BuSpar and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Dan...
• August 21, 2016

For Anxiety "I was recently prescribed Cymbalta for depression. It helped, but I felt very jittery and anxious on it. My doctor added BuSpar, and now I feel very much calmer and in control. I take 30 mgs twice a day."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 4, 2025

For Anxiety "I don’t like medication but reached a point where I had to be honest with myself and try something new—I’m so glad I did. The first week was rough with nausea, anxiety, dizziness, insomnia, and wild dreams, but I pushed through, and it was worth it. Now, a month in, I feel so much less anxious, happier, and more confident. I do get excitable with scattered thoughts, but once I focus, I get locked in. That scattered feeling is improving as I adjust. Mild shortness of breath and insomnia (if taken late) are the only side effects. Therapy and exercise enhance the benefits. BuSpar doesn’t feel overwhelming or drugged—it’s subtle, and I just feel great and more in control. I’m sticking with it—totally worth trying!"

• Pus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 19, 2015

For Anxiety "Been on BuSpar for 6 weeks, and I'm not feeling any better. My anxiety is mild compared to most, but the irritability and sometimes nervous feeling is why I elected to try BuSpar. So far, at 6 weeks, I haven't felt any benefits. The dizziness has been hard to deal with, although I found some relief with 25 - 50 mg Dramamine."

• Uni...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 2, 2022

For Panic Disorder "I really wanted to like BuSpar, but unfortunately, both times I tried it, it sent my resting heart rate through the roof, 120s and 130s. It only intensified my anxiety and made me sweat a lot. I understand how these medications work and how they take time, but for me personally, BuSpar is not a good fit. I gave it a trial each time at only 2.5 mg twice a day, only half the recommended dose. I'm happy it has helped others, but this medication is not for me."

• Amb...
• February 21, 2017

For Anxiety "This stuff is horrible. Made me very irritated, jumpy, even more anxious. Felt like my mind was racing... felt even more overwhelmed. This is the worst stuff I've been on yet. I had to stop taking it because I couldn't even function right. This stuff is really, really bad. Doc put me on Lexapro today, hopefully, that helps!!"

• Amb...
• February 21, 2017

For Anxiety "This stuff is horrible. Made me very irritated, jumpy, even more anxious. Felt like my mind was racing... felt even more overwhelmed. This is the worst stuff I've been on yet. I had to stop taking it because I couldn't even function right. This stuff is really, really bad. Doc put me on Lexapro today, hopefully, that helps!!"

• Mon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 9, 2017

For Anxiety "I had high hopes that this would help my anxiety, but it seems like it made my anxiety a lot worse. I now experience bad nausea and trembling, which didn't happen before. I also had low appetite and more severe anxiety attacks. I took 15 mg twice a day for six weeks. Thankfully, it doesn't have withdrawal effects, but unfortunately, it didn't work for me."

• Ver...
• June 21, 2016

For Anxiety "Started a 90-day prescription right after I had my daughter, and it was horrible. Gave me anxiety and terrible panic attacks. I had to hop in a cold shower once. I felt as if I was gonna have a heart attack or my chest explode. Just got prescribed Wellbutrin, hoping to have better luck."

• Anx...
• November 17, 2016

For Anxiety "I was just wondering what does everyone start out at, and if and when they knew to increase. I am currently at 5 mg 2x a day, I originally started out just taking 5 mg once a day at night, and then just recently increased to 5 mg 2x a day. I know that it has helped, but I am still waking up anxious, and having some breakthrough anxiety in the day. I was wondering how others increased their dose, and how they knew when they were at the right dose for them."

• Anx...
• November 17, 2016

For Anxiety "I was just wondering what does everyone start out at, and if and when they knew to increase. I am currently at 5 mg 2x a day, I originally started out just taking 5 mg once a day at night, and then just recently increased to 5 mg 2x a day. I know that it has helped, but I am still waking up anxious, and having some breakthrough anxiety in the day. I was wondering how others increased their dose, and how they knew when they were at the right dose for them."

• Sar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 4, 2017

For Anxiety "I have epilepsy as well as generalized anxiety disorder. I have been taking Klonopin, and my doctor is concerned about addictive behavior, so she put me on Buspar and decreased Klonopin. After the first dose, I had a massive panic attack (which can trigger seizures), so I also had a seizure in which I had to go to the E.R. for. It also made my hands and feet sweaty, I was shaky all over and always anxious. I was very appreciative that my doctor let me get off of Buspirone because it is just awful! I would not recommend it to anyone, especially patients who have epilepsy!"

• Roc...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 28, 2017

For Anxiety "I was on 15 mg of buspirone for many months. I recently lost my job and have a lot of anxiety and depression. I am seeing a psychiatrist who said my dose was too low and upped it to 60 mg a day. I still don't feel like it is working. I am also on Zoloft. I still am having a lot of anxiety. Years ago, I was on Ativan, and it was a miracle drug for me. I would like to stop the buspirone and just take the Ativan as needed. I see my psychiatrist in a couple of weeks and am going to suggest that. I also have the feeling of a huge lump in my throat that I know is stress-related."

• Kin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 17, 2020

For Anxiety "After reading all the negative reviews, I feel relieved to know I'm not alone. A few days ago was the three-month mark of when I started BuSpar for anxiety. I've been on Wellbutrin, Zoloft, and prescribed Lexapro, and that was a big no (I didn't even take it after reading reviews). All SSRIs affected my mind in weird ways, and I never knew if my feelings were my own or from the drugs. I stopped everything except Xanax, as it works miracles. However, it's hard to get a hold of Xanax anymore. I started BuSpar, and the last three months I have not slept once unless I had a drink or smoked. I would not even sleep for 10 minutes on days on end. My anxiety was worse, barely felt any emotions, had no motivation for anything, and was always tired with a foggy mind (feeling of not being present). I just stopped cold turkey, so I'm hoping BuSpar was the cause and things go back to normal. I recommend finding a psychiatrist who will prescribe Xanax."

• tra...
• November 30, 2015

For Anxiety "This is the first anxiety medicine I have ever been on, and it is by far the worst experience ever. My moods are anxious, depressed, and irritable. At first, I thought I was just overwhelmed with school and work, after reading some other reviews, I realized it's the BuSpar doing it to me. If I take one due to an anxiety attack, about an hour later I am crying and talking about how much I hate myself, then about 30 minutes after that stops, I get extremely irritable and everything makes me mad. I've quit taking it until my follow-up appointment, and I can get it changed. I will never try this again."

• Gol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 11, 2021

For Panic Disorder "I struggle from PTSD, Panic Disorder, and Bipolar I Disorder. I am on Prozac and Zyprexa for my other disorders, but continued to have panic attacks. I started BuSpar about a week ago, and so far I do have daily anxiety, but haven't had a panic attack since the second day I was on it. I understand it takes time to build in my system, so I'm excited to continue taking it in hopes it'll continue to improve my quality of life. I highly recommend it, my doctor put me on 10 mg 3x a day."

• Kan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 24, 2017

For Anxiety "Been on BuSpar 6 weeks and 1 day today. Trying to stay the course and not give up till 8 weeks. On 15 mg (3x/day) and titrated my way up over the last 6 weeks. Tried 20 mg but felt like I took speed and my extremities had very uncomfortable tingling. Even at 6 weeks when I take my 5 mg dose, my heart still races and I get dizzy and feel some heightened anxiety about an hour after taking it. Lasts about an hour. I also have some left leg thigh pain now. I’ve read so much on this drug and it’s hard to know if you should go up or down in dose to get the right level for your body. My pDoc doesn’t seem to know much more than I do. In those 6 weeks, I’ve only had a few hours out of 2 non-consecutive days of anxiety/fear relief. I’ll write another review at 8 weeks."

• Ann...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 1, 2018

For Panic Disorder "Doc gave me this in addition to Ativan for panic attacks. Did NOTHING for my panic attacks! Still felt tense in class and wanted to run out of the classroom on a daily basis. When told to increase my dose, the drug increased my anxiety. Although it didn't do anything for my panic attacks, it sure lifted my depression."

• PTS...
• March 27, 2018

For Anxiety "Makes my anxiety tremendously worse, even after months of use! Don't believe the fake big pharma comments. This is not a replacement for any benzo, in any way! It is only 'known' to be 'effective' in general anxiety disorder. After my switch, I couldn't sleep for a week, dehydrated, thought I was going to die, so then they gave me Zoloft in conjunction with the BuSpar that I was already on for 2 months! The Zoloft made it even worse, I am surprised to be alive and writing this today."

• Ale...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 30, 2018

For Anxiety "This was my first night of taking BuSpar for anxiety, 15 mg, and it made it worse. I am tense, I feel tingly, cold, and jumpy. And I can’t sleep at all. I do not like this feeling at all. Worst feeling ever."

• Her...
• December 31, 2016

For Anxiety "I'm a 32-year-old male, and I've been taking BuSpar for about 10 months. At first, it did nothing but make my anxiety worse. I would wake up with full-blown panic attacks and have the worst nightmares ever. However, I'm now taking 40 mg of citalopram a day mixed with the BuSpar 15 mg and 1 mg of Xanax twice a day. And Xanax! I have insomnia mixed with deep anxiety issues. The problem that I have is the BuSpar makes me so fat! I'm literally considering stopping taking it and just see if the other meds can help. BuSpar alone is no substitution for an anxiety drug and wouldn't recommend it..."

• Whe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 27, 2018

For Anxiety "They recently increased my dosage by only 5 mg. With disastrous results. Big increase in anxiety attacks. Bad drug. Caused me to experience 5 anxiety attacks in 24 hours! A new record for the number of anxiety attacks that I’ve ever had in 24 hours! And they want to slowly increase it to 60 mg a day. No way! Feel like rubbish! And that’s just with a small increase!"

• DJa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 6, 2021

For Anxiety "Started on BuSpar, I think 15 mg daily (7.5 mg twice daily) in April and had some general side effects with increased anxiety plus nausea. My doctor upped the dose to 3 a day, and that lasted a week. My anxiety went through the roof, so he decreased the dose back down, but I've weaned it further to half a 7.5 mg tab twice a day and will begin coming completely off soon. Since beginning in April (it's now July), I have a marked increase in anxiety, irritability, and perpetual nausea. If you are new and looking to try something new, don't be afraid to try it. This is just my experience with it, there are plenty of others who have been helped by it. I have a prescription for a low dose of clonazepam (Klonopin) that I take sparingly as needed and works for me. I tried BuSpar because doctors are getting skittish about prescribing things like Klonopin and was hoping to find something that would help."

• Smm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 2, 2019

For Anxiety "I started taking BuSpar 12/13/2018. 10 mg twice daily, one at bedtime, along with a host of other medications including Klonopin for a chronic nerve pain condition, Percocet for arthritis, fibromyalgia, and a ton of other stuff, Topamax for migraines and trigeminal neuralgia, a muscle relaxer, an antihistamine for my allergies and for insomnia, and I don’t want to forget the stool softeners, of course! Well, I felt like I was gonna lose my mind AGAIN! My skin feels like bugs are crawling all over me, my scalp is a mess with scabs from scratching it. My TN is off the charts again, and I can’t leave the house, I’m so full of anxiety. I have a meltdown at 4:00 every day, followed by 2-3 unscheduled meltdowns every hour until I go to sleep. I can’t stand the face pain, but my doc tells me not to stop because it takes time to work!"

• Why...
• January 16, 2017

For Anxiety "I started BuSpar because I was having anxiety with the horrendous pain from gallbladder attacks. I started out at 7.5 for three days and then was supposed to advance to 15 mg. During the week of starting this, I had to have an emergency surgery for my gallbladder. When I was finally able to take this consistently, I found that I suffered from insomnia, felt restless and nervous, dizzy, and downright horrible. I have taken it less than a week, and I have an appointment to see the doctor tomorrow. If I stop taking this, will I have withdrawal symptoms? Or should I do this gradually? My gallbladder symptoms are gone, and my body feels great after the surgery. Any suggestions?"

• Fem...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 16, 2017

For Panic Disorder "Drug is prescribed for the 18-64 age bracket. Seniors experience drugs differently, just like teens. I tried BuSpar to replace Xanax. BuSpar builds in the system. The first month, I noticed a slight calm effect. My NP was getting me off another SSRI, also not good for seniors. During the last two weeks, I have noticed shortness of breath, which has increased. That increased my anxiety and hyperventilation. I know it is early, but I already feel better this evening, not having taken my three 5 mg doses. Xanax has a 6-hour shelf life and works better for me, and I have learned to regulate the doses. I will wean off on the 2.5 half tabs of BuSpar. My system is just like it used to be."