Abuse of Tianeptine: A case report

Abstract

The objective of the authors is to make a reflection about the causes of tianeptine abuse and dependence. In the scientific literature we can find case studies of anti-depressive dependence, which show amphetaminergic effects. In what concerns other anti-depressives, the information is rare, specifically about tianeptine. The few case studies reported until now, focus the psychostimulant effect as being the cause of the abuse and dependence. Though, a study case is described of a female patient, with 40 years old, previous history of alcohol abuse, who takes approximately 40 cigarettes per day and 10 cofee per day. She presents an history of tianeptine abuse for several years, which has become more severe in the last six months (1286 mg/day) and resulted in the third psychiatric hospitalization. The patient experiences and seeks for a psychostimulant effect and physically energizing through the excessive consumption of the drug. This tianeptine abuse is also accompanied by an excessive consumption of benzodiazepines (30 mg/day of bromazepam). Over the course of the hospitalization, we did not find physical symptoms and signs of withdrawal. Hepatic parameters were not affected. The authors conclued that the abuse and dependence of tianeptine seems to be an important problem in patients with history of abuse and/or dependence of other substances. Thus, this treatment and the implications that it may have in this population need more investigation.

Death Due to Tianeptine Injection Through Inguinal Incision: Two Case Reports

“…In a study of Ferreira et al (15) they identified a 40-year-old woman who had a history of alcohol depend-ence and consumed about 10 coffees and 40 cigarettes a day. The patient said that she used tianeptine for many years and was admitted to a psychiatric ward 3 times in the last 6 months because they used a higher dose (1286 mg per day).…”