46 PM (GMT 0)
Ok, You simply want to get an all natural supplement. The drugs are only going to passify the problem and it will eventually get worst. The supplement will support, promote and repair the condition. In this case the migrane is more than likely a simple nutrition deficiency.

The migranes could be because of a loss of calcium and selenium in the brain. These are very basic nutrients and when we don't have enough of them in our diet and in our systems, it causes things like migranes and other health issues. So, look into a good supplement that contains both Calcium and Selenium to be sure you are getting the proper and essential nutrients to the brain. A good one is called Neuro-Boost. It has worked wonders for people who have been suffering from headaches and migranes for years. www.saygoodbyetoheadaches.com Call them so you can get help 800-330-8998

Once you get that calcium and selenium in your system, those headaches and migranes are going to go away.

Peace and I wish you all the best!
Posted 10/26/2010 8:46 PM (GMT 0)
Just came across this site. I have a question about this drug. I have had a constant headache for the last month and my doctor prescribed this to me. I am supposed to take 1 or 2 tabs every 4 hours. Well I have been on it for only a few days, but it only helps a little. So I have been taking 2 tabs ever 3 hours with about a total of 5 or 6 a day. I wake up with a worse headache than the day before. I want to stop taking this stuff, but am worried about these rebound headaches and withdrawals. Have I been taking it long enough to be addicted? Do I need to taper down? Or can I just get rid of them cold turkey and be ok? I am going to a neurologist next week about why I am getting headaches. I am told that the neurologist I am going to see is not a big fan of this drug.
Posted 6/19/2011 4:49 PM (GMT 0)
I too have been taking Fioricet for about 20 years, it started out for cramps and headaches and found out it was due to endomentreous (I'm sorry bear with my spelling and pronounciation) but I think you will understand it.  since that is all I am really after..  After that I had a boating accident and ended up with a fusion in my neck, headaches while I was sleeping and wakeing up with them is crazy and trying to fuction the Fioricet helped a lot. 

That being said I did end up increasing my dosage from 2 to 4 and now sometimes 6 that is when I find i get those  "Rebound Headaches"  I find that when I get those I need to fight it, cut back and then I'm okay again, but it is hard very hard to do just to get cut back to 4 as prescribed. 

I need take something - I would like to get off of these.  Not onto another prescribed drug - I read somewhere that taking 3 tylenol and 3 ibuprohen at the same time will help - not sure if this would be worse or better - any ideas on that one?

Anything over 4 is insane and I have fallen into that category - want to quit however not bad enough to tell my doctor because I don't want them taken away.  Because I have the headaches and they work - when it is a real headache.

Rebound headaches are the worst - God give me strength.

 

Posted 7/16/2011 6:01 PM (GMT 0)
Hi
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