Many commonly used immediate relief medications, when taken in large enough amounts, can cause rebound headaches. Medications once thought of as "safe" are turning up as the likeliest culprits. These include:
- Aspirin
- Sinus relief medications
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (Aleve)
- Sedatives for sleep
- Codeine and prescription narcotics
- Over-the-counter combination headache remedies containing caffeine (such as Anacin, Excedrin, Bayer Select)
- Ergotamine preparations (such as Cafergot, Migergot, Ergomar, Bellergal-S, Bel-Phen-Ergot S, Phenerbel-S, Ercaf, Wigraine and Cafatine PB)
- Butalbital combination pain-relievers (Goody's Headache Powder, Supac, Excedrin)
While small amounts of these medications per week may be safe (and effective) -- at some point, the continued medication use can lead to the development of low grade headaches that just will not go away.
Fioricet as part of your pain-management system
As headache sufferers, anything that might help get our lives back to normal sounds like a God-send. But there a couple of questions you should ask yourself before talking with your doctor about a prescription
• Do I have migraines? If you don’t know, talk about your symptoms with your doctor before deciding that Fioricet is a good fit for you.
• Is operating heavy machinery or doing a lot of driving part of my daily life? If you take a little too much Fioricet of if you’re very sensitive to barbiturates, it can create the feelings and behaviors of someone who has had too much alcohol. Being “drunk” is not a good mix with operating a crane or driving carloads of kids to school, soccer practice, and the library!
• Do I need a pain-killer at least once a day? Fioricet can make you dependent on it. Dependence can lead to “rebound headaches” (headaches as the drug leaves your system) and even more serious health consequences. Your doctor might suggest using Fioricet as a “back-up” medication - to use it for the days where your regular medication doesn’t work. And if you’ve previous experienced dependence on another drug (including alcohol), this medication is not for you.
