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Fioricet

Hello everyone,

I am new here, but i am looking for some help. I have been taking fioricet for many years and I have not used any fioricet since Tuesday night, (today is Saturday).  I don't know if I went through any withdrawals, but I know that I was an utter mess... My hormones are all out of whack and I have been an emotional wreck anyway... So here's my question. I really don't know if the Fioricet was my problem, or not, but after this last week, and finally feeling better, I am afraid to take the fioricet for fear that I would have to go through that all over again.

I have taken Fioricet for ten years, for headaches.  A few years ago I was in auto accident and Fioricet is really the only pain med I can take without major side effects. So before I knew It, I was taking about 3 to 4 pills, everyday, to help with my pain. Then I started wondering if it was really helping anymore - because I was taking it daily, which means I could've building a tolerance.

So, last Sunday I had to take a cortisol test, which meant that I could not have any caffeine - all day. I felt awful! I took my fioricet, the one w/out caffeine, but it didn't help at all. Which leads me to believe I am probably more addicted to caffeine than Butalbital. Anyway, I took a fioricet Sunday night, which took away my neck and head pain... Emotionally, I was still kinda a mess.

I know I am all over the place with this post - so sorry for that, but I have an awful neck/headache at the moment and I haven't taken anything.

So, to continue my point... I had a neck fusion (4/2012)  in sections 4-7 and I have a lot of pain. Ibuprofen does nothing for it. So I don't know what I should do. What should I take if I want to eliminate the Fioricet?

The main reason for my wanting to eliminate it is that I have been under extreme stress and I've been having palpitations and rapid heartbeat, (hence the reason for the cortisol test).. Given this, I am trying to eliminate any and all stimulants from my system. But I am also terrified of having a severe headache & not being able to take anything. I mean what the heck is a person to do? My neck/headaches are so bad that I lay on bed, usually throw up a few times, and I really can't move, nor can I get my neck comfortable. It's absolutely horrible.

and FYI. I have really treated my body like a dumping ground - and now I am paying the price. Now I drink only water, I eat healthy fresh foods and I am trying to get everything in order so I can be a happier, healthier, person...
So, does anyone know of any good alternatives to fioricet?
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Avatar universal
Kimmi, I'm glad your feeling better.
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Avatar universal
I am writing this post just in case someone should find this thread through a web search...

I am now 10 days off the Fioricet and my heart palpitations have subsided a great deal. My headache (day 3) doesn't even seem to be as bad, or as intense, as when I was taking the Fioricet.

The odd thing is that I took Fiorinol for 10 years for headaches, but only in the last year & 1/2 switched to Fioricet. My docs thought all that Aspirin was bad for me and preferred that I have the Tylenol instead. Well, I don't know if heart palpitations are a common side effect of Tylenol, but I never had them when I took the Fiorinol.

Anyway, I am glad to be off the stuff. I think I was having a ton of rebound pain and given that I had SOOO much meds in my system, it was hard to gauge what my real pain level was. The withdrawals had to be one of the worst experiences of my life. But now I really feel so much better.  
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Avatar universal
HI Trixy71,

Thanks for your reply.

I am doing much better, today. I was, indeed, going through awful withdrawals. I never knew drugs withdrawals could be so emotionally painful.I ave never panic, fear, or anxiety like that. It reminded me of the baby blues I had after giving birth. I was crying for no known reason and the anxiety I felt was debilitating and terrifying. I just never put it together until I woke one day and felt like me again. Overall, the withdrawals lasted about 7 days.

I never should've just stopped the Fioricet, but with the heart palpitations, I decided to just stop cold turkey, in he end, it's over, and I no longer feel as depressed or anxious. I am, however, still having heart palpitations but my doc gave me Xanax. Hopefully they will go away.

Through all the heart palpitations, (been going on for over a year), the only thing I never stopped taking/eliminated from my diet, was the Fioricet. So my hope is that the Fioricet was the cause, and with it now out of my system, I hope to get my life back soon.
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Avatar universal
Hi there, The active ingredient in fioricet is basically a tranquilizer, to help relax the muscles, so a muscle relaxer may help with that, just talk to your doctor and tell him/her what you've just told us. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
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