I had a great checkup with Dr.Cruz, he is very friendly, helpful, and concerned with his patient. It was my first appointment through zoom and he and his staff were in contact with me to make sure everything was setup right. Highly recommended! -Ali Fakhreddine read more

I must admit, after reading some of the reviews, my mother and I were extremely nervous for her visit with him last week. We prepped and role-played to make sure we were concise and listened. Turns out, he was extremely kind to my mother, did not rush us and was extremely thorough. He also was very skilled in explaining things in a simple manner using diagrams and models. We feel lucky to have had an appointment with him! read more

Dr. Cruz has been my Dr. for the past 11 years, I used to suffer from multiple Clonic Tonic Generalized (grand mal) seizures in my past before we found that I had (LTE) left temporal epilepsy. Dr. Cruz has helped me with managing my LTE and I would highly recommend him for any neurological issues. I used to be a healthcare provider, one day while at work I had a Clonic Tonic Generalized (Grand Mal) seizure, Dr. Cruz was on call this day but he had agreed to see me even after my hospitalization and requested to follow me as his patient. My wife tells me that I had a whole battery of test done on me those 1st few days of hospitalization to try to figure out what exactly was going on with me. Dr Cruz found that my LTE was caused by a Congenital Malformation of my Left Hemisphere of my brain, also part of the membrane that communicates with the two hemispheres was missing. So this was the source of my problem. It took a lot of hard work, patients and determination on Dr Cruz part to reach this diagnosis. My seizures are now manageable and I thank Dr. Cruz and his amazing staff for helping all these years. Again, I highly recommend Edwin Cruz, MD, Epileptologist/Neurologist. read more

So I am so extremely lucky to have found Dr. Cruz! He has improved my way of living big time. I had a Neurologist before him that only wanted to treat me with medicine but luckily I found Dr. Cruz who got to the bottom of my issues. He is willing to go the extra mile even taking my case to a group of the best Dr's to discuss my options at some point and that was awesome! He is extremely intelligent and just an all around good guy! This is the right guy if you have Neurological issues! read more

My mom was referred to Dr. Cruz by her PCP for some issues she was having. He was very responsive to all of our questions, and when he found out that I was her primary care provider, he made sure I was at all of the appointments and that it was my information listed on her file. He always treated us with kindness and respect, and took the time to get to know us, and always made sure he answered all of our questions. I truly cannot say enough good things about him. Be sure to request him if you need a neurologist. read more

I had a Zoom interview for my mother with the Dr. andI can say the Dr. was very polite and asked a lot of question to assist my mother on her situation. He explained the situation and the test he is going to request for my mother going forward. it was a good experience. read more

My husband had his first epileptic seizure in the mid 2000's. Sadly, it was not his only seizure. We were seen by a few neurologists, and thankfully we landed in the office of Dr. Edwin Cruz. Dr. Cruz has been there for us from the beginning decision for brain surgery. We found nothing but comfort with Dr. Cruz's guidance and calming demeanor. He begins a bit quietly, and becomes very engaging once he had a clear and thorough health history of my husband. Dr. Cruz has been a godsend for us. My husband's life was turned upside down with his illnesses, but with the knowledge and years of experience Dr. Cruz provided, we will continue to seek out advice and treatment from Dr. Cruz as long as he will see us. To have an excellent doctor on your side is something to be thankful for, but to have someone as caring and thoughtful as Dr. Cruz is a blessing. Dignity Health should be honored to have such a soulful and caring physician as Dr. Edwin Cruz. Thank you. Amy Meyer read more

Dr. Cruz is amazing! He has been my doctor since 2013. When I first met Dr Cruz I was desperate due to the increase in seizures. I had epilepsy for 35 years. I was averaging 30 to 40 a month and only getting worse. The medications were helping the size but not amount of seizures. I felt there were no options but to try brain surgery. Dr Cruz within a few weeks starting all different types of test to pinpoint where the problem was. Within 18 months we had all the information needed and had surgery in the left temprlobe near the hippocampus. That procedure was on 4/10/2015. I have been seizure free for 5 years. I was able to get my independence and alowed to drive. I am forever grateful to have a very caring and focused Dr. read more

Very unprofessional, this man walked out on multiple visits. Never helped me with my epilepsy and actually almost caused me to have a seizure in his office with how he treated me. read more

I have been a patient of Dr Cruz since 2012, Exceptional medical care! He was the first DR. to recommend VNS implant. I received VNS implant in 2013, it has changed my life! Dr Cruz has excellent bedside manner! Never makes me feel rushed. Always ask hows family doing. Dr Cruz is a constant professional. I would highly recommend him! read more

We went to see Dr. Cruz on a referral from our primary care physician. Prior to the appointment a series of high level tests were performed (a MRI & EEG at Dr. Cruz's office) as preparation for a hard to obtain appointment with Dr. Cruz. When the Doctor entered the room it became apparent that he had never taken any time to review any of this prior work. When he asked for some history on my wife's condition, he would listen for one or two sentences then rudely interrupt her and talked down at her with zero respect. At one point he argued a point with her that incurred a response from him so rude, I can't write about in this forum. When I asked a few questions, his patent response was "I'm a Specialist" , if you don't like what I say "get another opinion", never offering any helpful guidance. He seemed more eager to put the appointment into a quick 20 min. time slot (on a timer)? This Doctor has zero bedside manner and is extremely dis-respectful of his patients. I recommend you save your money and research another Doctor. (He would be a zero Star if possible) read more

Dr. Cruz is an amazing physician! I have been seeing him for about four years now. I am very happy with the care I receive. He and his office go above and beyond to make sure I have exactly what I need. Their office is flexible and I am always able to make appointments that fit into my schedule. When I first went to see Dr. Cruz I was at a point in my life where I was fearful of what was happening with my body. As soon as I stepped into his office and into his care those fears melted away. I highly recommend Dr. Cruz. read more

Great dr very personable and professional. The best neurologist I have seen since my seizures started.

I recently had the good fortune to have Dr Cruz as my doctor when I was assessed for possible neurological disorders. I had been having what I thought were seizures. After quite a thorough series of tests it was determined that I was not having seizures and other, non-neurological conditions were the cause. Dr Cruz was thorough, accessible, patient and kind throughout the entire process. He is an exceptional doctor. read more

Our daughter has been a patient of Dr. Cruz for over 10 years. She suffers with seizure disorders and can be very difficult to treat at times. As a family we are very pleased that Dr. Cruz is her neurologist. He is very kind and patient with Kelly. Testing her Vagus Nerve Stimulator can be a challenge and he faces this with kindness. We would not ever consider going to another Neurologist. Thank you Dr. Cruz! read more

I am so thankful for Dr. Cruz helping me to continue the strength and faith with my terminal and antiplastic astrocytoma stage 3. I had a major surgery and continue to live past expectation and am blessed to co to he without seizures. read more

My daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy over ten years ago at age six. We started seeing Dr Cruz shortly after. We drive from 3 hours north of Sacramento just to see him. We have been happy with his services from both him and his office. I highly recommend Dr Cruz for both his knowledge and professionalism. read more

I've been a patient of Dr. Cruz for several years for a seizure disorder caused by a previous stroke. He helped me initially by transitioning from one ineffective medication to one that has kept me healthy and seizure free for several years. He's very attentive to my needs and while hospitalized in the last week he was diligent in ordering every test possible to determine the proper course of action for my condition. I'm fortunate to have his services and all of my Healthcare physicians at the Mercy Medical Group! read more

I went to Dr. Cruz because I have partial seizures and need medication. He wanted me to do a video EEG and other neurologists have said this too. He was kind enough during a work up to see if I am a candidate for surgery but when that came back that I wasn't having surgery things were different. He wrote a prescription wrong but wouldn't change it over the phone. I had to go in. I was having symptoms that I told him about in the office but he said I need to go to an internist to find out what's wrong with me. I later found out my symptoms were from low sodium which came from the medication he prescribed but didn't check labs when I told him there was a problem. This is a common side effect that he should be aware of and it's negligent not to do bloodwork if someone is having symptoms. He also said he doesn't know what I want from him because I already went to the best second opinion doctor and they said there's nothing they can do for me. Not true, they said I can be managed medically but I am already where they would consider the best case for surgery and it wouldn't be worth the risk. I was crying out of frustration one time and he called me hostile. He doesn't listen and talks over you. Update to Mark W.'s comment: It won't do any good to discuss it because Dr. Cruz already told me that I'm free to get a new doctor when I was crying out of frustration and he called me hostile. read more

Don't believe any of these positive reviews; I'm sure that they are all made up by friends, family and colleagues. At one time, every review on here was a bad one. Cruz is one of the worst and dangerous doctors that you could possibly go to. I was a patient of his for five years, five years too long. He was rude, inconsiderate, had no compassion and very arrogant. I was having 4-6 seizures a month for a long time and he never even tried to control them. Every time I saw him, he'd say "Are you still having 4-6 seizures a month?" When I told him I was, he said "See you in six months" and left the room. He should had referred me to UC Davis, but never referred me anywhere. As a consequence, from all those seizures I had while I was with him which could have been prevented if he had referred me to the pros at UC Davis, My short-term memory is wasted, my long-term memory has taken a huge hit as well, I have cognitive issues and am unable to work. This man deserves zero stars. read more

Today I had an appointment with Dr cruz which I can honestly say was the absolute worst experience I have ever had at any doctor in my life. I have a severe tremor disorder, and recently had an MRI done on my brain with some negative results. They don't seem to be anything life threatening. But part of the reason for the appointment was to discuss these findings so that I could develop an understanding of what the issue was. It was also to try to get some insite on my tremor disorder which has gotten worse. Dr Cruz entered the examination room before they had even taken my blood pressure. I was given a card in order to rate my experience even though we had not even completed the appointment yet. He sat down on the examination table and told me he was going to ask me some questions. That's reasonable. He asked about previous neurologist I had seen. But gave me very little opportunity to answer. he seemed like he was in a rush and had no time to hear anything I had to say. he said he specialized in seizures and that's why I was there. I tried to tell him I had never had a seizure but he didn't want to hear it. He said that's what he specializes in. When I tried to explain to him about my tremors and my MRI results he cut me off in the middle and didn't want to hear it. When I said can I finish telling you he got mad stood up told the nurse to cancel the appointment and walked out. I was not rude to him in anyway I just wanted to tell him my symptoms. If you are my doctor I should be able to discuss what is going on with me. No one knows my body better than I do. When I walked out I was so upset that I was crying and tremoring out of control. Stress makes my condition much much worse. I spoke to the office manager she was very nice. But she was concerned about me even driving myself home I was so upset and I was shaking so bad as a direct result of his lack of compassion, inability to listen and inability to communicate with his patients. Not to mention the fact that he had absolutely no interest in being there to begin with. I usually don't write reviews but I'm writing this in the hopes that I can save someone else from that absolutely horrible experience I went through today. Healthcare is a very personal experience and you need to be able to trust your provider. you can't trust someone can't even have a conversation with. To be fair apparently they did want to check and see if I had some kind of seizure cousin my tremors as well. there was a miscommunication so I was unaware of that but had he had a discussion with me he may have been able to explain that instead of just shutting down and refusing to discuss any of my symptoms that are all most likely related. If I could give him zero Stars I would read more

I have been seeing Dr. Cruz for the last year or so. I used to see Dr. John Schaefer in Mercy San Juan. Apparently he retired and transferred his patients to Dr. Cruz. While Dr. Cruz is nice, at times he is very brusque and rude. I also question his decision making and judgement. I am 13 year brain cancer survivor and prone to seizures. He recommended and MRI recently and the follow up appointment, he told me that there was seizure activity in the MRI. WTF? I may not be a neurologist but I am aware that there is no way you can notice seizure activity in an MRI, unless I have a seizure during the MRI. This was confirmed by Radiologist from UCSF and Henry ford Hospital in Detroit (i.e. Can't see seizure activity in a MRI). When I asked him this question, he skirted around the issue and did not answer me. This is enough for me not trust him anymore. Now, this may not be his mistake but his address in Elk Grove is not on Big horn BLVD as stated. It is actually on Wymark Drive. while that may not be his mistake, I think as a Physician he should be aware of it and correct it. I do not trust his judgement and will not go back. read more

Dr. Edwin Cruz is a blessing to my family. Some here have cited bedside manner as lacking, to each their own I find him refreshingly efficient, candid and honest. Simply put, don't seek an epilepsy specialist if you want a counseling session and someone to cry with you over the pain... seek one because you are ready to get serious about improving your quality of life and tired of the generic, "try this and come back in 6 month" approach that less specialised neurologists often take. My wife and son had suffered from seizures for almost a decade and prior doctors were all about which prescriptions to try and would often switch them up or down or to another medication without much of an explanation or scientific reason provided other than, let's see if this works. As the caregiver, I had almost lost hope that my wife and son would ever be able to enjoy life again as we felt like human petri dishes with side effects that were unlivable and little to no progress controlling the seizures or demonstratable signs that our doctors were invested in their future or bothering to keep current on technology and research in the field other than what may have been "required" to keep their license. After some very tough conversations with prior neurologists and more prescription tweaks than I can even remember, I finally got us a referral to Dr. Cruz. Rather than just start with a medication review, he started with by gathering data, analyzing each patient, scheduled long term seizure studies to question or support the prior diagnoses so that any changes to the treatment plan was purposeful. I wanted a scientist who was constantly researching, learning and who was more curious about his patients and willing to question everything. Sure, some will prefer a more touchy feely bedside manner, someone who will cry with you over your suffering... we already had that, we didn't come to him for someone to "feel our pain" we wanted someone who would dedicate himself to helping reduce it and tell us what we needed to know, even if it might be hard to hear. I have found his bedside manner to be kind, truthful and supportive, but I'm not basing that on one appointment, I'm basing it on years of visit, weeks spent in the hospitals by my loved ones bedsides and seeing the work effort, dedication to his patience and the support he provides to the large community of people living with epilepsy. We don't need the truth sugar coated and by the time we got to him, we already had plenty of that with folks who truly cared but were simply not able to help us. His office staff are great, appointments happen on time and always take less time than I expect in and out and not because it's rushed, it's because he's prepared, efficient and focused. Sure the first appointment takes a while because this level of specialized expertise is in demand but once you become a patient, it's like clockwork. In terms of attentiveness and work ethic, I cite the multiple experiences we had in seizure studies that lasted for 9 days straight in some cases. He was in the hospital AT LEAST once per day to be with them, typically 2 times to review the data and share with us what was going on. This was on top of normal patient visits, weekends and holidays. When the first study didn't yield conclusive results, he shared what he did find and why we needed more data to be certain, but rather than keep us there another week adding unnecessary cost and time off work for me, he made it easy to come right back in and resume the study at the first sign of symptoms or seizure. That is what did the trick... the very next seizure about a month later we were able to get there in time to catch the next few seizures that followed and finally had the answers! From there, he was instrumental in helping us calibrate prescriptions and try new technologies and approaches to manage the seizures and while my wife isn't cured, she's been able to trade unlivable medication side effects with very livable side effects with a VNS implant that is doing a much better job at controlling the seizures than the medications ever did. That treatment rought isn't for everyone, but this was an option none of our prior 4 neurologists recommended or even mentioned, while he introduced it as a potential step as we revisited more traditional treatments were proving to not be helping. He shared pros, cons, risks and a timeline over which we could use to measure impact and results. We have seen big improvements. In summary, if you are seeking a more curious and specialize epilepsy specialist, Dr. Cruz is where it's at. He has a relentless scientific mind who is focused on helping those who have lost hope... if you value kind words over calculated and informed actions keep looking but if you or a loved one has epilepsy or struggled to get a good diagnosis and are not 100% certain that your treatment team and plan is as complete as it could be, this is the doctor you need to see. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Cruz for 8 years and I could not be happier with his help. I was diagnosed with epilepsy a few years before I met Dr. Cruz. I had gone through years with other doctors with tests and different medications. I felt that they were not listening to me, which was reflective in the care (or lack of care) I was receiving, which was resulting in no proper diagnosis/resolution. After meeting Dr. Cruz, through tests and listening to me and how I was responding to medications, we quickly got a proper solution and the right medication and dosage that works for me. I have a unique challenge as I am an ultra runner, I run long races (up to 100 miles) and have a high training schedule. He believes, like myself, that I should still be able to participate in a hobby that I am so passionate about. He is truly interested in my running, always asks about it. This is above and beyond just looking at me as a clinical patient. If anything comes up, he is quick to respond and if necessary, we tweak my medication. His level of care and attention to detail in me as a patient in not only a medical sense, but also the human element, is above and beyond. I highly recommend him. read more

During the time that Dr. Cruz was my neurologist I could always count on him to send my prescriptions in to the pharmacy in a timely manner when I needed them. Other than that, I feel he is rude and lacks compassion. In every office visit, he was always in a rush to get me out of there as quickly as possible. During one visit, I was talking about my health concerns. He spoke over me when I was in mid- sentence. I told him he was not listening to me, that he was ignoring me. He loudly and rudely said "I heard you! What do you want me to do about it!" I had a VNS implant (vagus nerve stimulator) which unfortunately never controlled my seizures. The VNS caused me breast pain. I asked Dr. Cruz to have it removed for this reason. His reply was "No, it's too much trouble." Over the course of a couple years I asked him several more times to have it removed because of the pain it was causing me. He always answered either "No, it's too much trouble," or "No, it's too much of a bother". I finally had to have my primary care doctor send a referral to Dr. Cruz to get the VNS removed. During the entire time I was his patient Dr. Cruz never ordered blood tests for me (even though I am on three anti-seizure medications). (My new neurologist told me that I am taking too much medication). I had been taking four Zonisamide capsules a day for many years. All of a sudden Dr. Cruz changed it to three capsules a day without telling me. When I asked him why he had done this, he tried telling me that I had always taken three capsules daily. I showed him the previous two months' bottles which proved that I had been taking four. He asked me how many capsules a day I wanted to take. I told him that he was the doctor so he was supposed to tell me how many I should take. He became angry with me for trying to make him do his job. Once I started taking Phenobarbital, and the number of seizures I had began to decrease, he never questioned or suggested that I might not need the other meds anymore, instead leaving me on them. My records show that I have Osteopenia, and Phenobarbital can cause Osteoporosis. But Dr. Cruz never ordered a bone density test. I found out from my new neurologist that Dr. Cruz had put in my records that he had been checking my bone density every couple years. I exclaimed "He's lying. Dr. Cruz has never checked me for Osteopenia or Osteoporosis!" If you need a good neurologist, stay away from Dr. Edwin Cruz! read more

Dr. Cruz is personable enough, but in keeping with the nature of specialized physicians he just doesn't always listen closely to the overall patient vs the symptom or condition. He like so many doctors is so focused on only the problem that all else becomes irrelevant. My first visit was "okay", but it was quick and ended up in being sent for an MRI test for a spinal problem. The second follow up appt was even quicker ending up in a referral to yet another doctor, who he felt might refer me to yet another specialist. Of course each new referral is always a month or two out. Meanwhile, I really have no head neurologist that I can talk to about how this spinal condition is impacting my life physically and emotionally. I assume for that I must go to a psychiatrist. On this last visit I mentioned another neurology problem I am now having with my arm most likely not related to the original problem, but still needs attention. He just couldn't focus on that and frankly would not discuss it or even acknowledge it other than to say, "Is this a new problem?" Even my smartphone can multitask, why can't doctors. I have not doubt he is a qualified neurologist, but somewhere in his training he missed the lecture on connecting with the patient. read more