The remarks you see from other reviewers about the staff are 100 percent accurate. The one I dealt with was like a zombie. Had 10am appointment, assistant didn't come to open the office until 9:55. Told em to have a seat. Sat for 15mins, didn't even get checked in. Proceeded to leave. The office was very unwelcoming. read more

A few years ago I started seeing Dr. Kushnir for digestive problems. I was also seeing a senior UCSF hepatologist who diagnosed me with liver disease based on very abnormal blood work and 2 out of 4 on the biopsy, with 4 indicating I would need a liver transplant. The hepatologist insisted that I take 2 steroids daily for life. One of the listed side effects of the steriods was death! I told Dr. Kushnir that I didn't want to take these. She suggested I get a second opinion, which I did, and she said that if I followed her protocol for my digestion my liver problem would clear up. So I decided to try her protocol. By the time I saw the new hepatologist my liver blood test results were back to normal. That doctor was amazed as she had not seen anyone actually cured of the liver disease I had/have, and said she would refer patients to Dr. Kushnir. My semi annual liver blood tests have been normal for years now, along with regular sonograms and fibroscans. I'm now seeing Dr. Kushnir again for a 28 day reboot cleanse and am confident this will clear up my digestive issues. A friend I referred to Dr. Kushnir is thrilled with all the improvements to her health including needed weight loss, no more swelling in her hands, etc. She plans to continue to work with Dr. Kushnir for the long term. She is also happy to get laser treatments from Monica in Dr. Kushnir's office, which use acupressure points, are painless, and help with many physical problems. read more

Doctor is very good. Staff horrible. No answers to daily phone calls and messages for weeks at a time. No response to pharmacist requests. No response to urgency. Messages answer by "Dimitri" or "Dimitri's cellphone" Unprofessional and not safe to be her patient any longer. Go to office to complain. They smirk at you and tell you "sorry". Then if u dont like it go somewhere else read more

I saw Dr. Kushnir today for the first time. It was a breathe of fresh air. In my health journey, I have been to more grifters than one could imagine. Each making grandiose promises- for an extravagant fee. No shortage of "doctors" that want to take advantage of people looking for answers. Kushnir is anything but that. She was very thoughtful, explained things thoroughly and her reasoning behind it. She is clearly extremely intelligent, and was not pushing meds or anything on me for a payday. For once in a long time, I finally felt heard by a doctor. She helped me sort through my labs, and which ones I should be less concerned about, and which ones I should look further into. All in all, great experience and I look forward to going back in a few weeks for more lab results. IE her front desk- they were attentive and helpful- I don't blame Dr. Kushnir- it's hard to find good help nowadays. For the moment, it appears she has (Jenn was great). read more

I don't take such negative reviews lightly, but this office has zero respect for anyone's time. For my first appointment, I was waiting in the office for about 2.5 hours. I was prescribed a course of action, I followed up asking some questions and was told I needed to come in to the office to discuss these options. So I booked a follow up appointment and went to the office only to be told while waiting in the office that the Doctor was unavailable and that a new appointment would be scheduled. It's been about a week, I haven't heard anything back. read more

I have been seeing Dr. Kushnir for allergy treatments for the past several years, even since moving to Berkeley from Los Angeles. I have found her to be thoughtful and thorough in evaluating the allergens that affect me, and those to which I've now developed immunity. At this point I only need to go in once a month for maintenance shots. I also find the office staff pleasant and helpful. read more

I've been coming to Dr. Kushnir for allergy shots for more than a year. She's friendly and attentive, and she takes the time to explain the diagnoses and treatments. She seems well informed about new research in the field. I appreciated that her lobby has free WiFi while I am waiting before/after an injection. I also appreciated that she gave me a free "neti pot" on my first visit, along with instructions on how to mix a saline solution, which has reduced my allergy symptoms and need for medication considerably. Alongside her expertise, these small touches have made my experience as a patient a very positive one! I know almost everyone with allergies has been having a craptastic Spring this year, but thanks to my treatment from Dr. Kushnir, I'm having a clear and easy season! read more

Let's go from best to worst: I need to give props to Dr. Kushnir for suggesting some ideas and courses of action via nutrition that went beyond anything I had tried before, in 5+ years of mysterious fatigue and recurrent illness, and through following, I have largely managed to stay very healthy. So, bottom line, if you have had such conditions affecting your life as a whole, then you know how miserable&frustrating it can be looking for solutions, so you should consider coming here. Unfortunately, Dr. Kushnir has a very particular and rigid set of guidelines in terms of expected reset-diet and other diets she'll get patients to follow, I'm getting the sense from other yelpers here, regardless of what you tell her. Also very unfortunately, once you see her in your initial consultation and skin prick tests (expensive if you don't have the right insurance!) you'll mostly be handed off to her incredibly incompetent and zombie-like staff, so that, in my experience, if you call in to let them know that while eating three foods for two weeks may be helping you to reset and improve, but say, eating huge amounts of activated charcoal seems to be causing you dizziness and very strange muscle spasms, expect no sympathy, logic, or alternatives, just a robot-like, "Dr Kushnir says you should take it." Thank god I know how to ignore Doctors when it matters. Furthermore, upon repeated visits, in which I scarcely saw the doctor but received acupuncture (which I'm not sure was really helping in this case, nothing against Dr. Liu, but I was feeling very tired from repeatedly, which has NOT been my case with acupuncture at other times), the staff constantly asked me the same questions over and over again like a malfunctioning computer program: "Are you *still* taking X drug?" "No, I never *started* taking X because I didn't feel I need to and the purpose of it was never explained to me." "Ok." Next visit: "Are you still taking X." "As I already said, I've never taken it, so no, I'm not still taking it." This goes on and on in a loop. The last part of this logic-less, looping saga are the wonderful bills I have recently received: Despite paying for my portions of the visits every time for the relevant incremental fees not covered by my insurance, to my knowledge, the office now claims I owe these fees + a mysterious "Level 5 new patient fee" ($250) alone, which was never mentioned to me in any context previously, and still no explanation for what it even is. Despite repeated attempts to respond rationally with these points, I have received no such similar response from Dr. Kushnir's office, and instead more of the same robotic behavior, "This is your balance, if you have questions please contact your insurance." Well no robot-zombie staff, I don't need to contact my insurance, because YOU'RE the ones billing my insurance in the first place with your 3rd grade record keeping and accounting skills. In sum: Thanks Dr. Kushnir for convincing me to avoid certain foods entirely and the evidence of contaminants that seem to have inflammatory effects! It's helped my health tremendously, but your office sucks in every other way possible. read more

Dr. Kushnir is great -- just be very careful and extremely proactive when doing ANYTHING with her staff, because they often let things go through the cracks and can sometimes be very difficult to work with (which can, unfortunately, negatively affect your health directly, see more below). Dr. Kushnir is a great doctor: she's very thoughtful, she takes the time to explain things to you when something is confusing or new to you, and she really knows her stuff when it comes to allergies. She put me on SLIT (allergy drops instead of shots!) in the spring and they worked wonders. As for the staff, they need significant more training and so, as a patient, be sure to be VERY proactive in working with them. For example, when I had my first allergy test, one assistant took down notes about all my medication allergies and then another came in to do the test. She handed me a tablet and asked me to take it. I asked what it was and she said, "don't worry, it's just something to help with the test." I pressed that I need to know what I'm about to swallow, and she said she'd go ask the doctor. She came back and said it was Singulair, so I pointed out that I'm allergic to that (I get ringing in my ears), which I had told the assistant. She asked the doctor and the doctor relayed that I definitely shouldn't take it. Thank God I asked. After that, there's been lots of issues with the staff not letting me know things up front and/or not following through with things - that they need my updated insurance information, that they need a signature on the SLIT contract, promising to send me test results via email and not doing so, etc. They don't seem to have an organized to-do list or system for handling patient requests and, more often than not, you have to ask multiple times for something to get done. So, again, Dr Kushnir is a great doctor -- just know that you'll need to put in some leg work to make sure that the staff are actually doing the right things with you and following up with you appropriately. read more

I was a patient of Dr. Kushnir's several years ago and I've waited to write this review until I felt I could be more objective about it. I initially went to see her to test for food allergies, and after a battery of tests Dr. Kushnir diagnosed me with celiac disease. In order to properly adjust to this, I had to throw out most of my kitchen equipment and get new things and follow a very strict diet. In many ways it required a complete reorganization of my life. Whenever I went back in and was still having problems I was told that I hadn't been careful enough and that it was ultimately my fault. Eventually I went to see a gastroenterologist to see if they could be of greater help. I eventually discovered that the main test Dr. Kushnir used to diagnose my celiac is only used by physicians to rule out the possibility of celiac, because it's a genetic marker carried by far too much of the population to be useful on it's own. After an endoscopy it became clear that I didn't have celiac. While, surely, I should have been more sensible before changing my life in this way, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a doctor to interpret test results in a way that adheres to medical science rather than a personal conviction (demonstrated by nothing but allergy tests, which change all the time, and if anyone is having any gut issues they will likely react to gluten). In other words, Dr. Kushnir deliberately ignored some of my test results to tell me I had celiac, including a test that was completely negative for the tell-tale antibody. While other reviewers have described her reliance on psuedo-science (which often seemed more like sound advice to me, if sometimes a little heavy on GMO conspiracy theory), this was something different, and something that a doctor shouldn't do. I generally enjoyed seeing Dr. Kushnir when I did see her, but my symptoms never really improved because she had diagnosed me in a completely incorrect, irresponsible, and, ultimately, negligent way. Like some other reviewers I also had some issues with billing, but they weren't quite as awful as some of the accounts. I should also say that this was my experience, and I can't say anything about her capability in addressing environmental allergies. If you're having issues with food, however, I'd recommend you seek someone else. I'm happy to say that my health problems have largely improved since leaving her care. read more

I wanted to follow up a review I did a few years back regarding Dr. Kushnir's practice. I see that there are some detractors or those who've had a a bad experience with either her, or her office staff, or both. Having suffered from allergies all my life (everything from pet dander, to various and multiple pollens), I couldn't believe that after a few months, I could actually breathe properly and fight off colds faster. I am very grateful for her care and knowledge. She is genuinely curious and that helps her practice immensely. The only ding I have with the practice isn't really her fault. Her office staff could've used some better people skills. I give them a pass however because there was a learning curve, I got to know them, saw some progress and what they had to go through to make the office run. We definitely had our share of hiccups. New assistants weren't as good as giving the shots but, they got practice and improved their skills. Patients are clients and as all clients are, sometimes difficult. Add to that, the certainty of getting a shot (or three!) every office visit, there's some anxiety and apprehension. Along with crankiness, patients will feel a sense entitlement because the treatments are expensive. On top of THAT, the office staff has to deal with unhelpful, unyielding and an adversarial insurance bureaucracy. I don't blame Dr. Kushnir for moving away from working directly with Insurance companies. They will give you what you need to file a claim for your insurance, but they won't file directly with the companies anymore. Overall, My children and I are very happy with our treatments. We finished ours last year and feel great. My wife has a major gluten sensitivity of which Dr. Kushnir confirmed and after removing gluten from her diet (and mostly ours too), my wife went from getting migraine headaches several times a week, to the three she's had in the last four years. If you disagree with the treatment or don't like the progress, she's very willing to listen, explain her thought process, make adjustments or go in another direction if feasible. If you don't have conversations with her - or her staff, in a reasonable manner, the fault lies with you. If you're patient with the office staff (I'm guilty of not always being so "understanding") and respectful, they are quite helpful. I will recommend Dr. Kushnir's services all day long. read more

Before coming to see Dr. Kushnir, I spent a lot of time between doctors, frankly miserable. Over the years, I've been prescribed a number of medications with a plethora of side effects for my allergies. So instead of feelings itchy and tired, I would find myself feelings exhausted, and sometimes even itchier than before. During my first visit, Dr. Kushnir took the time to carefully detail my allergies after testing me for what she thought might be the root of the issue, explaining to me why my cat allergies might still be affecting me even when I avoided cats, and what exactly I could do about dust allergies - a task that to that point has been not only frustrating, but really, futile. That first day I left with new prescriptions, and samples to show me what they might be like, before I spent money on prescriptions that would as before have too many side effects to be worthwhile. Overall, my experience with Dr. Kushnir's office has been spectacular! A year and a half after initially coming to see her, a number of my allergies have significantly improved, and others have been well managed. I found myself being able to pet a cat a year later, showing that maybe cats weren't the root of all evil in my life. Aside from being a great doctor, Dr. Kushnir's office is also incredibly pleasant, with friendly, polite staff, and a comfortable atmosphere. Questions and concerns are addressed as they arise, and she has been a great listener for all of my concerns. I would recommend her services to any fellow allergy sufferers - there may finally be a solution! read more

This review is not for Doctor Kushnir, it is for the front desk of her office. I suffer from severe skin allergy and I had my first appointment last week. A follow up was scheduled for a week later on Thursday at 11:00am. However, when I called to confirm my appointment, I was told that it was actually scheduled for Wednesday 11:00am. I asked them to make sure, since I had been told a different date. They again confirmed that the appointment was on Wednesday. Ok, fine I can work with that. Because my allergies have been really bad, I scheduled a number of doctors appointments that day. I took a sick day so that I could minimize the amount of disruption at my job. I built a lot around the fact that my appointment had been moved to Wednesday. So, when I showed up on Wednesday at 11:00am, and was told my appointment was on Thursday, it was very frustrating. To make matters worse, Dr. Kushnir isn't even in the office on Wednesdays, so there was no way I could reschedule that day. The assistant at the front desk was completely apathetic to the situation, and basically just told me to go away. It was so insulting to be treated that way, especially when you are suffering from an allergy and trying to get help. read more

Is 5 stars really the maximum I can give? Dr. Kushnir is an amazing doctor/ allergist that truly cares about her patients (not what type of insurance you have!). She is very good at explaining things in layman's terms and does not get frustrated when you ask her a million questions. Dr. Kushnir is truly an expert in her field and has published many articles on the topic of allergies. I did my research... I chose Dr. Kushnir because my dermatologist prescribed me a bunch of medicine that did not help my acne but instead dried my skin. When I went to Dr. Kushnir all I wanted was a prescription for an acne medication that I used in Orange County. What I got was an educational seminar about the cause of my acne and possible cures. In addition to prescribing me the medicine that I wanted, Dr. Kushnir told me which vitamins I should take (Vitamin E for those who care) and which make up/ face products I should avoid. What made me write this review? Dr. Kushner called me a few hours after my appointment to inform me that she found a promotion on some Canadian website for my medicine that would save me $100! Which other doctor cares how much you pay for your meds? read more

Short Version: PROS - I believe my new diet has helped my allergies significantly and I will absolutely not say that Dr. Kushnir provides poor treatment. She made a real, positive difference. For that, I won't give her a low score. CONS - Dr. Kushnir's treatments require lifestyle change. I feel like my desire to make their suggestions fit into my life and think independently was not welcome whatsoever. I feel like I lost my sense of individuality as a patient and control over what I could/should do with my body - for that, I can't give her a high score, either. Long Version: Dr. Kushnir is kind, thorough and passionate with her patients. When I starting going to the office, I felt at ease finally coping with inexplicable allergies that had become a burden. I started a new diet - which wasn't easy - but has seemed to have helped. I feel like I have my allergies at a manageable level now, which is far better than the situation I was facing 6+ months ago. I am incredibly grateful for this. Unfortunately, after the first few visits, I became acutely aware of the unprofessional logistics of the office. On an organizational level, I would get reminder calls for appointments, but they were also to ask why I was coming in. After the first month, my recommended visits were not in any sort of logical pattern that I was aware of (or made aware of). I was to track my diet and the notes were often ignored or not retained. When I returned the dietitians would not have my previous notes in front of them (and I would have to repeat information I had already given them) or would be dismissive of my comments. I was asked the same questions that I had already answered at each appointment, and sometimes the questions wouldn't align with anything I had ever spoken to them about. Dietitians would advise me to eat things I was allergic to, or contradict each other in their advice. I had multiple food tests and was advised different amounts of time to not take antihistamines beforehand. The inconsistency was hard to swallow, when I was already operating on a diagnosis that lacks comprehensive scientific proof of existence. Dr. Kushnir and her dietitians, while dedicated, are also defensive and hot-headed. When I felt like when my allergies initially did not improve, I was outwardly upset. I was made to feel (and continue to feel) that the Dr. Kushnir and dietitians did not believe that I had followed their advice. Dr. Kushnir was initially understanding, but then offered me the option to "give up," or "go see other doctors that would just give me lots of drugs" - instead of giving me a explanation of what was happening to my body. At my most recent appointment, I asked the dietitian to lengthen the time between appointments. It was becoming a burden to take time off work and pay to come in every 2 weeks. At these appointments, I was told how to eat (more assumptions that I don't know how to create a healthy, varied diet for myself) and asked about body image - which had no relevance whatsoever to my allergies. The dietitian was immediately defensive about my suggestion. I asked her to review my treatment protocol with Dr. Kushnir (who I hadn't heard from in 3+ months) and call me with what they both recommended. This was 10 days ago. I guess they don't want me back? read more

I highly recommend Dr. Kushner. I saw her several years ago several times for skin issues and rosacea. She tested me and recommended a diet, eliminating foods and other things that I was having an allergic reaction to. It took several years, but by removing the allergens I have been able to clear up the rosacea and skin issues. Dr. Kushner spent a lot of time with me and I completely recommend her. She is constantly doing research and improving what she knows. I don't have the same allergies that I had when I first saw her. She recommended probiotics and identified the allergens for the leaky gut instead of taking more medication to mask the symptoms. I recommend her to anyone who is willing to put the work in. read more

I have been a patient of Dr Kushnir for a long time. All I can say she is amazing doctor! Her staff is brilliant and place is so cosy and comfortable. She diagnosed and treated when nobody else couldn't. Go here. Hands down. Doctor Kushnir is super professional! read more

I am thrilled to see that Dr. Kushnir is on Yelp ! She is an outstanding physician who has helped me with my medical challenges when every other professional from whom I sought treatment either did not understand my condition or told me I could not be helped. Dr. Kushnir has recently opened a new practice, and I could not be happier to have found her. She literally has saved my life, and the gratitude I feel for Dr. Kushnir is unparalleled. Dr. Kushnir has an old school style about her - she spends as much time with you as need be during your appointments (none of that 15 minutes per patient and shoo you out the door stuff). She listens to you, takes you seriously, and is an excellent communicator (no writing things down and flipping through your chart as you are trying to speak to your distracted doctor). She is involved with you in a uniquely professional and caring way. Dr. Kushnir's "bedside manner" - along with her vast knowledge and experience - places her on a higher level than most other physicians. For those of you who had the fortune to be a patient of Dr. Carol Jessop back in the day, you will find Dr. Kushnir to be as warm, professional, caring and solution oriented as was Dr. Jessop. Finding the right doctor can be very difficult and dealing with medical issues is a sensitive, sometimes scary thing to do. However - I unequivocally would recommend Dr. Kushnir to anyone who asked me for a referral to a doctor. She is, simply, as good as it gets. read more

WARNING: You will likely be asked to do a foods allergy test, go on a very restrictive (Whole Foods heavy), high cost (supplements galore) diet. Then get retested and told all GMOs are evil with some hand-waving that each person is different, that not all is known, and maybe even that it's only her opinion. Of course, your opinion doesn't matter. Also, if you do the diet you will be asked to be part of a "scientific study" which only has a survey that lists positive outcomes thanks to the diet (no complaints allowed - how is that science??!). Instead of doing the diet, this is what you actually need to know: vary your diet, keep track of your poop as it's a good health indicator, allergy tests for foods can vary greatly from week to week. If you have nasty food allergies, knock your heart out on the diet, restrictions on food you eat will likely help. Pros: -The staff are awesome! They remember you, listen to you - awesome all around. - The office is quite nice, water fountain, candies. - State of the art equipment and care. - parking lot attached to building (pricey though) - Has a cute little kids area in the waiting room. Cons: -This practice is VERY expensive - compared to others, and I've seen allergists for about 15 years, 10 of those in the Bay Area. -The dude that does all the payment stuff is rude. When I switched doctors that dude had the gall to put down the doctor I was switching to. BS! - Scheduling is a pain in the butt for allergy shots and doc appointments, and you can't get allergy shots if the doc decides to be late. -The doctor is relies on pseudoscience. Although there was nothing wrong with her rhetoric re:allergy shots and was knowledgeable about environmental allergens, she became something out of a cartoon when it came to discussing food allergies. Let's just say, she convinced me that she is a conspiracy theorist when it comes to GMOs and non-organic produce with zero scientific evidence to support her claims. Why you should believe me: Went to this doctor for over a year b/c was covered by my insurance... promptly switched docs after the GMO convo... never again. PS - Dr. Kushnir's office, I will not respond if contacted about this review - it's meant to be a review of something that has already happened. In all honesty - a doctor that relies on pseudoscience is not something you can improve upon. read more

I highly recommend Dr. Kushnir! She is a great doctor, her knowledge is superb! And she is very nice person too. My wife and I, we came to her with severe seasonal and food allergies and gluten sensitivity. She suggested allergy shots, diet and even some exercises for my high blood pressure. One year later our life has changed completely. My therapist lowered dosage of my blood pressure meds from 20 milligrams to 10 mg. My allergies are gone and my wife's allergies are manageable and continue to improve everyday. We never thought this was even possible! Dr. Kushnir has a phenomenal staff working for her. It starts with her front desk assistant who is so helpful and always greets with a smile. Unfortunately I don't remember her name, but she is very organized and runs on time as well as Dimitry (very polite office manager). We were getting weekly allergy shots with Dr. Kushnir and her nurses and all of them were working great. They are efficient and quick with the allergy shots and all have great personalities and attentive to patient's needs. Thank you to Dr. Kushnir and and her staff. read more

I went to Dr. Kushnir for allergy shots and had a good experience. The last allergist I'd seen had said, "you'll just have to live with it." (yes, that's a direct quote) Fortunately Dr. Kushnir could clearly see my problems and had a different approach. We tried a few different things, from altering my diet and environment to allergy shots. Dr. Kushnir explained that the shots are expensive and that they might not work for me, given that I don't have a typical case of allergies. I reviewed all the material on my own, talked to her staff about how much my insurance would cover, etc. and decided that I'd take the risk and experiment. Unfortunately I didn't receive any benefit from the shots, but that was my decision to try them. I appreciated that she never tried to push me into getting shots, answered all my questions, and took all my concerns seriously. I felt like I had a doctor who would listen to me and treat me kindly--that's a big deal when you're suffering from a chronic condition. I was pretty surprised to read a previous review say that she suggested hypochondria. That was not my experience at all. Her staff is great. A previous reviewer mentioned an unpleasant front desk person who was there when she shared her office with another physician (he worked for the other doctor). Hallelujah, that man is gone and only the friendly staff remains. Ultimately my symptoms don't appear to be allergy-related, but if I ever do need allergy help, I'll go back to Dr. Kushnir. read more

We have been going to Dr. Kushnir for my daughter's very severe allergies, and I have to say that if you are open and willing to go through the protocol she puts forward, you will definitely see results. Her approach is a blend Western and holistic medicine, and that really worked for us because we have been on the Western medicine hamster wheel with no long term relief (in fact worse than before). So it was a relief when Dr. K suggested gut care, and oil baths and simple home remedies that actually bought relief to daughter's severe painful eczema. The practice is not as slick as some of the other ones that I have been to. It has a more homey feel to it. The staff seems to have received a bad rap in some of the reviews, however, I have nothing but praise for Samantha, Rebecca and Sarah. They have all been super nice, gentle and supportive of us. Overall is Dr. K is very knowledgeable and very keen to help. read more

I really thought this would be professional establishment based on the reviews, but don't believe what you see, not always, anyways. I called twice to have my wife scheduled, was told that I would get a call back, both times, but they never did, so if it starts off like this,mom assuming it's not going to get any better, maybe it's a silver lining around this dark cloud of a practice and I won't have to endure anymore unproffesionoliism. read more

Spring is amazing, when you can breathe; Thanks to Dr. Kushnir, I finally can enjoy this time of year! I never thought I would be able to kick such terrible allergies. For the last five years, I have been completely miserable from February-June (or anytime around cats). No amount or combination of over-the-counter allergy medications (tried them all!) had any effect in controlling my symptoms- coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes...you name it. Have you ever had so much sinus pressure it gave you a constant headache, inability to breathe at any time, and non-stop faucet of a runny nose? At the same time? For a solid 5 months out of every year? Yeah, not much fun. Finally it occurred to me that I should see an allergist to find out what exactly was making me so miserable. Perhaps they could even prescribe some high-powered antihistamines to control it a little? Well, thank goodness I found Dr.Kushnir! She not only diagnosed what was causing my reaction during my first visit, she provided very thoughtful and thorough counseling on what my various treatment options were (she is incredibly knowledgeable and experienced!). Best of all: Fast-forward 6 months into allergy shot treatments: NO MORE ALLERGIES!!! Although there are different options, allergy shot treatments were the best choice for me. It took a bit of patience building up to the higher dose, but it was definitely worth it in the end! I started having improvement in my symptoms after about a month. By the time spring rolled around this year, I was still breathing strong and my symptoms were essentially gone. Such a beautiful time of year, now that I can enjoy it! Dr. Kushnir runs a practice that is very conducive to fitting in weekly shots with a full-time work schedule. She is incredibly flexible and will work with you as much as possible. One night, she stayed an hour late (even though it made her late for a lecture she was giving) because I got stuck in traffic on my way to receive a shot at a crucial point in my dosage schedule. Another time, I had a severe allergic reaction after hours. Not only was she on-call, but she met me in her office 10 minutes later to administer treatment so I wouldn't have to go to the ER. That's above and beyond, if you ask me. The shot treatment does require fairly regular and relatively lengthy office visits, at least for the first few months. Still, the office is casual and there is plenty of reading material. With the dramatic improvement in my allergy reactions, I really feel like the overall quality of my life has improved. I have recently reached my top dose and plan on continuing my once-monthly treatments for a couple more years. Supposedly that should tide me over for about 10-30 years. I am so grateful to have found a successful treatment and such a knowledgeable and experienced allergist as Dr. Kushnir to get me there! tl;dr Although allergy shots require time and follow-through to work, Dr. Kushnir so far has provided me with excellent and incredibly effective treatment for my allergy symptoms! Totally worth it! read more

Dr. Kushnir's services were fine. She has some viewpoints that I did not necessarily share about ancestor diet impacting non-celiac disease, gluten intolerances, especially since she made incorrect assumptions about where I "came from" and what my people ate. But, I got what I wanted: a refill of my medication, allergy tests, some epipens, and food for thought. I wasn't ready to make the lifestyle change Dr. Kushnir recommended, so this review isn't really about her services. I am giving Dr. Kushnir's office 1 star for poor communication around billing. I know I'm not the only reviewer with a negative office/operations experience, and it is a real issue this office is facing. After my series of allergy tests. I tried several times to pay my bill. I went as far as physically going to the office for the sole purpose of paying the bill. However, I was informed that I did not have a balance and sent away. One year later (literally), I received a phone call from the office stating that I had an outstanding bill of $880, I had not responded to any of the bills (what bills?), and my bill would be sent to collections if it was not paid promptly. I also received an email with my statement, listing my correct address despite the fact that I never receive any bills at that address. Clearly, the billing department screwed up somewhere and is allowing a patient to suffer the consequences. As a public health consultant who works with health care providers to improve their quality of services and streamline their processes, I felt very frustrated that this was happening to me. Since then, I have paid the bill in full, but suffice it to say, I am not going to risk the possibility of getting hunted down by collection agencies to see Dr. Kushnir again. read more

I went to Dr. Kushnir with issues pertaining to food allergy, feeling very dizzy and light-headed after eating certain foods. After performing multiple prick tests and asking questions about my lifestyle, environment, etc, she essentially determined that there was nothing wrong me, save for a case of hypochondria. She made me feel somewhat ridiculous and almost convinced me that it was all in my head. Turns out it was NOT in my head, no thanks to Dr. Kushnir. OK, not all doctors are perfect, I can live with that......and then, A YEAR LATER, I get a bill.....for over $500.....from Dr. Kushnir's office. When I got the tests taken I'd asked how much they would cost me out of pocket, and I was told it would be minimal as my insurance would cover the majority of it. Totally untrue. I also checked with my insurance to find out if they were delayed in processing their portion, thus delaying the bill from the doc's office. Nope, they'd processed it within two weeks of the appointments. Dr. Kushnir's office just waited a year to send out the bill to me. So, if you want a doctor who may not believe that you feel how you tell them you're feeling, and a doctor whose billing is about a year behind, Dr. Kushnir is your dream come true. read more

Two office visits w/ allergy shots ran a total of $1335. After my very, very good health insurance was applied, the bill was still $368! She was very adamant I keep making more appts. Unless your throat has closed up due to a reaction, avoid this scam! read more

Amazingly well informed in all manner of medicine and always contributes to my health and well being Dr Kushnir takes time and is most thorough in listening and interpreting my needs. She is first doctor who is not just sitting with the computer filling in forms for insurance . (a terrible thing that doctors need to conform to that stops them doing their job of healing the sick ) . I would say I spend close to an hour with Dr Kushnir getting my medical issues dealt with.Dr Kushnir is young enough and open minded enough to study and utilize her knowledge of Eastern ,Western and Russian medicines.She does not stop her own study and that helps us untangle some complicated symptoms we cant find a solution to be just doing tests in a lab . I wish there was room to go into details. If you have a complicated issue and don't want 50 medicines all giving you side effects go see her read more

I feel very lucky to have found Dr. Kushnir.. For two years I had been suffering from various symptoms. Dizziness, headaches, fatigue, brain fog, trouble concentrating, memory problems, inflammation, depressed mood, chronic infections and more. These symptoms came on suddenly and continued very persistently. My family didn't understand, my career suffered, it deteriorated my relationships, I was very afraid of what was happening to me. Over a two year period I had spent thousands of dollars with countless doctors and specialists, each of which sent me completely down the wrong path and without much of a care. I had been through MRIs, CT scans, endless blood work, parasite testing, allergy testing, mold testing, kidney testing, nasal and oral steroids - you name it. I was even prescribed sinus surgery. Finally an ENT I had been seeing was modest enough to admit that they might not have all the answers and that I get more testing (yet again) for an immunological disorder. I found Dr. Kushnir through a Google search for immunology in the Bay Area. Without much confidence at that point, I sat with her and told her my story. Just by looking at me and talking to me for 30 minutes, she was certain that I had food allergies and we talked about my diet. Things started to make sense. We made arrangements to have some blood work done and I changed my diet that day. I came back to see in after 4 weeks I had never felt better in my life. She discovered I didn't have Celiac disease but Gluten sensitivity and the repair work started there. After another 45 days of a strict diet and supplementation all my major symptoms were gone except for some sinus inflammation. Which we then discovered was a result of an additional allergy I had to Egg. I had been taking egg protein powers. Once I stopped consuming egg products I was 100% a new man. No surgery no BS! What amazed me the most was how the foods I'm allergic too can affect my neurology and what it did to my moods. Some of these symptoms were so strange I never would have thought they could be related to food intolerance. It saddens me to know that there are probable thousands of people out there that struggle with this and they don't even know it. They don't realize how easy this is to solve and their doctors are completely clueless! If you're having symptoms or you're having trouble diagnosing a suspected problem. Or if you've got that feeling like your doctor is completely detached and uninterested - Start with Nataliya! Life is great again! read more

Pollen levels are at their highest and I am allergy free thanks to Dr. Nataliya Kushnir. I followed Dr. Kushnir when she set up her own practice, ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY CLINIC, because I was so impressed with her level of personal care and commitment to taking care of me. I went through rapid desensitization shots and can now garden and pull weeds with no resulting allergy issues. Dr. Kushnir is more than an allergist - she is a brilliant doctor and diagnostician. She talked to me about my home, eating habits - even make up and patiently figured out a plan of action for me to reduce allergens in my environment and food. I didn't have to make big changes, but the results are amazing. Dr. Kushnir has a background in nutrition and non-western solutions. She spends the time with each patient to really understand their issues. For example, I have suffered from red eyes for most of my life. I even had surgery in one eye to remove a big red vein. When I told Dr. Kushnir that I was considering surgery for my other eye, she suggested home made eye drops (I'm allergic to the preservative in manufactured drops), and it worked! She also suggested daily saline nasal rinses and I am convinced this has stopped allergic sneezing. I brought my mother to Dr. Kushnir and not only were digestion and food sensitivities addressed, but Dr. Kushnir made some suggestions that led to lower blood pressure! As I wrote before, she is a brilliant doctor and the most caring doctor. The office staff are very comfortable and caring people. The office itself is painted and decorated simply with soothing colors and allergy free furniture and flooring. read more

I work outside and have pretty serious allergies. Dr. Kushnir was recommended to me by a co-worker after a nasty allergy attack. She is everything claimed: professional, smart, friendly, and most importantly... effective. After a year of treatments, my severe seasonal allergies are greatly improved. I can spend time outside without ending up miserable, even when pollen counts are extremely high (as they have been this spring), and I can hang out with my friends' pets without any problems. Dr. Kushnir is responsive and conscientious. If you have any allergy problems, give her a shot. Even if you've seen someone else. Seriously, she can help you. read more

Dr Kushnir is wonderful! She has quite a medical pedigree and has helped me tremendously. She takes the time to explain everything, answer every question, and will tell me where to research topics of interest to me. She explained my treatment up front and told me to check to see what my insurance covered. We did not start treatment until then. She also diagnosed me on pure instinct with a gluten sensitivity, confirmed by scratch testing. She is very attentive and kind. Dr Kushnir's staff is also friendly and helpful, they are very flexible with appointments. I recommend her practice to anyone with allergy issues. Beware of fraudulent postings made on the internet. I found some negative postings of situations that never could have occurred. read more

Our family has been seeing Dr Kushnir for over 7 years. I have perennial allergies, and so does one of my children. My other child has asthma and food allergies. I can not comment on some notes of "GMO theories" mentioned in few other reviews. Believe what you want. All we can say this Doctor is truly outstanding, and we have gone through a bunch of other Allergy docs in Northern California, before luckily finding Dr Kushnir. Not only she has solid research background and knowledge base, she treats you as a whole human being, which is a rarity in modern medicine. Our kids finally enjoy unrestricted activities, and I dont have to be embarassed by running dripping nose. What a blessing! Thank you!! read more

My family is really happy with Dr. Kushnir. We all had congested noses and cough for a long time. She listened to our problems, did some testing and did not want to give us any meds. Instead, she told us what to change in our house, which filters to get and how to change humidity. After all the work was done - we feel great again. That is so rare now - every doctor just gives you more pills. Highly recommend!!! read more

Perhaps she is a good doctor but I will never know... I called her office 3 times this week, left 2 messages, and have not heard back from anyone! I would think that if she were that wonderful, she would have someone return my call and at least say they were no longer taking new patients. Very unprofessional. read more

recently moved to berkeley, lost insurance card, but still had DL and card information. was told over the phone this was fine, but when i showed up they said they could not see me, as i needed the physical card. on the way out i was told "don't bother going to the ER, because they won't be able to do anything for you either without your actual card." no, that is not how the ER works, at all. shouldn't a medical professional know that? and it is not a good idea to advise people not to go to the ER if they have a kidney infection. read more

After suffering for a couple of decades from a chronic cough - sometimes no big deal and sometimes rather disabling - I finally found someone who has been able to help me. Over the years I had addressed the issue with several different primary care physicians, an allergist, and an ENT. I had tried treatments for asthma and for GERD, ruled out deviated septum and sinus issues, and had eliminated the most common food allergens from my diet. Some of these approaches worked a little bit, sometimes, maybe. But nothing was definitive and the relief I got was very limited. I finally mustered the determination to try one more time after reading about Dr. Kushnir's approach, and I'm glad I did. I was skin tested and found to be hyper-reactive to more than a dozen foods. I embarked on Dr. Kushnir's plan (restricted diet and heavy supplement regimen) just as I was headed out of town to a wedding. To really be true to the plan, I couldn't eat anything at any of the wedding functions. I was staying in a studio apartment and I shopped at Whole Foods and prepared all of my own meals, which consisted of just a few foods. It was hard, and it took a while to see results. After a couple of weeks I was able to add in more foods, but not much in the convenience food category. At my next visit, my hyper-reactivity had gone down, but I was still reacting to half a dozen foods and discovered that I had probably been eating some cross-contaminated foods as well. A month later, I had improved quite a bit and am now on maintenance. My cough isn't 100% gone, but as long as I follow the plan, I would say it's about 80% improved, which is significant and totally worth the hassle associated with following a restrictive diet. For me. Dr. Kushnir has given me tools to move forward and take control over a health problem that was not only embarrassing, but also quite scary at times when out of control. I now have a long term plan for what to eat and not eat, a schedule for periodic cleanses, and supplements to use when I suspect I have accidentally eaten something I shouldn't have. I am very grateful to Dr. Kushnir not only for helping me control my symptoms, but also for helping me understand the cause so that I can finally be proactive in taking care of my own health. read more

This woman needs to acquire better table side skills and her assistant needs to grow up. I will be filing a claim with the BBB. I came to this clinic because it was on my insurance list. I had been having some funky allergy symptoms and decided it was time to get it checked out. The appointment started well. I was uncomfortable and a little nervous about what the doctor would tell me, but hoped that she would quell my concerns and give me some options. She made me feel worse. After the prick test, she and her assistant went over the results and proceeded to respond with shock at my back. Mind you, I couldn't actually see what was going on, with my back turned and my shirt up. I felt worse. She started to recommend I overhaul my bedding and get covers and such. I said my wife bought all the necessary mattress covers and dust mite sprays, to which the doctor proceeded to tell me the covers may not do what they claim to do and said outright the sprays do not work. My wife's allergist recommended them so basically she is saying her doc is a hack and she knows better than him. Then she she starting telling me unless I deal with what turned out to be a mite problem I could develop asthma. She said, I'm not kidding, " I should demand that my landlord tear out our carpets or otherwise I need to move out" and that she would write a letter claiming this was a widespread health issue. She then proceeded to show me HER allergen products that I need to buy. She looked visibly offended when I told her I already had allergen protecting products and I began telling her that this visit made me feel even worse when I came in. She didn't like my honesty and continued to cut me off when I spoke. Her assistant then laid into me that I was upset at the doctor when she treats all her patients this way, so now I have both of them cornering me in that tiny exam room. Totally preyed on my fears and now I'm 200 bucks poorer and pissed. She needs to check that attitude. Feel completely scammed. read more

I was getting frequent colds/flu that would knock me out for days. I saw several doctors, and after a couple of years was still seeing no progress. Went to Dr. Kushnir (actually I made an appointment with another doctor I had read good things about; he was overbooked on the day of my appointment and handed me off to Dr. Kushnir.) She actually made me well! She really tried to understand all my symptoms, and worked carefully to customize a treatment that had amazing results. When she left her previous practice, I followed her to her current one. I would do the same even if she moved far away. One side story: About the time I first started seeing Dr. Kushnir, I thought of her only for obvious allergy trouble. One weekend, I came down with an ear infection in the middle of the night. Got up and drove to the emergency room. After many hours, saw a doctor who looked in my ears and kind of gasped, "Wow, your eardrums are REALLY red." He prescribed an antibiotic, which I took. The infection got worse, not better. Saw my regular doctor. She said it could only have been either bacterial or viral, that the ER doc prescribed the right thing if it had been viral, and so it must be bacterial. She said I'd just have to wait it out ("chew some gum and yawn a lot"). Several days later, I had a perforated eardrum. Made an emergency appointment with Dr. Kushnir. She immediately knew what to do, was shocked that the ER doctor prescribed what he did ("it doesn't work for ear infections on adults"), prescribed the RIGHT medication (it WAS viral), and had the infection cleared up in a couple of days. Since then, I pretty much try to see Dr. Kushnir for ANYTHING related to the ear, nose, or respiratory system. I really don't trust my health to anyone else. read more

Dr. Kushnir has been my doctor for almost a year and helped me a lot dealing with my allergies and eczema throughout my pregnancy and after. She developed a special diet for me, keeping in mind my preferences and cravings. Her staff and she are very friendly and you don't have to wait a month for an appointment (they cancer you on pretty short notice). Would definitely recommend! read more