Shames Richard MD

Dr. Richard Shames is amazing! If you have been to all the other doctors and you still feel like garbage Dr. Shames knows the thyroid and thyroid disorders better than anyone I've ever been to and that is saying a lot! I cannot count how many doctors I have been to looking for help. His expertise in testing, reading tests, and asking how you feel is only surpassed by his incredible "bedside manner". He genuinely cares about his patients and you feel like you are speaking to a beloved family member. He knows that the TSH can be a faulty barometer and for hard cases he knows how to navigate thyroid medication to get you dialed into the right dose for you. He truly customizes everything to YOU. I cannot sing his praises enough! He gave me my life back.
Apr 15th, 2023

Dr. Shames is an excellent doctor. My son and I have Hashimoto's and he has helped me get my energy back and has helped my son out of a deep depression. We have seen other doctors and Dr. Shames' expertise has been the number one reason that we are healthier.
Aug 3rd, 2019

I had seen multiple doctors for chronic fatigue and got no answers except for the typical depression diagnosis. I knew I was not depressed and even presented my doctors with printouts on adrenal insufficiency but they refused to test or treat me for it. So I sought out another opinion outside the MD world. Dr. Shames is an excellent person to consult with on adrenal issues. He ordered the right tests for me and prescribed a very safe, low dose plan that got me back on track. I felt that he always approached our conversations with intelligence and real concern for my well-being, unlike the other doctors I've seen. There are other reviews here that say that some people have not had success with Dr Shames and I can not speak to that as I am not an endocrinology expert; but I can tell you that I was a definite success story and the money I spent with Dr. Shames was well worth it. I wake up energized and excited about life again. If you have possible adrenal issues (thyroid, fatigue, cortisol, etc), and esp. if you are questioning your doctor's BS depression diagnosis, I highly recommend you pay Dr. Shames a visit for a second opinion.
Feb 26th, 2017

Dr. Shames literally gave us our daughter back. She had not been well for several years, we saw specialists from all over the Bay Area. Stanford, Children's Hospital, UCSF and 3 weeks at the Mayo clinic. Although her labs read normal, she was very sick and repeatedly in and out of the hospital. Dr. Shames really listened to my daughter and heard her symptoms. She has been his patient since last spring and is doing so much better. She is a college student and Dr. Shames is willing to also talk to her by phone as well as see her when she is home on breaks from college. His staff is wonderful and caring. Life is so difficult when your child is suffering and you feel helpless. She still has tough days but is going to class, studying, making friends and enjoying life. Thank you so much
Aug 31st, 2016

As the other reviewers have mentioned, he is a nice person and a good listener. Unfortunately, he is not a good endocrinologist. Maybe that is because he isn't actually an endocrinologist but a psychiatrist. I do believe he has the best of intentions to help people out, but at least in my case, he did not have the skill. I saw him for two years and never felt more than minimal improvement, and more often felt worse. I would ask about getting blood tests and he would say to wait because it was clear that my thyroid function was still low and there was no point testing until we saw improvement. I finally had the blood work done though I hadn't improved and my numbers were far more out of range than when I started with him. I am now seeing a board certified endocrinologist and after only a month all of my thyroid tests are within normal ranges and I am starting to feel good again. I have two friends who have also gone to Dr Shames. One has improved and the other not at all. The one who has improved had a borderline issue that would likely not have been treated at all by a more traditional doctor. The one who has not has a far more significant health issue. Maybe his strength lies with the borderline problems. There is no doubt that he is nice, but if you need help with a thyroid problem, I would look elsewhere.
Jul 22nd, 2016