When WC began telling me to reduce my pain meds I turned to my private insurance for pain meds. My dr was furious and tried over and over to get the meds to be maintained, but it was only delaying the inevitable. Previous docs I've had actually stopped doing WC because they were tired of having the things they prescribed for their patients denied over and over. It was too frustrating and made medical care impossible.
Having a lawyer can help, but still doesn't cure the problem. WC has become too powerful and seems to think we are ALL gaming the system.