Dr. Elena Ortiz Portillo, MD

Dr. Elena Ortiz Portillo refused to listen to or respect my knowledge of my life and body. A surgeon my doctor referred me to - for what I expected to be a conservative breast reduction for structural reasons - operated aggressively against need, consent, or rationale and removed needed, wanted pieces of my body. He disabled me and left me in intractable pain. Ten doctors, including four board certified plastic surgeons, said what the surgeon did was surgical battery and caused permanent, progressive damage. A neurologist and surgeon referred me to medical malpractice lawyers. Lawyers and others say it looks like a Dr. Mengele job. I was sent to Ortiz for sleep medication due to the intractable physical pain from the surgical harm. Before the medical mutilation, I was happy, healthy, and highly functioning, and running several successful businesses I loved that helped others. Dr. Ortiz, however, mistreated me as if I had a genetic or behavioral disorder. She misdiagnosed and… painfully and dangerously overmedicated me, which endangered my life. In three months, at $250 cash per hour week, Ortiz put me on ten unwanted, un-remediating, overlapping, outdated medications in dirty bottles that had belonged to her other patients and are not targeted for surgical damage. This chemical abuse only caused me to suffer horribly. When I called, (weak and sick due to severe vomiting from the meds), she yelled at me to stop calling her. Instead of taking me off meds I didn’t need that made me so ill, she added on more, which made me worse. She leaned in to me and said “I’m going medicate you until I FIX you.” This was a terrifying and harmful experience: I felt powerless, like I didn’t have any independence to make choices to protect myself from injurious doctors. Dr. Elena Ortiz had me take up to four Atarax a day; these caused horrible jitters and wiped me out so I could barely function, think, or move. The meds she put me on made me throw up, gave me griping head and stomach aches, (which made it hard to eat), ringing in my ears, made me see and hear double, feel bizarre, and more. Ortiz treated the bad drugs effects she caused me as anxiety disorder when in fact it was iatrogenic harm. Dr. Elena Ortiz Portillo interrupted and exacerbated my post surgical assault grieving process with harmful polyphama. She created a false medical record. Without consent, she sent a "Dear Colleagues" letter to UCLA Neurology grossly misrepresenting me. The surgeon destroyed structures of my body; this destabilized my spine, my gait and balance suffer, and I fall. I made this clear to Dr. Ortiz. The assaulting surgeon also caused systemic illness by the inane removal of needed tissue. None of this seemed to matter to Ortiz. She had gotten into her mind that she was going to FIX me with medications, and she could not see outside her box of dangerous misdiagnoses. Months after I got away from Ortiz, a USC Physical Therapist hired by the state reported, “The patient does not demonstrate the balance and stability to safety ambulate community distances. Her ambulation velocity correlates to increased fall risk and if she does fall her left lower extremity deformity would likely result in a hip fracture secondary to lack of soft tissue.” Ortiz, however, had misdiagnosed me with agoraphobia, (based on nothing, by the way), which is 100% counter to who I am. I was an adventurous, outgoing entrepreneur; work out buff, and world traveler until the surgeon battered and disabled me. Ortiz insisted I take walks alone (in my disabled body) to “retrain neurons.” She said, “If you fall and hit your head someone will call the paramedics.” Ortiz' unneeded medications caused my pupils to dilate, which created intolerance to light. When I objected to this, Dr. Ortiz said, “Your pupils look pretty that way.” The surgeon brutally disfigured me and left me unrecognizable. One day I put a clip in my hair to hold my bangs back, Ortiz said, “You’re getting better. I can tell by the clip.” I found Elena Ortiz inept and unsafe, but being disabled, I couldn’t drive to get competent help and I needed the sleep medication. Ortiz misdiagnosed me with an eating disorder I do not have. Dr. U. on the other hand made sure I was off the bad meds and suggested I increase breakfast to get sufficient nutrition before the pain increased for the day. This worked, which allowed me to live. In an article about medical misdiagnosis, Diana Cejas, pediatric neurologist said, “Sometimes a patient’s complaints seem outlandish and their symptoms impossible. But sometimes they’re right. Sometimes just listening to a patient can save their life.” Bias, close-mindedness, or maliciousness lead to poor patient outcomes; physicians often assume superiority and dismiss complaints, labeling a physically injured patient as whiny, unhappy about an outcome, noncompliant, or mentally ill. Five months after Ortiz, Dr. U. finally broke the cycle of medical abuse: he did physical evaluations of me that involved muscular and systemic function, read the medical records, charted the bodily damage, had me fill out a detailed pain-disability questionnaire, ordered an MRI, and wrote reports about the unconsented removal of needed myofasical structures, et al. Drs. R. and U. agree the MRI shows damage directly due to the assault. The absent tissue inhibits normal activities. Dr. U. and now Dr. R. got me away from doctors like Ortiz who misdiagnosed and mistreated me. Once off the unneeded meds, the disturbing and dangerous drug effects ended. Years later, I’m on one med — the one I need for sleep. Dr. U. states, “Surgery has irreversibly destroyed much of the patient’s subcutaneous myofasical and other tissues.” He says, “The tissues are over-stretched, leading to pockets of painful adhesions that pull tightly upon movement. These procedures caused many other syst

I went to Arisa Elena Ortiz, MD to get a fibrous papule removed and sent for biopsy. However, she treated me like a # (in and out in 2 minutes with minimal talking) and after taking the bandage off today, the entire thing is still there (I am happy to attach pictures). While she did inform me these things typically come back, I would expect her to actually remove it first and at least give it the opportunity to grow back rather than never take it off.

I was treated by Dr. Ortiz when she worked for a mental health center and once again when she went in to private practice. A wonderful psychiatrist who cares and listens

I have been to 6 Doctors and while they were fine Doctors -Doctor Ortiz is the best Doctor. she has diagnosed my Bi-polar disorder and put me on a mood stabilizer which SAVED MY LIFE! There truly are no words to describe my gratitude. she also diagnosed my ADD. My whole life I had dreams of writing a book and because of of proper diagnosis,I have finally written a book,actually two. I was also able to start a jewelry line with my daughter. Through her tender guidance,I can actually say for the 1st time in 30 years,I love myself even with all of my imperfections. I have a better marriage and my children are so happy that I am able to be present in their lives more.I am no longer in my room in curled in darkness. All these years of darkness-I even had a psychologist tell me I wasn't bi-polar. So I wasn't convinced Dr. Ortiz diagnosed me but when I almost lost my marriage and hindered my children's quality of life and felt like I didn't want to live.I had a few glimpses of what life… can be like,I knew I wanted to live because life is beautiful and my children,husband deserve better INCLUDING ME. I see her now every week. she doesn't just prescribe she gives me techniques and she even made me a cd to help calm myself,she lets me lay down on her couch,I can even question her. she is calm and warm she truly cares.THE BEST DOCTOR I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS.THANK YOU DR.ORTIZ FOR ALL U DO!

Compassionate, thorough, perceptive and professional ... I feel very lucky to have found her, based on previous experiences with other not-so-good doctors. Even after discussing really emotionally painful issues with her, I always feel glad I did. She's a great combination of sharp and caring, I highly recommend her.

Dr. Ortiz is the best. I have seen many psychiatrists and psychologists over the years for my depression and anxiety. Dr. Ortiz is a perfect balance of a therapist who will listen carefully to me and offer constructive insights. As a doctor, she thinks of my overall health, carefully looks over my history with medications and prescribes what's needed. She is very professional at all times.

made me feel at ease - when everyone treats me strange for seeing a psychiatrist, she erases it when i see her - non patronizing and very professional - not friendly and straight to the point. constructive criticisms when warranted. perfect for me

I saw Dr. Ortiz for the treatment of bipolar disorder. She only tried a couple of medications with me prior to telling me I should see someone else because I wasn't seeing positive results. Why she chose to keep me on the same medications when it was evidenced they weren't working is beyond me. Why she was unable to try more than a few different medications before wanting me to see someone else suggested a lack of knowledge about the variety of options out there and her inability to find a solution, hence giving up so quickly. Doctors are supposed to give you hope and faith, not turn you away the minute they can't find a quick fix. Bipolar disorder is fairly common and should not be an impossibility to find a solution for. She also breached patient-doctor confidentiality by discussing my case with a third party close to me without my prior knowledge or permission when no immediate emergency was present. All of these things combine to create a doctor that is incapable of problem solving… or of maintaining the very confidentiality that her profession requires. I have since found a great doctor who was able to successfully manage my symptoms and I feel great. I am grateful for this doctor, who restored my faith and trust in the mental health profession and gave me much needed hope I needed after a trip to Ortiz.