Buspar (Buspirone) Dosages for Adults: Your GoodRx Guide
Key takeaways:
Buspar (buspirone) is a medication used to treat anxiety in adults. It’s available in tablets ranging from 5 mg to 30 mg.
The recommended Buspar dosage starts 7.5 mg twice daily. It can be slowly raised to a maximum daily dose of 60 mg, if needed. Most people take 20 mg to 30 mg of Buspar daily.
Buspar is available as a lower-cost generic. GoodRx can help you save over 77% off the average retail price at certain pharmacies.
Table of contents
Buspar (buspirone) is an oral medication that treats anxiety. Unlike other types of anxiety medications (such as benzodiazepines), it’s not a controlled substance.
Buspar is FDA approved to treat anxiety disorders and for short-term anxiety relief. Brand-name Buspar is no longer made, so you’ll find it as the generic buspirone. It’s available in tablets ranging from 5 mg to 30 mg.
Here, we’ll review common Buspar dosages for adults. It’s sometimes prescribed off-label for anxiety in children, but doesn’t have FDA-approved dosages for this use. Remember that your prescriber may give you different instructions for taking Buspar, so it’s important to defer to their directions.
What’s the typical Buspar dosage for adults?
You’ll likely start taking Buspar at a low dose twice a day. You’ll then slowly raise the dose every 2 to 3 days. This will help your body adjust to the medication and help you find the dose that works best for your symptoms. The most common doses in clinical studies were 20 mg to 30 mg per day.
Buspar is only FDA approved to treat anxiety. The recommended dosing is as follows:
Starting dose: The typical Buspar dosage for anxiety starts at 7.5 mg twice daily (total dose of 15 mg per day).
Raising your dose: If needed, the recommendation is to raise your total daily dose by 5 mg per day every 2 to 3 days, based on your response.
Maximum dose: The maximum recommended Buspar dosage is 60 mg per day.
You can take Buspar with or without food, but it’s important to be consistent. Your response to Buspar may change based on whether you take it with food or not. So it’s recommended to take Buspar the same way (either with food or without food) every time you take it.
Off-label uses of Buspar
As mentioned, Buspar is only FDA approved for anxiety-related conditions. But it’s used off-label for other health conditions, such as:
Depression, when taken along with an antidepressant medication
To reduce the sexual side effects of some SSRIs
Anxiety in children
Gastroparesis (slow stomach emptying)
There aren’t approved Buspar dosages for these indications, since they aren’t approved by the FDA. Your prescriber can help determine if buspirone is a safe treatment option for these conditions and recommend the best dosage for your needs.
What dosage forms of Buspar are available?
Buspar is available as a generic tablet in the following doses:
5 mg
7.5 mg
10 mg
15 mg
30 mg
If they’re scored (grooved), you can also break these tablets into smaller pieces to get more personalized doses. To break the tablet, hold it in both hands between your thumb and index finger. Then, slowly push the tablet near the correct score until it breaks into multiple pieces to get the prescribed dosage. You can also use a pill cutter if needed.
The 5 mg, 7.5 mg, and 10 mg tablets are scored so they can be divided in half. So the 5 mg tablet can also provide two 2.5 mg doses, and the 10 mg tablet can provide two 5 mg doses once they’re divided.
Buspar 15 mg and 30 mg tablets are also scored. They can be broken into 2 or 3 pieces. The following table shows the various doses available based on how the tablets are divided:
Buspar 5 mg tablet | Buspar 7.5 mg tablet | Buspar 10 mg tablet | Buspar 15 mg tablet | Buspar 30 mg tablet | |
Entire tablet | 5 mg | 7.5 mg | 10 mg | 15 mg | 30 mg |
Two-thirds of a tablet | n/a | n/a | n/a | 10 mg | 20 mg |
Half of a tablet | 2.5 mg | 3.75 mg | 5 mg | 7.5 mg | 15 mg |
One-third of a tablet | n/a | n/a | n/a | 5 mg | 10 mg |
Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?
If you have certain medical conditions, or are taking an interacting medication, you may need a different dose of Buspar. Or you may need to avoid taking it altogether.
Be sure your prescriber knows about your other medical conditions and other medications you take, including herbal supplements and over-the-counter medicines.
Dosage for people with kidney problems
Your body gets rid of Buspar partially through your kidneys. If you have kidney problems, Buspar may build up more quickly in your body. This could raise the risk of side effects.
If you have kidney problems, your prescriber may decide to start you at a lower dosage. If you have severe kidney issues, Buspar isn’t usually recommended.
Dosage for people with liver problems
Your body also breaks down and gets rid of Buspar partially through your liver. If you have liver problems, Buspar could build up more quickly in your body.
If you have mild or moderate liver problems, you may need a lower Buspar dosage. But if you have severe liver problems, it’s usually not recommended.
What happens if you miss a dose of Buspar?
If you forget to take a dose of Buspar, you should take it as soon as you remember. But if it’s almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and move forward with your regular dosing schedule. You shouldn’t take two doses at once to make up for the one you missed.
If you miss more than one dose of Buspar, talk to your pharmacist or prescriber. They can help you get back on a normal dosing schedule. You may also want to try a medication reminder app or phone alarm to help you remember doses in the future.
What should you do if you take too much Buspar?
If you take an extra dose of Buspar by mistake, it likely won’t cause any serious problems. But you may have more side effects, including nausea, dizziness, or drowsiness. There’s also a chance you won’t experience any additional side effects at all.
Large doses of Buspar are more likely to cause these side effects, as well as stomach pain and cramping. In most cases, people who took too much Buspar recovered completely without any long-term problems. But in certain cases, it could be harmful.
If you or a loved one takes too much Buspar, it’s best to contact a healthcare professional right away or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. They can advise you on next steps to manage any symptoms you’re experiencing.
How to save on Buspar
There are many ways to save on Buspar, which is available as a generic medication.
Save with GoodRx. GoodRx can help you save over 80% off the average retail price of the generic version. Generic Buspar’s price at select retail pharmacies is as low as $8.74 for a 30-day supply with a free GoodRx discount.
Splitting a higher dosage pill. Splitting a higher dosage Buspar tablet in half or in thirds to get the prescribed dosage might also help you save money. For example, if your prescribed dose is 15 mg twice daily, split a 30 mg tablet in half.
The bottom line
Buspar (buspirone) is a medication prescribed to treat anxiety in adults. The recommended Buspar dosage starts at 7.5 mg twice daily (15 mg per day). If needed, it can be increased to a maximum of 60 mg per day. But most people take 20 mg to 30 mg of Buspar per day.
You may need a lower Buspar dosage if you have kidney or liver problems. Your prescriber will help determine the best Buspar dosage for you based on how you respond to the medication.
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References
Accord Healthcare Inc. (2024). Buspirone Hydrochloride [package insert]. DailyMed.
A-S Medication Solutions. (2023). Buspirone hydrochloride [package insert].
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