Buspirone and Panic Attacks: What Users Say (Page 2)

• 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."

• WIn...
• December 19, 2015

Buspirone for Anxiety "After extreme weight gain on SSRIs, I thought BuSpar would be my miracle drug. I was totally wrong. After day two, I had such bad twitches/tremors, and my jaw seemed to lock for short periods of time. Went to emergency due to the side effects causing panic attacks."

• Ver...
• June 21, 2016

Buspirone 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."

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

Buspirone 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!"

• Eri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 27, 2023

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "I have been taking this medicine now for about 8-9 months. When I started taking it, it took about 4 weeks before it started working. It helped a lot with the anxiety and panic attacks for about 3-4 months, then it just stopped working. I was on 25 mg a day in the end. Tried increasing the dose, but it doesn't help. It's like a sugar pill. I have now tapered off the medicine for almost two months, and I promise that for me it has been worse to stop taking this medicine than with withdrawal from Xanax. I took Xanax for 4-5 months and maybe had withdrawal for 2 weeks. I have had a withdrawal from this buspirone medicine since the day I started tapering it. Withdrawal symptoms like tremors, dizziness, passing out, cold sweat, dissociation, panic attacks, nightmares, flu symptoms, and much more. I am now down to one a day, 5 mg. Hope it gets better soon. Everyone reacts differently to medication and withdrawal. Some get side effects and others don't, this is just my experience."

• Car...
• August 19, 2017

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "I fell through the ice and drowned (obviously resuscitated) at the age of 17. In college, I started getting terrible panic attacks that had me going to the ER sometimes 2 times a week. I was put on BuSpar, and they might as well have given me a Tic Tac and told me that was a miracle drug, as well as it would have probably been more effective. Prozac, Xanax, Valium all seemed to make it worse. Clonazepam is the only med that has worked, it's been a lifesaver."

• kay...
• March 17, 2009

Buspirone for Anxiety "I was given this in the 1980s for panic attacks and was not taking any benzodiazepines at all with it. I'm glad it has worked so well for others, but for me it was like a very bad trip. I was literally bouncing from wall to wall, couldn't walk or see clearly, even hallucinating. I had a severe reaction to it, but I am extremely sensitive to tricyclics and all SSRIs except Remeron. If you're taking it for the first time, it might be good to have another person around just in case."

• ebu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 17, 2025

For Anxiety "This medication is wonderful. I have panic disorder and GAD, but have previously had bad reactions to SSRIs and didn't want to try another. I tend to have high reactivity to most substances (everything from caffeine to Prozac to anesthesia), and I really desperately wanted to avoid negative side effects. This was perfect. On a dose of 5 mg 2/day, I went from three panic attacks a day to none or one. The only other medication that has been as helpful as this for me was Xanax, and I worry about benzo dependence; I was grateful to try something else. It takes about a week to set in, but I did feel relief even the first couple of days; there were also some moments of intense fatigue (still have those occasionally) and some moments of panic, but hard to tell if those are from the medication itself or just the same issue that was happening before."

• Cal...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 5, 2020

For Anxiety "I was on this for half a year, and it did nothing for me. I have bipolar II, this medication made my depression worse and anxiety so high. Whenever I tried to nap during the day, my heart was racing, it felt like I was having a panic attack. The doctor put me at 15 mg 3x a day, I only took it once. I felt it wasn’t working. Then today, I just stopped, I can feel the difference-so much happier, less anxiety, not depressed as much, or hopeless. It works for some people, but to me, I felt this medication was a huge scam. I was so lightheaded I had to lay down and had a panic attack at the same time-never trying this again. Terrible medication trying to act like a benzo."

• Div...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 6, 2021

For Anxiety "I have lived with anxiety for about 20 years. A few years ago, I discovered that all my previous problems were from anxiety when my doctor gave me a Xanax pill before a flight. That was a moment of truth for me. But I inherently am scared of addictive medication, so my good doctor prescribed Buspar for me, and just a single 5 mg dose each morning made my life a new field without fear. That was 5 years ago. I was able to rebuild my business and thrive. I quit it 4 years ago and have had some anxiety problems again this year. I actually had a panic attack last night. After taking one pill, I already feel better, which is strange because it is supposed to take 2 weeks to start working! In any case, I think Buspar is an amazing medication and will be taking it until I am better again."

• BuS...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2022

For Anxiety "I started taking buspirone for anxiety, and within a few days, started experiencing worse anxiety attacks, dark existential thoughts, and feelings of impending doom. I genuinely felt that the world was ending, and intrusive thoughts about death took over my mind. I would cry for hours, have panic attacks, and would wake up multiple times a night in extreme panic and fear. I stopped taking buspirone after a week and started taking lamotrigine. These feelings went away about three weeks after discontinuing the medicine. It has been two years since, and I have continued to have less anxiety with lamotrigine. However, I still fear that I will have the same awful experience when I take any new medications. I know lots of people have positive experiences on the medicine, so this review is not meant to scare you, but rather to share my experience with those who felt similarly on this medicine."

• BuS...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2022

For Anxiety "I started taking buspirone for anxiety, and within a few days, started experiencing worse anxiety attacks, dark existential thoughts, and feelings of impending doom. I genuinely felt that the world was ending, and intrusive thoughts about death took over my mind. I would cry for hours, have panic attacks, and would wake up multiple times a night in extreme panic and fear. I stopped taking buspirone after a week and started taking lamotrigine. These feelings went away about three weeks after discontinuing the medicine. It has been two years since, and I have continued to have less anxiety with lamotrigine. However, I still fear that I will have the same awful experience when I take any new medications. I know lots of people have positive experiences on the medicine, so this review is not meant to scare you, but rather to share my experience with those who felt similarly on this medicine."

• Wor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 5, 2018

Buspirone for Anxiety "I started the medication for my anxiety and bipolar. The first dose was not bad, but the second dose took me 2 hours before I could get up, I was so dizzy and lightheaded. It made my panic attacks worse and I felt so spaced out. I have a terrible headache that keeps coming and going."

• Lih...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2017

For Anxiety "When I started having severe anxiety and panic attacks years ago, I had a doctor who had no difficulty shoving me on Xanax and Klonopin. I was completely unaware of how addictive and awful these drugs were. I weaned myself off the drugs after years of taking them. After withdrawal, I did fine. About a year ago, my anxiety and panic attacks returned, and I was going to a different doctor. She tried me on Zoloft first and very sparingly gave me Xanax for those 'I'm going to die moments.' After about 3 months, the Zoloft wasn't helping much without the occasional Xanax kick, so she doubled the Zoloft, and I about crawled out of my skin. She asked me if I wanted to try Buspirone. No anxiety and sleeping like a baby."

• Her...
• December 31, 2016

Buspirone 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..."

• LUV...
• July 7, 2019

For Anxiety "I discussed this with my doctor (finally), and she suggested Buspar. Of course, I had a million questions because I don't like taking anything, even vitamins, and don't consume alcohol. I thought I would try it, and the first couple of weeks I thought this was going to be a winner. By the 3rd or 4th week, I had my first panic attack. Other symptoms were muscle cramps, tingling up the back of my neck and head, feeling like my skin was crawling. This was on 5 mg twice daily, and I can tell you it didn't make me sleepy. Just the opposite. I called my doctor, and she said to taper down since it was causing me more anxiety to 2.5 mg twice or three times a day. Then I went to 2.5 once daily, and finally, last Tuesday, I went off completely."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 20, 2019

For Anxiety "I was put on 10 mg of Buspirone twice a day for breakthrough anxiety. I used it only as needed, but my doctor told me that in order for it to help, I had to take it as prescribed. I started taking it twice a day, and at some point thought that it was making me feel worse. About 10 days ago, after a couple of weeks on this dosage, I experienced crippling anxiety, stiff muscles, urinary problems, jerky movements in my arms and legs, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and finally full-blown panic attacks, which I had never had before. From Wednesday to Saturday, I had 3 hours of sleep, no appetite, and my right knee became swollen, red, painful, and I couldn't bend it or my fingers. This was one of the worst experiences I've ever had and the worst reaction to medication: angry outbursts, nausea, and confusion. I think some people can safely take Buspar and others have side effects that are unbearable."

• Kel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 30, 2021

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "Wouldn't recommend this to my worst enemy. Just wanted to share that I had the worst panic attacks of my life on this medicine. I would shake uncontrollably at random times, get extremely dizzy, and feel brain zaps throughout the day. I was on 5 mg, and this medicine had this much effect on me. Made me extremely depressed, and my doctor didn't even know it was the medicine that was causing these side effects. Please be careful when taking this medicine, it can be very dangerous."

• cas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2022

For Anxiety "Be careful before starting this medication. I have learned this the hard way by not doing my research before starting a new med. This medication is powerful and has terrible side effects that I am still dealing with while trying to wean off of it. Mood swings, severe panic, depression, intrusive thoughts, trouble sleeping, disassociation, and hopelessness. I was put on 60 mg when I started having severe panic that would not go away, and it lasted for weeks before I decided to start weaning myself off of it, and I am still working to get off. Do yourself a favor and do your research before starting with this drug, it's not as innocent as it may seem."

• Sto...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 6, 2019

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I am currently on mirtazapine and trazodone, have been for a long time. GP placed me on buspirone, two 5 mg daily. This is a horrible drug to start, I experienced 2 weeks of really bad side effects: extreme agitation, low mood, dizziness. I had read similar reviews about this, so persevered for 2 weeks. After this, I felt a lot calmer and a lot less anxious, which was great. However, 3 months later, they reversed the effect, I started having panic attacks and my anxiety went through the roof. I came off them, with minimal discontinuation effects. I went to see my PSC today, and he told me he was glad I did. Apparently, they have been sold as a great alternative to diazepam without the addiction. However, he said medics are now becoming aware that these are actually habit forming. My advice: stay away."

• bet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 16, 2016

For Anxiety "I've been on this going on four months, and I am a big fan. It has greatly reduced my anxiety, at only 10 mgs a day. I rarely have to take an Ativan. I've always been anxious, but things got much worse when I tried different stimulants for my ADHD. Even with a low dose of Lexapro, I started to have dramatic panic attacks. It was awful. I went off both with the help of Ativan, but I didn't want to become dependent on the benzo, so I took them as infrequently as possible (1/2 or 1 per day). I was still really suffering and asked my doc about Buspar. I am so relieved that something works, and that it isn't something I'm afraid of."

• SFr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 16, 2023

For Borderline Personality Disorder "The first couple of weeks, I dealt with foggy-headedness and fatigue after taking it. After two weeks, I began feeling agitated. This only got worse as PMS started. I was filled with so much panic, and everything was irritating me. I also felt lethargic and empty inside. I discontinued and started feeling better."

• Cic...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 4, 2020

For Anxiety "About 2-3 years into taking buspirone, I started to experience weird side effects. My judgment was clouded. Very impulsive. My sex drive exploded and wanted to be naked all the time. Anxiety was horrible, I was experiencing panic attacks regularly. It all culminated in me losing 25 lbs and taking a trip to the ER because I simply couldn't eat. I kept getting nauseated all the time! I was also in a mild depression. This lasted until I finally withdrew from it. (Spent 12 days in a behavioral health unit) from trying to manage the withdrawal. It even prompted my septum to deviate, which I'm dealing with now. (Extremely frustrating.) I'm off all psychiatric medication now. I'm the happiest I've ever been, my appetite is the best it's ever been, and my weight is normalizing. My anxiety is normal. I've learned to manage my feelings through sleeping, eating well, and being sociable. This stuff is highly dangerous, it's at the point now where I'm considering a lawsuit over emotional pain and suffering."

• Dou...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 28, 2018

For Anxiety "When my doctor talked with me about this medication, I was a little skeptical about the drug itself. But before I buckled down and decided to go see a doctor, about 2-3 months prior, I’d been dealing with a very horrible life experience. At the age of 23 years old, I had just undergone a horrible, very traumatic experience that involved a wreck in a semi-truck that knocked me out stone cold. I was knocked on the left side of my temple and received cuts on my head. I was having bad anxiety, panic attacks after the wreck, and went to visit a doctor who prescribed this medication, buspirone. I gave it a chance, tried it, and stayed on the prescription a little over a year. It was definitely helping me. I unfortunately couldn’t get the next refill of it. There are days I feel as if I know it would help me greatly now, and I could really use it today, and there are days I know it would help me, 100%."

• And...
• February 3, 2020

For Anxiety "I’ve been on this for two weeks, and it’s gotten worse. What sucks is I could tell it was helping my panic disorder, but my anxiety got way worse. I tried cutting it down to 1 a day, and the side effects got so bad that it made me have a horrible panic attack. I also could barely sleep unless I could take a Xanax. The side effects for this just aren’t worth it."