@jimhd , that's insane, especially for post-operative pain.. Federal law allows narcotic pain relievers for 30-day periods. My physiatrist (MD of physical medicine) (or his P.A.) sees me every 60 days and give me 2 prescriptions: one for that month and one for the next month, and they are dated specifically for those months. That saves a trip. And, randomly, I'm tested to see if I'm actually taking the drugs (and not selling them) or if I'm taking them from two sources. It's a minor inconvenience that I'm used to. When I worked I also had to take the tests. One thing that I noticed: my neuropathy was far worse when I was under stress. My pain level seems to follow my stress levels, so if I can find a way to relax or exercise to get rid of stress, I hurt less, sometimes significantly less. That's why the benzos (that I may no longer take) kept my pain levels VERY manageable. Sometimes pain causes stress which causes pain which causes more stress and more pain. I try to eliminate that first stressful situation.