Generic Fioricet Information

What is Generic Fioricet?

Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer.Butalbital is in a group of drugs called barbiturates. It relaxes muscle contractions involved in a tension headache.Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It relaxes muscle contractions in blood vessels to improve blood flow. Generic Fioricet is a combination of acetaminophen, butalbital, and caffeine.Generic Fioricet is used to treat tension headaches that are caused by muscle contractions.Generic Fioricet may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.Important information about Generic Fioricet

Do not use Generic Fioricet if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take Generic Fioricet before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body. Do not take more of Generic Fioricet than is recommended. An overdose of acetaminophen can cause damage to your liver. Do not use any other over-the-counter cough, cold, allergy, or menstrual pain medication without first asking your doctor or pharmacist. If you take certain products together you may accidentally take too much of a certain drug.

Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains acetaminophen or caffeine. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase the risk of liver damage while you are taking acetaminophen. If you drink more than three alcoholic beverages per day, do not take acetaminophen without your doctor's advice, and never take more than 2 grams (2000 mg) per day.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Generic Fioricet?

Butalbital may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Generic Fioricet should never be shared with another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you drink more than three alcoholic beverages per day or if you have had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis). You may not be able to take medication that contains acetaminophen.You should not take Generic Fioricet if you are allergic to acetaminophen, butalbital, or caffeine, or if you have porphyria. Before using Generic Fioricet, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• kidney disease,
• liver disease; or
• a history of mental illness or suicidal thoughts.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Generic Fioricet.FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Generic Fioricet can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use Generic Fioricet without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take Generic Fioricet?

Take Generic Fioricet exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.Take the medicine with food or milk if it upsets your stomach. An overdose of acetaminophen can cause serious harm. The maximum amount of acetaminophen for adults is 1 gram (1000 mg) per dose and 4 grams (4000 mg) per day. Taking more acetaminophen could cause damage to your liver. One tablet may contain up to 750 mg of acetaminophen. Know the amount of acetaminophen in the specific product you are taking. Store Generic Fioricet at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep track of how much medicine has been used from each new bottle. Butalbital is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is using this medicine improperly or without a prescription.What happens if I miss a dose?Since Generic Fioricet is usually taken as needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are taking the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and wait until your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.What happens if I overdose?Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include insomnia, restlessness, tremor, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, increased sweating, shallow breathing, confusion, uneven heartbeats, seizure (convulsions), or coma.What should I avoid while taking Generic Fioricet?Generic Fioricet 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. Tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by butalbital. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase the risk of liver damage while you are taking acetaminophen. If you drink more than three alcoholic beverages per day, do not take acetaminophen without your doctor's advice, and never take more than 2 grams (2000 mg) of acetaminophen per day. Do not use any other over-the-counter cough, cold, allergy, or menstrual pain medication without first asking your doctor or pharmacist. Acetaminophen or caffeine are contained in many product over-the-counter medicines. If you take certain products together you may accidentally take too much of a certain drug. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains acetaminophen or caffeine. While you are taking Generic Fioricet, avoid taking diet pills, caffeine pills, or other stimulants (such as ADHD medications) without your doctor's advice.Generic Fioricet side effectsGet emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using Generic Fioricet and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat;
• feeling light-headed or short of breath;
• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms.

Less serious side effects may include:

• drowsiness;
• dizziness,, confusion or lightheadedness;
• dry mouth;
• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite;
• feeling anxious or jittery;
• drunk feeling; or
• headache.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.What other drugs will affect Generic Fioricet?The following drugs can interact with Generic Fioricet. Tell your doctor if you are using any of these:

• an antibiotic;
• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
• isoniazid;
• zidovudine (Retrovir, AZT);
• seizure medication such as phenytoin (Dilantin) or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton);
• gout medications such as probenecid (Benemid) or sulfinpyrazone;
• an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate);
• steroids such as prednisone, fluticasone (Advair), mometasone (Asmanex, Nasonex), dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol) and others; or
• an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Generic Fioricet. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about Generic Fioricet.

• Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Generic Fioricet only for the indication prescribed.
  
• Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.