I have had chronic back and leg pain for years along with pain associated with fibromyalgia. I have a lot of degeneration in my spine as well as osteoporosis. I've had surgery to repair a herniated disk. I have recently been told that L5-S1 is so degenerated that I'm having severe pain from bone-on-bone friction. I was told that it would require fusion surgery but that the doctor didn't want to perform the surgery except as a last resort. I was told that I should take enough pain medication to keep me comfortable and to go back to the spine doctor and discuss surgery when I just can't live with it anymore. I've been taking oxycodone for years and I've built a tolerance. Two 10mg every six hours just doesn't resolve the pain anymore. Doubling that dosage does help, but it never gets rid of the pain completely. I think I could live with the reduced pain for a while though. My problem is that my primary physician is the one who has been prescribing the pain meds and he really doesn't want to continue doing so. My spine doctor doesn't want to get involved in the pain meds. Both have suggested that I go to a doctor who manages pain medication. I have spent the better part of a week calling doctors that are listed as Pain Management, but I have yet to find anyone who wants to deal with the meds. Unbelievable!! My pain is so intense at times that I can't even walk, yet these guys are afraid of giving me something that might just help. I would be happy to just have some relief for a short portion of every day, but that's not even possible with the amount I'm now prescribed. I suspect the doctors are all afraid of the DEA. And to think our President is suggesting that when older people are having certain health problems that they be given pain medication instead of having expensive surgery! That's just not going to work unless he does something to get the DEA off of the doctors backs. Sorry to complain so much but I am just totally frustrated by this whole situation, can you tell?? Does anyone know where I might find some help.....I live in Northern Virginia.