Ten years of myasthenia treatment. Great doc. Goes out of her way to explain. Effective treatment. Conscientious monitoring.

There is a lot of staff turnover, and at times I have had trouble getting a refill order approved. Repeated phone calls have been necessary. Wait times usually short.

Note that this doc operates two offices (Fresno and Encino?) so that's two staffs. Complaints about one staff might not apply to the other.

Submitted March 12, 2024

I've been seeing Dr. Sarwar for a year or so. I like her personality, but wow - she doesn't understand what scheduling appointments means. Every single time I've gone in I book the first appointment slot of the day. Every time she has arrived over an hour late.
Today I had an appointment set for 4:45pm. I arrived on time. There were a total of 8 people waiting inside and outside for the doctor. She does not respect her patient's time or respond to emergency situations. I ended up in the ER last week because I was unable to get ahold of their office. I must have called and emailed 5 times, leaving voicemails last week. My post-ER follow up appointment was today - well that didn't happen. I don't have the time to sit around and wait with 8 people ahead of me at 5pm on a Friday. Do yourself a favor and just forget about Dr. Sarwar and her "practice". I feel sorry for their staff. I've never experienced anything like this with any doctor in any field.

Submitted May 30, 2020

Worst experience! Waited for almost 2 hours and the end result was not good. First time in there and she asked why you there for what reasons without respect. Careful explanations about the condition and still she talked and response rudely asking questions as someone who speaks and understands medical language and is a doctor like her (Not everyone is a doctor). She acts as we really know what the main problem causing the illness (please remember that if people were to know what the problem and the illness of them then they wouldn't be seeing the doctor). She takes less than 10 minutes and just went out of the room and prescribed a medication without careful explanations. The medication even makes it more than worst resulting in a terrible reaction, especially to someone who is an elderly like my family member. This faculty and staff members have no concerns toward their patients, and no respects to the elderly and family members.

Submitted June 1, 2017

Doesn't rush, patient, repetitious when needed, complete & clear responses wInfo offered without prompting. Offers referrals for consultations wInfo on why such would benefit patient. Personable, easy to talk with. Grandson has epilepsy & I wanted his condition evaluated for a possible surgical solution. Dr Sarwar recommended UC Irvine immediately, a referral from her office was made within days. My grandson's insurance approval, UC Irvine Med Ctr appt was scheduled & he was hospitalized, evaluated, received a diagnosis & advised on the availability of surgical assistance for his seizures & all was completed within weeks.

Submitted Dec. 16, 2016

My experience with Dr. Sarwar dates back to 2011. I saw her in February because an MRI my eye doctor ordered showed lesions that Dr. Sarwar said looked like MS. She gave me the battery of tests and they call came back negative. However, in April I suddenly began having chronic migraines. (I have had episodic ones for years) Working in a loud, busy community college setting, the migraines were excruciating. She started me on Topamax which did nothing. Eventually I begged her for some leave time to give me a chance to get over this never-ending migraine, and she refused, saying, "I have migraines and I have to work. You have to learn to work with them too." She was very nice until I asked her to approve some time off for me. After that she was consistently rude and abrupt. I finally told her if she wouldn't give me some time off, I would find someone who would. Only then did she decide she had done everything she could for me and referred me to a headache specialist. That's another story.

Dr. Sarwar specializes in MS. She has some knowledge of migraines but is totally non-sympathetic to the degree of pain you may be in. Having had chronic migraines for going on 5 years now, I can attest that there are different pain levels and NOBODY can compare theirs to another's. I also have fibromyalgia. She was interested in that because she wanted to learn more about it. However, my questions about my migraines were rarely answered; she was abrupt, dismissive and cut me off most of the time.

If you are there for another reason other than migraines or chronic pain, she may be nice and helpful. Otherwise I don't recommend her.

Submitted Dec. 1, 2015

Usually wait about an hour or so to see her. Once inside, our appts usually only last around five minutes. She wants to know about how my seizures are going so there is genuine concern. The office has a hard time answering the phone or receiving my faxes from Walgreens for some reason so I have to call them to make sure they got them just about every time now. Other than that, she is a solid doctor and helps me with my Epilepsy.

Submitted Nov. 10, 2015

I had an appointment with Dr. Sarwar at 1:00pm. I checked in a payed my co-pay. There was one other patient in the waiting area as well. We sat in the waiting room for an entire hour with no explanation of the wait. The receptionist picked up the phone and I overheard her say the doctor was "next door at the hospital". Again, this was not brought to our attention. By this time it was 2:00pm. At 2:00 Dr. Sarwar came through the front door and went directly into the receptionist area and started talking to the billing girls about different codes and about other patients medical conditions and asking her how she would be billing this. All the while no acknowledgement of the two patients that were waiting for 1 hour for her. Coding and patient details can definitely be talked about after patients have been see throughout the day not in front of other patients. Dr. Sarwar then asks the girls "who do I have here and what are they here for?" They said the "older lady is a returning client" and the "new patient (me) is here on referral for her migraines." so out of line to discuss what anyone is there for. HIPPA nightmare. I don’t care what anyone is there for they should not be discussing in front of others. Finally at 2:10 after she was done discussing this with billing, her receptionist called the other patient back. She was seen by Dr. Sarwar immediately. I was then taken back to a room. I heard Dr. Sarwar finish up with the previous patient in no more than 5 minutes. She was definitely rushing that poor lady that just waited well over an hour out. Dr. Sarwar then went in the other Doctors office and started laughing, giggling, talking about the weekend for a good 20 minutes! All while I'm still sitting in the office waiting to be seen. I then noticed the time and noticed I had to leave to go pick up my son from school. I left the office and went back up to the receptionist and explained to her that I couldn’t wait any longer and to hear that the Doctor was just talking about personal weekend plans, giggling, etc. was absurd she could care less about seeing me. I asked them to refund my copay as I would not be seen by someone who is negligent to their practice and is not mindful of others time. Coincidentally as she heard the door open and I walk up to the reception area, she heard me ask for my copay back and all she did was set my file on the receptionist desk. Not even an apology or explanation. I am in my 30’s and can speak for myself but I truly feel for the elderly patients that probably have no choice or aren’t aware that they are being taken advantage of. This is not how someone should be treated and this is definitely not how a doctor should run their practice.
I was credited back my copay and then on my way.
After doing a quick search on the internet on this doctor I can see I am not the only one who has been deprived of their time or concern from this doctor.
I expect consequences to be taken on this doctor

Submitted May 26, 2015

Dr. Sarwar is a know it all and so is her staff. She is very rude.

Submitted Jan. 26, 2015

There are not many neurologists in this area, and she is not the worst. She was distracted/uninterested in my questions and has a poor "bedside manner".

Submitted May 21, 2013

Great doctor, did a good job helping my daughter understand her diagnosis.

Submitted Jan. 20, 2012