Gary Seto, MD

Everyone loves this doc because of his small-​town sensibility and accessibility. He personally responds to emails and will see you right away in an emergency. But that is where my praise ends. I started seeing Dr. Seto shortly after moving to South Pasadena and my health only got worse while under his care. I’d experienced some health problems after my son was born… panic attacks, heart palpitations, tachycardia… I discussed all of these issues with him and gave him my complete history, including dietary information. I was told that heart palpitations were «normal» (hint, they’re not) and that he wanted to prescribe Paxil, which I refused. I knew there was a root cause. I also came down with a debilitating case of vertigo that left me pinned to the bathroom floor for several hours, unable to move even my eyeballs without vomiting. He sent me to have an MRI and to the House Ear Clinic, which told me that it might be sodium related (hint, it wasn’t). Dr. Seto also prescribed antibiotics four times in five years for various infections which wreaked havoc with my gut balance and exacerbated my problems. Long story short, I did my own research and self-​diagnosed ALL of my health problems. The vertigo was caused by an overload of caffeine. I cut out the triple lattes and the attacks vanished, never to return again. Neither Dr. Seto nor the specialists my insurance paid thousands of dollars to even suggested that this might be a possibility. Thank heaven for the Internet. I also had a magnesium deficiency… I started taking 400mg a day and the panic disorder, heart palpitations, and tachycardia resolved literally overnight. I haven’t had an issue since. I also had low iron which I am now taking supplements for. Given the number of blood tests ordered by this doctor (I was at Qwest at least three times) there is NO EXCUSE for failing to diagnose basic nutritional deficiencies, which could have been discerned from my history alone. I also asked him SPECIFICALLY if a thyroid imbalance could be responsible for some minor hair loss and was told my thyroid was normal after he ordered tests… a year later my OBGYN told me that my thyroid hormone was a little low and recommended synthroid. WTF!?? I’m now taking kelp tabs and ferrous sulfate and my hair is growing back. There are more stories to tell in a similar vein — a painful growth on my son’s heel that he blew off (it was calcaneal apophysitis, which I diagnosed MYSELF and corrected by switching him to more supportive shoes) and insensitive care during a bout of angioedema — but I think I’ve made my point. Basically this doctor sits on his laptop and researches your symptoms at Mayo Clinic online. I did a better job of that. It is great that he has a small, focused practice and gives you personal attention. Unfortunately, his main area of expertise is prescribing antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals… which most of the time do more harm than good. If you are looking for a doctor to just write scrips when you want them, he’s awesome. If you are looking for a doctor to get to the bottom of problems and keep you HEALTHY, look elsewhere.

Not sure why the «not recommended» review is not recommended, because it covers much of why Dr Seto is so great! He’s responsive, high-​tech, and doesn’t perform knee-​jerk reactions to health issues. Dr Seto absorbs the issue/​complaint, explores it with you, & will research on-​the-​spot if you have questions for which he doesn’t already have answers.

Anytime I call Dr. Seto is available to help me. I like coming to this office because it is small and intimate. I don’t feel like «another random patient». Anytime I need something like a TB test or shot this is my go to office. Very reliable, clean, and comfortable.