ChronicDepressionDysthymia near Jupiter, FL

Biography: Nikolaus Pankow, M.D., is a family medicine physician at Baptist Health Primary Care. He is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.Prior to joining Baptist Health, Dr. Pankow was a family medicine physician at MyCare Medical in Jupiter, Fla.Dr. Pankow earned his medical degree at Humboldt University of Berlin in Germany. He completed a general medicine residency at Praxis, Dr. D. Grnholz and Dr. W. Niebling in Titisee-Neustadt, Germany and a family medicine residency at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio.In addition to the primary care of acute illness and injury, Dr. Pankow specializes in preventive care, health maintenance and the management of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, anxiety and depression, many of which are rooted in a persons lifestyle. While Dr. Pankow recognizes that pharmaceutical treatments for these conditions are oftentimes necessary to achieve symptom suppression and mitigate the risk of complications, he says they never eliminate the root cause or cure the condition. He also points out that when solely relied upon, they enable patients to continue a lifestyle that has contributed to their illness. To provide holistic, causative, patient-centered care, Dr. Pankow considers the interconnectedness of all aspects of a person's lifestyle. He strives to help his patients identify sustainable lifestyle changes that will not only prevent chronic conditions from worsening but possibly reverse them and, at the same time, improve their quality of life. Dr. Pankow is fluent in English and German and conversationally fluent in Spanish. During his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, exercising, reading, cooking, practicing meditation and yoga and exploring his own adventurous path to a healthy and happy life so he can share the experience with his patients.

Care Philosophy: As a physician, a mother, I understand the difficulty and sometimes even hesitation about seeking treatment for yourself or your child.I believe in honesty with my patients, regarding diagnosis and treatment options, so that my patients can make an informed decision for themselves. I want my patients to be part of the decision making, and this is achieved by educating patients on risks, benefits and alternatives of treatment. I want my patients to feel empowered, because their symptoms leave them feeling powerless and hopeless. One of my most important roles as a psychiatrist is to instill hope for my patients. Depression is a treatable condition, and now with cutting edge technology, of TMS therapy, we have even more treatment options for patients who have struggled with side effects of conventional treatments and symptoms affecting their ability to function. My job is to return patients back to functioning.This is how I would want to be treated, with honesty, dignity and compassion.