experiences with buspar...

[Guest guest]

hi everybody :>> sorry im here so infrequently but i have computer issues that

make it hard to access the group. :< i still read all the messages though.

thanks very much for the advice about anxiety meds. i had been offered choices

of meds for some pretty severe (unusually so) situational anxiety: lorazepam,

hydroxizine, or buspar. through regular exercise and having a super amazing

boyfriend, my sex drive has been recovering pretty well after quite a few years

on paxil and other meds and i didn't want to take any chances.

after talking to you guys i chose the hydroxizine as it seemed to have the least

potential for side effects. it got me thru the worst of the situation and was

also very helpful with sleep. however after several months i felt like my sex

drive/response was dulling down. even though im not sure its related, i decided

for that and other reasons to stop the hydroxizine.

i finally decided to take the chance and try buspar because SO many independent

reviews mentioned it increasing the sex drive... and its potential for harm

seemed relatively low.

i have been on a really low dose (5 mg twice a day) for about a week. its been

dificult to judge the effect. at some times i feel my sex drive is increased.

(that being how much i think about or feel like having sex) sometimes i also

feel my sexual response is increased. (how strong is my response when i am

having sex) other times, its harder to tell and i am just really concerned that

somehow i will have some paradoxical reaction and that i shouldnt be taking

anything. the reason for the anxiety is less now.. so im considering just going

back to taking nothing.

ultimately i would far rather be taking nothing however the temptation that my

sex drive might be improved from this, as well as help with anxiety, is

tempting.

i remember a thread awhile ago where someone was wondering why more people had

not tried buspar. (probably because we are terrified of drugs at this point) so,

i am trying it now and being very cautious. it would be so great if it helped,

but knowing this kind of stuff, im just not sure what to think. right now i am

hovering on the edge of just stopping it as any sexual benefits have not been

clear cut enough to judge.. but, its only been a week at a low dose.. and

honestly, i actually -have- felt some (not extremely clear cut) benefit in terms

of intensity of feeling. i guess what im debating now is should i wait to see if

this benefit is real or improves, or should i get out while i am ahead. //

i dont know why my sex drive was affected the past few months. it was doing

really well before that for several years. mabye it was the hydroxizine, maybe

hormonal, or maybe it was the fact that i was feeling unusually anxious and

distracted due to other issues... before that it had been improving steadily

with nothing but exercise, vitamins and a really great boyfriend. / i wondering

if now the situation is improved, i should just ditch all meds and try to get

back on track that way.

i would love to hear your thoughts/feelings/experiences on any of this.... i am

so ready to stop it if the slightest thing goes wrong.... i think about stopping

it every day. alternatively it would so great if it actually helped something.

i just cant really tell yet what is actually happening. any thoughts would be

really extremely awesome. hope everyone is well.