6 hours ago, Healthyagain said:

I’m in a bad wave right now, and after 13 months of hypervigilance, catastrophizing, threat scanning, and intrusive thoughts with no plan or intent, I am exhausted

I hear that 🙋‍♂️😖 My first year tapering where I had to reinstate left me worse for wear 😁 Having reduced cognition and memory as a result didn't make things any easier.

I can tell you that for me, once I made my decision how I was going to taper and saw the way forward, things were much easier to bear, despite the symptoms. The whirlwind of trying so many different good ideas that didn't work like I hoped really gave some fuel to my anxiety 🤣

How's your community coming along? Have you been sending DMs to people that seem like fellow travellers with a mindset that agrees with you? The kind and generous friends I made along the way made this journey tolerable. Sending love to all of them right now, I can never repay that debt 💖

I think you're asking great questions of the right people. In my personal experience, despite my pretty thorough scholarship, trial and error was the ultimate guide to how to get down the mountain.

I think you're making good decisions to carefully consider how to proceed. I am certain you will find your way when the time is right, whatever you decide to do.

45 minutes ago, j1290 said:

I hear that 🙋‍♂️😖 My first year tapering where I had to reinstate left me worse for wear 😁 Having reduced cognition and memory as a result didn't make things any easier.

I can tell you that for me, once I made my decision how I was going to taper and saw the way forward, things were much easier to bear, despite the symptoms. The whirlwind of trying so many different good ideas that didn't work like I hoped really gave some fuel to my anxiety 🤣

How's your community coming along? Have you been sending DMs to people that seem like fellow travellers with a mindset that agrees with you? The kind and generous friends I made along the way made this journey tolerable. Sending love to all of them right now, I can never repay that debt 💖

I think you're asking great questions of the right people. In my personal experience, despite my pretty thorough scholarship, trial and error was the ultimate guide to how to get down the mountain.

I think you're making good decisions to carefully consider how to proceed. I am certain you will find your way when the time is right, whatever you decide to do.

Thank you 💞. I think the constant researching, second-guessing, and trying to figure out the “right” way forward has probably been feeding my anxiety more than I realize.

I have been reaching out to people who seem thoughtful, kind, and grounded. Having people who actually understand this process makes such a difference.

I really appreciate you reminding me that I don’t have to have the entire mountain mapped out today. I just need to find the next safe step. ❤️

5 minutes ago, Healthyagain said:

I have been reaching out to people who seem thoughtful, kind, and grounded. Having people who actually understand this process makes such a difference.

Fantastic! I'm so glad you're finding your tribe. My real life friends were sympathetic but didn't understand why I didn't feel better in like a month 😆 so it helped to be able to have a laugh about things with people who got it.

7 minutes ago, Healthyagain said:

I really appreciate you reminding me that I don’t have to have the entire mountain mapped out today. I just need to find the next safe step. ❤️

It really is just a day at a time. The only thing I can guarantee you is that things will change along the way. That said, I believe that you will be able to pivot and adapt where necessary.

No pressure to begin tapering. I believe you'll know when and if the time is right.

Edited September 7Sep 7 by j1290

2 hours ago, Healthyagain said:

But at this time, I am going to keep holding

@Healthyagain I think that is smart. I hear you about becoming despondent when you think about the possibility of this taking years. But I wonder if it might help to look at the timeline a little differently. What if those years went by smoothly, with little or no symptoms, because you were tapering in such small amounts?

That’s what I eventually figured out toward the end of my Zoloft taper, and it worked very well for me. I stopped thinking so much about how long it was going to take and focused instead on finding a pace my nervous system could actually tolerate. It took longer, but the time was not necessarily time spent suffering.

I know that doesn’t make the thought of years feel easy, but I think there is a big difference between “this could take years” and “I could be suffering for years.” They don't necessarily have to be the same thing.

3 minutes ago, RachelSusan said:

I know that doesn’t make the thought of years feel easy, but I think there is a big difference between “this could take years” and “I could be suffering for years.” They don't necessarily have to be the same thing.

Beautifully said.

13 hours ago, RachelSusan said:

I know that doesn’t make the thought of years feel easy, but I think there is a big difference between “this could take years” and “I could be suffering for years.” They don't necessarily have to be the same thing.

I truly hope so

Has anyone here felt destabilized after a GLP-1?

I found a Facebook group called “GLP Induced Mental Health Recovery Support Group,” and many of the symptoms people describe sound eerily similar to antidepressant withdrawal.

I’m wondering whether, for some people, GLP-1-related destabilization could resemble SSRI or benzo withdrawal/sensitization. It still seems very poorly understood.

The waves are still really hard, and I keep asking myself why I’m not stabilizing.

I previously held my meds steady for about 6 months and honestly didn’t see a huge change. I would get a few days of windows here and there, but not the kind of sustained stability I was hoping for.

The slightest stress can set me off, and then out of nowhere I’ll get a window where I feel much more normal again. That contrast is so confusing.

The hardest part for me is the intrusive SI/threat-scanning. These thoughts are completely unwanted and ego-dystonic. I have no desire or intent to act on them, but my brain will throw out things like “do your will,” or briefly hover over different methods or scenarios, and I’m sitting there thinking WTF, where is this even coming from? Obviously I’m not doing any of it and don’t want to. Luckily those waves usually last minutes to a few hours at most, but man, they can feel so foreign and terrifying while they’re happening.

If anyone has experienced this kind of intrusive SI during withdrawal, when did it finally start fading for you? I definitely will not miss these thoughts once they’re gone. I’ve been dealing with them on and off for about 13 months now, and sometimes I get frustrated thinking that I could have cold-turkeyed and maybe been better by now, even though I know that could also have made things much worse.

Then comes the searching spree. Was it the GLP-1 medication I used for a few years that destabilized me? Is my very low estrogen/progesterone keeping me from stabilizing? Is this still withdrawal? Do I need to updose? Am I somehow doomed to stay on these meds forever?

I understand that acceptance is important and I really do try, but when a bad wave hits I start searching for people who have had something similar just to get some validation that this can actually improve.

Another huge fear is: if I’m having this much trouble at the doses I’m still on, how am I ever going to get off these medications? I thought I was stronger than this. Then I look at my timeline and compare myself with people who didn’t seem to get really bad symptoms until they were under 1–2 mg, and I start feeling weak or like something is wrong with me.

For anyone who has tapered Wellbutrin/bupropion specifically, could you share what happened after a dose reduction? When did your symptoms peak? How long did the rough period last? When did you return to your usual withdrawal baseline or start getting windows again? Were you starting from a fairly normal baseline before the reduction? What were your worst symptoms?

And did anyone experience intrusive SI while tapering Wellbutrin? If so, at what dose and after what size reduction? Can these kinds of symptoms still happen at relatively higher doses?

For anyone who had similar intrusive SI/threat-scanning while holding or tapering, did it eventually fade as you stabilized? How long did that take for you?

Hi @Healthyagain , I think there are a few things worth keeping in perspective when you look at your timeline.

First, the intrusive SI/threat-scanning isn't really a new symptom that suddenly appeared because you're not stabilizing. You were already describing very similar intrusive thoughts and SI in your earlier SA thread. I know that doesn't make them any less frightening when they happen, but it does mean this is a recurring part of the pattern you've been dealing with, rather than a completely new development.

And one thing I really want you to keep in mind about these thoughts: intrusive suicidal thoughts are reported by many people during antidepressant withdrawal, particularly when tapering has been too fast for their system. That doesn't mean we can say with certainty that withdrawal is causing every thought you're having, but I would be very careful about interpreting these thoughts as something that belongs to you or says something about who you are. They can be a symptom, not an expression of what you want or who you are.

Second, you've had quite a lot of medication changes. Just in the last few months you went from Prozac 10 mg to 4 mg, switched from Wellbutrin XL 150 mg to bupropion IR 150 mg, and then went from 150 mg to 75 mg and back to 150 mg again.

I'm not saying this to criticize you, and I'm not saying that every symptom is necessarily caused by one of these changes. But it does make it very difficult to know what your true baseline is or why a particular wave is happening.

I actually think it might be useful for you to carefully reread both your current thread and your earlier SA thread from beginning to end. Not to judge yourself, but to step back and look at the whole picture. You may be able to see for yourself how many changes you've made, how often the same questions and concerns have come up, and also how you tend to respond when a wave hits.

This is exactly why I keep emphasizing stabilization. You don't need to figure out right now whether this is withdrawal, the GLP-1, hormones, or something else. The most useful thing you can do is give your system a long period without further changes and see what happens.

And please don't compare your timeline with people who only became symptomatic at 1–2 mg. Withdrawal doesn't follow a standard dose or timetable, and this is certainly not a measure of how strong you are.

I really think you've gathered enough information for now. ❤️ Trying to find a specific timeline from other people's experiences is unlikely to give you the certainty you're looking for. The next step isn't finding another explanation for every wave — it's giving your system some peace and seeing what it does when you stop changing things.

Edited September 9Sep 9 by Go2zero

20 minutes ago, Go2zero said:

Hi @Healthyagain , I think there are a few things worth keeping in perspective when you look at your timeline.

First, the intrusive SI/threat-scanning isn't really a new symptom that suddenly appeared because you're not stabilizing. You were already describing very similar intrusive thoughts and SI in your earlier SA thread. I know that doesn't make them any less frightening when they happen, but it does mean this is a recurring part of the pattern you've been dealing with, rather than a completely new development.

And one thing I really want you to keep in mind about these thoughts: intrusive suicidal thoughts are reported by many people during antidepressant withdrawal, particularly when tapering has been too fast for their system. That doesn't mean we can say with certainty that withdrawal is causing every thought you're having, but I would be very careful about interpreting these thoughts as something that belongs to you or says something about who you are. They can be a symptom, not an expression of what you want or who you are.

Second, you've had quite a lot of medication changes. Just in the last few months you went from Prozac 10 mg to 4 mg, switched from Wellbutrin XL 150 mg to bupropion IR 150 mg, and then went from 150 mg to 75 mg and back to 150 mg again.

I'm not saying this to criticize you, and I'm not saying that every symptom is necessarily caused by one of these changes. But it does make it very difficult to know what your true baseline is or why a particular wave is happening.

I actually think it might be useful for you to carefully reread both your current thread and your earlier SA thread from beginning to end. Not to judge yourself, but to step back and look at the whole picture. You may be able to see for yourself how many changes you've made, how often the same questions and concerns have come up, and also how you tend to respond when a wave hits.

Thank you ❤️ It’s just hard not knowing how long stabilization takes or whether the meds have somehow turned on me after years, versus this simply being destabilization from so many changes. That is actually why I cold turkeyed in 2019, I felt like the medications had turned on me then too. Some say taper faster, some say hold, some say updose, (updose went badly for me last year) and no one really seems to know.

I also don’t know how to get back to happiness instead of constantly scanning for these thoughts. They feel so foreign, and when they finally pass, I’m left sad and bracing for the next wave. This has been relentless, off and on, for 13 months.

I also wonder how or if it's a good idea to find a therapist who truly understands intrusive SI/OCD and tapering without making things worse. We all just want to live, feel happy again, and get through this without extending the misery any longer than necessary.

I understand why the uncertainty is so hard, especially after 13 months of dealing with this. But perhaps there is another way of looking at the intrusive thoughts that might help you in the meantime.

What has helped me personally is a kind of mindfulness approach. When a strange or frightening thought comes up, I try to notice it simply as a thought: “There is that thought again.” I don't need to investigate it, argue with it, understand where it came from, or give it any importance. Thoughts come and go. I can let this one be there and let it pass without engaging with it.

Acceptance has also been very important for me. Not acceptance of the symptoms as something that will necessarily stay forever, but acceptance of what is here right now. When I stop fighting the present moment and stop trying to solve everything immediately, there is often much less for the mind to react to.

There is a saying I really like: “When nothing needs to change, everything changes.” I think there is something very powerful in that when you're going through withdrawal or destabilization. It doesn't mean giving up. It means stopping the constant struggle to find the right explanation or the right next move.

You already know that intrusive SI is something you've experienced before, including in your earlier SA thread. It is also something many people report during antidepressant withdrawal. So when a wave comes, perhaps you can try to see it as a wave and not as a message about who you are, what you really want, or what your future will look like.

And this is also why I keep coming back to stabilization. You've made quite a few changes in a relatively short period of time: Prozac 10 → 4 mg, Wellbutrin XL → IR, then 150 → 75 → 150 mg. I'm not saying this to criticize you, but it does make it very difficult to know what your baseline actually is.

I really think it would be worthwhile to reread your SA thread and this thread carefully from beginning to end. Not to judge yourself, but to step back and look at the whole pattern. You may see for yourself how many changes you've made, how often the same questions have returned, and how your mind tends to respond when a wave hits.

As for therapy, I think finding someone who understands intrusive thoughts/OCD and is also familiar with antidepressant withdrawal could be helpful. But I would be very careful about turning therapy into another search for the perfect explanation or another reason to change medication.

You don't need to know today how long stabilization will take, whether this is withdrawal or something else, or whether you'll be on these medications forever. Trying to find a specific timeline from other people's experiences is unlikely to give you the certainty you're looking for.

For now, perhaps the goal can be much simpler: hold, accept what is here today, let the thoughts come and go without engaging with them, and give your system some peace. ❤️

1 hour ago, Go2zero said:

There is a saying I really like: “When nothing needs to change, everything changes.” I think there is something very powerful in that when you're going through withdrawal or destabilization. It doesn't mean giving up. It means stopping the constant struggle to find the right explanation or the right next move.

❣️

2 hours ago, Go2zero said:

I'm not saying this to criticize you, and I'm not saying that every symptom is necessarily caused by one of these changes. But it does make it very difficult to know what your true baseline is or why a particular wave is happening.

100% this. @Go2zero gave me very similar advice years ago when I started tapering bupropion. I was so desperate to feel better I made many changes in what I see now as too short a time. I don't think that's very uncommon around these parts 😁 my case is just my case, but I wound up holding for about 6 months after reinstating to get an idea what my baseline was.

2 hours ago, Healthyagain said:

and no one really seems to know.

I got lots of good advice, and took it. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes I had to pivot, but I still found my way down the mountain with time.

@Go2zero

I keep a very precise daily log, and there is one pattern I can’t ignore anymore: almost every morning after I take Tirosint (levothyroxine), my intrusive thoughts and worry start, then gradually taper down throughout the day.

Since August 2025, I have tapered Tirosint from 112 mcg to 88 mcg and Cytomel from 25 mcg to 0. The intrusive thoughts are still recurring. I’ve noticed this morning pattern very clearly again over the last 1–2 months, and possibly much longer. I think I missed it before because I was so hyperfocused on Prozac.

Here is the backstory:

In 2002, I was diagnosed with a toxic thyroid nodule and subclinical hyperthyroidism. My thyroid hormones were normal, but my TSH was undetectable. I lived with it for about two years and was eventually convinced to undergo radioactive iodine treatment. I was told the RAI would mainly destroy the toxic nodule and that, after a temporary period of hypothyroidism, the remaining thyroid might eventually return to normal function.

Before the RAI, I had started Prozac in 2004.

I underwent RAI in March 2005. Around August 2005, after moving to another state, I was feeling lethargic, had bloodwork done, was told I was hypothyroid, and was started on Synthroid.

Now I am questioning the entire sequence.

I’m wondering whether I was started on levothyroxine while my thyroid was still in the post-RAI adjustment period, and whether my remaining thyroid might eventually have recovered more function, which is why my TSH continues to stay very low. I also recently learned that Prozac can affect thyroid function, so I’m questioning whether being on Prozac at the time may have complicated the picture further.

I have never really felt well since around 2004, and now I’m wondering whether I ended up in a medication cascade, with additional medications added to manage symptoms or side effects of other medications. I have also developed metabolic issues and osteoporosis, which makes me question whether long-term medication effects or periods of thyroid over-replacement have contributed.

I know the impulsive thought is, “Just cold turkey everything and let the chips fall where they may,” but I also know that could destabilize me badly, especially because I have become very sensitive to antidepressant changes.

So my question is:

How would you safely untangle this?

Would you:

• reassess/taper levothyroxine first while keeping the antidepressants stable?

• taper Wellbutrin first?

• stop or taper metformin first?

• leave Prozac for last?

• change only one medication at a time, even when some are not psychotropic, and hold for a long period between changes?

I honestly can’t believe I may have spent 20+ years on medication cascade without anyone ever asking whether every one of them was still necessary. I want to approach this carefully and safely, not impulsively.

I think the pattern you've noticed is worth discussing with your doctor, but I don't think this is something you need to solve here on this forum. I don't know enough about thyroid medication to give you any useful advice about Tirosint, and that's also outside the focus of this forum.

What I do notice, though, is that you're again trying to find the explanation for everything that is happening: first the GLP-1 medication, then hormones, then withdrawal, and now possibly Tirosint and the whole medication cascade.

From the withdrawal perspective, I think the more important thing is what we've already been talking about: you've made a lot of changes over a relatively short period, and your nervous system seems to be very reactive at the moment. Trying to untangle everything at once is likely to give you even more things to monitor and worry about.

So I would separate these two things. Let your doctor investigate the thyroid question, while here I would keep the focus on your psychiatric medications, withdrawal, and giving your system some stability.

And please don't act on the thought of cold-turkeying everything. You already know from 2019 how badly that can turn out.

You don't have to solve twenty years of medication history right now. One thing at a time is enough. ❤️

I'm putting on my medical hat here. Can I ask why you are tapering the levothyroxine? You may not get recovery of your thyroid function by coming off it, and thyroid hormones are quite important for a whole range of metabolic and emotional pathways. I personally would not be adjusting this during withdrawal unless you have been advised to by your endocrinologist or GP.

1 hour ago, Sminismoni said:

I'm putting on my medical hat here. Can I ask why you are tapering the levothyroxine? You may not get recovery of your thyroid function by coming off it, and thyroid hormones are quite important for a whole range of metabolic and emotional pathways. I personally would not be adjusting this during withdrawal unless you have been advised to by your endocrinologist or GP.

OMG, girl, you just brought tears to my eyes! I’m so happy to see you here! 🥹💕 I’m so grateful to have a medical doctor here chiming in, and I’m truly happy that we’ve reconnected.

My TSH had been undetectable for many years, including during the period when I stopped my antidepressants cold turkey. Now that my nervous system is so sensitized, I can actually feel an activating surge within an hour of taking Tirosint (levothyroxine) each day. I also recently learned that I have osteoporosis, which excessive thyroid hormone and Cytomel can contribute to (as you know).

I gradually tapered off Cytomel and am now carefully considering adjusting my Tirosint dose under my endocrinologist’s supervision. I’m not trying to discontinue it unless that eventually proves necessary as I taper down. For the time being, I simply want to find the dose that brings my TSH into my endocrinologist’s target range of 1–2.

My most recent TSH was still suppressed at 0.24 (three to four folds below normal and definitely still within the hyperthyroid range). The good news is that my pituitary seems to be waking up, since my TSH was still undetectable just a few months ago. However, my T4 remains low-normal and my T3 is below normal, so it’s a complicated picture.

Interestingly, my thyroid levels were similar when I first started Prozac, so I want to address this now in the hope that it will ease my future taper. My last Tirosint reduction was in February, while I was holding.

I absolutely agree that thyroid function is vital during tapering, which is precisely why I want to make sure mine is as balanced and optimal as possible.

Edited September 20Sep 20 by Healthyagain

I tapered my Wellbutrin for several reasons, but I’m now dealing with severe bloating, headaches, water retention, constipation, and some flickers of passive SI.

I’ve been trying to step away from reassurance-seeking, but these symptoms have become so uncomfortable and concerning that I felt I needed to reach out. My weight has also increased by another seven pounds in just two weeks.

One thing I’ve noticed, and feel is important to share, since SI can occur during withdrawal but understandably isn’t discussed enough is that it has felt different with each medication. During my Prozac taper, the intrusive SI came with panic, although the panic gradually became less intense while holding at 4 mg. With the Wellbutrin reduction, it has felt more depressive and passive. I wanted to share this distinction in case anyone else has experienced something similar.

Is anyone else on the “Hellbutrin” train or familiar with these symptoms during tapering: severe bloating, constipation, water retention, weight gain, feeling seven months pregnant, or depressive episodes? If you experienced anything similar, how long did it take to subside? I know everyone is different, but I would truly appreciate hearing about your experience. Did you find any safe remedies that helped with the bloating, constipation, or water retention?

I’d be so grateful for anything you’re willing to share. Thank you so much.

On 9/15/2026 at 4:10 PM, Go2zero said:

And please don't act on the thought of cold-turkeying everything. You already know from 2019 how badly that can turn out.

You don't have to solve twenty years of medication history right now. One thing at a time is enough. ❤️

x 2

I would agree that this is a great time to let things settle down and proceed so very slowly with any changes. As my good friend once said, "Slow is the new fast" 😁👍

11 hours ago, j1290 said:

x 2

I would agree that this is a great time to let things settle down and proceed so very slowly with any changes. As my good friend once said, "Slow is the new fast" 😁👍

I appreciate your advice. Can I ask, how do you personally gauge when things have settled enough to make another change? And what “so very slowly” might look like?

Also, how do you come to terms with the possibility of tapering each AD for several years, especially when your nervous system is so sensitized that you can’t tolerate supplements or much else that might help? I’m finding that part particularly difficult to accept.

13 minutes ago, Healthyagain said:

ow do you personally gauge when things have settled enough to make another change?

when you are stable enough and you can actually function, if you are still have a lot of bad days and you don't function, i would avoid doing changes, assuming the symptoms are withdrawal, with adverse reactions you need to handle it a bit differently.

On 9/21/2026 at 12:08 AM, Healthyagain said:

I tapered my Wellbutrin for several reasons, but I’m now dealing with severe bloating, headaches, water retention, constipation, and some flickers of passive SI.

I’ve been trying to step away from reassurance-seeking, but these symptoms have become so uncomfortable and concerning that I felt I needed to reach out. My weight has also increased by another seven pounds in just two weeks.

One thing I’ve noticed, and feel is important to share, since SI can occur during withdrawal but understandably isn’t discussed enough is that it has felt different with each medication. During my Prozac taper, the intrusive SI came with panic, although the panic gradually became less intense while holding at 4 mg. With the Wellbutrin reduction, it has felt more depressive and passive. I wanted to share this distinction in case anyone else has experienced something similar.

Is anyone else on the “Hellbutrin” train or familiar with these symptoms during tapering: severe bloating, constipation, water retention, weight gain, feeling seven months pregnant, or depressive episodes? If you experienced anything similar, how long did it take to subside? I know everyone is different, but I would truly appreciate hearing about your experience. Did you find any safe remedies that helped with the bloating, constipation, or water retention?

I’d be so grateful for anything you’re willing to share. Thank you so much.

Hi Healthyagain,

I have the same issues since the last months of my celexa micro taper and ever since:

water retention and weight gain (not even sure if it is all water retention)

Sometimes I had severe bloating and constipation

After my two quicker, medical advised tapers I did not have the weight issues, the weight I gained on the meds came off very quickly in these cases. Luckily also after the micro taper a little weight came off already a few months after reaching zero, but some still stayed ever since. It feels like my body is blocked this time, as if I am not able to lose it or my metabolism has changed. (Sorry for mentioning this I dont want to trigger anyone, but for that reason I even started to question the micro taper??) I used to be a skinny person. I am still able to look slimish in some cloths. But I am not able to wear all my cloths and I know underneath is the water retention paired with a few extra pounds that wont go away. It looks quiet unnatural. It is so strange. Sometimes it gets even worse after walking or exercising (when I am able too). Sometimes the water retention is gone for no special reason, when I rest for two days in a row. Sometimes this also does not help.There is no pattern I can recognize. It is really frustrating and I am still trying to find a solution for the water retention and weight gain. Water retention and weight gain are a common side effect being on anti-ds, but during tapering? I only found little information about this issues while or after tapering. One interesting thing I found out that water retention can also be connected to signals your brain is sending to your body. As the brain gets very affected from tapering these drugs this might be the case here, who knows? Do you have the water retention in the face as well? I do and it is strange :((........I look weird, I can tell on pictures and I dont recognize myself.

Sorry I didn't want to scare anyone, issues with water and weight will resolve in most of the cases during tapering...... WD, what a journey??

What has helped so far:

Sauna helps me with the water retention and weight gain (I believe the weight gain is also almost only water, some days after the sauna my looks were 70% towards normal.) After one or two days the effect resolves, unfortunately. I can only do the sauna once a week, if I do it twice other WD symptoms worsen.

Cutting sugar and carbohydrates has also helped a bit.

It is all trail and error.......

Keep us updated if you found anything that helps you.

Take care :))

7 hours ago, Glimmery said:

Hi Healthyagain,

I have the same issues since the last months of my celexa micro taper and ever since:

water retention and weight gain (not even sure if it is all water retention)

Sometimes I had severe bloating and constipation

After my two quicker, medical advised tapers I did not have the weight issues, the weight I gained on the meds came off very quickly in these cases. Luckily also after the micro taper a little weight came off already a few months after reaching zero, but some still stayed ever since. It feels like my body is blocked this time, as if I am not able to lose it or my metabolism has changed. (Sorry for mentioning this I dont want to trigger anyone, but for that reason I even started to question the micro taper??) I used to be a skinny person. I am still able to look slimish in some cloths. But I am not able to wear all my cloths and I know underneath is the water retention paired with a few extra pounds that wont go away. It looks quiet unnatural. It is so strange. Sometimes it gets even worse after walking or exercising (when I am able too). Sometimes the water retention is gone for no special reason, when I rest for two days in a row. Sometimes this also does not help.There is no pattern I can recognize. It is really frustrating and I am still trying to find a solution for the water retention and weight gain. Water retention and weight gain are a common side effect being on anti-ds, but during tapering? I only found little information about this issues while or after tapering. One interesting thing I found out that water retention can also be connected to signals your brain is sending to your body. As the brain gets very affected from tapering these drugs this might be the case here, who knows? Do you have the water retention in the face as well? I do and it is strange :((........I look weird, I can tell on pictures and I dont recognize myself.

Sorry I didn't want to scare anyone, issues with water and weight will resolve in most of the cases during tapering...... WD, what a journey??

What has helped so far:

Sauna helps me with the water retention and weight gain (I believe the weight gain is also almost only water, some days after the sauna my looks were 70% towards normal.) After one or two days the effect resolves, unfortunately. I can only do the sauna once a week, if I do it twice other WD symptoms worsen.

Cutting sugar and carbohydrates has also helped a bit.

It is all trail and error.......

Keep us updated if you found anything that helps you.

Take care :))

Hey @Glimmery Have you had your serum sodium checked recently and urine and serum osmolality.? Many ADs but particularly SSRIs can cause syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). I'll leave it to you to research it or asking AI. I've suffered with it for several years.

Hi @Catbird :), nice of you to reply. I did several blood tests, but Iam not sure if the serum sodium was checked. Is that a regular or special examination? Thank you anyways, I will look it up.

How did you get rid of it?

btw I opened a topic for this theme

https://antidepressantrecovery.org/topic/673-water-retention-and-not-able-to-lose-weight-or-weight-gain-duringafter-a-tapermicrotaper-anyone-else/#comment-32116

Edited September 23Sep 23 by Glimmery

15 hours ago, Glimmery said:

Hi Healthyagain,

I have the same issues since the last months of my celexa micro taper and ever since:

water retention and weight gain (not even sure if it is all water retention)

Sometimes I had severe bloating and constipation

After my two quicker, medical advised tapers I did not have the weight issues, the weight I gained on the meds came off very quickly in these cases. Luckily also after the micro taper a little weight came off already a few months after reaching zero, but some still stayed ever since. It feels like my body is blocked this time, as if I am not able to lose it or my metabolism has changed. (Sorry for mentioning this I dont want to trigger anyone, but for that reason I even started to question the micro taper??) I used to be a skinny person. I am still able to look slimish in some cloths. But I am not able to wear all my cloths and I know underneath is the water retention paired with a few extra pounds that wont go away. It looks quiet unnatural. It is so strange. Sometimes it gets even worse after walking or exercising (when I am able too). Sometimes the water retention is gone for no special reason, when I rest for two days in a row. Sometimes this also does not help.There is no pattern I can recognize. It is really frustrating and I am still trying to find a solution for the water retention and weight gain. Water retention and weight gain are a common side effect being on anti-ds, but during tapering? I only found little information about this issues while or after tapering. One interesting thing I found out that water retention can also be connected to signals your brain is sending to your body. As the brain gets very affected from tapering these drugs this might be the case here, who knows? Do you have the water retention in the face as well? I do and it is strange :((........I look weird, I can tell on pictures and I dont recognize myself.

Sorry I didn't want to scare anyone, issues with water and weight will resolve in most of the cases during tapering...... WD, what a journey??

What has helped so far:

Sauna helps me with the water retention and weight gain (I believe the weight gain is also almost only water, some days after the sauna my looks were 70% towards normal.) After one or two days the effect resolves, unfortunately. I can only do the sauna once a week, if I do it twice other WD symptoms worsen.

Cutting sugar and carbohydrates has also helped a bit.

It is all trail and error.......

Keep us updated if you found anything that helps you.

Take care :))

@Glimmery Thank you for sharing this. I’m sorry you’ve been dealing with this too. I’ve gained about 30 pounds in 1.5 years and 10 pounds in last month alone, and I’m nowhere near finished tapering these poisons. The weight gain has made me more depressed than ever. I get so bloated that I look pregnant, and I hardly recognize my body.

I’m not sure whether it’s related to my thyroid levels, the Wellbutrin dose reduction, or something else. I’m still on a substantial dose of Wellbutrin, and the headaches have been persistent too. I haven’t found a clear pattern or anything that reliably helps, but I’ll share if I do.

@Catbird Thank you for mentioning sodium and SIADH as well. I’ve actually been craving salt more than ever lately, and I’m not sure what to make of that.

I appreciate you both responding. 💕