Dr. Gary Allen Balster, MD

I was admitted to the hospital in 2004 and was diagnosed with affective bipolar disorder type I. In 2014 my longtime doctor decided to join the marines to help soldiers returning home to deal with PTSD. For ten years I was stable and wasn’t admitted into a hospital again. My doctor had originally told me that depakote would always be my base medicine. I had taken it for ten years when I first seen Dr. Balster. He immediately took me off of it completely and put me on lithium. He said and I quote “Lithium is the gold standard in medicine.” Unfortunately after 2 trips to the emergency room I found out that wasn’t true. On the first trip I was taken by ambulance from my home. My mother and husband called them. I immediately lost touch with what was going on. Once admitted and given medicine to sleep I felt ok the next morning. We weren’t sure what was wrong. The physician said my depakote was low but everything else looked good. To call Dr. Balster and let him know what had happened. I… did that day and they told me just to come in at my scheduled appointment, which was a week away. Unfortunately, I had another breakdown. This one worse than the last. I don’t remember much but I woke up in hospital scrubs. I had to read the hospital reports to find out some of what happened. I still do not know who dressed me or seen me naked. I will never know. I was given two shots to calm me down and put me to sleep. Again, when I woke up I felt fine. Again, my depakote was low but everything else looked good. I was told to call Dr. Balster again! This time I was able to see him. He put me back on depakote and I haven’t been to the emergency room since. I would like to say that was the end of my experience with him. However, that is not the case. My hands started shaking so bad that I couldn’t even write. I expressed my concern to him. I was told lithium would not do this to me. After months of this my sister went to my appointment with me. She made sure that I was taken off of the lithium. I quit shaking. I immediately found another doctor. In doing so I haven’t felt better. It has taken me awhile to get back on track. Lithium is not for everyone. Dr. Balster should not be able to practice in medicine. He should not have his license. If you take the time to look at his reviews and the articles on him you will see that he has already caused deaths. There have been lawsuits against him. I’m not sure how he is able to still practice. However I will make it a priority to see that he can’t hurt anybody else now that my life is together. For those reading this, please look for help elsewhere before you get hurt. Or experience things you never would have if not for him.

Terrible psychiatrist. Im only 21 and I got Neuroleptic malignant syndrome from his drugs. Like most psychiatrist/ Western Medical Doctors he has no idea just how damaging Psychotropic drugs can be to a person's Physical and mental Well being. I can't Imagine how many Suicides He has attributed too.

Excellent Dr. Comfortable straight forward dialogue, Supportive, insightful.

Dr. Balster seems fine, it is his staff giving me the problems. They called to ask me what my pharmacies phone number was knowing very well they could look it up on thier own computer or check with Dr. Balster, then when I said I did not know it , they had a fit, and when I got my refill, there was only 1 refill on it and I did see the doctor for another 3 months. I am quite dismayed with the staff.

It is an in and out medication visit. He didn't even diagnosis me just asked me what brought me there. Never said what he thought at all . You may get 10-15 minutes with him if u are lucky. And even then he is writing rx's before you even sit down.

I was suppose to have an appointment with him and i hurried across town to go there and he was on vacation. His office never called to cancel or anything. And I had seen him a couple weeks earlier and he never mentioned he was going to be gone or gave me all of my meds. That is unacceptable and I negligence. I was seeing red after that experience.