I didnt know I was on an extremely high dosage which was 400mg per day until my psychiatrist retired and I had to get a new one. The scary thing is that I was at 500mg before that for awhile. I've been taking this medicine for about 10 years. My new psychiatrist told me that 400mg was an extremely too high of dosage and it could hurt my heart. He tapered me down to 225mg within in a month. He had me take 20mg of xanxax with it to help with the withdrawal symptoms. Everything seemed fine and I was doing really well at first. But then when I got down to 225mg, he had me stop taking the xanax. I started struggling with feeling depressed and having anxiety. My head hurt all the time and I had no patience. I couldn't sleep and I felt like I needed to move my legs all the time while laying down. Then I received some bad news that turned my world upside down and I couldn't stop crying and could barely get out of bed. I didn't go to work and I stopped taking care of myself. I will admitt, it was the scariest and hardest time of my life. I became so lost in the pain and feeling like I would never be happy again. I was seeing a therapist during this time. I had to continue to advocate for myself, even when I felt like giving up. I told my psychiatrist and he switched me to the extended release venlafaxine ,which did nothing. I had been on the extended release before and it didnt work. I had to continue to to keep on him and telling him this isn't working, even when I felt like there was no hope. He said I could start taking the Xanax again and weeks went by and I was still not getting better. I was exhausted and tired of fighting for help. I finally got them him to do something different and he put me on 40 MG of xanxax. This seemed to work and I started to feel like my oldself again. But I have to say, during the times I was on my period, it felt like I was on no medicine at all. I tried to tell my psychiatrist and he acted like it was no big deal. Each time I was on my period, the depression was 100 times worse. I'm looking for a new psychiatrist, because I believe mine was very careless and doesn't know the power of this medication or the seriousness of the side effects. I've also have had memory problems while on this medication, I can see in my head what I want to say, but I can't think of the word. I forget things very easily and also have severe constipation which I have to take other medication for. Both of these symptoms were dismissed as being unrelated to the medication. But I didnt have them, before I was on the medication and I've recently read about others who have them too. I really am hoping to find a psychiatrist who knows more about this drug, I know it can be hard to advocate for yourself, but keep trying!