I acquired tianeptine while outside of north america and began taking a daily regimen of it. The first pill I took produced immediate, full-fledged anti-depressant effects in a way which seemed impossible to that point. This included the oft-referenced stimulating sensation of the drug, which seemed quite key to its symptom-relief.
I took it for 4 months, with narry a side-effect and that stimulating sensation maintained the way through. Tianeptine seemed to push my brain into an absolutely perfect state of balance. I felt a return to a state of mind I had not experienced in eons and was suddenly adverse to muddling it with any other recreational drugs. Alcohol depressed the effects; adding nicotine to the stimulus became overbearing to the point of nausea; caffeine seemed to have no effect whatsoever.
But then I ran out. Back in north america, where it is not available at market. I was forced into withdrawal as I waited for a supply solution. The withdrawal was punctuated by constant headaches which felt best described as my brain shriveling down to a dead state. I acquired a small supply off the internet. It didn't work, or at least it was severely muffled from before. I put a tremendous amount of hope and stock in the fact that the package seemed to indicate it was expired, or that perhaps it sat in the Turkish sun for too long and degraded.
However, four months later, I have now acquired unexpired medication through perfectly legitimate means, from western Europe, and I am devestated to find no difference. There is no stimulating sensation, and there is a negligible change in mindset. Mostly it just induces fatigue after it's apparent peak and fall in my bloodstream.
My question is what happened? And how can I reverse it? It seems that a tolerance to it developed in its absence, which is awfully counter-intuitive. I am willing to try anything to get its original effects back and I have access to anything prescribe-able should a mix of something else be the solution.
How long did you give the tianeptine to work the subsequent time? Did you give it enough time to take its full action? Below is my experience going on and off then back on Tianeptine. Perhaps comparison of different experiences can help us deduce some things.
My experience w tianeptine consists of 2 separate stints:
THE FIRST STINT: was for almost 3 months. I never got a direct response from each dose, however in the beginning i started to feel better by the 3rd or 4th day. In retrospect, i strongly feel this was placebo. As i got near the 2 week point i started getting morbidly depressed and had strong urges to be self destructive. I didn't know what the hell was happening, I thought that that was it. It was over, the med didn't work, and now i was far worse than i had even been prior to the medication. but i stuck with it. It lasted about 4 days in which i might even have offed myself had i not had a loving and understanding wife and/or if i had access to an easy painless way to do it. I am very glad I made it through those 4 days (which seem so short in retrospect but an eternity whilst on depression's terms) and I'm lucky that my wife is my best friend and was there to help me through. On the second day of that pit of despair (a little over 2 weeks on the drug) i remembered how most antidepressants warn against this exact situation. For some reason i had thought myself exempt from such side effects; wrong. I'm gaining wisdom with my age, i just hope most of my lessons won't be so hard earned.
HOWEVER: After that miserabley dysphoric and mentally agonizing 4 days, my condition improved drastically and by 3 or 4 days later i felt great! More motivated, a generally increased energy level (again, no direct dose-response), I finally felt like there I had some of myself to give instead of feeling like i had been picked apart to the bones. The medication was working, without any doubt. NOTE: my dose was started at 1 tab 3x/day and was raised to 4x during the 1st month, regretfully i cannot remember exactly when i added 1 tab.
TAPER:The positive effects plateaued and remained fairly constant for the next few months until i realized that my next order would not be making it to the U.S. in time for me to continue uninterupted. I tapered from 4/day to 3/day for 4 days, then 2/day for 3 days, then 1/day for 1 day, then none. I had minimal discomfort. I think i had 1 or 2 moderately anxious days when i switched from 3 to 2 tabs/day but that was all. No noticed effect when i went from 1 tab to none.
I went about 8 days without the med, during which i stayed fairly even and stable. Perhaps i subtly lost maybe 20% of the wind from my sails, yet i remained measurably better than before i had began the med.
THE SECOND STINT ON THE DRUG: began about 8 days after i had run out the first time. I really didn't think that such a short time frame would have a major effect, but it did. I first tried a day of attack doses totalling about 80-90 mgs for the day, then resumed 3-4 tabs/day. I was not as strict with my dosing this time around for some reason and i would sometiimes forget 1 or 2 tabs/day. I did not feel any difference from the drug yet on this second run.
ABOUT A WEEK IN: to the second stint, my mood started to tank again. 2 or 3 days later and i was once again morbidly depressed. This time it was accompanied by what felt like horrible opiate-esque hot flashes and sweats constantly and an inability to eat much of anything. They were heavily exacerbated by any stress or emotional arousal. Although i have had a rather lengthy opiate problem in the past, i was on the same 1-3mg suboxone dose that i had been on during the first stint and variation of the suboxone dose did nothing for the depression or the serious physical discomfort. I still have no idea why i was visited by the sweat fairy and her flame thrower during that time, but, ONCE AGAIN, after about 4 days it all lifted, leaving me feeling empowered and good again.
I AM NOW A MONTH into the second stint and all is well.
IN SUMMARY: I didn't expect a period of such strong suicidal ideation as i have never gotten it like that from any other antidepressants i've taken (3 others), and i hadn't heard it reported by any other users, but for 4 days at a time it sure kicked my ass. So Pls be warned that it COULD happen and have someone keep an eye on you if you are going to start this medication. I DO recommend this med, of course it effects everyone differently, but for me it works, and now that the second 4 day hell ride is over again and i'm really feeling GOOD for the first sustained time in a while, i feel it was worth it.
I was expecting a drug that would be felt after each dose and then wear off in a few hours, genrally improving mood. It was not like that at all for me. I have taken 10 at a time with no noticeable effects. For my body it seems Tianeptine has to run a certain course with a few distinct sequential phases. But overall it is helping me, and as an added bonus, i have definately noticed that i no longer crave other drugs and have drastically cut down on my usage of them.