Dr Lowry gave me my life back! After crushing several discs in my back and neck, I was constantly saying "I can't do that with my bad back". It was very depressing and I felt trapped in an old persons body. Dr Lowry helped ease my pain so I could LIVE again. I've since been able to go on waterslides, ride roller coasters and go dancing thanks to him! On top of that, he keeps a tight schedule and I never have to wait in the waiting room for my appointments. Double score! read more

I just moved to South Austin a retired Army veteran who is disabled and I was looking for a new pain manager...First the receptionists very rude on the phone. The person that coordinates the insurance in this office I found to be very incompetent and still 24 hours before my appointment, she still did not have approval from my insurance company.... Once I finally get in the appointment, the doctor and the registered nurse really did not seem interested at all and my health problems and wrote some bogus prescription for their pharmacy downstairs... It was just a miserable experience, and I will not recommend this business to anyone . read more

I've been seeing Dr Mc Carty And NP Kim for years Great bedside manner, courteous and extremely knowledgeable If you're in pain I suggest you visit this office for your pain management Waterloo surgery is state of the art, all RN's are professional It looks like a hospital setting and you feel they care about your needs read more

Update; Phew! Dr. Estler called and has been tremendously helpful! Plus we scheduled a follow up! I feel well tended to! I had gone for my second set of neck injections and something went wrong. Up until that point, things seemed to be on track. I think now things can get back on track! read more

Run- do not walk away from this practice. The doctors may be competent, but the staff and management is beyond terrible. My daughter had an MRI over 2 months ago and still does not have an appointment for her procedure. We have both called multiple times begging for someone to call us back. The call center has tired to help us but the managing staff and clinic staff have never returned even one phone call. My daughter has been a patient at Balcones for over 4 years and while scheduling has been more troublesome than it should have been, it has never been like this. Meanwhile, my daughter is suffering with pain, unable to attend class or work. Employee reviews on Indeed are dreadful too. Please find another Pain Management team for your needs! read more

If you were a patient last year, you could depend on receiving quality care. Everything changed there when their best doctor was treated in a way that is despicable by anyone's standards. It is no wonder that all the doctors and qualified nurse practitioners left. This 24 hour doctor on call business is a fabrication. You get a person who answers the phone and basically tells you that there is nothing that they can do when the doctor screws up (you're on a medication that you can easily suffer withdrawals from and they do not bother to get it to the pharmacy three months in a row) and that is not a sufficient reason to contact a doctor to get your medication before you go into withdrawals. You can't go into a hospital and say I have a Doctor who doesn't know what they're doing and has not sent my prescription and I'm going into withdrawals and have them give you that medication. Even if they did, the cost of going to the emergency room is more than paying full price for the prescription. Why else would you have access to doctors 24 hours a day? 99% of the time, they are going to tell you to go to the hospital, so it is a marketing campaign only. The cherry on the top of this 24 access is that you get to be treated with distain and extremely rudely by the person who is just collecting a paycheck and could not care less about your care or your pain that they are directly impacting. They get refunded from your insurance company and do not even give you the option of receiving that money back. Anyone who knows anything about time value of money knows that those funds do not belong to that institution and belong to the customer and could have been applied to a significant investment; that is how much they held on my account. Significant. Not once was I given the option to receive this money. If you want to go to a place that will write you a prescription for just about anything that you want, this is the place for you. I brought up significant issues with my prescriptions from various doctors and this doctor that they just hired did not even blink. It reminds me of the pain mills in Florida that led to the deaths of my parents when they were 60 and 65 years old. The doctor did not even have the ability to write my prescription on his own and this delay caused me additional pain and suffering. Of course the 24 hour doctor could not help me because the rude representative would not let me talk to this person despite it being critical. Just because the office looks nice doesn't mean you receive quality care. Apparently, they mean to move in a direction where they basically turn into an interventional pain associates, an Austin based company that injects people with all kinds of garbage and writes the prescriptions that the latest drug consultant brought to their attention that provides them with certain kickbacks. It is very sad to see how far they have fallen. The way that they treated one of the finest physicians in the state of Texas speaks volumes and I know I will be filing a complaint with the state and I certainly hope he does as well. It is more than apparent that they do not care about the customer experience and just want to hook more people up with procedures that really won't help them in the long run. The reason the office looks so nice is because they care about revenue and not their patients. I was fortunate to locate my physician, who decided not to retire because he cared too much about his patients and was concerned about the type of treatment they would be receiving. read more

Dr. McCarty and his staff are kind, caring and they really try to understand your pain levels and help you get out of it. They have everything from traditional meds to an acupuncturist who also works with natural medicine. The office on Davis lane is beautiful, clean, and all inclusive. There is a pharmacy downstairs as well as a surgical center in the event of needing ESI or nerve blocks. read more

This is the worst Pain Management I have ever been too! First of all Staff is not friendly they are of no help , I mean you get here stand at the desk until somebody comes out to help you. That is enough about the checking in process. Then you are taken to a room a this Doctor walks in with out even looking at my chart not introducing himself he starts off with "I do not prescribe Hydrocodone!" First of all if you had bother to read my results from my urine test you would have seen for yourself I do not take Hydrocodone: So Dr.Lowery thanks for wasting my time he told me to go see a surgeon and he would not even touch me .By then I decided he was right he was not going to touch me ever he does not have that Healing Hands look . read more

I have been in pain management for years, but I am a new patient of Dr. Lowry's at BPC. I have to confess, I was a bit worried after reading so many unpleasant reviews. I am sorry others had bad experiences, but mine has been very good. The staff has been nothing but kind and professional with me. Perhaps I am receiving proper treatment because others were good enough to confront and change the problem, but I am grateful however it came about. I have not observed a single staff member behave discourteously and most are really friendly. My appointments and procedures have started on time. I cannot express how much I appreciate any professionals that show as much respect for my time as they expect me to show for their time. It also adds to my overall impression that the business is well organized. All of Dr. Lowry's nursing/medical staff I've met have been very kind, efficient, and professional, too. I am a nervous person, (especially in doctors' offices), and tend to chatter as a result. These nice people not only put up with me, but were sweet and helpful. I appreciate that quite a bit, too. Dr. Lowry is a reserved individual, but I did not find him uncaring or disinterested at all. In fact, I had the rare experience of a doctor treating me like a reasonably intelligent individual with the most intel and experience of/with my own body. He did not try to sell me on additional services or unnecessary things. I am already feeling better than I have in months and I am glad to have found a new pain management facility. I even prefer it to the last place. It's clean, has a comfortable waiting area, and I will only have to make the long trip to the offices for occasional and necessary visits. I hope those with negative experiences have found places that are better matches and I really appreciate you helping to make this place better for people like me. read more

Tavie Coyle, Nurse Practitioner, with an intuitive awareness of her patient' concerns. I never feel rushed during the appointment. I feel believed and not judged about the pain I deal with. Once in with them I'm moving forward with my life with managing my pain to fit my lifestyle. Scared of the stigma on myself in going for pain medicine. In the end I'm doing this to get a better quality of life for my family and I. Endometriosis is hard to live with and multiple surgeries had no success. Thank you Balconies Pain Consultants. read more

I just had my first appointment with Balcones on 11/26/13. In all honesty, I wasn't impressed. Initially, I was supposed to meet with Dr. Matt McCarty. At my appointment, when the doctor entered the room, he failed to introduce himself. I was under the impression I was meeting with the person I'd set the appointment with, when in actuality, I was really meeting with Dr. Gus Lowry, Dr. McCarty's partner. I found Dr. Lowry's attitude flippant and his demeanor cold. Allow me to explain: I'd sent a very carefully worded letter prior to my appointment, clearly outlining the kind of services I was looking for. Since I'd just moved to Austin from central Illinois, I was looking for a doctor to take over my current treatment and to possibly help me find even better treatments that would work with the three diagnosed chronic pain issues I have. When Dr. Lowry entered the office, he held my letter in his hand, said he'd had a chance to read it, but his temperament felt icy. In the note, I clearly outlined what I was taking to manage my pain, why and when I'd been put on which medication, and how each helped (or didn't) the individual problems. At first, Lowry seemed interested, asking symptom specific questions, discussing the overall effectiveness of past treatments, etc. It wasn't long into our conversation, though, that he told me a well-known moderate to medium pain medicine was an opiate (when it's clearly not), and that's always a huge red flag for me! The medication in question, Tramadol, while a schedule 4 drug in the US, is NOT a narcotic. It's an opioid, a weak reuptake inhibitor of norepinephrine. An opioid does not an opiate make, however! Beyond that, Dr. Lowry deemed that the dosage of Tramdol I'd been on for years (with a well established personal physician) was way too much, that I was only absorbing so much of the drug, and asked me to cut the dosage by HALF for a one month trial. I was incredibly uncomfortable with the idea, but I wanted to show that I was open to new methods of treatment, so while we waited for a DNA test that he suggested (seriously, his one good idea), I tried his drastic hack and slash. I'd asked Lowry, point blank, if I had troubles with the reduction, if he'd return my initial dosage. He agreed that he would. Two weeks in, I knew the suggested dosage he'd given me wasn't going to work. I was definitely open to other ideas, but in order to even revisit the discussion again, I had to schedule (and PAY for) another appointment. Lowry would take no calls and even though he agreed to go back to the initial dosage in my first appt, he made me meet with Dr. McCarthy's nurse prac to get resolution. Unfortunately, the nurse turned out to be even _worse_ than Lowry, himself. Like an empty vessel, she had to be filled with Lowry's baseless opinions on my "conditions" (this review is already too long to go into detail, but if you want to know more about this, feel free to msg me). Despite Lowry's promise to reinstate my dosage, he told her to relay to me that if I wanted to continue on with his suggested dosage and wait for the results of the DNA test (that could be anywhere from 4-10 weeks, depending on which practitioner I spoke to), he'd be willing to continue seeing me. I had to laugh. I rolled my eyes and walked out, followed by the apologetic nurse. In truth, I wouldn't rank Balcones with any stars if the possibility existed. In my opinion, the entire experience rated a big FU. I would also be careful of past positive ratings for this firm. That's not to say that maybe there aren't people they've helped (God, I would hope so!! What's the point of being in pain medicine if not to treat people who need help??). However, the users whose accounts have either violated Yelps terms, or have been removed for other offenses will no longer show. There are several that fall into that category, which is why they are not counted in the ratings. read more

The doctors here do not really care about your pain. They don't sit and listen to you and how you got to be where you are in life with your pain. They had the audacity to tell me that there is "no data showing that you experience pain with Severe Rhumatoid Arthritis"!!!! Can you believe this??? I can NOT in good conscience continue with a team of doctors that honestly do not believe in helping me. You take a risk going here. Good Luck. read more

I've been to this facility several times and everyone is prompt, courteous, efficient, and very caring. The waiting area is very clean and comfortable for families waiting for patients. They also offers beverages. The surgery suites are immaculate and the physicians and anesthetists were very friendly and efficient. The nurses are very kind and gentle and made the positive experience complete. read more

Dr Lowry was appropriate for the first couple appointments. Things got messed up fairly quickly. I was seeing him for pain associated with mid-stage blood and bone marrow cancer. Our appointment would end, and he'd promise to send the oxy to the pharmacy. HE DIDN'T. I sometimes spent 2 - 3 days chasing him down at his clinic. He personally never came to the phone. His nurses would lie for him. In response to my question, they would say "oh no! This has never happened before!". I finally tracked down some other clients - and he does this all the time. I don't think he understands what pain is - neither he nor his clinic act with any sense of urgency. Friends suggested I insist on a paper script at the appt. No - I'm done enabling him. It's time for appropriate consequences. I am considering reporting him to the Texas Medical Board. The very last thing a cancer patient should have to do is chase down an MD who has been paid to get the promised scripts. read more

I have been a patient at Balcones Pain Consultants for over a year. I am so grateful to them that I wrote a review to let other people in pain know how wonderful everyone in this practice is. As a frequent Yelp reviewer I was surprised when my highly positive review ended up in the filtered reviews. I read every word about Yelp's filtering of reviews. It bothered me that of the four reviews shown three are highly negative. And only one review is positive. That makes me think that somewhere in Yelp's filtering process the negative reviews are unfairly winning out in being published. There are many positive reviews for this practice in the filtered reviews. Dr.McCarty looks at every aspect of pain. He and Kim are so incredibly knowledgable and have helped manage my different kinds of pains without using pain medicine. I realize some people have to use pain medication and I may very well be one of those people someday. I am just really grateful that they were willing to work on so many other ways to manage my chronic pain. Kim is a pain genius. She worked with people on Dialysis and became interested in chronic pain. I have never met anyone who understands chronic pain the way that she does. I came to Kim and Dr. McCarty with undiagnosed Fibromyalgia. Knowing what you are dealing with really helps. In addition they have helped me with joint pain, Osteoarthritis, Migraines, Interstitial Cystitis, herniated discs and fatigue. They listened when no one else seemed to understand the complicated auto immune illnesses and pain that I was experiencing. Amy, Alice and all of the staff are great to work with. I have never had to wait at an appointment. They really have changed my life and I am so grateful for the hard work, professionalism and kindness that they show with every patient they work with. This is a very cutting edge pain management clinic and we are lucky to have this practice in Austin. I am happy that Yelp has now put this review where it can easily be read. This practice needs acknowledgment. read more

My mom is 76 years old messed up disc in her back. Disc degenerative diseases and another stuff she's constantly in pain he asked her to try the leads in her back or he would no longer treat her mind you she is on a fixed income so the procedure costed 250 each visit a total of 2 visits and he was gonna schedule to put in permanently so 2 more visit my mom was in alot of pain since he cut her pills down to half the month before and with those leads in her back everytkmw she walked she said she felt like losing her balance she already has trouble walking and he recommended this for her she didn't like it she told him so he goes to take them out and the tape he literally ripped the tape off hard she screamed and the African American nurse said um stop ill do it and hes like huh and she said no ive got it you can leave she knew he was being an ass how can you treat your patients like that she said its ok id rather be in pain then have that machine in my back ill just live through the pain. read more

I have been going to Dr McCarty since 2008 for chronic neck and lumbar pain. The whole team working at this location is great! I appreciate all that they do for me and the treatment options that make it possible for me to function at a high level. Often there are some cranky impatient pain filled patients there. The staff handles them with professional dignity. Just came from there today and while they were running a little late it was still high quality care with the cheerful attitude that I have come to expect. The team of Gracie and Richard in the procedure room are also amazing. They make you feel cared for even when your the most worried and vulnerable. read more

Hi. My name is Emma Rose. I have been a patient at Balcones Pain Management for more than several years. I have had multiple surgeries due to my spine. Dr. McCarty and his staff TEAMWORK. , MORE LIKE FAMILY HAVE BEEN A TRUE BLESSING IN MY HEALTH RECOVERY. A BETTER ME. I met him a few years before he became my physician. I was sitting in with a family member who was visiting him for the first time to receive pain management. Sitting behind him listening to his professional mannet as being just not a doctor to administer a prescription but really taking his call of duty beyond. I knew he was a Dr if great ethics and care of his patients. Find the root of the pain and know what measure to offer. I felt reassured that he would NOT RISK OR TAKE A CHANCE OF ADDICTION. This is the Reason beyond my shadow of doubt that when I needed to find a Dr to teat me I felt POSITIVE and STRONG knowing I was in GOOD HANDS. I have 2 spinal cord stimulator implanted to treat my upper and lower back chronic issues. THEY ARE THE BEST PHENOMENAL PROCEDURES THAT HAVE MADE SUCH AN IMPACT ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES. I still receive injections from time to time. BUT I DON'T TAKE OPIODS FOR MANAGEMENT OF MY PAIN. Since the stimulator I'M IN CONTROL OF MY PAIN. THE STAFF AT WATER LEAF ARE FAMILY AS WELL. I AM GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF HIS CARE AND FAMILY. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIS FACILITY. read more

These are physicians that get a less than pleasurable review around town because they refuse to offer up medication on a whim. The practice was started by Dr. Matt McCarty because he was not able to spend as much time with his patients at the practice he was employed. He told me he is now able to do just that. He wants to genuinely love on individuals, and sometimes that means not allowing them to give in to dependencies or fear. He will sit with you and talk about your father who no longer talks with you because of something you did 10 years ago, and that causes you to not be in touch with taking care of your body. The kind of patient that should not go see a doctor at Balcones Pain Consultants: one that want's to walk in for the first time and grab a prescription and leave. The kind of patient that should go see a doctor at Balcones Pain Consultants: one that has pain that keeps them from living life to the fullest and will do what it takes to get better. Great doctors, and great new office!! read more

I've been dealing with chronic pain ever since my colon cancer surgery in 2006. Over the years I was bounced around from the oncology clinic to several primary care doctors. At times it was truly a nightmare for me. Then thankfully I was able to connect to Balcones Pain Consultants in Sept. 2017. The care I have received has been without a doubt the best since I began this journey. The professionalism and most important of all, dependability of the people at Balcones Pain Consultants has been outstanding in my opinion. I recommend them highly. read more

I'm going to try and give the review that needs to be said. First and foremost like all of us dealing with chronic pain issues in life things are not fun. I tend to snap at my daughter even when I'm not feeling bad. So here goes.. I started seeing BPC after leaving Austin regional clinic's pain group. I was set with one of the other doctors in the practice, so this isn't a review of the two main doctors your likely to see more so a review of the practice in general. On my first visit we had to drive 78 miles to the office in bee cave. Which is no longer in use. I had a great review of my issues with the Dr and the promise of good things to come. I think that the first drug chosen was a muscle relaxer. That would be a year ago now almost. I knew that there were going to be issues however when my state Medicaid would not cover the drug and I had to pay out of pocket for it. This is one of the main issues with the office and I'll cover the issue in detail as we progress. So after a month and a half I set a second visit to the office now fighting issues with my main health issue. I was given a week supply script and sent back home. So my first issue was with the distance, the second drug, again. Not covered by my health plan. To be fair, I know that the second drug had this issue and was the reason for leaving my last provider. Appointment was on Tuesday for a weeks supply that was way out of price for me out of pocket. After the pre-auth went through it was Thursday causing me to push back being able to see the doctor again to get into the office. Like most of the doctors these days and you'll find it in any review they now charge you when you do not give notice on a appointment. I was able to avoid this as it was my first issue missing a appointment. Great news for the fourth appointment I had gained employment, probably one of the best jobs of my working career as far as working goes. I went to the new office in cedar park, and went on the same said medicine that I know has approval issues with my coverage. I was able to get through a two week window but lost my car and was unable to make it to the follow up visit. By this point I was again becoming frustrated as I was starting to see a pattern here. Basically the appointments hard to schedule, keep and keep up with as they wait time is so horrific far out. Again, nothing new, just not really helpful. Here's wear the ride going wild. I had my fifth appointment set and found that the Lamar office was 6 mins from my work. I had asked about why it was so important to go to the cedar park location and was told that I had to go there instead of the Lamar location, even though the Dr practiced at both. I was able to get to the Lamar location one time. Again the med was preauth. I know this doesn't seem important however the wait time for preauth can really mess things up. So the Lamar visit switched to a third medicine and I'm starting to get concerned because both of the last two are used for addicts. I had voiced my concern over this because its no fun going to the er and when they think your a addict it can kill you. I did good on the third med, though I know it wasn't being prescribed correctly. Ie it was being prescribed for chronic pain when it was intended as a addiction medicine. So back to cedar park for the next appointment, oh wait, they closed their office and told NO ONE!. So here's the measure of BPC failed to tell the patients that they closed their office and moved 2 miles down the road, I was patient number 7 that had the same fun issue. As a result I was rushed through the office visit, and kicked back to the previous med again. That was my first real red flag. My second was the you have to see a mental health specialist. Not sure what that was about other than a two hour waste of my time and gas. I did it, I like to think i was a good patient. After that, they because horrific to deal with on ever front. The final straw was my doctor's DEA license being revoked and them writing through another doctor who I hadn't seen in almost a year. I can go on but its a bit pointless. I will agree with the other negative posts here as I've seen the first hand. I will also say that after the previous pain doctor I do not think your going to find much different anywhere else. Other issues would be setting appointments for no reason. Unable to reach anyone on the nurse call line. Unable to communicate with any of the doctors. Typical stuff these days. If anything these guys seem to cater to the people who can pay 698 out of pocket for drugs that have a generic. Which this drug does. Which I was never able to get anyone with their group to write. Patient beware. Educate yourself on the meds and what long term affect they will have on you with seeing other doctors. read more

I've had nothing but a positive experience with Dr. Lowery. I'm a patient with chronic pain, having suffered multiple fractured vertebrae in my lower back, resulting in surgery with instrumentation on 3 levels. The surgery itself failed. Dr. Lowery has treated my condition appropriately, with attention to my individual needs. I can't express enough the importance of finding an honest doctor. I would give 5 stars, however there is a little work to be done with staff and how they treat the patients. A couple staff members tend to treat people with zero personal touch, no smiles, no eye contact, and a bit rude. Eliminate those two staff members and thus is a 5 star. read more

I became a patient with Doctor Matt McCarty about 3 months ago. From the beginning his treatment plans have been very effective. He, and his staff, have shown compassion and resolve in finding an effective plan to relieve my pain. My DRG stimulation trial went very well. There was an occasion, during the trial and on a Sunday, where I needed Doctor McCarty to call me in order to resolve an issue with my bandages. Within 30 minutes my phone rang. It was Doctor McCarty. I have seen several pain doctors over the years. NONE of them were available after hours without going to an emergency room. Doctor McCarty was. There are other examples of his concern and compassion for my issues which I will not detail here, except to say in each and every case he or his staff have done everything they could to see to my needs. I have read other reviews about this practice. I have experienced none of the issues others have documented. Never a lack of compassion; never a condescending word; I am 60 years old. My career was in public safety. As a firefighter, peace officer and paramedic I have had occasion to have contact with medical service providers on every tier. Doctor McCarty, his staff and his providing associates in the Genorite Pharmacy (which is owned by his practice) have gone the extra mile in every way possible to ease my symptoms and improve my quality of life. I gave four stars because no one is perfect. In my view a 5 star assessment is just not possible to achieve. My 4 stars reflect my belief that Doctor McCarty, Balcones Pain Consultants, the pharmacy and the surgical center have done it all right. I have never been treated better... anywhere! If you are in pain; chronic pain, that interferes with your quality of life then I can recommend this practice without equivocation. It just doesn't get better than this. It really doesn't. read more

Dr. McCarty and Dr. Ximenes saved my life. They are kind, caring, loving, and smart. I would recommend this pain clinic to anybody. And their pharmacy staff is lovely too!! read more

I've been seeing Dr. Lowery and his NP Kim since I was medically retired from the military this past Spring. I've dealt with ongoing and chronic pain for nearly a decade. Dr. Lowery and his team are the first Dr. Office that actually makes me feel like I'm part of my own treatment team, and that's how it should be. To often I've had Dr and medical staff dictate my treatment plan to me. This has been the complete opposite. I see Kim, Dr. Lowery and Jen (lcsw) at Balcones and I don't know whether they talk amongst each other or just take really great notes, but regardless of who I see they know the plan. While I'm still in pain, I am regaining the ability to enjoy life again because we are managing the pain. I have such confidence in Doc that I even did the nerve ablations, which I was very nervous and hesitant to do, I have developed this much trust in my treatment team. As for a previous review talking about this office not liking vets and such, my interaction has been totally opposite. They actually wrote me for a non-pain medication that I'm on and treated me for a non-pain condition while I was waiting to get into the VA system. The staff at 2 locations have thanked me for my service when they saw I was on Tricare. I strongly recommend this office if you are looking to manage and control your pain in order to get active and start enjoying life again. read more

Being a Medical Professional myself.....I am hesitant to write anything about other medical professionals, but this was the worst medical appointment I have ever had to endure. If I wasn't in shock from how I was being treated I would have stood up for myself more and walked out 10 minutes in. First off, I just moved to the area 3 days ago and when I called to make my appointment with Dr. Macarty, she gave me an appointment for 2 days later....Now that I look back that was a little weird. I was referred to him from my friend who used him a few years ago and was relieved completely from her pain. I like to go by personal word of mouth when it comes to Doctors. I showed up for my appointment and turns out I was lead to a room with Dr Mccarty's name on it but Dr Lowry ended up being my Doctor for a new eval. He didn't shake my hand or introduce himself, he barely looked at me while speaking. He proceeded to lecture me on my past treatments on and off the entire appointment. His treatment style and options were so much better, come to realize after researching and discussing with other professionals, I'm not sure this guy went to med school at all. I felt judgment and disrespect right off the bat. It's like he didn't hear anything I said. He told me that he could not offer me any medications I had previously been on, No discussion about it, just judgment and arrogance on something he didn't consider or understand. He didn't want to talk about it, just lecture me. He was completely closed minded and seemed annoyed by me the entire time giving me his "opinion" on it at length. I am quite educated on my health and health care and take all the propper steps and channels to care for my body as well as I can with the circumstance I am in. I am a realistic person that would be open to other options for my healthcare and welcome an educated discussion on prescribed medication. To just say "I don't prescribe medication to people who....." I do not appreciate paying big money to be judged and belittled. The worst part was I didn't go in there begging for pain meds but he right off the bat blurted out he wouldn't give them to me. I was just stunned. He didn't agree with what worked before. Next the exam portion. I do manual muscle testing for a living and if you can't perform the basic analysis of the human body's muscle strengths and weaknesses, how on Earth does anyone expect me to allow him to have a 8 inch needle near my spine and have me sedated on a table? I had no time to get my records from previous Dr. so I brought my MRI with me and he insisted upon a "report". I'm sorry if you can't read my MRI directly in front of you and you need someone else to read it to you, get lost! I don't need my doctor to be my best friend, but I do expect respect and some sense of professionalism and a smattering of social skills and a respect for other treatments that help with pain. I felt so bad about myself when I left there that I cried the entire way home and now I am back at square one to find another doctor. Unfortunately now, I don't even want to go back to see the doctor I WANTED to see in the first place. Too bad cause I hear he is amazing and comes highly recommended. Texas isn't looking so "nice and friendly" and it hasn't even been a week. read more

I will try to keep this as short as I can. . . Do NOT go to this practitioner under any circumstance. I have had two herniated discs for 9 years. I have seen multiple pain specialists and multiple surgeons so this is not a new routine for me. I saw Dr. Gus Lowry and he was quite possibly the least informed pain specialist I have ever spoken to. I thought it was strange that he just stared out the window while talking to me, but didn't think much of it until later in the consultation when I realized he didnt REALLY know anything about my condition. It was as if he was reading a script. I have tried every therapy that the medical community can throw at me and have been told to try and manage the pain with meds until it gets debilitating enough that I feel like risking the surgery. Dr.Lowry's opinion was that I either: a) get injections. A much more invasive, much more dangerous and much more expensive (imagine that!) alternative that didnt work the last three times I tried it, which he was aware of b) Take 4 advil, (apparently he thinks this will work better than the prescription anti-inflammatory meds that did nothing at all for me) completely alter my life (become a hermit) and wait for it to get better. Seriously?!? Advil? and sit around in excruciating pain because I wont get one of your goddamn injections? I have been on percocet for 4 years and you want me to take advil? I have half a mind to contact the AMA, because there is no doubt that they are talking patients into unnecessary, expensive therapies and while they are not dangerous per se, they carry significantly higher risk and are typically the 3rd or 4th in the pain treatment progression. I hope this helps someone to avoid this "back of a van" style office. read more

It's important to note up front, this review is of my experience with the Cedar Park location of Balcones Pain Consultants; It's a shame, that what most likely is a team of very talented and professional physicians, is not represented by clerical and administrative staff of equal talent and professionalism. My experiences with those at the front desk, and over the phone, have been most unpleasant. The warmth and personality of a paperclip comes to mind. A provided list of medications and their respective dosages was inaccurately recorded. It took four days for a prescription to be called in to my pharmacy, and the individual responsible for calling in the prescription lied about when she had actually gotten around to calling it in. By my count, that's four strikes. read more

I wish I had read the reviews prior to visiting this facility. I am an IT pump patient that was advised by a facility that they will no longer be treating or maintaining IT pump patients. I was a loyal devoted patient for 10+ years and honestly thought that it would be life long relationship. I've have 31 years of medical history consisting of various treatments, therapies, and surgeries, I, therefore, tried to summarize but emphasize recent complications/surgery that occurred in recent months. Due to the complications and recent surgery, my pain medications were reduced and therefore, was suffering severe pain. Note this was my second IT pump and my years on the IT pump were relatively pain free. I held a full-time job with minor accommodations. Recently, however, I've been relatively bedridden and fearful that without modifications to my dosage I could possibly lose my job. I was very open with Dr Lowery sharing my history of, treatments and surgeries, and current pain levels. Shockingly, Dr Lowery, advised me that it was not his job to alleviate my pain but that I was going to have to accept the fact that I was going to have pain for the rest of my life. Why have the IT pump if it's not utilized? I even advised him that I could give him a log showing my prior dosages. He said it wouldn't be beneficial. Driving home, I was near tears and was in total disbelief at what he said, especially since he is in the "Pain Management" profession. . At this initial appt, he advised that he would not be prescribing anything and that he would not be adjusting my pump dosage until I met with the behavior counselor. The earliest appt for the behavior counselor was 5 weeks away. I set the appt and sought out another facility with the hopes of finding a doctor that cared and that would work with me. . Today I received a phone call from Balcones Pain Consultant advising me that the appt I had scheduled 5 weeks ago and is scheduled for tomorrow has to be rescheduled because the Behavior Counselor quit. The next earliest available appt is ... Believe it or not!!! Approximately 9 weeks from Today!!! It is July 1st and the appt is Sept 7th. Thank goodness for me being proactive and seeking out another facility. I do not recommend this facility to my worst enemy. Please..seek out a doctor that cares. I think I finally found one and I know you can too. read more

I had a very positive experience with Dr Skulpoonkitti who was located in the Cedar Park office. Unfortunately he left the group. The new Doctor was not in network with my insurance so I switched to Dr Lowry. I had a bit of a problem with the scheduling of my procedure. I left a message with someone about the results of trigger points and it never got relayed. This delayed my scheduling a couple of weeks. It was a bit dissapointing but people make mistakes. Fast forward seven months. I see Dr Lowry about having the RF procedure again as my pain is back with a vengeance. The woman at the front desk said that as soon as they got prior authorization they would schedule my treatment, possibly the following week. A week later I called my insurance company. They said it took the Dr's office four days to submit the request and they also said that it was coded with the lowest priority code possible. The lady at the insurance company said to ask them to change the priority so that it would be approved quickly. Another week goes by. I get a letter from my insurance company with the approval. I called the Dr's office and Brittany said they would call me back. Almost a week later I talked with someone who handles the insurance. She says they never got the approval. She said she would call me back. It has now been four weeks since my initial appointment. I am no longer waiting for a phone call, I have found a new Doctor. I had my first visit with Dr Sarosh Saleemi. She spent 25 minutes with me asking questions and actually listening to me. I never got that time or interest from Dr Lowry. I really don't like leaving negative reviews but I really wish I had read the reviews here before I made a decision on my care. read more

I felt like just another number. I went in for shots in my back which I have never had and wasn't familiar with the process. I'm face down on table and I can hear doctor walk in who doesn't even say a word to me, the patient. I have no idea if it is the doctor I saw, the one I made apt with or just anyone. As I am being prepped he asks the nurse what kind of insurance I have. To this I asked why that matters at this point and he said it determines if I get the pre-numbing shot! I then had to ask at every step what he was doing as he explained nothing at all to me. I also didn't get any information on what to expect after, what to do or not to do. It seems like this is a revolving door mill and they are used to the regulars. Was very impersonal and I was shuffled in and out so they could get as many in as possible. He had even told me that you can get as many as 20 sets of cortisone in a year which I know is not good for you and shows they just want to get that revolving door moving. read more

I just want to say that the doctors here are incredible. I have major pains in my back due to standing on my feet all day. (Thanks, retail managment!) They always get me in good shape again. Thanks again! read more

Kim is the only reason BPC gets any star rating from me at all. I PRAY she finds a better clinic to work for one day so that I can return as her patient again. I went to BPC for a few years for severe back and neck issues. Kim is really the only person I saw on a regular basis. Dr. Ozuna was my physician for awhile until he left a couple years ago. Then, I got put under Dr. Lowry's "care". He saw me about two times in the 3, or so, years I was his patient, and I had monthly appointments throughout that time. He doesn't know me from any other stranger. Kim, on the other hand, got to know me on a personal level and has compassion for her patients. I am no longer with them because I received a certified letter in the mail a couple months ago stating that Dr. Lowry was dropping me from the practice for canceling appointments. Um...what? Oh! That's right! This guy considers rescheduling appointments as cancelled appointments. What??? And, no, I didn't call the day before an appointment expecting to be fit in at a better time. These were rescheduled a couple weeks in advance, if not sooner. Some of these appointments were rescheduled due to the appointment scheduled not realizing they'd given me an appointment on a day Kim wouldn't be available, so they'd call me to change the appointment themselves. I'm sorry, morning appointments don't always work for me, or vice versa, so excuse me for calling to reschedule to a better time in the day. I tried fixing the issue, I called to speak with the office manager, and nothing. At my last appointment with Kim, she didn't even know Dr. Lowry had done this to me. Great communication, Dr. She tried fixing it, as well, and he still refused to accept me back despite the fact that she vouched for me, herself. I did say I would not reschedule any more appointments, but it didn't matter, the dude was too busy with his injections and other procedures to care. That is where he makes his money, anyway. Again, I hope Kim goes to a better practice one day. I'll gladly see her again. Oh! He also discharged me when I still had one more set of injections needing to be done to complete the set of injections that he had started on me a couple weeks before. Nice way to do uphold your oath, Lowry. I couldn't stand him when I met him, and despise him even more now after all this. He created a mess that my primary doctor has so graciously cleaned up for him until I get in with my new PM doc in the new year. Good luck to any future patients of his. You'll need it. read more

My doctor suggested I come see these guys. I love to golf and have struggled with chronic shoulder and elbow pain for years. The doctors and staff at Balcones Pain were wonderful! My treatment was a success and I'm now 3 months out and still feeling fantastic!! No soreness or discomfort. I can't say enough good things about this practice. read more

Preamble: I have experienced chronic pain for several years due to endometriosis and pelvic adhesion disease. I've tried it all from pain meds, diets, acupuncture to surgery. After much suffering and hopelessness, my OBGYN suggested a hysterectomy. That suggestion seemed extreme and I felt there had to be someone out there who knew how to help. A specialist in San Antonio referred me to try a pain Doctor for localized injections. I did some research and found Balcones Pain Consultants (BPC) near my home in Austin and decided to give them a try. BPC's new facility on Davis Lane is state of the art, immaculate, and filled with a great supporting staff, if I may add. Review: I met with Dr. McCarty about a month ago and left the office feeling hopeful and so happy to have found someone so knowledgeable about pain management. Dr. McCarty suggested we try injections in my back that would quiet the nerve pain in my abdomen, groin and leg. I was skeptical but willing to try anything. After the first injection about three weeks ago, I felt immediate relief and two days later felt nearly 100% relief. I haven't lived a pain-free life in so many years and couldn't believe how great I felt. I haven't taken any pain pills in over three weeks! I just had my second round of injections a few days ago and I'm looking forward to continuing this new painless journey. If you're thinking of trying a new approach to pain management, stop your suffering and go see the Doctors at BPC! While I don't believe everyone will experience immediate results, I wanted people with chronic pain to read about my experience and feel a little bit of hope. There are knowledgeable and experienced pain management doctors out there and BPC is definitely worth your time! You owe it to yourself. read more

Don't go here if you can choose another pain doctor. They own the lab and demanded all kinds of bloodwork and milked my insurance for all the could. They also own a pharmacy. They also wanted to take over doing my joint injections despite me repeatedly saying my rheumatologist and orthopedist did them without extra visits or procedure charges like their pain clinic does. Lab results came back incorrect (or falsified?) a couple times so they could, I assume, justify continued, frequent labs and overbilling my insurance. They also wanted to push a very expensive cortisol stim test despite me taking prednisone and rendering the test and any results useless. My medical records are incorrect, they claim to have completed detailed evaluations on me and my joints when they never did as well having my medication list incorrect and incomplete, doctors names incorrect, etc. There's serious conflict of interest with the lab being physician owned and pushing all kinds of lab work and then telling you to go buy supplements and fill your prescriptions at their pharmacy. read more

I had shingles years after getting chickenpox and after they went away the pain stayed. Dr. McCarty finally eased my shingles pain which was tingling and mainly a burning sensation. He used the Qutenza patch which is made out of Chili peppers! This treatment was very effective after a few days. They said that the treatment would last about three months and I would need to come back. But after a few days my pain is all but gone! I can't tell you what a relief this is, the pain was really starting to effect my life in a really debilitating manor. In the past two days I have gotten more done around the house than I did in the previous month... I am going tomorrow to join a gym and try to get back in shape... Thanks Balcones Pain Consultants! read more

I am sorry the other people writing reviews had a bad experience but I find it hard to imagine they went to the same place I did. I have been met with kidness, courtesy and professionalism over the many visits I have had here. My goal has been pain relief with the minimum possible amount of medication and they have been with me all the way. My treatments and injections have left me knowing my pain is well managed. read more

My original review for Balcones was 5 stars because of Kim Prall. I was hesitant to edit my review and lower the stars simply because I still think Kim is the best thing about this place and I still adore her. But, my last appointment was with Dr. Lowery and I found him to be about as warm as a bag of ice. He did not greet me, shake my hand, look me in the eyes or show the least bit of compassion or understanding when he walked into the treatment room to see me and his demeanor did not change our entire visit except he finally made eye contact that felt about as judgmental as it gets. He is also on a mission to wean his patients off their pain meds. "Lifestyle" changes oughta do the trick! Believe me, I've already made as many lifestyle changes as possible and tried every OTC pain reliever on the market but none of it touches the degree of pain and stiffness associated with my RA and that's why I sought professional treatment in the first place! But, he encouraged injections! Still feel free to come get injected! If lifestyle changes will take care of my pain then why would I need injections? Needless to say, I was highly discouraged and disappointed after my visit with him. Since he pretty much runs the show and was telling Kim how to prescribe my meds or not prescribe them, I knew nothing would be the same after seeing him. Therefore, I have moved on. I found a fantastic doctor who is not only understanding and caring but he only requires me to visit him once every 3 months instead of monthly which Balcones requires, and my new doctor sends in my monthly prescriptions electronically. This saves me so much time and money. My new doctor, when he walked into the room for our first meeting, he was so warm and gentle I burst into tears before I could say 10 words, which is not like me at all. It was just such a relief to find someone who right out of the gate, didn't make me feel bad about myself for being in chronic pain. That's all I wanted. He and his staff treat me the way ALL patients in chronic pain should be treated; with patience, understanding and no judgment. read more

Wow, not my experience at all, so I wanted to share also. I had a heirnated disc in my lower back and was in so much pain I could hardly stand or walk. My husband had to practically carry me in to the MRI. This was particularly hard because we were 2 weeks from a trip to Hawaii that we had been planning for over a year. Dr McCarty met with me and provided meds that he thoroughly went over and I had the epidural injections. We not only got to go, but I was good on the 8 hour plane ride AND was able to do all we planned including a 22 mile bike ride and a 4 mile hike on the Kalalau trail. I got just the pain relief I needed for a great trip so I have no complaints! read more