What Pharmacists Say About How Long Buspirone Takes to Work (Plus 4 More Tips for Taking It)

Anxiety disorders are common: Every year in the U.S., close to 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 3 teenagers are affected by an anxiety disorder. 

Buspirone is a medication used to treat anxiety disorders. Unlike benzodiazepines, which are usually taken as needed for a short amount of time, buspirone is taken regularly to help reduce and prevent anxiety symptoms before they start.

If you’ve been prescribed buspirone, your pharmacist may have counseled you on the basics. But if you still have questions or need a refresher, you’re in the right place.

What is buspirone?

Buspirone is a prescription-only medication used to treat anxiety disorders, like generalized anxiety disorder. It’s sometimes referred to by its brand name, Buspar, which is no longer available. You can find it as a tablet ranging in doses from 5 mg to 30 mg.

Buspirone belongs to a class of medications called anxiolytics. It’s thought to work by regulating certain chemicals in your brain that are involved in mood and anxiety.

5 pharmacist-backed tips for taking buspirone

Below, we answer common questions and provide tips for taking buspirone. Keep in mind that these are general recommendations. So it’s important to follow the directions given to you by your healthcare provider. 

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1. How long does it take buspirone to work?

Buspirone isn’t a quick-acting medication. It can take 2 to 4 weeks before you start noticing a benefit. In other words, you should continue taking the medication as prescribed, even if you don’t feel better right away.

2. Should you take buspirone with food?

It’s OK to take buspirone with or without food, but the most important thing is to be consistent. That’s because having food in your stomach can change how you absorb buspirone. And this can affect how well it works.

If you choose to take it with food, make sure to take it with food every time you take it. This may be a good option if it’s making you feel nauseated. If you prefer to take buspirone on an empty stomach, that’s OK, too. But be sure to take it on an empty stomach each time you take it.

3. Does buspirone interact with any medications or substances?

Most of the time, it’s OK to take buspirone with other medications. But in certain situations, serious interactions can happen. While it’s not a complete list, we’ll look at some of the most common or important ones to know.

Keep in mind: Both your pharmacist and your healthcare provider should have your current medication list. This includes over-the-counter (OTC) products and supplements. This helps them check for interactions ahead of time to ensure buspirone is safe for you to take.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are a class of medications that treat depression and Parkinson’s disease. A few examples include selegiline (Emsam, Zelapar) and rasagiline (Azilect). Linezolid (Zyvox) is an antibiotic with MAOI properties.

Buspirone shouldn’t be taken within 2 weeks of taking an MAOI. That’s because it can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome. While rare, this is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by too much serotonin in the brain. 

Serotonin syndrome is usually mild and can lead to sweating, fast heart rate, and tremor. But in severe cases, it can be life-threatening.

Medications that affect serotonin levels

Combining buspirone with other medications that raise serotonin levels can also increase the risk of serotonin syndrome. This includes medications that are sometimes prescribed with buspirone, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Triptans used for migraines, like sumatriptan (Imitrex) and rizatriptan (Maxalt), can also increase this risk of serotonin syndrome. The herbal supplement St. John’s wort is another common offender.

Other medications

In addition to those listed above, there are some other medications known to interact with buspirone. These include:

• Certain calcium channel blockers like diltiazem (Cardizem) and verapamil

• Erythromycin (Ery-Tab)

• Itraconazole (Sporanox, Tolsura) and ketoconazole

• Rifampin

You may also need to avoid drinking larger amounts of grapefruit juice while taking buspirone. This combination can increase buspirone levels, resulting in side effects like dizziness or drowsiness.

4. What happens if you miss your buspirone dose?

If you miss a dose of buspirone, take it as soon as possible. If it’s close to the next dose, skip the one you missed and take your regularly scheduled dose. You shouldn’t double up on your dose or take more than what you’ve been prescribed.

5. How should you manage side effects from buspirone?

Most people are able to take buspirone with minimal side effects. But side effects are possible.

The most common buspirone side effects are dizziness and drowsiness. So, it’s important to see how buspirone affects you before performing tasks that require you to be alert. Nausea and headache are also potential side effects. 

Let your healthcare provider know if any buspirone side effects don’t go away, or if they get worse. Don’t stop taking buspirone unless they tell you it’s OK to do so.

How to save on buspirone

Buspirone is available as a lower-cost generic medication. And GoodRx can help you save over 20% off the average retail price. You could pay as little as $8.74 at certain pharmacies with a free GoodRx discount.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Alex Evans, PharmD, MBA

Alex Evans, PharmD, MBA, has been a pharmacist for 12 years. His first job was floating in a community chain pharmacy.

Edited by:

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD, is the director of pharmacy content for GoodRx. She has over a decade of experience as a pharmacist and has worked in clinical, academic, and administrative roles.

Reviewed by:

Amy B. Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS

Amy Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. Amy currently holds her pharmacist license in Georgia and California.

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