Do not this medication if you are allergic to buspirone, or if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as:

• Isocarboxazid (Marplan®)
• Phenelzine (Nardil®)
• Rasagiline (Azilect®)
• Selegiline (Eldepryl®, Emsam®)
• Tranylcypromine (Parnate®)

within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take buspirone before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

Buspirone can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase some of the side effects caused by buspirone.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with buspirone and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.

Buspirone is usually taken for only a short time. Do not take this medication for longer than 4 weeks without your doctor's advice.

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

You may take buspirone with or without food but take it the same way each time.

Some tablet forms of buspirone (Buspar Dividose) may need to be broken before you take the medicine. These tablets have special scored marks on them to make breaking the tablet easy. Do not use the tablet if it has not broken correctly and the piece is too big or too small. Follow your doctor's instructions about how much of the tablet to take.

If you have been switched to buspirone from another anxiety medication, you may need to slowly decrease your dose of the other medication rather than stopping suddenly. Some anxiety medications can cause withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking them suddenly after long-term use. Store buspirone at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Before taking buspirone, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• Kidney Disease
• Liver Disease

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use buspirone, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether buspirone passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Do not give this medication to a child younger than 18 years old.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Seek emergency medical treatment. Symptoms of a buspirone overdose may include :

• Vomiting
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Stomach Pain
• Blurred Vision

Buspirone can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase some of the side effects caused by buspirone. Avoid using other medicines that make you sleepy such as:

• cold medicine
• pain medication
• muscle relaxers
• other medicines to treat anxiety or depression

They may add to the side effects of buspirone.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with buspirone and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.

Side Effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction:

• difficulty breathing
• closing of your throat
• swelling of your lips, tongue, or face
• hives

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• Feeling Light Headed
• Fainting
• Fast or Uneven Heart Rate
• Depressed Mood
• Unusual Thoughts or Behavior
• Lack of Balance or Coordination

Less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Blurred Vision
• Feeling Restless
• Nausea
• Upset Stomach
• Insomnia
• Trouble Concentrating

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Before taking buspirone, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• chlorpromazine (Thorazine®)
• haloperidol (Haldol®)
• mesoridazine (Serentil®)
• pimozide (Orap®)
• thioridazine (Mellaril®)
• dexamethasone (Decadronv®, Hexadrol®)
• erythromycin (E-Mycin®, E.E.S.®, Ery-Tab®, Erythrocin®)
• itraconazole (Sporanox®)
• ketoconazole (Nizoral®)
• ritonavir (Norvir®)
• capreomycin (Capastat®)
• rifampin (Rifadin®, Rimactane®, Rifater®)
• vancomycin (Vancocin®, Vancoled®)
• diltiazem (Tiazac®, Cartia®, Cardizem®)
• verapamil (Calan®, Covera®, Isoptin®, Verelan®)
• carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Tegretol®)
• phenytoin (Dilantin®)
• phenobarbital (Luminal®, Solfoton®)

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use buspirone, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect buspirone. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.