Butabital/APAP is a barbiturate mixed with acetaminophen
and caffeine. Acetaminophen eases the pain, while
the caffeine constricts dilated arteries that contribute
to tension headaches. This formulation is also effective
in the treatment of other types of pain.
Background Information
It will come as no surprise to you that from the
earliest recorded times there are accounts of pain
and the treatment used. These early theories, that
pain was related to demonic activity and sorcery,
were replaced by the insights of the Greeks and
the Romans who speculated that the nervous system
transmitted pain. Transmitted the signals from the
injured or traumatized site to the brain along what
Descartes described as the pain pathway.
It is still called that today.
Use of opiates by doctors and scientists in the
1800’s paved the way for a model of pain management
and alleviation that we still use today. Although
the use of the opiates created problems of dependence,
they did lead to the development of aspirin, still
the most common form of pain relief practiced.
The newer drug therapies, like Butalbital, use
various active ingredients in unique and powerful
formulations, to alleviate pain. And they are less
addictive.
However the more you understand your condition,
the more you understand what pain is, the better
the therapies you will choose. You can make better
dietary decisions, better choices about relaxation
and perhaps start a moderate exercise program. That,
along with your prescribed regimen of Butalbital,
will improve the prognosis for your condition markedly.
That’s particularly true for sufferers of
chronic pain: that is pain that persists for long
periods without apparent cause. This type of pain
is difficult to manage because there is the added
psychological stress factor of the unknown to cope
with. If you cut your finger, stub your toe or even
break your arm, there is an obvious cause of your
discomfort and an awareness it will pass. That helps
to deal with the pain differently.
To have persistent pain signals fired into the
nervous system with no apparent cause is debilitating
physically and emotionally. Butalbital is often
used to treat this condition.
Other therapies such as electrical stimulation
of the brain and localized pain areas, surgery and
acupuncture are being used to great effect. Relaxation
and meditation programs, supervised exercise routines,
biofeedback techniques and behavior modification
techniques also show promise.
All of these options can be confusing, but scientifically
they often make sense and when used with a pain
relief medication such as Butalbital, can help enormously
in the management of chronic pain.
Take acupuncture as an example. Research has established
that sufferers of chronic pain usually have low
endorphin levels. Stimulating nerve endings using
electro acupuncture---needles wired to deliver low
levels of electricity---increases endorphin levels
in the body’s cerebrospinal fluid, so the
therapy is founded on good science.
Important Facts
The Butalbital formulation includes a barbiturate
so the body can develop a high tolerance for this
medication from extended use. Extended use can also
be habit forming, causing a mental or physical dependence.
This dependence can lead to side effects and withdrawal
symptoms such as rebound headaches.
The caffeine component of Butalbital can also lead
to physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms,
including rebound headaches.
Allergic Reactions
A small percentage of people have allergic reactions
to the barbiturates, acetaminophen or caffeine in
Butalbital. Others suffer discomfort when certain
foods, preservatives or dyes caused allergic responses
to Butalbital.
Expectant Mothers
Studies show that barbiturates, taken during pregnancy,
increase the risk of birth defects.
Nursing Mothers
Barbiturates pass into the breast milk and can result
in a slow heartbeat, troubled breathing and/or drowsiness
for breast fed infants. The acetaminophen and caffeine
in Butalbital has not been shown to pass into the
breast milk in sufficient quantities to cause problems.
Children
The side effects of barbiturates on children vary
from drowsiness to hyper-excitement.
Interactions with other medications
Certain medications should never be used in combination
Butalbital, while others, although they interact,
may still be taken when on a course of this medication.
Do not take Butalbital in combination with:
• Corticosteroids
• Contraceptives containing estrogen
• Cabamazepine
• Blood thinning medications (anticoagulants)
• Antidepressants---these medications can
magnify the effects of barbiturates and cause increased
drowsiness
• Central nervous system depressants
• Divalproex
Additional considerations
Your general health and other medical conditions
are important considerations when using this medication,
so tell your health professional if you suffer from:
• Drug abuse
• Alcohol abuse
• Liver diseases such as Hepatitis
• Kidney disease (this will greatly increase
the risk of side effects
• Diabetes
• Porphyria
• Depression
• Hypertension
Proper use
It is important to take this medication only as
directed. Remember also that overuse can result
in liver damage and other medical problems.
Dosing
Dosages for barbiturate and acetaminophen combination
prescriptions vary from patient to patient so follow
the directions on your label.
Check with your doctor if:
• The medication is less effective than when
you first started taking it. This may indicate an
increasing physiological dependence. Do not try
to compensate by increasing your dosage.
• Consult your doctor if you are getting headaches
more often than when you first started your course
of Butalbital. This may also indicate dependence.
Guarantee of Quality
ezEpills prescription drugs are FDA approved, sourced
from US laboratories, prescribed by US licensed
physicians and dispensed by our qualified pharmacists.
When you purchase Butalbital-APAP, Carisoprodol,
Soma or any prescription drugs from ezEpills.com,
we guarantee you are getting the highest quality
formulations at the lowest prices possible. We can
do that because an online pharmacy doesn’t
have the staffing and fixed cost overheads of a
storefront retailer and we pass those savings on
to you. So buy Butalbital right here at your online
pharmacy, avoid those long, painful delays in waiting
rooms or drugstores and save money.