Dr. Timothy W Skala, DO

I came to see Dr Skala to establish care with an Eagle River GP because I was moving back to town. To make a long story short, I was having extreme back pain. My doctors in Texas had taken a ct scan and the results had been released that morning. As a former cancer patient, the lytic lesions seen in another ct scan were presumed to be cancer. I told him they may be, but I needed to address my pain and figure out what they were before treating them. He essentially accused me of drug seeking, and said he'd be happy to set me up with palliative care. I left his office in blinding pain. I miraculously got an appointment with a pain doctor later that day. He asked if anyone has told me I have a spinal compression fracture. I was immadiately admitted and put into surgery to install a pain pump, and am awaiting a biopsy now. This doctor is creepy and evil.

I have to admit that I haven't seen this "Dr" in several years. One visit to him was enough for me to realize that I wanted nothing to do with him. However, I was recently reminded of my visit to him and I saw a medication commercial that helped me decide to share my experience. I cannot, in good faith, let others potentially choose him as their physician without sharing my experience. I was new to Alaska and had been started on a new medication just prior to my move. I had stopped taking it after I began experiencing muscle pain. Considering it a very unpleasant side effect, I had stopped the medication, The new medication I had been on was Abilify. It had been added to my long standing anti-depressant regimen for Major Depression. Unfortunately, after several weeks of being off the med, my muscle aches continued. I needed to get established with a new Dr. and unwittingly chose Dr. Skala. In my visit, I relayed my displeasure with the new med and that despite… discontinuing it, I continued to have muscle aches. My muscles hurt all the time for no apparent reason and I made the statement to him that "my arms even ache just holding the steering wheel while driving". His response to me was that my arms were aching because they were having to hold up so much weight. Now, I do readily admit that I am obese, however, I was no more obese then that I had been prior to starting the new med. His inability to see me as a real person, despite my obesity, and to listen to me and understand that this was a problem, a new problem since starting the med, led me to choose another doctor. I was aggravated at the time and swore I would never see him again, but he should not be allowed to treat people like this. He is supposed to help people, not make flippant, rude comments, and ignore the real medical issues because he doesn't want to find out the real reasons. Now, the Abilify commercials advise patients to "talk with your Dr. if you develop muscle pain...as this may be a sign of a serious medical condition." (paraphrased) Had he been first: a better Dr., second: a better listener, and third: not so willing to blame aches and pains on obesity and look for a real issue, then perhaps I wouldn't be writing this. In my opinion, do yourself a favor and look elsewhere. Knowing what I know now, I would have never chose him.

Dr Skala has been my doctor for a while. Always easy to get appointment. Helpful staff. Diagnosis has been spot on. Helped me quite smoking.... made it easy.Top notch all the way