DrugBuyers.Com: need a doctor near pittsburgh area

Tina,

You aren't likely to find a public response that will give you the answer you seek. The identities of compassionate and enlightened practitioners are typically kept discreet as to protect them from overzealous and less-enlightened regulators.

I would recommend you contact a local pain management center or look in your local directory under "Pain Management". Call and ask questions about their philosophies. You may receive surprisingly candid results.

What you are NOT likely to receive are positive responses to simple requests for medication, and understandably so. Their mission is to treat your pain on an individual basis, which may or may not include medication, and if so, may or may not include using the medication you seek. They have an obligation to investigate and present the alternatives which they think may be the most effective, including considering the appropriateness, side-effects and ramifications of each.

Unfortunately, too few seem to significantly consider their patients' personal experience, preferences, and knowledge of their own conditions as well. Nevertheless, they have an obligation, (and a requirement to protect their licenses), to treat your injury or disease, not simply dispense solely according to patients' requests. Nevertheless, you are likely to find several who through interviewing them, will plainly state their personal prescribing philosophies, and identifying which practioners are NOT consistent with your needs is as valuable toward finding the best healthcare provider for your needs as identifying those who are.

You absolutely have a right to advocate therapies which you know to be effective, and I strongly encourage you to advocate your right by becoming as informed as you can about it, including alternatives, and the reasons why they may or may not be appropriate or preferable for you, including cost, lifestyle, compliance (following therapy as indicated), and a number of other absolutely valid factors that vary from person to person. You have every right to do so without being ashamed or allowing yourself to be intimidated by self-righteous, biased, or indifferent practitioners. Instead of vilifying them, I would vote with my healthcare dollars instead, simply choosing to see them as inconsistent with my needs, and moving on toward finding one who is. However, as you do so, practitioners do have a reasonable expectation for you to at least consider therapies that may differ from those with which you are familiar, but may be equally effective and beneficial. Respecting a physician's education, judgement, and experience, along with your own self-empowerment of understanding all you can about your condition and treatment alternatives can be the most effective means toward establishing their respect of your needs, your judgement, and accepting that you indeed may know what works best for you.

I hope this helps.