Is the West Coast Better?

After researching migraines and pain relief, I'm left wondering...

Is the west coast ahead of the rest of the country on pain relief? There seems to be a more aggressive/liberal use of medications (including medical marijuana) there, than the rest of the country. After searching for pain doctors I seem to run into the same type of old school, stuck on one coarse of treatment, everything else is evil, type of attitudes.

Maybe it's the mid-west conservative area I live in (or just my perception), but it seems like all of the doctors are here are frozen in time. I just went to a new neurologist and he seems nice enough but it looks like he's going down the same Triptan path the others have sent me on (with marginal success).

I'm sorry you didn't have success with the new neuro, Dan. It gets frustrating to hear same old, same old.

Trends and new ideas seem to start on the West Coast because of the tolerate attitudes. Maybe, hopefully, their methods of pain management will spread.

Not having lived anywhere other than L.A., I have a hard time comparing places for your question. But I would say that you do run into some innovative doctors, but you also run into less than desirable ones too.

But there is on thing that might be helping us, at least in L.A. My headache doctor is the mentor for the residents in the neurology program at Kaiser, my HMO. They have close to 10 residents, who report back to her. I remember talking with her the day that she was to interview new prospective residents to the program, and she said that they always have a very large number of applicants. I asked why, and she said that everyone wants to come to Los Angeles, partly because of the glamour of the place (the hospital is actually in Hollywood, which if you've been to Hollywood, you'll know it's not that great a recommendation for it.) Kaiser also just built a big new hospital building that is as up to date on technology as they can make it. So that also draws residents because they want to work in better facilities. All this means that my doctor got a lot of the best students applying for jobs, so she was able to select the most promising new doctors.

So that might have something to do with your question.

As for medical marijuana, it has been state law since 1996, but until Obama's administration, the DEA was more busy trying to stop people from growing medical marijuana, since it is still a federal crime, than in trying to stop the illegal stuff.

And just this month, LA had a new law go into effect that only those medical mj shops who had registered with this city by 1997 were allowed to stay open. So there aren't many of those stores in L.A. anymore.

It'll be interesting to see what happens in November, when CA will vote on whether to make all marijuana legal and then to tax it, helping to raise money for our huge deficit. Personally, I'm going to vote to make it legal, and so far, about half of Californians agree with me. So it may be a tight race.

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I haven't lived on the West coast - only visited. I do have to say though that from a scientific/biotechnology standpoint, they are way more advanced than other parts of the country. Most of the scientists I know (myself included) are trying to make their way out there, as there are many more cutting edge opportunities for research.

Is the West Coast - or the Left Coast as my brother calls it - better?

Yes, in all ways. weather, politics, medical care, recreational opportunities, and especially cuisine. while I really like the southern Barbeque - pulled chicken style - that I made yesterday, I adore all the choices of cuisine available throughout California.

So the answer to your question is a very simple ... YES! LOL

In defense of the Midwest, Chicago has very good medical care. I'm privy to the "inside scoop" on how some incredibly suffering kids/adults are treated for severe pain in Chicago, and it is very advanced, bold, and cutting edge. Way beyond anything Mayo Clinic is willing to do.

Cheryl

Did you know they do not have either air conditioners OR window screens on the homes in San Francisco? No hot weather and no flying insects. Can it get any better? Of course no one can afford to live there - but what a joy it was to live there for five years.

Yeah, they will have to blast me out of California!

I too will vote YES on the legalization of marijuana. We currently have a Prohibition situation with marijuana and several other drugs. Society is silly to allow alcohol and to "prohibit" marijuana. There are farms - large and small - everywhere! I would bet it is the number one cash crop of this great agricultural state.

Like with alcohol, I believe American society needs to learn to regulate and deal with marijuna (and probably cocaine) rather than "Just Say NO" Prohibition did not work with alcohol and it is NOT working with marijuana and cocaine.

And YES alcohol and cocaine are highly dangerous and highly addictive for many folks. I am addicted to alcohol and MUST just say NO for my well being. No beer on a hot day, no wine in a fine restaurant - nothing. BUT even with all the pain, all teh agony, addiction to alcohol causes for so many Americans - addicts and their victims alike - I do NOT believe that Prohibition of Alcohol is a good idea.

Same with marijuana. I have a prescription for medical marijuana that I seldom ... well, never ... use. I do not like having the "edge off" my mind. BUT my desires ought not dictate others use. We have to use education and treatment instead of law enforcement Prohibition to regulate and have some control over drugs in our society.

Look at American youth, our cities, our highways and streets and parks ... we have definitely LOST President Nixon's War on Drugs. It is time to negotiate a peaceful settlement.

My oh my ... I must beg your pardon ... I am WAY too opiniionated today. Way too much free time on my hands these days. I apologize for being a California Chauvanist. Still, it is a nice place to live and to receive adequate pain relief.

I'm right there with you Richard. I LOVE, love, love Ca. The best weather (when it's not fluctuating like crazy!), great food, parks, most of the people. I haven't been too many other places, but compared to the ones I have been to, California is always the best. I don't want to live anywhere else.

And Yes!! leagalize MJ. It is stupid to think it is worse than alcohol. Legalize it and tax it. Since it is already one of CA's biggest crops, take advantage of that! It might even help our huge state deficit!

I agree with many of the sentiments here both for legal marijuana and west coast cuisine/weather. It's definitely a blessing in that way to live here, on the other hand I don't see much success with any of the doctors or medicines I've been given so I don't know if that can be any better or worse then anywhere else. Like Richard said, mj takes the edge off, but doesn't particularly work for me other then that. Oh, and it really helps if you've lost your appetite

I wish I was able to live in SF. The weather there really couldn't be any more perfect, but consequently I'm going to be headed to the midwest soon to be closer to family support, and living in an area I can afford on low income with the way things are going. I hope the Chicago/St Louis area has some good doctors. I can't afford to be in SoCal anymore so don't really have a choice.

I'm in AZ and I have always been prescribed adequate quantities of pain meds by my neuro (their idea, not mine).

We also will have a ballot issue about the legalization of medical marijuana in November.