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anyone with Columbia Fertility?
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Anonymous
| I'm looking into switching clinics (I'm at SG), for no other reason than my neg. IVF's. The cycles have gone well, I've even gotten to freeze blasts on both failed cycles. I'm just wondering if anyone has enjoyed the change in philosphy or size of the practice. I hear at CF the same doc does your monitoring, retrevial, and transfer. But I also really feel like the SG docs focus on one thing and do a really good job at it. Any other opinions on the labs at diff. clinics? Any help would be great. |
Anonymous
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I am a first-round IVF BFP at Columbia. I have never been to another clinic, so I can't say how it compares.
However, I will say I liked their approach, and felt they were more than competent. Columbia does infertility 24/7, so I don't think you need to worry. It's just a smaller facility, and from what many posters say, a little less like an assembly line production. It might be helpful to schedule a consult just to get a feel for them, and what one of their REs would suggest doing differently. I was very happy with my care there (I went to the DC office). |
Anonymous
| I'm going in for my 3rd IVF attempt at Columbia (DC) next week. I haven't been anywhere else so I can't compare. Dr. Rifka is great, I've seen him all the way through from the diagnostic testing to begining IVF. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable. Just stay away from a nurse called Pat Hagen and no matter what, never let her draw blood for you. Emily is the best nurse there, Tamra is nice too. For the most part, the appointments run on time and everything is efficient. IVF can be very stressful process so it's nice to deal with the same doc and nurse throughout the process. |
Anonymous
Don't worry about Pat -she is typically only on duty on weekends now, and they often have another woman doing the blood draws. Pat can be hit or miss -sometimes I liked her, sometimes not so much. I personally preferred Emily and Tamra, too. I loved Dr. Rifka! |
Anonymous
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I'm at Columbia with Dr. Rifka too. I like him a lot and I've really felt like they were on the ball with the testing and informing me of next steps. I was diagnosed with a luteal phase defect and I will start on Bravelle with timed intercourse sometime next week, depending on when I get my period. Dr. Rifka is very direct, but not cold like he has been described elsewhere on the board. I have no idea if it's true but I get the feeling that the doctors at CFA will take on more difficult cases that SG will turn away. I don't know that for sure, but its a feeling I've gotten.
I can't speak to IVF, but I've had a good experience thus far at CFA. I think the staff is very professional and competent. |
Anonymous
| I am a former SG patient currently with Dr. Abbasi at Columbia Fertility. I second the earlier posters about the attentiveness of the Columbia Fertility staff and the amount of time you get with the Dr. as compared to SG. I go to the Bethesda office. I appreciate Dr. Abbasi's responsiveness and desire to try out a different protocol (we just had a failed IVF) instead of just recommending that we move directly to donor eggs. (I'm 40). |
Anonymous
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I was at Columbia Fertility for 10 months and wasn't altogether happy. I started with Dr. Abbasi in the Arlington office and thought Abbassi was ok (not great and always late and rushed...she's also a little cold for my taste) and the Arlington office was pretty awful. We later switched to Dr. Sacks in the DC office, which ran much more efficiently and really liked Dr. Sacks...very warm and cares. He also switched up my protocol up right away when things didn't work where Dr. Abbasi kept trying the same thing month after month.
We ultimately ended up switching and not feeling trusting enough of the nurses and support staff at CF to handle IVF. They just constantly had trouble getting my prescriptions filled on time, made mistakes in running the wrong bloodwork, one time misreading the results back to be and went form looks like you may be pregnant, to oh, there's a decimal there. well, think positive. what?! We felt if they were messing these things up, how could we trust them w/more involved procedures. We switched to Dr. Muasher's office in Fairfax and it was another world. They called back w/in an hour max of a call, I never had to explain what I needed 2ce, blood work results were called in by 1pm, so no waiting by the phone after office hours, prescriptions were available for pickup w/in minutes of the order being placed. They took the stress out of the things that should never be stressful in the 1st place (but always were at CF). Basically, I trusted them, which makes a huge difference to me. Dr. Muasher isn't warm, but he is very good. |
Anonymous
| Hi, I'm the 3:11 poster.....one additional thing about Dr. Muasher's office is that Dr. Muasher does pretty much everything, for every visit. 90% of the time he even drew my blood instead of the nurse. He is the only doctor in the practice so you're never passed off, even for weekend visits, and he is the only one reviewing protocol. (I liked this, but its not for everyone.) |
Anonymous
| this is not directed towards any of the posters, but i just want to remind everyone that your experience with a doctor or clinic also depends on your attitude and the vibes you put out there. we're all human, if you cop an attitude with the doc or his staff, you will get attitude right back. also, if your cycle doesn't work, don't automatically assume it's b/c the clinic or the doc is at fault. not saying that it isn't a possibility but, remember that ivf is a crap shoot not a guaranteed promise of a baby. so if your doc is running late, resist the urge to go up to the window and go off on his staff, that same staff will be less likely to go out of their way to help you in the future. |
Anonymous
| great experience with Dr Sacks. did a lot of the work-ups at the Bethesda office (i really liked their staff) and then the main things down in DC with Sacks. negative fresh cycle and now have twins from our subsequent FET. i do agree with the blood draw by Pat - my arm was useless for days after!! but all for a good cause, eh? only other experience is with Dr Dimattina/Dominion and my dh HATED his arrogant attitude, I was a little less put off. i ended up getting pregnant on my own that time before we really ever got started but he still took credit! when we did need help 4 years later, we chose Columbia. Best of luck! |
Anonymous
| Love Dr. Rifka -- he's a straight shooter yet compassionate and sincere; he's often very busy and moves quickly but i think it's the nature of what they do and how busy the practice is. Emily is great, too. |
Anonymous
But if you really need the time, he will definitely give it to you. Love the guy! |
Anonymous
agreed! BTW -- does Dr. Rifka call everyone 'my darling' or is it just me? i'd like to think it's just me 
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Anonymous
I get "sweetie" quite a bit. I've always found it charming.
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Anonymous
| I did two IUIs and one IVF with Dr. Sacks back in 2006 out of the Arlington office and have twins to show for it. I loved the Arlington staff and the surgical staff in DC, did not have many positive experiences with the main office staff in DC. For the most part we were very happy with Dr. Sack and recommended him to several friends. Fast forward to the fall of 2008 and we went back in for a FET. It was a disaster from the start. Not seemed to go right, the staff at the DC office was horrible, we had lots of billing issues, Dr. Sacks was not as responsive as he had been in the past, and the cycle did not work. We are going to go back again this spring to thaw another embryo or two and hope that office is back on track. |