What is Tianeptine (Gas Station Heroin)?

Tianeptine is a prescription drug used in some parts of the world to treat depression, anxiety, asthma and irritable bowel disorder. It’s most commonly sold as Stablon, Tatinol and Coaxil where it’s available by prescription. But it’s also used recreationally where it’s become known as “Gas Station Heroin”.

That recreational use goes back to the 1980s where Europeans were using the drug to the point of overdose. In 2018 it was listed as a Schedule II controlled substance in the US after an increase in the abuse of the prescription drug.

Often it’s available as a Russian import “Coaxil” or as a powdered “tianeptine salt”. But it’s illegal to buy and use in the US as it’s not legal for prescription use.

If you or a loved one is using Tianeptine, you need to know what this drug does and its side effects.

What is Tianeptine?

Tianeptine is a tricyclic antidepressant, under the class “atypical” meaning it doesn’t fall under the categories of serotonin reuptake inhibitors or serotonin agonist and reuptake inhibitors. It works by agonizing the opioid receptors in the brain, causing an antidepressant and sedative effect. Unlike opioids it also modulates the glutamate receptors which improves antidepressant effects.

In Europe it’s used as a secondary line of treatment when SSRIs or SARIs don’t work. So people who don’t respond to the most common antidepressants can greatly benefit from the drug. That’s especially true as tianeptine works better and has fewer side effects than other similar drugs like amitriptyline, imipramine and fluoxetine which are common in the US and Europe for the same treatment.

Recreational use and Abuse

While Tianeptine is a prescription medication it’s also used to get high. People take large doses of tianeptine to get the same effect as heroin, euphoria inducing highs and extreme sedation.

That’s a trap for users who think it’s safer than heroin. After all it’s a prescription medication for antidepressants. But the dose to get high is much higher than the dose to treat depression. So the effects of tianeptine can be just as bad or worse than heroin because it’s being used at much higher doses than intended.

Also while Tianeptine was not a controlled drug in most of the US until a few years ago, that’s no longer the case. It’s now a Schedule II drug and you can be arrested and prosecuted as much as for using heroin or another illicit opioid.

Side Effects of Tianeptine

Tianeptine interacts with the opioid receptors in the brain, so its effects are very similar to opioid painkillers. So most people experience sedation, euphoria and lethargy when taking the drug in high doses. Also the recreational dose is up to 1,000 mg – or over 100 times the therapeutic dose.

This increases the risk of side effects, the most common being:

Headaches
Dizziness
Insomnia
Drowsiness/Lethargy
Dry mouth
Constipation and abdominal Pain
Weight Gain
Anxiety/Agitation

Many people also experience ongoing side effects like muscle-aches, hypertension, gastric disturbances, blurred vision or a permanent bitter taste in their mouth. These side effects happen with repeat use even at small doses so they can be very bad with large doses.

Is Tianeptine Addictive?

Tianeptine is as addictive as most other drugs that interact with the opioid receptors. So you will experience dependence, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms. You will also seek the drug. But many people who start using Tianeptine are already addicted to another drug.

Many move to the antidepressant thinking it’s safer than opioids. So you may already have addiction symptoms and it’s harder to track if the disorder started with Tianeptine or another drug.

Is Tianeptine Safer than Opioids?

Tianeptine may be safer than heroin. But it depends on where you get the drug. For example if you’re comparing Tianeptine to prescription painkillers the answer is “probably not”. In fact the prescription painkiller is probably safer because there are known and common anti-overdose agents in most hospitals, you can get naloxone to stop an overdose for free in most states and you can be treated for opioid withdrawal without a long and dangerous detox.

That’s not true for Tianeptine, the withdrawal can be very dangerous and there’s no overdose reversal drug. In many cases it’s not even common enough in the US that if you walked into a hospital overdosing on Tianeptine they would even know what to do or what you were overdosing on. Instead you’d likely have your stomach pumped and you’d be put on an IV to thin out whatever is in your blood – and that’s it.

But if you’re comparing gas station heroin to street heroin made illegally, Tianeptine is almost always safer. That’s because most Tianeptine on the street is still prescription drugs made legally in Russia and imported to the US. So the dose is the same, no dangerous fillers and you know what you’re taking. That won’t be true if you buy illegal heroin which was made in a street lab with no regulation.

However it’s never safe to take Tianeptine. The drug is dependence inducing, takes weeks to withdraw from and withdrawal symptoms like seizures can be very dangerous. So it’s hard for you to get off Tianeptine without significant medical attention.

Get Help

If you or a loved one is using an illegal drug like Tianeptine it’s never safe. It’s bad for your health, mental health, your career, school and your family. And it’s just as hard on your body and mind as a regular opioid.

So you’ll have a longer detox period and then the same therapy and mental health treatment to recover from Tianeptine abuse as from an opioid. If you’re struggling reach out and get into that detox and therapy and you can get off the drug, recover from the physical and mental side effects and learn coping mechanisms so you can live drug free.

Asana Recovery, located in Orange County, CA. Detox, residential and outpatient addiction treatment in our state of the art facilities. Call us today to talk to one of our addiction treatment specialists.