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Compare Fiorinal vs. Axert

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

  • Fiorinal
    Almotriptan
  • Fiorinal
    Almotriptan

  • Summary of Fiorinal vs. Axert

    Summary for Barbiturate / NSAID / Adenosine antagonist
    Prescription only

    Fiorinal is a combination medication that contains three active ingredients: butalbital (a barbiturate), aspirin (an NSAID), and caffeine (an adenosine antagonist). It's used to treat symptoms of tension headaches in adults. The brand name Fiorinal has been discontinued, but there are still lower-cost generic pills available. The medication is taken by mouth every 4 hours. The most common side effects are sleepiness and dizziness. This medication is a schedule III controlled substance because it has a risk of misuse and dependence.

    Summary for Triptan
    Prescription only

    Almotriptan is a type of migraine medication called a triptan. It treats migraine with or without aura in adults and certain children age 12 to 17 years. Its brand name Axert has been discontinued, so almotriptan is now only available as a generic. Almotriptan is a tablet that's swallowed whole when a migraine starts. You can take another tablet at least 2 hours later if the medication doesn't completely relieve your migraine. Side effects include sleepiness and headache.

  • Indications of Fiorinal vs. Axert

    Indications for
    •Tension headaches in adults
    Indications for
    •Treatment of migraine attacks in adults with a history of migraine with or without aura
    •Treatment of migraine pain in children age 12 to 17 years with a history of migraine with or without aura that lasts 4 hours or more

  • Pros and Cons of Fiorinal vs. Axert

    Pros and Const for Barbiturate / NSAID / Adenosine antagonist
    Pros
    •Works well to treat tension headaches
    •Combines three medications into a single pill to relieve headache pain in different ways
    •Available as a lower-cost generic
    Cons
    •Not recommended as a first-choice option for headaches because of the risk of rebound headaches
    •A controlled medication that can be habit-forming
    •Can cause bothersome withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop the medication after taking it for a long time
    •Hasn't been studied in children
    Pros and Const for Triptan
    Pros
    •A first-choice option for treating a migraine attack in adults
    •Approved for certain children 12 years and older
    •Might start working as soon as 30 minutes after taking the 12.5 mg strength
    Cons
    •Might not be a good option for people who have trouble swallowing pills whole during a migraine
    •Not used to prevent migraine or to treat other types of headaches
    •Must wait at least 2 hours to take another tablet if the first dose didn't fully relieve the migraine

  • Common Side Effects of Fiorinal vs. Axert

    Common Side Effects for
    •Sleepiness
    •Dizziness
    Common Side Effects for

    Adults:

    •Nausea (1-2%)
    •Dry mouth (1%)
    •"Pins and needles" feeling in the arms or legs (1%)

    Children age 12 years and older:

    •Sleepiness (up to 5%)
    •Dizziness (3-4%)
    •Nausea (1-3%)
    •Vomiting (up to 2%)
    •Headache (1-2%)
    •"Pins and needles" feeling in the arms or legs (1%)

  • Warnings of Fiorinal vs. Axert

    Common Side Effects for
    •Stomach bleeding and ulcers
    •Kidney problems
    •Reye's syndrome in children
    •Difficulty concentrating and extreme sleepiness
    •Potential for misuse, dependence, and withdrawal
    •Severe allergic reactions and skin reactions
    Common Side Effects for
    •Heart attack, chest pain (angina), and irregular heart rhythm
    •Stroke or other brain injury
    •Extreme narrowing of blood vessels
    •Serotonin syndrome
    •Worse headaches if you take almotriptan too often
    •High blood pressure
    •Serious allergic reaction

  • Prices with our coupons for Fiorinal vs. Axert

    Learn more about Fiorinal
    Learn more about Almotriptan

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