Another RE question or two or three

[Anonymous]

I am about to make the phone call. I am old (42) and this would be for #2. I don't even know where to start to research where to go. I am not planning on any ART (yet), but I'd like to have a consult on the options, and particulary get a workup. I don't want to get into a mill or feel pressured to go with even an IUI or certainly IVF. Anyway, I am thinking about calling Dr. Frankfurter, per an earlier post. I am trying to get my husband to a urologist for other reasons, and the urologist I am trying to get him to see (Paul Shin) seems to also be part of GWU MFA.

OK, after all that. I have three questions:

1) Should I consult my regular Gyn before moving forward (we had a consult with her over the summer after we started trying again, but no tests run).

2) Anyone have anything positive or negative to say about the GW practice?

3) Any comments on Dr. Shin? The irony here is that I wanted my husband to see Dr. Shin because of location for an unrelated problem. Then someone posted on DCUM that he has a specialty in male infertility and I thought it was fortunate.

TIA

[Anonymous]

Dr. Shin is great, my DH felt very comfortable with him which made the process much better. My DH had prior vasectomy and then a failed reversal which I later learned is often a waste of time, but Dr. Shin was able to get viable sperm with the help of our embryologist Awie Botes from Dominion Fertiltiy. We are 6 wks pregnant and awaiting sono...GL to all

[Anonymous]

congratulations! I may have seen your posting before about Dr. Shin. I was already trying to get DH to that practice, and then I actually stopped in their office, and the receptionist said Dr. Shin might be one of the two physicians that would have available appts. DH still hasn't made an appointment yet, but last night I asked him to make his appt with Dr. Shin. We don't know if we have male factor issues, but I wouldn't want to have to start over with Dr. Shin later.

[Anonymous]

OP - I wouldn't waste time consulting with your OB - just make the appointments with the REs. You'll have to wait to get in for some, so you'll have time to research more once you make the appointments.

Just so you know, I've consulted with 4 REs in town (and 2 out of town) and never felt pressured to do treatment. Of course, you will be given stats that some treatments might give you a higher chance of getting pregnant. And you may be told that donor eggs would give you the highest chance of success (which is true). But during my consults I was clear at the beginning regarding what I was and was not willing to consider (e.g. reluctant to do IVF, not interested in donor eggs), and the REs really respected that and didn't push things that I said I didn't want to pursue.

As for Frankfurter, I consulted with him and he did suggest that we should just go with IVF right from the start, to see how I would respond and what kind of embryos I would make. There is a strong view by some REs that that is the way to go with older women, so he wasn't out-of-line. However, I was several years younger than you, and I don't know that he would suggest IFV for you at your age. (Many although not all REs, believe that once you hit 42 or 43, IVF isn't worth it because your chance of success won't be any better than doing IUIs.) I ended up not using GW because I didn't have any strong feelings towards them (didn't get any warm and fuzzies, didn't feel that they would be better than anyone else, didn't think they would be as easy to cycle with, etc.)

[Anonymous]

PP - OP here, may I ask which clinic you did choose? I sort of feel like if I start interviewing REs, I am going to be wasting valuable time.

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am a patient of Dr. Frankfurter, pregnant on second IVF, and I cannot say enough good things about him. I am also a former patient of CFA and left due to billing problems.

If you plan on interviewing several RE's in the area, you could loose up to 3-6 months of time with all the appointments and evaluations of each clinic.

[Anonymous]

I'm 42 and have boy/girl twins thanks to Dr. Gordon at Dominion Fertility, he is very open to pursuing what his patients are comfortable with and he won't push the DE unless he really feels it's the only way you will have a baby. GL

[Anonymous]

Soo confused. I have an appt with Dr. DiMattina. Is he as good as Dr. Gordon?

[Anonymous]

Dr. Shin is a great doc and definitely knows his stuff. However, I found his blatant criticism of Shady Grove a bit off putting. He seemed to be selling CFA--Dr. Sacks in particular--and this just didn't sit right with me. Also, he wasn't great with returning calls and picked up the telephone when his wife called a few times.

[Anonymous]

PP 16:24, I was Dr. Gordon's patient, but I saw Dr. DiMattina several times and he did my ER, they are both good, and they consult on all patients along with their lab director.

[Anonymous]

My husband went to Dr. Shin and liked him. He made my husband feel about as comfortable as is possible and he is very personable and really seems to know his stuff. We told him that we were going to SG and he spoke very highly of our doctor there.