Buspirone and Insomnia: What Users Say (Page 4)

• npb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 30, 2023

Buspirone for Anxiety "Started BuSpar at 5 mg a month ago for GAD and mood swings. I have been feeling much better since starting. For the first two weeks, I suffered from terrible insomnia and vivid dreams. I decided to add XR 3 mg of melatonin daily at night to combat this. By week 3, I was sleeping without difficulty. I do have occasional dizziness, but nothing too intense that would make me choose to stop it. I feel now that after 4 weeks, I can consider increasing the dose to 10 mg daily since lately my anxiety has been increasing again. I would recommend giving it a try for at least 4 weeks. It has a low-risk profile compared to other medications. Find what works best for you!"

• Ano...
• July 30, 2021

For Anxiety "I've been on Buspirone for 3 months for generalized anxiety, and it works well. I'm one of those people who get insomnia from it, probably because I struggle with insomnia anyway. As a result, my psychiatrist now has me taking a single 15 mg dose in the morning only. I feel it kick in about 40 mins after taking it. I start to feel more awake, and I get a 'zap' through my body like very mild dizziness. I have no side effects whatsoever (no more insomnia with morning dosing). My usual racing thoughts, ruminations, and fast heartbeat have quieted down. This is a 'gentle' drug. It takes weeks to build up in your system, though I started to feel calmer in week one. If you're looking for instant relief in a crisis, then this probably won't work because it's not a benzo. I'm also on Mirtazapine 45 mg at night for anxious depression, and that helped a lot with my insomnia. But we added Buspirone because I still had some lingering anxiety on the Mirtazapine alone."

• hoo...
• October 20, 2020

For Anxiety "A year ago, my doctor prescribed buspirone along with doxepin to treat my insomnia, which suddenly developed, and she thought might be stress-related. I was taking 7.5 mg 2x a day. My new doctor told me to discontinue the doxepin and cut buspirone back to one a day. My insomnia is worse. I fall asleep fine but wake in the middle of the night and can't fall back asleep. I'm also taking 5 mg melatonin, which helps. On a message board, I found similar comments on buspirone causing insomnia. I've talked to pharmacists and get conflicting views over whether or not the buspirone is causing this or whether the insomnia is a sign of discontinuation effect. The label says not to discontinue without doctor supervision, but the doctor who originally prescribed is retired, as I mentioned. I'm weaning myself off and was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience. As I said, I was not prescribed this for anxiety primarily, but with the idea that a bit of anxiety was affecting my sleep."

• you...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 8, 2019

Buspirone for Anxiety "I've been on it for two weeks now. I felt benefits on day two. I started with 5 mg twice a day. At first, my insomnia got much worse, but I stuck with BuSpar with the occasional assistance of Ambien and melatonin (not on the same night, of course). Now, I am sleeping through most of the night without sleep aids or waking up with that nervous feeling in my stomach. I am now motivated to do things again, too. I'm really sensitive to drugs, but I did increase my intake to 7.5 mg twice a day. My history of taking drugs with serotonin has been so-so, so I'm not over the top excited about this drug, but I am definitely able to function, and my relationships are way better!"

• jlj...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 3, 2019

Buspirone for Anxiety "BuSpar was an absolute Godsend! The only side effect I noticed right away was insomnia, but then I just combined my dose and took it all in the morning as soon as waking up. ZERO side effects after that, and anxiety immediately went away - from the first day on! Only problem - as the weeks and months went on, I began to notice something ... my appetite was out of control. I was CONSTANTLY hungry! This was not ok with me! I knew it had to be the BuSpar, as I had changed nothing else in my life. So, after 3.5 months on, I had to make a decision - do I stay constantly hungry and have little to no anxiety, along with weight gain, or do I go off and deal with anxiety again?? I decided to go off. I quit cold turkey. ZERO withdrawal symptoms!! Has my anxiety returned? Maybe ever so slightly... Increased appetite and weight gain are not listed as possible side effects, but I’m noticing with a lot of people it seems to be very common!"

• oe_...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2018

Buspirone for Anxiety "Definitely curbs my generalized anxiety and helps with my social anxiety, it’s not a cure-all, as I still have insomnia, but it has definitely improved my quality of life. SSRIs never worked for me because I felt like my depression was rooted in anxiety and not the other way around. Plus, SSRIs gave me panic attacks, and so did trazodone after two weeks. I take 1/2 of a 7.5 as soon as I wake up, and then I take another half again a couple of hours later, then a whole one a couple of hours before bed. The first two or three days, it made me feel slightly funny, but it’s definitely beginning to level off, and I’m definitely much more content, less rumination, and a general feeling of well-being this far..."

• Anx...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2013

For Anxiety "Was diagnosed recently with generalized anxiety disorder. It has manifested itself differently through the years...mostly irritable bowel syndrome. My symptoms now being terrible brain fog and jitters. Went through numerous blood tests, stress tests, etc...and came to this 'anxiety' conclusion. I decided to try Buspar, as my mom had been on it off and on and had good results. I was worried about weight gain mostly, and this one was touted as not having this effect. After 2 weeks into the medicine, taking 15 mg/day, I feel pretty good! Starting to feel back to my old self again. The first couple of days were a little weird, felt more anxious than ever but tried to keep busy, and it passed. A little trouble sleeping at night but take melatonin to help for now."

• Anonymous
• July 23, 2011

Buspirone for Anxiety "I tried a lot of the SSRIs and SNRIs medications: Lexapro, Effexor, Celexa, Wellbutrin, Pristiq, and Paxil. Lexapro and Effexor gave me monster insomnia, I could not sleep at all. Wellbutrin made me pass out, and the other two did nothing for me. Finally, my doctor put me on BuSpar 7.5 two times a day. It did make me nauseated, but it says to take it on a full stomach, which I took on an empty stomach. After I followed the directions, I didn't have any more issues. No side effects, and my libido has increased (my wife is happy). I really have no more issues with anxiety anymore, I can now go to dinner and the grocery store without any problems."

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

Buspirone 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!"

• 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."

• Jee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2021

For Anxiety "First, I want to mention that this drug can take from 4 to 6 weeks to have a full effect. With that said, any side effect you may have in the beginning will more than likely disappear or minimize. I have been on it for almost 1 month. The only side effect was a little trouble sleeping for a few days. I started with 5 mg once a day, then moved up to 10 mg a day (5 mg twice a day). This medication has definitely changed my life for the better. It took away my foggy head feeling, my constant, ruminating thoughts, and the stress I felt just driving. I have Hashimoto's/Hypothyroidism. I also have PTSD and CPTSD. This medication has helped me tremendously. I knew I wasn't depressed, so I didn't want to take an SSRI. This is exactly the type of medication that I truly needed to actually start to heal. I know some people get a foggy head, dizziness, or fatigue when first starting. These all should go away as your body just gets used to the medication."

• anx...
• November 7, 2019

For Anxiety "I started taking buspirone in conjunction with my Luvox (which had basically lost all efficacy from my being on it for years). 5 mg 2x per day (10 mg total). WOW. I finally felt 'normal'! Very chilled out, as someone else described - 'It feels like I had a 6-pack and a big meal' - accurate! Before this, I always constantly had looping, obsessive thoughts, but within even just 1 week of taking it, they had calmed down significantly. I can enjoy the small things in life without overthinking too much; I can now choose what I really need to worry about and what is pointless to worry about. I will say, the first few days my anxiety spiked, and I had insomnia and some GI issues. After that, it was fine! In fact, I could finally eat again because all the knots in my stomach had calmed down. The only downside is it can make you a bit drowsy, but if anything, this helps with my anxiety, and I just push through it. Really helped boost my mood!"

• I A...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 14, 2016

For Panic Disorder "I had tried about 20 different psychiatric medications before Buspar, all of which were, at best, minimally effective. Buspar has been the one medicine that has made a positive change. I feel alive again. I am not in such a dark place anymore, and my panic has gotten better. Although I still have a bit of anxiety, it feels much more manageable. And I have only had to take 5 mg twice daily! It has given me a little bit of insomnia, but it is well worth it."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 11, 2015

For Anxiety "I've been taking it for about 6 weeks now. We started with 5 mg 3 times a day then went up to 20 mg 3 times a day. I have so many different stressors in my life, I was having episodes that would last a couple of days at a time. Strange behavior, feeling really strange, couldn't concentrate or finish tasks, etc. So my Dr. started me on Effexor at first. It had terrible sexual side effects, so we went with buspirone. I haven't had any of those spells since I've been on it. I think my 3rd dose needs to be taken with dinner, for the past couple of weeks, I've been taking it at bedtime, and I think it's adding to my insomnia. Overall, it's been good."

• boo...
• December 13, 2013

Buspirone for Anxiety "I have generalized anxiety and panic disorder. I have had it since I was a teenager. In the past, I took Xanax as needed, but it sometimes made me depressed, and I worried about developing a tolerance or addiction. After less than a month on BuSpar, I have already seen a major improvement. I ruminate less, my body is less tense, I am considerably less fearful (which is saying a lot because I was becoming fearful of leaving the house), I am able to tolerate stressors in a rational way, and I am no longer depressed. What remains of my anxiety is manageable, and it no longer interferes with my life. I started on 10mg, and after a couple of weeks, I increased to 15mg. I experienced insomnia the first couple of days, but that went away. Take with food for nausea."

• Anonymous
• December 2, 2010

For Anxiety "I have been taking Buspar for a week now, and the next day I felt a difference. Actually, the next three to four days I felt a difference. But after that, I started having some anxiety again and irritability. I was concerned that it had stopped working. I went to my doctor, and she told me to keep up with it. That it takes some people 2 months to start working. I said, well, I have been waiting my whole life for something to work, so 2 months is worth the wait. So if you are new to trying this, I recommend waiting. The side effects for me were pretty bad. I had flu-like symptoms, constipation, insomnia, the shakes, muscle spasms, but for the most part, they have started to go away. I have found being very consistent with taking it helps."

• Gra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 24, 2021

Buspirone for Anxiety "For a few weeks, I’ve been dealing with really bothersome anxiety attacks that happen in all sorts of situations. Everything in my life sort of just stacked up and overwhelmed me. I have all sorts of tools I’ve learned from psychotherapy, but I was still getting overwhelmed. This is topped off with sleep problems and related worrying. After a single pill, the difference is significant. It feels like someone turned the volume down on my physical symptoms. The racing, unhelpful thoughts are still there, but I’m much more easily able to redirect them or use meditation to pull myself back to the present moment. Hopefully, this anxiety subsides once I sort things out and I can eventually wean off. For now, BuSpar seems like it’s going to be really helpful."

• Bub...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 3, 2020

Buspirone for Anxiety "So far I've been on BuSpar 10mg twice a day for a week. My anxiety is much better than it was. I talked to my psychiatrist about taking the evening dose early afternoon and she said it was ok. As long as I stick to the same times every day, it will be ok. So I take my 1st dose at 6:30 am and my 2nd dose around 1:30 pm. Side effects are very mild. I take my 2nd dose early because if I take it later in the evening, I have a hard time sleeping. I'm still getting used to the medicine. I take Vistaril 25mg if I get anxious still, but overall my anxiety is much better than it was."

• chr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 1, 2019

For Anxiety "This drug is working for me. I avoided a lot of the side effects by titrating up slowly from 5 mg to 20 mg (over 2 weeks). Then began the long waiting game for it to take effect. It took 3 more weeks (5 total) to start working. The hardest part was waiting and the various side effects, especially the nervousness. I take this with Lexapro, as a booster. From reading the reviews, I think people jump in too fast and then don’t wait long enough for it to work. I did not experience any of the insomnia and brain zaps mentioned here. I take 15 mg 2x per day, in the morning and afternoon. Now that it’s working, it works well. If your doctor prescribes it, go slow and persevere. I asked my doctor if it really works, and he said he’s been prescribing it for 30 years and yes, it works."

• jlj...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 13, 2019

For Anxiety "My doctor put me on buspirone for general anxiety, and it has been an absolute lifesaver! I’ve been on it for almost 10 weeks, and it’s been absolutely wonderful! No side effects whatsoever! The only thing I’ve noticed is no anxiety anymore!!! Which is exactly the point of this med! I’m only on 10 mg every morning because if I take it too late in the day, it does cause insomnia for me. I’d highly, highly recommend this med!! Give it a try! You have nothing to lose!"

• nee...
• November 7, 2009

Buspirone for Anxiety "I had taken BuSpar many years ago until one day I decided I just didn't need it anymore and stopped taking it, no weaning, no withdrawal. Now I'm back on it again and will stay on it until I feel that way again. It took a couple of weeks, and a few days of depression, before it took hold but I have never experienced any side effects. In fact, the only thing I feel is that I am thinking positively, rather than looking for a boogeyman in everything. Just a natural feeling of health. Recently the doctor tried something else because of poor sleep and gave me lorazepam, which made my arms and legs feel heavy and I slept for 12 hours, and then diazepam which did nothing much but dampened my feelings and sleep was worse. I'll stay with BuSpar."