Dr. David Spencer Jackson, MD

I had an appointment with Dr. Jackson's office today. I thank Monique for assuring I was able to get in the office. Dr Jackson doesn't have appointment availability for few months. I received a call at work at noon for a 1pm appointment. Anyone from this area knows it's hard to get an appointment with well sought out doctors. I felt compelled to write a review based on the other reviews. Everyone is always pleasant in his office.

Dr Jackson, has been my Cardiologist for 15 years. In that time I have found him to be an outstanding and highly competent Dr. Dr Jackson has saved my life on more then one occasion.

As a new patient of Dr. Jackson, I waited six weeks for an appointment. On the appointment day, I had scheduled another test at a lab two doors down the hall from his office for 3:30 PM before my 4:30 time with Dr. Jackson. The lab had not received the referring doctor's orders at 3:30 so I checked in early at Dr. Jackson's office, had a cardiogram and was told by the cardiac tech she could only work one more minute before she left for the day and could not help me out the door in my wheelchair, She told me that Dr. Jackson had just started with another patient and would not be available for at least 20 minutes. So, instead of just sitting in his waiting room, I told the receptionist I would be back in time and headed two doors down the hall to the lab to finish my test. Fifteen minutes later, I entered Dr. Jackson's office and was told he had left and suggested I reschedule the appointment. So, after waiting six weeks, he had the nerve to leave knowing that I had already… checked in and taken the cardiogram, and was next door at the lab. I was furious. He was rude, inconsiderate and just plain mean to a new patient who he knew was right next door. In retrospect, I believe he actually did me a favor and showed me his character and lack of concern for patients before I put my life in his hands.

Dr Jackson informed me by phone that he would no longer provide care for me and he recommended that I find a new cardiologist. This was followed by a formal letter from him saying that I was not allowed to be followed by anyone in his practice. He did inform me where to look for another cardiologist.I had to scramble about looking for a new cardiologist. Essentially Dr. Jackson was disgruntled because he wanted me off a certain medication in spite of FIVE other doctors telling me I should remain on it based on my medical history. So, essentially he fired me as a patient because I would not stop that medication. I have to give Dr. Jackson credit for sticking to his guns, but I feel he appears to not be a team player and does not like being challenged at all. I think he has a pretty big ego! The experience was very hurtful to me, as well as disappointing. At first, I thought he was a great physician. He is personable, works long hard hours and appears to be competent. I found his… willingness to just let me go because I would not follow his recommendation of not taking that particular medication which I DO need to be on and in spite of 5 other specialist telling me to be on it, was hurtful, mean, and disappointing. I felt unimportant. I'm a nurse of 46 years and 11 years of the 46, I worked in the same hospital that he is affiliated with. I would have preferred a more personal way of being "fired" from his practice; i.e. like talking to me in person. In the meantime of trying to find another cardiologist, I was having severe side effects from the Amiodarone that he put me on in the hospital. I had no one to talk to about this so I knew the Amiodarone was causing the burning and tingling in my hands and feet. I still have neuropathy after stopping the drug. I stopped the drug on my own, and am so glad I did. My liver enzymes were up, and I was suffering terribly from the side effects of Amiodarone. I'm still not out of the woods as Amiodarone has a VERY LONG HALF LIFE and can remain in your body from 30 - 120 days. In the meantime, I fret that my liver is permanently ruined. When he told me on the phone that I was to find another cardiologist, he claimed that my case was beginning to be too complicated for him. Two times I had to call his answering service and I never got a return call from him. I would not recommend him, and please those of you who are on AMIODARONE, please check the side effects. It is a nasty, nasty drug and quite frankly I think it should not be prescribed. I was never told by Dr Jackson of the side effects and it wasn't until I became so uncomfortable that I spoke with the pharmacist @ CVS and she clearly confirmed that Amiodarone was the drug causing my symptoms. Like I said, I still may not be out of the woods re: the severity of symptoms that may remain due to the extended half life of Amiodarone. I am very unhappy about him. I feel he purposefully keeps the "easy patients" and finds a way to unload the more complicated cases. That is just my opinion. I was very sad that he dumped me, as I thought we had a good rapport which is important in the healing process. Oh well, live and learn.

Dr. Jackson is very quick and extremely thorough. He absorbs a lot of information and provides you with a lot of helpful advice and counsel. He is very responsive to questions. His office staff is cordial and professional. Love the bananas! My office visits are thorough, pleasant, positive, and nurturing.

I was at the ER for heart palpitations and racing and Dr. Jackson was the cardiologist on call. He had me make an appt which took me a week to get, and when I finally saw him, he ignored the fact that the Benicar HCT I was taking was causing the palpitations and instead, gave me a stronger dose and a prescription for Nadolol which is a very strong beta blocker (and a prescription for lipitor). I came back for a required stress test and he ignored the fact that I had no energy, felt light headed and out of breath, and could hardly move. He never asked about my diet, and didn't schedule or do a follow up. After months of suffering, I finally found a competent doctor who removed teh HCT, decreased the Benicar, adn put my on a low dose of beta blocker which I will probably be able to stop soon. He also discussed my diet to reduce cholesterol rather than indiscriminately prescribing a dangerous statin drug. I would avoid Dr. Jackson at all costs, even if he is covered by insurance!