Buspar and Anxiety

[Green Tea]

I searched and read about this medication mentioned in some older threads, and would like to see if anyone is now on the medicine or has past experience with it.

I have been on SSRIs, various ones, which have worked very well for anxiety. I stopped them several months ago but sense the anxiety returning. I am glad I gave myself a chance to see if I still needed something. Unfortunately, it seems as if I do.

My doctor mentioned Buspar could be used situationally, and not as an every day treatment. I can not find any reference in medical literature to Buspar acting in that way, though I am open to the power of suggestion. I have Xanax which does work situationally and I do not have side effects from it, but I am afraid of it. I feel like the anxiety is too much an everyday thing now without the daily medicines to use the Xanax.

I have the Buspar filled and the doctor told me to take it twice a day if I felt like I needed to go back on something full time. I had the first pill this morning and no obvious side effects, but not feeling any better either. It kind of makes me nervous knowing that now that I took a Buspar that I can not take a Xanax is I need it......

Not sure if it because I'm anxious to begin with, or just that I have no personal knowledge of this drug.....Do I keep this one up for the time being to see if it works, or go back to the SSRI class that I know works.

Would so appreciate any personal information anyone has.

 

[136368]

From my archives (note that Buspar is the brand name for Buspirone)...

Buspirone is an anxiolytic drug unrelated to conventional tranquillisers such as benzodiazepines. In terms of efficacy it is roughly equal to the benzodiazepine medication diazepam in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorders but is less effective than benzodiazepines in general. It is also very useful in the treatment of anxious depressive illnesses when mixed with SSRI antidepressants in particular. Unusually for an anxiolytic, buspirone is not sedating and does not interact with alcohol; it is also thought not to be addicting. Unfortunately the drug takes several weeks to take effect so patients are often treated with faster acting tranquillisers initially. Buspirone should not strictly be mixed with RIMA or MAOI antidepressants.

Officially it is intended for the treatment of General Anxiety Disorder but can also be applied to PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, sexual dysfunction associated with antidepressant therapy, Autism, migraines, Heroin withdrawal and aggression associated with brain damage.

 

[JessicaR]

I searched and read about this medication mentioned in some older threads, and would like to see if anyone is now on the medicine or has past experience with it.

I have been on SSRIs, various ones, which have worked very well for anxiety. I stopped them several months ago but sense the anxiety returning. I am glad I gave myself a chance to see if I still needed something. Unfortunately, it seems as if I do.

My doctor mentioned Buspar could be used situationally, and not as an every day treatment. I can not find any reference in medical literature to Buspar acting in that way, though I am open to the power of suggestion. I have Xanax which does work situationally and I do not have side effects from it, but I am afraid of it. I feel like the anxiety is too much an everyday thing now without the daily medicines to use the Xanax.

I have the Buspar filled and the doctor told me to take it twice a day if I felt like I needed to go back on something full time. I had the first pill this morning and no obvious side effects, but not feeling any better either. It kind of makes me nervous knowing that now that I took a Buspar that I can not take a Xanax is I need it......

Not sure if it because I'm anxious to begin with, or just that I have no personal knowledge of this drug.....Do I keep this one up for the time being to see if it works, or go back to the SSRI class that I know works.

Would so appreciate any personal information anyone has.

I think if you found success with something you previously took maybe you should revisit that solution. You could give it some time and try to come off again. Xanax and others like it really aren't a long term daily solution for many. Have you tried Ativan?

Buspirone in general takes at least one to two weeks to have an initial effect and generally can take up to four to six weeks to actually have its full clinical effect. So it's not really the best medication to use if one is trying to manage anxiety symptoms rapidly or urgently.

Maybe take the xanax while the buspar is building efficacy?

Good luck hope you find something that works for you.