Pain doctors in Washington state?

Does anyone know of a good pain doctor in Washington state, or a pain clinic in Washington state? My primary care doctor refuses to believe I have chronic pain due to nerve damage and won't give me medication. His reason is that hydrocodone is too addictive. Hello...it is the only thing I have found that works when I get the severe pain. The severe pain only happens once a month or so. I don't take the med on a daily basis. Any info anyone has, please let me know.

maybe your insurance provider can help refer you to someone.

ahopper, I don't know of a doctor in WA, but I think maybe you should also consider finding a new primary care physician who will take your pain seriously.

By the way, for about a year, I had severe pain every time I ovulated on my right side due to a gigantic ovarian cyst (I recently had it removed). It was totally debilitating. I couldn't walk or talk when it happened (or urinate either, which was painful in its own way). My doctor prescribed vicodin (same as hydrocodone?). I took it only as needed for a day or two when ovulation would occur. It was a life saver. If I didn't have it with me when I ovulated I might have to lie down on the floor wherever I was and writhe and moan, and I certainly couldn't walk or drive. Taking vicodin allowed me to control the pain enough to drive home. I never became addicted to vicodin and used it in this manner for a year, as needed.

I think the doctors get really paranoid about prescribing narcotics. If they help with the pain and you don't get addicted, where is the problem?

Best of luck.

Doctors in the us are very afraid of giving pain meds. TheFDA is watching every move. If they can't say your pain is because of X, they don't want to help. Even if they do see the X they still make you suffer. I had mine tell me that I didn't need to treat the bursitis in my hands this time, it would go away. I was asking if I could get injections locally instead of traveling 1.5 hours away to get them. I finally have made the appointment to get the injections again tomorrow if I can get there. My point is that some docs at some times with some patients can be rotten and it may be time to find a new one. I had a rehabilitative psychologist strongly advise me to switch and I am. I too need better pain management and better medical treatment.

Oh yes, find a teaching hospital if you can. If not ask local hospice people who they like for pain and diagnostician.

Yes, his name is
Richard Jimenez, MD and he is located in Edmonds.

Thank you for the doctor info. I will look into going to him!

You can tell him okiedokie referred you! Tee hee....

You might try the University of Washington medical center. Swedish hospital in Seattle also has a pain clinic. I've been to both.
In 2005 I had an intrathecal pump implanted for pain. I suffer from chronic daily pain. Dr. John Loeser at the UW medical ctr. did my surgery for the implant device. He's the professor of neurosurgery, soon to retire in June. He oversee's my pump implant and what my primary care doctor gives me for oral pain medication.
My visit to Swedish was for a second opinion on my pain treatment. They seemed informed and caring.
I think you might need a referral from your primary care doctor.
I wish you luck!