Caritas

Strengths - clean nice hospital, easy parking, seems like the goal of finding the underlying issues and Napro is great. The diagnostic lap care was amazing even including the nurses. Weaknesses - Communication and up front honesty. If you can't see and help long distance patients. Don't have them come in for an expensive surgery and not tell them.

I pursued Naprotechnology care after I met with a traditional RE and didn't feel comfortable. Napro tries to find the underlying cause of infertility. This Dr is based out of Houston, TX and I live in DFW. Once I had a month of chart per Napro standards I went to see her and she suspected endometriosis. I had a diagnostic lap a month later. Since I was a long distance patient they set me up to have follicle scans at a clinic that does napro standards closer to home. During that I thought Caritas was communicating with the closer Dr but it took me 4 months to realize they were not and they no longer could help long distance patients. This is when I felt hurried in for surgery money and then left to figure the rest out for myself without a full communication of what was going on. I came in pursuit of Napro care - and they failed miserably. While in my visits with her she was very kind and knowledgeable - I don't understand where the breakdown went. The phone nurses are terrible - I don't even think they know what half the terminology is and unfortunately it reflects terribly on the clinic. I'm sure it would be different if I wasn't long distance - I just wish they would have been more up front and honest about that in the beginning.

Every time I called they could barely answer my questions. They would have to constantly refer back to the Dr. for a simple question about a follicle scan. I could also barely understand them on the phone.

You can tell shes highly intelligent. While shes not a warm and fuzzy Dr bursting with hope - I'm okay with not giving me false hope but I think delivery is crucial. I only saw her for 2 visits - each time leading up I was so anxious I would sometimes forget my main questions. I would recommend her to a friend that lived in Houston and could see and communicate with her often. My family said she was very through and sweet after my diagnostic lap when I was in recovery and they asked her alot of questions. As a person and a Dr I thought she was great, but the communication was not good. I left feeling like I came in for a surgery and now I was another Dr's problem.

I hope you're local and make sure you get an understanding of what to expect next, and next after that, and next after that.

Based on my Creighton mehtod charting (I had brown bleeding before and after my period, painful sudden cramps, irregular cycles) I also had some day 3 test done with a previous dr with showed amh .11 fsh 18.3 (I'm only 29) She suggested a diagnostic lap first so she could go in and really see what was going on. We wanted to be aggressive so we were on board with surgery first because it seemed like alot would be checked off and we could find out alot of things. Also with the lap she did a uterine biopsy, HSG, checked out everything structural, and if there was endo she would remove it by excision (no ablation). She gave us a synopsis after surgery - wouldn't really give us what to do moving forward until we got post peak bloodwork at specified times in my cycle back. She recommended either taking a week off of work and doing a follicle scan at her clinic after I started my period. I had the option of doing the follicle scan with a Napro approved clinic closer to my hometown and chose this route. We did the first scan and I had an LUF - he recommended progesterone injections to diminish it and start next cycle with a follicle scan and post peak bloodwork. I confirmed with Jemelka's office and we went in to her for our follow up in April to go over my bloodwork. She said everything "didn't look terrible" put me on myo-inositol (4,000 mg per day) because I was "borderline" PCOS - I had SOME elevated androgen levels and irregular cycles. She told me to keep doing the follicle scans and recommended dosage for letrozole per Dr Jones (closer home clinic). There was no "come see me next month, come see me in two months, etc" after about 3 months of phone calls with only "refer to Dr Jones as he is over seeing your follicle scans" and no one looking at my chart I had been learning to do I finally asked if they could not help me long distance anymore and they said no.

The surgery had me meet my $5,000 deductible. Caritas cost was $2,700 of that. The hospital cost its self was the rest.

Naprotechnology does not perform IUI or IVF

The facilities were very nice and close to a large hospital. strengths are that they are very compassionate. weaknesses are the chart system is very detailed and takes lots of time to learn and the mandatory classes are expensive.

Dr.Jemelka was very personable. The institution is catholic and they are very compassionate. She asks how you are doing each time and spends time listening to what you have to say.

They all did a great job, no complaints. They were very nice especially when they were going to stick you, which I appreciated.

Dr.Jemelka's strengths are that she is very compassionate and listened to what I had to say about what my body had been going through. Many of my previous doctors did not want to hear what i had to say because I was under 30, so I would "most likely be fine" . She seemed to really want to understand what was going on with my body and find out how to make me better. weaknesses are that she does not believe in IVF due to her religion but will do shots. She relies heavily on charting with is an extra expense through a 3rd party associate. It is also time consuming and expensive.

Dr. Jemelka is great and compassionate. Her methods are based on charting so her work will take longer than other doctors. You will have to take a charting class and buy charting materials which are not cheap. There is no way around this so if you are just not into charting every time you use the bathroom, then she may not be for you.

Dr. Jemelka relied on blood tests and was very adamant that I sign up for an Laparoscopic surgery the first day I met her. This was because she felt that I had done all the regular tests and nothing came out abnormal so she wanted to check for endometriosis. She found i had slight endometriosis and stated that most women who have endo and get it removed will be pregnant within 8 months when they chart and have intercourse at the right time. This was really the largest factor in me agreeing to to the surgery. I had a longer than usual recovery and did not feel good for about 2 weeks after my surgery. I did not get pregnant after the surgery at all. Dr. Jemelka heavily relies on charting cervical mucus multiple times a day. And on many natural pills. I think I was told to take about 10 pills a day and many were very large. This was hard for me after a few months especially with not seeing any results. eventually Dr. Jemelka wanted to see me more frequently about every week or more to take blood test and start on shots to see if that would work. However, I moved out of state so flying in so often was difficult and i had to stop treatment with her.

The charting and materials ran about $50 a month and the class was over$100 and $50 for any charting consultations that were at least one a month if not longer. I believe you also sign a contract to pay the chart consultant for a minimum of 6 months. so around $600 for this service. This money does not go to the clinic, but the clinic will not take you on as a patient of you do not do this. The endometriosis surgery cost around $5,000 after my insurance. And I believe I had a $30 co-pay for any visit. The vitamins cost about $40 a bottle.

does not believe in transfers due to religion

The actual clinic itself has moved since I have been there. It is now associated with a different hospital. I can not provide feedback on the clinic at this time.

Dr. Karges is a warm and compassionate but extremely competent doctor. I always felt like she had enough time for me and listened to all my concerns and answered all my questions.

Terri was Dr. Karges's nurse that I worked with. She was the one I primarily communicated with. She was caring and compassionate and I never felt like I was a bother when I would call with questions.

Dr. Karges is a kind, compassionate, competent, and skilled doctor. She always listened to all my concerns and answered all my questions. I did not feel like she was rushed in appointments. She always had hope even when I didn't. I finally have a beautiful, healthy baby because of her!

She knows what she's doing! Follow her recommendations even if you don't think they are necessary. For instance, I kept putting off endometriosis surgery because I had recently had endo surgery with another doctor. I wish I hadn't as I conceived within two months of the surgery when Dr. Karges did it.

First I did a series of blood draws every other day for one cycle to evaluate my hormones pre and post peak. It was determined that my hormones were low throughout my whole cycle. After that I started on femara, HCG, and estradiol to improve my hormone levels. She also recommended several mucus enhancers including an antibiotic. Every month I would have my hormone levels checked 7 days past ovulation and she would adjust dosages as needed. Once my levels were good and I still was not conceiving, she did a diagnostic laparoscopy during which she discovered endometriosis as well as a uterine infection. I started on antibiotics for the infection and had robotic assisted surgery to remove the endo a couple of months later. Two months after the second surgery I conceived.

I don't quite understand this question. The costs were what you would expect for seeing a doctor. There were also costs for my compounded medications (not covered by insurance) and my labs each month.

The office is very warm, the Dr. was always open and willing to listen. She is amazing.

Always kind and prompt.

Dr. Karges is an amazing Dr. We were very pleased with all responses we received from her, and her reception of any of our questions.