Fioricet

Fioricet is a drug used to treat muscle contraction headaches and tension headaches. Learn more about the benefits of this drug to your health. Learn the different effects of using Fioricet on different medical conditions.

The main components of Fioricet are butalbital and acetaminophen, both elements when combined act as an effective relaxing agent and pain reliever. Butalbital is categorized as barbiturates, a group of drugs used as depressants for the central nervous system. Acetaminophen, on the other hand, is a term for antipyretic and analgesic drugs mainly used to relieve headache, fever and minor pains. Together, these two components lessen the painful effects of tension and muscle contraction headaches.

Be cautioned though that long term use of Fioricet may develop a sort of tolerance to the drug. When butalbital is often given to the patient, the body gets used to the volume of this component thus resulting to increase of dosage in order to maintain positive results. When Fioricet is taken in excessive doses or for a long period of time, the body might also develop conditions like physical and mental dependence. By the time you stop taking Fioricet, physical dependency could cause withdrawal butalbital side effects.

Interestingly, other products of this type include small percentage of caffeine as one of its ingredients. Caffeine can be mixed with acetaminophen and butalbital to provide headache pain relief. As with butalbital, long term treatment of caffeinated butalbital + acetaminophen compound also might lead to physical dependency.

Ask your doctor about these specifications when you buy Fioricet. Learn how your body will adjust to this medication. In addition, intake of Fioricet without prescription must be avoided.

Usually, the doctor first will have to examine your body’s current medical condition. He will check if you have allergies to food, drugs, dyes, preservatives, even with barbiturates, aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine. The doctor will also need to consider pregnancy and breast feeding on a patient.

Butalbital have been reported to have displayed risks of birth imperfection on the unborn baby. A separate study has also showed development of brain tumor in babies whose mothers were taking barbiturate drugs during pregnancy. Butalbital may also result to breathing difficulties in infants. Acetaminophen’s harsh effects to the unborn child however are yet to be studied.

Also, caffeine has been proven to cause birth problems on the unborn baby. Huge levels of caffeine in the body especially on pregnant patients could cause changes in the heart rhythm and may affect the development of the fetus.

For breast-feeding patients, make sure to discuss with the doctor about the implications of Fioricet treatment on your case. Studies showed that butalbital presence on a mother’s milk could result to breathing shortness, slow beating of the heart, drowsiness and breathing difficulty when nursing the baby. Acetaminophen does not display undesirable effects when it passed into the mother’s milk. Caffeine on the other hand when taken in larger doses can also affect the nursing of the baby. It can cause sleeping disorder for the baby.

Drug interactions may also affect the treatment of Fioricet. Ask your doctor if you should stop treatment or adjust dosage with your other medication. Anyhow, make sure the doctor is informed of your present and previous medication including the following: oral contraceptive pills, birth control pills with estrogen, anticoagulant drugs, Tegretol or other Carbamazepine drugs, corticosteroids, Corticotropin, antidepressants, amoxapine, desipramine, imipramine, Divalproex and Valproic Acid.

Few side effects of Fioricet include chest pain, crusting of the lips, anxiety, nervousness, depression and red spotting on the skin. Inform your doctor right away if you feel any intolerable side effects. Always follow the instructions of your doctor regarding its dosage. Regularly visit your doctor to track the progress of your treatment.