"i have low back pain for 15 years with severe chronic pain for the last 5 years. like many other posts i have been on many different pain medicines from lortab to oxycodone. in 2008 i had 4 discs fused to relieve my most severe pain. two weeks ago i started pain management being prescribed the fentanyl patch and oxycodone for breakthrough pain. the fentanyl patch has been great. i don%u2019t have the ups and downs in pain because i forgot to take the pills at a certain time. my pain is well controlled with little breakthrough pain and the side effects are far less than the oxycodone alone. i wish i had this a year ago. i see bright days ahead."