Hi Cindy -

I've got a great pain specialist in LA, brilliant, compassionate, self-effacing, accepts most insurance, etc. He also gave me a referral to Robert Schwartzman, MD in Philadelphia the first time I saw him in 2003 - at which point I was almost 2 years into this - when I asked who was doing the most cutting edge research in the country in CRPS. (I subsequently went out to Philadephia on a couple of occasions, but never got ketamine due to pre-existing glaucoma.) He is:

Steven H. Richeimer, MD
Chief of Pain Medicine, Assoc. Prof. of Anesthesiology and Psychiatry
Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
Director, USC Pain Center
1520 San Pablo Street, Suite 3450
Los Angeles CA 90033
323-442-6202
332-442-6255 (fax)

He generally sees new patients for an hour and a half, with 15 minute follow ups, every 60 - 90 days, because they are so busy. That said, they will give patients a series of staged 30-day refill prescriptions for Schedule II drugs "(do not fill until _______)" and are great about handling all other refills over the phone. In case of crises, Dr. Richeimer or his clinical fellow will call you back right away. While he performs a number of procedures, including blocks of all kinds and Zometa infusions, it is my understanding that he does not have his own in-patient practice, although he consults extensively at the USC Norris Cancer Center.

The USC Medical Campus is just east of Downtown LA, right off the 5, 50 -60 minutes from Anaheim, depending on traffic. It was never convenient for me, coming for most of the time from the Westside, but I have found the quality of care at the USC Pain Center to be the best in Los Angeles, and never have I felt hussled to try a new drug or procedure with the sense that there might be a little something extra in it for the doctor: something I can't say the same about across the board.

Sorry I can't offer anything closer to your home. When I lived in Huntington Beach, years ago, the doctors would send their tough cases to UCLA: a place by all reports to be avoided like the plague when it comes to CRPS and pain management in general, notwithstanging an otherwise top-notch neurology program.

Hope this is useful. Good luck in your search.

Mike