FIORICET Reviews (ACETAMINOPHEN; BUTALBITAL; CAFFEINE)Average Rating: 4.0 (65 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare FIORICET with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken longest to shortest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on FIORICET: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR FIORICET | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | BACK PAIN Spina Bifida Occulta L1-5 | Occasional sleepiness | Worked perfectly on me. My grandmother (1890-1980) took Fiorinal (aspirin) for decades and first gave me a couple. When L-4 collapsed onto L-5 this provided perfect relief in concert with Soma 350mg. Took 2 Fioricet and 1/2 Soma 4xday and worked 18 hrs. daily in Hollywood (mastering vintage movies to videotape) with no problem driving or concentrating. (Used to drive to Tiajuana where I bought these in 1000 pill bottles for $75, Soma $85!) Someone apparently pulled a generic scam on Fioricet and the prices were driven through the roof--typical drug company scam. Now, they want $120 for 30 pills and insurance won't cover it. I'm forced to take Norco (hydrocodone 10mg) when Fioricet worked perfectly. Where's the FDA?? | M | 71 | 40 years 2 pills 4X day | 10/3/2019 | 5 | migraines | drowsiness, dizziness | I have taken this as needed for migraines for over 35 yrs. I try not to take it unless I absolutely have to. It works better the less you take it. But it does not always do the job. Am curious to try one of the newer medications for migraines. | F | 58 | 38 years 1X day | 3/22/2021 | 5 | Migraine Headaches | No bad side effects noted. | Have been taking it for migraines for over 30 years. I take an average of 8 pills per month that are 50 Butalbital/325 APAP/500 Caffeine. It takes about 1/2 hour to start working if I take it early when the headache has just started to ramp up. Sometimes my headaches last three days and those times I take no more than 3 pills in one day, and never for more than 3 days in a row. I have stuck to these limits for myself, and I have never gotten a tolerance. I have learned that if I take it within an hour of the headache starting to get bad, then it works better. Also, I have developed a suspicion that old pills get weak... if the Fioricet pills are more than a few months old, they don't seem to work as well, so I never get more than 2 months worth at a time. When I was taking codeine for pain from broken bones, I found that I could get relief with just half a Fioricet at a time. Nothing else I ever tried worked this well or this fast. I have tried other things over the years (as urged by various doctors) but nothing else works this well or this fast for me, and it even makes the nausea go away, too. I'll stick with it for life, fortunately my headaches aren't more frequent... but I think that using Fioricet when I need it has made my headaches less frequent overall. Bonus is that it's really inexpensive, too. | F | 51 | 32 years 50/500/325 1X AN | 4/9/2010 | 5 | migraines | relaxed, a bit spacey, sometimes slightly euphoric. | migraines run in both sides of my family. I've been getting them since my teens. After struggling for a decade without meds, a neurologist prescribed Fioricet for me - and they worked. Sometimes they completely stop the headache, other times it knocks the pain way down to a tolerable level. I only take them when I've got a migraine, which is generally 3-5 times a month. I've also tried Zomig, which worked - but the potential side effects of Zomig worried me - so I went back to the "tried but true". | F | 57 | 27 years | 3/8/2007 | 5 | I have migraines since 1998 | I do not have any side effects while taking butalbital. It is the only migraine medication that allows me to be coherent with no side effects and has worked very well for me. | Make sure if you are on this medication do not allow your doctor to take you off cold turkey. My neurologist left the practice and I was sent to another and they stripped me cold turkey of my medication and my body went into shock causing heart palpitations for 8 days straight high blood pressure face twitching like I was having a seizure and some other health problems now. Thank goodness I'm going to see a neurologist that is going to help me and not hurt me anymore please take my advice and never allow this to happen to you. | F | 47 | 20 years 50-325-40 | 7/20/2018 | 5 | Tension headache | No side effects | Wonderful medication, I only use it maybe twice a month. | F | 64 | 20 years 1-2every6- | 8/3/2019 | 4 | migraines & neck-related headaches | Groggy Rebound headaches, eventually Stomach problems, including gastric reflux Euphoric, - the narcotic in this really can elevate your mood! Unfortunately, it's temporary. | I started on Fiorinal for many years, and switched to Fiorecet due to stomach problems. For years I relied on it to deal with occasional migraines and headaches due to a neck injury. I usually take 1 every 4 - 6 hours. My headaches last 1 - 3 days, and have gotten more frequent in the last few years. I think that this is partly due to rebound headaches. I haven't felt addicted, though wouldn't want to be without it, when a headaches coming on. Recently, I went to (yet) another neurologist, and have had some luck with Elavil. Also, tried Zomig, which works pretty well, but leaves me feeling horrible. | F | 49 | 20 years | 8/25/2006 | 4 | headaches/migraines | Rebound headaches. Stomach problems. Dependency. | I've had migraines for 30+ years. I think fioricet helps temper the pain level of my migraines. I stopped a couple times, once for a over a month and the pain level increased significantly. I'm probably addicted, have a emotional dependancy on the drug and developed stomach motility problems as a result of my useage. But, as long as I think it reduces the pain level of my migraines, I have to continue taking it. It's actually a pretty mild drug with few side effects, especially compaired to what else is out there. | M | 60 | 17 years 3X day | 12/7/2011 | 4 | migraine and tension headaches | short lived euphoria. if you lay down and want to go to sleep it will knock you out. If you don't want to go to sleep, and stay up, it will make you feel a little spacey (and not in a non-functional way) for 30 minutes and then NO side effects | I've taken this drug since the age of 18 for migraine and also tension headaches. It was a LIFESAVER to me in my 20's and would work pretty fast and pretty completely for the tension/migraine headaches i would get. The only reason i didn't give this pill a 5 is because in the last 4 years since I had my child (hormonal reasons perhaps? ) my headaches have gotten a thousand times worse and these pills barely take the edge off of the big monster headaches. They still work great for tension or menstrual migraines. | F | 34 | 16 years 2X day | 2/6/2012 | 5 | Occipital Neuralgia Headache | Very talkative first couple of years right after pill kicked in, not anymore. Nausea if taking two pills at once. Rebound headaches if taking more than 4 a day. | Fioricet has been the only headache medicine to work for me, however, it was changed from an immediate release tablet to a capsule and now it doesn't work. I finally figured out that I could empty the capsule into my mouth like one of those headache powders, now it works immediately and I NEVER need a second pill, eliminating rebound headaches. At least with the capsule, it is no longer considered a controlled substance-makes me feel less stigmatized somehow. | F | 42 | 15 years 1X AN | 1/27/2016 | 4 | Frequent Migraines | I have been taking Firocet for over 15 years for migraines and when taking the medication I thought I had no side effects because it seemed to help with my headaches, but then I noticed that I was taking it everyday, every four hours because of rebound headaches. I just went to a new neurologist who prescribed me .25mg of Elavil at bedtime and said I should be weaned off of the Fiorcet completely in about two weeks. I went cold turkey off of it about ten years ago and I felt like my head was splitting open for about ten days. I went back on it since I couldn't find anything else that helped with the pain without other side effects. It has only been three days since I have lessened the Fiorcet to about 1 every eight hours and I am pretty much sticking close to home so I can lie down if I feel "not myself". I hope to be off of it completely and am really hoping to be able to stay off of it this time and not get the headaches back. | If you get the generic it is fairly inexpensive. It does work great for headaches, but just be careful in its use since it is very addictive. | F | 53 | 15 years | 9/16/2007 | 2 | Tension headache & facial/tmj pain | Occasionally experience respiratory depression when taken before bed; will wake up gasping for air shortly after falling asleep. | This medication has worked really well for me for many years, to the point where I previously would have rated it at a 5. Was the only thing to help control my severe pain with minimal side effects. But the new capsule formulation isn't nearly as effective as the old tablets, for reasons I don't understand. The only differences are 25 mg less acetaminophen and now in a gelatin capsule vs the old tablet form, so it doesn't make any logical sense - but I am consistently feeling as if I have taken a placebo with this new capsule. It seems to have no effect on me at all. Maybe the gelatin capsule isn't breaking down as it's supposed to in my stomach? Am considering asking a compounding pharmacist to prepare it for me in a different type of capsule to see if that makes a difference. Will update when/if I am able to try this. | F | 40 | 15 years 1 tab 2X day | 5/6/2016 | 4 | migraine; bad headaches;neck pain | I believe it has contributed to my acid reflux, but I take Tums for that. | I have suffered from migraines since age seven. Sometimes I end up in ER. Fioricet is only med which will block migraine if taken soon enough. If migraine becomes full-blown NOTHING will help short of trip to ER and demerol shot. My car was rear-ended by another car at a stop sign some years back and the whiplash injury has only added to my headache woes. Fioricet is the only thing which helps if my neck hurts to the point of causing a throbbing headache. Addiction isn't anything I worry about because I only use the med when I need it for the "big" stuff, not the everyday type of headache. However, if you take Fioricet and tylenol type meds beware of elevated liver enzymes in blood tests. | F | 66 | 14 years | 5/6/2007 | 5 | Tension and Migraine headaches | Sleepiness | A great medicine for people with combination headaches, use extreme caution so as not to become dependant on the drug. | F | 23 | 10 years | 1/8/2003 | 5 | For tension headaches and migraines | None | Works better then hydrocodone | F | 33 | 10 years 500/40/30 | 4/28/2016 | 5 | Migraines and later for fibromyalgia | None. Blessed relief for miagraines and now fibromyalgia | I originally took Florinal and years later changed to Fioriset. 1st contains asprin and 2nd one Tylenol | F | 10 years 1tab 3td | 7/9/2015 | 4 | fybromyalgia pain and migraines | None except a little hyper sometimes. But i have to take two and because its for migraines it doesnt stop the pain in neck and shouders. Can i take more than two if pain persists severely? It has been four days now, two severe with severe vomiting now just pain persists. Will not go to ER, treated like a street drug addict because i dont have cancer.... | F | 36 | 10 years ? | 4/4/2014 | 3 | Headaches | Addiction!! I was prescribed this drug by a Neurologist for tension headaches which led to migraines. Had headaches pretty much everyday. Next thing I know, I was addicted. When Dr wouldn't prescribe enough, I began buying them online. Be Careful!!! You think it can never happen to you, trust me, it can. | Took the drug as directed for 5 or 6 years. Then sometimes 3 at a time insted of one or 2. Ever so slowly took more & more over the next few years until I could sometimes take up to 20/day (you DO develop a tolerance). If you feel like you are slurring your words or your tongue feels thick; beware! Later (in treatment) found out it was highly addictive even though it isn't a narcotic. | F | 41 | 10 years | 4/30/2009 | 5 | Migraines | Sleepiness | Been using this for basic migraines since my son was born 9 years ago since Excederin migraine didn't help very much. I take it at the first sign of a headache as needed. It's 325,g acetaminophen/40mg of caffeine & I think 50mg of a barbiturate. Sometimes I have to take a second pill when the first one wears off but it keeps me from getting a severe headache most of the time. If I wait too long to take it it might not work as good and a 2nd or 3rd pill might be needed later in the day. Usually takes me a month or two to go through a 30 day supply but since it's allergy season and lots of rain been taking it almost every day lately, it helps a great deal. I don't travel anywhere without it just in case. | F | 41 | 9 years 325/40/50 2X day | 5/19/2015 | 5 | migraines | I was initially reluctant to try this medicine because of all the fuss, but the tryptan class of migraine medicine nearly killed me with cardiac dysrhythmias, and caused the inability to move or speak for hours. I have never felt high or anything but better on this medicine and honestly I cannot see what the fuss is all about. I think that one must have to take an awful lot and/or have a predilection for addiction in order to have a problem with it. Additionally, I have always taken a generic, and have no problems with it working just fine. I usually take 1-2 at the beginning of a migraine, and that is all that is needed. I have rarely needed a second dose in 24 hours. I find the caffeine too much of a buzz! | This medicine is in the same class as phenobarbital, which has a side effect of interfering with Vitamin D absorption. Though not specifically implicated as interfering with Vitamin D, my level was found to be chronically low for no other reason. If you take this medication, you should have your Vitamin D level checked regularly, and talk with your doctor about taking a supplement. Low Vitamin D can cause migraines, too. | F | 41 | 6 years 50/325/40 2X day | 3/16/2012 |
FIORICET (ACETAMINOPHEN; BUTALBITAL; CAFFEINE): This combination medication is used to treat tension headaches. Acetaminophen helps to decrease the pain from the headache. Caffeine helps increase the effects of acetaminophen. Butalbital is a sedative that helps to decrease anxiety and cause sleepiness and relaxation. FDA Approval Date: 1984-11-09 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)