Great review on shady Grove...NOT

[Anonymous]

7:02 I honestly think this is what it comes down to ... what you need most and what you are willing to put up with most.

I was shell shocked after my consult with SG. After a 7min. consult they give me a laundry list of tests I would need to do and arrange and sent me off to meet with a financial counselor who talked at me about my insurance and how much IVF costs, etc. (Mind you, I hadn't even tried a clomid cycle yet.) It was organized and so overwhelming at the same time.

At CFA, things were not so clear. BUT I also didn't have to have an HSG just to try a couple clomid cycles and they didn't make me think about IVF costs when I wasn't even ready to go there yet. And for me, the less organized but more personalized approach worked better.

[Anonymous]

PP I had a similar consult at SG, now we r at Df with Dr. Payson and he is great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:7:02 I honestly think this is what it comes down to ... what you need most and what you are willing to put up with most.

I was shell shocked after my consult with SG. After a 7min. consult they give me a laundry list of tests I would need to do and arrange and sent me off to meet with a financial counselor who talked at me about my insurance and how much IVF costs, etc. (Mind you, I hadn't even tried a clomid cycle yet.) It was organized and so overwhelming at the same time.

At CFA, things were not so clear. BUT I also didn't have to have an HSG just to try a couple clomid cycles and they didn't make me think about IVF costs when I wasn't even ready to go there yet. And for me, the less organized but more personalized approach worked better.

For anyone who may come to later read this, it is important to have an HSG and a sperm analysis done prior to taking these fertility medications even "just" Clomid. Guess what? If your tubes are blocked or the swimmers aren't Michael Phelps quality swimmers--you won't get pregnant!

Clomid is limited to 6 lifetime cycles because it can thin your lining over time.

I'll take clarity and health over convenience anyday.

[Anonymous]

1406 - I saw Payson at Bethesda Naval when he was still there. Nice guy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
For anyone who may come to later read this, it is important to have an HSG and a sperm analysis done prior to taking these fertility medications even "just" Clomid. Guess what? If your tubes are blocked or the swimmers aren't Michael Phelps quality swimmers--you won't get pregnant!

Clomid is limited to 6 lifetime cycles because it can thin your lining over time.

I'll take clarity and health over convenience anyday.

We did have a SA.

And I had zero reason to believe my issue was blocked tubes ... no STDs, ruptured appendix, surgery of any kind, or endometriosis. So the odds were really really good, that wasn't my problem. And the HSG I did before moving on to IUIs confirmed.

I am someone who likes to think and consider odds etc. so for me a clinic that is okay with my preference worked.

[Anonymous]

Another SG fan, K St and Rockville office. I wish the K St office didn't have such a long wait to schedule a new patient appointment, but that's my only complaint.

My RE at K St is wonderful - informative, highly capable. My nurse has been top-notch all the way, quickly responding to questions the same day (via phone or email).

Monitoring, ET and ER at Rockville were great. It was obvious to me they infuse their staff with strong customer service skills, and the SG staff are pros. I felt 100% comfortable dealing with SG, and would definitely recommend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
For anyone who may come to later read this, it is important to have an HSG and a sperm analysis done prior to taking these fertility medications even "just" Clomid. Guess what? If your tubes are blocked or the swimmers aren't Michael Phelps quality swimmers--you won't get pregnant!

Clomid is limited to 6 lifetime cycles because it can thin your lining over time.

I'll take clarity and health over convenience anyday.

We did have a SA.

And I had zero reason to believe my issue was blocked tubes ... no STDs, ruptured appendix, surgery of any kind, or endometriosis. So the odds were really really good, that wasn't my problem. And the HSG I did before moving on to IUIs confirmed.

I am someone who likes to think and consider odds etc. so for me a clinic that is okay with my preference worked.

A clinic that will listen to your preferences is great, but you are inadvertently spewing misinformation. Many women have experienced none of those things you listed and were found to have blocked tubes. Sometimes blocked tubes just happen--no belief or feeling necessary.

Sounds like you did a few Clomid + TI cycles before moving on to do the HSG prior to IUIs? That is great it worked out for you, but imagine the opposite and you wasted the time/money/Clomid cycles with blocked tube(s) thus no or even further reduced chance?

Hope you found/find success soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
A clinic that will listen to your preferences is great, but you are inadvertently spewing misinformation. Many women have experienced none of those things you listed and were found to have blocked tubes. Sometimes blocked tubes just happen--no belief or feeling necessary.

Sounds like you did a few Clomid + TI cycles before moving on to do the HSG prior to IUIs? That is great it worked out for you, but imagine the opposite and you wasted the time/money/Clomid cycles with blocked tube(s) thus no or even further reduced chance?

Hope you found/find success soon.

You are right. That would have sucked. And I was taking a chance because, sure, there are instances when there isn't a clear explanation for blocked tubes. However, those instances are not the norm and as a statistics professional I was willing to take the chance. (For me, clomid was also about seeing if I would ovulate ... which alone was informative ... so I was eager to start.)

Now, after repeat chemical pregnancies I am also glad that my RE, while not someone who promotes immune testing, is willing to hear my concerns on the issue.

So, like I said, it works for me. But if you wanted to be more cautious and didn't mind set protocols, I am sure SG is a great place.

Regardless, I truly hope that whatever path you took was a successful one too (I'm hoping my story ends well one of these days).

[Anonymous]

I never was keen on my Rockville appts but I loved Dr Khan and the nurses in Leesburg. Never felt like a factory there.

[Anonymous]

K St. Office
I usually go to the Sibley office (another Shady Grove clinic in the same network), and I've been up to Rockville for weekend monitoring when Sibley is closed, but today was my first time going to the K St Office. It will definitely be my last. I came for a simple injection class, and based off my experience I would never come here for actual monitoring or a procedure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:K St. Office
I usually go to the Sibley office (another Shady Grove clinic in the same network), and I've been up to Rockville for weekend monitoring when Sibley is closed, but today was my first time going to the K St Office. It will definitely be my last. I came for a simple injection class, and based off my experience I would never come here for actual monitoring or a procedure.

Can you give any details?

[Anonymous]

I loved Shady Grove when I got pregnant on my first DE cycle, then had a miscarriage, and it all went downhill from there. Rude treatment, nurse giving me instructions and med orders at the last minute, donor team UNRESPONSIVE, and the worst, THEY ALMOST PUT THE WRONG EMBRYO IN ME DURING MY SECOND TRANSFER. The doctor emailed later to say he had failed to transmit the proper instructions (the embryos from my first donor were still there, but we'd decided not to use them, but the one that was thawed was from THAT batch).

Another woman on a forum where I know the ladies well, was medicated and ready for her frozen transfer with eggs she'd frozen before her illness, and THEY DID NOT DEFROST HER EGGS ON THE RIGHT DAY. That was an entire wasted cycle, and the next cycle, her lining failed to build up, whereas it had built up beautifully before that.

Shared Risk is the ONLY reason to go to Shady Grove, and finances are a real concern. I ended up pulling out my money and going out of state--I can't take the callousness and carelessness with which they treated me after my miscarriage.

And their success rates for donor egg, which is their "most successful intervention", is 47-53%, depending on the year--by no means stellar. The frozen transfer success for vitrified DE embryos is even lower.

If anyone asks me for DE advice, I will be telling them there ARE other guarantee programs with higher success rates, better-screened donors, and more humanity.

[Anonymous]

I completely disagree with you. The waiting room is quiet and people don't talk probably because IF can be a very difficult and private struggle, and many people just don't want to talk or be recognized. Although I would've been willing to chat, I respected the fact that those early morning monitoring appointments were not the time many people wanted to make new friends. If you're there alone, bring a book or something.

My first doctor was based in DC and had a very calm and careful approach, which I liked. However most of my monitoring happened at Rockville, for convenience. The second time around, I decided to just go with a Rockville doctor. I liked my doctor, though she was a bit more aggressive than my first (but only a bit). The only problem I had was that my nurse the second time around was out frequently, and there was a lack of consistency and follow-up. If I hadn't been through it before, I may have slipped through the cracks a bit.

I really loved my regular u/s tech at Rockville and was disappointed if I didn't get her occasionally. During my few difficult/emotional moments in the offices, any nurse who happened to be around was so sweet and friendly and comforting. They also helped with free samples of meds when possible.

Anyway, I feel like the SG doctors and staff are helpful and warm. But they deal with a lot of emotional

[Anonymous]

^ sorry posted before finishing.

...they deal with a lot of emotional and difficult moments for patients, and perhaps need to latch on to a clear routine/structure to keep moving forward.

[Anonymous]

I had 3 IVFs and 2 successful pregnancies at SG, my doc was Levy. I am not sure what everyone is upset about. Why do you want to talk to other people in the waiting room? I was there for a very private, personal matter, i did not want to "connect" with anyone. I just wanted to go in and out, that's it. I do not expect or need anyone to hold my hand. The doctors are there because its their job, not to be your friend. Of course you are just a number, they see hundreds of patients with the same issue, it is impossible to stay empathetic when you see the same thing every day. They make their money with IUIs and IVFs, they will not get paid by researching new options for you. I actually enjoyed that everything was so straight forward, and that all my interactions were brief. if I were to have more children (which I am not) I would go back to SG.