I appreciate all of your posts. I had back surgery about one year ago and have taken pain medicine for the resulting nerve damage. I turned to this board because a nurse referred me to it as a cost saving alternative to paying the doctor visit every two weeks. I have tried to take a "holiday" several times but have found myself very tired, sick and depressed. I was wondering if any of you knew of a discreet method to lessen the effects of the withdrawal, other than visiting the doctor I left (either by post or PM). Is there any over-the-counter medicine, methods of decreasing doses or herbal supplements you could recommend? I am grateful for all of your posts and couldn't begin to express my appreciation for others willing to talk about their experiences.