Provided by You Health for patients

Generic for BuSpar® (Buspirone)

In this medication overview

Buspirone is a prescription medicine used to treat certain anxiety disorders or for the short term relief of anxiety symptoms and can be used off-label to augment treatment for unipolar depression.

Usage

1. To get started, review the directions on your prescription label and follow your provider's dosing instructions If you are not already taking buspirone, your provider will likely want you to begin by taking a starting dose twice per day for the first 7 days. This may require you to break your pill in half using your hands or an inexpensive pill cutter that can be found at most pharmacies. If your pill splits a bit unevenly, that's okay. Be sure to follow the instructions your provider sent to help your body safely adjust to buspirone.

2. Missed a dose? If you miss a dose of buspirone, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is closer to the time of your next dose. Discuss this with your healthcare provider. Do not double your next dose or take more than what is prescribed.

3. Take as prescribed Do not abruptly stop taking buspirone or change your dose without talking with your healthcare provider first, even when you feel better. Studies have shown that a taper can reduce possible side-effects caused by stopping the medication abruptly. Your healthcare provider can provide individualized guidance on tapering your medication. Here are some general guidelines. If you are taking 40 mg of buspirone (two 10 mg tablets twice a day), take one in the morning (10 mg) and two at night (20 mg) for a week, then one tablet (10 mg) twice a day for a week, then one tablet at night for a week, then you may stop your medication. If you are taking 30 mg of buspirone (one 15 mg tablet twice a day), take a ½ tablet in the morning (7.5 mg) and one at night (15 mg) for a week, then a ½ tablet twice a day for a week, then a ½ tablet tablet at night for a week, then you may stop your medication. If you are taking 20 mg of buspirone (one 10 mg tablet twice a day), take one tablet (10 mg) twice a day for a week, then a ½ tablet (5 mg) twice a day for a week, then a ½ tablet once a day at night for a week, then you may stop your medication. If you are taking 15 mg of buspirone (one 7.5 mg tablet twice a day), a ½ tablet (3.75 mg) twice a day for a week, then a ½ tablet once a day at night for a week, then you may stop your medication. If you are taking 10 mg of buspirone (one 5 mg tablet twice a day), take one tablet (5 mg) once a day at night for a week, then you may stop your medication. Your healthcare provider can also provide individualized guidance for tapering your medication

4. Monitor for improvements You may experience some improvement within the first 1-2 weeks of treatment, but may need up to 6-8 weeks to experience the full benefits.

Warnings

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call or text 988 to be connected with help, or go to your nearest hospital emergency department. Be sure to let your care team know what happened.

Patients, their families, and caregivers should be alert to the emergence of anxiety, restlessness, irritability, aggressiveness and insomnia. If these symptoms emerge, they should be reported to the patient’s prescriber or healthcare provider. All patients being treated with mental health medication for any indication should watch for and notify their healthcare provider for worsening symptoms, suicidality and unusual changes in behavior, especially during the first few months of treatment.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Do not take buspirone if you:

• Are allergic to buspirone, or any of the ingredients in buspirone

• Have severe liver or kidney problems

• Have benzodiazepine dependence

• Take any medication for Parkinson’s Disease or depression called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), or if you have stopped taking an MAOI in the last 14 days as they may cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure. MAOIs include, but are not limited to: isocarboxazid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine

• Take other medication that may cause an increase in serotonin levels such as linezolid, methylene blue, tryptophan

• Take St John’s Wort or 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)

Before you take buspirone, tell your healthcare provider if you:

• Have thoughts of suicide or harming yourself

• Have a history of psychiatric or medical problems, including bipolar disorder

• Have taken any medication in the past for your condition, whether effective or not

• Have suffered adverse or side effects from previous medication therapies

• Drink alcohol or use/abuse recreational or prescription drugs

• Are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding

Inform your healthcare provider

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbal supplements, and recreational drugs.

Until you experience how this medication affects you, do not drive a car, operate potentially dangerous machinery, or perform other dangerous activities.

• You should take buspirone consistently, either always with or always without food.

• During your treatment with buspirone, avoid drinking large amounts of grapefruit juice.

• Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages while taking this medication.

Buspirone may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect the way buspirone works, causing side effects. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following:

• Any other serotonergic medications: including trazodone, migraine medications (triptans), pain medications (tramadol), antibiotic linezolid, amphetamines

• Psychotropic agents, including haloperidol (Haldol®)

• Certain antihypertensives: diltiazem (Cardizem®, Cartia®, Tiazac®) or verapamil (Calan®, Isoptin SR®, Verelan®)

• Erythromycin

• Certain antifungals including itraconazole or ketoconazole

• Nefazodone

• Rifampin

• CYP3A4 inducers: dexamethasone or certain anticonvulsants (phenytoin, phenobarbital, carbamazepine)

• CYP3A4 inhibitors: ritonavir

Other Interactions

• Grapefruit juice - Drinking large amounts of grapefruit juice may cause an increase in the concentration of buspirone in your plasma.

Medication disposal

If you no longer need your medication, the best way to dispose of most types of old, unused, unwanted, or expired medicines (both prescription and over the counter) is to drop off the medicine at a drug take back site, location, or program immediately. You can use the DEA DIVERSION CONTROL DIVISION LOOKUP to find your nearest drug disposal site.

If no drug take back sites, locations, or programs are available in your area, and there are no specific disposal instructions (such as flushing) in the medication guide or package insert, you can visit FDA- Disposal of Unused Medicines for more information or follow these simple steps to dispose of most medicines in your trash at home:

1. Mix medicines (liquid or pills; do not crush tablets or capsules) with an unappealing substance such as dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds;

2. Place the mixture in a container such as a sealed plastic bag;

3. Throw away the container in your trash at home; and

4. Delete all personal information on the prescription label of empty medicine bottles or medicine packaging, then trash or recycle the empty bottle or packaging.

Side Effects:

Buspirone can cause serious side effects and should be reported to your provider immediately. These side effects are rare and include:

• Chest pain

• Restlessness or an inability to remain still

• Involuntary or uncontrolled movements of the body

• Hostility or depression

• Rash, hives, swelling, or trouble breathing

• Serotonin syndrome (symptoms may include agitation, hallucinations, coma, or other changes in mental status; coordination problems or muscle twitching (overactive reflexes); racing heartbeat, high or low blood pressure; sweating or fever; nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea; muscle tightness)

During treatment with this medication, common side effects of this medication may go away as your body adjusts to the medication. The most common side effects of buspirone are:

• Dizziness

• Lightheadedness

• Drowsiness

• Diarrhea

• Nausea

• Headache

• Insomnia

• Nervousness

• Excitement

• Mild congestion

Where to find more side effects information

For more information, read the drug information that comes with your medication, ask your healthcare provider, or ask your pharmacist.

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