Hmmm... I've had Ultram, Vioxx, Tramadol, every NSAID you can think of, codeine, vicodin and the like. I don't think I've ever had an oxy, so I can't compare those. Two things come to mind:

Pot is actually very good for pain. In high school and beyond, it really helped break through dibilitating cramps. I haven't smoked pot since then, though. I can see why people want it legalized for pain, but as I have an ex-pothead husband who would laze around for hours if it was legal, I can see why some people would be against it.

After my several reconstructive surgeries I can say Stadol was really nice. Or at least I think it was- I don't remember! But the best thing I ever had was one of those fentanyl lollipops. It seems a lot of the other meds work for pain because they scramble your brain, which I hate. You still hurt, but your head just isn't understanding it. When I sucked on that lollipop, it was heaven. No high...clear, straight head... and NO pain. In fact I almost didn't notice it because most pain meds fuzz you up. It's more that all of the sudden I noticed I didn't hurt, and I had this great sense of peace and well-being, but I didn't feel drowsy, tired or high. It was almost like I'd just never had pain, maybe how normal people feel. It was wonderful, especially since you could just suck on it a bit, and when the pain tried to creep back in, you just had another lick. Like the owl in the tootsie-pop commercial.
Afterwards I heard it's a 'bad' drug- very addictive. But I've also read very bad stories of people trying to take it for 'fun', and how icky it was... not a good 'high', barfing all the time, etc. Mostly good things have been written by severe pain cases like cancer, et al. I don't know what to think. Maybe my pain is similar to cancer? I don't know. It had no drawbacks that I could see, other than that I could see why people would want to be addicted to not being in pain. But then I read lots of bad stuff about Vioxx, Celebrex, Ultram.... and I was prescribed all of them. None of them did anything other than make me seasick and sweaty..barfy, and it was no problem not getting addicted to that.

As far as right now, I don't know. The meds I take now take the edge off, but they in no way get rid of the pain. Sorry I babbled so long...... aieeee

c