I've looked into a place called the Chicago Rehabilitation center (sometimes referred to as a pain boot camp).  There's a great article on it at WebMD and it seems geared towards people with "failed back syndrome" (my husband's hopeless sounding diagnosis).  Anyway, I suspect its very expensive, but for those of you who can afford it and can get away for 30 days or so, I suggest giving it a try.  I'm in the process of trying to get our insurance to pay for it for my husband.

Very well said, Vee108.  I totally agree with all that you said.
This was the way I did it for years, maybe even taking 1 pill (Fiorinal with Codeine) a month for a migraine.  But my headaches started to increase as I got older, hence more medication.  Tried everything out there, nothing else worked.  SO, I ended up taking up to 10 to 15 a week for headaches, while trying to live a productive life.
  I finally got a grip about a year ago and decided something had to be done about the dependance and frequent use of "my" pills.  I went to my doctor and he told me when I got up in the morning to take one pill, whether I needed it or not!  WOW!  I thought he was nuts!  But decided to try it.
I had some W/D symptoms for a few weeks, not pleasant but I got through it, RLS almost gone. I found this Forum and decided I could have been down a pretty murky road had I not realized what was happening to me. My doctor's insight really helped, I am now only taking 1, almost only for a headache!  I feel like I'm "almost" back to where I was many years ago. (I'm just happy my yearly blood tests shows every thing is in the normal range..I''m so blessed.)  There has been alcohol dependency in my family, so I have to be careful...as chemical dependence runs in families.  
I've learned, if you don't NEED medication for physical ailments of any sort, get off it, no matter what it takes!!  Your body suffers terribly as you get older. I know that is why I have a weak back today...a very severe case of Osteoporosis. Fiorinal (tylenol and codeine, together or not) is known for deteriorizing bone density...creating dryness in the bones. Alcohol does the same thing, dries out the body...cigarettes too. I did it all to a certain extent over the years, sure wish I hadn't of though.
All drugs have bad side effects, whether seen in short term or in the long term....I guarentee they WILL show up if one continues to put them into their bodies.  Take it from me, I am living proof of what my "meanial, small amount" of Codeine and Tylenol have done to my body for so many years and I can say...I sure wish I had known back when I was young what I know now. I also have taken Soma for back pain; Librium/Ativan/Xanax/Lorazapam for anxiety; among many others...BUT never took any more than was prescribed and never took enough to get hooked on. I did this over the years, never telling my family that I took anything except an occasional Fiorinal for migraines. So far thank God, no one in the family takes anything other than Ibuprophen for pain, hoping one day that will be the extent of my drugs! All I need is just enough to take the EDGE off my pain...not to be sent into "looneytoonville", just to take the EDGE off my pain.
One more thing..I quit smoking 42 years ago and pulled back from imbibing in alcohol 10 years ago. Anything done occasionally will not hurt the body...anything abused will!
  Hope this helps some of you on this Forum. Good luck to you all, I pray for everyone trying to get away from all harmful addictions.
CAN

In my opinion if you have to ask you've crossed over.  See if you can take what is dosed to you if you cant' then your are.

If you are any way taking them OTHER than as prescribed then u have a problem.  If the pills are not working and u have to take more and more u need to be honest with your doctor and maybe he can try a different type of pain med.  There are some pain meds that are effective that are non-narcotic such as motrin 800-1000.  I have a painful disease too but I choose not to any more narcs b/c of the damage to my organs and b/c they are addictive.