"over the year&#039;s (i&#039;m 75 now), i have used vicodin 5/325mg for a range of things: had stable fracture of spine after a fall, broke one shoulder in 3 places, and the other a couple year&#039;s ago.  have chronic back pain and if gets bad get an prescription for it.  a few surgeries:  prostate, hernia, gall bladder, several dental procedures/surgeries.  in each and every one of the mentioned cases, the vicodin has been the pain management of choice. it frustrates me, that after a doctor prescribed a couple of times, they are reluctant to further prescribe, siting the addiction factor. i&#039;ve heard that doctor&#039;s tend to under prescribe because of this."