Edd, Fentynl (sp?) patches, which can be increased in increments of I believe 25 mg, were a lifesaver for me. I experienced no side effects and had abolutely complete pain relief from really, really bad rad burns to my really, really fair skin.
If I ever have ongoing pain in the future, you can bet I am going to ask for those. Give them a try.
I found no addiction problem, and pretty much stopped cold, but the beauty of these is that you can step down the amount gradually if you think there will be a problem, just as you can increase them gradually to deal with pain levels.
I was very stubborn about not using anything and resisted until I could not stop shaking, and looked so wretched that I was told I was going into shock. I gave in and wish I had weeks earlier.
This is one situation where drugs are very, very good!