I took oxicontin in ever increasing dosages for ten years. I had very bad arthritis pain and I chose opiates. As THE HEALTHIEST of all the pain meds I researched. After ten years I was up to six 80mg pills a day, which could kill some people, AND Norco, for breakthrough pain. At the point where it finally dawned on me that I needed a hip replacement instead of more drugs. But what in the world would they use for pain management after the surgery? Clearly I had to quit. So I went on line to see what withdrawal symptoms I was facing. Horror stories that you no doubt have read...nausea, anxiety, blurred vision, sweating, rlm and any number of pains, including stomach cramps, abdominal pain...on and on. I was scared. But, I tapered off over a period of a month, ending only with a couple of narco a day before i stopped. I was a little anxious (mostly because of the stories) so I took a .5 mg Xanax for the first week. But otherwise, the only symptom I ever suffered we're stomach pain..and that turned out to be an infected gall bladder that hadn't worked in years and which pain had been masked by the oxi. DON'T STOP SUDDENLY, and don't believe everything you hear about withdrawal...it's mostly fear. I love my new hip and feel no desire for oxi at all. Good luck