Buspirone and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 4)

• JJn...
• November 15, 2011

Buspirone for Anxiety "For the past 2-3 years, I have been on and off Lexapro/Ativan for anxiety and Wellbutrin for quitting smoking. I stopped taking Lexapro about a year ago with excellent results. I basically just felt great and didn't need to take it anymore. I continued taking Wellbutrin (daily) and Ativan (as needed). Then I stopped taking both of those about 6 months ago because I was feeling great. Well, my anxiety started up again several months ago, and I got back on Wellbutrin and Ativan, which have always helped me tremendously. However, I wanted to stop relying on the benzo (Ativan) and therefore started taking BuSpar. I have got nothing from it besides dizziness and a headache. I have been taking BuSpar for about 2 months. I am starting Lexapro again."

• Lad...
• October 20, 2017

For Anxiety "Just started buspirone 10 mg twice a day. For years, I have been on Celexa, bupropion, and clonazepam. Those three worked for me, but my doc suggests that instead of taking clonazepam daily, I should try buspirone for long-term use and clonazepam for when my panic attacks are truly out of control. So far, the drug combination has had no major negative interactions. I take the buspirone with food. The first two days in, I had pretty bad headaches. About two weeks in now, and tonight I'm having severe dizziness, which is making me nauseous. I'm definitely going to keep going on them, though. I love my clonazepam (Klonopin). It's almost instant relief during an attack, but after reading about it extensively and talking with my two docs, I'm ready to get off of it."

• Mil...
• April 28, 2021

For Panic Disorder "I’m a 40 YOF, 103 lbs. Was given this to take twice daily in replacement of 0.5 lorazepam for panic attacks. My lorazepam was a very low dosage and used maybe every couple of months. I used it the day after I had to drive in the metroplex, as that’s a trigger for me! The lorazepam calmed me back to my normal self. Buspirone was prescribed at 0.5 mg twice a day. I’m now on my third dose, haven’t slept, extremely snappy, angry, and jittery, like I have had far too much coffee! Extreme leg pain and dizziness along with diarrhea. Odd pain in my ears! Had to call in to work today due to complete lack of sleep! A terrible headache and a bit of confusion. Now I can explain being confused due to lack of sleep, please explain my desire to now organize everything in my home. I’m already a bit obsessed about organization, I like things in order. If this is the rubbish I will have to work through or deal with to possibly not have a panic attack, I’ll take the panic attack over this nightmare. I will NOT continue this med."

• Loe...
• January 2, 2016

For Anxiety "Diagnosed with having anxiety, depression, and PTSD (raped a year prior and recently lost my husband while 6 months pregnant). I take 10 mg 2x daily. The problems I have been facing have eased up significantly. At first, I had no side effects, so it was a win-win. Now, after taking it for 3 months, I have many side effects, and I am going to stop taking it. The side effects I have been experiencing are headache, weak feeling, intense sugar cravings, hair loss, slow response, extreme anger, and weight gain. I was losing weight after my pregnancy, exercising, and felt very healthy. Now, on buspirone, I have gained weight in odd places like my face. I find myself wanting to binge eat, which I hardly even did while pregnant. Slowness and extreme anger were deal breakers."

• dia...
• January 4, 2016

For Anxiety "I started with a new doctor (addiction treatment specialist). I am getting ready to detox off Klonopin, so the new doc put me on buspirone. Ugh, I was on it for about a week. I started getting very hot and short-tempered and extremely tired. Very heavy head. So I called my doc. He said to stop taking it. I was on 15 mg, 2 times a day. Well, I have been off for about 3 or 4 days. The first day wasn't bad, the second day dizzy, queasy, and extremely tired. Wow, if I'm feeling this bad, still hot, very tired, my head is very heavy. Yet my doc also said there would be no withdrawal. Best of luck to all of you. My heart goes out to you."

• Cru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 19, 2022

Buspirone for Anxiety "I was on this medication for 4 weeks. I took 7.5 mg x2 daily the first 2 weeks, then 7.5 mg x 3 daily for the last 2 weeks. The first week on this was BRUTAL. Highly increased anxiety, headaches, lightheadedness, and a general feeling of being 'off.' The side effects did get better, but the medicine just never took hold and worked at all for me. Didn’t put a dent in my anxiety. Doctor prescribed me an actual SSRI."

• Kim...
• April 22, 2017

Buspirone for Anxiety "I am taking the BuSpar, but it makes me feel too relaxed and gives me worse anxiety. My whole body is tingly, and I have a huge headache. I don't have anything else to take, but I am so afraid to take it. It is Saturday, I can't get ahold of my doctor. I just don't know what to do anymore. Does anyone have any ideas?"

• Ale...
• September 28, 2016

For Anxiety "I took buspirone for three weeks. I quit taking it because the side effects were too much. After I got off it, I had nonstop headaches for two weeks and still going. I have never had these headaches before in my life until I stopped taking this medication. I was so worried that I got a CT scan just to make sure I was fine. The doctor told me everything checked out, but the headaches are still coming."

• Gol...
• October 21, 2011

For Anxiety "I started buspirone two days ago. I have diagnosed social anxiety, and I think I have GAD as well. I felt a difference right away, and a positive one. It's like I had my hand in an electric socket and was able to let go. Like sitting still in an old car with a running motor and being able to finally switch off the engine. The constant fear, worry, and stress are very much reduced. The side effects I have are nausea, dizziness, and a mild headache. They start 10 minutes after you take the pill and go on for about an hour. Not sure if they are permanent or not. But for now, I really feel I need buspirone to get a grip over my anxiety. I am not any more terrified of my boss at work or feel general dread!"

• Jai...
• July 1, 2021

For Panic Disorder "I started taking this, and after about an hour and a half, I would start to feel very... odd. I didn’t understand it back then, but I realize now it was causing me to dissociate. Then, after an hour and a half of that, along with blurry vision, I would finally feel peace for a few hours, and then it would stop, and it would be time to take another one. Then, at about four days, the peace stopped coming, and it was just constant dissociation and extreme nightmares, which messed up my sleep, bad headaches, and I was constantly tired. I had an 8-hour panic attack because I woke up to racing thoughts, I was in the weirdest negative mindset, that’s never happened to me before. I couldn’t stop crying and had to go into work like that! I quit after that. Buspirone made my anxiety even worse because of how distressing this week was for me, this was the worst decision I made yet for my mental health. I was just dealing with anxiety, and this made me feel like a lunatic! Taking no other meds!"

• bro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 28, 2021

For Anxiety "I was put on buspirone for anxiety after a severe panic attack. After about three days of taking this at 7.5 mg 2x a day, I noticed my stool had gotten significantly softer, and I stopped being able to sleep. I’m not even a full week in, and I’m deciding to stop due to the headaches, chills, and severe (almost unbearable) insomnia I’m experiencing due to this medication. In a mental sense, I feel it has maybe touched some of my previous anxiety, but alas, the side effects are just too much for me at such a low dose. I feel I should also mention that the confusion that comes with taking this pill is very unnerving and contributes to your anxiety as well."

• Cat...
• July 20, 2017

For Anxiety "I've been on buspirone for many years. I also take lamotrigine (Lamictil). I have less anxiety but a lot of social anxiety still. What I didn't connect, until reading a lot of fellow buspirone takers here, is that the faintness I get (feeling like I'll pass out if I don't sit) and also about every 3 months I get the dizziness. Sometimes when I lay down in bed, the ceiling looks like it's spinning wildly. I always have to bring snacks with me everywhere for those times of faintness. I thought they were just how I am normally. I'll have to check with my doctor. I'd have thought she'd have brought that up before :( I don't remember if I had the other symptoms some here mentioned, with the headaches and nausea. Too long ago."

• Try...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 17, 2022

For Anxiety "Oh man, so a little bit about me. I am overly sensitive to every medication or anything such as caffeine. If there is a medication with side effects, I get it. Let’s talk about the weight gain in my arms and extended abdomen. It’s kind of rubbish because I’m so nauseous all the time and haven’t been eating, but still gaining weight. Headaches, yup. Sore throat, yup. This drug is messing with my hormones and is giving me cysts on my ovaries, and it burns to pee. I got a UTI test, STD test, and the gyno said everything is fine. This is not doing it for me. Terrible."

• Anonymous
• July 16, 2009

Buspirone for Anxiety "I must be the only one on here that didn't benefit from this medication... just got a headache and didn't help my anxiety."

• kni...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 12, 2013

Buspirone for Anxiety "BuSpar was okay at first. I felt more relaxed and less tense. But I've had high blood pressure and headaches almost every day on this. The doctor is taking me off and going to try something else."

• Bon...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 8, 2021

Buspirone for Anxiety "Terrible headache, nausea, sweats. I felt like this was bad for my body. Even though I only took it for a short time, I had terrible withdrawal symptoms. Please be very careful if you take this drug."

• Chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 1, 2018

For Anxiety "Didn't help at all, just made my anxiety worse and gave me bad headaches and no energy. Only on it for three weeks."

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 31, 2020

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "BuSpar caused headaches and muscle stiffness, worked fine otherwise."

• Kco...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2016

For Anxiety "I started 10 mg today, and I feel so loopy. My mouth is very dry, and I'm kind of anxious, and my head is hurting after 1 dose. I don't know if I will take a 2nd dose. I was prescribed 10 mg 2x a day."

• Tom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 20, 2022

For Anxiety "Been taking 10 mgs twice a day for 10 days. Noticeable improvement in lowering anxiety level. Mild headache and nausea for the first few days. My life perspective is much better. Very pleased so far."

• kol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 16, 2015

For Anxiety "The worst pill I've ever taken, made me very angry, plus gave me stomach aches and really bad headaches. Also made my anxiety worse."

• jam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 1, 2023

For Anxiety "I had a bad headache and decided not to take it anymore. I took one 10 mg a day."

• Nop...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 24, 2019

For Panic Disorder "I take buspirone 45 mg a day... highest dose. I truly believe this is a placebo and the doctors just fake you out. All it really does is cause headaches when you forget to take it on time."