Buspirone Hcl Coupons & Prices

Use a free Rx.com buspirone HCl coupon to compare cash prices at more than 60,000 U.S. pharmacies before you fill. Buspirone hydrochloride is the generic form of the anxiety medicine once sold as BuSpar, and what you pay without insurance can differ a lot from one pharmacy to the next, even between stores on the same street. Enter your ZIP code above to see today's price near you and bring the coupon to the counter.

What is buspirone HCl and how does it work?

Buspirone hydrochloride is an azapirone anxiolytic. It acts as a partial agonist at the 5-HT1A serotonin receptor, and it is not a benzodiazepine and not a sedative-type antianxiety drug. It is FDA-approved for the management of anxiety disorders and the short-term relief of anxiety symptoms, with effectiveness shown in controlled trials of outpatients whose anxiety matched what is now called Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It is not approved for, and has not been shown effective in, psychosis.

Buspirone works gradually rather than on demand. Some people notice early improvement within about 1 to 2 weeks, but the full effect generally takes about 3 to 4 weeks, so it is not an as-needed medicine you take when anxiety spikes. Providers also prescribe it off-label for other purposes, such as adding it to an SSRI or SNRI in hard-to-treat depression, but those uses are not FDA-approved and are decisions only your prescriber can make.

Buspirone HCl cost without insurance

Buspirone hydrochloride is available as an FDA-approved generic, and there is no manufacturer savings card for it. The brand BuSpar is no longer marketed in the United States, so the generic is what pharmacies dispense. That does not mean every pharmacy charges the same. Cash prices for the same strength and quantity can vary widely by pharmacy and by ZIP code, which is exactly why comparing before you fill is worth the minute it takes.

Rx.com compares cash prices across more than 60,000 pharmacies. Enter your ZIP code above to see today's price for your strength and quantity, then show the coupon at the pharmacy. The coupon is for cash-paying customers and cannot be combined with insurance, so if you have coverage, it is worth checking your copay too and simply using whichever is lower. Always ask the pharmacist to price the exact quantity your prescriber wrote, since a 90-day fill sometimes costs less per tablet than a 30-day fill.

Buspirone compared with other anxiety medicines

Buspirone is often considered alongside other options because it is not a controlled substance and is not sedating in the way benzodiazepines are. Talk with your prescriber about which fits your situation. Related medicines people compare prices on include:

• BuSpar — the original brand name, no longer marketed in the U.S.; buspirone HCl is the generic that remains available.
• hydroxyzine — an antihistamine used for anxiety, taken differently than buspirone.
• sertraline and escitalopram — SSRIs commonly used for anxiety.
• venlafaxine — an SNRI used for anxiety.
• alprazolam — a benzodiazepine and a controlled substance, unlike buspirone.

One important difference: buspirone does not treat benzodiazepine withdrawal and will not block withdrawal symptoms in someone being switched off a benzodiazepine. Never stop a benzodiazepine on your own; that taper has to be managed by your provider.

Safety information you should know

Buspirone has no boxed warning. It is contraindicated with MAO inhibitors used to treat depression because of the risk of serotonin syndrome and elevated blood pressure: the label directs that at least 14 days elapse between stopping such an MAOI and starting buspirone, and likewise between stopping buspirone and starting the MAOI. Separately, buspirone should not be started in someone being treated with a reversible MAOI such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue, which is handled differently than the 14-day washout. Serotonin syndrome is also possible when buspirone is combined with SSRIs, SNRIs, triptans, tramadol, lithium, or St. John's wort, so give your provider and pharmacist a full list of everything you take, including supplements.

Common effects include dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, headache, nervousness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive until you know how it affects you, and be aware that alcohol and other CNS depressants add to that impairment. CYP3A4 inhibitors such as itraconazole, ketoconazole, ritonavir, and nefazodone (strong), and erythromycin, diltiazem, and verapamil (moderate), along with grapefruit juice, raise buspirone levels and may call for a lower buspirone dose, while strong inducers such as rifampin sharply lower them. Use caution with liver or kidney problems; buspirone is not recommended in severe impairment. This page is information only, not medical advice. Talk with your provider or pharmacist about your own care.