"i have needed to opiate meds to manage my pain control for many many years.  i have a clotting disorder that had caused high levels of pain for my entire life.  i can remember taking liquid tyco at 9 or 10 prolly earlier.. anyway, as a teen, i would use tyco 3 or vicodin.  it go to a point where i needed way too many to adequately control my pain.  i was switched to oxycontin and had started taking 20mg 3 x day.  over 8 years, increased to 80mg x 2 day with oxycodone for breakthrough.  eventually i was up to 100mg x 2 day.  changes in providers caused me to change from oxycontin to opana er.  i have been started at 50mg x 2 day.  it is just enough to help and take the edge off, but it is no where near as effective (for me) than oxycontin is"