4 replies to this topic

[nowayout]

I decided to stop agomelatine (Valdoxan) after almost 3 months because it has been ineffective for anxiety and depression. It did help a little bit with insomnia initially but that benefit, which was modest at best and inconsistent, also went away after about 2 months.

So 3 days ago I started tianeptine (Stablon) at the standard recommended dosage. It is not clear to me from my research what the expected course of effectiveness of this drug should be if it works. The first dose gave me a bit of euphoria similar to that of an opioid, but not the subsequent doses. I have been on for 3 days, which is not a lot a time yet, but still, instead of improvement I can actually feel myself starting on a downward spiral again (the usual feelings of loneliness, loss, hopelessness, and that my life is over, in addition to anxiety).

A couple of regarding interactions: I am still on a small dose of tramadol, which I am tapering down to nothing hopefully soon - in the meantime, would there be any reason to think that tramadol might cancel out benefit from the tianeptine? And the same question for trazodone, which was prescribed for sleep.

Edited by nowayout, 28 September 2013 - 07:48 PM.

[mrd1]

Don't worry about tapering off your prescribed drugs while you still feel basically sounds near suicidal! As long as your not dead, you got plenty of time to taper off. Worrying about the tramadol now is like trying to take off a tight belt before you have stitches because a belt around a gushing wound isn't a long term fix.

As far as a interaction,

Yes one is a SSRI and the other a SSRE however, it probably doesn't work long term via that. But, thats LONG TERM. It is wayyy too early to tell.

[Tom_]

If you have the cash it might be worth using both or as you are in the US (I think) it might be time to hit the MAOIs if Tianeptine fails. Transdermal selegiline at a minimum dose of 6mg will mean you can escape the need for dietary precautions but you will still have to be careful with that drugs you are taking. Tramadol must be completely stopped before you tried selegiline. You might find it pretty activating but that can always be countered.

[nowayout]

I just stopped tianeptine a few days ago (brand name Stablon) after a month as it seemed to be making my depression worse. I was on it for about a month. I had been getting really scary feelings of "bleakness" on it for the last week or so on it. I seem to be a bit better now off it.

[Tom_]

I think that was definitely the right move.