Dr. Anderson was the reason my insurance wasn't able to deny a recent surgery (deep brain stimulation) that literally changed my life. He was the most meticulous doctor I've seen and documented so many notes. I saw him many, many years ago but he managed to positively influence my life to this day. I'll always be thankful for him believing my pain and treating me with respect. read more

Wow, what a horrible jackass of a Doctor, every patient's nightmare. This fraud is supposedly an osteopathic physician specializing in neurology and pain management. He told me to come in for an appointment and kept me waiting in his waiting room for over two hours. Once I was finally graced with his holy presence, he told me that he would not treat me until I got a letter from my previous doctor telling him that I would no longer see my previous doctor. He basically worked on the assumption that I was a doctor-shopping drug addict despite having no evidence of this. He told me he would fax the other doctor a letter to this effect (he never did). I waited a few days and contacted "Dr" Anderson to ask what the status was. He EMAILED me and told me that he would get to it the next day. I waited a few days and still nothing. I tried repeatedly to get a hold of his office via phone and email for three days. His office NEVER answers his phone. Finally I got a call back after four business days and was told that "Dr" Anderson "declined to accept me as a patient". This of course after he already agreed to take me on as a patient, brought me in for an appointment, wasted several hours of my time, billed my insurance $325, and so on. This smug asshole is every chronic pain patient's worst nightmare. He takes your money, strings you along forever, ignores you for days on end, and then tells you to go away. Avoid him at all costs! *** I would be very interested in knowing how three people, who've never posted a yelp review, all gave "Dr" Anderson 5 stars ON THE SAME DAY. That's a hell of a coincidence don't you think? Or is "Doctor " Anderson creating fictitious user accounts and giving himself glowing reviews? Oh and "Del T." looks exactly like "Dr" Anderson's office manager. That's pretty sleazy. *** *** Update: I was calling his office 3 times a day because he was NOT ANSWERING HIS PHONE. He took my money and told me he'd get back to me and then never did. Also it is a complete lie to say that Dr. Jackass never saw my medical records. I brought a stack of records including all records from every doctor that had ever treated me. No excuses, no more lies, please! *** read more

Before I write my review, I just have to point out I was pretty shocked to read Jesse's take on his experience at Dr. Anderson's office. My experience with this office over the last 2 years has been excellent. I can only guess that from the anger Jesse put into his review, that he might have been an 'abrasive' person to treat. Then again, everyone has their opinion. Jesse - If you want a REALLY bad pain doctor, go to see Dr. Elliot Krames. Now that place was REALLLY bad!!! As for Dr. Wayne Anderson, I have nothing but great things to say. I've been going to his office for approx the past 2 years. He is VERY easy to get along with, and makes me very comfortable every time I am there. Not only does his personality help put a smile on my face, but he knows his business! Any questions you have about pain problem - guaranteed he knows the best way to treat it, and will work with you until you're living better and able to manage your pain. The last pain doctor I went to for about 2 years chose to do pointless surgeries that 'said' would help, and never did. I spent thousands on pointless procedures that Dr. Krames said would help, and DIDN'T. This is absolutely not the same case with Dr. Anderson. Not only does Dr. Anderson know what will help with your specific pain problems, he has a great personality that will put a smile on your face. It DOES help to have your doctor make you laugh, especially when you're in hell every day with your pain. Dr. Anderson found a med that finally helps with my chronic pain, and a procedure that helps as well. Without him, I know I would be in the hell of day to day pain I was in for so long before I came to his office. Another PLUS is Peter. You get to meet him when you come to the office. He deals with all the phone calls and appointments. He is a great guy, and also always has a smile on his face. In my 2 years here, Peter always comes through with answering the phone, returns calls quickly, and works with your schedule to find appointments that work for you. Any procedures you need, he deals with the insurance companies quickly so that you can get what you need done, sooner. The only 'con' I can think of, is that sometimes there is a little wait to see the doctor. But there is a comfortable couch to rest on if you have to wait. The doctor deals with any prescriptions you have quickly, and you can even go down to the 1st floor to get it filled at the Walgreens. It's easy and quick! Personally, I wouldn't want to see another pain doc. I definitely recommend this office to anyone that is looking for a quality place to go for treatment or consultations. read more

I've been disabled with migraines for ten years and have seen *lots* of neuros. Dr. Anderson was the first to take the time to explain all of my different types of headaches and how they respond to different meds and treatments. He had lots of ideas nobody else had suggested. I also appreciate that he actually read all of the info I gave him. Wow. I know there were problems with his previous office manager, but Dr. Anderson has a whole new office staff. Dr. Anderson's new staff assistant, Peter, is thorough and does what he says he will. He's personable and is good at handling problems. (Like spending a few hours on the phone with Walgreens and my drug plan getting a prescription covered.) I have recommended Dr. Anderson to family members...even the ones I like. I highly recommend him to you. read more

I have seen Dr. Anderson about once a week since our first visit and he continues to be the same person I first met. I feel able to talk with him about all of the concerns (read, terrible fears) I have had since I was a child with polio, in fact I am pouring my heart out. He gives me great feedback and he is so encouraging. I can honestly say that my pain is greatly alleviated. I have walked Daisy every day for 4 days in a row and I am stretching my legs out. That is a miracle! read more

I'm afraid that I'm long overdue in writing a review for Dr. Anderson. I've been going to him for a number of years and I'm honestly shocked to see any negative reviews here. Dr. Anderson is the most compassionate doctor I've ever been to and he always gives each patient the time they need. If you've been dealing with chronic pain, you want and need a doctor who will talk to you and explain the various options that are best for you. I've never felt rushed, not even once. I appreciate a doctor with a sense of humor and I always feel better as well as encouraged when I leave his office. There are times when you will have to wait because good pain management doctors aren't going to rush their patients. Someone may call and it may appear that it will be a standard appointment but, when they arrive, it turns out that it was something completely different and more time consuming. This is the only negative thing I can write about my experience with Dr. Anderson. I'm happy to wait to see him because I feel he's the best there is in San Francisco. Peter is Dr. Anderson's right hand man and he's an absolute gem! He answers the phone, makes appointments, handles insurance issues, helps with prescriptions, calls back quickly and always works with patients to get them into to see the doctor as soon as possible. Peter is so kind and so sweet and he greets each patient with a smile and the kind of compassion and understanding that is rare to find in many doctor's offices these days. Peter stepped into a tough position and I suspect that the complaints from several years ago were due to another employee who is no longer with Dr. Anderson. Peter always, always returns calls and he'll work with you to find a time that is best for you. He's gone out of his way for me many times. I don't want to go into detail for fear he'll have others asking for additional favors. He's just amazing, detailed, funny and he's the sort of person you'd want for a best friend because you know he'd do anything he could for you. Dr. Anderson is incredibly lucky to have found Peter and I hope he'll be there for many years to come. If I see him one month and the waiting room is filled and perhaps one or two patients are less than understanding, I try to remember to bring him chocolate the next time. I know he enjoys it and he can afford the calories, unlike me. Dr. A, please send Peter away for a week or 10 days to a spa or a great fun in the sun place where he can unwind and relax, maybe even a cruise. Too much work will make anyone stressed even if they don't show it... and, Peter hides stress very well. Dr. Anderson really does understand the many facets of pain including the depression, the fatigue, constantly being tired and sleepy and I promise you that he will continue to find a plan that will work for you. No, I can't promise that all of your problems will be gone...I sure wish I could....but, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. I can promise you that Peter and Dr. Anderson will offer you kindness, amazing knowledge, and he will work with you until he gets it right. Many people will live with pain for their whole lives and it's not easy. If you suffer from chronic pain, I feel like you really do need a doctor like Dr. Anderson. It's a different experience from my previous encounter with a pain clinic and I don't ever want to go back. I really didn't want to write a novel here. I want others who are in pain to read this and feel some hope. Dr. Anderson isn't a miracle worker but, I'm sure for some, they may feel that way. I suffer from extreme depression which makes the pain worse and the time I spend with both Peter and Dr. Anderson always leave me feeling better than when I arrived and, best of all, with hope that my own situation will continue to improve. I wouldn't want to have to consider seeing another pain management doctor because I know what I'd be giving up. Dr. Anderson tells everything to you straight up and it's clear that he cares about his patients very much. This is the kind of doctor and human being I would want to see if I was in pain and, that describes Dr. Anderson perfectly. One last thing, Dr. Anderson has two beautiful and very sweet Whippets and if you're lucky, you might get to meet them. I'm such a dog person that I just love going when they're there. If you can get your own dog or cat, please do... it makes dealing with pain so much easier. read more

I went to Wayne with my wife today for severe headaches she's been having. We were so happy to get in to see him after reading the reviews on Yelp and we weren't disappointed. I really appreciated his approach. He went through all the information carefully and I had a good time learning about some of the actual anatomical causes of migraines from him. He has a great sense of humor and we had a lot of laughs. He's the sort of doctor who will joke about videos he's seen online, or chat with you about video games (and the rivalry we're "supposed to have" between xbox and ps3). He seemed to really enjoy teaching us about the different brain structures, and I don't feel like he dumbed it down or over-simplified. His office is informative and the receptionist was nice. There is information on the walls talking about various policies, for example, how he doesn't get paid by any drug companies and has no paid interest in any certain drugs. Bottom line, I really like the guy. He was able to narrow my wife's pain down and give a treatment that should help. He went through the side effects of the medication one-by-one so we could understand each and be prepared. He told us clearly what conditions would require another E.R. visit and how to handle any pain that may occur. I happily recommend him. read more

Ive been coming to see Doctor Anderson for almost 10years. I was a 15year who had a horrible lot in life that had to have 2 nback surgeries. He was the attending pain management Doctor in the hospital all those years ago. I immediatley like him because he listened to what my problems were and set out from there trying to find something that worked for me. After my 1st surgery the leg pain i had was gone from my sciatica, but i now had excruciating lower back pain from my surgery sight. We tried everything, you name it we tried it. I became allergic to almost EVERYTHING i was put on. I went to the hospital 3times in anaphylactic shock because i was that severly allergic to the medication. through all of this he did NOT give up on me. Finally after almost 2years & a 2nd back surgery later we found a medication that truly worked for me. Almost immediatley my life improved i was able to get a job, move out of my parents house, get a full time job, have a great social life!! & now 10years later im still having a great life ALL BECAUSE OF HIM!! He is my savior & really makes me feel like Im normal. If i have a problem with anything he always listens, what i love is that he doesn't make me feel like im crazy. Sooooo many doctors, nurses & surgeons told me it was all in my head before i went to my final surgeon who saw i wasn't faking. I do have to take medication everyday to have a normal quality of life but that's fine with me. so if your considering going to see him, DON"T WAIT!!! Just do it, I promise it will be the best descision. he really is amazing & he will help you to the best of his ability and he won't give up on you. I don't know what i would do without him, i'd be on disability because my pain without it being controlled is horrible. I have a great life because he is such an amazing doctor! & his Receptionist Peter is an Angel on earth literally!!! If i ever need anything or need to reschedule he ALWAYS makes it happen so that Im able to come on another day that works for me. & celeste is a new addition to the office & she is really sweet & always helps me if i need it as well. They make me feel like family when i come there. So if you feel like no one else has listened go to him. He was a god send! & i hope if your reading this that he does the same for you. Whwnever i visit his office it's always packed with the same people over & over because he really is a great doctor. EVen if i had another option to go somewhere else for free I WOULD NOT, that's how spectacular Dr.Wayne Anderson & his team are!!!! read more

Well, I went to Dr. Anderson at the suggestion, indeed, direction of my PCP, Dr. Lisa Capaldini. As a result of reading a few reviews of Dr. Anderson on Yelp (which I saw only accidentally as I was trying to get his phone number) I was concerned. But I had already known they were a little quirky with hours...maybe they're gone a lot. BUT I also know that my Dr., whom I trust completely, would not knowingly lead me in the wrong direction. Anderson and Capaldini are next door, I'm going to believe she knows the right direction:)....Punny, hunh? SO: the door was locked when I showed up for my 1pm appointment. AND EVERY NEGATIVE THING I READ ABOUT DR. ANDERSON WAS CONFIRMED. Until I found out my appt. was for 2, not for 1. And they kept me waiting and waiting. They didn't see me until 2:15. Oh yeah. My appt. was at 2:00. And then when I got in the room I waited. and waited. Oh, well, the Doctor was taking care of another patient. I don't think if I had gone beyond the insurance-dictated time limit I would have appreciated being shoved out the door...so I'm not upset that he was a little late to see me. He did what he needed to do with another patient and then he got to me as quickly as he could. Believe me, I was looking for every possible reason to be upset with him. And as soon as he walked in the room my concerns dissipated. The guy is amusing, very smart (and not a "shove-it-in-your-face smart." He's just smart. He knows it...that's clear...but I want a confident doctor. And he does a LOT with humor to comfort and relax patients. I AM NOT CONNECTED TO THE DOCTOR, I DON'T WORK FOR HIM, I AM NOT PETER (HIS VERY GRACIOUS ASSISTANT). I'M JUST A PATIENT. I don't think I have a particularly complicated issue. There's not a lot of speculation about what's going on...i know it, he knows it. We are dealing with it. He gave me options for how to deal with my situation, asked me to consider them for 24 hours and get back to him. I got back to him in 24 hours and we proceeded according to one of the alternatives he gave me. The Doctor is an adult and he treated me like one. As far as those who have gone to his office already knowing exactly what they want/need...well, they aren't doctors. Maybe the doctor, as with me, was giving alternatives so as to present a complete picture. I would LOVE to KNOW what some patients, who say the Doctor has called them drug addicts, have said to the Doctor that might elicit that type of response. Actually, I believe he's fully capable of telling a patient that they're a drug addict. I think he lays it on the line. You may dislike what he has to say, but what he says, I bet, is usually pretty close to the reality. Those who have written nasty comments here...well, I bet there's a little more to the story, frankly. So Dr. Anderson is clearly a black and white sort of guy...or...wait....maybe WE (myself included) lunatic fringe who actually spend time writing about doctors on yelp, are what's black and white. I gave him 5 stars. Everyone else gives him 5 stars or one star. There aren't 2s, 3s and 4s for him.......1s and 5s. I bet there's more to the story than what meets the eye for the ones who give him a one star rating. For he who said this was by far the worst experience he/she has had...it seems like you have a lot of experience going to doctors. I hope you find the relief you need. And this may be mean, but, Mrs. Ford died...the clinic is still open. I KNOW WHAT I AM. DO YOU KNOW/ADMIT WHAT YOU ARE? ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE NOT JUST DOC SHOPPING?K read more

I am a relatively new patient of Dr. Anderson, and I find him amazingly thorough and capable of quickly understanding my needs. Visits with him are a true joy; he is both quirky and wonderfully likeable. My conversations with him alone have helped me forget my pain and troubles for awhile. I strongly recommend Dr.Wayne Anderson to anyone who is serious about dealing with their chronic pain. He is quite obliging in taking any extra steps your insurance company may require, so that you receive the best medication possible. read more

Dr Anderson is treating my husband for chronic daily headaches. He is compassionate and very informed. His office staff is extremely professional and a pleasure to work with unlike every other doc we've experienced. Peter is a really nice guy and so helpful. Dr Anderson really takes his time with you and is honest about treatment options. He's also got a quirky sense of humor, I've never giggled so much in a doc office before. I can see how people might take offense to his interpersonal way since it might come off as arrogant, but I assure you he has your best interests at heart and means well. Definitely go see him if you have headaches and/or chronic pain. read more

Dr. Anderson is an excellent pain management doctor. He is extremely knowledgeable about pain treatment and has been very personable and supportive in his interactions with me. During my initial appointment he listened attentively to my history and the details of my injury and asked relevant questions. He explained different types of pain treatments and their advantages and disadvantages in understandable terms. By the time he finished I felt like I better understood how different medications work and the best course of action for me and my lifestyle. Over the past 2 years Dr. Anderson has helped me to navigate different pain management choices and closely monitored me for any side effects. We found a combination of treatment modalities that enable me to function at the highest level possible given my condition. I would highly recommend Dr. Anderson to anyone who is struggling with pain. read more

I have been disabled since 1989 due to a major injury to my lower back. I was living with a very high degree of pain until I was lucky enough to meet Dr Wayne Anderson. While looking for Dr Anderson's web page I stumbled across this YELP site so will give my person experiences and opinions. My experience with Dr Anderson has been nothing less than a miracle. I have been seeing him since 2004. For the first several months, in 2004, I was seeing him on a monthly basis to find the correct drugs and dosage to treat my neck and back pain (three spine operations, two fusions, and six disks removed). I also see him for sleep apnea of the brain. I am able to get appointments and see him within a half hour of my scheduled time. Recently Dr Anderson prescribed a steroid pack to bring down my sciatica so that I was, after one week, able to travel on an airplane. I am so thankful I did not have to have another epidural block. Also, I am being treated for the muscle spasms caused by the pain and take a prescription on a daily basis to alleviate the effects of the pain caused by these spasms. I also am under a regimen of pain medications which are changed on an as needed basis. We discuss my current condition and he changes this program if and as needed. My life is extremely better than before I got into pain management with Dr Anderson . Dr Anderson has given me medication that is working whereas my surgeons gave drugs that were not strong enough to control the pain. I now have a life and thanks to Dr Anderson I can enjoy life again. read more

Today I had my third visit with Dr. Anderson. It was probably also my last visit with him, because he's a super genius and I'm all fixed now. Which is great, of course, but he was a pleasure to visit. There's not much exaggeration there. He certainly knows his stuff. He listens, and he also explains treatment options and the pros and cons of each, and he has a good sense of humor. I had two recent surgeries on my lower back, and my neurosurgeon "cut me off" from pain pills and referred my to Dr. Anderson. At the time of our first visit, I was concerned that I was never going to completely recover from the pain. He explained what treatments he could and could not prescribe, and the pros and cons of my available options. So we both agreed on how to proceed, and over the the next two visits, my pain had diminished to the point where I just didn't notice it most of the time. Now I'm reducing my pain medications to the minimum level necessary for me to be comfortable. Mission accomplished! My condition turned out be less serious than I had originally thought, but there's a good chance that early treatment after my surgeries prevented other problems. The online system he uses takes a bit of getting used to, and he does expect you to be able to follow simple directions, but it's well worth it. read more

Edit: Back when I had insurance and our 'relationship' was but a year or two old, I gave Dr. Anderson [et al] a five star review. While I still trust in (and would definitely promote to new, potential patients) his competancy, intelligence, and ability to care for his wards; my disappointment in his pricing, availibility, and individualized attention has forced me into agnosticism again (to continue the analogy/bad pun from my earlier review ;). To be fair, I had a role to play in the [non]marital strife...(heck, I'm already playing around with bad analogies--might as well bear with me a little longer ;-) You know the old 'joke' where a guy marries his trophy wife, only to discover a few years into it that she's no longer wearing make-up on the weekends, or serving TV dinners instead of the real thing, and/or has gone up a couple of dress-sizes..? Well, maybe that's how Dr. A was feeling when his previously well-insured patient (moi) was suddenly uninsured and struggling to pay for appointments & prescriptions. Though he generously agreed to continue seeing me and AND EVEN DISCOUNTED HIS SERVICES a bit, it [being uninsured] severely limited the modalities of treatment and, because of those limitations, their efficacy. So, to sum it up, {bad analogy time!] I went from the up-for-anything / throw-on-a-pair-of-sweats-and-still-look-gorgeous-wife to the not-sure-she'll-even-GO-to-the-office-holiday-party-and-if-she-does-she'll-probably-look-frumpy-and-drink-too-much wife. No matter how good hubby's intentions might be, this sort of outcome is sure to cause some sort of resentment, right? Well, that's sort of what happened here...I certainly didn't plan for a bait-and-switch, but I popped one on him nonetheless. And when the discount was discontinued and I was facing paying full-priced specialists' rates (plus any back-owed balance in full) for treatment that had become intermittently effective, I had to part ways with my former saviour. Perhaps when my insurance matters are settled and our schedules align, we shall meet again... *Side Note: Strangely enough, if I'm reading all my statements right, the discounted amount I was paying per visit while UNinsured was 3x the amount my insurance company regularly paid/settled for! Just goes to show how baffling the healthcare industry really is these days...* read more

Dr. Anderson and his staff are the personification of "As good as it gets". I have been a patient of Dr. Anderson's for 5 years, and can honestly say he is the best physician with whom I have ever aligned my healthcare. Dr.Anderson is a brilliant, caring individual who always makes laugh and I look forward to my appointments. He, of all my healthcare providers, knows the most about my entire health overview. I have come to think of him as my primary physician, even though he is really only one component. I have even encouraged my family to see Dr. Anderson - that's how much I trust the way he works and what he does. A note about the two smiling faces you see behind the counter when you walk in the office - they are two of the hardest working people I have ever met, and in my 5 years with them they have never dropped the ball, and they have gone WAY above and beyond to accommodate my crazy schedule. They prove my theory that a smile and the simple words "thank you" go a long way. We, the patients, are never made aware of the giant regulatory hurdles that Dr. Anderson and his team must jump over in order to provide us the services we need, yet they do so with a top notch professional manner and most of all - compassion. If you are living with chronic pain, please seek out Dr. Anderson for a conversation - it literally changed my life and I, in turn, will never change physicians. read more

Dr. Anderson has treated my pain and complicated migraines since the fall of 2000 - nine years I have been his patient. I have the utmost respect for him and his staff. I read bad reviews here - just goes to show it is MUCH more likely that someone who is upset to write a review of a doctor. The things people say about Dr. Anderson negatively are in DIRECT and COMPLETE opposition to everything I have experienced. Yes, Dr. Anderson will NOT practice telephone or email medicine. He has to see you before he will prescribe anything. l like that. Dr. Anderson prescribes medications known to have street-value. He is prescibing medications that can easily be misused by addicts or pseudo-addicts. Of course he is VERY careful with new patients. Of course he is careful to stay within the law. Of course he is careful to only prescribe what is best for the patient - not necessarily what the patient wants or when they want it. Dr. Anderson will not replace "lost" prescriptions. He will not prescribe pain medications without seeing you. He will not prescribe pain medications because you are running low and afraid and don't have time to come in. He is CAREFUL to maintain a practice without abusers and addicts. On the other hand, he is always business like ... explains diagnosis and pain management plans and neurological medication extremely well. He will likely end up as a medical professor given his knack for teaching! Peter, the current office manager, is always helpful to me. If I need an appointment, I do NOT leave a message ... I call back. I have seen how busy Peter is day in and day out. With folks on the phone and folks in his face, phone messages come last on his priorities - so I just call until I reach him. He is GREAT about helping me out. I have to say that ALL Dr. Anderson's staff have been great to me. It is a complete lie that his staff is afraid of him. I have talked with them since 2000. Some did not "click" with the doctor, others did. Peter is terrific! Well, I wanted to convey to new patients that they should have NO fear of seeing Dr. Anderson. Oh yes ... now when I have an appointment at 11:45 AM, I am with the doctor WELL before noon. On a few occasions I have had to wait - a few occasions over 55 or so appointments - because Dr. Anderson HAD to be at the hospital unexpectedly. If you are going to grouse about the doctor spending time with a patient in the hospital he did not count on ... I can only say I hope you are never in the hospital needing a great neurologist or pain manager. It would be a pity if the doctor refused to see you in the hospital because he refused to let a few patients wait a bit. think about it ... and you will gladly wait a bit for that kind of quality care! read more

I was very pleased with my visit with Dr. Anderson. He seemed smart, thorough, and he formulated several ideas about what was causing my pain as well as potential plans for treatment. He didn't try to rush me out the door, and answered all my questions. I look forward to working with him in the future. Especially pleasant for me was that he didn't accuse me of shopping for meds, perhaps because he actually took the time to read through my paperwork. read more

I met Wayne Anderson after cervical spine surgery, when he worked for St Mary's Spine Center as a pain specialist. I had spinal cord damage and was having difficult w speech and word recall. He was arrogant, insulting, condescending and a liar. He blamed misplaced documents on his resident when he had lost them. Over the years he moved to the Castro and had opened offices under different titles and specialties. Now I found this 420 speciality. This guy has major mental health issues along with his inflated ego. He should have his license revoked. He has no business treating patients for anything as he assumes everyone but he is a liar and treats the patient with intense distain. Stay away from this lunatic. I met him 22 years ago and am shocked he still is in practice. read more

Words could not describe how great and intelligent this man is. He really does work wonders. For example today, I over heard a patient at the receptionist window saying, "I've been having so much success with the treatment plan Dr. Anderson and I discussed. The other day was my first day walking without a cane and I feel almost as if I'm back to my old self." OMG that is amazing. To hear that kind of response from anyone about a doctor makes you feel like your in good hands. Another thing I love how Dr. Anderson is so up to par with everything. He rarely makes any mistakes. THANK Gosh he has an online follow up form that I can do online at home. Sure beats the hell out of doing it in the office on paper. "Save our trees!" The workers there are so kind both Peter and Celeste are such a delight. They do everything they can to make you feel comfortable. And a little tip. If your allergic to dogs ten this won't be the right fit for you. Because, he does bring his really friendly whippets to the office with him. This is a great office. Ever since I have been treating with Dr. Anderson I have been almost able to do some athletic activities that I love to do. I have nothing but hope and I will continue to treat with him. read more

Who has their secretary diagnose people over the phone WITHOUT even asking what their health conditions, etc are?????????

I have to say I am astonished that anybody would give Dr. Anderson more then zero stars. It pains me to give him one. I have never seen a more rude, narcissistic and insensitive person as him. When he diagnosed my husband with multiple sclerosis, he was more interested what his "rival"- his words- was doing outside then to actually answer questions. After five minutes of contemplating, he got back to us in saying, oh yeah, so that's what you got. After some more tests over a few weeks, he decided that it wasn't multiple sclerosis after all, but maybe some mini strokes occurring in the brain; the MRI scans showed at least 20 lesions. With that, we were unable to reach him for the next four weeks. As it turned out, my husband had to have another attack for Anderson to diagnose him again with multiple sclerosis. Needless to say that changing doctors seemed like an excellent idea. Mostly what Anderson conveyed was that my husband should not be so sensitive, since there are worse things which could happen. One occasion especially sticks out, where my husband went to see whether there could be some physical therapy in order to help his left leg, which didn't function very well anymore and causing numerous falls. Anderson just explained that he should just be happy that it is not worse and just go buy a cane. Now, aren't doctors here to help and find all possible solutions? Thank god for websites like NationalMSsociety, where you actually receive some help. So no, Anderson missed the purpose of his job description completely. The only time when we received excellent care was when he was on vacation and Dr. Dennis was on call. read more

Dr. Anderson is a life saver. He is kind, calm, patient and caring. I went to him with disabling migraines. I was unable to leave my house except to go to the ER or a doctor's visit. He has managed to get my migraines down to 2 or 3 per week and the pain is manageable without heavy narcotic medication. I can even volunteer now and am considering taking full-time employment soon. read more

I tend to almost take offense to the people who write poor and false reviews for Dr. Anderson. Dr. Anderson has improved my quality of life so much, I can't help but sometimes shed tears. While feeling hopeless and feel like no one cares and you encounter a very special, brilliant and unique Dr. Like Dr. Anderson, one cannot help tearing up. I really don't know what I'd do without him and his wonderful staff. Words can't express how grateful I am. If you would like to know more information on the quality of my visits, I have written other reviews of Dr. Anderson, so I encourage you to read those as well. All I can say is that I have the upper most love, care and respect for Dr. Anderson and his staff. I don't know where I would be and what I would do without the priceless care of Dr. Anderson's office at 45 Castro. Again, if anyone from the office is reading this, I can't thank you enough and there are no words that could properly voice my gratitude. -B read more

I've been seeing Dr. A for a few years now for a chronic neck and shoulder issue. What can I say, he's great! He's witty and has a very good bedside manner. He always listens to what I have to say, and gives me options on how to proceed with treatment. He allows me to be a part of the decision process, which seems to be uncommon with a lot of physicians these days. read more

Dr. Anderson has done my pain management for eight or more years. I agree with the others that say he is very good, knowledgeable, takes the time to listen to me and keeps up on all the new things going on in pain management. Unfortunately I recommended him to Jesse from another site where he was asking for help, he couldn't find a doctor who would help him. I found out why he can't. After reading his view of doctors on the other site, which included his opinon that since he was paying them , they should give him what he wants. He claims to know more about medications than most doctors. I also found out that he was calling Dr. Andersons office at least 3 times a day. I don't know ANY pain doctor who will give you meds without seeing your past records, scans and speaking with the fomer doctor. This takes TIME, not just the week Jesse seemed to think it should. I guess he expected them to drop everything for him. I apologized to Dr.Anderson for sending this jerk to him, I thought he really wanted help, not just a Dr.Feelgood. I am glad to see the other reviews, they are the TRUE STORY. You have to realize it is Dr.A and Peter and thats it. I get my calls returned very quickly considering the amount of people who go through the door. I don't know what I would do without them. update: Jesse added to his review right after I wrote mine. He moniters this site religously. Even though this happened over a year ago. Ask him why he's banned from other sites. Get a life. read more

Well worth a wait to see. Wayne is not only genius at his specialty, he has a great personality. Answered all my questions, and never rushed to get me out of there. Great doctor! read more

I have been seeing Dr. Anderson for some time and have never had any difficulty with him or his office. He and his office staff (a staff of one I believe) have always been kind and courteous. I was never asked to stop seeing my other doctors and my other doctors have been very complimentary of his thorough monthly reports on my condition. As far as my office visits, he is very generous with his time during my appointments so I am surprised that I have never been kept waiting more than 15 minutes for an appointment. As far as my initial visit, there was some paperwork, tests, and information that needed to be passed from my other doctors to Dr. Anderson but by the second appointment everything was in place for me to be a satisfied patient. I would recommend that people ignore the initial low rating ONE STAR. "J.S." appears to be either a hater (one star) or lover (five stars) read more

I have been nothing but exceptionally pleased with Dr. Anderson! I have been to many doctors over the years and have never been treated with the amount of respect that i receive at Dr. A's office. How someone can say that Dr. A. treats his patients like they are pain seeking or drug seeking is beyond me because i take very strong medications and have had absolutely no problems with this office. Dr. A's staff is extremely helpful and have always gotten back to me in a timely manner. I have NEVER been happier with an office than i am here. I would hope anyone who reads these reviews realizes in this line of the medical field there are many people who are drug seeking and they make it hard for everyone else. I think Dr. A is very good at differentiating between these types of patients. I would highly recommend him and know you would be much better off after becoming one of his patients. Best wishes to all read more

UPDATE: FRAUDULENT BILLING. This should now be ZERO STARS above, or MINUS 2, if only Yelp allowed for greater realism. To add injury to insult--yes, the visit was ludicrous and the doctor insulting, but just when I thought it could not get worse-- Dr. Anderson Inc. has now billed me for money I do not owe. This despite the fact that I carefully and clearly checked my insurance coverage with his office before I ever visited. And, of course, the fact that .... well, you can read the review and see why the visit should have ended by Minute 10. I'lll be reporting this attempted fraud to both the insurance co. and the AMA. (Not that I expect the AMA to care or act, I'm not that naive.) Wayne Anderson is a young doctor who has watched way too much "House, M.D." He kinda wants to *be* House, but he's missed the non-literal aspects of the show. (Not every single bit of rudeness & chicanery from House was meant to be admirable!) On the plus side, Dr. Anderson is very, very smart; he spent a lot of time with me on my first visit; and I learned some major new information from him, I think. I say "think" because I'm not sure that his suggestion about my illness wasn't an attempt at a razzle-dazzle radical House-ian insight, as Dr. Anderson so very very much wants you to *know* he's smart, and to genuflect. I suspect he's a very good doctor with people who are impressionable and will gush praise at him. Which might even be deserved at those times, because I think that when this odd duck's feathers aren't feeling ruffled, he has the capacity to be an excellent doctor in medical terms. On the negative side, well, everything else. Dr. Anderson is so caught up in how he appears to people that it just gets weird, and he's so ego-ridden it's downright scary--even for a doctor. He proudly proclaims "I'm a straight shooter, I'm like Dr. Laura!" I said I hoped not, since she's not only a fraud in medical terms but hasn't spoken to her own family in years. He brushed that aside with, "Well, I'm like Judge Judy, then!" and went on his with his self-hagiography. And on. And on. A straight shooter he ain't. That hour he spent talking at me? It was largely performance, his own personal episode of "House." He knew at 10 minutes in that he was not going to take me on as a new patient: that's when I'd said I occasionally use The Dread Weed as a sleep aid. I believe he'd asked something that specifically elicited this as an answer, as I wouldn't have brought it up on my own. Dr. Straight Shooter did not have the guts or the courtesy to tell me himself, while I was there in his office; instead, he sent a letter to my doctor, who'd made the referral, stating that he "couldn't risk accepting any patient who smokes marijuana." This is the same doctor whose website trumpets his dedication to transparency in office policy?? (Yes, there are new federal regulations harassing doctors, but this is pure paranoia. There is no way my occasional light toking could rebound on him legally, especially if he were to formally advise me against continuing it--and most especially as "Wayne Anderson M.D." is a corporation, according to his website. It was a sad day when Anderson hooked up with whoever this lawyer is. And truly, the lawyer sounds as paranoid as a tweaker!) Even before my doctor told me about the letter, I'd decided I would never go back, because Dr. Anderson's ego led him beyond 'obnoxious' to 'unforgivable.' At one point, I said, "I'm not contradicting you [meaning his overall position] but X hasn't been my experience, they say it's not genetic but 17 people in my mother's family"--and he jumped in very emotionally, "But you are! You are! In fact, you've contradicted almost everything I've said today." He was clearly offended. "It's kind of cute, really, " he said, in a sprightly, deliberately condescending tone, his revenge for my imagined offense,"You've contradicted me on almost everything I've said, whether you phrase it that way or not!" As I said, way too much House. Anyone with an IQ above that of a roast potato knows how insulting that "cute" was. Meaning the Very Very Smart Doctor knew when he said it. Or. . . he's so bad at dealing with people, he didn't know. Either way-- Is there anything more offensive a young man can say to a woman--an educated, articulate woman 20 years his senior, at that--than "It's so cute that you think you know anything"? Never in my life have I so much wanted to slap a doctor. read more

I completely agree with J.S.'s review. You can NEVER get ahold of Dr. Anderson via telephone. His assistant also tries to answer medical questions over the phone. Dr. Anderson misdiagnosed my father and put him on two strong and unnecessary medications. When we couldn't get answers to our questions regarding side affects of these medications, I wrote Dr. Anderson a letter asking him to respond. I took the letter to his office and the door was locked. I slipped the letter underneath the door and never heard a word. Dr. Anderson proudly displays his Mensa certificate and if I were they, I'd reconsider his membership. His arrogance is dangerous. In addition, we waited three hours to see him. After awhile, we just gave up. Later, another neurologist confirmed that Dr. Anderson's diagnosis was wrong. read more

Iv'e been reading all these reviews on Yelp and there is some really nice 5 stars reviews and a few 1 star. I've been going to see Dr. Anderson for many years now and my experience with him and his staff have been extremely wonderful. I find him to be a very knowledgable and very honest. He also is no dummy! There is a lot of patients that are there just to try to get drugs, not for pain just for pleasure or for sale. Hee wasn't born yesterday.He is a excellent doctor,and if you are actually in need of pain management, he's your guy. My guess to why there is some poorly written low star reviews is that Dr. Anderson didn't give them the drugs that they wanted or the amount that they wanted, or they are doctor hoppers going from doctor to doctor trying to get prescriptions and they are upset. Dr. Anderson is a very good doctor and I highly recommend him and his office staff! He just gets some real strange people that probably should be looking for a Psychologist. read more

I am in pain and distraught with regard to my experience. I am unable to sleep at night, despite the medical staff's attempt to rectify the situation. read more

I can tell you all right now that the benefit of having Dr Anderson (who is a good doctor, but there are a lot of good doctor's out there) is NOT WORTH the severe negative of having to deal with his incompetent front desk clerk Peter. Peter not only NEVER answers the phone and NEVER calls you back, but also will NEVER call your insurance company back or answer any of their faxes. I started seeing Dr Anderson about 2 years ago and my last visit with him was about 7 months ago in November because I chose to take my business elsewhere after having the severe headache of dealing with Peter for so long. Peter is so rude in that he will not call you back EVER. It says a lot that Dr Anderson had to HIRE A NEW FRONT DESK person to "help with answering phones and returning messages" HA! Even Dr. Anderson knows Peter is incompetent but I think they are just too close for him to fire Peter. It's funny because the first time we were dealing with getting something done through my insurance, Peter totally messed up and my insurance company had called him 7 times and sent him 3 faxes requesting more information and Peter didnt answer any of the calls/faxes and so my insurance company ended up denying my request. I figured that after the first time, it was just a one time thing and everything would be fine when we tried again, yet it took me another month to finally get ahold of Peter and try and get him to retry with insurance. Once again, HE NEVER RESPONDED to them. Something has gone wrong with my insurance every time I have seen Dr Anderson for the year and a half that I saw him, and it was always because Peter was too lazy and incompetent to figure things out and respond to a simple fax. It's funny though, Peter ALWAYS has an EXCUSE for everything!!! I think he has told me he was at a funeral about 30 different times. He also told me that my insurance company was telling me lies and that they had never sent him anything. My personal favorite was when he told me that my insurance company had told him that I was not eligible for the said benefits, and when I spoke to my insurance company the next day, they had NO RECORD of ever speaking to Peter about my account. And they also told me they would NEVER had told him I wasnt eligible for said benefits because on my account it says very clearly that I in fact was eligible for those benefits. I am very surprised there arent more reviews on here about Peter because I actually heard THREE separate people in my year and a half of seeing him in the waiting room complaining about how Peter had screwed things up left right and center. I have been in chronic pain for over 25 years, and in my 25 years of dealing with doctors, I have NEVER and I repeat NEVER had the issues that I had with Peter. The funny thing is is that none of the issues were personal problems, it was never the case that we didnt like eachother or we would get into fights. I was always so polite to him, always giving him second chances and he would just keep messing up and making up lies to cover his tracks. That is what really pissed me off is that he would lie to my face about why he hadnt called me back in 3 weeks or why he hadnt gotten my insurance stuff sent through or why it was all the insurance companies fault and they were just huge liars. Everytime he would grace me with a new lie, I would be thinking in the back of my mind, "Does this MORON actually think that I believe him as he is saying this to me....?" However, I will say that Dr Anderson is an excellent doctor. It is very sad that a doctor as good as him continuously loses patients because of his front desk clerk. I did notice that whenever I was in there over the year and a half that I saw him, there were ALWAYS new patients in the waiting room. It seemed as though Dr. Anderson had a HUGE turnover rate for patients. It was always new patients or second time patients seeing him, and that was very telling. It was very clear most of his patients dont put up with Peter either. I know that I am not the only patient Dr Anderson has lost because of Peter. I would love for others to speak up and tell your story/experience with Peter. read more

To begin with, Dr Wayne Anderson is the worst doctor I've ever been to. He's impatient, smug, pretentious and unprofessional. He actually makes his patients write him letters justifying their reason for visiting him for a consult. After several months waiting and several unreturned phone calls for an appointment with him, the result was a rushed, rude, impatient and completely unhelpful visit. He has these impossible rules for consults, and his office staff is just awful. Clearly they are afraid of him, and beyond that, they seem acutely unhappy to work there. I actually saw a poor woman in his office in a wheelchair crying after a visit with him. It was just awful. It is unfortunate that San Francisco has a shortage of neurologists, but I'd rather fly to Chicago than see this guy ever again. Despite the accolades he has given himself on his website and his exhaustive C.V., save yourself the trouble and do not see this doctor. ***I would ALSO like to know, along with J.S., how it is that Dr. Anderson was all of a sudden given these 5 star accolades on the same day. I would also like to know why I received a private message from one of these "same day" 5 star posters regarding my post from last October. Something is fishy here.... As I told the poster who sent that private message: I stand by my post!! read more

I've been a patient of Dr. Anderson for a few years now and I think I can shed some light on why some older reviews are so negative. My experience with the office improved greatly once Peter was hired as Office Manager. The previous office person created many difficult situations for Dr. Anderson. I have difficult pain mgmt issues as multiple diagnoses confuse things. Dr. Anderson is the third neuro/pain MD I was referred to over several years. I have nothing bad to say about my prior MDs but Dr. Anderson was the first to see the overall picture of my health and treat my pain mgmt issues accordingly. He sets clear boundaries with me and always refers to my primary care MD if there is any question regarding my overall treatment plan and his part in it. I've seen drug seekers come into his office and he is very quick to expose these psuedo-patients. Another reviewed mentioned Dr. Anderson's Mensa certificate with disdain. I see that certificate hanging there as a warning to those who may think to pull one over on the MD, as if to say, "If you are here seeking easy pain med scripts and/or samples, you had better be smarter than I am to believe this office is an easy mark!". I'm not accusing negative reviewers of seeking easy pain pills. Just sharing thoughts. Having chronic illnesses, I have experienced 2 hour waits at any number of MD offices. Usually the wait is due to some unexpected clinical emergency. Personally, I am happy to sit and wait (if I can) knowing that were I the person having that Emergency, I would be getting the same undivided attention from Dr. Anderson were it warranted. So, I keep my appointments and continue to be happy with the care I receive from Dr. Anderson and his office mgr. read more

I went to see Dr. Wayne Anderson on a recommendation. After doing my best to work with him for a couple of years, I finally gave in. He isn't able to work with you unless you want drugs. He isn't able to work with you if you have adverse reactions to pharmaceuticals and use supplements or alternative medicine. He insulted the doctor that referred me to him and tried to change my diagnosis. Although he initially seemed nice, I agree with others that he seems to have a personality disorder and can be arrogant, insulting, condescending, moody, and rude. After my last visit, his office staff apologized for him and acted as a mediator and was able to get me what I needed a day later. He's not someone I would trust with my medical care. read more

J.S. The reason 3 people in one day would have given good reviews is that your unfounded rant was seen by many because they wanted to let the e-world know your review was not called for. read more

I strongly recommend Dr. Anderson as a pain management specialist. When I first went to him I was barely able to walk. He worked with me to find the most effective medication to control my pain until I was able to have back surgery. Not only is he a great doctor but he is a great person. Just today he came into the office, on a day he wasn't working, for a non-emergency appointment. He was helping me out so I could drive my mother home. That was really refreshing!!! read more

Because pain medicine practices are under such stigmatic and legal scrutiny, finding a pain doctor these days is becoming quite difficult. I had met with three others before I was fortunate enough to find Dr Anderson. Because of all of the legal pressure doctors in this field face, I had to get all of my records in order before he would begin prescribing me medication, which is much different than what I historically have been accustomed to with my previous prescribing physicians and their leniency in prescribing Narcotics. And although I had several visits with him before he would begin prescribing me the medication that helps my condition, I persevered in getting him whatever he needed so that we could move forward. The reason I didn't instead continue searching for a less cautious physician, is because I was so impressed by this man and his staff that I didn't want to go to another doctor. And I have only been a patient of his for 6 months. It takes very little motivation to provoke someone into writing a bad review, whereas it's more difficult getting someone to write a positive one. I feel that Dr. Anderson and his staff are just amazing, and feel that they deserve a review that is as awesome as they are; especially in light of some of the negative comments that have been left here about this practice. When I first arrived, I was greeted by Peter and Celeste, both of whom are just awesome, and their fun and compassionate personalities are a huge plus. I feel like the two of them go the extra mile in making sure that I am taken care of. If either one of them left the practice I would be devastated. When I first met Dr. Anderson I was instantly impressed by his fun personality. I mean I have never had a doctor with such charisma, and with whom I enjoy chatting as much. But what I like the most about him aside from his high intellect and knowledge of pharmacology, is his willingness to listen, his ability to understand and his drive to care for his patients. This man really does care about being an advocate for the treatment of chronic pain in his patients I have been a patient of numerous pain management Doctors over the past 20 years of my relatively young life. And never before now have I met a doctor in this field of medicine with as much knowledge and brilliance as Wayne Anderson. read more