My Tianeptine experience

Hello all,

After taking Tianeptine for almost 3 months, I think I can give a fair
account of the pro's and con's of Tianeptine (Stablon).

I started off with the standard dose of 3 tablets of 12.5 mgs
Tianeptine daily. In the first 3 weeks, only good effects, like mood
brightening and better sleep (with more vivid dreams). Bad effect:
slight constipation and weight gain. Then, at about week 5 or 6, I
could feel an intense increase in overal sensitivity. I felt more
chirpy but on the other hand, cried at the drop of a hat.

The weight gain, constipation and sensitivity became progressively
worse as time wore on. The sensitivity increased to a level where I
almost became paranoid at very tiny upsets - and even had a very
dramatic episode at my work. By this time I constantly needed
tranquillizers to dampen the sensitivity. In the end the extreme
hypersensitivity (jitters, anxiety) is what makes this drug impossible
for me to take (at full dose).

So now I've gone down to 1 tablet per day and still have to take a high

dose of laxatives (4 tablets per day) to get any motion in my bowles.
I'm still on the sedatives too.

Conclusion: I'm dissapointed at the overal effect. Tianeptine is NOT an

anxiolitic! The constipation, weight gain and hypersensitivity are not
mentioned in the prescription leaflet.

The only explanation I could find for the hypersensitivity is that
Tianeptine seems to have an agonistic effect on the dopamine system by
one of it's metabolites. This theory sounds plausible to me - in fact,
the effect reminded me very much of Wellbutrin (Zyban, Bupropion),
which I tried last year.

The most positive effect of this drug: hardly any sexual side effects
(okay, it takes a little longer, but the orgasmic quality is good).

I hope my experience is individualistic and should not be read as a
general conclusion for other people who want to try it. But if this
happens to you, you know you are not alone...

Maria