Buspirone

What is buspirone?

Buspirone is used to treat anxiety disorders or in the short-term treatment of symptoms of anxiety. Buspirone is in a class of medications called anxiolytics. It works by changing the amounts of certain natural substances in the brain.

How should this medicine be used?

Buspirone comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It usually is taken twice daily and must be taken consistently, either always with food or always without food each time. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take buspirone exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Your doctor may start you on a low dose of buspirone and gradually increase your dose, not more often than once every 2 to 3 days. It may take several weeks before you reach a dose that works for you.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking buspirone,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to buspirone, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in buspirone tablets. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
• tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking the following medications or have stopped taking them within the past two weeks: monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), linezolid (Zyvox), methylene blue, phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate.
• some medications should not be taken with buspirone. Other medications may cause dosing changes or extra monitoring when taken with buspirone. Make sure you have discussed any medications you are currently taking or plan to take before starting buspirone with your doctor and pharmacist. Before starting, stopping, or changing any medications while taking buspirone, please get the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.
• the following nonprescription product may interact with buspirone: cimetidine (Tagamet). Be sure to let your doctor and pharmacist know that you are taking this medication before you start taking buspirone. Do not start this medication while taking buspirone without discussing with your healthcare provider.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney or liver disease or a history of alcohol or drug abuse.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking buspirone, call your doctor.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking buspirone.
• you should know that this drug may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
• remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this drug. Do not drink alcohol while taking buspirone.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Buspirone may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• dizziness
• nausea
• diarrhea
• headache
• excitement
• confusion
• fatigue
• nervousness
• difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• feelings of anger or hostility
• lightheadedness
• headache
• weakness
• numbness
• increased sweating

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• rash
• hives
• itching
• swelling of the face, eyes, mouth, throat, tongue, or lips
• fast or irregular heartbeat
• blurred vision
• uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
• agitation, fever, sweating, dizziness, flushing, confusion, fast or irregular heartbeat, shivering, severe muscle stiffness or twitching, seizures, hallucinations, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.

Symptoms of overdose may include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• blurred vision
• upset stomach

🔗 Reference: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a688005.html