9 minutes ago, Nemina said:

Today was a better day. What roller coaster we are on….

Same thing for me, yesterday was absolutely miserable and today is better, we are all on that road.

Dear @Nemina, remember that today was a better day. Also, you sleep, you work, remember this for encouragement. As you said, together we will win, we won't allow these rubbish to take our lives. Thank you to be here.

Svetla

Edited July 8Jul 8 by skamen

Thanks to all of you, I am so happy you exist and that I’m not alone in this.❤️

I still have this pattern that I have a better day when I have to do a lot, work outside of my house, etc., but on the other hand, I cannot do this often because I do not have the energy for it. Even though I have to say, my energy level is better than a couple months ago.

I have a bad new symptom. A couple of times now, I have not made it to the bathroom in time when I had to pee, sometimes several times a day. I get up from my chair or from the sofa and I do have to go only maybe 20 steps but on the way I suddenly cannot hold it anymore. When I’m alone at home, it is not a big thing or at least I try not to make one out of it. But I have to go to seminary-days this week and also to a wedding this weekend and I’m scared.

I’ve seen that others in this forum have also bladder problems. Any thought or advice would be helpful for me.

Also, I am struggling with low mood and negative thoughts a lot.

Oh boy, when will this end?

Thanks again to all of you for being there. Where would I be without you? You are a blessing from God for me and I am deeply thankful.

4 hours ago, Nemina said:

Thanks to all of you, I am so happy you exist and that I’m not alone in this.❤️

I still have this pattern that I have a better day when I have to do a lot, work outside of my house, etc., but on the other hand, I cannot do this often because I do not have the energy for it. Even though I have to say, my energy level is better than a couple months ago.

I have a bad new symptom. A couple of times now, I have not made it to the bathroom in time when I had to pee, sometimes several times a day. I get up from my chair or from the sofa and I do have to go only maybe 20 steps but on the way I suddenly cannot hold it anymore. When I’m alone at home, it is not a big thing or at least I try not to make one out of it. But I have to go to seminary-days this week and also to a wedding this weekend and I’m scared.

I’ve seen that others in this forum have also bladder problems. Any thought or advice would be helpful for me.

Also, I am struggling with low mood and negative thoughts a lot.

Oh boy, when will this end?

Thanks again to all of you for being there. Where would I be without you? You are a blessing from God for me and I am deeply thankful.

Hi @Nemina your new symptom is something I can relate to. I'm not sure about bladder problems per se but I can tell you what's happened with me. Antidepressants including SSRIs and TCAs (and others) can decrease serum sodium (known as hypoatraemia). If you haven't had your electrolytes checked recently it may be worth doing. I won't go into the pathophysiology but if your sodium is low the treatment is NOT simply to eat more salt (you may require fluid restriction). If/when you get your sodium checked ask for serum osmolality and urine osmolality to be done. This is just a suggestion, there may be other issues at play. However hyponatraemia is a common issue for people on ADs. 🤗

5 hours ago, Nemina said:

Thanks to all of you, I am so happy you exist and that I’m not alone in this.❤️

I still have this pattern that I have a better day when I have to do a lot, work outside of my house, etc., but on the other hand, I cannot do this often because I do not have the energy for it. Even though I have to say, my energy level is better than a couple months ago.

I have a bad new symptom. A couple of times now, I have not made it to the bathroom in time when I had to pee, sometimes several times a day. I get up from my chair or from the sofa and I do have to go only maybe 20 steps but on the way I suddenly cannot hold it anymore. When I’m alone at home, it is not a big thing or at least I try not to make one out of it. But I have to go to seminary-days this week and also to a wedding this weekend and I’m scared.

I’ve seen that others in this forum have also bladder problems. Any thought or advice would be helpful for me.

Also, I am struggling with low mood and negative thoughts a lot.

Oh boy, when will this end?

Thanks again to all of you for being there. Where would I be without you? You are a blessing from God for me and I am deeply thankful.

Lovely to hear from you as always @Nemina thanks for the update.

So sorry to hear about the new issue, I've had it for the past year too, although mainly under pressure. apart from wd itself which I I'm sure have a lot to do it's just another common unwanted gift that we women receive with age but definitely not a fate and there are treatments, for my mother as example it was very severe, her pelvic floor sank so much that she couldn't move without leaking but after she started practicing strengthen exercise (Kegel) there was a significant improvement, there may be other factors worth checking but I'm certainly not an expert, just took a quick look on Google

Cleveland Clinic

What Is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is loss of bladder control, which causes you to leak pee. Learn more about the types, causes and treatment options.

I'm also very sorry to hear about your low mood and energy but glad you're still managing to function and integrate well into life, you're so strong, well done to you!

I hope you feel better very soon dear.

hugs and love 💕

Edited July 16Jul 16 by Fullhealing

Lovely to hear from you @Nemina !

I will reply properly when I land. You are doing so well my dear friend and it will end.

Sorry about your urinary issues. I have had large volumes of dilute urine due to low sodium. But yours could be pelvic floor as fullhealing mentioned.

Big hugs and love to you 💛💛

On 7/15/2026 at 11:38 PM, Nemina said:

I’ve seen that others in this forum have also bladder problems. Any thought or advice would be helpful for me.

I had the problems you describe. I don't really have any advice for dealing with it, it's mostly better with time.

It can be stressful, and I empathise.

On 7/16/2026 at 5:29 AM, Catbird said:

Hi @Nemina your new symptom is something I can relate to. I'm not sure about bladder problems per se but I can tell you what's happened with me. Antidepressants including SSRIs and TCAs (and others) can decrease serum sodium (known as hypoatraemia). If you haven't had your electrolytes checked recently it may be worth doing. I won't go into the pathophysiology but if your sodium is low the treatment is NOT simply to eat more salt (you may require fluid restriction). If/when you get your sodium checked ask for serum osmolality and urine osmolality to be done. This is just a suggestion, there may be other issues at play. However hyponatraemia is a common issue for people on ADs. 🤗

Dear @Catbird thank you for your reply. ❤️

I do not really understand, though . I have been taking a high dose of SSRI for 10 years. In the last two years, I have only been taking a very tiny amount. Do you still think that it will influence my electrolytes? And what I also do not understand: do the electrolytes influence those bathroom questions? It is always very difficult to get anything checked by my doctor. I have been asking him several times to check my estrogen level and he says that doesn’t make any sense, even though I am taking hormone replacement. Anyway, so I need to explain if I want something and I could not explain because I do not understand. It would be very nice if you could help me.

Please take a look at these:

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/5/e011200

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7521460/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7521460/#:~:text=When

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2918297/

2 hours ago, Nemina said:

Dear @Catbird thank you for your reply. ❤️

I do not really understand, though . I have been taking a high dose of SSRI for 10 years. In the last two years, I have only been taking a very tiny amount. Do you still think that it will influence my electrolytes? And what I also do not understand: do the electrolytes influence those bathroom questions? It is always very difficult to get anything checked by my doctor. I have been asking him several times to check my estrogen level and he says that doesn’t make any sense, even though I am taking hormone replacement. Anyway, so I need to explain if I want something and I could not explain because I do not understand. It would be very nice if you could help me.

Hi @Nemina i understand your confusion. I have cut and pasted the following from the internet. It might help if you take this information with you to the doctor and also mention you are worried about bladder problems. Urge incontinence is not uncommon and I’ve had this myself. For the last 7 months I’ve been using ice chips instead of drinking water (I take in far less fluid) and my sodium has risen from 131 to 135 mmol/L. It’s been as low as 126. Fortunately I have not been symptomatic since then. And yes large volumes of urine and urgency can be signs.

SSRIs can cause hyponatremia (low blood sodium) even at small, low doses. This is not a dose-dependent side effect, but rather an idiosyncratic reaction caused by Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone secretion (SIADH), where the body retains excess water. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Why Dose Doesn't Matter

The mechanism behind this reaction is serotonin-induced secretion of the antidiuretic hormone (ADH). Because the drug triggers this hormonal response rather than causing direct chemical toxicity, even the lowest starting doses of an SSRI are capable of initiating the condition. [1, 2, 3]

Tests to Diagnose SIADH

Doctors look for a specific "signature" across blood and urine tests to confirm SIADH. For an accurate diagnosis, you must not be taking diuretics, and your body must be in a euvolaemic state (meaning you show no physical signs of dehydration or fluid overload/swelling). [1, 2]

1. Blood Tests [1]

• Low Serum Sodium: A standard finding where blood sodium levels fall below 135 mmol/L. [1]

• Low Plasma Osmolality: Your blood is overly diluted, measuring under 275 mOsm/kg. [, 2]

• Low BUN and Uric Acid: Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and uric acid levels are typically unusually low due to the excess water diluting the bloodstream. [1, 2]

• Hormone Levels: Doctors will check thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and cortisol levels to ensure underactive thyroid or adrenal failure is not causing the low sodium. [1, 2]

2. Urine Tests [1]

• Inappropriately Concentrated Urine: Even though the blood is diluted, urine osmolality remains abnormally high (usually above 100 mOsm/kg) because the body keeps reabsorbing water. [, 2]

• High Urine Sodium: Sodium levels in the urine are typically high (usually greater than 20 to 30 mmol/L) despite the low sodium levels in the blood. [, 2]

Treatment Options for SIADHThe primary goal of SIADH treatment is to safely raise blood sodium levels while addressing the root cause (such as stopping an offending SSRI medication).

First-Line Conservative ManagementFluid Restriction: This is the most crucial step. Intake is typically restricted to 800–1200 mL per 24 hours to stop the further dilution of blood.

Dear @Catbird thank you so much! This is very helpful. I will talk to my doctor. I’m drinking very much because I’m constantly so thirsty, especially because I have a dry mouth. Also, I have a thyroid problem (Hashimoto.) and I had antibodies against my adrenal glands.. so it makes a lot of sense to check all the things you have written about. Thank you again!

On 7/17/2026 at 11:06 PM, LostinCanada said:

Please take a look at these:

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/5/e011200

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7521460/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7521460/#:~:text=When

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2918297/

Thank you dear @LostinCanada

43 minutes ago, Nemina said:

Dear @Catbird thank you so much! This is very helpful. I will talk to my doctor. I’m drinking very much because I’m constantly so thirsty, especially because I have a dry mouth. Also, I have a thyroid problem (Hashimoto.) and I had antibodies against my adrenal glands.. so it makes a lot of sense to check all the things you have written about. Thank you again!

No worries @Nemina . Have you had insulin resistance/T2DM ruled out?

I had a couple weeks with a lot of anxiety, heart palpitations, and overall tension. Besides all the other symptoms, of course. Sunday all of a sudden I felt more peaceful, a window was opening. What is so interesting about it: once the tension was going away, I was all of a sudden very very tired. I took two naps on this day and still slept many hours at night. (Napping is a dangerous thing when you struggle with cortisol spikes, a very good sign when I can nap!) Same next day. Also I eat a lot. It seems as if when my body finally relaxes that comes a healthy kind of exhaustion. Does anybody else have this experience? It’s a good one, to me. It’s a sign of a good window.

50 minutes ago, Nemina said:

I had a couple weeks with a lot of anxiety, heart palpitations, and overall tension. Besides all the other symptoms, of course. Sunday all of a sudden I felt more peaceful, a window was opening. What is so interesting about it: once the tension was going away, I was all of a sudden very very tired. I took two naps on this day and still slept many hours at night. (Napping is a dangerous thing when you struggle with cortisol spikes, a very good sign when I can nap!) Same next day. Also I eat a lot. It seems as if when my body finally relaxes that comes a healthy kind of exhaustion. Does anybody else have this experience? It’s a good one, to me. It’s a sign of a good window.

Yes, I have recently being feeling as you described. In the past week, I started to feel tired and falling asleep again. In 20 months, I have struggled with napping and I couldn't nap more than 15 minutes or so, but last week, napping is longer and no jumping into panic...

12 hours ago, Nemina said:

I had a couple weeks with a lot of anxiety, heart palpitations, and overall tension. Besides all the other symptoms, of course. Sunday all of a sudden I felt more peaceful, a window was opening. What is so interesting about it: once the tension was going away, I was all of a sudden very very tired. I took two naps on this day and still slept many hours at night. (Napping is a dangerous thing when you struggle with cortisol spikes, a very good sign when I can nap!) Same next day. Also I eat a lot. It seems as if when my body finally relaxes that comes a healthy kind of exhaustion. Does anybody else have this experience? It’s a good one, to me. It’s a sign of a good window.

Quite confusing for me because although I manage to sleep a lot with naps throughout the day it feels like escapism and often without a sense of freshness afterwards, however, when I'm in akathisia sleep is something that I can only dream of!!

Anyways, sleep is a great space where the system wires itself best regardless of how we feel so that sounds really good and hopefully will continue xxx

13 hours ago, Raymond said:

Yes, I have recently being feeling as you described. In the past week, I started to feel tired and falling asleep again. In 20 months, I have struggled with napping and I couldn't nap more than 15 minutes or so, but last week, napping is longer and no jumping into panic...

Exactly that’s how it is for me, too! Usually, I woke up in panic and this feeling lasted for hours after a nap. So of course I was avoiding them. Now after 22 months, this is a very good sign for me and also for you after your 20 months. I do not believe that it will go on like that, it is just a good window, but that’s how healing seems to work in our condition. Windows getting better and more frequent. Have you also felt exhausted , like a good tired exhaustion,and hungry in this last week?

2 hours ago, Fullhealing said:

Quite confusing for me because although I manage to sleep a lot with naps throughout the day it feels like escapism and often without a sense of freshness afterwards, however, when I'm in akathisia sleep is something that I can only dream of!!

Anyways, sleep is a great space where the system wires itself best regardless of how we feel so that sounds really good and hopefully will continue xxx

Yes, of course everyone’s different. Actually I have to say that I do not feel refreshed after my new naps. But I’m not in panic and this is very good. I agree, I also think that sleep must be good for the system and give the brain space to heal. So I take what I can get. Wishing you a good window soon, dear @Fullhealing ! ❤️

I have been feeling better for three days now. Really lovely. I’m thinking about reducing a tiny bit faster. So far, I never had the feeling in this journey that holding would help me and maybe I could go a little faster than I do, to get that stuff out of my system (I am in month 22 of tapering right now). Until now I have been doing the following since end of May:Each day I reduce the dose by 0.0012 ml (by turning the wheel on my pipette twice) – this corresponds to 0.2 % of my initial daily dose. After 10 days I will have reduced it by 2 %, and after 30 days by 6 %. This way I am trying to stress the system only with very little steps. Of course this will make a very, very long taper if I go on with 6% a month. So I thought I might go over to turning the wheel three times which would mean a reduction of 0.0018 mL per day or a reduction of 9% every 30 days. If symptoms are getting worse, I can always stop or return to a slower pace.

Edited July 29Jul 29 by Nemina

I don’t know maybe my window is already closing. I had a bad night where I woke up a couple of times shaking 🫨. That’s not only an inner feeling, my body is literally shaking, if I lay my hand on my stomach for example, I can feel the abdominal wall trembling . During the morning, I was quite OK, though. Exhaustion, negativity, a bit of alarm. But everything quite weak. Working helps, especially when I’m working on my own.

After a window, I’ve always to make a new start on acceptance. I am willing, I accept...

Nemina, I can relate so well with you. I to have worked the entire time during my tapering and post zero on October 17, 2024, trust me when I say it does get easier. Do I still have symptoms? Yes, but have had coping skills that help along the way, and yes as you said work does help with the distractions, you are so strong strong and are doing an amazing job. As far as holding, your probably right to give your system time to settle. Remember that at just the right time, and just the right moment, God will give you a glorious window and hold on to that, because there is so much more to come. My friend, you got this, time and patience is our friend. Hugs for now xxx

Thinking of you dear @Nemina . Cxxx Sorry I can't keep up with your thread.

I hope you can taper at the pace you are wanting to.

Love Tracey xx

20 hours ago, Nemina said:

I don’t know maybe my window is already closing. I had a bad night where I woke up a couple of times shaking 🫨. That’s not only an inner feeling, my body is literally shaking, if I lay my hand on my stomach for example, I can feel the abdominal wall trembling .

So sorry to read Nemina,

20 hours ago, Nemina said:

Working helps, especially when I’m working on my own.

Distraction is so important

20 hours ago, Nemina said:

After a window, I’ve always to make a new start on acceptance. I am willing, I accept...

I think we all know this feeling only too well. This process is so cruel.

You have this Nemina, one little step at a time. xxxx

Right back in a wave. Constant inner alarm, I hate it. A terrible feeling. I admire all of You who make it through difficult life situations during withdrawal, couldn´t imagine to master anything. I am in month 22 and still a long way to go, 8% receptor occupancy... and I always read that it gets harder in the end. What does that mean , actually? That one has to go slower in terms of percentage? That jumping off is the problem? That symptoms are stronger in the lower doses? Can anybody explain?

On 7/29/2026 at 7:17 AM, Nemina said:

I had a couple weeks with a lot of anxiety, heart palpitations, and overall tension. Besides all the other symptoms, of course. Sunday all of a sudden I felt more peaceful, a window was opening. What is so interesting about it: once the tension was going away, I was all of a sudden very very tired. I took two naps on this day and still slept many hours at night. (Napping is a dangerous thing when you struggle with cortisol spikes, a very good sign when I can nap!) Same next day. Also I eat a lot. It seems as if when my body finally relaxes that comes a healthy kind of exhaustion. Does anybody else have this experience? It’s a good one, to me. It’s a sign of a good window.

Hi @Nemina did you get your blood and urine sodium and osmalality checked? It may be worthwhile getting checked out for insulin resistance/ diabetes. Polyuria (weeing a lot), polyphagia (hunger driven eating a lot) and polydipsia (drinking a lot due to thirst) are all possible signs of diabetes. Common tests are fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin and haemoglobin A1c. Depending on these there may be more tests required.