Buspirone and Lightheadedness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Wan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 9, 2017

For Anxiety "My doctor just started me on buspirone, 7.5 mg twice a day! It makes me super drowsy, as if I'm drunk. I am always lightheaded and drowsy, I am even wondering if I have anxiety. I've been on it since Friday, and today is Monday. So maybe in about 2 weeks I will feel better! I sure hope so!"

• bub...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 9, 2015

Buspirone for Anxiety "It has made me irritable, socially awkward, has not helped my anxiety, makes me light-headed for a bit after I take it, and gives me the general sense that something is 'off'."

• Ted...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 17, 2023

For Anxiety "I have had anxiety for years, but it really kicked in about a year ago. I get very lightheaded when my anxiety is at its worst. I tried Paxil and Lexapro, they made me worse. I tried buspirone, on day 1, I was wobbly, had brain fog, and felt like I was going to fall over. I am going to try another natural product. I did try natural products before, and they did nothing. I will keep experimenting with the natural products. I can't take antidepressants, they make me sick and worse."

• 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."

• the...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 24, 2017

Buspirone for Anxiety "I have been on BuSpar for about 2 months now for anxiety from Keppra. It seems to work sometimes, but when I get an anxiety or panic attack, it hits hard. I was on 5 mg twice a day, and now my dose is really high. Like today, it seems to have no effect. And I'm always lightheaded, dizzy, fogged out feeling. And my other doctor said to try Xanax."

• Anx...
• September 27, 2016

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "My mild anxiety had been building for years when I decided to seek help for it. At that time, I had only experienced one panic attack after a health scare (heart palpitations from over-exercising). It wasn't until I sought help to control my stress that I was prescribed Prozac. I started having panic attacks and was taken off. I started taking BuSpar. The first few weeks were really rough (brain zaps). It kept me from having panic attacks, but I still experienced moderate anxiety every day. After eight weeks, I started to experience depression for no reason and intrusive thoughts. Nothing like I ever experienced before. So I went back down, depressive thoughts came back. I tapered off. Lightheadedness, ear ringing, and brain fog persisted the entire three months I was on it."

• Age...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 13, 2015

Buspirone for Anxiety "I did not like this medication. For anxiety, I have also tried Hydroxyzine (Atarax). I guess this is just my personal body chemistry, but I actually prefer Atarax to this, unlike most people. This made me very lightheaded and dizzy. I can't exactly remember the effect it had on anxiety, I think it may have helped a little."

• Anonymous
• October 14, 2011

Buspirone for Anxiety "Made me very dizzy and lightheaded."

• Emi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 15, 2023

For Anxiety "Lightheaded and off-balance, anxiety seems to be better, though. Don't like the side effects."

• Aan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 16, 2019

Buspirone for Anxiety "I was given BuSpar for anxiety. I started taking 5 mg once a day, then I eventually tried to go up to 10 mg a day. NEVER AGAIN. I don’t think it did anything for my anxiety except make it worse. Every time I took the pill, I felt super sedated, and I would fall asleep and then have nightmares. I took it for almost 3 weeks, hoping side effects would pass, but it only got worse. Lightheaded, dizziness, my skin was so itchy I couldn’t hardly stand it. I felt like I wanted to jump out of my skin. I couldn’t go outside and be in the sun because I got hot within 5 seconds and felt sick. I stopped taking it abruptly, I didn’t notice any withdrawal symptoms at all. This med was not for me."

• Ale...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 20, 2017

Buspirone for Anxiety "I'm taking BuSpar for anxiety that I'm having due to an injury. I broke my wrist about 8 weeks ago, and I am in a cast from the tip of my thumb to just below the elbow. My doctor told me I might be in this cast for 12 weeks or significantly longer. I started having bad anxiety and panic attacks. So my family doctor put me on BuSpar and Zoloft for the duration of being in a cast. So far, it hasn't seemed to help very much, 7.5 mg twice daily. I'm hoping that it will start helping with the anxiety. I do feel a little lightheaded and I'm always tired. This isn't my first broken bone or cast, but this is the first time I've ever experienced anxiety."

• Pun...
• September 21, 2016

For Anxiety "I've been on Buspar 15 days now. I can't say as of yet if it has helped a lot or not. It's not bad, but I have noticed certain things I go through that I'm not sure if it's side effects or just my anxiety. Like I feel drowsy about 30 minutes after. I've noticed a tingly or itchy sensation in my hands, feet, and arms (at different times). Also, more headaches than before I started Buspar. Lightheadedness, even though I've felt that way before taking it. Upset stomach or nausea. Sharp sensations in different places. Oh yes, and definitely noticed weird dreams. The reason I rate a five is that I do feel like it brings a calmness over me and my racing thoughts aren't so bad, and after the first week, I can see that it keeps me tired more, and I do sleep better."

• Anonymous
• August 18, 2011

For Anxiety "Buspar was the first medicine prescribed to me for anxiety. I started out taking 5 mg three times per day, then the dosage was increased to 10 mg twice per day, but I had to go back to the 5 mg dosage because I got extremely lightheaded at higher dosages. At first, it seemed to help, but over time I realized I was still very, very anxious even with the medicines."

• sla...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 23, 2021

Buspirone for Anxiety "Recently got back on meds for anxiety attacks. I hadn't had anxiety attacks for a few years, now they are back for some reason. Anyway, BuSpar is okay, it's nowhere near as helpful as Xanax. It does calm me but makes me lightheaded and sleepy as anything. The doc started me on 10 mg. Side effects are pretty strong for me, which sucks because I have to be able to drive a lot and talk to customers all day."

• Ted...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 23, 2023

For Anxiety "Started on 5 mgs twice a day. It's been 3 weeks now and very little change. I will go up to 10 mgs twice a day next week. Hope it works. When I get anxious, I get very lightheaded. Not fun."

• red...
• September 23, 2011

Buspirone for Anxiety "I've been taking BuSpar for about a week and a half now and haven't really seen any dramatic results so far. I started out taking a 15 mg pill in the morning and a 15 mg pill in the evening, being a total of 30 mg total. This gave me awful headaches, and I started experiencing lightheadedness. I bumped my dosage down to half of that now and am currently feeling better when it comes to the side effects. Hopefully, by the 3rd or 4th week, I will get the full effect from this medicine."

• hal...
• November 1, 2010

Buspirone for Anxiety "I've been on this medication for over two months. BuSpar helps with day-to-day, general anxiety. That said, I don't feel that I can rely on this medication to stop panic attacks. I still have agoraphobic feelings and certain anxious thoughts (hypochondria-type things) that haven't ceased since before starting this medication. Side effects I've noticed: lightheadedness, moderate fatigue, munchies, snackiness, increased libido, and depth of taste. Give it a try. Compared to SSRIs, it seems to be as effective without changing one's brain chemistry so drastically."

• Rus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 30, 2017

For Anxiety "I’ve found Buspar to be fairly effective in helping control health-related anxiety. Buspar has helped tremendously. Two very important things: First, it took probably two weeks to really kick in. Second, the correct dosage was critical. The doctor initially started me on 15 mg per day. While it helped, I was still having days. We bumped it to 20 mg, and it has made a world of difference. We gradually increased the dosage to 30 mg, but my arms began aching with no significant improvement, so we went back to 20 mg. My morning dose still makes me lightheaded for a bit, but I’m better able to cope with my anxiety."

• soy...
• February 24, 2017

Buspirone for Anxiety "I have been on BuSpar for a few months, and I like it a lot! It has made severe and paralyzing anxiety lift to a manageable level, even while taking a low dosage of 10 mg daily. My doctor told me that I can increase the dosage, since taking so little doesn't rid me of anxiety completely (no medication can). But I noticed that when I upped my dose, my appetite came back more than I would have liked. Essentially, I think it works to strengthen my SSRI (sertraline); and I did have dizziness when I first started and felt pretty bad, but that's common for anti-anxiety medications and usually goes away as your body gets used to it. I do still find, however, after I take my morning dose (usually) with coffee, I feel a bit woozy, but it usually wears off quickly."

• OCP...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 21, 2017

For Anxiety "I've been titrating up on Buspar after going off of Xanax last year and then starting up with 5 mg fluoxetine and 10 mg doxepin. So far, this is working far more gently than the Xanax. I don't have a zap of relief followed by impending panic attacks within hours. I am much more level. I am having side effects of nausea, dizziness, and light-headedness for a few days after each increase in dosage. I'm up to 20 mg 3x a day, and I'm supposed to sit tight here, so I'm hoping to be done with the side effects soon and get into a stable state. I had a ton of problems with withdrawal from the benzos, so I don't want to go back to them; buspirone has been a great alternative so far. My anxiety is so bad that I'd rather be dizzy and nauseated than anxious."

• Win...
• December 19, 2016

For Anxiety "I started buspirone last week. Prescribed to take one 7.5 mg twice a day. I'm not big on pill taking, so with my doctor's consent, have only taken them when needed. The first day was... a unique one. I was extremely lightheaded and dizzy, as if the entire room was spinning, but at the same time, I had this unbelievable sense of relief from my anxiety. There are no words for the sense of relief and calm that I felt. With each day I've taken them, the dizzy spells have gotten weaker and weaker. I do have a dull headache afterward, but it passes with time and Tylenol. I'm hoping that goes away as well. But if I have to choose between minor dizziness and a slight headache over the chest-pounding, agonizingly severe panic attack... I choose the buspirone."

• Ano...
• October 5, 2016

For Anxiety "For GAD, I take 10 mg once a day in the afternoon currently. I've been on this dose for approx 2 months, and the only side effect is a bad lightheaded, slightly dizzy feeling approx 30 minutes after taking it, which lasts for 30 min to 1 hour. I was hoping it would go away after taking it for a while, but the dizziness comes on like clockwork after taking it. It greatly helps my anxiety in the evening after taking it, but my anxiety returns mid-morning. I'm not sure I could take a morning dose because of the side effect of being lightheaded for a while. If I could get past the dizziness this medication causes and get to a 10 mg 2x a day, I think it would greatly improve my GAD 24x7."

• mim...
• June 9, 2014

Buspirone for Anxiety "I just started taking BuSpar, and at first, I was scared because I hate bad side effects and don't like to take pills at all. So I finally took my pill, 10mg. I felt good at first, then came the side effects: lightheadedness, sweating, and dizziness. But after 20 to 30 minutes later, it was over. I felt fine, went out to socialize, and I couldn't believe it - didn't have a panic attack or anxiety attack. They work for me."

• All...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 7, 2020

Buspirone for Anxiety "Doctor prescribed this BuSpar to me for my anxiety. I got which worsened with Wellbutrin XL (I take that for depression). I used to take Xanax but decided to discontinue the use of it. My doctor prescribed me this and told me to take it when needed or every day, whichever I prefer. I have zero complaints about this medication. When I first took it, I got super dizzy and light-headed. But other than that, it does calm me and make me feel much better."

• Whi...
• February 15, 2015

Buspirone for Anxiety "I started on Effexor, that medicine made me sick and nauseated. My doctor decided to put me on Buspar instead. This medicine made my anxiety so much better! And the side effects are very minimal, I only get a little lightheaded for a short time, but that's so much better than being sick to my stomach. This stuff has really helped me get through a rough time."