Buspar experience?

[JustaGal]

Hello,

What is your Buspar experience? I was given a script yesterday after I said I did not want to continue Atavan.

[JohnC]

I just started it myself about 2 1/2 weeks ago 5mg three times a day. The verdict is still out though. Sorry it's not much help but it has not givin me any bad side affects that i have noticed.

[JustaGal]

I just started it myself about 2 1/2 weeks ago 5mg three times a day. The verdict is still out though. Sorry it's not much help but it has not givin me any bad side affects that i have noticed.

Thanks John. That is helpful to know you dont have side effects.

[JohnC]

No Problem

[crmac50]

I don't know if you're still taking Buspar, OP, but I was on this medication for a little while and it did help a little. I started at 10mg and everything was fine. When I moved up to 20mg, I started getting brutal "brain zaps" as a side effect. Very frequent and powerful electric shock-like sensations in my face, head, and neck. I tried to power through it for about a week or so knowing that side effects often subside after a couple weeks, but I just couldn't take it. However, many people that take Buspar have absolutely zero side effects. In fact, I've ready many accounts of this drug being very mild in terms of both side effects and effectiveness. As with any drug, your experience may be different from mine. Hope that helps.

[JohnC]

Hi crmac50, I recently went off of Buspar because i was having and still am having some random pains in my neck/ throat area and it was fueling my health anxiety. I had recently went from 5mg three times a day to 10mg 3 times a day. I am not sure if it was the med or something else but I think it MIGHT be starting to go away but with health anxiety you just never know. Just wondering, did you go off the meds?

[JustaGal]

I don't know if you're still taking Buspar, OP, but I was on this medication for a little while and it did help a little. I started at 10mg and everything was fine. When I moved up to 20mg, I started getting brutal "brain zaps" as a side effect. Very frequent and powerful electric shock-like sensations in my face, head, and neck. I tried to power through it for about a week or so knowing that side effects often subside after a couple weeks, but I just couldn't take it. However, many people that take Buspar have absolutely zero side effects. In fact, I've ready many accounts of this drug being very mild in terms of both side effects and effectiveness. As with any drug, your experience may be different from mine. Hope that helps.

Thanks. I still take it, 20 a day. I think it helps. Not as effective as ativan ofcourse. My only side effect is increased appetite, but I am determined not to allow that to be a excuse to eat more. : )

[crmac50]

Hi crmac50, I recently went off of Buspar because i was having and still am having some random pains in my neck/ throat area and it was fueling my health anxiety. I had recently went from 5mg three times a day to 10mg 3 times a day. I am not sure if it was the med or something else but I think it MIGHT be starting to go away but with health anxiety you just never know. Just wondering, did you go off the meds?

Yes, I had to stop Buspar because of the brain zaps. It was too much too handle. I wasn't on it for very long, about a month and a half. I didn't have any unusual side effects from coming off of it. I did not experience any random pains in my neck/throat area while on Buspar or coming off of it. As I'm sure you know, Anxiety is a wonky disease and can manifest in lots of different ways. I have definitely gotten random aches and pains in my body from my anxiety. The most common one I get is muscle stiffness and soreness in the back of my neck, as well as tension headaches in my forehead. I didn't get any of these in reaction to Buspar, however.

[superchick22684]

So glad to find out that someone already has a feed on Buspar. Just went in for a med check today and my doctor decided to add Buspar to my meds. I'm already on Cymbalta for anxiety and depression but I'm still having mild anxiety attacks and experiencing increased anxiety in social situations/crowded places. I'm supposed to take it three times a day not sure how many mgs but I'm guessing I'll probably start on 5. Any tips/experiences that you guys have had will help me out greatly.

[superchick22684]

Instead of starting another thread figured that I would post in this since its an existing Buspar thread. I need a little reassurance that the side effects that I'm experiencing aren't something to be worried about. I had a second med check with my doctor last Thursday to see how I was doing on Cymbalta (been taking 60 mg since late September). I was jittery at the appointment and have continued to have some panic attacks even though I was taking something so he decided to have me start taking 10 mg of Buspar three times a day (every eight hours).
I started taking it last Friday. The second day on it I had a panic attack (oh joy!) but overall I have felt calmer and less anxious. Yesterday I started having stiffness in my shoulders and an upset stomach. Today I woke up again with stiffness in my shoulders and a few other joints and by late morning I was nauseous. This afternoon I started having pain in my lower back.
Part of me is worried that I'm developing serotonin syndrome because I found out that there's a low risk of it when you take Cymbalta and Buspar together. Does anyone have any advice/tips on how to deal with the side effects? Part of me thinks that I'm psyching myself out because I read the list of side effects and have a problem staying away from Dr. Google.

[JustaGal]

Instead of starting another thread figured that I would post in this since its an existing Buspar thread. I need a little reassurance that the side effects that I'm experiencing aren't something to be worried about. I had a second med check with my doctor last Thursday to see how I was doing on Cymbalta (been taking 60 mg since late September). I was jittery at the appointment and have continued to have some panic attacks even though I was taking something so he decided to have me start taking 10 mg of Buspar three times a day (every eight hours).
I started taking it last Friday. The second day on it I had a panic attack (oh joy!) but overall I have felt calmer and less anxious. Yesterday I started having stiffness in my shoulders and an upset stomach. Today I woke up again with stiffness in my shoulders and a few other joints and by late morning I was nauseous. This afternoon I started having pain in my lower back.
Part of me is worried that I'm developing serotonin syndrome because I found out that there's a low risk of it when you take Cymbalta and Buspar together. Does anyone have any advice/tips on how to deal with the side effects? Part of me thinks that I'm psyching myself out because I read the list of side effects and have a problem staying away from Dr. Google.

Hi

I take Buspar with Lexapro and no problems. I agree that you may be psyching yourself out. : ) The stiffness and nausea could be from anxiety tension.

Feel better!

[Jaime Bufkin]

I have been on buspar for almost 2 weeks now. It seems to make me feel very spacey and like my head is heavy. Has anyone else had this issue? My Dr. said to just give it a chance to get to the right level in my system... but I hate this disconnected feeling. I am only taking 5mg 2 times per day.

[Mike Castillo]

. Does anyone have any advice/tips on how to deal with the side effects? Part of me thinks that I'm psyching myself out because I read the list of side effects and have a problem staying away from Dr. Google.

I was actually going to tell you that it could very well be you hyping yourself up I did that to myself MANY times. I decided to NEVER again read the side effects and just let my body and God tell me when a med was not the right one for me. It worked very well. Do not read Google and side effects. Switch pyschs until you find one you like, I did. I found one that started giving me Gabapentin while I was on Ativan and Cymbalta. It helped me come off the Ativan completely. Panic attacks and anxiety are very different. Panic attacks fuel on fear. The second you feel one coming, welcome it and ride it like a wave. As crazy as that sounds, it weakens the power if the attack. while you take your meds and or find a cocktail of meds that work with your brain and body chemistry, start researching and practicing MBCT.

[Mike Castillo]

Hi

I take Buspar with Lexapro and no problems. I agree that you may be psyching yourself out. : ) The stiffness and nausea could be from anxiety tension.

Feel better!

agreed!!!!!

[Mike Castillo]

I actually tried Buspar and it wasnt for me, but that doesnt mean that it wont work for you, with pysch meds, you cant always go off of others peoples experience.

[superchick22684]

Its been nine days since I started Buspar and I had another question. Back when I was first diagnosed with panic disorder I developed mild-moderate agoraphobia as well. I haven't really had a lot of problems with it in years but I think it might be coming back. I'm on Cymbalta in addition to the Buspar (been taking the Cymbalta a few months now) and before I started the Buspar it was making the my depression worse. I also noticed myself avoiding social situations and being around people.

So far on the Buspar I've noticed an improvement in my mood and when I think I'm going to get depressed there's a roadblock that stops it. However, I'm still noticing that I want to avoid social situations and crowded places. Is this something that I should talk to my doctor about or should I just hope that it will go away as my body acclimates to the Buspar?

[superchick22684]

Its been nine days since I started Buspar and I had another question. Back when I was first diagnosed with panic disorder I developed mild-moderate agoraphobia as well. I haven't really had a lot of problems with it in years but I think it might be coming back. I'm on Cymbalta in addition to the Buspar (been taking the Cymbalta a few months now) and before I started the Buspar it was making the my depression worse. I also noticed myself avoiding social situations and being around people.

So far on the Buspar I've noticed an improvement in my mood and when I think I'm going to get depressed there's a roadblock that stops it. However, I'm still noticing that I want to avoid social situations and crowded places. Is this something that I should talk to my doctor about or should I just hope that it will go away as my body acclimates to the Buspar?

[JustaGal]

Its been nine days since I started Buspar and I had another question. Back when I was first diagnosed with panic disorder I developed mild-moderate agoraphobia as well. I haven't really had a lot of problems with it in years but I think it might be coming back. I'm on Cymbalta in addition to the Buspar (been taking the Cymbalta a few months now) and before I started the Buspar it was making the my depression worse. I also noticed myself avoiding social situations and being around people.

So far on the Buspar I've noticed an improvement in my mood and when I think I'm going to get depressed there's a roadblock that stops it. However, I'm still noticing that I want to avoid social situations and crowded places. Is this something that I should talk to my doctor about or should I just hope that it will go away as my body acclimates to the Buspar?

Im glad to hear it is helping you. In my humble opinion, the avoidance of crowded places and social situations is something that will take practice and the meds will help to a degree. In reading many of your post I would say you would feel better getting out of your head and over analyzing your self. I am the same way, so you are thinking "duh" how do I do that? Well, for me switching my concentration from being on my self to something else breaks the pattern if only just for a while to give me a break. Catching myself in the matrix and talking to someone or enjoying someones company really lifts my mood. What ever you enjoy that gets you out of your head space is good. I have been so depressed that nothing brought me joy at times. So you have to blend in my advice where it applies to where you are mentally at at any given time. : )

[Mike Castillo]

JustaGal well said. very refreshing to hear advice from someone that has actually gone through it. :D

[JustaGal]

JustaGal well said. very refreshing to hear advice from someone that has actually gone through it. :D

Thanks Mike! It is brutal...I recently had a few therapy sessions, and she told me to do things I enjoy. Really??? I was disheartened. It made no sense at the time.

[superchick22684]

I was wondering if any of the female posters on this forum who take Buspar have had irregular/missed periods? Also has anyone noticed that they have more nightmares or vivid dreams while on Buspar?

[Mike Castillo]

Also has anyone noticed that they have more nightmares or vivid dreams while on Buspar?

that is almost for sure the meds. That is a very common reported side effect with most psych meds. it happened to me many times. Nothing to freak out about.