I am addicted to Fiorinal #3

I had migraines for 35 years. Don't let ANYONE tell you they are "just" headaches. Have you tried Imitrex and all those things?

Over the years I have found that sometimes they are connected to the stomach through the Vagus nerve.

Stomach-up the v. nerve-to the skull. Have you consulted a nutritionist about foods? Check to see if you are too acid. One must be alkaline.

VERBASCUM is an odd remedy that is generally for the sinus areas, but also treats the 5th pair of cranial nerves.

A good chiropractor may be able to tell you things about your body.

Acupuncture is also helpful.

Addiction to Fiorinal is not easy to live with when it is thought of as "addiction" but the consequences without cannot be borne. I used codene. (not that much either, as no one "believed" in migrains at that time). I got off after they went away at menopause. A man cannot depend on something like this.

I hope something here will help you.

Blessings, Sabra

I was addicted to Fiorinal and later Fioricet for over 18 years. Just before I got clean in August 1999, I was taking upwards of 40 pills a day. I lost jobs, family ties, friends and almost my life.
If anyone woould like to contact me and hear how I finally was able to end the hopeless cycle of this addiction, and it was a life threatening addiction, there is hope.
No magic, no mysticism, just the hard facts.
I will tell anyone my story who would like to know.
Simply contact me, Bruce, as directed below to my email.

I was suffering from Migraines for about 25 years on a regular weekend basis up to 1970. At that time the only drug available was Cafergot which comprised Caffein and Ergotamine Tartrate. The regular use of this drug left me in a state of suspended animation which I can assure you was not pleasant.

I changed over to Homeopathy and used Bryonia 30c when I first felt the attack coming on and every since then I have been completely free of Migraines.

Suggest that you too stop your present medication and use Bryonia 30c every night for a few days, last thing at night as this usually helps to prevent the Migraine striking in the morning. You can also take it as soon as you feel the first warning signs of a Migraine coming on and the dose is 4 balls under the tongue. Repeat in 2 hours if you dont have relief. As a prophylactic you can take just 2 balls at night for a week when the chronic condition you have should work itself out.

All Homeopathic remedies should be taken under the tongue and no coffee, cola drinks and preserved meats like ham, bacon, sausages can be taken as they all antidote the remedy.

Yes! Per Joe's past posting on this, my husband and I have both tried Bryonia 30C for headaches and it took them away almost instantly. It is worth giving it a shot, the worse thing that can happen is it does not relieve them.

Bless,
NAMASTE

Thank you for your post confirming that your Migraines/Headaches were helped with Bryonia 30c.

It is a pity that others who use a remedy suggested by those who post on this and other forums do not come back to this forum to state whether or not the remedy had any effect on their ailment.

I believe that this follow up is important as we can all benefit from their replies. In the event of the remedy not being effective, others can be suggested. I do hope that people will follow this lead and confirm how the remedy helped them or otherwise

I have been addicted to fiorinal C 1/2 for almost a year now. I take 2 caps 3 times a day and don't know what to do to stop the habit !! I tried stopping cold turkey but get very sick, and people say it is dangerous, is this right?? I am willing to give it a shot !! how long do the symptomes last (sick) can anyone help me ? I can't go into a treatment center as I am alone with 2 young children, please help me as I am having dark thoughts because of this !!
Thanks guys

I can tell you my story of how I successfully ended my nearly 2 decade addiction to Fiorinal/Fioricet, but you need to write a post saying that you want to hear my story in particular. I will do all I can to help and encourage all out there that there us real, tangible hope!
Bruce

Dear Dave Patrick
I'm glad you got in touch with me.
Here is the short version of my history and of where I am today.
I offer to you any help and support I can provide. Please remember, this is what I did, and I tell them to you only as suggestions.
Only after I started accepting the fact that others as bad or even worse than me, found success, did I realize that there was hope. Learning from others is the key.

I began using Fiorinal in 1977 (same as Fioricet except it contains aspirin instead of Tylenol) when I finally was able to get some help on my own for headaches.
I had been suffering from very severe headaches since childhood and was never taken seriously until I was able to seek treatment as a young adult.

Unfortunately then, I began to see that the medication was doing much more for me than just treating headaches.
It seemed to be the answer to all of my problems - at least before it got way out of control.
I found that it relieved my tremendous lifelong anxiety problems - anxiety had always been my chief problem.
When I took the Fiorinal, all my anxieties went away and, for the first time in my life I felt free.
Then the nightmare began. In a very short period of time, I had to take more and more to get the desired effect.
Two became four and four became 12 and so on until, in 1978, I was taking 16 a day.
When I ran out, I had seizures and terrible anxiety from the Butalbital {Sandoptal} barbiturate withdrawal.
I got into legal trouble and lost my job.

I was rescued by my parents in 1978 and went to live with them for a while.
I remained Fiorinal free until 1981 when, for whatever reason, I decided I wanted to use them again. I thought I could control it. (There is no controlling it - even if you believe you are doing so now!)
By 1983, I was using 25 of them per day. I had many doctors and many pharmacists.
Sometime in October 1983 I quit using them and was just "dabbling" in them in the 80's until in 1987 I got addicted again.
I never understood, until 1999, that there is no such thing as "safe / periodic" or "controlled" use. No such thing - everybody, until they totally quit, eventually get sucked in!

By 1992 I was taking 30+ per day. Based on my history, and how dramatically things were falling apart around me and inside of me, I checked into a rehab in Sept of 1992. After discharge, I remained drug free for a while and in 1996 I stupidly picked them up again, beacause I, for some unknown reason, wanted to - despite all I had been through!

I lost more jobs, cars, girlfriends and family relationships. I was now taking 40 or more per day and finally it had to stop!
After more job loss, more legal trouble and a few instances of nearly dying, in August of 1999 I checked into a detox - I knew that this was it!
I told them at this facility that based on my history, I knew I needed more than just 28 days of treatment. I knew I needed more.

I went to a sober, drug free apartment complex in S. Florida not far from where my dad and his new wife are living, and got involved in the 12 step program of AA/NA, but that was only PART OF IT.
I realized THE most important thing about my drug use:
and that was I would never get better until I accepted the fact that I used the Fiorinal/Fioricet for no other reason than "I like what it did for me"!
Yes, I still suffered from migraines and other headaches, but drugs WERE NOT the answer. I had been overmedicating myself to the point that my body could not even take care of itself - headaches or otherwise.

My pill use and abuse wasn't due to my abusive childhood, my lousy self image at the time, breakups with girlfriends or anything else.
I needed to accept that the drug was doing for me what I could not do for myself.
This DID make sense to me.

I have been drug free for over 5 yrs now because I got connected to a more complete understanding of myself, the intricacies of my own addiction and being aware that a higher power is an important ally in recovery from a life long problem. By spriritual, I don't mean to scare you. It is simply an awareness that, regardless of and apart from anyone's personal views of religion, perhaps faith in a higher power could be an important ally in striving to reach and achieve a goal.

These days I am now looking to re-enter my former career of teaching and have the strength and the conviction to go forward in life. I have taken things very slowly.
So much changes, when drugs are finally put down. I have been to hell and back, and my story is truly a miracle.

Please, don't look at yourself and say, "Wow, I am not THAT bad". or "Oh, he's much worse!" Drugs have a tendency to bring everyone down. For some quickly,
much longer for others. It eventually grabs hold and almost refuses to let go.
You know what they say, if you think you have a problem, you probably do! It is nothing to be ashamed of, despite society's view of drug addicts.
Most drug abusers and addicts are not street bums. They are normal, mainstream, family people who have just gotten in way over their heads. Please do not look at yourself as different - because you probably are not. You just need some guidance and reassurance that there is help out there (and within you).

There are more details to tell, and I would be pleased to share them with you or answer any questions or concerns you may have.
Please feel free to write back to me today, tomorrow or whenever you'd like and we can talk more.

I hope this has helped, especially from the standpoint of giving hope and encouragement.

Bruce

You're very welcome! Please contact me via the email address in my profile and we can talk more! (This website prohibits putting my email address here, but you can get it from my profile.) Apparently my story gets to a lot of people. I have had countless numbers of folks responding to me - so this addiction is very much alive and well in our world.
One point you mentioned sticks out like a sore thumb...and that is where you say that when you use the Fiorinal "the world does not treat you or look at you the way they used to"...well, it has less to do with how others actually treat you than the way you PERCEIVE their attitudes when you use the medication.
Anyway, please contact me whenever you wish and as often as you wish and we can talk some more.
Bruce