Author: Charles Frank

butalbital-acetaminophen-caffeine oral: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing

Caffeine is a CNS stimulant that is used with pain relievers to increase their effect. However, caffeine can also cause physical dependence when it is used for a long time. This may lead to withdrawal (rebound) headaches when you stop taking it. Other drugs may interact with acetaminophen, butalbital, and caffeine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

If you or your child feel that the medicine is not working as well, do not use more than your prescribed dose. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

The combination of acetaminophen, Butalbital, Caffeine comes as a capsule and tablet to take by mouth. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take acetaminophen, Butalbital, Caffeine exactly as directed.

Of course, there is potential for the individual to become unconscious or comatose. Any individual who is suspected of overdosing on butalbital should receive immediate medical attention. In clinical studies, weight loss was not a reported side effect from Fioricet. However, it can cause nausea, vomiting and stomach pain.

Butalbital Addiction: Effects, Withdrawal & Treatment

Nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, gas, shaking (tremor), lightheadedness, dizziness, or drowsiness may occur. Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellow eyes or skin. Carefully check the labels of all other medicines you are using, because they may also contain acetaminophen.

1. If you suddenly stop using this medication, you may have withdrawal symptoms (such as nausea/vomiting, mental/mood changes, seizures).
2. Overdose symptoms may also include insomnia, restlessness, tremor, diarrhea, increased shallow breathing, uneven heartbeats, seizure (convulsions), or fainting.
3. Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you or your child are taking this medicine.
4. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed.

Acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as APAP) is contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much acetaminophen which can lead to a fatal overdose. Check the label to see if a medicine contains acetaminophen or APAP. Fioricet capsules contain a combination of acetaminophen, butalbital, and caffeine. Butalbital is in a group of drugs called barbiturates.

This medication may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal birth control such as pills, patch, or ring. Discuss with your doctor or pharmacist if you should use reliable backup birth control methods while using this medication. Also tell your doctor if you have any new spotting or breakthrough bleeding, because these may be signs that your birth control is not working well.

View Labeling Archives for this drug

Aspirin helps to decrease the pain from the headache. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Because the withdrawal symptoms from butalbital can be potentially severe, it is highly recommended that anyone who has used the drug for any length of time consult a physician before discontinuing its use. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Using it for long periods or in high doses near the expected delivery date is not recommended because of possible harm to the unborn baby.

Do not take more of this medication than recommended. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain. It is not known whether Fioricet will harm an unborn baby. If you use butalbital while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug.

If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

This risk may be higher if you have a substance use disorder (such as overuse of or addiction to drugs/alcohol). Take this medication exactly as prescribed to lower the risk of addiction. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Do not increase your dose, take it more often, or use it for a longer time than prescribed. Some brand-name drugs that include butalbital are Fioricet, Esgic, and Axocet. Butalbital is often used in combination with other medications, such as acetaminophen, caffeine, aspirin, and/or codeine for treating migraine headaches or tension headaches.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Remember that this medication has been prescribed because your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor, usually every 4 hours as needed.

Do not use a household spoon because you may not get the correct dose. Take this medication by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually every 4 hours as needed. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, or for a longer period than your doctor tells you to. Selected from data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use.

Fioricet is intended for occasional use every 4 hours when symptoms occur. While you are taking this medication, avoid taking diet pills, caffeine pills, or other stimulants (such as ADHD medications) without your doctor’s advice. This medication can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Stop taking Fioricet and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling. This drug can speed up the removal of other drugs from your body, which may affect how they work. Daily alcohol use, especially when combined with acetaminophen, may damage your liver. This drug passes into breast milk and could have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Breastfeeding is not recommended while using this drug. Alcohol or marijuana (cannabis) can make you more dizzy or drowsy.

Do not take more than six tablets or capsules in 1 day. If you think that you need more to relieve your symptoms, call your doctor. Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially drowsiness, stomach/intestinal bleeding and ulcers, and trouble falling asleep.

This medication may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with other drugs that also may cause bleeding. Examples include anti-platelet drugs such as clopidogrel, “blood thinners” such as dabigatran/enoxaparin/warfarin, among others. Before using this medication, women of childbearing age should talk with their doctor(s) about the benefits and risks. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant.