Describe your experience with CCRM Houston/Houston IVF.
Dr. McKnight is intelligent, straightforward, firm, and kind....when you can actually get an appointment with her.
Amelia Silva is a great nurse and takes constructive criticism.
Avoid Dr. Nodler. I would say that I have PTSD from his lack of empathy.
The facility is clean and professional.
The nursing staff as a whole needs to better communicate to patients. They need to explain follow-up appointments, IVF protocols, and why your protocol was selected and tailored to you.
Ultrasound technicians here need a LOT of work. If you are inside of me and probing my most intimate spaces, please at least explain what you are seeing and let me know that the doctor will provide further detail or a diagnosis.
Overall, the communication at Houston IVF could have been much better, but the treatment itself seemed informed and professional even though it did not lead to success. I understand that my case was especially challenging and that is nobody's fault (except for my damn FMR1 gene).
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Katherine McKnight at CCRM Houston/Houston IVF?
Dr. McKnight was both warm and blunt. I appreciated her candor while still taking the time to give me a hug. She also would give me the doctor perspective, but then tell me "if I was your sister, I'd say....". It was the perfect balance.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Houston/Houston IVF. (Assigned nurse: Amelia Silva)
Our primary nurse was Amelia. When lack of communication and compassion became an issue during the first few visits, I had a heart to heart with Amelia about our expectations and how I felt that they were not being met. Amelia listened attentively, explained that different patients like different approaches, and let me know she was glad we talked because now she understood the kind of care and interaction that I expected. I really appreciated her listening to constructive criticism and she made a clear change after that discussion. The rest of the nursing staff, however, could have been better communicators overall. Especially as IVF first timers, my husband and I often left the clinic with more questions than answers. Often we wouldn't even realize that we weren't given next steps or explanations until several hours after we left because (as you can imagine) we were very emotional, sad, and overwhelmed during the actual visits.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Houston/Houston IVF?
- Failed to convey critical information
How was your experience with Katherine McKnight at CCRM Houston/Houston IVF?
When I was with Dr. McKnight, I was very pleased with her manner. She took the time to answer our questions, although we were so confused and uninformed in the beginning of our infertility whirlwind that this time didn't amount to much. Of our many countless visits we really only saw Dr. McKnight three times, but she was definitely great when we did get to see her.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Katherine McKnight at CCRM Houston/Houston IVF?
Make sure you specifically request to see the DOCTOR when you want to meet with her. There were a handful of visits where we expected Dr. McKnight to be there and it was just a nurse. Perhaps this is standard practice, but we didn't know and we felt let down. Other than that, I would just say to prepare questions so that the time you do get with McKnight is as effective and useful as possible. She will be candid and kind in my experience.
Describe the protocols Katherine McKnight used in your cycles at CCRM Houston/Houston IVF and their degree of success.
Based on my extremely low AMH and borderline FSH, the plan Dr. McKnight put in place was an aggressive IVF regimen. The first round began with birth control pill suppression followed by a mix of high dose gonadotropins and microdose lupron. My trigger would have been HCG followed by retrieval, ICSI and comprehensive chromosome screening on all embryos. Unfortunately, my body did not respond to the meds, my estradiol stayed undetectable and I didn't even make it to trigger. A week or so after this failure I had a random follicle growing and an estradiol spike on NO medication. I was thrilled and rushed into another mini round of IVF with virtually the same protocol and tried to save the few follicles that were growing. I did my HCG trigger, but the day before my retrieval showed that my estrogen levels came crashing back down. Dr. McKnight told me this probably meant that there were no viable eggs in the follicles and she would not recommend doing egg retrieval will only one large follicle and crashing estrogen levels. I was heartbroken, but it was not McKnight's fault. I can only add that perhaps, with diminished ovarian reserve and a poor response to the first round, perhaps I should not have been on any lupron suppression? I just don't know. Perhaps we should have tried a different protocol. That being said, I think I will go back to Dr. McKnight after my stem cell therapy and try to batch with her.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Katherine McKnight at CCRM Houston/Houston IVF.
The cost up front for the pre-retrieval and post-retrieval blood draws and appointments, egg retrieval and FET was $21,000.00. This was meant to get you from your first appointment through your surgeries and to your positive pregnancy test.
Describe Katherine McKnight's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Houston/Houston IVF.
When my husband and I were naive enough to think we would even have these options, we asked about single vs. multiple embryo transfer. Dr. McKnight said she respects anything her patients decide to do, but strongly recommends single embryo transfer. We didn't ask for further explanation as my husband and I agreed we ought to do single embryo transfers only.