Obviously these negative comments tells me Many individuals do not have the tools to deal with uncontrollable chemical imbalance Aside of that 3/4 of all men cannot bow down and look in the mirror and admit, accept, and realize they have a uncontrollable chemical imbalance in the brain for whatever reason that does not relate to the price of tea in China ! Then study your own conditions of your actions and feelings as well as thoughts and mood swings Look at your self from the outside looking in vs you you you from the inside looking out and the selfish thoughts that you cannot see. One must do both and the Dr gives you the tools to fix the motor as long as you except the fact you need to put the parts and tools together. You cannot rely on any individual to per say FIx you because you paid money at whatever cost yet you do not share the complete package of your thoughts and action And provide ALL thoughts, feelings, and actions verbally in your session. Keep notes daily of issues to discuss later, don't rely on a chemical imbalance memory because you cannot cover the bases off your memory it is to much information Dr Fogelson saved my life however he could not of accomplished this without his well educated partner That would be ME So today I have my home business and family of three I hope this message is a more positive view then the negativity in other statements anyone can write Remember you are what you hang with so read the positive or you have the choice to only focus the negative with no comments of solution. Make it go away or fight it for ever and live miserable on the inside and fake it on the outside your call Building relationships fighting cure is the focal point. That is what I experienced I was not a customer I was a partner in this project with a high degree of difficulty Good Luck to you all hopefully you find what works for you and the gates open to your new deserved life Sincerely Duck (nickname) Water just Rolls off me I used to think I was drowning % You will not find anyone better then David Fogelson then again you do have the choice to keep looking. I did before I met David Fogelson and Thank God Big Mike referred me and that would not of happened if I did not express my thoughts at a party of what I was going through Put your guard down and go to work on your self no blame is the game deal with it get help and work together to find what works for you Again Good Luck do what is best for you without punishing others or yourself read more

Stubborn stupid. Eager to send me across the country to Austen Riggs hospital. Threatened not to see me If I smoked pot which I'm not. I don't like ultimatums and there are many other shrinks who can prescribe lithium. Why does he want a hospitalize me? Why is he so against pot? read more

I saw him for quite a while and found him cold and suffering from a god complex. I was so fortunate to finally find somebody who was not only more balanced, warm, humble and bright, but someone who took my reports of having side effects that were uncomfortable seriously. Someone who actually tried to find medicine for me that was tolerable and that worked. read more

I tend to take reviews for psychiatrists with a grain of salt. For this reason despite his poor reviews I resumed treatment with Dr. Fogelson via telemedicine after seeing someone else in a different state for a few years. I can confirm that he is in fact now cold, disrespectful, and a terrible listener. His services wouldn't be worth it at a fraction of the price, either. Steer clear and find a psychiatrist who is more capable of empathy He spent a good portion of the appointment accusing me of lying about why I was no longer seeing my previous psychiatrist (he decided to focus on academic work). Even though Fogelson's office randomly reached out to me some months ago asking if I wanted to come back, he seemed incredibly ambivalent about treating me and gave me a laundry list of ridiculous conditions if i wanted him to treat me. He's as perceptive as he is pleasant and I'm not sure what happened because I quite liked him 5 years ago. read more

Unfortunately we put our complete confidence into this doctor and all he cares about is collecting his $$$$$. Always with one eye on the clock and kicking us out of his office right to the minute. After many months on the wrong medication and wrongly diagnosed my husband asked to be taken off the drugs Dr. Fogelson prescribed. Within 5 minutes of sending him an email about this and then a phone call to his staff, my husband received an email firing him as a patient. Who does that? He's supposed to be a doctor who cares for patients-patients who are in a very fragile state. He not only fired us by email, he didn't even refer him to another psychiatrist. After many months and lots of money (as they don't take insurance) we were literally dumped. Shame on him!!!! I would definitely RUN from this doctor! read more

G-d complex or not, Dr. Fogelson is one of the most knowledgable psychopharmacologists out there. As some other people have noted, Dr. Folgelson changed my life for the better. I was looking for answers for 30 years, before I was referred to him. If you think that he cannot handle serious, emotional situations, you are dead wrong. I personally would only see him as a psychiatrist. I wasn't looking to feel warm and fuzzy inside. I was looking for help and that is what I got. I used to call my appointments with him, "business meetings" because in essence, that is what they were. Having grown up in a very holistic environment, my family didn't believe in these medications, so I was beyond skeptical of them. Not only did Dr. Fogelson make charts for me that would list ALL of the medication options... he would also write the pros & cons for each one. He reviewed them with me in great detail and patiently answered ALL of my questions. Then the "negotiations" would take place. I would present to him my reasons for not wanting to take certain medications, and slowly TOGETHER we would eliminate them one by one, until we reached an agreement. If afterwards I was on something for a while that I didn't think was working for me, we reopened our "negotiations." If you are looking for a therapist, perhaps go elsewhere. But if you are looking for a psychiatrist to help with a proper diagnosis & medications, this is the guy to see. It's all about how you approach things and your perspective. I wanted help. I wanted to feel better. And that is exactly what I got. Hope this helps! read more

He's the best psychiatrist in Los Angeles if you can afford him & everybody knows this. I don't get why people are criticizing him. They must be really crazy! read more

My goodness, where do I start? This is one of the worst doctors I have ever seen. You want to waste your money, go ahead. He is unprofessional, lacks sympathy, is extremely callous, and simply horrible. My son shared something that was very difficult for him to share and what was the doctor's response? "why are you telling me that?" Isn't every piece of information important to the doctor to perhaps provide a diagnosis and a darn good reason for his extreme anxiety? My son was left ashamed and speechless after this doctor's stupid response. He does not care about patients. BELIEVE ME. He should resign and close his practice. No one deserves to spend their hard earned money towards a dictator. I hope readers take our experiences to heart. I am ashamed for him. BTW, I was forced to put one star rating, as none was not an option. read more

I've been seeing Dr Fogelson for over three years. If you want talk therapy, he's not your man. But if you want someone who's intelligent and well-informed about the use of medications, you can trust him. Some reviews suggest that he cares only about money. Not my experience. In fact, he reduced my rates for a couple visits because my partner and I were suffering financial hardships. One reviewer claimed that he's in the pocket of drug companies. A quick look at the ProPublica website on DoctorsforDollars shows this to be false. In fact, he's always tried to find me the cheapest generic prices. And he's been very respectful of my opinions and concerns about taking various medications. More than any other physician I've ever had. He uses medications because he believes in their efficacy. He might be wrong. But from what I've seen, that's what motivates him. Finally, one reviewer says that the Dr tried to get him to take Lamictal, a "nightmare drug". Dr F suggested I try that drug too, so I've read about it. Its first uses were for epilepsy. Epileptics are more likely to get the rash, but it's still very rare. It's even rarer as a treatment for depression. Google it and you'll find out. I'm not saying I'm sure the risk is worth the benefit. As with all these medications, it's hard to assess because each person responds to them so differently. But scare tactics don't help anyone make good decisions. read more

Dr. Fogelson is a great psychopharmacologist. The reviewer is correct, if you want a therapy session see someone else. Having suffered from anxiety and depression my entire life, a therapist I was seeing recommended him. Is he inexpensive, no, but as with anything in life you get what you pay for. At no point has he insisted on anything. He suggested several drugs including Lithium. I told him I would not take it and there was no argument. I have referred several friends, that have had depression, for years and they thank me whenever I see them for the referral. As on reviewer said he is an amazing MD. read more

He's an amazing MD who helped our family through cancer crisis. Everyone we've referred to him, from bipolar issues to depression are now doing well and living a better life. If you really want help and want to get better, this is the guy to call. read more

I saw David Fogelson for several months. He was expensive, arrogant, smug, and refused to listen to my concerns about the side effects of my medication, which were causing me a good deal of pain and weren't working effectively. I was quite willing to work with him, but he wasn't willing to work with me. When I finally told him that I was going to put my foot down, and needed to try something else, he wrote a rude letter about how I had "refused to follow his treatment orders" and immediately ended my treatment - the intent was clearly to cover his own ass, with no concern for my psychological well-being. Later I found out that he had added this same verbiage to my permanent medical record - which was then included in official government files. And so ten years later I had to deal with the effects of this false reputation for intransience on my medical record by someone who shouldn't have known a thing about my relationship with him or my treatments at the time - probably not for the last time, either. This man is an arrogant, dangerous, self-centered coward. Do not undertake treatment from him; your life could be permanently damaged, just like mine was. read more

Ive seen a lot of comments on here from people who like dr. F and feel the need to defend him. I also see a lot of people who feel swept under the rug by him. Different strokes for different folks. I will never pay that late fee. It is on my credit report now and i am going to contest it. I don't pay people to hurt my feelings, that shit needs to be free. read more

It has taken me a long time to write a review about Dr. Fogelson. He put me on Zoloft many years ago and then, when I came to see him to complain that it wasn't working and that I felt I might need help getting off, he recommended I seek admittance at a facility akin to a psych ward, which just happened to be at his alma mater! While my situation is quite involved (I am on other meds which are all complicating my issues with the Zoloft) it was a bit of a shock to be told I need admittance to a $20,000/week facility for 6 weeks. All this because I mentioned I was extremely concerned about the side effects of being on an antidepressant too long. He is a cruel and disinterested person. read more

His assistant was lovely, pleasant, easy to deal with. She gets the one star. He is arrogant, expensive and doesn't listen. I found the 80 minutes (he can't keep his eyes off the clock) I spent with him to be as unpleasant as any doctor's visit I've had; when challenged, he is an accusatory know-it-all utterly lacking in compassion and empathy. If you say no, something is not an option, he simply ignores you. No one should have to put up with that to get the help they need. read more

Seeing Dr Fogelson was one of the worst experiences of my entire life. This is an example where the "cure" was worse than the disease. He put me on Lithium and I felt like I was trapped underwater. I kept begging him to take me off of it. His solution was to keep upping my dose. He didnt seem to care that I was suffering at all. Finally he said "Im not going to put you on anything BUT Lithium. You can go to another doctor if you want something else". Later after getting better under another doctors care I did some research on David Fogelson and found out that he takes A LOT of money from Pharmaceutical companies to pimp out drugs. Look him up on Dollarsfordoctors. The final blow was when I called in and informed his secretary that I will no longer be coming in, THEY BILLED ME for the session anyway because I didnt cancel within the 24 hour period. HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. I explained that I wasnt cancelling, I was FIRING him. Just a very smug guy who buys his own hype. Everything that is wrong with the world of psychiatry. To those who he helped, all I can say is even a broken clock is right twice a day. read more

We had an unfortunate experience with Dr Fogelson . "He" scheduled an appointment for my son who was out of the Country. My son went from out of the country to treatment . Fogelson said he sent an email to my son. Who does that.??? If he made a phone call the evening or the day of arrival, My son could have canceled the appointment. OH WAIT! Fogelson "requires" 48 Hour cancelation. I'm thinking it's time for the Good Doctor to Take a Break. He obviously isn't in touch with the outside world. Therapy could posibly help with what's ailing him? Poor Business Practices. I guess he doesn't realize he isn't the Psyc in town. read more

I have seen all of the best Dr.s in the country and no one compares to Dr. Fogelson. I have had the best results with him. He can look at you and explain exactly what is happening to you. He is also able to explain it. He specializes in all possible illnesses, including autism. He is able to understand this and provide treatment better than any Dr. that I know. He is thorough in his examinations, even though he is known to pick up the problem in just a few minutes. He also does talk therapy. He immediately electronically sends your prescription to the pharmacy. His staff and the women at his office are on top of it and incredible. He is a good guy and always nice and on time. You can fully rely on his steering. I can not recommend him enough. He saved my life once and then I had to financially stop going there to be hurt again. Now he is going to save it once more. I realize that I need Dr. Fogelson and if anyone else wants the best results then this is where you go. I can not understand any bad reviews. He does not give you what you want. He has to see you and the issue to solve it. I assume that the people writing the bad reviews on him see that he is not like the Psychiatrists, that I do not like that, are not practicing medicine and just give the pills you tell him. It is hard and rare to find a Dr. like this, and he does not deserve any bad reviews. However, many people on google and yelp threaten their bad reviews down, and I am sure that Dr. Fogelson does not do that. You have to realize that the people writing the reviews could have severe mental illness and be projecting. They are likely drug addicts that just want those pills. Dr. Fogelson also knows the dangers of klonopein for anxiety and gives you other options so he will not hurt you. I do not know if people know that Benzos can cause a psychosis, reverse anxiety or panic attack, and paranoid states. It is a fact that Dr. Fogelson is the best, and I have seen too many Doctors. If you do not know that while you are seeing him, then you are in for a bad world of Doctors who are no where near him practicing medicine. I do not see any substantial examples of him, and just opinions that might be the people talking about themselves that review him. Once again, Dr. Fogelson saved my life. He is not going to do what people tell him. He is an independent physician and way over the grade of insurance Doctors. The only Doctor that I know that is as good as him, but did not work for me as well, is Dr. Wayne Sandler with a Phd/MD. If you can't get what you need out of either of them than it is you. They are two of the greatest minds that live. Dr. Fogelson does not deserve these or any bad reviews, and that is the truth. read more

Yelp would not be the place I would look for recommendations about doctors or psychiatrists. However, having stumbled upon this entry for, I feel compelled to offer my review: Dr. David Fogelson is a first-rate psychiatrist, in both psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. His expert knowledge of medications and how they function is extensive and unquestioned in the professional community. He has been instrumental in helping both me and family members with a range of psychiatric issues; we are healthier and happier, as individuals and as a family, because of his professionalism, knowledge, expertise and caring. I have referred others to Dr Fogelson, and have never heard a negative report from anyone. I recommend him highly and without reservation. read more

doc is really, really smart. And really straightforward. if you want to get better, he will help you. the world is full of psychiatrists who tell people what they want to hear - Dr Fogelson tells people what they need to hear. read more

I agree. Run, do not walk away from this man with a God complex and his completely incompetent office. I tried to get them to get me a simple script for a med I had been on for years, the office kept calling in the wrong one and not stating that I needed the brand name. The office kept making mistakes but kept being incredibly rude to me about it. He once made me drive to his office (far for me) when I had bronchitis and couldn't talk. He would have charged me $200 otherwise even though I woke up with bronchitis that day. Then, when I couldn't sprak there, he had the audacity to day that this wasn't very productive. Horrible, esp for a place that purports to care for people. Run. read more

Dr. Fogelson failed to correctly diagnose my true psychiatric issue, which was withdrawal from a drug known as a benzodiazepine (e.g. Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Ativan, etc.). He did not start me on this medication, but he failed to recognize that my many obvious symptoms (both physical and emotional) correlated strongly with the side effects of this medication. The side effects are as horrific as they are extreme, and one can develop a tolerance to these meds within a 2 week period. They should NEVER be prescribed without this informed consent up front, and with a plan to slowly taper the patient off the medication to reduce potential harm to their brain and CNS. 4 years later I am still in physically and emotionally painful withdrawals. This has ruined my health. For accurate info on this, please see benzoinfo.com (a non-profit started by an MD harmed by Xanax). Also, there was a CNN article that aired on October 6, 2019 - Life with Lisa Ling - Season 6 Episode 2 "The Benzo Crisis" that documents this medical crisis. read more

Previous reviewers have mentioned that Fogelson is not an individual to seek for talk therapy. I would tend to agree. He does encourage you to see psychologists for this type of therapy in conjunction with his. He is pricey but I only need to see him several times a year. He is extremely smart and does genuinely care. I had been in a deep depression most of my life. 10 years ago I was living in a one bedroom apartment in Venice, CA, jobless, self-medicating and suicidal. An old psychologist of mine referred me to Dr. Fogelson. He clinically evaluated me and suggested I go on anti-depressants. Together, over time, we evaluated the effectiveness of what I was taking and made minute adjustments and additions in order to tailor the medications to my needs. I was amazed at how his therapy turned my depression around. I had gone through life with what felt like a ton of bricks on my back. After a few months working with Dr. Fogelson that all changed. Soon after, I found work, eventually married and recently bought a house. None of that would have been possible without the help and guidance of Dr. Fogelson and the medications he prescribed me. Finding the right psychiatrist or psychologist is kind of like dating. Sometimes it clicks and sometimes it doesn't. It can take time (and trial and error) to find the right one. Luckily, Fogelson and I clicked. I've been seeing him for over ten years now and never regretted it once. read more

I guess some have had better experiences with him than I did. This was back in 2001. I was out of work and suffering from depression. I was late to an appointment--he refused to see me for the 10-15 minutes left in the appointment, but informed me that I owed him the full fee. I was broke at the time--which was one of the reasons I was so depressed. When I insisted on him seeing me for the ten minutes left in the session---since he wanted the full amount for the missed session--he threatened to call the cops on me. And then referred the bill to a collection agency. I've heard of tough love, but still . . . read more

In the hands of the pharmaceutical companies. Makes a tremendous amount of money from them by pushing their toxic drugs on his patients. Very arroggant. My son hated him. Has no empathy or compassion. If there is a problem, he will prescribe a drug - usually more than one. Will not listen to a patient's past history. If you want your emotions blunted, go to him. He will not discuss personal problems but tell you that you have a biological brain disorder. A good place to go for a chemical lobotomy. read more

I am writing this review around 10 years after I received treatment from Dr. Fogelson because in my opinion he saved my life. I I have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and had been on the wrong meds. The minute I walked in and told him my meds he printed a research article that showed the way the meds effects were canceling each other out. Dr. Fogelson is extremely thorough and keeps excellent records so he can find what dose of a specific meds works for you as each person is unique in their treatment. Dr. Fogelson does cost a lot of money but when it comes to one's mental health there isn't a better place to spend it. I am glad to say that I am doing fantsatically in my life, working as a teacher, getting married, and having a child. read more

I see Dr. Fogelson strictly as a psychiatrist, not as a therapist. I find him extremely knowledgeable about the latest drugs and research available. I also find him very compassionate and can't relate at all to the negative reviews posted because my experience has truly been the opposite. One thing I really like about him is his willingness to try vitamins and other options I consider more homeopathic in addition to whatever he prescribes. He's a really thoughtful doctor who isn't into randomly prescribing stuff because you're feeling blue. He's a terrific doctor. read more

l believe Dr. Fogelson is a caring doctor with a great deal of expertise in his field. He is very focused on finding a solution.

My husband sees Dr. Fogelson, and I was surprised when he asked me to attend sessions early in their relationship. He asked me for my feedback about my husband's condition, and seemed to consider what I said important. I had been invited to a session with a prior psychiatrist treating my husband. The guy was patronizing, weird, and dismissive of my input and questions. Dr. Fogelson was very different: compassionate, humble, intelligent without being overbearing, and he listened well. I know that my husband really likes him , and from my vantage point, he is excellent. read more

Dr. Fogelson has helped me greatly. He takes the time to clearly explain the pros and cons of a certain treatment. In my experience he is compassionate,and personable while at the same time upholding very high ethical and professional standards. I have recommended Dr. Fogelson quite bit. read more

one of the least compassionate, and least effective psychiatrists I have ever encountered. He put me on Lithium when I had no business being on it. I told him it was making me feel crazy. He upped my dose saying its probably just not enough. Things got worse. I kept telling him I dont think I belong on it and I feel worse than ever. He said he knows what he is doing. He also said that if I want to get off Lithium to go find another doctor. I terminated our doctor/patient relationship the day before our next appointment, and made an emergency appointment with another psychiatrist. The other doctor was SHOCKED that I was put on Lithium (I had previously seen this doc before). He took me off of it right away and it took a while to feel normal again. Meanwhile Dr Fogelson tried to CHARGE me for the appointment I didn't come into because I FIRED him. I told him that there is no way on the planet I would pay for a session I didn't come into. That the cancellation fee doesn't apply because I didn't cancel.......I got out.....with some of my sanity intact. He sent collection agencies after me! He soon gave up. Its a good thing too because he communicates by email. I have a paper trail of that whole nightmare. He bought his own hype and is an arrogant SOB. DO NOT GO TO THIS MAN IF YOU VALUE YOURSELF read more

What people need to know about Dr. David L. Fogelson is this..to me he is GOD. I wish I had seen him 15 years ago. I been sick for 15 years. I been on 50 different meds, you name it I took it. (Paxil, Prozac, deppecot...and more.) sorry don't even know how to spell these meds. 2 years ago I got so depressed and it was so bad that I was even more suicidal than ever. I started to cut and burn almost once every 2 weeks. I could not go out, had no more friends, alone, hated everyone and everything. things that I'm sure most people who are depressed go through. all it happened I kept on ending up at UCLA hospital and they always try to transfer me to 51/50 (lock me up for 72 hrs) my life was hell. I can say I had no life. abusing drugs and alcohol. taking a lot of opiates meds like vicodin just to numb out. I was confused after seeing so many psychiatrist & psychologist and spending so much money and have a shrink tell me "SO WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU SHOULD DO ABOUT IT" If I knew what to do about my problems I would not see a shrink. 15 years waist my life and money. I finally found Dr. Fogelson. best investment I did on myself. he really saved my life. All the other Dr. use to tell me I have diff. illnesses like Bipolar. Dr. Fogelson found out exactly what is wrong with me and what meds I should be on and what I had to stop and what kind of shrink I need to see. I had BPD (borderline personality disorder) I Kindda freaked out I thought it means I switch to a different person at times. he explained everything I needed to know then made me feel better and that it's not what I thought. and that I need a shrink that does DBT. that teach you how to be Mindful that is the KEY word. So I went to a shrink that he recommended to me and now after 6 month I'm a changed man. I have a life, I LOVE my life. I DO NOT take drugs or drink. I have not even did the cutting and burning once after the first time I saw him. I have changed so much that even my mom said Dr. Fogelson is a God that saved me. All these problems I had got bad right after I lost my dad 2 years ago. I was such an angry person use to be so rude to my mom and friends, lie to them all the time. that's how I lost all my friend now I got new ones and apologized to some of the old ones and made me feel better. By going to my shrink once a week and taking the right meds My life has changed. I get up at 5 or 6am get ready and go to work till 7pm. I'm an accountant and I love my job. I enjoy life. I never wanted to date anyone cuz of the depression I had. Now I'm ready to start to Date. Might be hard at first since I have not dated for some time, but it will be a good experience for me to start. I left my girl friend cuz I guess I should say was not healthy relationship. now I'm 35 years old and happy about who I am. I have it all to Dr. Fogelson. Please if you are really ready to make a change in your life see Dr. Fogelson. cuz he changed my life and my relationship with my family. and I started to love myself, my family and friends. If you have any question for me please just email me at nns2050@gmail.com read more