trying to find the name for these pills that were part barbiturate...Help please

[phatboy]

a couple of years back my mom got these pills for headaches/migraines. they were NOT firocets as she got those as well, these were something different to try among imitrex and another weird kind of a pill since nothing but vicodin worked for her and she was looking for an alternative. anyway, they were red capsules if that makes a difference and two of them would make me super tired in a good way. my mom gave them to me as they didn't work for her and i took them once in a while when i got a headache and everytime i would doze off comfortably and i remember just being a little comfortably delusional. like, I'd be a half asleep on my bed watching tv, hearing everything that was going on, on the tv but seeing different pictures with my eyes closed. this was a couple of years ago and at the time i googled them and they were part mild barbiturate i believe. it'd be great if someone could help me figure out what these mystery but magical pills were because i want to get me a script for them lol....

any help would be appreciated

[phatboy]

found it.... i believe the drug is called midrin. anybody care to share some info on this medication?

[DevilishOne]

Dichloralphenazone, one of it's ingedients was compounded containing two thirds chloral hydrate and one third antipyrine. A very crude/old hypnotic sedative (slip 'em a mickey or knock out drops) and a very crude/old analgesic. I don't think they have been prescribed in the USA in quite a while.

[alumni]

I believe Midrin is occasionally prescribed in the US but not as often as Imitrex or butalbital formulations.
Along with the precursor of chloral hydrate, it also contains APAP and a vasoconstrictor that is helpful in treating vascular headaches.
I wouldn't necessarily describe it as "crude."
I know several people who have found it effective for certain types of migraines.

[DevilishOne]

Point well taken. By crude (probably should have used primitive) I was referring to the fact that these two specific drugs were developed in the early to mid 19th century and in fact chloral hydrate was abused and misprescribed in the late 19th century and it's long term use resulted in severe renal, cardiac and hepatic complications. I can see where it could be effective and safe in some non chronic situations.

[phatboy]

so it is kind of normal that i felt very good on it lol? it was very different too, can't quite put a name on the feeling as it felt nothing like a benzo or you average hypnotic

[opinut]

highly unlikely it's chloral hydrate as it's only prescribed in outpatient setting with regular rx management (anna nicole smith died in part due to this drug). Before d/c'd, darvocets did come in red capsules and could easily produce the feelings you describe in an opiate naive pt.

[phatboy]

i remember googling it back then and it was without a doubt midrin. it definitely was not not darvocet

[Cash]

I took Midrin years ago in my 20s prescribed by a doc because I have migraines and a history of them in my family...I had long forgotten about them until I read this post because one day my doc just wouldn't refill them and I moved out of state...migraines abated somewhat ( I have been lucky). I just performed a general google search and tried various IOPs I've learned about in these forums but can't find them anywhere (as stated above they were pretty much discontinued). I am NOT looking for a source but if someone comes across them I would love to know that they can be found. Every once in a while I will still get a bad one and Imitrex does absolutely nothing for me.

[phatboy]

so have they been completely banned in the us now?

because my mom got these about 3 years back, give or take a couple months. I want to know because I'm about to ask my doctor for some. Those were kinda awesome for me sleep especially, not so much on the migraine part for me. Kinda makes me wonder how barbiturates would make me feel......

[Cash]

Just asking for them without a med reason...don't think that is going to work...just sayin'

[audacity]

Phrenilin is another brand name; like Fioricet but without the caffeine. Could that be it. There's also Donnatal, which contains a small amount of phenobarbital with spasmolytics for tummy troubles.

[Cash]

More info on Midrin for those of you interested

USES:
This combination medication is used to relieve tension and migraine headaches. Acetaminophen helps to decrease the pain from the headache. Isometheptene helps to narrow the widened blood vessels in the head. Headache pain can be caused by these widened blood vessels. Dichloralphenazone helps to relax the body.

For the latest update on this situation see Migraine Meds Epidrin, Midrin Update 1/28/11.

For many Migraineurs, Midrin has been the best medication they've ever found for treating their Migraines. For some with a history of or risk factors for stroke and other cardiovascular issues, it's been the only abortive medication considered safe for them.

In 2007, Midrin was unavailable for a time because of a shortage of one of the ingredients. When this was resolved, Caraco (the manufacturer) was able to start making and shipping it again. Later on, Caraco ran into some issues with the FDA regarding some manufacturing issues. When the dust settled, they permanently discontinued manufacturing brand name Midrin.

For some time, we could find the same medication available under the names Epidrin and Duradin; then the "generic" isometheptene mucate/dichloralphenazone/acetaminophen. Over the last few months, Migraineurs have been reporting more and more problems getting any version of this medication. I had researched it and found it to supposedly being manufactured still, and my local pharmacies could get it.

However, due to increasing problems, I emailed the FDA this morning to get an update. Here is the reply I received:
Dear Teri,

Thank you for writing to the Division of Drug Information in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

I believe most, if not all, manufacturers have ceased to make Midrin and its 'generic' versions. FDA has not yet asked manufacturers to discontinue manufacturing. However, please understand that Midrin has never been approved by FDA, and companies may have ceased manufacturing to comply with FDA regulations. You may find FDA enforcement actions against unapproved products at:
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/GuidanceCom.../ucm118712.htm.

Midrin is not FDA approved, but is on the Drug Efficacy Study Implementation (DESI) list. Since there is no approved application for Midrin, there are no approved generics for this product either. The products you are referring to are not generics, but rather other products that contain the same ingredients as Midrin.

The following is a brief general history, relevant to Midrin:
In 1962, Congress amended the 1938 Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to give the FDA the authority to regulate medicines on the basis of efficacy in addition to safety. That is, the amendment required manufacturers to show that their drug products were effective, as well as meeting the requirement of the earlier Act, that the products must be safe. As a result of the 1962 amendment, all the drugs approved under New Drug Applications (NDAs) between 1938 and 1962 had to be reviewed again for efficacy. Furthermore, for every drug initially sold between 1938 and 1962 with approval by FDA, five others were sold without FDA approval. Many of these drugs were chemically identical copies of previously approved drugs, and hence were known as "me-too" drugs. Many others were combinations of approved ingredients. FDA decided that the efficacy study, to be fair and to accomplish its purpose of improving therapeutics in the United States, had to apply as well to these non approved drugs. Because the resources of the FDA were too limited to do this, the agency asked the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council (NAS/NRC) to assist in the review effort. The NAS/NRC chose 30 panels, each composed of six experts, to conduct the review of various categories of drugs. The manufacturers of drugs with NDAs that had been submitted between 1938 and 1962 were asked to submit to the FDA their evidence that the drug was effective. The NAS/NRC panels then reviewed the data. In late 1967, the panels began submitting their reports to the FDA. The FDA formed a task force to implement the recommendations in the reports. This was the Drug Efficacy Study Implementation (DESI) task force. DESI products can continue to be marketed until a final determination is made.

[phatboy]

Phrenilin is another brand name; like Fioricet but without the caffeine. Could that be it. There's also Donnatal, which contains a small amount of phenobarbital with spasmolytics for tummy troubles.

it was midrin.

[alumni]

Phrenilin is another brand name; like Fioricet but without the caffeine. Could that be it. There's also Donnatal, which contains a small amount of phenobarbital with spasmolytics for tummy troubles.

Earth to Mars. It was Midrin.
Midrin. Not Phrenilin or Donnatal.
Midrin.

[Good Apollo]

Wonder if Midrin had a rebound headache effect for some like fioricet does... I used to love fioricet only thing that helped til I realized every 3rd migraine was due to fioricet.

[phatboy]

i want some midrin in my life right now

back in the days when i actually did have migraines and headaches, like 2 years after I broke my skull in 2 places in a car wreck, nobody offered me midrin and fioricet did absolutely nothing... then when i quit smoking and exercising more the migraines completely disappeared, forever.

[audacity]

Earth to Mars. It was Midrin.
Midrin. Not Phrenilin or Donnatal.
Midrin.

BFD, Man. If you really want to split hairs, Midrin does not contain a barbiturate, and the thread title references a pill that is part barbiturate.

Also, why do you call yourself alumni? Are there two of you?

[phatboy]

^ you are right about my thread title. i believe, when i googled this pill 3 years ago, that it said something about it being a very mild barbiturate or something to that extent. but it definitely was midrin

now i just need to figure out a way to get this again lol

is the feeling midrin gives you similar to a barbiturate?

[Cash]

If you don't mind me asking...if you do, ignore me...but why do want midrin so bad? You said you were migraine free now...