Dr. Brian Daniel Espinoza, MD

I was a patient of Dr. Espinoza for approx. 2 years and unfortunately had a very poor experience. In my case, I was misdiagnosed and placed on multiple medications that left me feeling heavily sedated, confused, and unable to function normally. What was most concerning is that alternative treatments were not meaningfully explored. After eventually seeking a second opinion, I was correctly diagnosed, taken off unnecessary medications, and started on a different treatment plan that has kept me in remission for well over a year. I would encourage others to seek multiple opinions, especially if a treatment plan doesn’t feel right or isn’t working. Note: He will likely claim I was "not a real patient." I was and am using a pseudonym.

My Psychiatrist was moving out of state so I ended up at Dr. Espinoza’s office. He was very understanding of my situation and renewed my prescriptions. He spent a full hour listening to me and talked to me making me feel welcome at his practice. I fully recommend this physician if you are looking for a psychiatry professional.

My family has worked with Dr. Espinoza for approximately 18 months now. We are so very grateful for his guidance, patience, flexibility, tenacity, and accessibility. Our family would not still be together without his direction. Our adult son had been diagnosed with bi-polar several years before we began seeing Dr Espinoza. Our son had worked with several other psychiatrists following his diagnosis but was never set on a treatment plan that allowed him to function and lead a normal/healthy lifestyle. 2 years ago he had an extreme bipolar episode. It was after this episode that we found Dr. Espinoza and I am so grateful that we did. It hasn’t been easy, and it has taken some time (our son is very sensitive to medication) but Dr. Espinoza has found a treatment that allows our son to be functional and balanced. In fact, our son is now functioning at his best since he first started showing signs of bi-polar. That wouldn’t be the case without Dr Espinoza’s help. I have… appreciated Dr Espinoza’s work style. He has a very organized/structured approach to his treatment for bi-polar. From the start, we were given an outline of his treatments for bi-polar. That outline was very helpful in keeping track of what we had tried and didn’t work and what options were still available. We were certainly very much a part of deciding which treatment to try and were always made aware of possible side effects and how long a treatment may take to be effective. I also found Dr Espinoza very responsive when I needed to reach him outside of our scheduled appointments. I would recommend Dr Espinoza whole heartedly!

Dr Espinoza is one of the sharpest minds I have encountered. His ability to identify, diagnose, and understand his patients is truly one of a kind. I would recommend him to anyone!

He misdiagnosed me and sent me into a downward spiral. I found out later that many other patients got the same misdiagnosis and lost years of their life. After being a zombie on the meds he prescribed I saw three different psychiatrists and they all laughed at his diagnosis and said there is no way he is correct. I took the advice of another psychiatrist and she got me off the wacky meds he put me on and on some other ones and I have never felt better. Brian is the worst thing that ever happened to me. If you want the facts before seeing him please let me know and I am happy to set up a call to tell you about my experience. I don't want anyone else to suffer the way I did by seeing Brian.

After seeing Dr. Espinoza, he recommended a genetic testing that was quite expensive and did not tell him or me much about necessary medication suggestions. He decided to diagnose me with “Bipolar 3” and prescribed a cocktail of medication including carbamazepine, Olanzapine, and others. Within 3 months, I had gained 30 pounds. When I expressed to him my displeasure, and told him I was still having depressive symptoms, he would add more medication to the cocktail already prescribed. When I asked him to wean me from the medication, he did so very rapidly which caused a severe panic attack. When I explained this to him, he instructed me to get back on the medication immediately. After seeing Dr. Espinoza for about 5-6 months, I ended our sessions and found a psychiatrist who listened to my concerns regarding my depressive symptoms and prescribed me antidepressants, like I had requested from Dr. Espinoza, and I am recovering quite well, despite maintaining the stubborn weight gain.

All I’ll say is that if anyone wants the full version of the honest truth about this doctor, please reach out and we can talk. It’s high time his practices come into question. I’m proud to say that I’ve been recovered from my own illness for nearly three years. After a very unfortunate experience under the care of Dr. Espinoza, I spent months getting myself the help from elsewhere that ultimately not only saved my life, but turned it around in a way I never thought possible. I now have a new life, a great relationship with my family and friends and on a path to so many wonderful things. Additionally, I do believe that this doctor does far over prescribe mediation, as was also my experience while on Clozapine. In this case, I nearly collapsed from one dose. I’ve also come to track down a written quote of his saying that he would not prescribe ECT for patients with diagnosed OCD. He saw my records and had he either cared to or looked at them carefully at all, he would have seen that… I’m diagnosed OCD and have been for a long time. There are other examples that I’ll give anyone who would like to discuss this more at length. It’s quite sad that this is the state of psychiatry and mental health in our society and I’m doing my part to help spread awareness and make change.

This patient had multiple medical and neurologic issues, as well as a history of drug and alcohol abuse. This patient had severe memory problems prior to ECT, and was likely to depressed to even recognize this. This patient was severely depressed and suicidal. This is the patient that if I do not give ECT, and this patient suicides than it is my fault. This patient recovered from ECT and now realizes all of the damage that longterm depression, drug and alcohol abuse has done to his/her brain. This is the patient that whatever a doctor does, it is a no win situation. You can read about any medical or surgical procedure, and their is always 1 in 1,000 to 10,000 that complains that that procedure did irreparable damage. Brian Espinoza M.D.

Dr Espinoza has a kind & gentle bedside manner, however, he FAILED TO WARN ME, FAILED TO EXPLAIN the Dangers of ECT's severe side effects. I still suffer from Amnesia, Severe Memory Loss (forgot my Profession/cant work full time. Forgot my kids bdays, my wedding, important trips & events, forgot several friends & names of relatives, etc), Tramatic Brain Injury/Brain Damage, Cognitive Impairment (slowed speech, sloed thought process, inability to learn & retain new information) due to convulsions triggered by ECT's Electrical Current sent through the brain, SHOCKING THE BRAIN, producing concussions. He said "memory will return", but he was wrong.

Even my Ratings are Bipolar... Accept the diagnosis, undergo indicated treatments and recover (5 Stars). Refuse the diagnosis and go on your normal path of repeated Antidepressant trials and Therapy without recovery (1 Star). One of these reviews said I was "rude, arrogant, and ineffective". Likely a doctor that I called out on misdiagnosis or mismanagement, and/or got a sanction on one of my Arizona Medical Board Consultant Reports. See me in my Office, or for an ECT or IV Ketamine Consultation....if you think that I am rude or arrogant, I will not charge you for the visit.