Patients who take medications such as Esgic Plus, Esgic Plus, or Fiorcet to treat headaches can experience butalbital headaches. Some of these medications also contain caffeine. Each brand name medication contains butalbital, which is the generic version of the drug.
Let’s see…
This medication was used to treat migraines for many years, even before the advent of triptans like Maxalt, Imitrex, and Maxalt. Butalbital, a form of opiod, can become addictive if taken for a long time. When I say long, I mean that you have used it for more than six months and taken it more often than three times per week.
Although it is not as common as in the past years, 75% of people with migraines in their 60s visit a doctor for a headache evaluation. Butalbital can make migraines worse. Transformative migraine occurs when the drug is taken more often. The migraines become more frequent and eventually combine to create a daily headache.
Pain Factor
The headache becomes more frequent and may be rated as a 3 or 4 on a scale of pain. This is when you feel in pain, may be crying, and 10 is severe disabling pain. You may feel a headache that is all over your head or throbbing in your ears. The amount of medication you take daily or weekly will determine how effective your treatment is.
Most clinics consider this a form of analgesic rebound migraine. Doctors will usually administer IV infusions of steroids for a few days to break the pain cycle. The patient is then given a lower dose of steroids for approximately a week. Phenobarbital is sometimes used by headache specialists as a “substitute medication” for the steroids.
Final Note
This is only used if the patient is taking multiple daily doses. Naprosyn 500mg may be used to replace butalbital if patients only use it twice a week. Caution: Do not stop taking butalbital suddenly. Rarely, a seizure could occur. Your physician should monitor this type of treatment. Lifestyle changes and alternative therapies like herbal headache remedies should be considered.