Kemper James V MD

The first time I went to see Kemper it was a great appointment and it seemed like he cared but didn’t really listen very well to what I was going through. Unfortunately I had a similar experience to Kelly’s.
After my second visit and 2 failed treatments, I was having bad side effects from both meds and my condition was getting worse, he didn’t care to do anymore testing to figure out what was wrong but decided to try 2 more medications. One of them I had a bad experience with side effects (I stopped taking it and it stopped) and when I called to tell him (his nurse) about that, he came back with «well that medication doesn’t have any side effects so you might look into a psychiatrist.» This medication had nothing to do with what I was going through so it didn’t make sense even to the ER dr and my pcp. I found out that it’s very well known in the med field that there are countless reports of severe side effects with it, and the RX bottle even had a warning section for it. I kept taking it and had an episode where I couldn’t hold myself up or walk and I got the same response.
I tried to schedule another appointment after I stopped the medication so that he could get an update and maybe look into other possibilities for what I’ve been going through and I got a call back with «He said that an appointment isn’t necessary, there’s nothing else he can do for you.»
Needless to say I haven’t gone back except to fax my paperwork for work because my attacks are still happening, which by the way it’s $ 40 for his signature. I’m seeking another doctor after this. I feel incredibly blown off and feel like I’ve wasted my time and money. Going through what I’m going through, being frightened and counting on him, the worst thing I could have heard was that there’s nothing more he could do after 2 minimal appointments. Ugh.

Dr. Kemper is the best doctor I have ever seen. He takes his time and explains things to you in a way that is easy to understand, but never patronizing, the way some doctors can be. He even called me after hours to explain my test results and answered my emails when I had questions.

I was referred to Dr. Kemper by a partner /​ENT of his, after 4 weeks of unsuccessful treatment for viral labrynthitis.
Pros:
Dr. Kemper agreed to see me at 5:00 pm on a Thursday evening. He spent an hour with me reviewing the history of my illness, the symptoms, the diagnostic testing that had been done and the medications I was taking. He switched up all of my medication and referred me to start vestibular therapy when I was feeling well enough.
Cons:
During the two subsequent weekends after seeing Dr. Kemper, I had significant recurrences and increased severity of my symptoms. While I was able to reach him through the medical exchange on a Sunday afternoon, and while he did prescribe steroids and a fluid pill, they didn’t work, and in fact made my symptoms worse. When I called him again to discuss this, his response was ‘well, this treatment works for everybody, so I don’t know what to tell you.”
Also under cons, it is typically a 6 week wait to get an appointment. When you have an inner ear or balance disorder, it’s just too long to wait.
And that was that.
His office continued to give me issues with refilling my prescriptions also – at one point I was told by his nurse to ‘get off the meds and believe that you will be well.’. On another occasion, when I requested to be seen due to some intestinal distress related to the dizziness, he told his nurse to tell me that my symptoms ‘sounded like classic panic and anxiety’, and to ‘consider a psychiatrist’.
Dr. Kemper is a good doctor, well versed and knows what he’s doing. His bedside manner leaves little to be desired. I felt written off and dismissed by Dr, Kemper, and also was made to feel like a junkie for continuing to refill the prescriptions HE HAD WRITTEN ME for symptom management. I would NEVER send anybody I know to him.

Dr. Kemper is patient and kind and he explains your situation in the simplest terms possible. Don’t let his laid back exterior fool you – he is whip-​smart and gives the highest level of care. Excellent in-​house testing with a quirky group of folks who have been at it a long time. If you think you need his expertise, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with Dr. Kemper!

I recently relocated out-​of-​state and I’m screwed! Trying to replace Dr. Kemper has been impossible thus far, and Duke hospital is all over!!! I saw Dr. Kemper every 6 months following my surgery until my move; I still need to see someone today because allergies and being sick over the winter have made healing a slower process but I can’t seem to find someone in the Triangle comparable to Dr. Kemper which may require my flying back to Austin just to see him! The ticket would be well worth the peace of mind of having someone I know as professional as him fidgeting inside my head.
The same goes for his staff! Valery, his assistant, is irreplaceable. Why those other miserable individuals chose careers requring heavy customer interaction which clearly is something they can’t stand still remains a mystery to me.
Dr. Kemper’s entire office is a gem!!!