Re: Eight months on tianeptine (Stablon)

[Guest guest]

, Can you say how long you were on the Prozac? I have been

hearing that it usually takes several months before a permanant or

lasting loss of Libido typically takes place. Thanks.

>

> Hi everyone. I just joined this group. I tried Paxil at the age of

> 21 in 1993 (1/2 tablet) and experienced severe panic attacks,

anxiety

> and electric shock-like sensations over the next few days, even

though

> I only took it _once_.

>

> Then, I had tried Prozac in 1995 at a dosage of 1mg (elixir/liquid

> using a dropper and putting a few drops in a glass of water)

because I

> had severe panic attacks on 20mg. (I have panic disorder with

> agoraphobia and S.A.D.) Even 1mg was too much, so I lowered it to

0.5mg.

>

> I started to completely lose my libido. I had no idea that Prozac

was

> the cause of it, but at least my depression was gone. However,

after

> two months of being on Prozac, I developed nausea and was passing

> black, tarry stools. I went to the ER and the nurse told me I was

> losing blood. An endoscopy confirmed gastritis and bleeding in the

> stomach, but it wasn't major. I then developed rashes on my arms

and

> legs and it was determined that I was allergic to Prozac.

>

> I had to quit Prozac and my libido began to come back, however, it

> never returned fully and now, 10 years later, I have very little

desire.

>

> --- Tianeptine experience ---

>

> I tried tianeptine in March 2005 and it did nothing for 12 days.

Then

> on day 13 I experienced some nervousness/jitteriness and lowered

> appetite along with headaches from time to time. I had to fine-tune

> the dosage but eventually, 1 tablet 3 to 4 times a day was the right

> dose for me.

>

> The nervousness and reduced appetite quickly disappeared and then a

> significant anxiolytic/anti-anxiety effect and antidepressant effect

> took hold. My asthma also improved.

>

> I have to say that after 8 months of being on tianeptine (Stablon),

> that I have little trouble with depression, no sexual side effects

and

> no panic attacks.

>

> However, it doesn't seem to be a " miracle cure " for lowered libido

in

> my experience and opinion. It helps a little bit (for me...again,

> your miles may vary as we are all different. No medication works

the

> exact same for everyone).

>

> The real one that worked was amineptine (Survector). It was, sadly,

> pulled off the market in 1999 but stocks remain in a few countries.

> It is chemically related to Stablon, but it is a dopamine reuptake

> inhibitor. Dopamine tends to reduce prolactin and can boost sex

drive.

>

> I started on amineptine two weeks ago, in addition to Stablon. It

> seems that my sex drive is coming back, but not completely. Prior

to

> Prozac I was married and had a normal sex drive (e.g. every other

day

> or sometimes everyday).

>

> However, it is better in that I can manage more than once a week,

but

> not always... but that is an improvement. The intensity of the

> experience is also improved, but nothing like it was prior to

Prozac.

>

> Could this be age? I'm only 33, going on 34. Perhaps it was all

> those years of stress and anxiety?

>

> Untreated anxiety can cause the hippocampus to lose volume (size),

so

> I'm not sure. I've been under a lot of stress though over the past

10

> years.

>

> I read the previous posts about tianeptine and just thought I would

> add my experience here.

>

> Definitely, for me, it doesn't worsen libido and after you get past

> the first few weeks, things (e.g. depression and anxiety) can get

> better. In my case it got a lot better.

>

> I'm still trying to find what is wrong with my libido as all of you

> are. I hope it is nothing permanent.

>

> Take care everyone. SSRIs are made by big drug companies who have

> lots of fancy lawyers and enough money to put up enough smoke and

> mirrors to fog the issue of ED, loss of libido and other sexual

> dysfunction and keep it labeled as a " coincidence " or related to

> " depression " , when we all know it is the SSRIs that caused it.

>

> Even a psychiatrist I know published a paper about 3 patients who

> suffered what appears to be permanent loss of libido after being on

SSRIs.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi there. :-)

I was on Prozac for two months. I did experience a few zaps 3 months

after quitting. Maybe something else is causing this problem...I'm

not sure.

I probably should have my prolactin, thyroid and other hormones

checked just to be sure.

> >

> > Hi everyone. I just joined this group. I tried Paxil at the age of

> > 21 in 1993 (1/2 tablet) and experienced severe panic attacks,

> anxiety

> > and electric shock-like sensations over the next few days, even

> though

> > I only took it _once_.

> >

> > Then, I had tried Prozac in 1995 at a dosage of 1mg (elixir/liquid

> > using a dropper and putting a few drops in a glass of water)

> because I

> > had severe panic attacks on 20mg. (I have panic disorder with

> > agoraphobia and S.A.D.) Even 1mg was too much, so I lowered it to

> 0.5mg.

> >

> > I started to completely lose my libido. I had no idea that Prozac

> was

> > the cause of it, but at least my depression was gone. However,

> after

> > two months of being on Prozac, I developed nausea and was passing

> > black, tarry stools. I went to the ER and the nurse told me I was

> > losing blood. An endoscopy confirmed gastritis and bleeding in the

> > stomach, but it wasn't major. I then developed rashes on my arms

> and

> > legs and it was determined that I was allergic to Prozac.

> >

> > I had to quit Prozac and my libido began to come back, however, it

> > never returned fully and now, 10 years later, I have very little

> desire.

> >

> > --- Tianeptine experience ---

> >

> > I tried tianeptine in March 2005 and it did nothing for 12 days.

> Then

> > on day 13 I experienced some nervousness/jitteriness and lowered

> > appetite along with headaches from time to time. I had to fine-tune

> > the dosage but eventually, 1 tablet 3 to 4 times a day was the right

> > dose for me.

> >

> > The nervousness and reduced appetite quickly disappeared and then a

> > significant anxiolytic/anti-anxiety effect and antidepressant effect

> > took hold. My asthma also improved.

> >

> > I have to say that after 8 months of being on tianeptine (Stablon),

> > that I have little trouble with depression, no sexual side effects

> and

> > no panic attacks.

> >

> > However, it doesn't seem to be a " miracle cure " for lowered libido

> in

> > my experience and opinion. It helps a little bit (for me...again,

> > your miles may vary as we are all different. No medication works

> the

> > exact same for everyone).

> >

> > The real one that worked was amineptine (Survector). It was, sadly,

> > pulled off the market in 1999 but stocks remain in a few countries.

> > It is chemically related to Stablon, but it is a dopamine reuptake

> > inhibitor. Dopamine tends to reduce prolactin and can boost sex

> drive.

> >

> > I started on amineptine two weeks ago, in addition to Stablon. It

> > seems that my sex drive is coming back, but not completely. Prior

> to

> > Prozac I was married and had a normal sex drive (e.g. every other

> day

> > or sometimes everyday).

> >

> > However, it is better in that I can manage more than once a week,

> but

> > not always... but that is an improvement. The intensity of the

> > experience is also improved, but nothing like it was prior to

> Prozac.

> >

> > Could this be age? I'm only 33, going on 34. Perhaps it was all

> > those years of stress and anxiety?

> >

> > Untreated anxiety can cause the hippocampus to lose volume (size),

> so

> > I'm not sure. I've been under a lot of stress though over the past

> 10

> > years.

> >

> > I read the previous posts about tianeptine and just thought I would

> > add my experience here.

> >

> > Definitely, for me, it doesn't worsen libido and after you get past

> > the first few weeks, things (e.g. depression and anxiety) can get

> > better. In my case it got a lot better.

> >

> > I'm still trying to find what is wrong with my libido as all of you

> > are. I hope it is nothing permanent.

> >

> > Take care everyone. SSRIs are made by big drug companies who have

> > lots of fancy lawyers and enough money to put up enough smoke and

> > mirrors to fog the issue of ED, loss of libido and other sexual

> > dysfunction and keep it labeled as a " coincidence " or related to

> > " depression " , when we all know it is the SSRIs that caused it.

> >

> > Even a psychiatrist I know published a paper about 3 patients who

> > suffered what appears to be permanent loss of libido after being on

> SSRIs.

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

,

Have you had the problem of emotional flatness post-prozac along with

sexual problems? If so, has stablon served to help to reverse this

at all?

> > >

> > > Hi everyone. I just joined this group. I tried Paxil at the

age of

> > > 21 in 1993 (1/2 tablet) and experienced severe panic attacks,

> > anxiety

> > > and electric shock-like sensations over the next few days, even

> > though

> > > I only took it _once_.

> > >

> > > Then, I had tried Prozac in 1995 at a dosage of 1mg

(elixir/liquid

> > > using a dropper and putting a few drops in a glass of water)

> > because I

> > > had severe panic attacks on 20mg. (I have panic disorder with

> > > agoraphobia and S.A.D.) Even 1mg was too much, so I lowered it

to

> > 0.5mg.

> > >

> > > I started to completely lose my libido. I had no idea that

Prozac

> > was

> > > the cause of it, but at least my depression was gone. However,

> > after

> > > two months of being on Prozac, I developed nausea and was

passing

> > > black, tarry stools. I went to the ER and the nurse told me I

was

> > > losing blood. An endoscopy confirmed gastritis and bleeding in

the

> > > stomach, but it wasn't major. I then developed rashes on my

arms

> > and

> > > legs and it was determined that I was allergic to Prozac.

> > >

> > > I had to quit Prozac and my libido began to come back, however,

it

> > > never returned fully and now, 10 years later, I have very

little

> > desire.

> > >

> > > --- Tianeptine experience ---

> > >

> > > I tried tianeptine in March 2005 and it did nothing for 12

days.

> > Then

> > > on day 13 I experienced some nervousness/jitteriness and lowered

> > > appetite along with headaches from time to time. I had to fine-

tune

> > > the dosage but eventually, 1 tablet 3 to 4 times a day was the

right

> > > dose for me.

> > >

> > > The nervousness and reduced appetite quickly disappeared and

then a

> > > significant anxiolytic/anti-anxiety effect and antidepressant

effect

> > > took hold. My asthma also improved.

> > >

> > > I have to say that after 8 months of being on tianeptine

(Stablon),

> > > that I have little trouble with depression, no sexual side

effects

> > and

> > > no panic attacks.

> > >

> > > However, it doesn't seem to be a " miracle cure " for lowered

libido

> > in

> > > my experience and opinion. It helps a little bit (for

me...again,

> > > your miles may vary as we are all different. No medication

works

> > the

> > > exact same for everyone).

> > >

> > > The real one that worked was amineptine (Survector). It was,

sadly,

> > > pulled off the market in 1999 but stocks remain in a few

countries.

> > > It is chemically related to Stablon, but it is a dopamine

reuptake

> > > inhibitor. Dopamine tends to reduce prolactin and can boost

sex

> > drive.

> > >

> > > I started on amineptine two weeks ago, in addition to Stablon.

It

> > > seems that my sex drive is coming back, but not completely.

Prior

> > to

> > > Prozac I was married and had a normal sex drive (e.g. every

other

> > day

> > > or sometimes everyday).

> > >

> > > However, it is better in that I can manage more than once a

week,

> > but

> > > not always... but that is an improvement. The intensity of the

> > > experience is also improved, but nothing like it was prior to

> > Prozac.

> > >

> > > Could this be age? I'm only 33, going on 34. Perhaps it was

all

> > > those years of stress and anxiety?

> > >

> > > Untreated anxiety can cause the hippocampus to lose volume

(size),

> > so

> > > I'm not sure. I've been under a lot of stress though over the

past

> > 10

> > > years.

> > >

> > > I read the previous posts about tianeptine and just thought I

would

> > > add my experience here.

> > >

> > > Definitely, for me, it doesn't worsen libido and after you get

past

> > > the first few weeks, things (e.g. depression and anxiety) can

get

> > > better. In my case it got a lot better.

> > >

> > > I'm still trying to find what is wrong with my libido as all of

you

> > > are. I hope it is nothing permanent.

> > >

> > > Take care everyone. SSRIs are made by big drug companies who

have

> > > lots of fancy lawyers and enough money to put up enough smoke

and

> > > mirrors to fog the issue of ED, loss of libido and other sexual

> > > dysfunction and keep it labeled as a " coincidence " or related to

> > > " depression " , when we all know it is the SSRIs that caused it.

> > >

> > > Even a psychiatrist I know published a paper about 3 patients

who

> > > suffered what appears to be permanent loss of libido after

being on

> > SSRIs.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I suspect I'm a poor metaboliser of CYP2D6, a liver enzyme commonly

involved in metabolising most antidepressants, especially SSRIs.

7 to 10 percent of caucasians (white) are considered " poor

metabolisers " , so even low doses of SSRIs or other drugs which are

metabolised by this enzyme system will reach much higher levels in the

blood.

1mg of Prozac in such a person could result in levels equivalent to

20mg as the liver would have a hard time removing it from the system.

6.25mg of Effexor resulted in onset of a severe headache along with

pressure in the head. I had my blood pressure checked and it was high

(150/104)..that was only 1/4 of the lowest dosage available.

I had emotional flatness while on Prozac...nothing seemed to matter to

me. Nothing bothered me and I never could feel truly " happy " or

" sad " . It was an artificial feeling.

Stablon doesn't cause the emotional flatenning or sexual side effects

in my case. Does it reverse it? Hmm... it increases the intensity of

the sexual experience a bit, but doesn't increase my libido overall.

As far as emotions go, I feel that Stablon might actually increase the

range of emotion, though not dramatically so. I can feel truly happy

and also truly sad...not a zombie in other words.

Sometimes, after the last Stablon dose of the day I can feel a

sensation like I want to touch or hug everything....feel very

connected to everything. This is a very mild effect somewhat like

MDMA (Ecstasy), although I've never tried " X " , I've been told that

what I described is somewhat similar to it. An entactogen in some

ways, but this did not occur everyday...maybe once a week or so.

Survector worked for a while in that it boosted my sex drive. I would

wake up with an erection and have more sexual dreams in the first

week. It too increases the intensity of the experience.

However, this was only temporary and after 2 weeks of being on it, it

seems that Survector is not exerting the same effect. I'm developing

a tolerance to it.

I thought about treatments like watching adult videos, but it doesn't

really work. :-(

I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm only 34. Perhaps Prozac had

nothing to do with it, but I had zaps in June 1996 after quitting

Prozac in March '96, so perhaps there was some damage done.

I guess I should go ahead and get my hormones screened to rule that out.

I did read an article about SSRIs yesterday in PDF format that said

SSRIs affect nitric oxide or something similar (I think it was nitric

oxide) and this is what is theorised to cause sexual dysfunction. I

wish I could find it again.

I wonder if SSRIs are like LSD in that they can damage the serotonin

system and cause long term effects, in the case of LSD it causes

flashbacks and Hallucinogen Persisting Perceptual Disorder (HPPD) in

many people because of its effects on the 5-HT2 receptor (a type of

serotonin receptor).

> > > >

> > > > Hi everyone. I just joined this group. I tried Paxil at the

> age of

> > > > 21 in 1993 (1/2 tablet) and experienced severe panic attacks,

> > > anxiety

> > > > and electric shock-like sensations over the next few days, even

> > > though

> > > > I only took it _once_.

> > > >

> > > > Then, I had tried Prozac in 1995 at a dosage of 1mg

> (elixir/liquid

> > > > using a dropper and putting a few drops in a glass of water)

> > > because I

> > > > had severe panic attacks on 20mg. (I have panic disorder with

> > > > agoraphobia and S.A.D.) Even 1mg was too much, so I lowered it

> to

> > > 0.5mg.

> > > >

> > > > I started to completely lose my libido. I had no idea that

> Prozac

> > > was

> > > > the cause of it, but at least my depression was gone. However,

> > > after

> > > > two months of being on Prozac, I developed nausea and was

> passing

> > > > black, tarry stools. I went to the ER and the nurse told me I

> was

> > > > losing blood. An endoscopy confirmed gastritis and bleeding in

> the

> > > > stomach, but it wasn't major. I then developed rashes on my

> arms

> > > and

> > > > legs and it was determined that I was allergic to Prozac.

> > > >

> > > > I had to quit Prozac and my libido began to come back, however,

> it

> > > > never returned fully and now, 10 years later, I have very

> little

> > > desire.

> > > >

> > > > --- Tianeptine experience ---

> > > >

> > > > I tried tianeptine in March 2005 and it did nothing for 12

> days.

> > > Then

> > > > on day 13 I experienced some nervousness/jitteriness and lowered

> > > > appetite along with headaches from time to time. I had to fine-

> tune

> > > > the dosage but eventually, 1 tablet 3 to 4 times a day was the

> right

> > > > dose for me.

> > > >

> > > > The nervousness and reduced appetite quickly disappeared and

> then a

> > > > significant anxiolytic/anti-anxiety effect and antidepressant

> effect

> > > > took hold. My asthma also improved.

> > > >

> > > > I have to say that after 8 months of being on tianeptine

> (Stablon),

> > > > that I have little trouble with depression, no sexual side

> effects

> > > and

> > > > no panic attacks.

> > > >

> > > > However, it doesn't seem to be a " miracle cure " for lowered

> libido

> > > in

> > > > my experience and opinion. It helps a little bit (for

> me...again,

> > > > your miles may vary as we are all different. No medication

> works

> > > the

> > > > exact same for everyone).

> > > >

> > > > The real one that worked was amineptine (Survector). It was,

> sadly,

> > > > pulled off the market in 1999 but stocks remain in a few

> countries.

> > > > It is chemically related to Stablon, but it is a dopamine

> reuptake

> > > > inhibitor. Dopamine tends to reduce prolactin and can boost

> sex

> > > drive.

> > > >

> > > > I started on amineptine two weeks ago, in addition to Stablon.

> It

> > > > seems that my sex drive is coming back, but not completely.

> Prior

> > > to

> > > > Prozac I was married and had a normal sex drive (e.g. every

> other

> > > day

> > > > or sometimes everyday).

> > > >

> > > > However, it is better in that I can manage more than once a

> week,

> > > but

> > > > not always... but that is an improvement. The intensity of the

> > > > experience is also improved, but nothing like it was prior to

> > > Prozac.

> > > >

> > > > Could this be age? I'm only 33, going on 34. Perhaps it was

> all

> > > > those years of stress and anxiety?

> > > >

> > > > Untreated anxiety can cause the hippocampus to lose volume

> (size),

> > > so

> > > > I'm not sure. I've been under a lot of stress though over the

> past

> > > 10

> > > > years.

> > > >

> > > > I read the previous posts about tianeptine and just thought I

> would

> > > > add my experience here.

> > > >

> > > > Definitely, for me, it doesn't worsen libido and after you get

> past

> > > > the first few weeks, things (e.g. depression and anxiety) can

> get

> > > > better. In my case it got a lot better.

> > > >

> > > > I'm still trying to find what is wrong with my libido as all of

> you

> > > > are. I hope it is nothing permanent.

> > > >

> > > > Take care everyone. SSRIs are made by big drug companies who

> have

> > > > lots of fancy lawyers and enough money to put up enough smoke

> and

> > > > mirrors to fog the issue of ED, loss of libido and other sexual

> > > > dysfunction and keep it labeled as a " coincidence " or related to

> > > > " depression " , when we all know it is the SSRIs that caused it.

> > > >

> > > > Even a psychiatrist I know published a paper about 3 patients

> who

> > > > suffered what appears to be permanent loss of libido after

> being on

> > > SSRIs.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

>