Fioricet: Migraine Remedy Medication Or Just Another Headache?

We've all had garden variety headaches from time to time. Getting sleep, drinking water, or taking aspirin or Tylenol lets you squash these "tension headaches" (as doctors call them) quickly and easily.

But if you suffer from severe or chronic tension headaches, you know that headaches can take over your work and family life. A study by the American Headache Society shows that 70% of chronic headache sufferers have significant problems with daily functioning because of the headaches.

Migraine sufferers have symptoms in addition to headache; they may spend days each month in a darkened room because the pain and light-sensitivity are unbearable otherwise.

Fioricet: A New Option

Fioricet is one of the drugs that researchers have developed to manage headaches. It has been found to be effective for tension headaches. While studies haven't shown it to be effective for migraine sufferers overall, some people with migraines seem to find it helpful as well.

Fioricet gets its effect from three different ingredients that attack different "parts" of your headache, just like a good laundry detergent has different ingredients to tackle grease, odors, and dirt.

So how does the dynamic trio work?

Fioricet has three parts, two of which may be old friends:

Butalbital
Acetominophen
Caffeine

Butalbital is a barbiturate; like other barbiturates, it has a relaxing effect. Butalbital will help you relax and make you feel a bit drowsy, which seems to help with tension headaches.

Acetominophen is a drug that you may recognize as the active ingredient in Tylenol. It can help with pain relief especially when combined with a relaxant.

Caffeine gives you the "buzz" that you may feel after drinking tea, coffee, or colas, or eating chocolate. Caffeine helps to reduce blood flow to the brain. Many scientists believe that "too much" blood flowing to the brain is part of what causes chronic tension headaches, so caffeine can reduce that effect.

Fioricet as part of your pain-management system

As headache sufferers, anything that might help get our lives back to normal sounds like a God-send. But there a couple of questions you should ask yourself before talking with your doctor about a prescription

? Do I have migraines? If you don't know, talk about your symptoms with your doctor before deciding that Fioricet is a good fit for you.

? Is operating heavy machinery or doing a lot of driving part of my daily life? If you take a little too much Fioricet of if you're very sensitive to barbiturates, it can create the feelings and behaviors of someone who has had too much alcohol. Being "drunk" is not a good mix with operating a crane or driving carloads of kids to school, soccer practice, and the library!

? Do I need a pain-killer at least once a day? Fioricet can make you dependent on it. Dependence can lead to "rebound headaches" (headaches as the drug leaves your system) and even more serious health consequences. Your doctor might suggest using Fioricet as a "back-up" medication - to use it for the days where your regular medication doesn't work. And if you've previous experienced dependence on another drug (including alcohol), this medication is not for you.

I've Thought It Over, So What's My Next Step?

Take the prescription to your local pharmacy or on-line drug store so it's ready for your use at the sign of the first stubborn headache. Discussing any problems or side effects like dizziness or drowsiness with your doctor will help you manage this drug and can make it part of your plan for a pain-free life!

Copyright (C) Shoppe.MD and Ian Mason, 2004-2005

Ian Mason, owner of Shoppe.MD, your source for health news and Fioricet.

Ian is a fat-to-fit student of health, weight loss, exercise, and several martial arts; maintaining several websites in an effort to help provide up-to-date and helpful information for other who share his interests in health of body and mind.

---

Find a Doctor

How to find a doctor? There's no magical route to... Read More

New Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathy

Millions of Americans suffer with Peripheral Neuropathy and until recently... Read More

Advanced Surface Ablation

In patients with corneal thickness below a certain minimum, performing... Read More

Bextra Withdrawal Could Be Just the Beginning for Pfizer

The pharmaceutical industry is a tremendously profitable one, as anyone... Read More

Technology Over Drugs for Stress Related Tension Disorders

As much as 95% of the population suffers from some... Read More

Causes and Types of Cerebral Palsy

In the case of Cerebral Palsy there is no one... Read More

The Last Line of Defense Against Medication Errors: What You Need to Know to Keep your Family Safe

This is a true story.Yesterday, I picked up a new... Read More

Web Therapy: Enhancing Patient Communication with Web Access

According to Jennifer Lyons' chart, she's just a bad slip... Read More

Benefits of a Virtual Top Doctor Consultant

Looking for the best doctor to suite your medical needs... Read More

Lunesta Withdrawal

Lunesta is a newly released sleeping pill. Marketed as a... Read More

The Basic First Aid for Child Care Programs

We cannot help but accept the fact that children do... Read More

Amazing Shoulder Pain Reversing Secrets!

Whether you're a weekend athlete, or a gardener that overdid... Read More

Why Modern Medicine is the Greatest Threat to Health

There is the underlying assumption that modernity translates into better... Read More

Zoloft Side Effects: Akathisia and Violent Behavior

Zoloft is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor); a prescription... Read More

Prescription Drug Side Effects: Treating From The Outside Or The Inside?

Throughout time there have always been two opposing points of... Read More

Cholesterol Prescription Medications Can Kill You

While there are numerous options for people to lower cholesterol... Read More

Potassium and The Dialysis Patient

Any dialysis patient who has had a brush with high... Read More

The Importance Of Using Electric Wheelchairs To Improve Mobility

No person likes to feel housebound and dependent on others.... Read More

Every Pharmaceutical Drug LEECHES Nutrients From Your Body

Are you currently on one or more pharmaceutical drugs? Perhaps... Read More

Stem Cell Breakthrough: Can You Now Make Your Own?

Over the past few years, stem cells have been getting... Read More

Traditional Treatments for Back Pain... Which Ones Work and Which Ones Don?t?

When Dorothy followed the yellow brick road, she was told... Read More

Vioxx and Bextra Lawsuits Could Tie Up Courts for Years

In September, 2004, pharmaceutical giant Merck voluntarily withdrew its painkilling... Read More

Warning! Flu Shots Can Be Dangerous To Your Health

Every year about this time doctors around the world are... Read More

Rogue Online Pharmacies: The Internet War Of 2005

Online Pharmacy owners who haven't been working within moral and... Read More

Eliminate Agonizing Hand Pain Quickly and Easily!

According to Dr. Nathan Wei, "The hand and wrist are... Read More

Christopher Reeve To Have Promoted Basement Lab

Chrisopher Reeve has died. But his vision of a "Cure"... Read More

Rezulin Liver Failure Causes FDA to Recall Drug

Rezulin, a prescription type 2 diabetes drug has been withdrawn... Read More

Healthcare Providers -- Its Time for Your Physical

I think this is a good time for a checkup,... Read More

3 Facts Everyone Should Know About Stem Cells

Cord BloodCord Blood is the blood that remains in the... Read More

4 Reasons Why You Should Use Canadian Pharmacies

Let's face it: purchasing prescription drugs in the U.S. can... Read More

The Medical Community Changes Its Mind

How many of us have taken aspirin or a similar... Read More

I Hurt All Over... How to Ease Away the Pain of Fibromyalgia!

At one moment, a life of activity consumed with enjoyable... Read More

Medical Collections

Although you make a patient feel better, there isn't usually... Read More