Buspirone is a generic prescription drug used to treat anxiety in adults. You may wonder how the drug will make you feel, whether from it working effectively for your condition or from side effects it may cause.
Buspirone is an oral tablet that’s used to treat anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder. Specifically, it helps provide short-term relief of anxiety symptoms.
When buspirone is working effectively to treat anxiety, this may help you:
- feel more relaxed and calm
- worry less
- think more clearly
If you have other questions about how buspirone can make you feel when it’s working effectively, talk with your doctor.
Like any drug, buspirone may cause side effects in some people. Certain side effects may affect how you feel physically, while others may affect your emotions.
For example, some side effects of the drug include:
- excitement
- fatigue
- nervousness
- feeling dizzy or lightheaded
- sweating
- nausea
- depression
- confusion
- weakness
- anger
In some people, side effects from buspirone are more common in the first week of treatment. The drug works by affecting chemicals in your brain called dopamine and serotonin. When levels of these chemicals change quickly, this can cause side effects. But after taking the drug for a while (such as for a few weeks), your body should get used to the drug. This may cause some of your side effects to go away or be reduced.
If you’re experiencing side effects from buspirone that are bothersome or haven’t eased over time, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. And to learn more about the drug’s possible side effects, see this article.
Some people taking buspirone may notice a change in their libido (sex drive). In studies of the drug, both decreased and increased libido were reported. But these side effects were not common in the studies.
It’s important to note that having anxiety that’s untreated or not well managed may have lowered your libido in the past. This is also true for other mental health conditions, such as depression.
So if your condition is being well managed with buspirone, you may notice an increase in your libido. But others taking buspirone may notice a decline in their libido.
In addition to changes in libido, delayed ejaculation and impotence were rare side effects reported in studies of buspirone. If you’re concerned about sexual side effects from buspirone, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
If buspirone is working effectively for you, the drug may help you feel less anxious and more relaxed. In other cases, certain side effects may affect how you feel, either physically or emotionally.
If you have questions about the side effects of buspirone or what to expect from your treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.