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Some interesting answers to my post below. I'll comment at end. -vance

"Interesting info re low-dose aspirin. My neuro just forbid ALL OTC pain
meds because they can cause rebound migraines. I've had best luck
preventing migraines using the herb feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium). Brits
have done lots of double-blind placebo studies and found feverfew to be
highly effective at reducing frequency, severity and duration of migraines.
Now if I could just remember to take it......."

"I never thought about flourescent lights bothering me. I just figured
being at work gave me the migraine.
By the way, Exederin Migraine works great too. It also has asprin and
caffeine."

"That was really good info about migraines. I am a great fan of Fiorinal
which has literally saved my life over many years on many occasions when I
thought I would die of headache/migraine pain and nausea. I did want to
comment on a couple of things which may be misleading for you and for
others, however.
First, . . . It is now documented by medical research (my dr. warned me
about it) that Fiorinal medication can actually CAUSE headaches with a
rebound effect if you take it more than a couple of days in a row. (I have
had this happen and had to wean myself off Fiorinal by taking a small
amount of the powdered capsule until I don't get the side-effects any
longer). I also find that I rarely have any headaches any longer, which I
find miraculous after living with a headache most of my life. In my case, I
think it is about 99% food-related (the other tiny percentage are
stress-induced headaches with my situation). After being gf for over 5
years now, one of the most wonderful results is my being almost completely
headache-free."

"I take Fiorocet too. Been told just about the same thing you have (mild,
etc), and haven't had anyone freak out about it. But I had to switch from
Fiorinal to Fiorocet.... for some reason aspirin bothers me now. I'm REALLY
bothered by chocolate, and nobody's invented a chocolate-withdrawal patch yet
so I take a prophylactic Fiorocet at bedtime; the nice thing about them is
that when my sciatica acts up and I take a Tylenol w/codeine its OK, the two
can be mixed. Once knew a woman who gobbled Fiorinal down four or five at a
time, three or
four times a day. Lost track of her, but she probably bled to death!" [ED:
Now I would call that an addiction!]

"There has also been some good research with adding calcium and magnesium
to the diet. Since celiac messes up calcium and magnesium, and in fact
makes calcium deposits in the brain, that seems like a good culprit! They
have pinned down the 'cause' for migraines to a change in calcium ion
activity on the brain barrier. Calcium/magnesium supplements cut down the
number or intensity of migraines by about half in a double blind study."
[ED: Yes, I often take magnesium, especially for headaches and for muscle
cramping -- it usually works well]

At 11:56 AM 3/23/02 -0500, ronald owens wrote:
>    Vance wrote encouragement for the use of fioricet (butalbital, caffeine,
>& Tylenol) and fiorinal (butalbital, caffeine, and aspirin) for migraines.
>I used to have migraines.  I know the desperation involved, but my doctor
>quickly got me off this drug.  I'm pleased that Vance finds it helpful, but
>I'm alarmed at hearing it called a "mild med."  No controlled substances
>should be described as such, because, of course they can be addictive.
>Vance also said he's been on it for 35 years and that "every doc I've ever
>had hasn't hesitated to write me a prescription when I asked."  My daughter
>has been using it for seven years, and she has had what I call an
>irresponsible doctor do the same.  She just got out of a hospital stay for
>detoxification of that drug. (It's one of the more serious detoxes, with
>possible seizures and worse.) The problem with this drug is that continued
>use may cause a rebound of more headaches!   And it's a catch-22.  You are
>advised to take it immediately when you feel a headache coming on, which
>means you may be taking it for mild headaches as well as severe ones, thus
>perpetuating the addiction.  There are other problems possible with this
>drug, including decreasing effectiveness of other drugs taken.  ALL drugs
>should be taken cautiously.

Ron, you're right: ALL drugs should be respected. Only a fool would say
otherwise ("Pity da foo," as Mr. T is wont to say :) I'm sorry about your
daughter. I don't know her, and don't know what may compound her problems
with that drug. I do know that version of Fioricet with codeine can cause
such problems. Never had a withdrawal like I had in the fifties from
codeine (so common in the service then it was called "GI Gin") Worst
headache I've ever had with mild shakes. That one could sure cause
seizures, and does sometimes with codeine addicts. Hence the old song by
Buffy St. Marie, "I'm dyin on Codine." But every source I've checked
says  Fiorinol and Fioricet are safe if you don't exceed six pills per day.
It on my prescription bottle. Also, any analgesic meds cause headache
rebound if you take a lot of them over a long period of time. I have a
couple of time taken one a night for a couple of months at a time because
my neck causes terrible headaches when I sleep at night after certain
exercises. Both times I had a mild rebound when I quit, about the same as
I've gotten with Advil, but not nearly what I get when I quit coffee. But
then  I almost never take more than one. And would surely have had a
stronger reaction if I had been taking the allowed six per day, which most
would never need. Then you'd need to withdraw more gradually.

One other respondent did mention she had rebound headaches after a short
usage of it, but that could be the caffeine. It's like quitting coffee
suddenly and those who  don't drink coffee will be hit harder. Coffee, in
fact,  diminishes these rebounds considerably.

But I'd still insist that Fiorinal and Fioricet are milder for most than
any other effective migraine meds I've found. I have a bottle of Emperin
(migraine), which is just aspirin and caffeine and was mentioned by someone
above. But haven't tried it yet. So can't say about that one.
-vance

Why don't you ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?

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