Can You Get Addicted to Taking Fioricet?

Get addicted taking Fioricet

Estimated by recent statistics, death rates caused by the abuse of painkillers have exceeded those provoked by the abuse of illegal drugs such as cocaine or amphetamine. As such, the use of prescription drugs in greater amounts than advisable often results in negative outcomes for one’s health, and this trend is getting more and more alarming.

Fioricet is among those pain-relieving drugs used against acute forms of tension headaches and migraines, but sometimes this medication is abused by patients who do not follow the dosage directions and fail to adhere to any regimen.

Fioricet can be habit-forming and provoke addiction in some patients. Let’s see how it may happen.

Major Components of Fioricet

This medication consists of three major ingredients: butalbital, caffeine, and acetaminophen.

Butalbital is a barbiturate that acts as a depressant and causes sedation in patients.

Acetaminophen allows relieving pain and other unwanted symptoms acting as a painkiller. However, if taken in excess amounts, this component may provoke serious liver damage and in certain instances, it can even lead to lethal outcomes.

Caffeine works as a stimulating ingredient that allows treating certain headache types.

What’s more, Fioricet can contain codeine, which is known to have addictive properties provoking the development of euphoria and reducing pain in the body, but resulting in the formation of a habit. It is suggested that butalbital and codeine are some of the most addictive components that can be found in prescription medications.

Downsides of Taking Fioricet

Among others, the intake of Fioricet is associated not only with the formation of addiction in case of its abuse but also the presence of a number of severe side effects, such as feeling dizzy and lightheaded.

There is a high risk of developing a dependence on this medication if it is used repeatedly for an extended period of time. Therefore, it should not be considered a first-choice medication against any type of headache, including tension headaches and migraines, because this may provoke an addictive behavior.

Overdose may also occur if the dosage regimen was not followed by the patient. Like all narcotic medications, this drug may cause withdrawal symptoms if you have stopped using it after a prolonged period of treatment.

How Can You Get Addicted to Fioricet?

When any type of drug is abused, the first step towards the formation of addiction is the intake of drugs for non-medical purposes and development of tolerance. This means that you’ll need higher doses of the drug in order to achieve the same effects.

A usual drug addict using Fioricet takes around 1,500 mg of the medication to achieve satisfaction. All this means that Fioricet should be regarded as the last resort for migraine management when all other medications fail to alleviate pain producing no effect.