Impact of New Drug Law In Wa
 

I am new to this site, and do not know just how spread out everyone is.

I live in Washington State. Actually, I live in Washington, and what you hear about on TV-Land takes place in Washington City.

Wa state passed a law last year which is having a devastating impact on chronic pain patients. Frankly, the law may not be understood even by its' drafters. It requires that doctors maintain a record of all patients receiving opiates. These records are to track pain condition and level of "Improvement" due to the use of these drugs. When prescriptions go above some arbitrary level the patient must see a pain specialist, although a lot of the pain specialists don't believe that they ARE pain specialists under the new law. SO a lot of prescribing doctors have quit, while others simply prescribe to the threshold limit and will not go above that.

Personally this really messes me up as I take app twice the allowable limit and my doctor just left his old partners and now works with a group that does mostly invasive procedures. They do not allow Medical Marijujuanna. They do not believe in ANY muscle relaxers, etc.

I need to find a new prescribing doctor and fast. My primary care doctor left his practice to join a hospital as a staff doctor. Does nyone out there have any suggestions? I have about one, maybe two months and then I need a new doctor.

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

You might want to post this also in our Chronic Pain forum:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum10.html

Hi Mark,

Welcome to NT !

I would speak to your current doctors. They SHOULD be able to help you find a physician who will continue the plan of care

I understand what a tough spot it is to be in.....We can't exactly call a new doctor's office and ask if they are cool with prescribing narcotics and mm.