any good experience at VCRM in Reston?

[Anonymous]

Hi, we are looking to do DE at ORM and need to find a local clinic to do our monitoring along with pre-cycle tests. We used SG before but would prefer going elsewhere for monitoring. Has anyone use VCRM and had good experience with them?

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

We started at SG and had a very poor experience there. We switched to DE at VCRM and we had a fantastic experience there. We filled out a questionnaire about our priorities and desires. We had an appointment and they gave us six candidates. We reviewed the candidates and ordered them 1-6. Then we had external issues that delayed our transfer and roughly 9 months later, we were ready to go again and fortunately, our first choice donor was still available. On our first transfer, we successfully transferred two embryos and we now have healthy twins. After 2.5 years of failure, poor patient support, even worse accounting/billing support, poor communication between the RE and ourselves, brusque bedside manners and 3 failed transfers, SG was somewhat of a nightmare of an experience. SG is a factory and they're good if you are an ideal candidate for IVF (relatively healthy with just basic fertility issues). However, if you are older, have any type of health issues, then SG is not a good facility to use. You are a number there and not an individual patient. They do their best work by statistics, e.g. what works best for the largest number of patients. We paid significantly more for VCRM but we feel that you get what you pay for. At VCRM, the staff, nurses and Dr. Sharara all know all their patients. By the third visit, they knew who we were, and about our situation and we didn't have to rerun our entire history for them every time we called. The staff was responsive. Unlike SG, when we called VCRM, they answered the phone (got a person 90-95% of the time, not a machine), they answered questions or they actually asked and returned the call normally same day, but occasionally first thing in the morning. We had many times that it would take 2-3 days for SG to return calls. Dr. Sharara showed far more understanding and care in his role as the RE. For example, he asked a lot of questions about our miscarriage and was not very pleased about the lack of appropriate post-mortem testing for causes of infant mortality. He couldn't understand how the clinic intended to avoid a repeat problem if they didn't do any analysis of the miscarriage. Dr. Sharara looked at the same data that SG did and decided to implement some precautions (change of diet, additional pre-transfer testing, low level preventative medication). All in all, it was clear that Dr. Sharara wanted to ensure the best possible result and did all he could towards that end. He also pointed out that SG gets the largest number of people who go there and they end up with the best candidates for IVF. VCRM often ends up with the "problem cases" like us...we were older, have some health issues and had already failed IVF on three transfers. And yet, VCRM still maintains higher success rates (by percentage). SG succeeds on volume, but VCRM was far more diligent and we feel that their diligence succeeded for us where SG failed.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your detailed information about your experience at VCRM. I am glad that you have success there and congratulations on your twins.

SG IS a factory with the number of IVF's they do there. Although I liked our RE, I want success and I don't care too much about handholding, though that helps when you are emotionally invested in this process. That is why this time we want to go where the success is higher and better lab. We are not thrilled about the traveling because my dh's work schedule is not very flexible and he can't take time off for traveling easily, but we will do what we need to do to bring home a baby.

I need to do a mock cycle with ultrasound for lining check and blood drawn for estrogen check and DH has to do an SA. VCRM said they will do the monitoring for me so I am glad that I would not have to go to SG any more. SG has so many locations that it is convenient to use them, although you have to go to Rockville for transfer. I also don't like the DE staff at SG, they don't seem very nice.

Thanks again for letting me know you had good experience and found success at VCRM.

[Anonymous]

I also went to VCRM and found success there during my second IVF cycle there. I'm currently 16 weeks pregnant with twins. I had a great experience there with both Dr. Sharara and the nurses. Above all, I really liked the fact that Dr. Sharara does all the monitoring unlike other places.

[Anonymous]

I had a great experience and success at VCRM. We got pregnant on our first IVF cycle and I'm due to go back to them next month to check things out to see if I may be able to give it another go for DC#2.

I echo what PPs have said about Dr. Sharara and his staff. They do everything themselves. You have Dr. Sharara for every procedure, not a tech or a nurse. One nurse gave us her home number to call if I had any questions or concerns about my stim meds the first weekend we started, and of course I ended up reaching out to her and she helped. It is a level of care that I have not experienced anywhere and their commitment to getting you pregnant is bar none.

[Anonymous]

Love VCRM, but not sure if it will be a problem for you or not...they are not open on the weekends, just wanted to let you know.

[Anonymous]

Did not like VCRM in Reston at all. The staff was abrupt and when I asked the nurse a question about meds, instead of answering, she told me to just read the information sheet and sign. The thing that irritated me the most was while I was in the exam room with the doc with my legs up and facing the door, the nurse opened the door to walk out of the room. Anyone who was in the hall could have looked in and saw me. Bad experience.

Caution: They are closed on the weekends and some holidays.

[Anonymous]

I am pleased with my experience. Over 39, male factor and some issues with my plumbing were found. Plumbing issues were fixed and husband made some lifestyle changes and we both took several vitamins and we got pregnant naturally right away.
I liked the whole person, lifestyle and nutrition focus and that it was a small more personal touch versus a factory practice. IVF was being pushed to begin right away but fortunately we made it happen on our own.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thank you ladies. Another question, has anyone use the acupuncturist recommended by VCRM, or did you go to someone else?

Thank you!