I looked in the PDR (physicians desk refrence - the doctors "bible" for medications).

percocet is oxycodone
http://www.drugs.com/pdr/percocet_tablets.html

vicodin is hydrocodone
http://www.drugs.com/pdr/vicodin_es_tablets.html

The links are to an online version of the PDR.



I take steroids for pain, low-dose prednisone daily. It helps with the inflamation -- it's the only anti-inflamatory I can take because all the others (ibuprofen, advil, aleve, celebrex, etc...) all give me stomach problems. The prednisone does help a lot, but I'm not sure I want to be on it for too much longer due to the side effects that can occur as a result of long-term steroid use. So far though, the benefits of the prednisone far outweigh the risks, so I continue to take it.