Advanced Pain Management Institute

I have been going here for years. They staff is awesome especially Emily. Dr T has helped me so much with my chronic pain. I’m always hurting but I never realized how much the injections were helping until I tried going without. Doctors have told me that surgery is not an option so that’s where Dr Tarensanko comes in. Sometime it’s short time relief and sometime longer. He’s very open to trying different things if a treatment doesn’t help.

Dr. Tarasenko is an amazingly skilled professional. He has been able to get to the root of some medical issues that have plagued me for years, and the treatments I have received there have contributed to my overall better health.
Dr. T. is incredibly knowledgable, and he makes each patient feel as if they are the most important and have his entire attention. Honestly, Dr. T. Is a one of a kind! I would highly recommend Advanced Pain Management!!!

IF I COULD GIVE THIS PLACE ZERO STARS, I WOULD HAVE. I was in a car accident two years ago and still have major pain while sitting, no relief from P.T., have herniated disc, etc. I was at the office 2 hrs and 20 mins and only saw the doctor for 20 mins. I waited in the waiting room about 40 mins then was brought back to another room to wait some more then a girl came in for me to do my urinalysis, that took about 10 mins start to finish. Then I waited about 10 more minutes when she came in to take my vital signs and asked me all the questions on the forms they sent me ahead of time to fill out. There was about 6 pages and 2 pain/​emotion index forms. The girl asked me all the questions on the pain form over again while entering them in the computer. I should have asked why she was wasting my time when I’d already filled that out, but was so pissed by this time, I answered as abruptly and quickly as I could. By this time we’re easily at 1 ½ hrs in this office, still no doctor. Then I went to an exam room and waited maybe 10 mins more. The doctor was beeped once and left the room. He did a brief exam and asked me about my pain level, where the car accident occurred, what happened etc. During some of my descriptions of the therapy or pain level, he interrupted me and said, «Just answer yes or no». Once I stated this was due to car accident that was all he could focus on, he kept saying he’d have his staff come in so I could fill out a lien. I informed him that wasn’t necessary since I have insurance and my insurance is paying for everything, I even had auth for visit to him. He insisted that’s how they run things in their office and I needed to sign the lien. I did and upon speaking with my lawyer we decided my lawyer wouldn’t sign the lien. I was told by either Flor or Cassandra (forgot which) who I spoke to later on the phone, that if my lawyer didn’t sign, they’d bill my insurance. I had scheduled nerve block the following week there and asked if they’d obtain auth, Flor said she would. I cancelled my nerve block as things seemed too sketchy. My lawyer just received a bill for $ 823!!! The claim form states NO insurance and stated not due to car accident. At least if they’re going to rob a patient, they might want to get their facts straight. Needless to say, I will be calling the Dept of Consumer Affairs, BBB, and Medical Board to report him, as well as contacting my insurance company to make sure he bills them. I will also contact them tomorrow to make sure they bill my insurance. I will most likely have to pay the portion that Blue Shield writes off if this ever gets settled, live and learn!!! But RUN, RUN RUN from this quack.

If you are thinking about going to this place for treatment, find another place. I had a very bad experience with this place. First off, I had a 2pm appt. scheduled weeks in advance. They sent me the paperwork to fill out in the mail and I filled it out and faxed it back. To help the appt. I arrived 30 mins early. I didn’t get into a patient room until 3: 20pm. This is exact time with no fudging.
On the paperwork it asks me to put any prescription refill information and to bring the bottles of the exact medication that I was taking. I calmly told the doctor the problems I was having and he asked me to bend over, bend backwards and take deep breaths. Then as if he was being called, he ran out of the room. twice this happened… Then he comes back and says we can set you up for a shot that might help you. Goodbye! I then said, wait a minute! What about my prescription refill until I get the shot??? Front desk or him never asked me about the medications I was taking and also didn’t ask to see the bottles of meds that I was taking. Then he asks me how long have you been on this drug? When I tell him, he whips up the government site that shows all the refills I have gotten for this medication and shows it to me. He says the best I can do is give you 2 weeks of meds and then set you up for the shot. I say ok, but then I question him about the shot. Then he changes his mind and says, we help people get off the meds and I said, that is great but I’m really concerned about that shot. Then he says, actually, I’m not going to send you with anything until you come and see me again (another doctor visit $$$) And on top of that, we are booked 7 months out so there it is! I left the office owing money with no prescription to take for my current pain… Now I’m hurting with no recourse but to go back to the doctor that sent me…
On a good note… the staff were super.

Zero stars. I was referred to this office for pain management on 92 514. 3 weeks later, no one had contacted me to schedule my initial consult. I called the office and left multiple messages for the «scheduler» who never returned my calls. I called again in early November and was finally told that the doctor still had yet to review my medical referral to determine if I would be accepted into this practice. Also, I was not considered a priority because of my insurance type. Ridiculous protocol, but I continued to wait an additional 3 weeks with no response. Completely unprofessional and inconsiderate behavior. It is evident they refuse to accept patients of Partnership Health, despite being on their referral list. Highly do not recommend. I filed a complaint with Partnership regarding this matter.
Thanks Dr. Tarasenko for wasting 2 months of my precious time, during which I could have been receiving treatment from another provider. I would’ve had more respect for this office if they had the professional courtesy to just call and deny my referral from the very beginning.

I have had 6 surgery, 2 staff infections, been oxy for 8 years, been to doc’s in San Fran, and Sacramento, and 3 suicide atempts. I was told these Docs were the best of the best. I have been dealing with pain from 1983. Doctor Tarasenko was the first doc to tell me what was going on with my back, nerve damage, arthritis, the back muscle are fighting themselves. So I have been in lower back pain since before 1983 tell I have been treated by Doctor Tarasenko. I now have spinal stimulator, some non opieds medicine. I now living a normal life with my wife, kids, grandkids. But you need to listen, and follow his instructions, Doctor Tarasenko will tell you how it is. If you are a new patient, you might be there for a couple of hours, it is worth the wait.

Its not only pain management, but the other side of that too: getting off the pain meds. Dr. Tarasenko helped me get off the numerous opiates I was addicted too and I’m at a place in my life I’ve been wanting to be at but couldn’t do on my own. The key is Suboxone. It wasn’t easy at first, but he worked with me to get the right dosage so I could go through my day without feeling cravings and without feeling any withdrawals. He treated me as if I was a patient that he wanted to help, not as if I was somehow lower than others for being an addict, which does make a difference when you’re in that state of mind. If you want to get off opiates and simply cannot make it through the withdrawals, try Suboxone, and do it exactly as prescribed, do your part and stick to it, and you will succeed. I tried several times to do it on my own and I got 30 days and still wasn’t recovered. With Suboxone it has been half a year and I am very happy with myself. I am very serious, if you are on opiates, you want to quit but you have no idea how because the withdrawals are too hard on you, call Dr. Tarasenko and setup an appointment to start treatment with Suboxone. Just as I am now, you will not be let down (as long as you do your part).

I was skeptical about starting Ideal Protein but after a week of being on the protocol I quickly became a believer. One of the reason I was skeptical was because unlike Jenny Craig, weight watchers and the countless of weight loss products on the market, Ideal Protein discourages exercise in what they call «phase one». As I continually slimmed down week to week I forgot about excersising. The food is delicious and I like that I can incorporate one regular cooked meal a day. I’m not dependent on «packaged» food all day, i can still have dinner at a sit down restaurant and live in the real world. I love the variety of drinks, bars, chips, soups, cookies and puddings there’s to choose from. My favorite snack is a strawberry wafer, I love having chili for lunch and the bars are always great as a quick breakfast option. I’m definitely going to continue the program because it’s definitely an easy weight loss program, where I’m not starved or feeling hungry all day.