[sharonb]

Hi.

Well, its been a pretty hard week for me since my last (4th) ivf cycle failed. I got a bfp for the first time...but it didn't last long-would have been the best b-day gift this month!

So, I'm considering changing insurance plans in April so I can go out of network to either Cornell, CCRM or SIRM, but just don't know where to go.

I've been to 3 different clinics so far, and have had similar results (important to note that 2 of them use the same lab). I am just praying that I will have success and that the fact that I had similar outcomes at 2 different labs doesn't indicate that I'm doomed for failure.

I would appreciate your input...as I could really use some hope right now...

Thank you in advance.

[Luz]

I have read way too much about IVF clinics just toying with the idea of having enough money to fly out of Nebraska and get the best IVF available and I have come across so many positive reviews regarding Cornell. I really think they are one of the best clinics. Good luck on your next attempt.

[sharonb]

Thank you!

[JustOneMore]

Sharon, I am so sorry for your loss. It is just so painful and disappointing. I hope you have some comfort in the fact that finally saw a BFP and know that you can get pregnant - that is an important data point.

Where do you live? I use SIRM in NYC and I believe that I am in excellent hands. I have also consulting with another RE who headed up SIRM in Long Island until this summer when he went out on his own. I would have used him except he was too far away but he phone consulted with me several times and just blew me away. If you'd like more info, please PM me.

[sharonb]

Originally Posted by JustOneMore

Sharon, I am so sorry for your loss. It is just so painful and disappointing. I hope you have some comfort in the fact that finally saw a BFP and know that you can get pregnant - that is an important data point.

Where do you live? I use SIRM in NYC and I believe that I am in excellent hands. I have also consulting with another RE who headed up SIRM in Long Island until this summer when he went out on his own. I would have used him except he was too far away but he phone consulted with me several times and just blew me away. If you'd like more info, please PM me.

Thank you for your reply. I'm trying to take comfort in the fact that I got a bfp...but I don't know if that will mean success for us or not. Does getting a bfp but then having it turn into a chemical mean that a good thing happened or it was just a fluke. I don't know.

I live in MA, so NY is not far. I wish I didn't have to think about going out of state since so many women have success here, but unfortunately I'm not. I don't know if its me, the RE or the lab.

What made you choose SIRM over Cornell? I would like to get the info on your RE and the one you mentioned you consulted with. How do you like your RE at SIRM NYC? Have they given you any insight into why they chose the protocols they have so far? I'm looking for someone that will really review my case and not just put me on a simple and easy protocol they use for everyone...at least not after 4 unsuccessful cycles.

[Gutatta]

Originally Posted by sharonb

Thank you for your reply. I'm trying to take comfort in the fact that I got a bfp...but I don't know if that will mean success for us or not. Does getting a bfp but then having it turn into a chemical mean that a good thing happened or it was just a fluke. I don't know.

I live in MA, so NY is not far. I wish I didn't have to think about going out of state since so many women have success here, but unfortunately I'm not. I don't know if its me, the RE or the lab.

What made you choose SIRM over Cornell? I would like to get the info on your RE and the one you mentioned you consulted with. How do you like your RE at SIRM NYC? Have they given you any insight into why they chose the protocols they have so far? I'm looking for someone that will really review my case and not just put me on a simple and easy protocol they use for everyone...at least not after 4 unsuccessful cycles.

Wow, glad I stumbled on this thread ...

I am currently considering IVF #3. This time, I am willing to travel to a clinic with a stellar reputation.

I have a phone consult tomorrow with a doc at SIRM (Dallas location) and a phone consult with a doc at the CCRM Nov 9th. Hoping for good news and different viewpoints from what I have gotten before.

[Ghost]

Originally Posted by Gutatta

I have a phone consult tomorrow with a doc at SIRM (Dallas location) and a phone consult with a doc at the CCRM Nov 9th.

The SIRM is Texas is pretty good.

[sharonb]

Originally Posted by Gutatta

Wow, glad I stumbled on this thread ...

I am currently considering IVF #3. This time, I am willing to travel to a clinic with a stellar reputation.

I have a phone consult tomorrow with a doc at SIRM (Dallas location) and a phone consult with a doc at the CCRM Nov 9th. Hoping for good news and different viewpoints from what I have gotten before.

Good luck! Please let me know how your consult with CCRM goes. I'm really curious to see how much information about your case they will give to you without signing up to do a cycle with them.

[Gutatta]

Originally Posted by sharonb

Good luck! Please let me know how your consult with CCRM goes. I'm really curious to see how much information about your case they will give to you without signing up to do a cycle with them.

No problem - my phone consult isn't until Nov 9th with the CCRM, but my consult with SIRM is in an hour. I'll keep ya'll updated. Hope he has new and interesting things to say.

On a side note, I called the Mayo clinic in Minn, and they were very rude. She kept asking for my insurance and I told her that I was paying out of pocket. She said "I cannot go any further with you unless we have a deposit" - What ? I was asking for pricing and what the wait list looked like. I have to put a deposit down before I find out how much it would cost ??? She repeated it like three times - it was like she was accusing me of nonpayment before I was actually a patient !! So, no Mayo for me.

[cubby14]

I have done two IVFs at Cornell and I would highly recommend them, even though I still don't have a baby. They have good success rates and they get sent a lot of "hard" cases from other clinics (from what I've read online). They use a team approach, so it doesn't really matter what RE you pick, since you'll be seeing a bunch of different ones during stimming. You won't go wrong with them. Good luck!

[sharonb]

Originally Posted by Gutatta

No problem - my phone consult isn't until Nov 9th with the CCRM, but my consult with SIRM is in an hour. I'll keep ya'll updated. Hope he has new and interesting things to say.

On a side note, I called the Mayo clinic in Minn, and they were very rude. She kept asking for my insurance and I told her that I was paying out of pocket. She said "I cannot go any further with you unless we have a deposit" - What ? I was asking for pricing and what the wait list looked like. I have to put a deposit down before I find out how much it would cost ??? She repeated it like three times - it was like she was accusing me of nonpayment before I was actually a patient !! So, no Mayo for me.

Good luck with your consult with SIRM. I can't wait to what you find out. I'm sure its different though, depending on which RE you talk to. Also, please let me know what you find out on the 9th when you call CCRM.

That is terrible about Mayo! I don't blame you for running the other way. I'm amazed how those working in the infertility field can be so cold...I mean really, shouldn't sensitivity be a prereq?

[sharonb]

Originally Posted by cubby14

I have done two IVFs at Cornell and I would highly recommend them, even though I still don't have a baby. They have good success rates and they get sent a lot of "hard" cases from other clinics (from what I've read online). They use a team approach, so it doesn't really matter what RE you pick, since you'll be seeing a bunch of different ones during stimming. You won't go wrong with them. Good luck!

Thank you for writing me...I really appreciate it. I think its a hard choice between Cornell and CCRM (and maybe SIRM). They both are held in such high regard. What made you choose Cornell?

I'm sorry about your loss in Feb. and I do wish you the best of luck. Did you have your follow-up yet? What do they think is the concern?

[JustOneMore]

Hi Sharon,

I actually didn't consider Cornell. I fell in love with the SIRM doctors and just went with them. I see Dr. Tortoriello and I just love him. I had done my first IVF cycle elsewhere and I was very upset about the outcome (BFN, hyperstimmed and OHSS). I posted a question on The SHER Institutes for Reproductive Medicine - Network of infertility practices. Dr. Braverman of SIRM LI responded and offered to speak with me if I had questions. I took him up on his offer and he spoke to me for an hour...and I wasn't even his patient. I would have absolutely cycled with him but it would have been a 2 hr each way commute. He referred me to the head of the NY office, Dr. Tortoreillo. What I love about him is that I always have his undivided attention and he makes me feel like I am his only patient. He doesn't make me feel like he is running through the same protocol he gives everyone (which is how I felt at my first clinic). Instead, he is really thougtful about me, my situation and what he feels will work for me. He also doesn't do the open cattle-call monitoring. Everyone gets an appointment. He also is very responsive on email so if I had a question (which I always seem to have), I shoot him an email and seems to always get back to me right away...especially at 10 o'clock at night! I love that he is so accessible and is so patient with me. I am the type to ask a million questions and he always takes the time to explain things to me. Also, if you are coming in from MA, it would be very convenient for you - their office is just a few blocks from Penn station.

The other thing about SIRM is that they are very thorough with their testing so if there is something else going on that prevents you from carrying a baby, they will find it. I have never heard anyone not being happy with Dr. T. He is thoughtful, compassionate and very knowledgeable and his staff is wonderful. I personally find the caring and friendly staff a major plus. This process is so hard that the friendly faces and extra compassion is really helpful.

As for the chemical, you should be VERY pleased to have seen a BFP. The fact that you were able to get pregnant is wonderful news. Unfortunately, a chemical pregnancy is typically a result of a chromosomal abnormality that prevents the fetus from developing. It is very common and just bad luck. Most women have chemical pregnancies and don't even know it, their period just shows up a day or two late and they are the none the wiser.

You are considering the top 3 clinics in the country so I don't think that there is a bad answer - I think you will be in good hands regardless with all of them so you might want to consider convenience as well since .... well, you know the drill .... lots of monitoring and trips to the doctor. Good luck to you whatever you choose and I hope you are holding your baby before you know it.

[cubby14]

Sharon- Thank you. As you can see on my signature, our problem is primarily MF infertility, although I have a few problems myself. So we first found my husbands dr. at Cornell (he is one of the leading doctors in male infertility in the country). Then we decided that because of our age we wanted to just take the plunge and go to the best. We could have chosen places much closer to our home (Cornell is 6 hrs. away) and much cheaper, but we felt we needed to give ourselves the best shot we could. We found out AFTER we chose to go there that my husband could get insurance coverage through his work and because Cornell was considered a "Center of Excellence" in NY we don't have to pay anything! What a blessing!
Even though Cornell does over 2000 IVFs a year we still feel very well taken care of, not just a number. The morning monitoring is very busy and you don't get an individual appointment, but it's usually fairly quick and the staff is very friendly. We have our appointment next week to meet with both of our doctors and try to figure out our next steps.

Good luck with your decision. Take care.

[Carolina]

Originally Posted by JustOneMore

Hi Sharon,

I actually didn't consider Cornell. I fell in love with the SIRM doctors and just went with them. I see Dr. Tortoriello and I just love him. I had done my first IVF cycle elsewhere and I was very upset about the outcome (BFN, hyperstimmed and OHSS). I posted a question on The SHER Institutes for Reproductive Medicine - Network of infertility practices. Dr. Braverman of SIRM LI responded and offered to speak with me if I had questions. I took him up on his offer and he spoke to me for an hour...and I wasn't even his patient. I would have absolutely cycled with him but it would have been a 2 hr each way commute. He referred me to the head of the NY office, Dr. Tortoreillo. What I love about him is that I always have his undivided attention and he makes me feel like I am his only patient. He doesn't make me feel like he is running through the same protocol he gives everyone (which is how I felt at my first clinic). Instead, he is really thougtful about me, my situation and what he feels will work for me. He also doesn't do the open cattle-call monitoring. Everyone gets an appointment. He also is very responsive on email so if I had a question (which I always seem to have), I shoot him an email and seems to always get back to me right away...especially at 10 o'clock at night! I love that he is so accessible and is so patient with me. I am the type to ask a million questions and he always takes the time to explain things to me. Also, if you are coming in from MA, it would be very convenient for you - their office is just a few blocks from Penn station.

The other thing about SIRM is that they are very thorough with their testing so if there is something else going on that prevents you from carrying a baby, they will find it. I have never heard anyone not being happy with Dr. T. He is thoughtful, compassionate and very knowledgeable and his staff is wonderful. I personally find the caring and friendly staff a major plus. This process is so hard that the friendly faces and extra compassion is really helpful.

As for the chemical, you should be VERY pleased to have seen a BFP. The fact that you were able to get pregnant is wonderful news. Unfortunately, a chemical pregnancy is typically a result of a chromosomal abnormality that prevents the fetus from developing. It is very common and just bad luck. Most women have chemical pregnancies and don't even know it, their period just shows up a day or two late and they are the none the wiser.

You are considering the top 3 clinics in the country so I don't think that there is a bad answer - I think you will be in good hands regardless with all of them so you might want to consider convenience as well since .... well, you know the drill .... lots of monitoring and trips to the doctor. Good luck to you whatever you choose and I hope you are holding your baby before you know it.

He was my doctor too!! He is wonderful .... My husband and I will be forever greatful. I do agree with you as he makes us feel like we are his only patient.
I remember he kept telling me "you make it look so easy" every time he saw my progress...even though I had 2 failed IUI 2 failed IVF's and 1 failed frozen....I still haven't stop by to show them our miracle babies, but they keep calling me to see when I'm going to stop by. I would highly recommend them.

OH BTW! I went to cornells for a consult...and the doctor and staff there are very cold and pushy. I didn't go with them because of that.

Good luck with your decision.