BuSpar and Brain Zaps: What Users Say

• Mmb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 3, 2020

For Anxiety "Do not take this drug. Had a horrible experience. Nightmares, intrusive thoughts, mood swings, apathy, angry, made me the opposite of who I am. Withdrawals are even worse so much buzzing and brain zaps. I would have rather had the anxiety/panic attacks! Still dealing with all the bizarre effects. This is coming from someone who never was on any medication. Have to take other meds just to sleep and make it through my day now. Hoping to be back to normal soon. Thank goodness for the ER staff who helped me!"

• abc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 26, 2025

For Anxiety "40-year-old male. Anxiety my whole life. Toughed it out up until about 5 months ago. My anxiety builds up and comes out strong in panic attacks at the least favored times. Went to the hospital a few times from waking up with what I thought was a heart attack. Rapid heart rate, chest pains, numb limbs, dizzy, short of breath. Really intense. Doctors described them as nocturnal panic attacks. Started BuSpar 5 mgs morning and 5 at night. It has helped me tremendously. Almost completely eliminating my anxiety. I haven't had a panic attack since. Only side effects for me, the first couple of weeks I felt a brain zap. Almost like a 9-volt battery zapping the brain. Didn't hurt, but enough to scare you a bit. This happened a few times within a couple weeks. Then it went away. Also found if I take it right before I go to bed, I get very real and vivid dreams. It's allowed me to feel normal again. I wish I would have tried this years ago."

• aci...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 18, 2020

For Anxiety "BuSpar DOES help with anxiety, but if you have another comorbid illness like depression, it might feel like it is not helping in that area. I was on this medication for a few months and my anxiety felt really better, but my depression was still bothering me a lot, so I was switched to Zoloft. BuSpar helped me with the palpitations and chest pain related to anxiety. I felt like I could think better and even breathe better. It was a great medication. The only downside to it is that you can get headaches or brain zaps if you forget a dose, so put an alarm on your phone!"

• Gri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 15, 2015

For Anxiety "I've been on this medicine for about 7 months. I started at 5 mg and I felt great! But around the 4 months, I got worse and ended up increasing my dose to 30 mg, and now I feel even better than before! The only side effect I experienced was a slight brain zaps, but they go away after a week or two. This medicine has helped me so much. I recommend this medicine!"

• Sha...
• April 18, 2015

For Anxiety "First off. Side effects... Brain zaps. Pounding heart, foggy feeling. First 3 weeks I felt the need for a lot less Ativan. The worry stopped, and blood pressure came down. I'm on 5mg per day. Around week 5, I started to notice my blood pressure going back up. Acid reflux and a little nausea. Pounding heart back. I don't want to give up on BuSpar because I was so happy to lose the everyday worry. On week 7 now. Still at 5mg. Thinking about doing 5mg twice a day. There is no magic pill, but this was close."

• Rob...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 9, 2022

For Anxiety "Unfortunately, nothing works for my anxiety except benzodiazepines, but those are controlled and have a bad rep for being abused and sold on the streets. So now I’m on Vraylar, Pristiq, Wellbutrin, Trileptal, BuSpar, and gabapentin instead of just benzos. I’m on expensive maintenance drugs, which have caused me to gain weight, get acne, develop tremors, brain zaps, headaches, and nausea. Thanks, doc, for drugging me up really good."

• Wor...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 3, 2016

For Anxiety "My doctor prescribed due to its low dosage. And that I didn't want to take meds. I became so helpless after years of trying to cope with anxiety on my own, I finally reached a point where medicine was my only hope. It kicked in quickly, my obsessive thoughts stopped, then the dosage would wear off, so I started taking a higher dosage. Then it made me become upset, super emo crying, not myself, and finally realized it was BuSpar. Cut back dosage again. It made me tired all the time, couldn't concentrate, weird dreams, and loss of interest in things. Was not a good fit, I finally had to ask the doctor for something else after a year. It didn't work altogether except for stopping obsessive thoughts. It also gave me brain zaps, memory loss, and space cadet syndrome."

• All...
• June 16, 2013

For Anxiety "I have recurring bouts with severe anxiety. Six weeks ago, I was put on 30 mg of BuSpar to be taken in the morning and at night. I got 'brain zaps' (similar to Paxil withdrawal) and nausea lasting about an hour after I took the medication. True to most other medicines for anxiety, I felt as though, overall, my level of anxiety increased over the first 2 weeks, although I would have periods where I was not anxious. After 2 weeks, the doctor raised my dose to 60 mg. I found it best to take 4 times a day because I definitely feel it wear off. While this has taken my overall anxiety from a 9 to a 7, it is still not enough."

• Anx...
• September 27, 2016

For Panic Disorder "My mild anxiety had been building for years when I decided to seek help for it. At that time, I had only experienced one panic attack after a health scare (heart palpitations from over-exercising). It wasn't until I sought help to control my stress that I was prescribed Prozac. I started having panic attacks and was taken off. I started taking BuSpar. The first few weeks were really rough (brain zaps). It kept me from having panic attacks, but I still experienced moderate anxiety every day. After eight weeks, I started to experience depression for no reason and intrusive thoughts. Nothing like I ever experienced before. So I went back down, depressive thoughts came back. I tapered off. Lightheadedness, ear ringing, and brain fog persisted the entire three months I was on it."

• 202...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 1, 2021

For Anxiety "I was prescribed BuSpar for 7 months, and it was the worst 7 months of my life. I had constant brain zaps, memory loss, excessive sweating, and depersonalization. I didn't feel real when taking this. It was amazing how clear my head felt once I was off this medicine. I feel normal again. Please be careful with this drug."

• Ser...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 5, 2016

For Anxiety "I've had severe anxiety and depression for many years and have tried many meds. For me, BuSpar wasn't very effective, even at the maximum dose of 60 mg/day. It also caused me very restless legs at night, which was extremely troublesome. I couldn't lie still for even ten seconds. I also got brain zaps. My doctor thinks I should remain on BuSpar, so these days I take only 10 mg/day as a backup to my other meds. I don't have the side effects at the lower dose."

• Exp...
• January 6, 2017

For Anxiety "I started taking BuSpar about 2 months ago. I started having 'brain zaps,' and I thought it was temporary. It was not. I started getting water retention, and I wanted to eat more than usual. I also was extremely irritable constantly. I was told to take 5 mg twice daily. I started with half a pill, then after a week, the whole pill 2x daily. I since then decreased my dose to half. Now I'm off completely. All of the side effects have stopped almost immediately. No brain zaps, irritability decreased slowly, and water retention stopped. This pill didn't do anything except all of the bad. On the positive side - getting off of it does not give you severe withdrawal."

• Aug...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 16, 2022

For Anxiety "Thirty minutes after taking a dose, BuSpar gave me brain zaps and tingling in my fingers. It was the same feeling one might have after going off the SNRI Effexor. BuSpar also upset my stomach. It made me feel dizzy, yet drowsy without the ability to sleep. Dosed at 5 mg twice a day. For me, there were no benefits to this medication whatsoever."

• Bre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 18, 2015

For Anxiety "Have been on a few SSRIs (Paxil, Lexapro, and Zoloft). Zoloft pulled me out of a dark hole of severe anxiety and insomnia and kept my head above water for about a year, but I never felt great on it, just able to cope with life plus I still needed Ativan for sleep, which I didn't like, but it helped. Decided to try BuSpar. Was fairly easy to get on, minimal side effects, a lot of brain zaps, though. Mood improved after about 2 weeks for about a week, then it just stopped working and anxiety came back hard. Also, I had bad insomnia the whole time on it, even before, but this didn't help in any way. Had pretty disturbing nightmares when I did sleep. Insomnia and decline in mood forced me to get off. Took it for a month. Was at 30 mg 3 x day."

• GAD...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 3, 2022

For Anxiety "I started taking this medication after taking Mirtazapine (increased weight gain but worked well for sleep), Wellbutrin (increased my anxiety immensely), and Xanax. I don’t think anything works quite as well as Xanax for panic attacks (and I still have to take it when I feel them coming on), but BuSpar really helped control my GAD. I went from having intrusive thoughts looping inside my head, increased heart rate, changes in body temperature, and feeling constantly on the edge to being able to get through the day without the sense of impending doom. I still have anxiety, but it doesn’t feel like the end of the world anymore, and I have been able to get my life back. Some side effects: dizziness after first taking it and brain zaps for the first few weeks, but very little compared to others. I started with 5 mg and now take 15 mg broken apart through the day. With meditation, exercise, talk therapy, healthier foods, and this medication, I finally have my life back."

• Kel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 30, 2021

For Panic Disorder "Wouldn't recommend this to my worst enemy. Just wanted to share that I had the worst panic attacks of my life on this medicine. I would shake uncontrollably at random times, get extremely dizzy, and feel brain zaps throughout the day. I was on 5 mg, and this medicine had this much effect on me. Made me extremely depressed, and my doctor didn't even know it was the medicine that was causing these side effects. Please be careful when taking this medicine, it can be very dangerous."

• Rel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 17, 2022

For Anxiety "I tried this med at dosages ranging from 10 mg to 45 mg a day for about six months. I did not notice any real change in my anxiety levels, and the side effects were disturbing. I got brain zaps, plus it aggravated my restless leg syndrome and seemed to prevent me from ever falling asleep all the way. My psych spoke highly of this med, so I know it works for a lot of people. Just not for me. I ended up switching to Xanax and gabapentin, which are better."

• Mic...
• February 13, 2015

For Panic Disorder "My panic disorder started very gradually. At first, it was a slight panic that lasted for a min or two when I was driving, then it slowly intruded into my life. At some worst points, I was unable to sleep for a week. I might be able to doze off for an hour or two, and then I'd wake up with a racing heart. BuSpar helped at first, I was only on 5 mg for five months, never went up in dose. After about 5 months, stressful events like job interviews pretty much made this med ineffective for me. I really liked this med as it had no side effects for me. No dizziness or nausea or 'brain zaps.' My doctor put me on Paxil instead. Just started it, but it seems to be working. My pulse is still about 20 beats above my normal rate, but it doesn't bother me."

• Coc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 6, 2018

For Anxiety "I have narrow-angle glaucoma, and there are only two anti-depressive/anti-anxiety drugs that will not raise my eye pressure: Wellbutrin and BuSpar. Wellbutrin tore up my stomach and upped my anxiety, so after three months of that, I switched to BuSpar. I must be very sensitive to drugs because even 5 mg was too much and caused 'brain zaps.' I cut it in half, and 2.5 mg seems just right so far, and it's only week two. I feel calmer, and I intend to give this drug a chance to really work. Side effects are minimal, and I take my second dose mid-afternoon due to sleep issues if I take it in the evening. It doesn't do much for my depression, but my depression is secondary to my anxiety. Like I said, I'm giving it a chance."

• blu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 25, 2020

For Anxiety "On the first two days of BuSpar, I had constipation, then nightmares all night long. Like the worst nightmare of your life every night. Brain zaps. Waking up, laying there. Apathy. Borderline nausea all day. Headaches. Then started to feel like someone was tapping on my brain. Had enough when I started crying uncontrollably."

• Nik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 25, 2021

For Panic Disorder "I have panic disorder and anxiety issues. I currently take BuSpar, and for some reason, every now and then, I get brain zaps or an electrical shock feeling from my head to the tips of my fingers. It's a very strange sensation. It wears off after about an hour or so. I've been on it for almost 3 weeks, and I take 15 mg 3x a day, like every 4 hours. When I first started taking it, it was just numbness and tingling in my hands. I thought it would eventually stop, but no, it's almost every other time I take it. It is comparable to brain zap withdrawals from Effexor or Paxil (antidepressants). I still have anxiety and am on the edge of panic, so I don't think it is actually helping me at all. And I also get numbness in my inner calf muscles, which is weird. I can't feel my skin when I touch my legs or shave."

• Ell...
• August 17, 2011

For Panic Disorder "I used to take Paxil, and I hated the side effects and the withdrawal effects, like brain zaps. Because of this, I don't want to try another SSRI. So my doctor had me try BuSpar. I was hopeful at first. I knew it affected serotonin, but without the withdrawal effects. Well, the first 5 mg dose I took brought on a gigantic round of brain zaps for 1.5 hours, the same kind that I'd had in Paxil withdrawal, but much worse. It was so bad that I could barely walk. Every time I moved my head or neck, I'd get a bunch of zaps in a row. Very disorienting. I gave it a week and a half to see if the zaps would dissipate, and they didn't. My doctor said to stop the BuSpar because if the zaps haven't stopped by now, they probably won't."

• Cro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 1, 2021

For Panic Disorder "Ok, so BuSpar was a no-go for me. It gave me brain zaps and feels like an electrical surge and did nothing for panic attacks. Clonazepam does a better job. I did not like this, and within 3 weeks, asked my doctor to switch to something else."

• Nad...
• September 2, 2016

For Anxiety "I was prescribed BuSpar for anxiety. If I knew that BuSpar had the side effects that I got, I would never drink it. I drank it for 4 days only, and it almost got me killed. I started having panic attacks, I could hardly breathe, I had electric shocks, brain zaps, horrible medicine. I quit right away. Little did I know that quitting even after 4 days would cause side effects. I could not sleep for 2 weeks afterwards, I thought I was dying. Horrible medicine. I will never drink any antidepressants or anti-anxiety medicine that is not natural!!!"

• Nad...
• September 2, 2016

For Anxiety "I was prescribed BuSpar for anxiety. If I knew that BuSpar had the side effects that I got, I would never drink it. I drank it for 4 days only, and it almost got me killed. I started having panic attacks, I could hardly breathe, I had electric shocks, brain zaps, horrible medicine. I quit right away. Little did I know that quitting even after 4 days would cause side effects. I could not sleep for 2 weeks afterwards, I thought I was dying. Horrible medicine. I will never drink any antidepressants or anti-anxiety medicine that is not natural!!!"