Buspirone oral tablet dosage: A detailed guide

Buspirone oral tablet is a generic medication. It doesn’t come in a brand-name version. Buspirone comes only in a tablet form that you swallow.

This article describes buspirone oral tablet’s dosages, its strengths, and details on how to take it. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for buspirone.

If you want to know more about buspirone oral tablet, see this overview article. It covers details about the drug’s uses, side effects, ways to save on cost, and more.

Form and strengths of buspirone

Buspirone oral tablet comes as follows in strengths measured in milligrams (mg):

• Form: tablet that you swallow
• Strengths: 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, and 30 mg

Dosage of buspirone

This article describes the recommended dosages* for buspirone oral tablet.

If your doctor prescribes this medication, you should take the dosage they prescribe. Your doctor will determine the dosage that best meets your needs. Do not change your dosage of buspirone oral tablet without your doctor’s recommendation.

* The drugmaker provides these recommended dosages.

Usual recommended dosages of buspirone in adults

Usually, doctors start by prescribing a low dosage of buspirone oral tablet to treat anxiety disorders. These may include generalized anxiety disorder. Doctors might also prescribe it to help relieve anxiety symptoms in the short term.

Your doctor may adjust your dosage over time until the right dosage is reached. For example, they may adjust your starting dosage by 5 milligrams (mg) every 2 to 3 days. Ultimately, your doctor will prescribe the smallest dosage daily that gives the desired outcome.

The information below describes dosages that are commonly prescribed.

Dosage for anxiety

Dosage adjustments for buspirone

Your doctor will prescribe a dosage of buspirone oral tablet based on several factors, including:

• the specific condition being treated and how severe it is
• your other medications
• your other health conditions

The liver clears certain drugs the same as it does buspirone. If you take any of these, your doctor may decrease your dosage of buspirone or your other medications. These drugs include:

• erythromycin, an antibiotic
• diltiazem (Cardizem), which treats certain heart-related disorders
• verapamil (Verelan), which treats certain heart-related disorders

If you have liver or kidney problems, your doctor may recommend a low dosage of buspirone. Or they may suggest a different drug for you.

Missed dose of buspirone

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist right away if you realize you forgot to take a dose of buspirone oral tablet. They may advise you to take the missed dose. Or they may advise you to skip it and take your next dose as scheduled.

For tips on how to plan your doses of buspirone oral tablet and avoid missing a dose, read this article. You could also try:

• downloading a reminder app on your phone
• setting an alarm
• putting a note where you’ll see it, such as on your calendar, bathroom mirror, or bedside table

Frequently asked questions

Below are answers to some commonly asked questions about buspirone oral tablet and its dosage.

Is it best to take my dose of buspirone at bedtime?

It’s likely that you’ll take buspirone twice per day, which might include bedtime. Your doctor may advise that you take it around the same times each day. This helps keep a consistent amount of the drug in your body.

Taking one of your doses at bedtime can be helpful since the drug may make you feel sleepy.

To learn more about the side effects of buspirone, see this overview article. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re concerned about when to take your buspirone doses.

Can buspirone be taken for sleep? If so, what’s the dosage?

Buspirone is not approved to treat sleep problems. This medication is approved to treat only anxiety disorders in adults. For this reason, the drugmaker doesn’t have a recommended dosage for sleep problems.

But buspirone might be used off-label to treat other conditions such as sleep problems. With off-label use, doctors prescribe a drug for a purpose other than what it’s approved to treat.  

Talk with your doctor if you’d like to learn more about buspirone and sleep problems.

Is buspirone taken long term?

It’s possible that your doctor will prescribe buspirone oral tablet as a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that it’s safe and effective for your condition, you may take it long term.

If so, your doctor will occasionally assess how useful it is for you the longer you take it.

How buspirone is taken

Buspirone oral tablet is swallowed. You’ll likely take it twice per day.

Your doctor may advise that you take this medication around the same times each day. This helps keep a consistent amount of the drug in your body. And that can help the drug work more effectively.

Buspirone can be taken with or without food. Be consistent by always taking it with food or always without food. During buspirone treatment, avoid drinking large amounts of grapefruit juice. This juice can affect how buspirone works in your body.

When you start buspirone, your doctor will likely recommend that you avoid hazardous activities. These include driving a car or operating machinery. This will allow you to see how buspirone affects you.

If it’s hard for you to swallow tablets, view this article. It provides suggestions on how to swallow medications that come in pill form. Do not chew buspirone oral tablets. If needed, you can cut or break them accurately using the groove (score line) on them. You can also crush the tablets and mix them with food or liquid.

Be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re having difficulty taking your medication. They can offer recommendations about taking it.

Buspirone coupon

Visit this page to access Optum Perks coupons and get price estimates for buspirone when you use the coupons. These coupons can provide significant savings on your prescription costs. 

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.

Overdose of buspirone

It’s important that you do not take more buspirone oral tablet than your doctor prescribes. Doing so can lead to serious side effects.

Symptoms of buspirone overdose

Symptoms of an overdose can include:

• nausea and vomiting
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• stomach pain
• abnormally small pupils

What to do if you take too much buspirone

If you think you’ve taken too much buspirone, call your doctor or pharmacist right away. Or you could call 800-222-1222 to speak with someone at America’s Poison Centers. You can also use its online resource. If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number immediately. You can also go to the closest emergency room.

What to ask your doctor

This article describes the usual recommended dosages for buspirone oral tablet. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they’ll determine the dosage that’s best for you.

Do not change your dosage of buspirone oral tablet without your doctor’s recommendation. You should take buspirone oral tablet exactly as your doctor prescribes it. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about your treatment plan.

Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:

• Is a risk of dependence possible when taking higher dosages of buspirone?
• If my condition isn’t improving when taking buspirone’s maximum dosage, what are my treatment options?
• If I always take buspirone with food but it’s not available at my next dose, will this cause a problem?

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.