Posted by stephano on March 15, 2006, at 0:28:43
Hello,
I have suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome for around ten years. I have no doubt that it is a neurological condition involving dysregulation of the brain and central nervous system, but I have no doubt it is different to clinical depression. My condition started after a bout of glandular fever (epstein barr virus)
Whilst various classes of anti-depressants have not helped, and in fact have made me worse, I have twice had a significant resolution of symptoms after COMING OFF antidepressants. This was not just the absence of side-effects after stopping the drugs, but a significant resolution of symptoms as the medications left my system. Of course, this good effect only lasted as long as it took the medication to clear my system, then I reverted to my previous state of poor health.
This happened with both Sertraline (Zoloft) and Venlafaxine (Effexor), both of which block the re-uptake of serotonin as their primary mode of action. (Venlafaxine's effects on noradrenaline are evidently quite weak)
My question is this: If stopping an SSRI produces this beneficial effect, how might I seek to reproduce this effect with a medication? Might it be equivalent to the acceleration of serotonin uptake (as the blocking effect of the drug starts to wear off?) I.E- The opposite of an SSRI?
If so, the drug which seems like a good candidate to try would be tianeptine (Stablon). Could anyone comment on my amateur conclusions (or does anyone have any similar expreiences?!)
Many thanks
poster:stephano
thread:620471
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060310/msgs/620471.html