Last cycle in area before heading out of the area

[Anonymous]

Thought I was a relatively straight forward case - first IVF at 34 years old, diagnosed with unexplained infertility. Haven't had a lap so can't rule out endometriosis but otherwise everything looks good. Have done two cycles at Shady Grove and have decided that I don't want to do my third cycle there using the same ol' same ol'. Plus am not convinced that their lab hasn't messed me up on at least one occasion.

Issue is, the only clinic I am willing to switch to is GWU (was an infertility patient there before starting IVF) but their IVF stats are terrible. I understand that they take the harder cases but my understanding is so does CCRM. I would love to hear from others on how you reconciled this fact in your decision-making. Not willing to go to CFA due to their terrible finance team and just not willing to add that stress to an already stressful process (and I had a direct taste of their team when I considered switching there for my second IVF - uh - no thanks). Would appreciate advice. If IVF #3 doesn't work then we're out of pocket and would probably go to SIRM- NYC.

[Anonymous]

I am battling infertility for several years, so I can't advise really. But I like Dr. Gindoff at Washington Fertility; he is research oriented and could go B-A-C if need be instead of standard A-B-C.
I have read that lot of women consider going out of town for treatments. I am wondering how to go about it? What about the frequent sonograms? What to tell your colleagues at work if you are taking off for 3-4 weeks? I am sorry to divert the topic here.

[Anonymous]

I don't have an answer to your question but just wanted to say that I loved Dr. Tortoriello at SIRM-NYC. He got me pregnant (twice) when everyone else said I was a lost cause. Going there was one of the best decisions I ever made.

[Anonymous]

I went to CCRM after my second (unsuccessful) cycle at Shady Grove. I reconciled it because I wanted to give myself the best possible chance at success. I am prone to wonder "what if?" and didn't want that haunting me.

To the PP who asked how you cycle out of town, you do most of your monitoring locally. I did mine at Shady Grove, so I just went there before work just like I did when I was cycling there. The local clinic faxes the bloodwork and ultrasound results to the out-of-town clinic, which then calls you with your dosing instructions. I forget how long I ended up being out of town but it was a couple days of stims, retrieval, a few days of growth in the lab, transfer, 24 hours of bed rest and then home, so whatever that adds up to.

[Anonymous]

OP Here - I am thinking of cycling with Dr. Tortoriello at SIRM-NYC next year if no success before then. PP - can you give an estimate on costs to cycle with him? In the meantime however I have one more covered cycle that I need to do locally first. To the PP that mentioned Gindoff, I used to be his patient. If I leave SGF I really am only willing to go to GWU. I am familiar with their process and at this stage am not willing to introduce additional stress factors into the equation for a last cycle locally. So its either stay with SGFC for one more IVF or move to GWU.