Hello everyone, I'm new to this board. My husband and I got pg using IVF/ICSI and now have a wonderful son. We then moved to FL and now we want to try again.
We had a consultation today with a clinic in Orlando (not sure if I can post the name). I am a bit uneasy about their approach. The Dr said they don't monitor the stim cycle until day 9. They also don't do bloodwork since the Dr claimed that the estrogen levels wouldn't really tell you that much and they don't adjust the meds during a cycle. They get a baseline follicle count on your day 3 and then use that to determine which protocol to use. Also, they don't cancel any cycles. They will proceed to egg retrieval with just two follicles if that's what you have. This goes against everything I've read. Lastly they don't use PIO shots, just prometrium as a vag suppository. The Dr said it virtually eliminates spotting and that it is just as effective as the shots.
On the other hand the Dr is experienced, practicing since 1991, and the clinic has good success rates as listed with the CDC (38 % of transfers resulting in live births). The other big factor is that the cost is very good, $7,000 per cycle including ICSI and AH. No shared risk program but it is inexpensive enough that we could try again.
I don't know what to do or think about all this!! Please let me know opinions good or bad to help us make up our mind! If you know the place I'm referring to it would be great to hear any input from a first hand point of view. Thanks! Sorry so long.
Advice on clinic please!!! long
There is such a thing as simplifying too much. I agree the price is attractive, and the rates are not much lower than national averages. The frozen and donor rates are good, but they did not report enough data to be sure.
It was pretty easy to tell which clinic you were talking about.
I did not find any clinic in the Orlando area with eye-popping success rates. Perhaps the one in Winter Park, or maybe The Reproductive Medicine Group if you can do the commute to Tampa.
I've never been to any of them.
The clinic you referred to did not have any 2004 data reported, but in general you should use the latest (2004) data instead of 2003. You probably know this, but just in case you didn't know where to find it, it's found here (for most clinics):
http://www.sart.org/find_frm.html#
It was pretty easy to tell which clinic you were talking about.
I did not find any clinic in the Orlando area with eye-popping success rates. Perhaps the one in Winter Park, or maybe The Reproductive Medicine Group if you can do the commute to Tampa.
I've never been to any of them.
The clinic you referred to did not have any 2004 data reported, but in general you should use the latest (2004) data instead of 2003. You probably know this, but just in case you didn't know where to find it, it's found here (for most clinics):
http://www.sart.org/find_frm.html#
Hi there
My clcinic is the same - I am not monitored in the stimulation phase until around day 9\10. Is this normal. I have also been given Menagon. It is horrible I have to mix three parts of powder to one liquid. Then on the 7th day onwards I have to have 2 injections (one to prevent ovulation ). Anyone else taking Menagon??
I am also concerned about not being checked until late on - but should I be??
Thanks Bekki
I am also concerned about not being checked until late on - but should I be??
Thanks Bekki
thank you and question for Ghost
Thank you Ghost and Bekki. I am still trying to decide just what to do.
Ghost, is it common to not have monitoring during a stim cycle? I thought that was standard. In our 1st and only cycle (which was a success) I had about 15 follicles I think and I know we got 11 eggs. All fertilized but only 5 made it to day three, at which point 2 were transferred. Afterward, the last three stopped dividing. I was on follistim/repronex. Can I expect the same response this time around, especially without monitoring? The Dr said they start out at 300IU Follistim for the first 4 days, then taper it off to 150-200IU. Last time I started at about 150. Thanks.
We are scheduling a consult with a different clinic to see what "feeling" we get from them. The only positive thing about the lack of constant monitoring I can think of is that I wouldn't have to drive an hour each way, every other day with my 8 month old.
Ghost, is it common to not have monitoring during a stim cycle? I thought that was standard. In our 1st and only cycle (which was a success) I had about 15 follicles I think and I know we got 11 eggs. All fertilized but only 5 made it to day three, at which point 2 were transferred. Afterward, the last three stopped dividing. I was on follistim/repronex. Can I expect the same response this time around, especially without monitoring? The Dr said they start out at 300IU Follistim for the first 4 days, then taper it off to 150-200IU. Last time I started at about 150. Thanks.
We are scheduling a consult with a different clinic to see what "feeling" we get from them. The only positive thing about the lack of constant monitoring I can think of is that I wouldn't have to drive an hour each way, every other day with my 8 month old.
I totally believe in constrant monitoring. I've had IVF cycles cancelled early twice due to high FSH scores. A few other times they were cancelled due to cysts. I'd rather them be cancelled early on vs. going through the whole thing when it wouldn't have worked in the 1st place. Based on the monitoring, they can tell you if it WON't work or not.
Jane
Jane