Are there any negative side effects of the pain killer Fioricet?

Question

My doctor prescribed Fioricet to me for my migraines. My Rx says that I can take 2 tablets - 4 times a day. Are there any known long term side effects from using this drug? I take them pretty regularly.

Answer 1

Fioricet is butatlbital (a sedative ) along with acetaminophen ( Tylenol ) and caffeine. All medications have side effects- don't forget that! This one can cause sedation, nausea, vomiting and many other garden-variety side effects. The big thing is that this drug can be habit forming- but under the close care of your doctor, you can use this drug safely. The one thing you need to be carefull of is that this drug contains acetaminophen- which is Tylenol- if you have a fever at some point and take Tylonol make sure you aren't overdosing yourself. Also, long term daily use of acetaminophen can over time damage your liver. If you cont. to use this drug past 6 mos or so, you should perhaps ask your doctor about stitching to a different drug. Is this taken for Migrain? If so, there are lots of different drugs that can be used. Good luck!

Answer 2

Side effects

Side effects for any drug are difficult to predict, but commonly reported side effects for Fioricet include:

* Abdominal pain
* Dizziness
* Drowsiness
* Intoxicated feeling
* Light-headedness
* Nausea
* Sedation
* Addiction

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Dangers and risks

Fioricet contains acetaminophen, which has been shown to cause liver damage at higher dosages. Care should be excercised when using Fioricet to prevent possible liver damage. Fioricet also contains butalbital, which is an addictive, mind (and behavior) altering barbituate. Fioricet can be habit forming. Fioricet should not be mixed with alcohol, both due to the possibility of exacerbating liver damage in combination with the APAP, and due to increased risk of intoxication, respritory depression, and general sedation in combination with the butalbital.

Answer 3

Common Fioricet Side Effects
When you take a new medication, common sense tells you that any new occurrences should be noted. With Fioricet, it is no different. Common side effects can include stomach cramping, bloating, feelings of dizziness, sleepiness, feeling light-headed, or even nausea.

Answer 4

Sorry to say anything which does not completely agree with Tash and you should consult her before taking my advice. Ordinary gravol (or it's generic a half hour before a meal may help. If you can't keep it down use the suspository) My doctor was also my best friend and a fellow scoutmaster. Thanks to him plus my Military background I learnt a few tricks. If you can keep it down some times get the capsules. ( Here Canada ) They are Blue and white. When you can't keep it down use a small pin or needle to poke a tiny hole in each end and then use it as a suppository. Saves you carrying multiple products and they are less expensive. JOKE: A man went to the pharmacist claiming the suppositories he was using were useless. Told the pharmacist that for all the good they were doing he may as well have been shoving them up his butt.

Answer 5

Not really, Fioricet is a weakend version of percocet, the main side-effect is dependance on the drug, however if you develop a fever that lasts for more than 3 days discontinue and see a doctor.

Answer 6

Yes i have read that you will get addicted to Fioricet if you take it regularly i suggest you should tell your doctor to RX to something else i take Imitrex for migraines and its very good and you wont get addicted to it.

Answer 7

According to the FDA, the following side effects have been noted:
"drowsiness, lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and intoxicated feeling."

Please look at the 13 page report below, which also provides information on the various sub-components and interactions with other drugs.

Answer 8

More common side effects may include:
Abdominal pain, dizziness, drowsiness, intoxicated feeling, light-headedness, nausea, sedation, shortness of breath, vomiting


Less common or rare side effects may include:
Agitation, allergic reactions, constipation, depression, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, earache, exaggerated feeling of well-being, excessive sweating, excessive urination, excitement, fainting, fatigue, fever, flatulence, headache, heartburn, heavy eyelids, high energy, hot spells, itching, leg pain, mental confusion, muscle fatigue, numbness, rapid heartbeat, ringing in the ears, seizure, shaky feeling, skin redness and/or peeling, sluggishness, stuffy nose, tingling

Mental and physical dependence can occur with the use of barbiturates such as butalbital when these drugs are taken in higher than recommended doses over long periods of time

Answer 9

Like all controlled drugs it has a risk of dependency, if your physician per-scribed it twice daily then it is only to be taken when you are having an actual migraine not if you are just having certain symptoms. You can go to drugs.com and look up all the side effects and risks.

Answer 10

I would look in a totally different direction to get relief.

There is a one-time treatment Atlasprofilax that usually makes the migraine disappear - of course there is no guarantee.

I have experienced the amazing effects myself... :-)

Now, the treatment is available in California and Europe only, costing approx. 220 dollars. And it's worth to travel a far way to make the experience!