Well I can tell you it can be done also. I had surgery for a really messed up neck and like you started taking pain pills a little at a time. Sure enough what I was suppose to take wouldn't fix the " pain ". Well 10 days off the pills and I haven't felt this good in a long time. Yes the pain in my neck is still there and I honstly think I can deal with it and learn to live a life free from the pills. It is so freeing not waking up and counting pills and trying to figure out if I have enough to go see my daughters game on tuesday. I hated that and finally said enough. It sucked for a little while but you have to go through some pain to get to the good side. And the good side is really nice.