my friend got tis script from her doctor and said they were like a zanax ,,but stronger,,is that true,,because shes takeing them very often ,,and im worried,,ive never herd of them till yesterday,,, im worried about that , she got them ,,she said they gave them to her because they were stronger than a zanax,,,
BuSpar - someone told me that this is same as a Xanax, but stronger than one is that true?
Question posted by selena2007 on 14 March 2011
Last updated on 4 April 2022
12 Answers
HelenaGreco73
1 April 2022
I think your friend was duped. Sorry to say, but this happened to me when they wanted me to cut down on my Ativan and he added BusPar. They don't work the same. Xanax works on the gaba receptors at the benzodiazepine sites to flood the brain with Gaba, which is the way you achieve calm and quiet sedation. BusPar acts on Serotonin and Dopamine and then they say other than that they don't know how it works.
The feeling is not the same. Xanax happens immediately within a half hour to hour to feel it's affects. The BuSPar sometimes need a week or two to get into your system to start working. It's not helpful for short term anxiety. Xanax makes you feel so calm, like the racingthoughts and the shakes and pounding heart go away and you might not know why you were so upset or nervous in the first place.
BusPar to me felt like nothing. I didn't get any relief. I came back to the doctor and told him i dumped out the BuSpar and want my Ativan back. i DONT' recall feeling BuSpar as strong as Benzo. I think they like to convince you that because of the abusers and now everyone is labelled as suspect
WildcatVet
1 April 2022
I've taken buspirone for over four years with complete efficacy and no side effects. Just for the record, I wouldn't touch a benzodiazepine with a ten foot pole.
WildcatVet
13 Aug 2019
Buspirone specifically treats anxiety and is not a sedative or a controlled substance. It also is not addictive like Xanax or any of the other benzodiazepines.
It is usually taken only twice daily and should not exceed a maximum of 60mg/day.
Best regards and I think you're being a good friend.
WildcatVet
1 April 2022
In other words, buspirone treats anxiety disorders whereas the benzodiazepines like Xanax simply cover up the symptoms.
It's a no-brainer not to take an addictive medication when you can get the help you need from another medication that's safe and effective.
HelenaGreco73
3 April 2022
WildcatVet: How does BusPar "treat" anxiety more so than Benzo's? They offer relief, but don't Stop the actual anxiety completely. As I was on both, I'd take my chances that they'd work, but that's just me.
The rest of us are too scared to do anything because they have been given the "speech" about how horrible benzos are. If they areso horrible, then why do certain individuals need them to live a satisfactory life? Think about it like this: A dog is running so fast that no yelling is going to stop him and you see him running toward the road. Are you going to keep doing what you're doing with the possibility he might get hit by the car, or better yet, do you yell out his name, slap your hands and yell STOP! Most times with anxiety, the benzo's do treat the anxiety by calming the racing thoughts and quiets you down so you can think straight.
Isn't that better than taking something that might or might not work, out of fear of addiction? I'd stick to what works to live my productive and stress free lifestyle.
WildcatVet
4 April 2022
Buspirone acts on the neurotransmitters and receptor sites in the brain that are chemically imbalanced which is what causes the anxiety disorder and it's symptoms.
It prevents the advent of the mental and physical symptoms and therefore there's no need to use an addictive medication with long term side effects to cover up the racing heart, sweating, shortness of breath, etc.
Prevention is the key.
40-something
13 Aug 2019
No this is not true. It does not work the way Xanax does, it is not a use-as-needed type of drug. It takes a couple weeks to start working. It's good for anxiety but doesn't have the sedative effects of Xanax or benzos.
phillips4600
20 Aug 2018
Buspar is prophylactic in that it should be taken every day, and may take a few weeks to reduce individuals anxiety levels. Xanax is used more as a short-term treatment. Often, those with fear of, or recurring panic attacks carry a .5 milligram Xanax tablet with them at all times. Psychologically, the Xanax, just being carried in one's wallet or purse, can provide a sense of safety, well being, and security against the ongoing fear of a panic attack. I know of many patients that just the presence of the available curative is enough to prevent the recurrence of an attack for long periods of time. If one has clinical anxiety, or a generalized anxiety disorder, then the Buspar might be very helpful long term. Kent Phillips MSAC.
Cj2watson
3 Oct 2017
Is it true that buspirone is stronger
aqua-blue
29 Nov 2016
I have been on buspirone for 3 months.One I have found that my system needed to get accustom to it. Two I have felt the need for it in the afternoon. Which now makes since i take 3 times a day because it's effective range is 3-4 hours. I hope in the future my life will come to a point I will not need these meds.
LaDonna Baum
29 Aug 2016
Yes I think it is
Callianne
14 March 2011
I used to use buspar. Took it for nearly a year, and for me it was like taking a sugar pill. It did nothing for me, and certainly never touched my anxiety. Yet I know people who swear by its' effectiveness. Goes to show how different, chemically-speaking, we really are. It's all about trial and error, in order to find the best fit. And no, buspar is definitely not addicting. Still, all meds should be used as directed.
caringsonbj
14 March 2011
it is a drug known as buspirone Xanax is a benzodiazepine and the literature says that even though that Buspar is strong but it is not thought to have the addiction power of Xanax, so these two drugs are not chemically related, myself I am allergic to Buspar,
SuperMommy3
8 Aug 2016
How did you know you were allergic to Buspar? I have only been taking it for about a week and have developed a boil under my arm(never had one before this), and also I been breaking into cold sweats. Could this mean i am allergic? I know I have to tell my Dr but it's the weekend and I am scared to keep taking them if this could ban allergic reaction.
Inactive
14 March 2011
The two medications act very different, but both are very effective in treating anxiety. For me, I started taking Xanax when it first came out in the 90's. It worked very well, so I asked my doctor if I could take it here, or there for this situation, and he would say yes. After about 18 months of steadily increasing the dose he said to me that he was sorry, that he had learned the Xanax was addictive, and I needed to come off it. It took 6 months of going in every week to have my dose changed - sometimes as little as adding one hour between doses, but finally I was off the Xanax. I then was prescribed Buspar - which worked wonderfully! I can't sing it's praises enough - it is a really good medication. It works very differently from Xanax, so I would think it's doubtful that she is taking too much - there is no "relaxation response" in connection with taking a dose. Your friend may be taking it every day though - I believe it works best that way.
LaurieShay
14 March 2011
Hey Selena,
As long as your friend is taking the med as prescribed and not as needed than she should be alright. It also must be taken always the same way, either always with food or always without food and at the same time each day.
If your friend is taking the Buspar when ever she feels the need, then she is taking it the wrong way. This could be very dangerous. It is not a medication like Xanax that can be taken as needed.
She should be taking a maximum dose of no more than 60 mgs and that is a high dose for her to be started at. Initail dose is generally 15mgs. If she is abusing this drug, it could cause serious problems to her central nervous system.
I can only stress that you encourage her to take the medication as prescribed and no more. It may take a few weeks for the medication to reach its full potential.
Best wishes and keep us posted,
Laurie
jk13
14 March 2011
I would like to add to this. Buspar isn't a scheduled drug, and only needs a regular prescription in order to obtain this medication, much like an antidepressant. This is due to the fact that it has been found to not be a drug of addiction or abuse. This is of course is not always the case, for example Tramadol / Ultram is widely abused, and yet it is currently non-scheduled in most states. Nonetheless, the abuse potential really is nothing like a scheduled drug. Xanax is a schedule 4 drug out of a range of 1 - 5 (5 being the least dangerous). So in this sense, Xanax is a much more potent medication as far as potential abuse goes. Buspar is a medication that is often given to people with anxiety issues with previous addiction problems due to it's lack of abuse potential. I guess that all I'm saying is that the likely hood that your friend is abusing this med is very very low. Some meds you simply have to take more often than others, as is also true with some antidepressants.
LaurieShay
14 March 2011
Caution should be used when giving this med to an addictive personality. Although the FDA says the potential is low, it can still be abused, unfortunatley. Just want to clarify a bit.
Roflo
6 July 2017
I've been taking busipirone 5mg in the morning 5mg at 4:00 and 10 mg. At bedtime for about 3 weeks. My doctors stopped giving me xanax .25 mg and replace it with changing the buspirone to 15mg in the morning 15mg at 4:00 and 30mg at bedtime. I think that the raise in the dosage is too much can anyone give me some feedback on this.
Roflo
6 July 2017
I've been taking busipirone 5mg in the morning 5mg at 4:00 and 10 mg. At bedtime for about 3 weeks. My doctors stopped giving me xanax .25 mg and replace it with changing the buspirone to 15mg in the morning 15mg at 4:00 and 30mg at bedtime. I think that the raise in the dosage is too much can anyone give me some feedback on this.
LaurieShay
12 July 2017
According to Drugs.com, "The recommended initial dose is 15 mg daily (7.5 mg b.i.d.). To achieve an optimal therapeutic response, at intervals of 2 to 3 days the dosage may be increased 5 mg per day, as needed. The maximum daily dosage should not exceed 60 mg per day. In clinical trials allowing dose titration, divided doses of 20 mg to 30 mg per day were commonly employed.
If you are prescribed 15 in the morning, 15 mid day and 30 at bedtime then obviously you are at the maximum daily dose. Is the medication helping and how long have you been taking it?
jk13
14 March 2011
Xanax and Buspirone are two totally different types of drugs that happen to both treat a common problem, anxiety. Xanax (and all benzos) will cause physical dependence, where as Buspirone does not. It also has a very short half life, around 2-3 hours vs. some of the benzos that last much longer, thus the need to take them consistently. I don't know what their strength is in comparison to Xanax, but nonetheless, I have a feeling that it would be a bit like comparing two totally different things. You have to also remember that it also depends on how you would classify strength. Honestly, my impression is that Buspirone isn't nearly as effective as the Benzo class of drugs, but it could be said that generally Buspirone is a much stronger long term drug due to the lack of tolerance building. This is a drug that I wouldn't worry about, and generally is considered to be much safer than many of the alternatives.
Measure Up
17 Oct 2019
Thanks for this info jk13! I was just prescribed this med today for anxiety. I have been taking Cymbalta for pain and asked if I should go off it but she said no. which concerned me a little to take two mind altering drugs. I am totally new at this and at age 74, hate to be on anything like this but my anxiety is out of hand. Your friend.
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buspar, xanax, depression, panic disorder
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