![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Quintal on October 21, 2008, at 15:13:34
I'm weighing up whether it's best to swap tianeptine for the Cipralex (Lexapro) my pdoc has just prescribed. Tianeptine is pretty expensive and money is tight, so pdoc suggested I go back to Cipralex now while I still have a few weeks supply of tianeptine left. He knows it can't be expected to substitute for tianeptine, but he doesn't want me to backslide if I run out. Cipralex was the best it got for me with the SSRIs. Obviously I'm worried about SSRI numbness and apathy, and the other spectrum of side effects. I have Periactin and some other tools in my box, but they come with serious side effects of their own and I wouldn't want to have to rely on them every time I need some relief. I don't know whether it's best to switch abruptly or do a cross taper. I've decided to start with Cipralex tomorrow morning all being well and take tianeptine as needed through the day.
My current cocktail:
100mg lamotrigine
37.5mg tianeptine
15mg zopiclone
50mg tramadolQ
Posted by Trotter on October 23, 2008, at 5:21:09
In reply to Swapping tianeptine for Cipralex (?), posted by Quintal on October 21, 2008, at 15:13:34
Hi Quintal. You sure you want to do this? I thought you were going quite well on Tianeptine. In my experience, and from what others say, SSRIs don't work as well second time around. I appreciate that cost is a big factor for you right now, but do you really want to take the risk of Cipralex not doing the job, not to mention all the SSRI side effects.
Posted by Quintal on October 23, 2008, at 6:46:12
In reply to Re: Swapping tianeptine for Cipralex (?), posted by Trotter on October 23, 2008, at 5:21:09
Hi Trotter, you're right - I don't want to take it, and I haven't taken any yet. I woke up sick to my stomach the last two days and couldn't face the SSRI startup nausea on top of that. I'm still doing well on tianeptine and I don't want to risk that either. I like the idea that it might be repairing my brain in some way and I don't know whether Cipralex does the same job. I'll probably just wait this one out and see if he'll give me an older AD like Parnate in a few months time, if I need it. He ordered some info on tianeptine from the pharmacist just so he knows something about it if I keep on taking it. We talked about trying to get a supply of it for me on private prescription, but he said it would still end up costing about the same. For me I think it's just about worth the cost. How is your own trial going? Any improvement yet?
Q
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.