WW, don't take this the wrong way, because you KNOW I KNOW about chronic pain...

how long have you been taking the vicodin or other strong pain meds? What doses did you begin at and what doses are you at? What level pain did you begin with, and what level pain are you at now, most of the time, and when it's at it's best for you? Have you ever gone totally off the meds, long enough to allow them to totally leave your system (weeks?)

Don't answer here, but write these things down. SOMETIMES you do get rebound pain... stupid drugs... of course you wouldn't want to be trying to deal with that in addition to your chronic pain...