I'm not a doctor, and I don't even play one on tv, but I'm sure there are other meds. that can be used for s.i. Opiates (direct derivatives of morphine) and opioids (they work like opiates) really are nasty when one gets right down to it. Especially if one has an addictive personality.

My orthopedic surgeon prescribed them for pain from my lumbar fusion in Nov. 2015. Yes, that's how long I have the pain, and I don't see it abating any time soon. However, I try not to take them unless absolutely necessary. I thought I might have to this morning, but so far I haven't. I do like the way they make me feel, but I fight taking them lest I become dependent on them.

How one reacts depends on one's personality. My husband, when he drank, was a nasty drunk. He frets over getting his percocet and valium. They also knock him out and make him spaced out. So much so that I want to slap the stupid out of him (but you can't, stupid just comes back ). If I get drunk, I am a goofy and happy drunk. Which is why opiates make me somewhat euphoric, and energized. We have the same orthopedic surgeon, who will not prescribe them for my husband (goes to a pain management specialist), but he will prescribe them for me. The surgeon knows our personalities.

So, the tl;dr version is, opiates and opioids are not to be used lightly.