I took the first dose (12.5mg) on Tuesday. The plan is start with one pill a day and taper it up from there, increasing the does by one pill (12.5mg) every week until I hit 3 a day (which is the suggested dose). I’ve heard people say you can go full bore right away but I have experience with antidepressants and I know it’s best to taper.
I started to feel it about 45 minutes to an hour after I took it. The effect was very subtle, very smooth. Things seemed to brighten somehow. For the first time in years I got that sense of “feeling” back. I’m sorry I can’t really describe what it’s like, it transcends words. But there was a perceptible improvement, but not very intense. Not the intensity I remember when I could feel properly if that makes any sense. Still that puts it far above any antidepressant I’ve ever taken.
I felt much calmer and much less stressed. Sound sensitivity was pretty much gone. Unpleasant sounds were merely vaguely annoying and not painful – like being back to normal.
One of the things that worried me was that I would get a stress reaction. I’ve heard some people describe Tianeptine as stimulating. After my experiences with stimulants I became incredibly sensitive to them and even some non-stimulant drugs (Caffeine, Pramipexole, Rhodiola Rosea, Vitamin B6) would give me the stimulant symptoms (cold legs, sound sensitivity, anxiety). Nothing of the sort occurred. Quite the opposite in fact. It was quite calming. I spent the whole time listening to music and enjoying it as if I was hearing it for the first time.
On the whole it was a positive experience but far short of my expectations. But given my desperation, I’ll take it.