Drug info - Is prescription painkillers the next step?

[garbageman28]

SWIM has been trying to find a good solution for his back pain for some time now... First he was put on Nabumetone, then Diclofenac, and now Piroxicam. The Nabumetone worked but made him VERY tired, the Diclofenac worked for a short period of time and then stopped worked at the prescribed dosage, and Piroxicam has not worked at all. SWIM's doctor has reccommended physical therapy, and SWIM is considering it but has heard it is painful, and just as temporary a fix as painkillers... To be honest, SWIM would find it easier to pop a pill when needed than to do ongoing PT (Is this a bad thing to tell his doctor?), seeing as how he already takes sam-e and theanine every morning anyway. What is the next step in medication? Is SWIM likely to get painkillers without first trying physical therapy?

One more possibly stupid question, SWIM told one of his doctors (he has 3 to choose from at his local doctor's office) he "used to" smoke weed (he had stopped at the time and couldn't sleep because of it, as a result got a RX for Zolpidem). Do the other doctors know about this? Thanks.