Dr. Govindan Gopinathan, MD

Dr Gopinathan told me that my migraines will disappear once I resolve the conflict of being a working mother. I couldn’t believe it- I have it in writing! Really? No help at all with my migraines. Go elsewhere.

Terrible arrogant doctor. Pill pusher. Don't waste your time.

The only thing I have to say about this doctor is that he was rude, snotty, arrogant and full of himself. He got upset when I inquired about my condition-he just assumed and expected that I knew what it was without any explanation. At the end of the visit, he said I had something and when I asked about it, he said that my symptoms were very weird and that I was seeking drugs- for a neurologist of 35 years, he should know and understand that this behavior is a symptom of fibromyalgia.

I went to Dr. Gopinathan several weeks ago due to severe and chronic headaches. When I asked if he thought it was migraine, he rudely responded, "What else could it be?" I stated I didn't know, which was why I was consulting him. Despite the fact I was taking anti-depressants, anti-anxiety meds, and thyroid hormones, he neglected to mention that common side effects of the medication he prescribed include increased depression, increased suicidality, and difficulty sleeping. Further, he failed to offer any other options. The treatment he prescribed is not recognized as an effective migraine treatment. When I asked what medication he was prescribing because I couldn't read his handwriting (I was writing down my own notes so I could stay on top of things) he stated, "Don't worry about it. You can just give this to the pharmacist." In addition, I suggested that a thyroid imbalance may be a contributant and a blood test would likely be helpful to explore that possibility (I had read… an article in which a patient's thyroid imbalance was associated with migraine and when that was corrected, the migraines stopped- and I informed him of this.), he said, "I don't know anything about that. If you have a thyroid imbalance, you should get that checked out by your internist (i.e., No, I will not order a blood test even though it would provide more information about your condition.) (In response to one of the comments below, I had done my homework - did some lit reviews on pub med. I can't help wondering if there's a gender bias here in terms of G's reaction to men who "have done their homework" and women who want to know what medication they are being prescribed and have some ideas based on the literature about what may be contributing to their condition. Finally, I asked G to consult with my psychiatrist. Rather than consulting, he mailed his report to him after the fact and recommended I be put on an SSRI. The thing is, I am already on an NSRI and his recommendation could easily have resulted in serotonin syndrome. Luckily, my psychiatrist is a bright and thorough physician and was quick to point this out to me. I echo what has previously been said- This man should not be practicing. His "treatment" was uninformed and quite detrimental. It's strange that individuals are not asked to rate "Knowledgeable and Informed", "Utilizes best practices and/or treatments shown to be effective", "Outlines alternative treatments" "Informs individuals of potential side effects of recommended treatments". I believe these are all part of a physician's ethical and legal responsibility as defined by the American Medical Association and New York State Law.

I saw this doctor a couple of weeks ago to get a 2nd neurological opinion and when I started telling him what happened to me he became belligerent and reduced me to tears in front of my child. He wouldn't listen to what I had to say and then told me if I want his help i need to listen to him and if not get out of his office. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS DOCTOR TO ANYONE!! He's stuffy, arrogant and very very cantankerous. HE'S OUTDATED AND NEEDS TO RETIRE ALREADY!!

ARROGANT KNOW IT ALL! Please see someone more modern and and with the times

Many years ago I herniated L4 and L5 and was in tremendous pain. I couldn't stand up or walk. Dr. Gopinathan treated me with limited medications and extreme bed rest, which lasted for such a long time I felt as if I had permanently left society. However, by following his instructions about rest and thereafter exercise, I was able to recover without needing surgery, and eventually was even able to return to cycling. In the past 20 years I have had two or three recurrences of the problem, but only on a minor scale, and usually because I've overreached myself with regard to lifting or twisting. I find that by repeating the treatment he outlined for me I am able to recover quickly. I decided to write this review because I saw a few other reviews on this site that seemed negative to me. I feel this doctor knows what he's talking about. He's excellent, and I wanted to say so on this page!

very good

Give up! Retire already! He is a know it all and very arrogant! Forget his address!

Had an appointment with Dr. Gopinathan and he wanted to put me on a special Rx regimen for a year that involved three different types of medication, one of which I have had an adverse reaction to in the past and ended up being hospitalized. I informed Dr. G of this concern and he literally blew up and argued with me about taking his "cocktail" dosage and that because of his 40 years of experience, he knows what he is talking about. He was not listening to my concerns and what I was saying to him and even told me that I was wasting his time because I came to him for help and should not be telling him that I would not do as he says. To make a long story short, I immediately cancelled my follow-up visit and will never step foot in his practice ever again. You never want to continue seeing a physician who gets upset or defensive when a patient asks questions about their treatment methods or wants to further discuss any issues or concerns. Dr. G obviously still practices in an era where… pills were seen as magical and always pushed onto patients; and he believes his formula is a one size fits all method. The initial visit itself was very basic, vitals taken, no blood work done even though he had suggested I add more salt to my diet without even checking my Na+ level. I was disgusted by this physician's ego and attitude. I have a medical background and Dr. G is one of those providers who uses his ego and intimidation to make patient's do whatever he wants. Very sad and pathetic.