Fioricet contains tylenol, caffeine, butalbital. Its sister drug, Fiorinal is schedule III. The only difference is fioricet contains tylenol as a component while fiorinal instead has aspirin. This is not a valid reason for the unscheduling of fioricet. Both contain the same habit forming drug, butalbital. Can someone please explain.
Why Isn’t Fioricet A Controlled Substance?
July 15th, 2009 · 4 Comments · Pain Relief
Tags: Controlled·Fioricet·Isn't·Substance
I don’t have the answer to your specific question, but I would have to disagree with n-burk. Tylenol is potentially more dangerous than aspirin because a relatively smaller overdose of Tylenol can cause fatal liver damage a lot faster than aspirin can cause any of its side effects.
I don’t know but I LOVE the stuff!! I get migraines and headaches, and NOTHING helps control my headaches better than fiorcet w/aspirin (not the tylenol one). I have tried everything for just plain headaches (non-migraine) and this is the ONLY one that has worked for me.
Tried all the OTC pain meds, darvocet, vicodin..and a few others my doctor prescribed..and this has been a life saver.
I really never thought I’d find a medication besides Imitrex and other MIGRAINE medications to control my plain-ole-headaches… but this one is a miracle for me!
Of course, I have to take TWO–when it is directed to take one. (Why they always say to take just one vicodin or darvocet is beyond me– it never works with just one pill).
I can’t find any studies that say one was more habit-forming than the other, the only thing I can figure out is that aspirin is much more dangerous and interactive than acetaminophen, so maybe it is scheduled to limit its use
Response: The max dose of acetaminophen per day is 4000 mg, and since there’s only 325 mg in Fioricet, you’ll have to take a lot at once or take them for a long time to get the damage from acetaminophen, whereas someone on warfarin takes aspirin and isn’t aware of it the effects could be immediate….The fatal liver damage from acetaminophen comes when you take it with alcohol, so if you don’t take your Fioricet with a shot you should be ok at this dose
Regardless of its form, butalbital IS scheduled.