Buspirone and Panic Attacks: What Users Say (Page 3)

• LIF...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 26, 2022

For Anxiety "I had horrible, horrible derealization, panic attacks, paranoia, OCD, and PTSD. I would panic all day long, nonstop, and clean everything, never able to relax or sit down. I couldn’t hold conversations. My doctor put me on Buspirone. Started me out on 5 mg, it helped, but after a month I realized it wasn’t helping enough. Upped it to 10 mg twice a day, helped tremendously, and I was able to relax and go out again, but was still having derealization after 6 weeks of upping my medication. I just upped it to 15 mg (10 mg in the morning and 15 mg at night to ease me into it), and let me tell you, I have never thought more clearly in my entire life. My memory has come back completely. I can think before I do something. I can relax. I hang out with anyone. I am fearless. It’s a godsend. If you have derealization, please try this."

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

For Anxiety "I took buspirone for two weeks for GAD. I experienced some constriction of my pupils in my eyes periodically soon after taking it, but it did help me to be calmer overall. After the first week of taking it, I started to have panic attacks, which I hadn’t had in months, and issues with my breathing, which exacerbated the panic. They were getting worse, and I told my doctor, who promptly told me to stop them, which was around two weeks after I started. It is now three days since I stopped, and the panic and breathing issues have gone away, but I am experiencing some depression, irritability, and sensitivity."

• Dav...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 24, 2018

For Anxiety "This medicine may work well for some people, but I wanted to share my experience because it wasn’t pleasant. After 2 weeks of taking buspirone, I thought I was going to die. One morning at work, I noticed heart palpitations, then got extremely dizzy and almost passed out three times before a coworker brought me to urgent care. I stayed very dizzy with severe anxiety/panic attacks that lasted for a week. I had to miss several days of work. This was the first time I had experienced anything like this."

• Anonymous
• February 6, 2012

Buspirone for Anxiety "I have been taking Buspar for almost a year now, 15 mg, 3x daily. I think my anxiety is a bit more severe, but this medicine has worked wonders for the majority of last year for me - I had only a few times where I would have to take 1/2 of a 0.25 mg Xanax for breakthrough panic attacks. Lately, though, I've had a number of additional stressors added to my life and noticed a great deal of additional panic attacks, causing my doctor to request that I add an SSRI to my current Buspar intake. I haven't started the SSRI yet, and surprisingly today, since I kind of made a mental decision that I have absolutely no control over the things in my life that are stressing me out, and had a good cry yesterday, my anxiety level seems back down to normal."

• Abi...
• March 26, 2018

For Anxiety "I am being weaned off of Clonazepam and onto Buspirone. I can't even describe how miserable I am. I'm a month in and suffering panic attacks, having terrible muscle pain and haven't been able to stop the Clonazepam totally. I hate it. I can't sleep at night. My arms and legs are so sore I am in constant pain. I want off of this drug!"

• Kan...
• March 29, 2018

For Anxiety "I've been on Buspar for 5 months. My doc gave me 15 mg. After a week, I couldn't even describe how great it felt not to be so constantly worried about everything. I did end up getting depressed (but that had already started due to other things), and my anxiety seemed to get a bit worse for a couple of months. Doc then put me on 150 mg of Wellbutrin, which takes 4-6 weeks to kick in. During that time (1st 4 weeks), I was VERY depressed & anxiety & panic attacks were very bad (had my worst panic attack ever), but then she upped my Buspar to 25 mg, which helped calm down the anxiety and panic attacks. 4 weeks after starting Wellbutrin, she upped that to 300 mg. In a week, depression disappeared & anxiety calmed down and it's been 4 weeks since. I think it takes the right dose and combo of meds as well as continuing for a bit through the rough patch that sometimes comes with new meds while trying to get the dose right. Don't give up too soon."

• Ugh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 30, 2018

For Anxiety "I went on buspirone Jan 10, it is now the 30th. 20 days of half being good, but the last week I have had the worst panic attacks ever in my life being on this stuff. 7.5 mg x 2 twice a day. Heart palps, panic attacks, coldness, dizziness, tired eyes, back and chest muscles are tight, especially in between doses, yet everyone said wait the 3 weeks, no thank you! Today is the last day. Anxiety hasn't improved, and a massive panic attack almost sent me to the E.R. tonight, they were more constant on this stuff! I have had 4 attacks in my life, this week it's been 4/5 per day, every other day. Idk, tonight I thought I was going to lose my mind after I took them. The ending point was I could feel the meds kick in, but this last attack was so severe, it scared me. I know it was a weird reaction to these meds, 'cause now that it is out of my system, I feel fine. This drug is horrible."

• Sca...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2021

For Panic Disorder "Was successfully taking Xanax for hypertension and panic for 10 years. New doctor said Xanax is no good for panic disorder and refused to refill my prescription. He put me on buspirone. After only a couple of days, I became manic. No sleep. Terror, intense fear, panic. Could not think or eat. Found a new doctor who told me to stop taking it immediately. He put me back on Xanax and my symptoms resolved within a few days. He told me never to take an SSRI or a medication like buspirone as it could cause uncontrolled hypertension and mania in me."

• buc...
• September 13, 2017

For Anxiety "Taking Buspar 4 or 5 days, 4x a day, 30 mgs all told. It didn't work very well, added 0.5 mg Klonopin, told to break pill in half, take 2x a day. Last night took Buspar at bedtime, woke up after 3 hours shaking, panic attack. I took Xanax, hadn't picked up Klonopin yet. I waited 2 hours, took Buspar. Still no help 1 hour later, panic attack off the charts. Why am I taking Buspar? It only lasts maybe 3 hours or so. I'm 72, why can't he just prescribe Xanax, which helps me? I'm confused about what these doctors are thinking. He said he wants to see me in a month."

• It...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 10, 2017

For Anxiety "I've been taking Buspar in differing doses on and off for over a year. I was prescribed it and 0.5 mg Xanax for severe anxiety and panic attacks. Taken together, it was helping, only I couldn't function or take care of my daughter while taking both. Since moving to another state, I stopped taking the Xanax and then got pregnant, so I can't take it anyway. My anxiety and panic issues got better after moving to the new state. But getting pregnant again, my anxiety came back. I was started on a slightly lower dose than I was taking before, and it was too much for me, so my OB and I decided on a lower dose, but I upped it due to it not being helpful. I will be upping it again, and hopefully, it helps... It's a good medication if the right dose."

• Thi...
• June 18, 2010

For Anxiety "I have been taking buspirone 15 mg for a couple of months now. My doctor prescribed the medication to help minimize my anxiety. I must say that the medicine has been somewhat of a lifesaver. Before buspirone, I was anxious, and I also suffered from occasional panic attacks. Like someone else mentioned, I can't imagine what my life would be like if I had to discontinue taking the medication."

• Air...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 1, 2022

Buspirone for Anxiety "So far, so good. I've been on this drug for almost a month now, and I say it took a week and a half to kick in. I hit max dosage by the end of week 2, and I must say it's great. I take one when I wake up and another one 8 hours later. I wish they had an XR version of this baby, then I would give it a 10/10. FAIR WARNING: When I took this before, it gave me HORRIBLE NIGHTMARES and panic attacks in my sleep. My wife told me I was shaking in the middle of the night, and I told her I remembered everything, except I was too sleepy to do anything about it. Summary: Great drug! Take it upon wakeup, and don't take it right before bedtime, and you'll be good to go."

• Bor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 12, 2017

For Anxiety "I began taking buspirone 10 mg 3 times per day and had it increased to 20 mg 3 times per day. Buspirone only made my anxiety worse and gave me panic attacks daily. I am also taking fluoxetine and ziprasidone. Once I stopped taking buspirone, the panic attacks stopped. This medicine didn't work 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!!!"

• Cle...
• October 19, 2010

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "I take Xanax 1mg 4 times a day, but I didn't want to up the dose and was prescribed BuSpar; it saved my sanity. No more panic attacks and it made me focus and be able to function normally again."

• alw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 16, 2014

For Anxiety "I had two panic attacks while on this medication. I had not had panic attacks in years. I stopped taking it, and that uncontrollable anxiety got better, more like it originally was, I should say."

• 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."

• Jki...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 21, 2018

For Anxiety "So far, it hasn't done anything other than decrease my anxiety by about 10%. I'm still having almost constant anxiety mixed with common occurrences of panic attacks."