Buspirone Side Effects

Buspirone is a prescription medication that belongs to a group of drugs called anxiolytics. Healthcare providers prescribe buspirone for the short-term treatment of anxiety disorders. This generic medicine comes in the form of a buspirone hydrochloride tablet. The common brand BuSpar has been discontinued.

Like most medications, buspirone can cause adverse effects. Please continue reading to learn about the more common side effects as well as some rare but serious side effects of buspirone.

How does buspirone make you feel?

Buspirone makes you feel less anxious and more relaxed. It helps you worry less, think more clearly, and feel less on edge. Buspirone may also help control symptoms such as trouble sleeping and a fast heartbeat due to anxiety.

This medicine lowers anxiety levels by changing the amounts of certain natural substances in the brain that are important for stabilizing and regulating mood.

Buspirone could also be an option instead of muscle relaxants for people who suffer from muscle stiffness due to anxiety disorders. Fortunately, it also does not have any sedative effects.

What is the most common side effect of buspirone?

The more common side effects of buspirone include dizziness, lightheadedness, drowsiness, headache, nervousness, confusion, excitement, nausea, diarrhea, insomnia (trouble falling asleep or staying asleep), weakness, fatigue, feeling angry or hostile, increased sweating, and numbness.

You should call your doctor for medical advice about side effects if they are severe or persist for more than a few days after your body has had time to adjust to buspirone.

Note: Buspirone is not generally associated with weight gain. However, the medication can lead to a change in eating habits as your anxiety symptoms improve, which in turn can lead to weight gain.

What are the worst side effects of buspirone?

Some of the possible side effects of buspirone are more serious. You should seek immediate medical attention if you develop the following:

Signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as skin rash, hives, and itching
Swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, mouth, or throat
Fast or irregular heartbeat
Uncontrolled shaking
Blurred vision
Fever, confusion, agitation, sweating, flushing, shivering, fast or irregular heartbeat, muscle twitching, muscle stiffness, hallucinations, seizures, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea

In case of an overdose, call your doctor, the local poison control center, or the national poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 immediately, but most importantly, get to a hospital. If someone has collapsed, cannot breathe, is unresponsive, or has had a seizure, call 911.

What are the cons of buspirone?

Like with most medications, there are some risks associated with taking buspirone. Some of these are listed below.

Drug interactions

Taking buspirone and certain other medications together can affect how it works. Also, a particular drug combination can increase the risk of serious side effects. Possible interactions of buspirone include certain anticonvulsants, antibiotics, antifungals, steroid medications, HIV medications, other anxiety medications, antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), medicines for migraines, narcotic pain medicines, sleeping pills, and tranquilizers.

You should not take buspirone within 14 days of taking a group of drugs called monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors.

Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, and herbal products, to lower the risk of drug interactions.

Allergic reactions

Rarely buspirone use can cause a serious allergic reaction. Stop taking buspirone and get emergency medical care if you develop a skin rash, hives, itching, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing.

Medical history

Buspirone may not be right for everyone. Tell your healthcare provider if you have medical conditions such as kidney/liver disease or drug/alcohol abuse.

Serotonin syndrome

Buspirone medication affects the levels of a natural substance in the brain called serotonin. Serotonin syndrome is a rare medical emergency in which there is too much serotonin in the brain. The risk of serotonin syndrome occurring is higher in people who are on more than one medication that can lead to an increase in serotonin levels, such as antidepressants, lithium, and triptans for migraine headaches.

Tell your doctor without delay or seek emergency medical care if you develop a fast or irregular heartbeat, high fever, confusion, sweating, muscle stiffness, or spasms while on buspirone.

How to take buspirone safely?

Dosing

Buspirone oral tablet comes in 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, and 30 mg strengths. The usual starting dose is 7.5 mg twice a day in adults. The maximum daily dosage is 60 mg.

Read the prescription label carefully and take buspirone tablets exactly as advised by a licensed healthcare professional. Do not adjust the dose, change the number of doses per day, or use the medicine for long-term treatment of anxiety without your doctor’s approval. Try to take your medicine at around the same time every day.

Dose adjustment

Your healthcare professional may start you on a low dose of buspirone and increase the dose gradually based on your response. Follow the dosing instructions carefully. It can take several weeks for you to notice a difference in anxiety levels.

If you wish to stop buspirone, talk to your doctor. Do not stop taking the medicine suddenly, as this can lead to uncomfortable and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor will tell you how to reduce the dose slowly.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose of buspirone, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next dose according to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Food and drinks

You can take buspirone with or without food, but you must do so consistently, i.e., always with food or always without food.

Avoid eating large amounts of grapefruit or drinking large amounts of grapefruit juice while on buspirone, as it can increase plasma concentrations of the drug (amount of active drug in your blood) and cause more severe side effects.

Activities

Taking buspirone oral tablet can cause dizziness, drowsiness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or participate in any hazardous activities until you know how the medicine affects you. Do not drink alcohol while on buspirone, as alcohol can make these side effects worse.

Pregnancy and lactation

Buspirone may not be safe for use by pregnant women. Before starting treatment with this medicine, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing an infant with breast milk. Call your doctor if you become pregnant during buspirone treatment.

Note: The drug information contained here is not a substitute for professional medical advice, and it may not be up-to-date. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you have further questions about buspirone.

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