Hi Jewel~~ Having read Stever1955's message I must agree!! It is really important to keep to the medication schedule, even if you feel that you don't need it at that time! It is much easier to keep the pain at bay if you regularly take the medication, but if you miss it and the pain returns in force it is much much worse! Then it takes a lot more medication to lessen the pain and you have to live through the pain until it is again under control.
You must remember that it is quality of life that you are trying to achieve. Living with pain is not quality! Hopefully you can get it under control, AND KEEP IT THAT WAY, so that you don't have to live with extreme pain anymore. As the pain increases, as it probably will, then you can increase the medication (with the assistance of your doctor) until you have it under control again. But don't worry about being an addict -- you won't be! You will just be a person who is managing cancer pain using medication with the assistance of your doctor to give you a reasonable quality of life. Best wishes Jewel - it is possible! Cath