I am one to say tapering doesn't work but there are others who will tell you it helped them. Withdrawals will never put you inthe hospital or kill you. It just takes a few days and saves all the screwing around taking a half a pill less and counting every grain of oxycodone as it slowly disappears. My philosophy is that as long as you are taking anything you haven't quit and until you quit you are highly susceptible to relapse. hell, you will be susceptible to relapse until you die. One can look at withdrawal as a way to toughen you for the long haul as it is a life long decision.