BuSpar

My doctor prescribed this drug to me for anxiety but I forgot to ask him some questions.

Does this work like an SSRI by increasing some chemicals in the brain and you have to take it at the same hour everyday even if you don't plan on leaving the house or is it more like a beta blocker like Propranolol that you take occasionally when you know you will be in a lot of anxiety provoking situations?

I would have thought that the doctor would have explained this when it was prescribed for you... when/how often to take it should be specified on the label or perhaps in a pamphlet or whatever you receive when you fill it- if not, your pharmacist should be able to answer these questions for you as well when you pick up the medication. Talking to either your doctor or pharmacist is a better way to get your answers than asking it on a forum... the answer could possibly be different for each individual, as some medications could be used either way- ongoing or as needed.

It's the kind of medicine that takes weeks/months for you to feel the good effects. That is weird your doctor didn't tell you about it first

Buspar is the kind of drug that's so safe to use that it doesn't do much good at all. I guess everyone is different but the chance for Buspar to work for your anxiety is less than 20%.

Buspar works great for my mom. They put her on it after a very bad stroke she had in '01 & she's been on it ever since. Apparently, it's mainly for anxiety (I just found that out like a month ago) but she was prescribed it for depression & it works GREAT for her. I don't know the technical way it works, but I know that it does work for some people. On the occasions she's been without it, she's been very moody & very hard to deal with, but she's fine while on it.

Noca said:

Buspar is the kind of drug that's so safe to use that it doesn't do much good at all.

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Ain't that the truth. Luckily the generic version is pretty cheap.

I just wish that buying and using new guitar gear was a medically viable treatment for anxiety. Because with all the gear I'd like to get I could probably cure the entire northeastern US. At least.

lurknomore said:

I would have thought that the doctor would have explained this when it was prescribed for you... when/how often to take it should be specified on the label or perhaps in a pamphlet or whatever you receive when you fill it- if not, your pharmacist should be able to answer these questions for you as well when you pick up the medication. Talking to either your doctor or pharmacist is a better way to get your answers than asking it on a forum... the answer could possibly be different for each individual, as some medications could be used either way- ongoing or as needed.

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My doctor doesn't really talk much unless I ask him something and when I'm anxious I tend to forget to ask questions I would have liked to ask. But it's alright, I found the answer to my question.

Noca said:

Buspar is the kind of drug that's so safe to use that it doesn't do much good at all. I guess everyone is different but the chance for Buspar to work for your anxiety is less than 20%.

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You're right, I searched online and found out that it wasn't very effective for SA but can be good for GAD. I also found that it augments the effectiveness of SSRIs so I think my doctor maybe prescribed it to me to help with the Paxil I'm currently taking.

It was likely prescribed as a augment to Paxil. I have taken BuSpar before and it gave me "brain shock" feelings similar to withdrawing from SSRI's.

I believe you are supposed to take it regularly for it to have it maximum effect. It acts as a 5-HT1A agonist primarily. This receptor site is associated with happiness and feelings of well being.

It was originally marketed as a non addictive alternative to benzos. In my experience and through my research I have not found it to be even close to as effective as benzos.

I believe it is certainly worth trying especially as an augment to SSRI. It seems like its best used as an augmentation drug for other more powerful drugs.