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Stablon / Tianeptine has been around for a while, so technically it's not "new." It's an serotonin re-uptake enhancer, not an inhibitor (like SSRIs), meaning it has the exact opposite mechanism of action, and yet has proved beneficial for depression, etc. Just goes to show how very little these MDs, etc. know about the brain and depression. Anyways, I tried it last year...gave it a incomplete trial - having only tried it for 2 weeks. I felt better overall - mostly in the morning and at night, but noticed feeling immediately worse right after taking it...anyways, my trial was incomplete, and not worth reading into much. It's easy enough to buy over the internet, and reasonably cheap. But it you're all looking for a "new" or "magic" drug, get excited about the possibilities of Ketamine. Google "Ketamine and Depression." It's not FDA approved yet, and probably won't be for a while. Oh, and Stablon isn't available in the US, or FDA approved, because it's already a generic overseas. There's no financial incentive for any pharmaceutical Co.'s to spend mucho $$$ testing it, getting it approved, etc. if its generic and going to be sold for $3 a batch anyways. Also, part of me thinks the FDA would feel stupid - and likewise Pharm Co's in the US - if they were to approve a new depression drug that does the TOTAL opposite of their SSRIs....there would go their cute TV commercials about serotonin deficiencies and chemical imbalances...

Has anyone heard of/experimented with using Thyroid medications to treat depression; even when low thyroid levels are evident? And if so, are they used as adjuncts, or used alone? Ted

Is there a consensus? I have "treatment resistant depression" and want to go to the best place...

First, thanks Melissa and Darcness for the replies... What I feel upon starting ADs is, yes, a worsening of symptoms. My cognitive ability to think is greatly impeded (theory: unnatural amount of brain protein, be it serotonin, etc.). In other words, I describe it as a rigid, obtuse, frozen, or locked mind. Off meds: I can shoot my eyes from side to side quickly; and while the brain doesn't feel "on" (in the Left Hemisphere, at least) at least what does work feels active. On meds: All activity ceases. Brain becomes slower. Cognition impeded. Ability to shoot eyes from side to side impeded. Emotionality also suffers on medication. And that's noticeable within the first few days of beginning it (I feel LESS joy, less anything, just a dulling), and since I'm not on meds because I'm sad/meloncholy/etc. this dulling of emotions does me NO good, just makes me feel worse. One theory of mine is that, obviously, putting hugely unnatural amounts of these chemicals into the brain initially will feel like crap (and is obvious responsible down-stream for the emotional dulling/cognitive dulling), but that over the 4-6 weeks, these unnatural amounts "flip the switch" on neuronal-genes, and that's responsible for the A.D. affect. (if that's true, it just stinks you have to feel worse for a long time, before feeling better)

After starting each of the last few antidepressants I've tried (Zoloft, Cymbalta, Effexor) I've felt noticeably WORSE after the first week. Basically just feels like my brain is filling up with these chemicals, but that the brain hasn't "popped" or begun to work correctly yet, to be able to use these chemicals. The brain feels MORE stifled, rigid, obtuse, frozen, slower. Anyone experience this? And anyone have any theories, or what I should do?

I'm highly sensitive to this stuff, and was just curious - before I start it - whether anyone has done good at a low dose?

It's linked to a disfunction in the limbic system, that much I know for sure. When emotionality, Left Prefrontal Cortex activity returns, so does my ability to smell, and breath appropriately through my nose...

Just curious whether anyone else out there has a very poor sense of smell, specifically through their left nostril? I notice that when my depression lifts (AKA, my left prefrontal cortex activates) my sense of smell returns as well. So...just throwing a line out there, seeing if anyone else has a similar experience?

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Hi Eve, I've been looking into SPECT scans recently, and they're super interesting. As are all the studies being done with fMRI, etc. At the Amen Clinics, they run you through a huge diagnostic evaluation, take 2 scans, etc. etc. Unfortunately, the bill comes to more the $3,000. And unfortunately, it's probably not covered by your insurance. I just wrote them today, however, to see if they evaluate scans done outside of their clinic, ala have a scan done at my local hospital - which is covered by insurance - and then have it evaluated by the money grubbers at Amen. In his book, he categorizes depression into 7 different types depending on the functionality of your brain, you can find the "types" online after searching for a bit. Personally, I'm pretty interested in getting a scan, so I can see what my brain looks like, and what 13+ years of depression has done to it. Is the cost worth it? I don't know, because we already know that depressed brains have low activity (cerebral blood flow) in the frontal cortex, and hippocampus. So a scan is probably just going to show this...

For example, if someone takes an SSRI antidepressant, I've heard that it limits the "effectiveness" of the D-1 receptor in the frontal cortex. Etc. Etc. Is this possible? That taking an antidepressant can actually cause imbalances in SOME people. (obviously, everyone is different)

LonelySindy, You're thinking of an fMRI, which monitors active blood flow in the brain, so if you're thinking "x" a certain part of the brain will light up, if you're thinking "y" another part lights up. SPECT instead monitors total brain blood flow, what parts are low and which are high. So for those with depression, the frontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala may show low blood flow, or "brain activity."

Hi, my name is Ted. I am diagnosed "depressed," but am not sad, nor emotional, my brain just doesn't seem to be turned on, or alive, or working correctly. I am unable to feel normal levels of pleasure. Now, any number of doctors could diagnose me any different way. So far, no medications (stimulant, SSRI, SNRI) have worked. I'd REALLY like to know how my brain works/doesn't work, instead of crap-shooting with new medications monthly, for a largely undefined illness. So, any better way to diagnose mental illness more specifically? New ways in the future?

Prior to taking antidepressants, I had a very active and sharp mind. Mixed with anxiety, I was freaked out much of the time. After antidepressants (2 years), my mind is very dull and slow, "unexcited" and not active. Yea! (And disclaimer for Admins: MY experiences are only MY experiences. This doesn't happen to everyone.) JUST CURIOUS IF ANYONE HAS EXPERIENCES SIMILAR THINGS?

It seems pretty rational, I think, to have a look-see at the brain to aid in diagnosing mental illness... ...unfortunately, its use is not widely accepted, or used, and is surely much more expensive that simple face-to-face consultations. Regardless, I don't see how it would hurt to have it done. Anyone have any experience in using this?

SSRIs dampen my ability to think, and exhaust me to the extreme. Wellbutrin as well, minus the fatigue. Combo no better. Is there any consensus what the least mind-dampening antidepressant is?

I know anti-seizure meds inhibit firing, but for some of us on SSRIs, we feel a helluva lot stupid on them, just slower in the mind. So I wonder whether this is true: that SSRIs inhibit firing....and whether there is anything out there to enhance neuronal firing. The whole idea of SSRIs - flooding synaptic gaps with serotonin - seems totally pointless if ones depression is that their neurons fire poorly...cant someone come up with a drug to enhance neuronal firing?

Seems to me the last time I felt pretty good I was smoking a pack a day of Marlboros. I know, sounds terrible, but mentally i felt okay. So what's the harm in buying a nicorette patch, getting a daily shot of nicotine, and seeing how that feels. Anything unsafe or unhealthy about the patch?

curious.

Biologically, I'm curious what occurs to the brain during withdrawal....whether ones nerves totally freak out (?), how long it takes for the mind to "readjust" to a lower dosage, whether such traumatic changes to the brain really mess it up, and how? Somewhere I read that in neurogenesis it takes 4-6 weeks for new cells to develop (?), which could help explain the efficacy of antidepressants (4-6 weeks....sound familiar?)...anyone know whether this is true or not? I wonder when we withdrawal, the trauma we put our brain through for the 1-2 weeks, etc. messed up the nerves, which then takes another 4-6 weeks to healthily regrow... just fishing in the dark here...because alas, I withdrew the meager sum of 3 mg (yeah, I'm sensitive) of Zoloft over 3 weeks ago because the med wasn't working (cognition impaired), and I keep getting headaches, and having that post-withdrawal feeling...3 weeks later.

I'm always the last one to hear about things, so when I read about Tianeptine (Stablon) last week, I was absolutely floored - but not TOO surprised. In short, it's an antidepressant made in France (not available in U.S.) that enhancer the re-uptake of serotonin between cells; e.g. the total opposite mechanism of action as SSRIs. And wallah!, it's proven to relieve depression at the same rate as SSRIs. I'm just tickled...just WHAT are these drugs we're on, and how are they REALLY relieving depression!!!!!

Positive stories are welcome. I've tried Lexapro, Celexa, Wellbutrin, and now Zoloft, and each has either made me tired, mentally numb, or really messed up my cognitive ability.

I find this REALLY interesting....that some people who have taken, let's say Prozac for 5 years, have done well with it, then quit, relapse, and then go back on Prozac, find that it doesn't work the 2nd time. You think it's because their symptoms are different, and the brain disfunction may be different the 2nd time around? Or what?

granted, in my experience, antidepressants initially lessen ones stress levels, thus aiding in the regrowth of nerve dendrites, thus improving cognition, BUT on the flipside, it seems that every antidepressant I've ever taken also dulls cognitive ability, thus slower thinking, less creative, etc. anyone else? and what to do? My solution - is to be on very low doses of ADs, so that cognition doesn't feel impaired. I'm talking 12 mg Zoloft and 50 mg Wellbutrin.

It's written everywhere, "Early detection of depression increases its treatability." (there I go making up words! :) ) But I wonder WHY this is true? Does long-term untreated depression (dysthymia, etc.) change the brain SO MUCH, that in a way, the brain "can't remember" what normal is? Cerebral blood flow changes, brain regions lose mass, "bad" neuronal connections are made, etc. ----> IS THIS WHY LATE DETECTION OF DEPRESSION IS MORE DIFFICULT TO TREAT?