For the treatment of GAD, buspirone is effective. Given that it has been available for many years, it is one of the oldest medications that has been given this approval.

For calming anxiety, buspirone is effective. It takes a while for it to start working, but it has a lower potential for dependence than other anti-anxiety medications and causes less drowsiness.

This article reviews its function, side effect, and more details. Let’s start!

What Is Buspirone?

How Does Buspirone work?

A common anti-anxiety drug is a buspirone. Although the exact mechanism of buspirone action is unknown, it appears to interfere with brain chemicals that regulate anxiety and mood. Your brain’s serotonin activity may be affected by it.

Why Is Buspirone Prescribed?

• Anxiety

Typical Dosing For Buspirone

Buspirone is typically started at a dose of 15 mg twice daily and taken orally. The daily maximum dose is 60 mg.

Buspirone Dosage

Buspirone is available in oral tablet form in a range of doses, from 5 to 30 milligrams (mg), and the dosage is typically increased gradually over the course of several weeks.

According to the previously mentioned StatPearls medical database, the majority of adult patients gradually increase their dose to between 20 and 30 mg per day. This range is regarded as typical for producing therapeutic effects.

One clinical study compared the effectiveness of buspirone (30 mg) given twice or three times daily. The drug was found to be equally effective, so it makes sense to take it twice daily since it is more convenient and minimizes human error.

The Mechanism Of Buspirone

It’s critical, in our opinion, that patients comprehend the actual mechanisms at play in their medications.

According to scientific evidence, buspirone is a serotonin agonist, which means that its mode of action involves raising the brain’s circulating levels of serotonin. According to researchers in the linked article, it’s unclear exactly how this contributes to decreased anxiety, but it’s theorized that serotonin agonists may be able to mediate GAD patients’ suboptimal neurotransmitter function.

Researchers hypothesize that elevated serotonin levels in various parts of the brain reduce the likelihood of the brain’s anxiety and fear circuitry consistently overreacting to stimuli.

Pros And Cons Of Buspirone

Pros

Less risk of dependency and withdrawal symptoms than other antianxiety medications

Causes less drowsiness than other antianxiety medications

Can split, break, or cut tablets if needed

Lower-cost generic available

Cons

Not for quick relief of anxiety or panic attacks

Has to be taken 2 to 3 times a day for full effect

Interacts with grapefruit juice

Can take a few weeks to fully kick in

What Side Effects Does Buspirone Have?

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

If you have:

• Chest pain;
• Shortness of breath; or
• A light-headed feeling, like you, might pass out.

If you experience any of the following signs of serotonin syndrome, get medical help right away: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

The following are examples of frequent side effects:

• Headache;
• Dizziness, feeling light-headed;
• Nausea; or
• Feeling nervous or excited

There may be other side effects; this is not a comprehensive list. Call your physician for advice on possible side effects. Call 1-800-FDA-1088 to contact FDA and report side effects.

How Should I Take Buspirone?

Use Buspirone (Buspar) exactly as instructed on the label or as your doctor has prescribed. Never use more or less than advised, or for a longer period of time.

Read all instruction sheets or medication guides that come with your prescription and follow them exactly. Sometimes, your doctor might adjust your medication. Follow the medication’s instructions exactly.

With or without food, you should take buspirone consistently.

Some buspirone tablets have scored so you can break them into 2 or 3 pieces to take a smaller dose. A buspirone tablet should not be used if it has been improperly broken or if the piece is too big or small. Observe the dosage recommendations given to you by your doctor.

With some medical tests, buspirone may produce false positive results. A minimum of 48 hours prior to your test, you might need to stop taking the medication. Mention that you are using buspirone to any medical professional who treats you.

Keep at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

Foods And Medications To Avoid While Taking Buspirone

Driving and other risky activities should be avoided until you know how this medication will affect you. You might not be able to react as quickly.

Certain side effects of buspirone may be exacerbated by alcohol consumption.

Buspirone and grapefruit may interact and produce undesirable side effects. Useless grapefruit products should not be used.

Pharmacist Tips

It may take up to several weeks for buspirone to start working properly. If you don’t notice progress right away, don’t get discouraged.

Your body’s ability to absorb buspirone is impacted by food. When taking your dose, it is best to be consistent with your food. Take buspirone either without food or with food every time.

When taking buspirone, stay away from consuming a lot of grapefruit juice. Buspirone stays in your system longer when consumed with grapefruit juice. You are more likely to experience negative effects as a result.

Especially when you first start taking it or when you change your dose, buspirone can make you feel sleepy or lightheaded. Prior to understanding how this medication affects you, avoid operating heavy machinery or driving.

Buspirone should not be taken with alcohol. Alcohol can exacerbate the side effects of buspirone, which include drowsiness and vertigo.

Numerous drugs and buspirone can interact. Before beginning buspirone, discuss with your doctor or pharmacist any potential drug interactions. Tell them everything you take, including over-the-counter medicines, herbal remedies, and vitamins.

Buspirone Vs Xanax

You may experience some of the same side effects when taking Xanax or buspirone, which are both used to treat anxiety. They control anxiety in various ways in the brain, though. Buspirone takes a few weeks to fully take effect while Xanax works faster to treat anxiety symptoms or panic attacks. To find the right medication to treat your anxiety, consult your healthcare provider.

Buspirone Vs. Buspar

The generic medication is buspirone HCL, and the brand-name medication is called BuSpar. These names all refer to the same active ingredient.

Since a thorough medical review found no evidence of a brand-name drug’s increased efficacy, we typically advise patients to discuss generic medications with their doctor rather than brand-name ones. Given that they both refer to the same compound, this is not surprising.

Patients on a low income may want to consider buspirone over BuSpar because generic medications are frequently less expensive, especially for patients paying out-of-pocket.