SG- how big of a deal is using "your" RE?

[Anonymous]

I've worked with Dr Widra and in the past and really like him- he seems competent and straightforward. I also have the impression he's well respected.

I used to commute to work from Reston, but I've changed jobs so the DC office isn't convenient anymore. I was still planning on going there for my next cycle because I feel like I "get" Widra, trust his success, and like the way things work. I also like my nurse a lot. Frankly with all the stress of IVF it seems like one thing I can eliminate is having to learn a new system and set of personalities over again. But I've found out Widra is going to be on vacation for a good part of my cycle so it seems like there is no point in going to DC anymore.

How much does the particular RE within SG matter? I've read about how SG has acquired different office (like Dr Khan's practice in Leesburg) so it seems like it may matter a lot. I'm not a particularly complicated case but I'm not a super-straightforward one either. We have the results from my last round to go on and I didn't respond very well.

What do you think? Really I want to make the absolute best chances of sucess (Obviously, who doesn't) and I'm worried that working with a new person even within the same practice will jeopardize that.

Driving to Rockville would be a pain but I'm willing to do it if that's where the best docs are.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't SG have an Annandale office?

[Anonymous]

I saw Widra and liked him, but he was on vacation for part of two of my three cycles. honestly, I might wait a month to do the IVF cycle if that meant widra would be back. If not, another doctor will make the clinical judgements regarding drug doses while Widra is on vacation and it will probably be fine - but I do think that it's nice to have your doctor reviewing your file each weekday. maybe you could temporarily switch to a new doctor within SG for your next cycle? I'd ask my nurse about that if I were in your position.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the responses. I think I'd definitely need to completely switch doctors for ONE cycle if we do it when Widra is away. So I assume SOME doctor that's not on vacation would be reviewing my files each day.

The current plan that was suggested was to go to one of the doctors in DC but for me that seems silly- the reason to use a doctor in DC was because I liked Widra. So I feel like I would have some "random" person in DC reviewing my files and calling me based on appointments. It seems like virtual doctoring. (Which maybe isn't a bad thing)

And I likely wouldnt be going there for monitoring anyway. (Leesburg would be most convenient for me).

The question is, is a specific doctor reason enough to postpone IVF a month or two? (Which would be really inconvenient for other reasons in life)?

Are there other doctors whom people would recommend? Honestly I don't care if they are nice or not; I just want them to be really good and succesful at getting people pregnant.

Is it posible to review pregnancy rates by doctor at SG?

[Anonymous]

As far as I know, it isn't possible to view pregnancy/success rates by doctor at SG. I had a doctor at another local clinic tell me he thought it was easy for doctors to "hide" there, which scared me since, unlike you, I wasn't as confident in my SG doctor. I tried to switch to another doctor within the same office, but found that to be nearly impossible, so then I tried to switch to Dr. Greenhouse in Annandale (who wouldn't take me because I was already a patient of another SG doctor). I finally met with Dr. Saffan in the Annandale office and really liked him, his experience, and his approach. In the end, though, I ended up going out-of-state so didn't cycle with Dr. Saffan.

[Anonymous]

Dr Levens and Dr. Bromer are the 2 I would recommend (neither is my primary doctor there). Dr. Levens did my egg retrieval and Dr. Bromer has done a lot of my monitoring. Both are fairly young but extremely informative and take a lot of time to explain things. I didn't find that either of them breeze in and breeze out like some of the doctors there do.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I am no so concerned about bedside manner (although I will DEFINTELY take it, as well as someone who listens well) but AM concerned about success rates. The idea of hiding behind others' stats is important.

Do others have experience with Osbourne or Nair? also in DC?

[Anonymous]

To 20:09 - I don't really care about bedside manner either - I want success. However, I am a tough case with a history of a lot of loss - I NEED explanations for certain things. And some of the doctors at SG just don't give you anything to go on. I feel like if I am spending this much time and money, I need a little more info about my situation. I have just had 2 failures at SG and am rethinking my options as we speak. I am not totally inclined to switch clinics yet but I am definitely looking around. Although SG is the biggest clinic in the US and do the most cases per year (and have a reputation for a wonderful lab), they do not have the highest success rates. And that is what I need. I find them (my doctor especially) ultra-conservative. I need someone a little more aggressive at this point. And someone in whom I have 100% confidence. Which I definitely don't have right now.

The poster who said it was easy for doctors to hide there really made an impression on me....

[Anonymous]

Dr. Nair is my RE at SG, but I am only on my 3rd IUI, so I don't have experience with her and IVF (yet - that's our next step.) I like her so far and have found her to be warm/friendly, attentive with followups and taking her time to answer my questions (if she is in the office when I come in for monitoring, she often comes in the room and does it herself.) I read some previous comments on this board about her being condescending, but I haven't found that at all. I've expressed strong opinions about certain things and she was willing to be flexible and accommodated my concerns. She's also aggressive - with my first 2 IUIs at BFNs, she moved me to a hybrid injectable this cycle and I didn't even have to ask. I also really liked Dr. Osborn the two times she did my monitoring; I think she's considered the "favorite" female RE at SG.

[Anonymous]

I need a little more info about my situation. I have just had 2 failures at SG and am rethinking my options as we speak. I am not totally inclined to switch clinics yet but I am definitely looking around.

I have a couple of friends who have paid for consults with the physicians at CCRM in Colorado, even though they knew that going out there for the procedure was unaffordable or unworkable for other reasons. I think they all felt pleased at having another professional looking over their records and either confirming the wisdom of a course of treatment, or offering other ideas that may not have been tried.

[Anonymous]

I have a couple of friends who have paid for consults with the physicians at CCRM in Colorado, even though they knew that going out there for the procedure was unaffordable or unworkable for other reasons. I think they all felt pleased at having another professional looking over their records and either confirming the wisdom of a course of treatment, or offering other ideas that may not have been tried. [

That is so ironic that you say that! I have a phone consult with Dr Surrey (CCRM) tomorrow morning!

[Anonymous]

Widra was my RE but I never saw him after the consult/follow up after testing. And I do not believe he was on vacation during my cycle. I have posted previously that due to this and no follow up appt (even after requesting it) to go over failed cycle, I have since switched to GW. Best of luck...

[Anonymous]

Dr. Nair was my dr. for the cycle I got pregnant with my twins. My office was near K St., so I was able to see her a lot. We're now TTC#3, and I don't work in DC anymore, so I go to the Annandale office for all of my appts. However, Dr. Nair is still my main dr. in that she reviews all my results and recommends treatments, calls me on the phone when I have questions my nurse can't answer, and called me after my failed cycle. I'm confident in her even though I don't see her in person anymore. I think you can stick with Dr. Widra even if you don't see him in person as often (although I haven't done IVF, only IUI, so maybe things are different with IVF).

[Anonymous]

21:56 here, for PP on twins with Dr. Nair: that's encouraging to hear. We're on our third IUI and she had me try adding Bravelle injections this time. I really hope she can do the same magic on me as you got!

[Anonymous]

Basically all SGF's REs follow the same formula so it doesn't matter who you see.