I am on heavy narcotics; 60 mg Oxycoting every 6 hrs. 240mg a day, Percocet for breakthru pain 3 -4 times a day; a couple of times a day I take the Percocet with 5mg vallium. When I was in the hospital with my spine fusion surgery it was suggested that the two helped.

The meds seem to be more of a stimulant for me. I don't know how I would function without them. Of course, these meds were gradually upped during the past 3 years. This is a high as I will allow myself to go. You are not considered addicted; but you are dependent - there is NO high from these meds. Since this is something that will most likely be for the rest of my life, I would not be able to function otherwise.

Your sister may have had a temporary need for them and got addicted. Again, when this is a lifetime, not functioning at all is much worse. Luckily, I am retired and do not have to work. Unfortunately, my husband does not like to hear complaints and trys to ignore them. That does hurt. I still do get laundry done, and our meals are not as good as they had been; but we do manage. I no longer drive, so he does do the grocery shopping and thank goodness for the internet for shopping for other items so I do not go to malls, etc.

You sound like you need some help for the pain. I am not a pill popper; like you, I was afraid of addiction. Dependent is much different than addiction.