Ratings of 1 indicate that a clinic was poorly operated.
Ratings of 10 indicate that a clinic operated very well.
Scheduling
8.8
8.8
Scheduling
Ratings of 1 mean it was difficult to schedule appointments with this clinic.
Ratings of 10 mean it was easy to schedule appointments.
Billing Department
8.4
8.4
Billing Department
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory billing department.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent billing department.
Nursing Team
8.7
8.7
Nursing Team
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory nursing team.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent nursing team.
LGBTQ+ Care
7.1
7.1
LGBTQ+ Care
Ratings of 1 indicate an unsatisfactory LGBTQ+ care.
Ratings of 10 indicate an excellent LGBTQ+ care.
Attention to Detail
7.4
7.4
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is on a 1 - 10 scale, and is scored based on the rate, and severity, of errors committed by the clinic according to the patients.
For example, a severe error might be failing to inform a patient of critical information, while a small error might be failing to call a patient with results.
CDC Success Rates
This is the most recent data from the CDC. The CDC cautions that it should not be used to compare doctors and clinics. This data represents the outcomes of IVF cycles when using a person's own eggs.
For more information please see our FAQs.
Where you see a “?” on the chart, a clinic has done fewer than 20 cycles in this category and age range, so the CDC says showing percentages from this small data set would be misleading and unreliable.
Dr. Diktoff introduced himself right away and was very kind and understanding. He explained the process in detail and food not leave until I understood. ... I thought he was very kind. He knew about me and what I was there for. He explained Everything he was doing and also gave me the opportunity to make my own Decision of how many embyro to transfer. He made sure I was comfortable.
The place [CNY] was easy to find, warm, cozy and welcoming. They had a lot of comfy seats for everyone and the lights were down low which made it relaxing. ... They offered robed, slippers, lockers and showers. They had a little kitchen for patients to use. I have no weaknesses to talk about. ... She [nurse] came back timely each time and asked me often if i was ok. She was very Gentle when drawing blood and administering the lipids.
How was your experience with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
I thought he was very kind. He knew about me and what I was there for. He explained Everything he was doing and also gave me the opportunity to make my own Decision of how many embyro to transfer. He made sure I was comfortable.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Trust in him
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Diktoff introduced himself right away and was very kind and understanding. He explained the process in detail and food not leave until I understood.
Describe the protocols Edward Ditkoff used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We chose to transfer one embryo after discussing the option of transferring two. I had lipids before hand along with bloodwork. I had a warm blanket and was in a very nice relaxing room. He explained to me when he was starting the procedure, what to expect and he showed me on the u/s screen where he was injecting the embyro. Afterwards he told me that he was finished and what to look for. I stayed on the table for 15 minutes and was on my way.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CNY Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Kelsey)
She was very compassionate. She was warm and welcoming. She explained Everything she was doing and the reasons why. She offered extra if needed. She came back timely each time and asked me often if i was ok. She was very Gentle when drawing blood and administering the lipids. She turned the lights down to let me relax. I would highly recommend her.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
The place was easy to find, warm, cozy and welcoming. They had a lot of comfy seats for everyone and the lights were down low which made it relaxing. The music was low and soft. They had the spa upstairs which was amazing. They offered robed, slippers, lockers and showers. They had a little kitchen for patients to use. I have no weaknesses to talk about.
Describe Edward Ditkoff's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
I never saw Dr. Kiltz directly because I went to the Albany clinic. Labs and prescriptions, however, were ordered under his name. I have reached out to Dr. Kiltz numerous times and he did call me back but his call was missed because I was at work and never spoke with him directly over the phone. I have emailed him after I was given inaccurate instruction by one of the CNY's CRNP's. My plan was adjusted in my favor after I reached out to him and that mistake was compensated.
CNY has a vast amount of patients due to their attractive prices. I understand that mistakes happen but I have encountered too many with CNY to look over. The mounting mistakes make me have doubts about the clinic... The nurses that answer calls can be nasty and rude depending on who you speak with but some of them are very kind and helpful. All of the nurses I encountered in person at the Albany clinic were wonderful.
How was your experience with Robert Kiltz at CNY Fertility Center?
I never saw Dr. Kiltz directly because I went to the Albany clinic. Labs and prescriptions, however, were ordered under his name. I have reached out to Dr. Kiltz numerous times and he did call me back but his call was missed because I was at work and never spoke with him directly over the phone. I have emailed him after I was given inaccurate instruction by one of the CNY's CRNP's. My plan was adjusted in my favor after I reached out to him and that mistake was compensated. I believe Dr. Kiltz is a good person and I believe he would help everyone if he could. But there are too many patients for him to manage himself (of course) so he has recruited help and opened clinics in different locations to manage the amount of patients attracted to CNY's prices. Although I have never met Dr. Kiltz in person, the positive and negative occurrences at all of these other clinics reflect back on him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Kiltz at CNY Fertility Center?
If you work and are a travel patient undergoing IVF, you will not know when you will need to be in CNY until that week or the week before you need to be there. Make sure your employer is flexible and can work with you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Kiltz at CNY Fertility Center?
CNY has a vast amount of patients due to their attractive prices. I understand that mistakes happen but I have encountered too many with CNY to look over. The mounting mistakes make me have doubts about the clinic and thoughts that my hard earned money may have been better placed elsewhere. The diagnosis of infertility is heartbreaking in itself but to feel like your not a priority after investing so much effort, time, and money is even worse.
Describe the protocols Robert Kiltz used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I have undergone 1 IVF cycle so far. I used Gonal-f and Menopur to stimulate my ovaries. I triggered with Pregnyl prior to retrieval. 9 oocytes were retrieved, 5 of which resulted in 5 day blastocyst using ICSI. I did 1 fresh medicated embryo transfer that was unsuccessful and a medicated FET that was also unsuccessful. I am young, I ovulate on my own, and have no lining or hormonal issues. I have bilateral tubal factor infertility and for the next FET, plan to do an unmedicated FET.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
The nurses that answer calls can be nasty and rude depending on who you speak with but some of them are very kind and helpful. All of the nurses I encountered in person at the Albany clinic were wonderful.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
Strengths: affordability, flexibility
Weaknesses: You are your own advocate, continuity of care is compromised because multiple healthcare professionals handle your case, many mistakes are made, the stress of traveling out of town, finding your own monitoring facility, patients rarely speak directly with physician's, nurses coordinate patient care, long wait for initial consultation
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Kiltz at CNY Fertility Center.
My meds costed around $5,000 and IVF was $3,900. FET's are $250 for a year after retrieval but increases significantly after year is up
Describe Robert Kiltz's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
I was strongly suggested single embryo transfers and I think that is reasonable considering I am young with only tubal factor infertility
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Provided conflicting information
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
I've had meds called to my pharmacy with wrong name, I have been given inaccurate instruction regarding ERA cycle, nurses have been unfamiliar with the natural cycle protocol
Dr. Grossman offered his suggestions on new medications to use, potential risks, and when things didn't go as planned he asked for more tests, and looked through 5 years of history from OB's and other RE's. He then spent over an hour on the phone with me after our cycle ended in an early loss. And finally diagnosed me with silent PCOS. NO other doctor ever took the time to look at my bloodwork and see the trends.
CNY has a nurse team that you work with. It may not always be the same one, but it didn't seem to matter to me....If you need your hand held through a cycle, then you may struggle. I was fine with the communication style via email. You can contact them 24/7 and someone will look into your issue that same day. They have multiple offices so you can choose what works for you.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Because I was listed as unexplained infertility our first round of IVF was somewhat of a guessing game. Dr. Grossman offered his suggestions on new medications to use, potential risks, and when things didn't go as planned he asked for more tests, and looked through 5 years of history from OB's and other RE's. He then spent over an hour on the phone with me after our cycle ended in an early loss. And finally diagnosed me with silent PCOS. NO other doctor ever took the time to look at my bloodwork and see the trends. I am forever grateful and looking forward to another cycle.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Trust that he is trying to do what is best for you. Understand that IVF is a process and can take many months. Ask questions and be honest.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Grossman was the first doctor in 5 years to figure out a real diagnosis for me. He took time to review my past history, and to make a plan for my next cycle that I was comfortable with. He acknowledged how hard this process can be and made me feel like he really cares about me. I never felt like a number, he and his staff really care!
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
My protocol was IVF with injections of menopur, and lh-hcg. I also did and intralipid IV, and acupuncture. My body responded somewhat to these medications and I did get 8 eggs, however due to having undiagnosed pcos, my egg quality was bad. So for the next cycle I will be on metformin as well.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
CNY has a nurse team that you work with. It may not always be the same one, but it didn't seem to matter to me. I always got a quick response, good information, and all of my questions and concerns answered. They showed compassion when things were hard and made me feel comfortable for the retrieval when I was nervous.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
Price is the lowest in the US. This also means they have a high patient load. If you need your hand held through a cycle, then you may struggle. I was fine with the communication style via email. You can contact them 24/7 and someone will look into your issue that same day. They have multiple offices so you can choose what works for you. I was a travel patient from another state, and they have a dedicated travel team to help with logistics.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at CNY Fertility Center.
My monitoring was done remotely from a different state as I was a travel patient. So I can not comment on CNY's monitoring.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
IVF with ICSI was $3900. Medications for me totaled $3000
Describe Michael Grossman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
We only had one viable embryo, however before we knew that we had discussed my history and the risks of putting in more than one. It was ultimately left up to me to decide.
He [Dr. Grossman] was very thorough going over all our documentation and listening to what we wanted and supporting our decisions by saying he would do the same thing. I like that he wasn't pushing PGS testing (a lot of doctors do) but we wanted to do it because of prior miscarriages and he said yes in your case I think that is a smart idea because that is the main reason we are doing IVF.
Since CNY as a whole is so busy because of what they offer you really need to be proactive and advocate for yourself. The best way to communicate is the portal, however you are unable to have an ongoing conversation, it always has to be a new message which I find annoying. Calling them you will likely be on hold a lot and the phones go down more than you would expect.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Thus far we have only had our consultation in person. He was very thorough going over all our documentation and listening to what we wanted and supporting our decisions by saying he would do the same thing. I like that he wasn't pushing PGS testing (a lot of doctors do) but we wanted to do it because of prior miscarriages and he said yes in your case I think that is a smart idea because that is the main reason we are doing IVF.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Relax, he is easy going and knows what he is talking about and will listen to you as much as he shares with you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Although this is an extremely busy office the doctor took over an hour with us to discuss our case and look at all our paperwork. Although they generally give everyone the same protocol, he was not pushy about any of it and told us he would do what we want. He took the time to answer all our questions and listen to us and he even made jokes to help lighten the mood.
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We haven't yet started our protocol as we have had a setback healthwise and are reevaluating our plan and may switch to RIVF instead.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
I've only had communication via the portal with the nursing staff and everyone has been super responsive to all my questions and concerns.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
Since CNY as a whole is so busy because of what they offer you really need to be proactive and advocate for yourself. The best way to communicate is the portal, however you are unable to have an ongoing conversation, it always has to be a new message which I find annoying. Calling them you will likely be on hold a lot and the phones go down more than you would expect.
Another strength that most clinics don't have is the option for accupuncture or massage upstairs on the days of retrieval or transfer to help your body, make sure you ask about that as they don't always offer it proactively.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
We are still evaluating, we have some insurance coverage for IVF so we plan to use that first, but the PGS testing will be out of pocket and run around $3000.
I definitely felt like a human because my feelings were greatly crushed. [Dr. Grossman] was a very nice man, but insensitive towards my fragile emotional state when it comes to trying to have a baby. He truly needs to work on improving his bedside manor.... The Dr. basically told me that I was too heavy to have a child at this time. I understand his concern, but there is a better delivery that he could’ve with the whole situation. He seemed uncaring towards my breakdown when he told me his thoughts.
There is a lot of information the patient needs to collect for the office. The clinic [CNY] should have the ability to request all records, on the client’s behalf, from their drs. I was told this could not be done. I did all this work to get my records sent over, and nothing ever became of anything. I don’t even know if the dr looked at them. He seemed to know nothing about me.... I didn’t have much interaction with the nurses
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
The Dr. basically told me that I was too heavy to have a child at this time. I understand his concern, but there is a better delivery that he could’ve with the whole situation. He seemed uncaring towards my breakdown when he told me his thoughts. I went there so excited to try to have a child and left there crushed and in tears with nowhere else to turn. Exactly a year later, I’m in a worse boat than when I saw him. I have gotten nowhere closer to having a child and my clock is almost done ticking on my ability to have a child. I’m very disappointed, to say the least, with my treatment and heartbreak from this office.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
I have no doubts that he is a wonderful and successful Dr. My sister has 3 beautiful children because of him. I just wish he wasn’t so awkward when it comes to dealing with sensitive women and their dire situations. Compassion and understanding go a long way in my book.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
I definitely felt like a human because my feelings were greatly crushed. He was a very nice man, but insensitive towards my fragile emotional state when it comes to trying to have a baby. He truly needs to work on improving his bedside manor.
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I didn’t even make it to having a second appointment from the initial consultation. I was too discouraged and confused.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
I didn’t have much interaction with the nurses, other that being placed in a room without much conversation.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
There is a lot of information the patient needs to collect for the office. The clinic should have the ability to request all records, on the client’s behalf, from their drs. I was told this could not be done. I did all this work to get my records sent over, and nothing ever became of anything. I don’t even know if the dr looked at them. He seemed to know nothing about me.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
I saw him [Dr. Ditkoff] once right before my retrieval. I was a travel patient and my consultation was with Dr. Kiltz. He was very straightforward and to the point. If total compassion is your thing, he probably wouldn't be the one I would go to. However, the way that CNY works things, you don't see the same Doctor or nurses every time. ... He's a nice guy, but very straightforward.
The only thing I felt like went wrong was that we had to call them [CNY Fertility] to get our final freeze results and I wished someone would have really educated me on why we were doing some things the way we did them. ... They definitely don't hold your hand through treatment. I would have liked for someone to sit down with me and actually explain the goals of my protocol. ...Everyone treated me with respect and honored my wishes. I just wish there were a little more transparency.
How was your experience with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
I saw him once right before my retrieval. I was a travel patient and my consultation was with Dr. Kiltz. He was very straightforward and to the point. If total compassion is your thing, he probably wouldn't be the one I would go to. However, the way that CNY works things, you don't see the same Doctor or nurses every time. Once again, they are giving greater amounts of people access to care that would otherwise be beyond their means. That in and of itself makes CNY worth it.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Ask every single question you can think of. Write things down. He's a nice guy, but very straightforward.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
CNY, in my opinion, is trying to do a good thing. They are trying to give clients access to treatment that wouldn't otherwise get it. They definitely don't hold your hand through treatment. I would have liked for someone to sit down with me and actually explain the goals of my protocol. However, things, so far have worked out for me. We have 4 really great looking embryos. I did extensive research and I tried to follow every instruction to perfection. If I had questions, I tried to be my own advocate and called into the nurses. Everyone treated me with respect and honored my wishes. I just wish there were a little more transparency.
Describe the protocols Edward Ditkoff used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I was on an antagonist protocol I believe. I was on 150 Gonal F, 75 Menopur, and .25 of Cetrotide (starting day 3). I triggered with a double Lupron trigger on day 10. I produced about 10-15 follicles, but only had 5 eggs retrieved. I was pretty devastated at this, but 4 out of my 5 embryos were frozen on day 5. Those 4 embryos are graded really good. This was my first medicated cycle of any fertility treatment and I know I'm an easy responder to other medications. I believe the rationale behind my protocol was that we just didn't know much about how I would respond. I maybe have a very mild case of PCOS in my one ovary and my husband has some male factor issues. My blood tests were all pretty normal. This was kind of a basic first protocol to see how I would respond. Luckily, after getting over the fact that I only retrieved 5 eggs, things have worked pretty well. I have yet to transfer anything yet.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
The nursing staff at CNY-Albany are great. They really do try to get to know you and are very compassionate. They will answer any and all questions that you have.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
Strengths - Cost is a huge one. IVF would totally be out of the question if not for them. They all try very hard to make you feel comfortable and taken care of. They have their opinions on how things should go, but they ultimately listen and honor your wishes. They try a mixture of Eastern and Western medicine to try and get things to work.
Weaknesses - If you want a clinic to hold your hand through the entire process, this one isn't for you. You really have to be your own advocate and not be scared to speak up and ask questions. My only regret was that I wish I would have had easier access to a doctor. i would have liked to have some of the things about my protocol explained better. My husband and I went in with the attitude that this whole thing is a big risk and it's either going to work or it won't and we're not paying for someone to hold our hands. If you go in with the right expectations, CNY can definitely work for you.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center.
We paid $4,500 for our entire IVF cycle. That included monitoring and everything. That was honestly our biggest draw to CNY. We paid just over $3,500 for medications.
Describe Edward Ditkoff's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
I have yet to transfer, however, I know because of my age, they highly encourage you to only transfer one embryo. They will, however, honor your choice and transfer two. They will not, unless under very special circumstances, transfer more than that.
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
The only thing I felt like went wrong was that we had to call them to get our final freeze results and I wished someone would have really educated me on why we were doing some things the way we did them. I think part of the reason was is because I was a travel patient, turned in-clinic patient. I really did have a really good experience here though.
Dr. Grossman is knowledgeable, approachable, and patient. He will always answer any questions and explain things thoroughly. As a patient, most interactions are with the nursing staff. But on retrieval and transfer days, Dr. G has been great - I felt very at ease, especially given my complicated history. ... During treatment, a majority of visits/interactions are with the nursing staff vs. doctor.
I will day that the clinic seems to be getting busier - and I hope that it does not have a negative impact of overall level of service and care. ... The nursing staff is amazing. Everyone that I have encountered through countless visits have been great. I tend to see the same nurse as much as I can - I like the consistency and having someone that is most familiar with my particular situation.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Grossman is knowledgeable, approachable, and patient. He will always answer any questions and explain things thoroughly. As a patient, most interactions are with the nursing staff. But on retrieval and transfer days, Dr. G has been great - I felt very at ease, especially given my complicated history.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Write your questions down and don’t be afraid to ask. And ask again if needed. Always need to be your own advocate, especially under such emotionally and physically stressful circumstances that come with IVF.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Grossman if friendly and approachable. He is always will to answer questions and patient. During treatment, a majority of visits/interactions are with the nursing staff vs. doctor. Usually only see the doctor for retrieval, transfer, etc.
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
IUI with letrozole x4.
IUI with injectables - follistim and menopur x3.
Overstimulated with IUI #7 and converted to IVF.
Retrieval resulted in 7 fertilized embryos with 4 frozen and day 3.
First frozen transfer was successful, but resulted in a miscarriage at 16 weeks.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
The nursing staff is amazing. Everyone that I have encountered through countless visits have been great. I tend to see the same nurse as much as I can - I like the consistency and having someone that is most familiar with my particular situation.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
I don’t have many complaints about my experience to date. I will day that the clinic seems to be getting busier - and I hope that it does not have a negative impact of overall level of service and care.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
CNY is known for making IVF affordable. My IUI treatments were covered under insurance, I paid my co-pays for every visit, along with any costs for medications. For IVF, total cost was $3,900 plus medications. Within a year of your retrieval, any additional transfers are $250 (first is covered under the $3,900).
Dr. Ditkoff treated me like a human because he was compassionate and he always read my file and knew exactly what was going on with me before starting any conversation...straight forward which I really appreciate. He is very knowledgeable in his field. During treatments he tried his best to minimize my discomfort. When my first cycle failed he insisted I stay on the same course of treatment which I was not happy about.
I was on a high dose of both Gonal-f and Menopur [CNY Fertility Center] because of my diminished ovarian reserve. This did not yield good results...While the nurses are very compassionate and knowledgeable, they would often forget to upload documents to the patient portal. Also, because you are not assigned a particular nurse, sometimes you get conflicting information from nurses. Additionally sometimes I experienced situations where the nurses left my care up to me. Meaning I could do one thing or another and they let me decide. This was always very unnerving.
How was your experience with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Ditkoff is compassionate but straight forward which I really appreciate. He is very knowledgeable in his field. During treatments he tried his best to minimize my discomfort. When my first cycle failed he insisted I stay on the same course of treatment which I was not happy about.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Have lots of questions ready! If you do not ask, the doctor will not be forthcoming with information.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Ditkoff treated me like a human because he was compassionate and he always read my file and knew exactly what was going on with me before starting any conversation.
Describe the protocols Edward Ditkoff used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I was on a high dose of both Gonal-f and Menopur because of my diminished ovarian reserve. This did not yield good results.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
While the nurses are very compassionate and knowledgeable, they would often forget to upload documents to the patient portal. Also, because you are not assigned a particular nurse, sometimes you get conflicting information from nurses. Additionally sometimes I experienced situations where the nurses left my care up to me. Meaning I could do one thing or another and they let me decide. This was always very unnerving.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
The number one reason to attend this clinic is their cost. It is the most affordable clinic and if you have to do multiple rounds, then it is totally worth it. They are very knowledgeable in what they do and include holistic views in their treatments. The clinic is more like a spa then a clinical environment. The doctor is innovative and always looking at new ways to treat patients. On the down side they are too busy to give individualized care. You 100% must advocate for yourself and be very well versed on your own health. Do not expect them to catch anything. You must double and triple check your own results with what research shows.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center.
Cycle cost $4,000 and included everything except pgs/pgd testing and medications.
Describe Edward Ditkoff's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
Dr. Ditkoff recommends single embryo transfer but will allow you to transfer two if you want.
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
I have received conflicting information regarding my treatment from nurses.
Dr. Kiltz wants his patients and clinic to succeed. He makes himself accessible to his patients at all times. When our first donor egg round didn’t yield results we were hoping for, he gave us another round for free. I’ve never heard of another clinic doing that. He does have controversial opinions on diet and immunities- which makes him try things more “out of the box” than other doctors. He will talk to you about diet and environment on a soap box- whether or not you believe in his opinion
My husband left a semen sample that was meant to be frozen for future embryos [at CNY Fertility Center]. The clinic mistook it as a semen analysis and discarded the sample after the analysis. We were not charged for the test...It is worth the travel and the lack of personal attention to be able to try more treatment with Dr. Kiltz. They also have a good relationship with a pharmacy that gets good deals on medicine. Finally, when our first egg donation round didn’t work, Dr. Kiltz offered us more eggs and a transfer for free- which is unheard of!
How was your experience with Robert Kiltz at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Kiltz wants his patients and clinic to succeed. He makes himself accessible to his patients at all times. When our first donor egg round didn’t yield results we were hoping for, he gave us another round for free. I’ve never heard of another clinic doing that. He does have
controversial opinions on diet and immunities- which makes him try things more “out of the box” than other doctors. He will talk to you about diet and environment on a soap box- whether or not you believe in his opinion.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Robert Kiltz at CNY Fertility Center?
Remember this is a high volume clinic and procedures won’t necessarily be catered to you individually. You’ll start with a standard protocol and work mainly with nurses. Still, Dr. Kiltz is reputable, aggressive, and will try anything to help you get pregnant. He wants his patients to succeed
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Robert Kiltz at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Kiltz makes himself accessible to his patients by giving his cell phone number and personal email. Because it’s a high volume clinic, he won’t know you or your details without looking at a chart, but he is willing to listen and refresh his memory about your situation with each encounter.
Describe the protocols Robert Kiltz used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Dr. Kiltz believes that inflammation and diet cause transfers to fail - so he adds antibiotics, presidone, and prograf to the standard estogen and progesterone. On our second transfer he was more aggressive with the immunity protocol- adding nuepogen, lovenox, and intralipids all to reduce inflammation for the transfer.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CNY Fertility Center.
The only negative thing about our nurse coordinator was that she was hard to get in touch with. She communicates primarily through the online portal and is difficult to reach by phone.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
The clinic is clean, staff are friendly, and has a built in “spa” for accupuncture and massage - easily accessible for transfer day. Really a beautiful facility. It was easy to travel to, nearby hotels offer discounts for patients using the clinic, and overall has an impressive, calming atmosphere that doesn’t feel like an IVF clinic
Describe the costs associated with your care under Robert Kiltz at CNY Fertility Center.
CNY is specifically known for low cost care. The prices are less than half of what local clinics charge. It is worth the travel and the lack of personal attention to be able to try more treatment with Dr. Kiltz. They also have a good relationship with a pharmacy that gets good deals on medicine. Finally, when our first egg donation round didn’t work, Dr. Kiltz offered us more eggs and a transfer for free- which is unheard of!
Describe Robert Kiltz's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
Our first round we transferred 2 three-day embryos on account that they weren’t graded very highly. Our second transfer we were recommended to transfer one 3-day because it looked great. Neither worked so I’m glad we didn’t “waste” embryos by transferring 2 at a time. Dr. Kiltz was open to transferring 2 if I would have pushed but I went with his suggestion.
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Lost or damaged samples
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
My husband left a semen sample that was meant to be frozen for future embryos. The clinic mistook it as a semen analysis and discarded the sample after the analysis. We were not charged for the test.
Dr. Grossman explains everything really well. He also makes you feel comfortable. He always gives you a chance to ask any questions you have. Only weakness to me is he talks in a manner that he sounds like he is the host of a television show...This second transfer I am taking the same medications but we added in plaquenil and I am doing Dr. Kiltz extreme keto diet... I also took theralogix supplements ovavite and ovasitol as a prenatal and egg quality purposes. For transfer I stayed on theralogix vitamins and added: baby aspirin, LDN, estradiol, prednisone, progesterone, pio injections.
They strongly recommend one embryo [at CNY Fertility Center] however they will make you aware of the risk if doing multiple. Depending on your situation they do allow for multiple embryo transfers...Clinics strengths are they are organized, communicate well, and the actual ombeonce of the clinic is relaxing and comfortable. A weakness of theirs is they have a lot of patients so occasionally things can get messed up. However, they are always able to fix things right away.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Grossman explains everything really well. He also makes you feel comfortable. He always gives you a chance to ask any questions you have. Only weakness to me is he talks in a manner that he sounds like he is the host of a television show.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Don't be afraid to ask questions or have him explain things to you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
They were very personable and everyone at the clinic made you feel like they were their only patient.
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
My protocol was made up of menopur 75iu, Gonal-f 225iu, cetrotide, and double lupron trigger for egg retrieval. I also took theralogix supplements ovavite and ovasitol as a prenatal and egg quality purposes. For transfer I stayed on theralogix vitamins and added: baby aspirin, LDN, estradiol, prednisone, progesterone, pio injections. My first transfer ended in a chemical. This second transfer I am taking the same medications but we added in plaquenil and I am doing Dr. Kiltz extreme keto diet
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
The nursing staff calls and communicates your protocol to you and answers any questions you may have. A nurse is always available 24/7 to talk to you. They are organized and the best when you are with them in person.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
Clinics strengths are they are organized, communicate well, and the actual ombeonce of the clinic is relaxing and comfortable. A weakness of theirs is they have a lot of patients so occasionally things can get messed up. However, they are always able to fix things right away.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at CNY Fertility Center.
I did not monitor at CNY. I live in Michigan so I did local monitoring at a fertility clinic close to my home.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
Describe Michael Grossman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
They strongly recommend one embryo however they will make you aware of the risk if doing multiple. Depending on your situation they do allow for multiple embryo transfers.
Dr. Grossman was very up front and truthful. He told me we're in this process together and that we will get a successful pregnancy. He is very caring and has a funny sense of humor. He def. Lightens the stressful situation. Even though I only saw him a couple of times through my cycles he was always avail to answer and questions and was always very friendly in the halls.... First cycle was a clomid cycle. Follicles did not grow like they should of so they canceled the cycle. Next cycle we started on injectables bravelle and menopur.
Everyone is friendly except the 2 reception girls they never smile. Look miserable like they don't want to be their to work. The clinic [CNY- Albany] is a very peaceful environment when you walk in you wouldn't think it's a Drs office. It def. Helps to relieve some stress.... Greta and Eileen are the best team of nurses ever. And my husband and I are forever greatful they work for cny and that they were willing to go above and beyond for us. We owe our children's lives to them.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Grossman was very up front and truthful. He told me we're in this process together and that we will get a successful pregnancy. He is very caring and has a funny sense of humor. He def. Lightens the stressful situation. Even though I only saw him a couple of times through my cycles he was always avail to answer and questions and was always very friendly in the halls.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
He is their to help you achieve your goals of a baby. Be upfront on your history and be honest on what you want and don't want.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
He was very personable. Went over my history thoroughly discussed options and made a plan TOGETHER! he always wanted to make sure we we're 100% on board with any treatments.
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
First cycle was a clomid cycle. Follicles did not grow like they should of so they canceled the cycle. Next cycle we started on injectables bravelle and menopur. Started at low dose adventually got to 300/300 follicles grew we triggered with hcg. Ended in a chemical preg. Cycle 3 started with 300/300 triggered with hcg ended with chemical. Had a talk with Dr. Grossman to see what we could do he added lovenox and hcg boosters to the next cycle. Dx of reoccurring pregnancy loss. Cycle 3 300/300 foliicule grew triggered with hcg did lovenox and hcg boosters ended with a life birth of b/g twins @34wks
Fast forward 8 yrs.
Cycle 4 injectables follistim/ menopur ended in a chemical ( they we're steering away from hcg boosters as they say they don't help.). Cycle 5 &6 chemical pregnancy cycle 7 I pushed to ha e lovenox and hcg boosters added as that's the only way I had a successful pregnancy. Dr. Grossman agreed and added it to cycle. Currently pregnant with twins again.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CNY Fertility Center.
Greta Joost is amazing. I had her for my first 2007-2009 cycles with cny very personable, caring always willing to go above and beyond. When I started my 2017 cycles Greta had moved to a travel coordinator. Was super sad but went with the next best nurse. Had some head butting with that nurse. Spoke with Greta as we are friends and she told me she was in the office 3 days a week doing travel pt. Stuff but would gladly scan me and get me pregnant on our last cycle as we just could not afford the out of pocket injectable meds anymore. First appt. Back with Greta I asked her if she could look up my last cycle that I did with her that was successful. That I wanted to do the same as that one. We looked at it discussed our plan of action set it in stone and went about our cycle. Currently pregnant with b/b twins. I wouldn't be if it was not for Greta going above and beyond and listening and willing to do what we did before when we were successful. I owe my children to her.
The other nurse that I dealt with was Eileen Clark! Another AMAZING nurse. Was my.main blood draw nurse. In and out no problem hardly new she poked me with a needle. Had her through my 2007-2009 cycles. She moved to a telephone nurse for my 2017-2018 cycles but again she went above and beyond and would come down to do my blood draws. She always was smiling and had a great sense of humor.
Greta and Eileen are the best team of nurses ever. And my husband and I are forever greatful they work for cny and that they were willing to go above and beyond for us. We owe our children's lives to them. I feel if we did not have these two as our A team we would be empty handed sad and miserable. Keep up the awesome work ladies, as you are the best in our eyes!
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
Everyone is friendly except the 2 reception girls they never smile. Look miserable like they don't want to be their to work. The clinic is a very peaceful environment when you walk in you wouldn't think it's a Drs office. It def. Helps to relieve some stress.
He [Dr. Ditkoff] explained the procedure well. He was patient and kind. And he even had a bit of good humor in there! We felt very comfortable and well taken care of! My first transfer was a bit tougher than the second but still a good experience.... He’s a bit dry but he cares and was kind.... I chose donor eggs due to my high FSH & low AMH.... So we tried donor eggs with an auto immune protocol for transfer. First failed and second transfer beta is in 3 days.
I honestly don’t have any negatives. The donor options are limited but the cost was what drew us there [CNY - Albany]. And after traveling over 1000 miles for our consult we knew we had picked a great place!... We used donor eggs and paid a flat rate of $9000, which included our first transfer. The second transfer was $1500 & we paid $70 for a acupuncture. Also the intralipids and hcg was were about $200 each time.... I felt like I was at a spa for my transfer.
How was your experience with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
He explained the procedure well. He was patient and kind. And he even had a bit of good humor in there! We felt very comfortable and well taken care of! My first transfer was a bit tougher than the second but still a good experience.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
He’s a bit dry but he cares and was kind. His humor is there just a little dry that’s all.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Everyone at CNY including the Dr were so caring and accommodating on our transfers.
Describe the protocols Edward Ditkoff used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I chose donor eggs due to my high FSH & low AMH. I previously had a poor response with only 1 egg of my own that didn’t make it to day 5. That was with my second dr in Dallas. So we tried donor eggs with an auto immune protocol for transfer. First failed and second transfer beta is in 3 days.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
Wonderful in every way! I felt like I was at a spa for my transfer.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
I honestly don’t have any negatives. The donor options are limited but the cost was what drew us there. And after traveling over 1000 miles for our consult we knew we had picked a great place! We’ve traveled to NY from Texas 3 times now. Besides being financially draining we enjoy being there!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center.
We used donor eggs and paid a flat rate of $9000, which included our first transfer. The second transfer was $1500 & we paid $70 for a acupuncture. Also the intralipids and hcg was were about $200 each time.
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
I was not asked about a Ruebella vaccination until the day of transfer, which was to late. So we were given the option to return after 30 days and the vaccine or move ahead with transfer. Since we traveled from Texas returning was not an option. We moved forward, but the transfer failed.
He [Dr. Grossman] is nice and knows his job but he does not have a good bedside manner.... You rarely see the doctor. Nurses constantly handling your case and administering protocols.... Lack of emotion. Seems like a nice doctor but I have only seen him a few times: during initial meeting, for a few minutes before retrieval and a few minutes before transfer. He is friendly and knowledgeable but perhaps the clinic size is too much for the number of doctors there
Clean clinic [CNY- Fertility Ctr - Latham], early appointments, weekend appointments. Lack of communication a few times where we thought we had more of my husbands sleep remaining and were led to believe this but at retrieval we were told only donor was available.... Needed a prescription renewal and called 3 times and pharmacy called twice and no one called back....Amazing nursing staff. Very friendly and compassionate and knowledgeable. Love Sheila and Marianne.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Lack of emotion. Seems like a nice doctor but I have only seen him a few times: during initial meeting, for a few minutes before retrieval and a few minutes before transfer. He is friendly and knowledgeable but perhaps the clinic size is too much for the number of doctors there
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
He is nice and knows his job but he does not have a good bedside manner.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
You rarely see the doctor. Nurses constantly handling your case and administering protocols.
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Stim with menopur and gonal, cetrotide and then trigger shot. Prednisone, DhEA and coenzyme. Only 2 eggs retrieved first time, 1 fertilized and after a fresh transfer failed to implant. Second time same protocol except 7 eggs retrieved, 3 fertilized. 2 implanted after a frozen transfer and experimental treatment of a drip resmeblembling mayonnaise and a HCG wash. Both embryos used with donor sperm failed to implant.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
Amazing nursing staff. Very friendly and compassionate and knowledgeable. Love Sheila and Marianne.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
Clean clinic, early appointments, weekend appointments. Lack of communication a few times where we thought we had more of my husbands sleep remaining and were led to believe this but at retrieval we were told only donor was available.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
First time close to $7000 due to insurance not covering procedures and included $1000 for donor sperm and accupcunture costs for a few months.
Second time approximately $800 due to insurance covering most except drug and appointment copays.
Describe Michael Grossman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
Office was hesitant to transfer more then 1 embryo but I wanted to so they allowed it even though it was against protocol.
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
Needed a prescription renewal and called 3 times and pharmacy called twice and no one called back.
Dr. Grossman sat down with my husband and I to discuss why my first cycle likely failed. He went through all of the options we can explore to try to have a child with my own eggs. He gave us hope that it was possible to use them and that he’d be willing to try as many times as we are.... We are using lower dosages of IVF drugs than we did in our first round. I’m using HGH and 1mg of estrace for a month of estrogen priming then lower stims than previously.
Rebecca went above and beyond to explain every mediation to me, show me how to use it, give me her cell number if I had additional questions and help me to schedule convenient appointments around my teaching schedule... calm and welcoming environment. They [CNY Latham] help address issues efficiently and the nurses go above and beyond to be helpful. Weakness: sometimes challenging to get an appointment for monitoring at an ideal time
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Grossman is very soft spoken and calm. He made my husband and I feel welcome at the clinic and made sure he answered all of our questions. He had a great sense of humor which made our conversation more light hearted, especially for such a stressful and confusing issue.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Be open about concerns you have and don’t be afraid to ask questions about different options.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Grossman sat down with my husband and I to discuss why my first cycle likely failed. He went through all of the options we can explore to try to have a child with my own eggs. He gave us hope that it was possible to use them and that he’d be willing to try as many times as we are. He also answered all of my questions about my first cycle in detail without belittling me or making them seem silly. Additionally, he went over the pros and cons of using different dosages of medicine the next time around.
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We are using lower dosages of IVF drugs than we did in our first round. I’m using HGH and 1mg of estrace for a month of estrogen priming then lower stims than previously.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CNY Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Rebecca)
Rebecca went above and beyond to explain every mediation to me, show me how to use it, give me her cell number if I had additional questions and help me to schedule convenient appointments around my teaching schedule
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
trengths: calm and welcoming environment. They help address issues efficiently and the nurses go above and beyond to be helpful.
Weakness: sometimes challenging to get an appointment for monitoring at an ideal time
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
$3,000
Describe Michael Grossman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
Not there yet
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Failed to order appropriate test
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
Forgot to order a genetic test, but when they figured out their error, they paid for it.
Dr Grossman has always been caring and open with us. He has been very professional and answered all our questions. During all my procedures he answered any questions and took great care of us. The only suggestion I have for Dr. Grossman is he is not always very firm with his suggestions although I understand some situations do not always have a clear cut answer... For IVF my protocol was Gonal F 300 iu once daily, hcg-lh 10 iu once daily and prenatal. On day 5 he added Cetrotide .25 mg in the AM and on day 9 was Lupron (trigger) 4 mg.
CNY is a great place and we are lucky to have them. The staff is great and their methods work. Only suggestion we have is with follow up. Unless we were proactive CNY did not follow up to keep up on our path. We have had 2 successful transfers although we have also had 2 losses. CNY has been supportive and we know they will help us achieve our goal of creating a family.... We have had issues getting prescriptions sent over to our pharmacy. Phone calls are not always the best method. Requests through the portal work better.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr Grossman has always been caring and open with us. He has been very professional and answered all our questions. During all my procedures he answered any questions and took great care of us. The only suggestion I have for Dr. Grossman is he is not always very firm with his suggestions although I understand some situations do not always have a clear cut answer
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Just ask as many questions as possible
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr Grossman has been open with us through every step of our journey. He has been available to communicate what was going on and to answer questions and help us make decisions about our future
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
For IVF my protocol was Gonal F 300 iu once daily, hcg-lh 10 iu once daily and prenatal. On day 5 he added Cetrotide .25 mg in the AM and on day 9 was Lupron (trigger) 4 mg. My retieval was day 11. I had 19 eggs collected, 14 fertilized and 5 made it to day 5 for freezing. No fresh transfer.
For FET both times my protocol was Estrace 2 mg (twice daily vaginally), Prednisone 5 mg, aspirin 81 mg and prenatal 2 weeks before transfer. One week before transfer started progesterone in oil 50 mg injection. Also cleocin for 3 days. 5 days before transfer added Endometrin 100 mg (vaginally twice daily). Day before transfer added Prograf .5 mg twice daily. Also did weekly intralipid IV and acupuncture before and after transfer. Discontinued Prograf day of positive pregnancy test. Outcome was positive pregnancy test both times.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CNY Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Marianne Marx)
The nursing staff treated us like family and communicated all information with us regularly.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
CNY is a great place and we are lucky to have them. The staff is great and their methods work. Only suggestion we have is with follow up. Unless we were proactive CNY did not follow up to keep up on our path. We have had 2 successful transfers although we have also had 2 losses. CNY has been supportive and we know they will help us achieve our goal of creating a family.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
We spent about $10,000 for IVF including medications. For our FET it was about $3,000.
Describe Michael Grossman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
After a successful single FET we followed the same protocol for our second transfer.
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
We have had issues getting prescriptions sent over to our pharmacy. Phone calls are not always the best method. Requests through the portal work better.
Dr. Grossman sat down with my husband and I to discuss why my first cycle likely failed. He went through all of the options we can explore to try to have a child with my own eggs. He gave us hope that it was possible to use them and that he’d be willing to try as many times as we are. He also answered all of my questions about my first cycle in detail without belittling me or making them seem silly. Additionally, he went over the pros and cons of using different dosages of medicine the next time around.
Mary [nurse at CNY] is very friendly and made me feel comfortable about explaining all the medicine I will be on. She helped go over all of the medicine I’m currently taking for estrogen priming. She’s very positive and upbeat and gave me hope that she’s worked with other patients with my condition and they’ve had success...I was supposed to have a genetic test done before my first IVF cycle and a nurse never ordered it. They didn’t realize this until right before I was going to begin my second IVF cycle. Fortunately they ordered it and paid for it due to the mistake, and the results were totally fine.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Grossman is very soft spoken and calm. He made my husband and I feel welcome at the clinic and made sure he answered all of our questions. He had a great sense of humor which made our conversation more light hearted, especially for such a stressful and confusing issue.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Be open about concerns you have and don’t be afraid to ask questions about different options.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Grossman sat down with my husband and I to discuss why my first cycle likely failed. He went through all of the options we can explore to try to have a child with my own eggs. He gave us hope that it was possible to use them and that he’d be willing to try as many times as we are. He also answered all of my questions about my first cycle in detail without belittling me or making them seem silly. Additionally, he went over the pros and cons of using different dosages of medicine the next time around.
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We are using lower dosages of IVF drugs than we did in our first round. I’m using HGH and 1mg of estrace for a month of estrogen priming then lower stims than previously.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CNY Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Mary )
Mary is very friendly and made me feel comfortable about explaining all the medicine I will be on. She helped go over all of the medicine I’m currently taking for estrogen priming. She’s very positive and upbeat and gave me hope that she’s worked with other patients with my condition and they’ve had success.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
Strengths: calm and welcoming environment. They help address issues efficiently and the nurses go above and beyond to be helpful.
Weakness: sometimes challenging to get an appointment for monitoring at an ideal time
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
$4-6,000
Describe Michael Grossman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
Not at that point yet
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Failed to order appropriate test
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
I was supposed to have a genetic test done before my first IVF cycle and a nurse never ordered it. They didn’t realize this until right before I was going to begin my second IVF cycle. Fortunately they ordered it and paid for it due to the mistake, and the results were totally fine.
He [Dr. Ditkoff] is very knowledgeable and attentive to my concerns. He moves through explainations rather quickly, which in the beginning of treatment was slightly difficult to follow. He is very confident in the treatment he prescribes, even though we do not know what is wrong with my body....We did three rounds of IUI with letrozole and trigger.... When it didn't, he opined that IUI would likely not work for me and reccomends IVF.
Majority of the time they are on time. At times, however, the clinic [CNY Fertility Ctr- Latham] gets very busy and appointments run late. It is a very comfortable atmosphere. The financial team is always willing to speak with me, contact my insurance, and answer all of my questions....The clinic uses a hollistic approach to treatment, which includes recommending wellness activities, support groups, and following the ketogenic diet....Overall, the nursing staff are amazing.
How was your experience with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
He is very knowledgeable and attentive to my concerns. He moves through explainations rather quickly, which in the beginning of treatment was slightly difficult to follow. He is very confident in the treatment he prescribes, even though we do not know what is wrong with my body.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Research before you go for the first time, become familar with fertility terms and abbreviations, ask questions, and don't have concrete expectations (that one is for fertility patients in general).
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
He took time to answer my questions, even though many of my questions do not have concrete answers.
Describe the protocols Edward Ditkoff used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We did three rounds of IUI with letrozole and trigger. None resulted in pregnancy, despite having multie follicles each cycle. He was confident at consultation that this work by number three. When it didn't, he opined that IUI would likely not work for me and reccomends IVF. I cannot afford IVF right now, so one of the nurses reccomended adding prednisone and ldn this IUI cycle.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
Overall, the nursing staff are amazing. They are always friendly and willing to answer questions. Some of the nurses who draw blood and perform IUIs have better technique than others. For example, some warm the speculum and others don't. Most are willing to look through your record to ensure correct trigger date, medications, and recommend changes. O e the nurses reviewed my record at my fourth IUI and added the autoimmune medications.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
Majority of the time they are on time. At times, however, the clinic gets very busy and appointments run late. It is a very comfortable atmosphere. The financial team is always willing to speak with me, contact my insurance, and answer all of my questions. They have a wellness center, which I've heard great things about, but have not used myself. The clinic uses a hollistic approach to treatment, which includes recommending wellness activities, support groups, and following the ketogenic diet.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center.
Costs are reasonable for the industry. My insurance requires a $40 copay for visits, about $50/cycle for labs, about $100/cycle for non-injectables. The financial team tells me that IVF will cost between $8 and 10k. My insurance does not cover IVF at all.
Describe Edward Ditkoff's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
Some people may say he [Dr. Edward Ditkoff] can be very business-like, but personally I like that about him. Shows how intelligent he is on the questions you are asking him. He spends as much time with you as you need so you never feel rushed. He is a good communicator. I like having quick access to him via the patient portal message system, or, an appointment to consult with him isn't too far out when I call.
CNY is an amazing clinic, aimed at providing quality care at an affordable price for those who do not have/don't have great insurance coverage. I do feel that they need more experience when it comes to unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss and reproductive immunology.... I love my nurse, Marianne Marx. She is an excellent, knowledgable nurse and I always request her for my appointments and ultrasounds. All nurses at CNY are wonderful, however, Marianne is my go to.
How was your experience with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Some people may say he can be very business-like, but personally I like that about him. Shows how intelligent he is on the questions you are asking him. He spends as much time with you as you need so you never feel rushed. He is a good communicator. I like having quick access to him via the patient portal message system, or, an appointment to consult with him isn't too far out when I call.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Be ready to be educated, and be ready to hear the truth about your particular situation.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
The doctors at CNY have one goal - to give you a child. Unfortunately my journey is still ongoing, but I do feel as though they care about me and feel bad I have not been successful yet.
Describe the protocols Edward Ditkoff used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
My husband and I suffer from recurrent pregnancy loss. We get pregnant so easily but we have yet to be successful. My CNY cycles have been monitored, letrozole, triggered, timed intercourse. But they have still resulted in losses. I think our next step is IVF with PGS to try and weed out potential bad eggs/sperm.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CNY Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Marianne Marx)
I love my nurse, Marianne Marx. She is an excellent, knowledgable nurse and I always request her for my appointments and ultrasounds. All nurses at CNY are wonderful, however, Marianne is my go to.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
CNY is an amazing clinic, aimed at providing quality care at an affordable price for those who do not have/don't have great insurance coverage. I do feel that they need more experience when it comes to unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss and reproductive immunology.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center.
Fortunately, my care thus far has been covered under my health insurance. However, if I move to IVF, I have no coverage and will have to pay out of pocket.
Describe Edward Ditkoff's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
He [Dr. Michael Grossman] explained everything from pre testing to statistics to different protocols we could try. He answered any questions that we had to the best that he could. He had a very positive optimistic way of getting his points across. Dr Grossman also performed my laparoscopy. He explained in detail a week before the procedure and asked if we had any questions.
You can tell that the nurses love working at CNY and love what they do. They are very kind, caring and patient. If one can’t get your blood they will call another nurse in who might have a better chance. They are very timely at responding to emails and making phone calls.... He [Dr. Kiltz] puts on great chats on Facebook when he shares important information on diet or different protocols to taken for different procedures.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
We were recommended through my sister in law to request Dr Grossman when setting up our consultation. My niece is a CNY baby and Dr Grossman helped them 7 years ago. We had our initial consultation with Dr Grossman. He explained everything from pre testing to statistics to different protocols we could try. He answered any questions that we had to the best that he could. He had a very positive optimistic way of getting his points across. Dr Grossman also performed my laparoscopy. He explained in detail a week before the procedure and asked if we had any questions. The day of surgery he stopped in before to check up on me and spoke to my husband after to update him on the findings. We met with him a few weeks later where he checked incisions and again was more than willing to answer any questions we had. He is always good with returning emails in a timely manner.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
One piece of advice I would give is if you’re asking him a question to ask it where it puts his wife in the situation and what they would do for certain situations.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr Grossman has a great bedside manner, but is also able to tell you exactly what you need to hear. He listens to what you have to say as well as supplying his knowledge in a professional manner.
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We went right into injections. After 2 unsuccessful iui’s we did a laparoscopy.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
You can tell that the nurses love working at CNY and love what they do. They are very kind, caring and patient. If one can’t get your blood they will call another nurse in who might have a better chance. They are very timely at responding to emails and making phone calls.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
CNY is wonderful. Dr Kiltz makes sure his facilities run smoothly. He is always looking to hear what his patients have to say to improve his locations. Dr Kiltz is mora than willing to give you his number and will respond with a text or call if you have any concerns or questions. He puts on great chats on Facebook when he shares important information on diet or different protocols to taken for different procedures. I would highly recommend CNY to anyone going through this journey!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
He [Dr. Edward Ditkoff] seemed to be very straight forward, he explained what he felt was best for us and even though we choose a fresh transfer he kept informing us that a frozen was better. He explained the risk and benefits to doing a fresh transfer and the risks of using our good eggs for a fresh transfer.... I didn’t get to meet him anytime prior to the transfer but when he came in he had my specific information and based our treatment off of all our details.
[at CNY-Latham] $3,705 for IVF $250 for intralipids and HCG wash... We used gonal and Menopur to help stimulate my follicles to grow. After 3 ultrasounds and bloodwork. They gave me Ganirelix so my folliculles would not release. Once they were the correct size they adviced me to take trigger shot to release the eggs. They put me under and removed the eggs. Starting that day they injected the eggs with my husbands sperm and watched them over 5 days. On day 5 they told me the rate of the eggs. We chose 2 eggs to put in which took 30 minutes. After I layed down for 15 minutes and then rested the next two day.
How was your experience with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
He seemed to be very straight forward, he explained what he felt was best for us and even though we choose a fresh transfer he kept informing us that a frozen was better. He explained the risk and benefits to doing a fresh transfer and the risks of using our good eggs for a fresh transfer.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Understand that he isn’t being rude when he explains things he is just making sure you truly understand the risk and benefits of the procedure.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
I didn’t get to meet him anytime prior to the transfer but when he came in he had my specific information and based our treatment off of all our details.
Describe the protocols Edward Ditkoff used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We used gonal and Menopur to help stimulate my follicles to grow. After 3 ultrasounds and bloodwork. They gave me Ganirelix so my folliculles would not release. Once they were the correct size they adviced me to take trigger shot to release the eggs. They put me under and removed the eggs. Starting that day they injected the eggs with my husbands sperm and watched them over 5 days. On day 5 they told me the rate of the eggs. We chose 2 eggs to put in which took 30 minutes. After I layed down for 15 minutes and then rested the next two day.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CNY Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Stacey)
Although they are extremely busy they always got back to me in a timely manor.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
They are a very busy clinic so sometimes communication is not the best. Never feel like you can’t call or email them with every question you have. Stay in touch and ask lots of questions. They have been doing this a long time so sometimes they may not explain things in super details. If you don’t hear back from them call them.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center.
$3,705 for IVF
$250 for intralipids and HCG wash
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
[Dr. Grossman] is very matter of fact and kind of drowns you in numbers, statistics, and facts at the first consultation but to someone like me who likes to have all the information that was very helpful. His dry sense of humor and kind of stoic behavior takes some getting used to but he is a very knowledgeable doctor and he got me pregnant so I am very grateful to him... Most appointments were with the RN’s and nurses and they are ALL wonderful and kind which in my opinion was more important to me than a warm and fuzzy doctor.
I love the ambiance of the clinic [CNY Fertility] and their very affordable IVF pricing. They also have a spa located right at the premise to get acupuncture before and after embryo transfer. They get you in fast for appointments and you can always reach someone by phone or throughout their patient portal for questions. They are flexible and patient and I haven’t made a single negative experience there. Weakness would be that the treatment plans are not very personalized but it did end up working for me so I cannot complain.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
He is very matter of fact and kind of drowns you in numbers, statistics, and facts at the first consultation but to someone like me who likes to have all the information that was very helpful. His dry sense of humor and kind of stoic behavior takes some getting used to but he is a very knowledgeable doctor and he got me pregnant so I am very grateful to him
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Don’t expect to get coddled or a very personalized experience, but he knows his stuff and does adjust treatment if something doesn’t work. But you may have to be proactive in communicating cause the doctors at this clinic are not
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
He is very matter of fact and has a dry, strange sense of humor. He’s also a numbers guy so it all feels very clinical. However he got me the desired result and I also understand that CNY are very affordable clinics that don’t turn patients away so you can’t expect to develop a deep relationship with your doctor or get loads of one on one time with them. Most appointments were with the RN’s and nurses and they are ALL wonderful and kind which in my opinion was more important to me than a warm and fuzzy doctor.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CNY Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Stacey DiCerbo)
They were all so wonderful and supportive and I developed true connections with some of them. I even stayed in touch with Stacey throughout my pregnancy and beyond.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
I love the ambiance of the clinic and their very affordable IVF pricing. They also have a spa located right at the premise to get acupuncture before and after embryo transfer. They get you in fast for appointments and you can always reach someone by phone or throughout their patient portal for questions. They are flexible and patient and I haven’t made a single negative experience there. Weakness would be that the treatment plans are not very personalized but it did end up working for me so I cannot complain. Also communication is not the best but I am very behind these things and proactive so it wasn’t really an issue for me.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
IVF for one cycle was $3,700 I believe. And every frozen cycle was another $800 each. Most of everything else was covered by my insurance so I only paid copays for every visit.
He [Dr. Edward Ditkoff] spoke very quickly and was somewhat rushed at times...He was very helpful in explaining all potential procedures we may need to go through based on my exact hormone levels and age...He was helpful in the beginning stages, but once I was actually going through the IVF medicated cycles and heading in for monitoring, I didn't see him at all, only the nurse practitioner. When we had to cancel my cycle because I didn't respond to medication, I thought he would explain why, but he didn't, that was also left up to the nurse.
Rebecca [nurse at CNY] went above and beyond to explain every mediation to me, show me how to use it, give me her cell number if I had additional questions and help me to schedule convenient appointments around my teaching schedule...Strengths: calm and welcoming environment. They help address issues efficiently and the nurses go above and beyond to be helpful. Weakness: sometimes challenging to get an appointment for monitoring at an ideal time
How was your experience with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Ditkoff was knowledgable, but seemed busy at times. He carefully explained the process I would go through and why he chose the certain medications based on my age and hormone levels. He was helpful in the beginning stages, but once I was actually going through the IVF medicated cycles and heading in for monitoring, I didn't see him at all, only the nurse practitioner. When we had to cancel my cycle because I didn't respond to medication, I thought he would explain why, but he didn't, that was also left up to the nurse.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
He spoke very quickly and was somewhat rushed at times. Write down questions to ask him in advance and write down his answers. It's a lot of information that you'll want to look back on.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Ditkoff was our first introduction to infertility. He was very helpful in explaining all potential procedures we may need to go through based on my exact hormone levels and age.
Describe the protocols Edward Ditkoff used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CNY Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Rebecca)
Rebecca went above and beyond to explain every mediation to me, show me how to use it, give me her cell number if I had additional questions and help me to schedule convenient appointments around my teaching schedule
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
Strengths: calm and welcoming environment. They help address issues efficiently and the nurses go above and beyond to be helpful.
Weakness: sometimes challenging to get an appointment for monitoring at an ideal time
Describe the costs associated with your care under Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center.
~$3,000 for medications
Describe Edward Ditkoff's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
did not get to that stage
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Failed to order appropriate test
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
I was supposed to have a genetic test done before my first IVF cycle and a nurse never ordered it. They didn’t realize this until right before I was going to begin my second IVF cycle. Fortunately they ordered it and paid for it due to the mistake, and the results were totally fine.
I wasn't aware that my initial intake would be my only real in person meeting with the RE...Dr. Grossman is highly experienced and clearly an excellent RE. What I feel he lacks, however is warmth. It feels like he gives you the facts without really weighing in on and/or discussing your decision making. Dr. Grossman is extremely gentle with procedures. His personality is calm overall, but he is quick witted and brief in his interactions...Use the patient portal to communicate with him as he is usually quick to respond to your questions if you message him. You will also be able to schedule phone calls with him.
The clinic itself is very busy and most staff seem to forget how harrowing the experience of infertility is for people. Procedures are not explained in detail...The clinic itself is gorgeous! Top of the line equipment and services... A strength of the clinic is that you never wait long to be seen...CNY didn't always post my lab results to my portal.... Some of the nurses expressed compassion while others struggled to do so. When I called, I felt I was being a nuisance and often felt rushed off the phone.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr. Grossman is highly experienced and clearly an excellent RE. What I feel he lacks, however is warmth. It feels like he gives you the facts without really weighing in on and/or discussing your decision making. Dr. Grossman is extremely gentle with procedures. His personality is calm overall, but he is quick witted and brief in his interactions. He speaks quickly so you really have to pay attention to what he says or you might miss something.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Before going into the intake, have a list of questions prepared for him as this will likely be the only time you sit down with him. Use the patient portal to communicate with him as he is usually quick to respond to your questions if you message him. You will also be able to schedule phone calls with him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
The clinic itself is very busy and most staff seem to forget how harrowing the experience of infertility is for people. I wasn't aware that my initial intake would be my only real in person meeting with the RE. Procedures are not explained in detail. You have to be a squeaky wheel in order to get answers from staff.
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
For 5 days: Gonal F 225 IU once daily, Menopur 75 IUonce daily, Z Pak --take 2 tablets by mouth the first day, then 1 tablet by mouth daily until all the medication is gone, Prednisone 5 mg--1 tablet by mouth twice daily, Prenatal Vitamin one qd--take one by mouth daily. Day 6-9: Added Cetrotide .25 mg. Day 10: Stopped all injectables and took Lupron 0.8 mg and Ovidrel 250 mcg. Day 11: Just took Prednisone and prenatal vitamins. I had the retrieval two days later. They retrieved 17 eggs total. They ICSIed 15 eggs and 3 survived to day 6 and day 7. We refused PGS testing but we consented to assisted hatching. The following month, we decided to put all three embryos in during the transfer.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
As mentioned earlier, the staff need to remember that infertility is a tough thing for couples to face. Also, they need to not assume that we have googled everything and understand the IUI or IVF processes in their entirety. It would have been nice to have a sit down with someone who would explain the procedures before they were performed, as normally occurs in the medical field. Some of the nurses expressed compassion while others struggled to do so. When I called, I felt I was being a nuisance and often felt rushed off the phone. At times, I would have to call repeatedly to get a call back. They do make an effort however to follow up when you are monitored locally, to ensure you are on track.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
The clinic itself is gorgeous! Top of the line equipment and services. They have a beautiful aesthetic with a full spa located upstairs where you can book acupuncture and massages. The lobby is warm and inviting with nice furniture, a beautiful fireplace, and dim lighting. It is clear that Dr. Kiltz, the head of the practice, poured his heart and soul into creating these clinics. I wonder how he would feel if he discovered how they are treating clients. If you are looking for affordable IVF, then CNY is the most affordable out there. Just be prepared to be treated as a number and not as an individual. A strength of the clinic is that you never wait long to be seen. Make sure to advocate for yourself if you come here for treatment.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at CNY Fertility Center.
I didn't monitor at CNY, I monitored locally. For the most part, the local monitoring went smoothly. There was some glitches with CNY not getting results quickly enough--I believe that happened twice. Once, the local clinic that monitored didn't accurately count my follicles, so CNY scheduled an ultrasound at their clinic before my failed IUI. CNY didn't always post my lab results to my portal.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
It is $3900 for IVF with ICSI including 1 year storage of embryos and a year of FET. Meds via my own insurance company's specialty pharmacy--just paid co pays. If monitoring is done at CNY, it is an additional $875. If you go locally to your OBGYN, your insurance company pays for it. My insurance company pays for unlimited IUIs. Co pays at CNY are usually $50.
Describe Michael Grossman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
He didn't weigh in other than saying that three was the maximum that I could transfer due to my age.
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Canceled a cycle due to clinic error
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
We are struggling with MFI and were honest about that from the onset. We have been following up with a urologist for the past year and my husband is on clomid to improve his sperm count. We started an IUI cycle initially (as the IVF meds were costly and my insurance covers unlimited IUIs). The day of the IUI, they told us there was no sperm in my husband's sample. As I was loaded with follicles due to the injectables I took for the IUI, I inquired about them retrieving the eggs so they would not go to waste and was told they would be too fragile to do so. They suggested we may have to do TESE. I told her that was unnecessary my husband has sperm, his count was just low. We followed up with our urologist who centrifuged his sperm sample and showed us his sperm under the microscope. I reached out to the RE to express my frustration via the patient portal and he suggested that we freeze a few samples with CNY. We scheduled to do so at CNY, only to be told again that there was no sperm in his sample. We went to MAZE in Westchester and cryopreserved three samples of sperm. I drove it in a rented tank and left it at CNY. I followed up with the lab at CNY numerous times via telephone to confirm they received the cryo and discussed how they might use it in the procedure. Weeks later, we started on an IVF with ICSI track. All seemed to be going well until the day of my retrieval. As I was in stirrups in the retrieval room, the embryologist came in and announced that they wouldn't be able to do ICSI as the cryo from MAZE was terrible quality. I was enraged, naturally as the cryo was a costly procedure and they had weeks to assess the quality of the cryo instead of minutes before my retrieval. I told them they claimed that my husband didn't have sperm in his samples. I suggested they have him provide two back to back sperm samples to see if they could "find" his sperm. Following the retrieval I called the lab and asked about how I could take my eggs and transfer to another clinic as I didn't have faith they would "find" his sperm and ICSI the eggs retrieved. Miraculously, they called later that afternoon and told me they retrieved 17 eggs, and ICSIed 15 of them with his fresh sperm.
Felt like a number because I felt like he [Dr. Ditkoff] was trying to get a result rather that truly listen and learn what is really going on with me...I felt like I had to argue to get a concern across. He was more concerned about me getting Ashkenazi genetics testing, but I am a Sephardi Jew from Iran. He thought I had PCOS and pushed for additional useless tests because I have hirsutism (because I am Middle Eastern) and because my 70+ year old father was diabetic. He dismissed the fact that I was previously treated by a previous RE for elevated prolactin and didn't wish to treat me for the issue
Nurses [at CNY Fertility Center] were very nice...I had an FISH of 14 on baseline bloodwork, and this is an abnormally high level which may indicate issues with egg quality/reserve. Had to call the clinic to get this result myself....Ease of making appointments, costs are very good... I am paying 100% out of pocket because bad insurance, and when we explained that our time and money are valuable, and want to try to explain our insurance issues with him [Dr. Ditkoff], he simply stated he doesn't know anything about how insurance works and someone else can talk to me about it.
How was your experience with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
I felt like I had to argue to get a concern across. He was more concerned about me getting Ashkenazi genetics testing, but I am a Sephardi Jew from Iran. He thought I had PCOS and pushed for additional useless tests because I have hirsutism (because I am Middle Eastern) and because my 70+ year old father was diabetic. He dismissed the fact that I was previously treated by a previous RE for elevated prolactin and didn't wish to treat me for the issue, even though I came in to see him with evidence of elevated prolactin. I ended up leaving the appointment with my spouse (who is a physician and also felt terrible after the visit), who encouraged me to get my prolactin levels evaluated by a "real" endocrinologist. Instead of Dr Ditkoff simply prescribing me cabergoline (which was done by my former RE at Columbia), he dismissed actual evidence of an elevated prolactin levels and wasted my time and money. I am paying 100% out of pocket because bad insurance, and when we explained that our time and money are valuable, and want to try to explain our insurance issues with him, he simply stated he doesn't know anything about how insurance works and someone else can talk to me about it. Currently, I am under the care of an endocrinologist to treat my elevated prolactin levels (which were higher than I thought they would be) and went to Dr Grossman at the same clinic for a second opinion. I wouldn't recommend Dr Ditkoff to anyone.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
If you don't feel like he's truly listening and you think you're being dismissed, you probably are.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center?
Felt like a number because I felt like he was trying to get a result rather that truly listen and learn what is really going on with me.
Describe the protocols Edward Ditkoff used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We saw him for our initial visit only. We mutually agreed to pursue IVF as we did not want to risk twins with IUI or clomid alone. No discussion of protocol was had during our initial visit.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
Nurses were very nice. Though I was a little frustrated at a baseline blood draw of FSH 14 and not being told of this level. It is higher than one would want.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
Ease of making appointments, costs are very good.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Edward Ditkoff at CNY Fertility Center.
I only saw him for initial visit which was covered for free as we were out of pocket. Bloodwork was $25 per lab value. Saline sonogram was approx $270.
Describe Edward Ditkoff's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CNY Fertility Center.
He did not have preference but seemed to respect is wanting to only transfer 1 embryo as we do not want twins.
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Failed to call with results
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
I had an FISH of 14 on baseline bloodwork, and this is an abnormally high level which may indicate issues with egg quality/reserve. Had to call the clinic to get this result myself.
Dr.Grossman is very down to earth and makes you feel comfortable in a stressful situation. His calm demeanor helps keep your stress levels down as well... write down questions as you think of them that way when you meet with him you can make sure to get all the information you need. Even if you think it is a silly question he is very understanding and will answer any and all questions you have...He is very respectful and understanding of the process and helps to make you feel comfortable in an otherwise stressful situation...After several iuis we decided to move on to IVF...
I believe this clinic [CNY] is very helpful. They have seminars for questions, and are also one of the most affordable care I have researched in the area. They have a healing arts center in the same building where you can have acupuncture or massages and also yoga for healing. I think they are very well rounded and don't have any complaints other than the fact that I was not informed of an embryo that made it to freeze prior to my next appointment. It was a shock but a happy one.
How was your experience with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Dr.Grossman is very down to earth and makes you feel comfortable in a stressful situation. His calm demeanor helps keep your stress levels down as well. I am very happy with having my procedures done by him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
Not just for dr. Grossman but write down questions as you think of them that way when you meet with him you can make sure to get all the information you need. Even if you think it is a silly question he is very understanding and will answer any and all questions you have.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center?
He is very respectful and understanding of the process and helps to make you feel comfortable in an otherwise stressful situation.
Describe the protocols Michael Grossman used in your cycles at CNY Fertility Center and their degree of success.
After several iuis we decided to move on to IVF. I used gonal f, menopur, lupron, cetrotide and baby aspirin. I have a mutation gene MTHFR and therefore take baby aspirin and methyl folate to help with that. After first retrieval didn't create that many embryos I started taking coq10 to try and help with my egg quality. I have also tried intralipids in case of an immune disorder.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CNY Fertility Center.
Everyone is very kind and only wants the best out of each situation for you.
Describe your experience with CNY Fertility Center.
I believe this clinic is very helpful. They have seminars for questions, and are also one of the most affordable care I have researched in the area. They have a healing arts center in the same building where you can have acupuncture or massages and also yoga for healing. I think they are very well rounded and don't have any complaints other than the fact that I was not informed of an embryo that made it to freeze prior to my next appointment. It was a shock but a happy one.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Michael Grossman at CNY Fertility Center.
$4725 for IVF including monitoring, anesthesia, egg retrieval, icsi, freezing for a year and frozen transfers during that year.
What specific things went wrong at CNY Fertility Center?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CNY Fertility Center.
After my egg retrieval we only had 2 embryos make it to day 5 and they weren't great quality. However I later learned at my next appt that another embryo made it to the freeze stage. I would have liked to be kept up to date on the progression of my embryos prior to transfer as well as after.
