Dr. Larry Mark Kimsey, MD

This was my first experience with a psychiatrist, I was hesitant to see a psychiatrist because mental illness runs in my family. 90% of the time doctors group me in with my family and believe I have the same issues. Dr. Kimsey was able to look past the family history and treat me as the individual I am. My confidence in him is pretty darn high off of one visit, he spends the time needed and really listens. I get the feeling he can spot a drug addict a mile away, this sometimes results in poor reviews. Dr. Kimsey is down to Earth and he seems to be blunt, for some this is off putting... personally no sugar coating tends to work better for me. Would I recommend him? Yes.

In my experience, Dr. Kimsey does not take side (or withdrawal)-effects of medications into consideration seriously enough (such as the severe weight gain/high blood sugar &/or tardive dyskinesia risks of Zyprexa, Depakote, Abilify, Lithium, and Seroquel). He also gives more credence to what he perceives during our brief visits than to what I believe & how I tell him I'm actually doing, although (usually) he has eventually been willing to try other medications upon my request. He was also willing to treat an under-active thyroid more aggressively than other doctors will, which made a significant difference in my quality of life. If only he listened more and judged/assumed less, he would be an excellent doctor. An economic conservative, he seemed unsympathetic to the choices I need to make on a limited income, but I believe his callous exterior hides a caring heart. Unfortunately, he seems to believe in â??enforcing â?? mental health (or at least the appearance of it) through… disciplinary/punitive measures when people are in crisis. In my experience that's a band-aid solution that only works on some people, and up to a point; after that, it only kicks them when they're down. He has a private practice, but I saw him at Region 3 (ID Department of Health & Welfare) in Caldwell, ID. My average appointments were 7-20 minutes, 4 times a year. He can only be seen there on Wednesdays. It's difficult to cover much in that time, especially if one has health insurance/financial issues to address. However, that's a systemic flaw, and not limited to any one doctor. One more thing: you, as the patient, need to know the potential risks and benefits of any medication and then decide which you can tolerate/live best with. Psychiatric medications, including SSRIs, shouldn't be stopped or switched without gradual tapering and a doctor's knowledge. (I let my doctor know if I'm discontinuing a medication and why, even if he/she disagrees-- which has happened more than once with Dr. Kimsey.) For some medications, serious physical/psychological withdrawal symptoms are established fact, and for others, it's patient consensus-- so I'd highly recommend doing your research before starting or stopping any medication.