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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Meagan on September 11, 2007, at 8:01:29
I was so thrilled that a drug like tianeptine existed until I found that it was not sold in the US!
Can anyone suggest a possible med combo approved in US that might come close to doing what tianeptine does?
Meagan
Posted by Phillipa on September 11, 2007, at 12:43:31
In reply to What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by Meagan on September 11, 2007, at 8:01:29
Is there one I have googled tineptine and it seems to cover all bases. Phillipa
Posted by Racer on September 11, 2007, at 19:46:04
In reply to What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by Meagan on September 11, 2007, at 8:01:29
>
> Can anyone suggest a possible med combo approved in US that might come close to doing what tianeptine does?
>
> MeaganSorry, tianepine has a novel mechanism of action -- enhancing the reuptake of serotonin -- and there just isn't anything else that does that.
That's the bad news, of course. The better news is that many psychopharmacologists will work with you to import a personal supply of the stuff from France. Your insurance won't pay for it -- unless you have a remarkably good policy -- but it is possible to try it to see if it will work for you. If it does work, some pdocs can perform miracles with insurance, but it's not something I'd count on.
Hope that helps, and good luck.
Posted by Fivefires on September 12, 2007, at 18:52:54
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by Racer on September 11, 2007, at 19:46:04
But what about metformin?
Isn't tianeptine a med which blocks weight gain?
Or, am I completely off the wall here. Maybe it's a new AD in a class we don't have in the US?
Sorry to answer question w/ questions.
5f
Posted by Maria3667 on September 13, 2007, at 16:41:53
In reply to What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by Meagan on September 11, 2007, at 8:01:29
Hi Megan,
Sorry to mess up your bright hopes for Tianeptine, but I didn't find it to be that effective. If for one thing, Tianeptine increased my anxiety about 10-fold! And I would cry at the drop of a hat.
However, it is effective at beating depression, I must admit. But the increase of fear made me quit.And weight loss? Never noticed that at all.
My best,
Maria> I was so thrilled that a drug like tianeptine existed until I found that it was not sold in the US!
>
> Can anyone suggest a possible med combo approved in US that might come close to doing what tianeptine does?
>
> Meagan
Posted by Meagan on September 14, 2007, at 14:59:56
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by Maria3667 on September 13, 2007, at 16:41:53
at least for me. Selegiline 5 mgs and tryptophan
1500 mgs added to my 40 mg prozac and other meds.I know, I know, many of you have said that the combo carries risk of serotonin syndrome, but my pdoc has assured me that this is VERY rare, and of course, I am aware of what to look for.
I noticed lifting of depression immediately, and I am hoping the good effects continue.
M
Posted by sam123 on September 17, 2007, at 13:35:40
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by Racer on September 11, 2007, at 19:46:04
>
> Sorry, tianepine has a novel mechanism of action -- enhancing the reuptake of serotonin -- and there just isn't anything else that does that.
>
Which blows the theory of depletion and points to
reuptake inhibition not being the primary action which causes the antidepressant effect.
Posted by Fivefires on September 17, 2007, at 17:46:00
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by sam123 on September 17, 2007, at 13:35:40
Is there a person, place, or thing, which people can use to voice their opinion about things such as this in the U.S.? I've got a big enough mouth if someone can point in the right direction!
What is wrong w/ the U.S.? Is it $ to the w*r?
5f
Posted by Sigismund on September 17, 2007, at 21:13:58
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by Fivefires on September 17, 2007, at 17:46:00
I've assumed tianeptine is not authorized so as not to frighten the horses.
Posted by Phillipa on September 17, 2007, at 21:22:15
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US? » Fivefires, posted by Sigismund on September 17, 2007, at 21:13:58
No we shouldn't frighten the horses. Phillipa
Posted by sam123 on September 18, 2007, at 9:10:06
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by Fivefires on September 17, 2007, at 17:46:00
> Is there a person, place, or thing, which people can use to voice their opinion about things such as this in the U.S.? I've got a big enough mouth if someone can point in the right direction!
>
> What is wrong w/ the U.S.? Is it $ to the w*r?
>
> 5fWrong country...France. Not that this has to do with any country. It is up to the manufacturer of tianeptine to submit this drug to the FDA for approval in the USA.
Posted by sam123 on September 18, 2007, at 9:15:43
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by sam123 on September 18, 2007, at 9:10:06
BTW, my pdoc has people on Stablon here in the USA, the drug can be imported.
Here is the full story:" Tianeptine was first synthesised in 1981(?) by French researchers Antoine Deslandes and Michael Spedding. It has been developed and marketed since the late 1980s as the antidepressant Stablon by secretive, privately-owned Servier, the innovative French drug giant. Tianeptine is sold in Europe, Latin America and Asia. It is not marketed in North America because its patent has expired. To gain a US product license, a raft of costly new clinical trials would be needed by the FDA. Unfortunately, American regulators are habitually sceptical of the calibre of European medical science. Even after FDA approval, tianeptine/Stablon could be sold only cheaply due to generic competitors. Commercially, this might not seem an insoluble problem: structurally, tianeptine may be considered a modified tricyclic, and patentable analogues of tianeptine do exist, notably hetero[2,1]benzothiazepine derivatives. But if and when any such analogues will be commercialised is uncertain. No evidence exists that they are therapeutically superior to tianeptine. Another option might exploit how tianeptine sold as Stablon (etc) is a racemate; the l-isomer is more therapeutically active than its molecular sister. The design of single-isomer "chiral" drugs allows corporate patent lawyers to extend the patent life of old medicines. Thus tired SSRI antidepressant citalopram/Celexa was relaunched in 2002 as expensive new s-citalopram/Lexapro; and patent-expired modafinil/Provigil will soon be relaunched as expensive new r-modafinil/Nuvigil. This route hasn't been pursued yet with Stablon. In fact tianeptine may finally reach the USA branded not as an antidepressant, but in the guise of a treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). For in 2004 Vela Pharmaceuticals registered a patent for the use of tianeptine to treat IBS. In March 2006 Pharmos Corporation acquired Vela. Tianeptine for IBS is now in "late-preclinical development" (mid-2006). If and when a medicine gains a US product license, physicians can then prescribe it "off-label" for whatever they see fit, including depression. But this prospect is several years away at best."
Posted by Fivefires on September 18, 2007, at 14:48:57
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by sam123 on September 18, 2007, at 9:10:06
Well I guess I'll just have to write to the manufacturer then.
I won't mess w/ the horses.
5f
Posted by Fivefires on September 18, 2007, at 14:53:53
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by sam123 on September 18, 2007, at 9:15:43
There was only one drug for IBS, afa I know, which was Zelnorm by Novartis.
I'm awaiting it to hopefully return.
Tks for the info sam123.
5f
Posted by sam123 on September 18, 2007, at 15:37:03
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by Fivefires on September 18, 2007, at 14:53:53
> There was only one drug for IBS, afa I know, which was Zelnorm by Novartis.
>
> I'm awaiting it to hopefully return.
>
> Tks for the info sam123.
>
> 5f"Tianeptine for IBS is now in "late-preclinical development" (mid-2006).
I checked and it is still undergoing trials, no idea where it is in the process.
Posted by Phillipa on September 18, 2007, at 21:59:06
In reply to Re: What can be used to mimic tianeptine in US?, posted by sam123 on September 18, 2007, at 9:15:43
Sam thanks so that's how it's done. I do have IBS so I'd probably be able to get it would it be a gastro guy or pdoc? And it sounds a bit like luvox for OCD here and not depression as they didn't submit for that here and it was the first SSRI in Europe of course. But some say they notice a difference in the potency of celexa vs lexapro. What do you make of that? Phillipa
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