Buspirone and Brain Zaps: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Cal...
• May 11, 2015

For Anxiety "Three months ago, I started getting anxiety attacks daily after having a panic attack that sent me to the ER. The doctor prescribed me Zoloft, and that was a scary ordeal. He then prescribed Wellbutrin, and that didn't help. Finally, after doing some research, I asked for Buspar, and it's been great. Ninety percent less anxiety. Side effects were (brain zap, a bit of dizziness, and some trouble sleeping). Nothing too outrageous. I highly recommend this medication if you suffer from GAD."

• Chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 15, 2019

For Anxiety "I find that this buspirone helps me calm down when my anxiety is getting bad, and I’m having excessive worrying, and my thoughts are spiraling out of control. I have taken this medication in the past 5 years ago and stopped, and now just started taking it when I feel I need it. After taking it, it does make my head feel weird after taking it-almost like brain zaps. This dissipates after 20-30 minutes. It helps when I take it with food. I have only taken it for the past 3 weeks. We will see how it does in the future."

• Mic...
• February 13, 2015

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "My panic disorder started very gradually. At first, it was a slight panic that lasted for a min or two when I was driving, then it slowly intruded into my life. At some worst points, I was unable to sleep for a week. I might be able to doze off for an hour or two, and then I'd wake up with a racing heart. BuSpar helped at first, I was only on 5 mg for five months, never went up in dose. After about 5 months, stressful events like job interviews pretty much made this med ineffective for me. I really liked this med as it had no side effects for me. No dizziness or nausea or 'brain zaps.' My doctor put me on Paxil instead. Just started it, but it seems to be working. My pulse is still about 20 beats above my normal rate, but it doesn't bother me."

• Cae...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 4, 2013

For Panic Disorder "I was put on this after having a very bad panic attack that sent me to the hospital. I have been on it for about a month or so now at 15 mg a day, two times a day. I think the absolute worst thing for me is the 'brain zaps' and the dizziness. Sometimes it feels like the Buspar isn't working, and I have to take some Ativan to calm me down-especially in public. However, the anxiety has decreased for me substantially when it comes to being home alone (which used to be a huge source of anxiety for me); now if I can just get rid of the dizziness and the brain zaps."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2019

For Panic Disorder "First off, I don't even know how this is legal, and it's a full-blown lie that this drug is known to not have its 'side effects.' I took this drug for three days, 5 mg twice a day, and could NOT handle the side effects. Every time I took it, suicidal idealizations came about. I could barely walk on it nor keep my head up. The headaches or brain zaps were ridiculous. I finally called my doctor on the third day and asked him what to do, and they told me to stop IMMEDIATELY. Holy cow, the evening that I stopped was the WORST experience that I have ever had. I was only on this drug for THREE days, and the withdrawal symptoms were brutal as well. It's been three days since I stopped, and I still feel the aftermath. It left me worse than before."

• Rel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 17, 2022

Buspirone for Anxiety "I tried this med at dosages ranging from 10 mg to 45 mg a day for about six months. I did not notice any real change in my anxiety levels, and the side effects were disturbing. I got brain zaps, plus it aggravated my restless leg syndrome and seemed to prevent me from ever falling asleep all the way. My psych spoke highly of this med, so I know it works for a lot of people. Just not for me. I ended up switching to Xanax and gabapentin, which are better."

• Coc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 6, 2018

Buspirone for Anxiety "I have narrow-angle glaucoma, and there are only two anti-depressive/anti-anxiety drugs that will not raise my eye pressure: Wellbutrin and BuSpar. Wellbutrin tore up my stomach and upped my anxiety, so after three months of that, I switched to BuSpar. I must be very sensitive to drugs because even 5 mg was too much and caused 'brain zaps.' I cut it in half, and 2.5 mg seems just right so far, and it's only week two. I feel calmer, and I intend to give this drug a chance to really work. Side effects are minimal, and I take my second dose mid-afternoon due to sleep issues if I take it in the evening. It doesn't do much for my depression, but my depression is secondary to my anxiety. Like I said, I'm giving it a chance."

• Ste...
• April 11, 2016

For Anxiety "Took for 3 weeks: 15 mg/day. I have GAD and get nervous randomly, sometimes to the level of panic. This drug made me nauseous and have brain zaps. The zaps went away after a few days, but I still got nauseous for a while after taking it. Since my anxiety didn't improve, combined with the nausea not going away, I was taken off it. I'd say give it a try if your doc recommends it - I see lots of positive reviews and it's not addictive. I now take 10 mg Lexapro and 5 mg Valium (as needed). Anxiety is less potent than before."

• blu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 25, 2020

Buspirone for Anxiety "On the first two days of BuSpar, I had constipation, then nightmares all night long. Like the worst nightmare of your life every night. Brain zaps. Waking up, laying there. Apathy. Borderline nausea all day. Headaches. Then started to feel like someone was tapping on my brain. Had enough when I started crying uncontrollably."

• Nik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 25, 2021

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "I have panic disorder and anxiety issues. I currently take BuSpar, and for some reason, every now and then, I get brain zaps or an electrical shock feeling from my head to the tips of my fingers. It's a very strange sensation. It wears off after about an hour or so. I've been on it for almost 3 weeks, and I take 15 mg 3x a day, like every 4 hours. When I first started taking it, it was just numbness and tingling in my hands. I thought it would eventually stop, but no, it's almost every other time I take it. It is comparable to brain zap withdrawals from Effexor or Paxil (antidepressants). I still have anxiety and am on the edge of panic, so I don't think it is actually helping me at all. And I also get numbness in my inner calf muscles, which is weird. I can't feel my skin when I touch my legs or shave."

• Bre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 10, 2015

For Anxiety "Was on this for about a month. Went from 5 mg 3 x a day to 30 mg 3 x a day. Saw improvement after about 2 weeks for about 5 days, then anxiety came back strong. Always had sleep issues, but this medication definitely exacerbated them. I had to get off as it was giving me no benefit and my sleep was only getting worse. Also had pretty bad brain zaps the whole time, but probably because I increased the dosage every 5 to 6 days. I also have treatment-resistant anxiety/depression (tried Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Fetzima, and Pristiq. Zoloft helped me mostly, all others didn't work or made me worse), so this might work for others but did not help me."

• Anonymous
• August 1, 2011

For Anxiety "I have been taking this medicine for around 4 years. It has helped my anxiety so much. It stops the overwhelming thoughts and panic. I suffered a traumatic event and felt so much anxiety after, I didn't know what to do. I was prescribed 15 mg 2x a day but only take it once and feel that it's enough. The only side effects I feel are 'brain zaps' and dizziness if I forget to take the medicine after a day or two, but it goes away. It makes me drowsy too, but exercise helps with this. It may have caused weight gain, but nothing too over the top. The positive outcome of taking this medicine outweighs the negatives. Everyone is different, but this medicine works for me!"

• Kya...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 14, 2021

For Anxiety "Been on this medication for a month now. I take 5 mgs 3x a day. The side effects when I first started taking it were just brain zaps and a bit of tiredness. Compared to other meds I’ve been on, way less side effects. After about 2 weeks, I started to notice some positive effects. Now at 4 weeks, I feel like this medication really does take the edge off. It doesn’t seem to make the thoughts go away (so far), but it lessens the physical effects of the anxiety. Only thing is I have had some mild on-and-off static in my ears, but it’s really manageable in comparison to the horrible anxiety I was having before being on this med."

• sou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 5, 2019

For Anxiety "I took Buspirone for about 3 months. The 1st month, it felt like my anxiety was improving, but then it started coming back again. About 1/2 hr after taking it, I would get really bad brain zaps. Also, if I took it at night, I wouldn’t sleep at all. I stopped taking it because I really didn’t find it very effective, and it did not stop my panic attacks."

• mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 14, 2022

For Anxiety "I've been taking Buspar for a month now, and it's helped me so much. The first couple of weeks, I felt awful. I had brain zaps and anxiety, was pretty foggy-headed, and had some bad insomnia. I'm so glad I stuck with it, though, as it is helping me so much with my anxiety. All the little things that caused anxiety before don't bother me nearly as much anymore. I started out taking 10 mg 2x daily, but I needed it to be in my system longer during the day, so I started taking 5 mg 3x daily, and that did the trick. I'm still struggling somewhat and unable to drive yet, so my doctor raised my dose to 7.5 mg 3x daily. Taking buspirone, along with talking to my counselor, really helps me. The only persistent problem I'm having is a bit of insomnia. It's gradually getting better. This is why I'm giving this med a 9/10. Otherwise, I'm very happy with buspirone."

• kni...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 20, 2013

For Anxiety "Worked well for anxiety but got brain zaps and near-constant headaches on 10 mg/3x day. Didn't realize how well it worked for physical symptoms of anxiety until I started weaning to try a different medicine. Now that I stopped, tight chest, racing heart, and sweating are all back. Don't want to leave the house, very irritable. Doc is switching me to doxepin."

• Ell...
• August 17, 2011

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "I used to take Paxil, and I hated the side effects and the withdrawal effects, like brain zaps. Because of this, I don't want to try another SSRI. So my doctor had me try BuSpar. I was hopeful at first. I knew it affected serotonin, but without the withdrawal effects. Well, the first 5 mg dose I took brought on a gigantic round of brain zaps for 1.5 hours, the same kind that I'd had in Paxil withdrawal, but much worse. It was so bad that I could barely walk. Every time I moved my head or neck, I'd get a bunch of zaps in a row. Very disorienting. I gave it a week and a half to see if the zaps would dissipate, and they didn't. My doctor said to stop the BuSpar because if the zaps haven't stopped by now, they probably won't."

• Cro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 1, 2021

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "Ok, so BuSpar was a no-go for me. It gave me brain zaps and feels like an electrical surge and did nothing for panic attacks. Clonazepam does a better job. I did not like this, and within 3 weeks, asked my doctor to switch to something else."

• Anonymous
• August 7, 2012

For Anxiety "I just started this today and noted the brain zaps, felt that on taking it, initially just need to be aware that it is slightly sedative, but it wears off like 45 minutes later. Then felt some brain zaps, but my anxiety went away, and I felt normal. I have Asperger's and for some unknown reason I get anxiety for fear of not being socially gifted, so I scrutinize myself, and my heart races at times. I've been trying this medication and it works, it beats Xanax or alcohol. I purposely went to very crowded places today and did not have anxiety, felt very normal. Nice."

• Bru...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 1, 2025

Buspirone for Anxiety "I was put on BuSpar 30 years ago. I was taking 7.5 mg 3 times a day. I was getting brain zaps, and it scared me to death because I didn't know what they were. My doctor added .25 mg of clonazepam. That worked for about 10 years. Work started going nuts, and my mother-in-law was dying of cancer, and my brother-in-law wanted his 6 sisters to take turns taking care of her. He was a jerk about the whole thing, and my wife was getting stressed out, which added to my stress. I ended up on 20 mg of Paxil, continued with the BuSpar, and increased the clonazepam to .5 mg. I was feeling great for over 20 years. My doctor retired, and my new doctor started decreasing my Paxil and clonazepam, but increased my BuSpar to 10 mg 3 times a day. My anxiety is going crazy, and I'm now seeing a therapist. I'm down to 10 mg Paxil, the 10 mg of BuSpar 3 times a day, and .5 mg of clonazepam once a day. I am not doing well at all. Sometimes I think the BuSpar is making my anxiety worse. I want to quit."

• hay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 24, 2025

Buspirone for Anxiety "I have currently been taking BuSpar to help with my severe anxiety and social anxiety. I am 18 years old, so some side effects I am seeing for others are not the same for me. BuSpar has helped me tremendously. My anxiety causes me to twitch and I become very jumpy. With this medicine, those symptoms do not happen. A bit of a downside with this medication is that I cannot sit down or lay down for too long without becoming extremely tired, but when I am up and constantly doing things, this medicine works extremely well. My anxiety also causes me to have a clouded mind, but with the medicine, I can finally think and feel like myself again. Another downside is about 15 minutes to 1 hour after taking the medicine, I have “brain zaps.” When I look around (with my eyes or turn my neck), it feels like I get full body shocks. Now I am used to them, but for anybody who is first taking this medicine, it can be scary. I am currently on 5 mg and only take it once a day, which works fine for me."

• Nad...
• September 2, 2016

Buspirone for Anxiety "I was prescribed BuSpar for anxiety. If I knew that BuSpar had the side effects that I got, I would never drink it. I drank it for 4 days only, and it almost got me killed. I started having panic attacks, I could hardly breathe, I had electric shocks, brain zaps, horrible medicine. I quit right away. Little did I know that quitting even after 4 days would cause side effects. I could not sleep for 2 weeks afterwards, I thought I was dying. Horrible medicine. I will never drink any antidepressants or anti-anxiety medicine that is not natural!!!"

• Nad...
• September 2, 2016

Buspirone for Anxiety "I was prescribed BuSpar for anxiety. If I knew that BuSpar had the side effects that I got, I would never drink it. I drank it for 4 days only, and it almost got me killed. I started having panic attacks, I could hardly breathe, I had electric shocks, brain zaps, horrible medicine. I quit right away. Little did I know that quitting even after 4 days would cause side effects. I could not sleep for 2 weeks afterwards, I thought I was dying. Horrible medicine. I will never drink any antidepressants or anti-anxiety medicine that is not natural!!!"

• Ski...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 3, 2017

For Panic Disorder "Gave me brain shocks and worsened my panic attack. I understand that different medications are for different people, but this gave me migraines. 5 mg."

• Jac...
• November 23, 2016

For Sexual Dysfunction, SSRI Induced "Trying to get off this drug caused brain zaps, extreme dizziness, diminished libido, and panic, which caused me to get back on the original dose. I still don't fully understand what it does."