Florida Fertility Institute

All of the staff members were wonderful, I felt that the dr listened to my concerns and explained very clearly what was going on and when I was stressing myself out unnecessarily, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend my best friend of anyone else to this clinic. After dealing with an OB/Gyn at the beginning of my infertility journey who was not sympathetic, understanding, or compassionate, I was pleasantly surprised by the kindness and compassion demonstrated by everyone here. I was so happy with this clinic that I drove down there (over an hour and a half one way) every other morning before work for my monitoring during my retrieval cycle and didn't even consider switching to a closer clinic at any point.

Every member of the nursing staff I interacted with was wonderful, whether I was calling them in a panic or arriving at 7 am for blood work. They made an extremely stressful process much more positive and made me feel confident every step of the way that they not only knew what they were doing, but that they were personally invested in a positive outcome.

Dr Sanchez was willing to meet with me to discuss any of my concerns at any step in the process. He was candid about the situation, kept expectations reasonable, and was quick to tell me when I was stressing out unnecessarily which was exactly what I needed to hear!

Don't expect him to coddle you, he'll tell you the truth about what's going on and what to expect with your particular situation.

Dr Sanchez started with the typical HSG and blood work, which revealed a tubal blockage. In light of appearing to have one open tube, he recommended IUI with clomid. Following two failed IUIs I sat down with him again to discuss options and decided, with his candid input, to pursue IVF which resulted in five day 5 cryopreserved embryos. Our first transfer (two embryos) resulted in a singleton pregnancy (still in progress).

The costs were very clearly stated for each step of the process. There were no surprise fees at any point (which of course is a huge fear with something as expensive and involved as IVF).

I was told that at my age (under 30), my options were one to two embryos only. It was explained very clearly to me why this was, in relation to the risk of multiples.

Florida Fertility Institute is a very warm practice. Everyone there is friendly and caring. They really do understand that everyone that walks through the doors is struggling with infertility. They show an immense amount of compassion and empathy. They are there to help with each step of the way. They respond quickly to phone calls and questions.

Dr. Sanchez is incredibly knowledgable and thorough. He has met with my husband and I a few times throughout our process, most recently to discuss IVF. During these meetings he is empathetic and compassionate to our struggles. He provides all of the information, scientific and the emotional challenges, to each scenario that he presents. He is also very supportive to our decisions each step of the way. In addition to Dr. Sanchez the entire practice is compassionate. There are days walking out of the ultrasound that all you want to do is cry and they are there to support and help build you back up. You are always greeted with a warm smiling face by everyone you encounter. Throughout the past 18 months everyone at Florida Fertility Institute has made our struggles just a little bit easier.

The nursing staff is amazing at Florida Fertility Institute. You are always welcomed with a smile. Whenever I call I always get a call back within a few hours at the most. They answer my questions and take the time to ensure I understand what is going on.

Dr. Sanchez works with an amazing team at Florida Fertility Institute. Although he has not completed all of my tests and procedures I always feel like I am in good hands. Everyone at the practice explains everything that they are doing and ensures that you do not leave with any questions. Dr. Sanchez has great bedside manner, we even find ourselves laughing during our visits. He is able to take these uncomfortable visits and make them light and friendly. Every time we meet with Dr. Sanchez whether it is for a consolation, a test, or a procedure we feel like he has our best in mind and helps us make the most educated decisions.

Relax before your first visit. My husband and I were nervous and unsure what to expect before our initial consultation with Dr. Sanchez. He immediately put my nerves at rest, spoke to us like people, and began to explain what what going on and what our many option were going forward.

When my husband and I went to our initial consultation there was no reason that we were unable to get pregnant. So the first thing Dr. Sanchez did was run tests. I had all of my labs run and an HSG my husband also had his sperm checked. Everything came back fine. So we tried naturally for a few more months. Then we went back into meet with Dr. Sanchez and we decided to move onto IUI. We ran 3 rounds of IUI with clomid and still nothing so I had an SHG, again absolutely nothing wrong. So now we're preparing for IVF. There is still no reason that we are not getting pregnant so we are very hopeful that IVF will help us conceive.

I do not have health insurance for infertility. For our IUI we paid approximately $1,000. There are many options for IVF and we are currently deciding on a one time option or a money back guarantee option (includes 3 cycles).

Excellent service. The staff is patient care centered. Every visit the clinic has been extremely efficient and professional. Each person from the doctor all the way to the secretary demonstrates the upmost compassion. The office is very comforting. There are several sections to the waiting room which is nice for privacy. I have never had to wait longer than ten minutes to get back into a room. The first time to a fertility clinic can be very overwhelming but the staff makes the experience so smooth.

Dr Zbella was explained the entire process and answered any question we had. He cut to the point and did not “beat around the bush”. He gave us hope!

The nursing staff was very organized. Also friendly and compassionate. Very knowledgeable and willing to answer whatever questions. The only weakness is blood draw. I always got stuck several times.

Me and my significant other have had trouble conceiving so we decided it was time to find out why after having a bad experience with a prior doctor.after researching we decided to go with Dr Zella for fertility help. At our first meeting Dr Zbella had went through my history from precious medical records. He explained to me what he thought the issue was and why. It was decided IVF was the best route. He explained the entire process from beginning to end with every single detail. He answered all questions without hesitation. He did not give false hope. During our hour and a half meeting he never tried to rush us out the door. He took the time to listen to every single concern, issue and questions we had. I would highly recommend him to anyone.

Trust the process. Never give up. Stay positive. Find a support group. You never have to go through the journey alone.

Our treatment is IVF. His four step process included- Ovarian stimulation. used medication to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple follicles. Then monitored follicular growth by ultrasound to determine egg growth and uterine lining development. When appropriately matured a trigger shot of HCG is administered. Egg retrieval by ultrasound is performed in office. Sperm specimen is washed and prepared for insemination. The washed sleep is placed in a dish with the eggs and incubated for 18 hours. The embryos are observed for normal fertilization. The final step involves transferring embryos into the uterus via catheter through the cervix.

The office had different financing companies that they worked with for fertility. All the cost was explained upfront. And the coordinator helped with the knowledge on how to receive financial assistance. 1 round of IVF was around $15,000

Great with appointment scheduling, courteous, and responsive. I was always put at ease by everyone. All of my questions were answered and at all times of the day and night including several calls over the weekend.

We saw Dr. Sanchez over the course of several months for treatment. He explained diagnosis and treatment options to us every step of the way. He was compassionate and funny. One visit we had to bring our 4 year old daughter( she was sick and out of school) and he even put cartoons on the TV while we had our consult and gave her a stuffed animal to keep. Yes he did have a resident in training with him; but i took that to mean he is knowledgeable enough to be teaching our future Drs. in the field. We are elated, after several miscarriages we are almost ready to have our miracle baby. I cannot thank Dr. S. enough! If you haven't gotten the results, treatment or compassion from other Fertility Drs. then run, don't walking go see Dr. Sanchez!

Excellent!

We saw Dr. Sanchez over the course of several months for treatment. He explained diagnosis and treatment options to us every step of the way. He was compassionate and funny. One visit we had to bring our 4 year old daughter( she was sick and out of school) and he even put cartoons on the TV while we had our consult and gave her a stuffed animal to keep. Yes he did have a resident in training with him; but i took that to mean he is knowledgeable enough to be teaching our future Drs. in the field. We are elated, after several miscarriages we are almost ready to have our miracle baby. I cannot thank Dr. S. enough! If you haven't gotten the results, treatment or compassion from other Fertility Drs. then run, don't walking go see Dr. Sanchez!

See Him ASAP!

After 3 years of treatments w/ this office I learned that I was diagnosed with DOR (diminished ovarian reserve) ONLY by reading through my records which were mailed to another clinic. This dx was given in 2016. I would have not continued with treatment using my own eggs @ this point. Further after 4 RE's I learned that being a carrier for Fragile X increases my chances of DOR, Miscarriage and poor embryos/egg quality. I was beginning to feel like this clinic did not care about my outcome but only wanted my money as well as insurance payment after my 3rd loss. I have wasted over 35K with this clinic only to find out that I needed either donor eggs or donor embryo's.

I do not feel like they cared about me as a person.

After 3 years of treatments w/ this office I learned that I was diagnosed with DOR (diminished ovarian reserve) ONLY by reading through my records which were mailed to another clinic. This dx was given in 2016. I would have not continued with treatment using my own eggs @ this point. Further after 4 RE's I learned that being a carrier for Fragile X increases my chances of DOR, Miscarriage and poor embryos/egg quality. I was beginning to feel like this clinic did not care about my outcome but only wanted my money as well as insurance payment after my 3rd loss. I have wasted over 35K with this clinic only to find out that I needed either donor eggs or donor embryo's.

Demand testing, demand to be able to review your chart and be your own advocate. More importantly, go find ANOTHER clinic.

10 IUIs w/ either clomid or injectable medications. Antagonist IVF protocol 1 chemical, 1 MC of twins & 1 MC of a singleton

You could schedule any time that was convenient for you.

over 35k

None

The clinic overall was very well organized. Everyone was very nice. They do most of their procedures and tests in house so are able to get you test results within the same day. You have to take checks because there is a fee for any card transactions. Although they mention a billing department if you have any questions about payments or your account t you must call the front desk and request to talk to Vanessa. It's the only way to get ahold of her and she is the only one with the information.

He was always very pleasant and personable. He was also up front in discussion about my potential chances. Although he said that my low AMH may mean it would not be successful he understood me wanting to at least try a cycle before considering donor eggs.

They were all very nice and supportive. I had to ask specific questions though because they often glossed over steps or went through things very quickly. They did provide links to online resources.

He was always very nice, but sometimes felt a little condescending. He gave mostly overviews and left specifics of treatment to the IVF coordinater and finances to the billing department. He was completely open and supportive of my decision to be a single mother by choice. Overall the experience with him was positive.

Make sure to write down specific questions. He tents to give broad strokes of information so I sometimes felt unsure about each individual step.

Since I had low AMH he recommended we go straight to IVF. My medications were pretty aggressive, meopur and follistim. The first cycle was cancelled due to poor response. For the second cycle we added human growth hormone prior to and overlapping with the stim medicines. When the five day ultrasound showed poor response again we converted to IUI and triggered for the one mature follicle. Since that try was not successful he recommended either donor eggs, which they can do, or donor embryos, which would require me to go elsewhere.

There was an initial consultation charge of about $200 then a flat fee for the remainder of treatment, not including medications, of $10,750 plus $500 fee since I financed some of it. After two cycles, one cancelled due to poor performance and the second converted to IUI again because of poor response I was able to request a refund of my unused funds, $8949. Or that could have been used towards a different course of treatment.

I never got that far

The only weakness I can think of was the miscommunication about the fee for using a credit card. The clinic itself is immaculate, very aesthetically-pleasing and comfortable, the people from the business office that explain payment options were very astute, all of our nurses was very communicative and easy to reach if we had an after-hours concern - which happened a lot. It was a wonderful experience and we would not hesitate to repeat it.

Mark Sanchez's bedside manner was warm and compassionate, very empathetic and understanding of how draining the process was in every way. He managed expectations clearly and concisely and was always very honest, but still treated us with kid gloves. He gave precise instructions on how to behave, what to avoid, and what to expect either way. He has a very kind and calm demeanor and legitimate concern for his patients. We could not have been in better hands.

All of my communications with the nurses were excellent to my recollection. The only miscommunication we had was not being aware that there was a 3% charge for using a credit card, which is significant when the payments are as large as they are; however, that is more of an administrative error. As far as the care from the nurses, everything was excellent.

As previously indicated, he managed our expectations like a professional, warning us of potential risks, guiding us through best practices, and always answering every question with sincerity. On our first transfer, the embryos did not latch, which could've have happened for a number of reasons (they were too weak, my wife was more active than she should've been...who knows), and Dr. Sanchez prepared us for the possibility that despite all of the injections, all of the hormones, all of the financial obligation, all of the stress, that there is a chance that pregnancy may not occur. It is devastating receiving that phone call. Yet, in Dr. Sanchez's hands, we always felt reassured. When he performed the transfer of our frozen embryo, he seemed as emotionally invested in our success as we were. There was a moment before the transfer that I remember specifically, where he nodded his head and closed his eyes for a moment (possibly to pray, or meditate, or just get in the proper headspace), and witnessing this put a strange calm over me. Lo and behold, our baby was born beautiful, healthy, and perfect. We can never thank Dr. Sanchez enough, and only hope someday we can afford to see him again to give our child a sibling. We trust him without question.

Listen to him attentively, trust his counsel, and follow his instructions meticulously.

We went three rounds: The first was IUI; although there was a number of hormone injections and medicines involved, the second was a two embryo transfer, and the third was the frozen embryo transfer that we cryogenically preserved from the first egg retrieval and insemination. I cannot recall the names of the medications/injections right now; although, we researched them intensively at the time. There were also dietary requirements, like extra Folic Acid, and added Estrogen.

All three attempts including all injections for all three times, all visits, egg retrieval, IUI, two embryo transfers, cryo freezing the embryo, and everything else fell below $30,000 I think. Important to remember that just one round of injections was around $7,500, I think...so, all in all, it was what we expected. Possibly less. I am ballparking.

We had three embryos. We asked why we were not inserting all three at once, and Dr. Sanchez explained enough potential risks to convince us to only use 2 at first and freeze the third. this turned out to be the right advice because the third one turned out to be our baby boy.

Hours of the clinic are very specific. I had a flexible schedule so I was able to fit everything in my schedule but it could be difficult for others depending on their work schedule.

Dr. Sanchez sat down on several occasions and explained exactly what was going on and what to expect. He was genuine and seemed to care about me and my husband.

Mandy was prompt in calling me back about blood levels and which medicine I should take or if I needed to change the dosage. She seemed to care about how I felt and very supportive. When I hyperstimulated she made sure I was able to get into the office to see the doctors and get the answers I wanted/needed.

Dr. Sanchez explained to my husband exactly how the IUI process worked and drew us a very nice picture of the time table of when to take certain injections, when the IUI would be done or not done if I was not responding correctly. Before the IUI, he explained different scenarios about an IUI and how the medicine could affect my body. After the IUI, I hyperstimulated, when I met with him, he was understanding and sympathetic but positive and made me feel better about the diagnosis.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. He is happy to make sure that you understand exactly what is going on.

First round we used a combination of Follistim and Menopur. I don't ovulate on my own so they were really trying to get my system working. My body responded very quickly and so I stopped taking the Follistim. First round didn't work. Second round, we started on a low dose of Follistim only. My body was responding but levels were not as high as they should be so the dosage of Follistim was raised. Second round worked:)

My insurance does not cover fertility treatments, so I had to pay it all out of pocket. My insurance did cover part of the fertility medication. I did not compare the cost of IUI to other clinics but I thought that it was reasonable for fertility treatments.

Without a doubt I would recommend this clinic to anyone. I also had a Hystosalpingogram there by Dr. Zbella and he as well was kind. The only negative is that they do not have an office closer to me. It was a 45 minutes drive each way and that was with good traffic.

Dr. Sanchez and his staff were all polite and kind. At the first appointment he just sat down with my husband and I after reviewing our medical records and talked to us. He told us he was going to do everything he could to help. He said he can't guarantee a child, but he would do everything he could. He also talked to us about emotional health and how much of a toll the already two losses were. He was very kind and never made us feel rushed.

The nursing staff and IUI staff were all very nice and informative. When I had questions they always responded very quickly. I could email in the morning and would have a response before lunch.

Dr. Sanchez was kind and professional. He took his time and explained all processes and procedures. He never promised to fix our problems and he never made me feel bad for being overweight. He never made us feel rushed. He made sure both my husband and I understood all processes.

Be honest, he listens very well and takes your thoughts and opinions into consideration.

We did 4 rounds of IUI. I had to take Clomid and another prescription I can't remember the name of. My insurance did not cover the ultrasound prior to the IUI or the IUI or the medication and his office was very upfront with us about the charges.

The office was always up front about the charges and fees. I never felt unaware. They even had the medication cheaper in office than I could find at any pharmacy in my area.

The clinic is very warm and welcoming. There has always been a smiling face to greet us as we walk in as well as leaving.

Dr. Sanchez was amazing from the moment he walked into the consultation room. He was very much so about talking with us instead of to us.

Mandy has been amazing. Just like Dr. Sanchez, she has been welcoming from day one. Any and all questions that we have had, she has been more than happy to help with. Phone calls have all been returned same day.

Dr. Sanchez was very compassionate yet straightforward when it came to discussing our options and next steps. He told us that he was willing to try if we were, which meant the world to us. He made sure to keep checking with us while we were talking to make sure he wasn't moving too fast and that we understood everything he was going over. He had a sense of humor that made us feel right at home while speaking.

Go in with an open mind. He has your best interest at heart, trust the process.

Currently, my husband is on pregnyl injections and clomid to try and correct a male infertility issue to see if we are able to move forward.

Since we are not covered under our insurance for fertility, everything has been out of pocket. They have been wonderful and understanding with collecting funds and making sure that all that we need is covered under the current visit cost so there are no extra fees.

Dr Sanchez is great but I was not a fan of Dr Zbella. His bedside manor was not great. Luckily, I didn’t have to deal with him much. Overall the clinic is good. They have dedicated IVF staff who I mostly dealt with. They were knowledgeable even if not always accessible.

He has a great bedside manor. Remembered previous visits and items we’d discussed. He would joke with us and made me feel very comfortable.

Answered all questions asked but weren’t always great with responding to questions, especially off hours or lunch hours. The nursing staff that did blood draws, sonograms, etc were great.

He is very knowledgeable and straightforward, but also personable and connects with his patients. My husband and I both liked him and felt comfortable going there for our procedures. Our senses of humor also matched well.

Ask all of your questions. He will answer them. And he prepared for a joke which may or may not be funny. But he will think it is.

We did a fairly standard IVF with ICSI protocol as our first and only successful round. The others were part of a study - the IVY study, which did not work for me.

I didn’t remember the exact costs but it was in the 13k range, not counting meds.

Our embryos were not great quality so we put in 3. We felt that was the right choice and he would’ve done 2 or 3.

Florida Fertility Institute is an amazing group. Every one treats you with compassion and is extremely knowledgeable in their field.

Dr. Sanchez and his staff were compassionate and listened/answered all our questions and understood all our needs. They celebrated all our triumphs with us and were genuinely invested in our future family.

Dr. Sanchez is compassionate and extremely knowledgeable. He earned my complete trust through his amazing work and understanding of our needs. For example, we were trying IUI and were unsuccessful. Dr. Sanchez reviewed our file and didn't let us waste more time or money continuing down an unsuccessful path. It was worth trying initially but when it was clear to him adjustments were needed he acted. Without prompt from us he worked up another game plan and shortly after we were pregnant. It was the compassion and dedication to our success that impressed us. You aren't getting doctors with photocopied action plans when you go to Florida Fertility Institute. The doctors and the PA, Andrea, give your unique situation customized treatment from start to finish.

Trust Dr. Sanchez with all your fertility needs. He will not disappoint.

$15-20,000.00

You almost always stick to your scheduled appointment, so your time is not wasted.

My treatment seemed specific to my needs.

They struggled with taking my blood but otherwise I had no issues.

I had no issues. He gave me realistic answers without making me feel like anything was a guaranteed success. I was told that my chances we're always 47% chance of success with either a fresh or frozen cycle. He said my endometriosis is not what is causing infertility with research he did himself to backup his thoughts.

He does not tell you things to make you feel good. He gives you realistic advice without false hope, which I liked.

Menopur Follistim Lupron Trigger Shot

I could choose a time within a specific time range.

That depends on what my insurance covers and what it doesn't.

2

Weaknesses-did not educate much at all on the procedure or the why's. Did not explain well why I was taking a medication. I felt like I had to ask to find out anything. The clinic shares an office/building with a weight management department. Strengths- Embryologist-Seth O'Gradney- kind, took the time to explain and talk through things re: male factor Gail-ultrasound tech Andrea-was a good resource

The clinic is difficult to get a hold of. Treatment didn't feel very personalized.

Different nurses. Had to leave a lot of voicemails as no one was usually available to speak with. I had to do a lot of following up on my own. Andrea-the PA was available if needed.

Dr. Sanchez very strongly pushed ICSI-IVF for our Male Fertility. We did not feel like he addressed questions well. I was an IVF newbie and we were not educated well on IVF-ICSI or the possible risks or success/miscarriage possibilites.

I believe a mini dose protocol was used for our case. Low eggs retrieved.

3 day transfer was standard at the time. Though I was told that a 5 day transfer would be more standard the following year.They did not recommend eSET in general.

They were absolutely amazing. I had gone to 2 other RE Doctors and this practice was warm and the staff were simply amazing. They answered my questions, they called to check on me and they were patient with all of my questions and concerns.

Charlie and Andrea were the best. They called us to check in, they made sure we were comfortable and answered all of our questions. When Andrea said she would call - she called. That is so nice to have reliable people to speak with when going through a new process.

Dr. Zbella was just perfect. He was professional, took time to discuss our concerns and overall made my dream come true.

Go to Dr. Zbella first before you try the other more advertised agencies.

23k