Dr. Merrill H Epstein, MD

My experience with him was that I was dragged there by my parent as a pre-teenager. He spoke with my parent for 5 minutes, did not speak to me, ask me any questions, or even acknowledge me. He then diagnosed me with a "chemical imbalance" and prescribed meds. In my opinion, his actions and behavior is everything that is wrong with current psychiatry and why people do not trust psychiatrists. How can you diagnose someone and think you understand them and what is happening to their brain without even talking to them directly and only based on parental complaints of five minutes, especially on normal pre-teen behavior and then prescribe dangerous meds? Is there a chance that therapy would have been the actual solution? It is lazy, irresponsible, inaccurate, and dangerous.

I had surgery at the Boca Raton Regional Hospital. My regular psychiatrist is not affiliated with this hospital. So, I was seen by Dr. Epstein. He diagnosed that hallucinations I experienced were possibly related to withdrawal symptoms from alcoholism. No problem on that. I would have been happy to discuss this evaluation with Epstein more extensively than during his brief visits to my bedside Instead, he met with my wife, one of my sons, and my daughter about this opinion, initially not known by me. That meeting was irresponsible and unprofessional. Also, the opinion is untrue as well understood by my family. I would avoid this doctor.

MERRILL EPSTEIN REFUSED TO CALL AND CONSULT WITH ME. I AM THE CARETAKER OF MY ELDERLY MOTHER. I BEGGED HIS OFFICE MANY TIMES TO CALL ME SO WE CAN GET MY MOTHER ON THE RIGHT MEDS. HE DOES NOT KNOW HER, HE TOOK HER OFF LEXAPRO COLD TURKEY WITHOUT CONSULTING ME. MOM HAS BEEN HAVING SEVERE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS. SHE IS SEVERELY DEPRESSED. HE VISITS HER IN REHAB, I HAVE BEEN BEGGING THEM TO PUT HER BACK ON AN ANTI DEPRESSANT AND HE DOES NOT GIVE HER ANYTHING. SHE IS HAVING HUGE HEADACHES, CANNOT PERFORM ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES DUE TO THE HEADACHE. THE CONSEQUENCE IS REHAB WON'T KEEP HER THERE. I HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED AND HIGHLY AGITATED ABOUT MY MOTHER'S CHANCES OF GETTING BETTER IN THIS CATCH 22 SYSTEM. MERRILL HAD THE NERVE TO CALL ME UP TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MY COMPLAINING ABOUT HIM, AND ORDERED ME TO STOP DOING THAT. WELL, I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO THE PATIENTS' UPSET FAMILY. HE COULD HAVE TRIED I"I HEAR YOUR UPSET WHAT IS WRONG AND HOW CAN I HELP?"… IN THE END HE DID NOT PUT MY MOTHER BACK ON LEXAPRO, ABSOLUTELY USELESS.