Alcohol Fierocet question

[Crowjoke]

I was given some fierocet by my doctor for a headache today. I took 2 of them at 4pm and at 830pm I had two shots of whiskey (pharmacist oked it). I started having trouble breathing around 9pm and it feels like a panic attack(which I have frequently) I usually have a few drinks to level out but I'm worried about the headache meds mixing. Am I in danger? Can I have a few drinks? How long does fierocet last? Is this just a panic attack?

 

[Mental Man]

Fioricet is (usually) a combination of drugs; butalbital, caffeine, and acetominophen. Butalbital is a barbiturate, so a CNS depressant. It could be the caffeine causing the panic attack, but since it was four hours later, I can't say for sure what it was. Also, because of the butalbital, I would personally advise against drinking any amount more than lightly.

Butalbital is a relatively weak barbiturate though.

 

[Crowjoke]

Thank you. I'm used to 5 or so drinks a night. I'm just out of sorts. Have had this headache for 4 days and the fierocet didn't do anything.

 

[PerpetualAnhedonic]

A panic attack while under the influence of both these substances is unlikely....they both act quite strongly on GABA....and you've combined them. Respiratory depression, however....quite likely (being that they are both powerful CNS depressants....). They both have this effect.....and again- you've combined them.

I suspect, quite strongly, that you didn't fully listen to the pharmacist, or used selective hearing, or simply didn't take them seriously. No pharmacist in their right mind would tell a patient that it's perfectly a-okay/safe to combine these substances......at least not without a strongly worded warning AND a directive to keep dosages to bare minimum.

-PA

 

[T. Calderone]

It's not only the risk of CNS depression but alcohol and acetaminophen together are toxic to the liver.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I wonder if the alcohol is actually contributing to your panic attacks and headaches? Maybe try cutting down in that. If that doesn’t help definitely let you doctor know the med isn’t working. Firocet is really hit or miss with headaches IME

 

[PerpetualAnhedonic]

It's not only the risk of CNS depression but alcohol and acetaminophen together are toxic to the liver.

A very good point. I focused on the butalbital and forgot to mention the acetaminophen and caffeine, and their dangers.

I wonder if the alcohol is actually contributing to your panic attacks and headaches? Maybe try cutting down in that. If that doesn’t help definitely let you doctor know the med isn’t working. Firocet is really hit or miss with headaches IME

Definitely +1 on TPD's first sentence. I know back when I was drinking, headaches were MUCH more often, prevalent and severe. Alcohol is a major causative factor for headaches. Of course I was a careless idiot (i still knew better back then.....I just didn't care), just kept throwing back pills I knew were harmful in combination with alcohol to treat the headaches, then carried on drowning myself with ungodly amounts of drink.

When I stopped, after awhile, I definitely noticed a reduction in my headaches...not so sure whether I noticed any/much difference in panic, but thinking back on it, I THINK there was probably a reduction.....although, during my drinking years, the panic attacks happened much more often when I WASN'T drinking.

Regardless, I too, DEFINITELY, ABSOLUTELY, 110% highly recommend you cut down on your alcohol consumption...I have VERY LITTLE doubt that you'll benefit greatly and see at least some reduction in symptoms (and without taking an additional drug to do so!).

As for Fioricet being hit or miss.....I don't really know, I haven't looked much into statistics for the general public or other people (though it does make sense seeing as there are many different kinds of headaches, many different causes, and therefore, certain treatments will help certain people depending on the person and the circumstances of their condition), but for me, I had a fair bit of success with it.....though not so much with the regular version....I needed a variation (which was a godsend for me personally)- Fiorinal #3. Same basic combination of substances: butalbital, caffeine (both at same dosages as regular Fioricet), but with aspirin instead of acetaminophen, and codeine in addition- 4 in 1 capsule). That shit typically works wonders for me....of course abuse temptation could be a bit high though. The shit can get ya pretty sloppy (and noticeably so) if you dose enough....but barbs really aren't safe to abuse.....even relatively weak ones like butalbital.
Point is, my personal experience of treatment with this family of pharmaceuticals is very good. YMMV.

-PA

 

[Jabberwocky]

For those it works well for, Firocet is indeed amazing. I didn’t mean to make a claim like it doesn’t work for most people, because I honestly have no idea when it comes to the statistics either. For a cousin it worked really well, for myself not a lick. I don’t know many people who take it though.

Besides I like the stuff with codeine more anyways

Probably worth trying to do away with the booze, eat and rest healthy, hydrate enough, and if the end still isn’t helping going from there with the doctor.

 

[phuckingnutz]

Thank you. I'm used to 5 or so drinks a night. I'm just out of sorts. Have had this headache for 4 days and the fierocet didn't do anything.

I don't suppose you have access to LSD or other psychedelics?
I used to take Fiorinal w/Codeine and it was excellent at killing the head ache pain, but psychedelics are better, IME.

 

[Jabberwocky]

^the caveat is that break through doses aren’t necessary for that. I hear magic mushrooms at lowish doses work really well for certain types of headaches

Definitely still think laying off the booze for a bit, or at least cutting down significantly, would really help.

 

[Rafayte]

Fierocet is a med for headache which mix acetaminophen as analgesic, butalbital which is a barbiturate for relax the person and caffeine because caffeine is good relieving headaches. You can felt your breath slow due to the barbiturate and the suggestion plus caffeine could cause fear. But you can take fierocet safety because is only a sedative, acetaminophen and caffeine

 

[phuckingnutz]

^the caveat is that break through doses aren’t necessary for that. I hear magic mushrooms at lowish doses work really well for certain types of headaches

Definitely still think laying off the booze for a bit, or at least cutting down significantly, would really help.

Exactly, I thought about the fact that I left that out, but I was already at work.
One 100mcg hit of blotter in a syringe with 1 cc water should give you 10-15 doses of relief. Just let it sit for a while and then every drop is 5mcg...1-3 drops on your tongue should kill most head aches...don't know about the hangover kind tho.
Shrooms work, but IME low doses just make me feel like hammered shit so I stick with Lucy.

Yeah, I have to agree with TPDog on that front, 5 drinks is quite a bit to do every day and then with the Fiorcet you are adding APAP for a liver killing combo.

 

[BeachBum4u]

I was prescribed it over 30 years ago and I thought it worked pretty well on my migraines. However, and I don't know if it was the caffeine or not, but I used to get anxious on it. Not in a super uncomfortable way, mind you. I would also get to where I'd want to keep taking them. Even though the real buzz, so to speak, was the caffeine, I think.

I used to run through my script in less than a week, easy. I suppose, for the right person and in the right circumstance, it could be a good drug for headaches.

 

[Limpet_Chicken]

If using the LSD blotter suggestion, I'd make the solution up in something like isopropanol, a few drops of which can then be added to BOILED water (to remove any chlorine, since it would destroy the acid)