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Since Dr Johnson would not return my phone calls or email I have been forced to seek another Doctor. His name is Dr. Ivan Filner DO. On my first visit I was a little unsure of him but toward the end of the visit I was starting to like him. My second visit was for a complete physical – and he was thorough. I have no apprehensions anymore.

Dr. Filner seems to be more focused on me and my health than Dr. Johnson ever was. He is very informative and forthcoming. In the long run this is going to be a much better situation. Dr. Filner has also changed some of my Diabetic medications from the high-priced cutting-edge ones to those with generic counterparts. He has saved me over $100 a month in prescription meds already. My blood work shows my diabetes is well under control and now I do not have to worry about liver damage from the high-end meds.

It seems like the high-cost newer medications have some really nasty side effects; Actos is one that can cause liver damage and should only be used as one of the last options – not the first! Dr. Johnson never told me of the possible side effects! Many doctors leave it up to the patient to do the research – YAK! Dr. Johnson seems to be a pawn of the drug companies too; he and his staff of Nurse Practitioners will write scripts for the high-priced drugs without considering the cost to the patient or the long-term risks associated with the newer drugs. Although I cannot speak for the other patients; this was my experience.

I have to say, when it comes to your primary care physician, do your research! It is fairly easy now with the Internet, you can get pretty reliable information on just about any professional. Check the Medical Board of Examiners for your state, look for reviews on doctors using Google and other search engines, if you find anything disturbing do more research! If you see a pattern of negative reviews or disciplinary letters from the Medical Board, you might want to steer clear.