US Brand Name
- Buspar
- Buspar Dividose
- Vanspar
Descriptions
Buspirone is used to treat certain anxiety disorders or to relieve the symptoms of anxiety. However, buspirone usually is not used for anxiety or tension caused by the stress of everyday life.
It is not known exactly how buspirone works to relieve the symptoms of anxiety. Buspirone is thought to work by decreasing the amount and actions of a chemical known as serotonin in certain parts of the brain.
This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
- Tablet
This medication is used to treat anxiety. It may help you think more clearly, relax, worry less, and take part in everyday life.
It may also help you to feel less jittery and irritable, and may control symptoms such as trouble sleeping, sweating, and pounding heartbeat. Buspirone is a medication for anxiety (anxiolytic) that works by affecting certain natural substances in the brain (neurotransmitters).
How to Use Buspirone
Take Buspirone by mouth, usually 2 or 3 times a day or as directed by your doctor. You may take this medication with or without food, but it is important to choose one way and always take it the same way so that the amount of drug absorbed will always be the same.
Buspirone may come in a tablet that can be split to get the correct dose for you. Follow the manufacturer’s Patient Instruction Sheet or ask your pharmacist how to split the tablet to get your dose.
Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while taking this medication unless your doctor or pharmacist says you may do so safely. Grapefruit can increase the chance of side effects with this medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, use it at the same times each day. When this medication is started, symptoms of anxiety (e.g., restlessness) may sometimes get worse before they improve. It may take up to a month or more to get the full effect of this medication.
Inform your doctor if your symptoms persist or worsen.
What You must know before you take Buspirone
If you will be using buspirone regularly for a long time, your doctor should check your progress at regular visits to make sure the medicine is working properly and does not cause unwanted effects.
Do not take buspirone if you are also taking a drug with monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor activity (e.g., isocarboxazid [Marplan®], phenelzine [Nardil®], selegiline [Eldepryl®], or tranylcypromine [Parnate®]). If you do, you may develop extremely high blood pressure.
This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other CNS depressants (medicines that make you drowsy or less alert). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicine for hay fever, other allergies, or colds; sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicine; prescription pain medicine or narcotics; barbiturates; medicine for seizures; muscle relaxants; or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics. Check with your medical doctor or dentist before taking any of the above while you are taking this medicine.
Buspirone may cause some people to become dizzy, lightheaded, drowsy, or less alert than they are normally. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or are not alert.
Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages while you are using this medicine.
Do not suddenly stop taking this medicine without checking first with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are taking before stopping it completely. This is to decrease the chance of having withdrawal symptoms such as increased anxiety; burning or tingling feelings; confusion; dizziness; headache; irritability; nausea; nervousness; muscle cramps; sweating; trouble with sleeping; or unusual tiredness or weakness.
If you think you or someone else may have taken an overdose of buspirone, get emergency help at once. Symptoms of an overdose are dizziness or lightheadedness; severe drowsiness or loss of consciousness; stomach upset, including nausea or vomiting; or very small pupils of the eyes.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Side effects
Dizziness, drowsiness, headache, nausea, nervousness, lightheadedness, restlessness, blurred vision, tiredness, and trouble sleeping may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.
Rarely, patients taking buspirone may develop movement disorders such as shakiness (tremors), muscle stiffness, mask-like facial expression, jerky walking movements, or a condition known as tardive dyskinesia. In some cases, these conditions may be permanent. Tell your doctor right away if you develop any unusual/uncontrolled movements (especially of the face, mouth, tongue, arms, or legs).
Seek immediate medical attention if any of these rare but serious side effects occur: easy bleeding/bruising, shortness of breath, chest pain, fast/irregular heartbeat.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist .
In the US – Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In Canada – Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
Warnings & Precautions
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of buspirone have not been performed in the pediatric population. However, no pediatric-specific problems have been documented to date.
Geriatric
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of buspirone in the elderly.
Breastfeeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Before taking buspirone, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medication, consult your doctor if you have: kidney problems, liver problems.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: bipolar disorder (manic-depression), Parkinson’s disease.
This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Alcohol or marijuana (cannabis) can make you more dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness until you can do it safely. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Talk to your doctor if you are using marijuana (cannabis).
If you are taking other medications for anxiety, do not suddenly stop them unless directed by your doctor. Buspirone will not prevent withdrawal symptoms from other medications, and your dose may need to be lowered slowly when you switch to buspirone. Discuss your treatment plan with your doctor. If you experience withdrawal symptoms, tell your doctor right away.
During pregnancy, this medication should only be used when clearly needed. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant before using this medication. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
It is unknown if this drug passes into breast milk. However, similar drugs pass into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Storage
Store the US product in a tightly closed container at room temperature below 86 degrees F (30 degrees C) away from light and moisture.
Store the Canadian product in a tightly closed container at room temperature 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture.
Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.
Drug interactions
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Isocarboxazid
- Linezolid
- Phenelzine
- Tranylcypromine
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Alfentanil
- Almotriptan
- Alprazolam
- Amitriptyline
- Amoxapine
- Amphetamine
- Benzhydrocodone
- Benzphetamine
- Bromazepam
- Bromopride
- Buprenorphine
- Butorphanol
- Calcium Oxybate
- Cannabidiol
- Carbinoxamine
- Ceritinib
- Cetirizine
- Clorgyline
- Clozapine
- Cobicistat
- Codeine
- Conivaptan
- Desvenlafaxine
- Dextroamphetamine
- Dihydrocodeine
- Dolasetron
- Doxylamine
- Duloxetine
- Duvelisib
- Escitalopram
- Esketamine
- Fenfluramine
- Fentanyl
- Flibanserin
- Fosnetupitant
- Gabapentin
- Gabapentin Enacarbil
- Granisetron
- Hydrocodone
- Hydromorphone
- Hydroxytryptophan
- Idelalisib
- Iproniazid
- Ivosidenib
- Ketamine
- Larotrectinib
- Lasmiditan
- Lefamulin
- Lemborexant
- Levocetirizine
- Levomilnacipran
- Levorphanol
- Lisdexamfetamine
- Lithium
- Lofexidine
- Lorcaserin
- Lorlatinib
- Loxapine
- Lumacaftor
- Magnesium Oxybate
- Meclizine
- Meperidine
- Metaxalone
- Methadone
- Methamphetamine
- Methylene Blue
- Metoclopramide
- Midazolam
- Mirtazapine
- Moclobemide
- Morphine
- Morphine Sulfate Liposome
- Nalbuphine
- Netupitant
- Nialamide
- Ondansetron
- Oxycodone
- Oxymorphone
- Palonosetron
- Pargyline
- Paroxetine
- Pentazocine
- Periciazine
- Potassium Oxybate
- Pregabalin
- Procarbazine
- Remifentanil
- Remimazolam
- Scopolamine
- Selegiline
- Sertraline
- Sodium Oxybate
- Sufentanil
- Tapentadol
- Toloxatone
- Tramadol
- Trazodone
- Vilazodone
- Vortioxetine
- Ziprasidone
- Zolpidem
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Diltiazem
- Erythromycin
- Fluoxetine
- Ginkgo
- Haloperidol
- Itraconazole
- Nefazodone
- Rifampin
- St John’s Wort
- Verapamil
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.
- Grapefruit Juice
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Kidney disease or
- Liver disease—Effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.
Overdose
If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center.
More
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at the regular time. Do not double the dose to catch up.
Do not share this medication with others.
Keep all regular medical and laboratory appointments. If you are also taking trazodone, liver function tests may be performed regularly to check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.
Description
You should not use Buspirone hydrochloride if you have narrow-angle glaucoma or severe liver disease, or if you are allergic to diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan) or a similar medicine. Call your doctor if you have any new or worsening symptoms of depression, unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself. Do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine. Buspirone hydrochloride may be habit-forming. Never share Buspirone hydrochloride with another person. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Selling or giving away Buspirone hydrochloride is against the law.
How should I take this Pharmacy?
Take Buspirone hydrochloride exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Buspirone hydrochloride may be habit-forming. Never share this medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it.
Misuse of habit-forming medicine can cause addiction, overdose, or death. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.
Buspirone hydrochloride should be used for only a short time. Do not take this medication for longer than 9 weeks without your doctor’s advice.
Swallow the tablet whole, with a full glass of water.
If you use this medicine long-term, you may need frequent medical tests.
Do not stop using Buspirone hydrochloride suddenly or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, including a seizure (convulsions). Ask your doctor how to safely stop using this medicine. Call your doctor if this medicine seems to stop working as well in treating your seizures or anxiety symptoms.
Seizures are often treated with a combination of drugs. Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor’s advice. Store Buspirone hydrochloride at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
Keep track of the amount of medicine used from each new bottle. Buspirone hydrochloride is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.
Dosing
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor’s orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
- For oral dosage form (tablets):
- For anxiety:
- Adults—At first, 7.5 mg two times a day. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 60 mg a day.
- Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For anxiety:
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.