I don't see it prescribed as much as it used to be. This is from my go-to site for drug printouts to give my patients......Drugs.com
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What is BuSpar?
BuSpar is an anti-anxiety medicine that affects chemicals in your brain that may become unbalanced and cause anxiety.
BuSpar is used to treat symptoms of anxiety, such as fear, tension, irritability, dizziness, pounding heartbeat, and other physical symptoms.
BuSpar may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking BuSpar?
Do not this medication if you are allergic to BuSpar, or if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take BuSpar before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.
Before taking BuSpar, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
kidney disease; or
liver disease.
If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use BuSpar, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether BuSpar passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Do not give this medication to a child younger than 18 years old.
How should I take BuSpar?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
BuSpar is usually taken for only a short time. Do not take this medication for longer than 4 weeks without your doctors advice.
You may take BuSpar with or without food but take it the same way each time.
Some tablet forms of buspirone (Buspar Dividose) may need to be broken before you take the medicine. These tablets have special scored marks on them to make breaking the tablet easy. Do not use the tablet if it has not broken correctly and the piece is too big or too small. Follow your doctors instructions about how much of the tablet to take.
If you have been switched to BuSpar from another anxiety medication, you may need to slowly decrease your dose of the other medication rather than stopping suddenly. Some anxiety medications can cause withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking them suddenly after long-term use.
Store BuSpar at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
Symptoms of a BuSpar overdose may include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, and stomach pain.
What should I avoid while taking BuSpar?
BuSpar can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase some of the side effects caused by BuSpar.
Avoid using other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold medicine, pain medication, muscle relaxers, and other medicines to treat anxiety or depression). They may add to the side effects of BuSpar.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with BuSpar and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.
What are the possible side effects of BuSpar?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
feeling light-headed, fainting;
fast or uneven heart rate;
depressed mood, unusual thoughts or behavior; or
lack of balance or coordination.
Less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as:
drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision;
feeling restless;
nausea, upset stomach;
sleep problems (insomnia); or
trouble concentrating.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
What other drugs will affect BuSpar?
Before taking BuSpar, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), haloperidol (Haldol), mesoridazine (Serentil), pimozide (Orap), or thioridazine (Mellaril);
dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol);
erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Erythrocin);
itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral);
ritonavir (Norvir);
rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater);
antibiotics such as capreomycin (Capastat), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater), vancomycin (Vancocin, Vancoled);
a calcium channel blocker such as diltiazem (Tiazac, Cartia, Cardizem) or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan); or
seizure medication such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton).
If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use BuSpar, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.
There may be other drugs not listed that can affect BuSpar. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
