A question about an alternative to Oxycontin for extreme (chronic) pain?

I have a family member who went through a terrible work accident over 10 years ago. He suffers from chronic pain that’s unbearable, unless he takes a strong pain med. For the past ten years it’s been Oxycontin.

His injuries (from what I remember) are problems with his facet joints, herniated discs – L4 L5, midline disc bulge.

He desperately wants to get off of the Oxy. He knows he’s addicted and of course, for long time users you’re dealing with tolerance. He told his doctor that he wants to get off of it. He tried it this past week. His doctor gave him a “scrip” for Clonazepam (I think it was) to help him sleep for a few days, then he was supposed to go to the Methadone clinic (coming off of Oxy/take Methadone). According to my family member, when he got to the clinic, they refused to give him the Methadone, since he was taking such a high dosage of Oxy for pain, they said that he’d still need something strong for the pain (if that makes any sense). And, you see, this family member has lied so much in the past that our family doesn’t know what to believe. We don’t know if he’s telling the truth – as far as what the doctors at the Methadone clinic said.

Anyhow, he had to go back to his doctor and his doctor decided to go back to the Oxy, but, my family member would get it every three days, as opposed to once a month. When he got it once a month, he would abuse it and run out of meds before his next doctor’s visit. This way with every three days, he can’t abuse it. His doctor also decided to cut back on the dosage, as well. The goal, to eventually ween him off of the Oxy. His doctor said it would take about 2 years to do that. Again, this info is coming from someone who is an addict and who has lied a great deal in the past. Not sure what to believe.

My question is this, for someone in his shoes with the amount of pain that he’s in, what means (meds) other than Oxy could he take/do for his pain?

The past four days I’ve been helping him with his withdrawls. What a shitty, shitty way to live. My heart breaks for him.