Does buspirone work immediately?

Key takeaways

• Buspirone is a medication used to treat anxiety, but it may take several weeks to reach its full effect, with noticeable changes potentially occurring after 3 to 4 weeks.
• The medication is typically started at a low dose, which is then gradually increased by a doctor every few days until anxiety symptoms are relieved.
• Compared to other anxiety medications like benzodiazepines, buspirone has a lower risk of dependence and misuse, and it carries fewer side effects.

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Overview

Buspirone is a type of medication called an anxiolytic. It’s commonly taken to treat anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It has fewer side effects than other anxiety treatments, such as benzodiazepines, but it might not work as quickly. 

You may find that you have to take buspirone at gradually higher doses for several weeks before seeing relief from anxiety symptoms. This gradual approach helps ensure the safe use of buspirone and reduces the chance of side effects.

If you have begun taking buspirone after taking a different anxiety medication, a doctor might recommend fully tapering off your previous medication before starting buspirone.

How long does buspirone take to work?

It may be a few weeks before buspirone takes its full effect. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), it can be 3 to 4 weeks before you notice a significant change.

However, you may begin to notice a decrease in symptoms such as irritability and worry shortly after you start the medication.

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What factors can affect how long buspirone takes to work? 

How long it takes buspirone to work can vary between individuals. Doctors start buspirone at a low dose and gradually increase it until it works to relieve anxiety symptoms.

The dose should not increase more frequently than every 2 or 3 days.

Doctors usually start with a dose of 15 milligrams (mg) daily, divided into two doses of 7.5 mg each. If you require a dose increase, it’s typically in intervals of 5 mg (2.5 mg twice daily). The maximum dose is 60 mg daily (30 mg twice daily).

In clinical trials, the drug was effective at a dose of 20 to 30 mg per day or 10 to 15 mg in twice-daily doses. It’s important to take buspirone consistently.

Food may affect the bioavailability of buspirone. Bioavailability is how well a drug is absorbed in the body. If you take it without food, you should continue to take it on an empty stomach. Likewise, if you take it with food, you should continue to take your dose with meals. 

What are the benefits of buspirone?

Based on clinical studies, buspirone doesn’t appear to have a potential for dependence, abuse, or tolerance.

For some individuals, this might make it preferred over other medications, such as benzodiazepines, that doctors prescribe for GAD.

Benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium) and clonazepam (Klonopin) can cause immediate relief of anxiety symptoms, but they have the potential for misuse and dependence.

Buspirone is also less likely than benzodiazepines to make you feel sedated and doesn’t have an association with sexual side effects.

This is different from other classes of drugs also used for anxiety disorders, specifically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like escitalopram (Lexapro) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) like duloxetine (Cymbalta). SSRIs and SNRIs have an association with sexual difficulties.

If you’re switching from a benzodiazepine to buspirone, doctors usually recommend gradually reducing the dose, or “tapering off” the benzodiazepine before starting buspirone.

Taking buspirone won’t stop the withdrawal syndrome of benzodiazepines. 

Overall, buspirone has fewer side effects than other medications for the treatment of anxiety. It’s also less likely to cause tolerance or dependence.

Potential side effects

Although buspirone has fewer side effects than other anxiety treatments, you still might experience unwanted symptoms while taking buspirone. 

Often, the process of gradually increasing the dose helps reduce the potential for these side effects. It’s important to discuss side effects with a doctor and use only the dose you’re currently prescribed. 

Side effects associated with buspirone may include:

• headaches or dizziness
• nausea 
• nervousness or excitement
• lightheadedness
• insomnia
• drowsiness or fatigue

Dizziness occurs in about 10% of people. 

Less common side effects occurring in 1 to 10% of people include:

• atypical dreams
• blurry vision
• ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus)
• chest pain
• nasal congestion
• musculoskeletal pain or weakness
• skin rash
• excessive sweating

Summary

Buspirone is a medication used to treat symptoms of anxiety and conditions like GAD. How long it takes buspirone to work can vary between individuals, but it’s unlikely to work immediately.

Doctors start buspirone at a low dose and gradually increase it until it works to relieve anxiety symptoms. It can take 3 to 4 weeks to build up to the right dose of buspirone for you.

Buspirone has fewer side effects than other anxiety medications like benzodiazepines, SSRIs, and SNRIs. It doesn’t have the potential for misuse or dependence.

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