Nallabelle

MY OBGYN (who of course knows I am pregnant) gave me something called fioricet. I took it for the first time today and it made me feel good so I figured that I should look the drug up on the internet. It was confusing info and I dont totally understand what this drug is and Ive never heard of it in all my years of using. It was prescribed for migraines ive been having during the pregnancy (I always have problems with migraines during my pregnancies). Hopefully I am just making a mountain out of a molehill. Any info would be great.

Sugah

Does your doctor know you're an addict? Fioricet is a barbituate, which is, of course, addictive.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

Nallabelle

she knows I was on vicodin during my first trimester and "I had a very difficult time getting off". What is a barbituate? like speed?>

Sugah

Barbiturates are the opposite of speed, a nervous system depressant. Like phenobarbital. Fioricet has caffeine in it, which dilates the blood vessels in the brain.

She thinks this is safe during pregnancy? Anything you can get hooked on, your baby can get hooked on, too. Even caffeine during pregnancy is very bad news.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

Shellslove

Belle - I would def. question your doctor about this. I've taken Fioricet for my killer migraines. It worked somewhat, but it was nasty stuff...and gave me rebound headaches (as of course, I overused.) Fioricet is not an opiate-based medication - it basically contains a barbituate, tylenol, and caffeine (not to be confused with Fiourinal (sp?) which DOES have coedine or another opiate in it I believe.) Barbituates are downers and can def. be physically and mentally addictive. To be honest, I never felt a 'high' off them - but b/c I knew it was possible, I took more than rx'ed. You have to watch it with the acetaminophen, as you know taking too much could do a number on your liver (and I'd assume, baby.) Also, the caffeine is probably not a great idea during pregnancy (especially if you have high blood pressure) - though it generally helps headaches. See the descrip below. Looks like this medication is FDA class C - meaning it's unknown whether it would harm a fetus. That doesn't seem like any type of assurance to me! Sure, if migraines are killer, the dr might rx these meds during pregnancy if s/he feel the benefits outweigh the risks....but even if you just need the caffeine - I'd stick with Excedrin! (IMHO)


Courtesy of drugs.com:

Fioricet contains a combination of acetaminophen, butalbital, and caffeine. Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer. Butalbital is in a group of drugs called barbiturates. It relaxes muscle contractions involved in a tension headache.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It relaxes muscle contractions in blood vessels to improve blood flow. Fioricet is used to treat tension headaches that are caused by muscle contractions. Fioricet may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether Fioricet is harmful to an unborn baby. Before taking Fioricet, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Acetaminophen, butalbital, and caffeine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use Fioricet without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Shellslove

Belle - this is totally just my opinion, but have you thought about talking to the addiction dr about talking subutex during the remainder of your pregnancy? I know you've had problems with it before - but right now, you're thinking for two - maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea. I am in a NA type group and there are a couple of pregnant women on a low dose of subutex. This is another benefits outweight the risks thing, of course. Basically, as my doctor explained, worst case scenario - you are abusing opiates during pregnancy. Then, when baby is born - s/he is also dependent. It's not really safe to go c/t though, b/c that could have dramatic effects on your health, and risk baby's health. Methadone is a difficult medication to wean newborns off of - and apparently, subutex is the better option (better than suboxone too, which has the added opiate blocker.) He says it's an easier detox for baby. Now this is just ONE doctor's opinion, and the opinion is obviously specific to these particular women. I don't know how far along you are...and if you've been able to stop the opiates altogether at this point, clearly you don't want to go back to subutex if you can stay off the opiates for the rest of your pregnancy. Just sharing so ES&H

mal1515

I've taken it. It's not really like taking a lortab or even a darvocet.

I'm an addict and have no problem taking it for headaches. I can take one and not take another for months. It's just not addictive to me. It doesn't really get you high.

The caffeine might have made you feel something I don't know.

CRhymes

Butalbital is a barbituate similar to secobarbital (Seconal) or pentobarbital (Nembutal). Stay away if you are an addict... same general effects as the benzo class as well, but more risk of overdose.

Just google fioricet addiction and you'll see how serious it can be.

mal1515

Well, I guess you're right. I guess it could be to some people. With me I have to really like it to become addicted to it.

I can take muscle relaxers or anything and not get hooked on it. Reason being is that I just don't like it. Doesn't make me feel great or anything. I got hooked on oxycodone because it made me feel great and I got euphoria from it. No euphoria from muscle relaxers or anything like that. Just a drunk feeling. I also don't like to drink. I can have a beer somewhere and won't drink again for a year.

I realize not all addicts can do that though. A lot of addicts will get hooked.

Nallabelle

Thanks everyone for the info and experience.
Since I only get about 3 migraines a month, the doctor thought this would be the best option for me. Ive actually mentioned to her that I use excedrin migraine but that since becoming pregnant it makes me sick. She said "good, you shouldnt be taking that anyway" and told me this was safer.
The only drug I have ever had a problem with is loratab. I can drink or take a xanex (for legit reasons) on occasion and have never had an issue. Therefore, I think I have a small risk of abusing this medication and frankly taking it doesnt excite me at all. However because it is addictive, I know I have to be really careful. Im going to talk to my husband to see what he thinks I should do.
As far as caffeine goes, I drink an esspresso drink daily and did so with my previous two pregnancies. There is a specific mg of caffeine you are supposed to limit yourself to in pregnancy and that is what I watch.
Shell- I have considered subutex (and the like) during this pregnancy. I am trying desperately not to go that route. I weaned myself down to 1.5-2 pills a day (10 mg) without any medical help. If I relapse just once more though, I will probably have to do something. My husband really doesnt want me on anything though.

change4penny

Hey girl, glad to see you back. I've taken firoicet for migraines before also. Your first sentence was "I took it for the first time today and it made me feel good"...This concerns me because that's exactly how my opiate addiction started. I was prescribed pain pills for a busted knee, but they made me feel 'good'...the rest is history.
You didn't say, " I took it for the first time and it help my migraine". As addicts, we are in danger of becoming addicted to ANYTHING! I know, that before I got help, if I'd had some fioricet, and no hydros, or oxycos, I'd have gone to 'town' on them. Plus, I saw my mom get really messed up on fioricets a long time ago.
IMO, stay away from them.
Hope you're doing well,

Penny

margarok

I knew I'd seen this mentioned in here and wanted to help people understand the dangers of fioricet.

I have headaches from being shunted for hydrocephalus and I realized that I was taking the pain pills (lortabs) for more than headaches. I stopped them, but wanted more and had to come clean with my doctor about it. "nuf said? I popped in to share when I got off the lortabs... told you my doctor had found me an alternative to lortab.


Anyway, this spring, when pressure headaches were bothering me a lot, I asked my doctor for something that was not as habit-forming as lortab. He gave me Fioricet, up to 3 a day. (6 months of refills -- Good grief!)

I asked if I had to worry about tolerance and withdrawal, and he said that stopping them could cause rebound headaches, compared that to a hangover. He said it was nothing as serious as addiction to lortab.

And no, I didn't read the insert from the pharmacy.

At first, taking one or two for a headache was "no big deal" and I noticed it alleviated the headache fairly well and I didn't automatically want more. But, after a week, I was taking two a day. When I was at three a day in early August and wanting more, I finally googled it.

And now I know that I'm going to have to get myself off this crap now. I've cut down over the last couple of weeks by 25% per week, down to two halves a day. (My doctor knows, but so what? He's the one who prescribed it when I asked for something that wasn't addictive like lortab. He suggested Valium to help get off this. )

I just did a search here to see if Fioricet was ever an issue for anyone here. And just to let you all know... it doesn't get me high, just reduces the pressure headache. But it sure does make me feel like crud if I stop it abruptly. I've decided to cope with the pressure headaches on occasion and leave the drugs in the drugstore.

I just wanted to post this here and warn others in case you have a doctor like mine.

And now you know.

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

margarok

I "resurrected" this thread from months ago. Sorry, Nallabelle and Anvilhead, if it brought you some stress you didn't need.

meditation

I had coffee during my pregnancy and had a beautiful 8 and 1/2 pound baby.I think it's more harmful to stop taking any form of caffiene on the baby than to keep drinking it. Maybe cutting down on the amounts won't hurt but it has to be stressful on the baby to stop abruptly.
Barbs put a friend of mine in rehab. But with that said I think this: you should probably do what your doctor suggests as they are aware of what is harmful for the baby. Knowing what a guilt trip you put on yourself about this baby already and drug use, I don't think you need to be slapped around now. Follow your doctor's advice and Nalla give yourself a hug for stopping the lortabs and getting clean. big hug.

Nallabelle

Ok this was a post I made forever ago and I ended up discontinuing the fioricet after only taking 2 of them. Also, my obgyn is the one who gave it to me. I had never heard of it and naturally assumed it was safe because it came from my obgyn. Also the coffee is ok I think. I have always drank coffee while pregnant. Doctor says thats ok too.

bval

I totally agree on principle anvil, but I do want to make a small point about this subject.

It's definitely not the case that ANYTHING you put into your body will go into your fetus' body. There is a semi-permeable membrane (I wanna say it's called something like the 'placental barrier' maybe?) between your blood and the baby's blood which doesn't actually allow 'everything' through to the fetus. This barrier generally prevents the direct intermingling of the mothers and babies blood supply.

As I understand it, the main purpose if this membrane is that if it were not there, the mothers immune system would detect the baby as a foreign invader, and would attack it. But it also serves the function of protecting the fetus from many other substances that might be present in the mother's blood during pregnancy.

Basically, the larger the molecule, the lower the chance that a substance will pass through this barrier. Believe it or not, my cousin was told by her doctor that it was fine to smoke pot to cope with her extreme morning sickness, because this barrier will prevent a molecule the size of THC (it is a large and complex molecule) from ever passing through to the baby.

Although I'm not positive this is fact in the particular case of THC, I've no reason to suspect that this was inaccurate information.

I'm only bringing this up to point out ... we're not doctors. Although it may 'intuitively' seem logical that everything a mother puts in her body will also go into the body of her fetus, this supposition is definitely NOT actually the case. Only certain types of molecules, with specific traits (mostly that means small/non-complex molecules) will pass through to the fetus.

emmer

BV, How can you have no reason to suspect inaccuracy, when your not positive?

Shouldn't your -no reason, to suspect inaccuracy- be based off fact?

Positive assumption, is a slippery slope

lostbutterfly

Pardon??? lol!

I get sumatriptan for my migraines. No painkiller touched them, this stuff is miraculous! Changes the serotonin levels in your brain. Ab-so-lutely no abuse potential!! I tried!

Wow, THC can't get to your baby? That's great - I smoked every day thru my last pregnancy - I always wondered ...