IVF Florida

IVF Florida is a major clinic with several different locations across the state. The great part about this is that you can go to any of the different offices pending on your schedule and location for that week. It is important to be aware that this is a very busy clinic and you may have to wait sometimes. Try to book appointments in the afternoon rather than the morning, it is much less busy.

We were trying for over a year when we made an appointment to see Dr. Maxson. I had done a TON of research and as opposed to treating me like everyone else, he acknowledged that and working within my higher understanding to ensure that I was getting the info I needed, not just the same stuff I had already learned. His bedside manner is excellent and the nurses are wonderful. I get stressed out easily and any time I needed to speak with someone to understand the process better, I was called within minutes or hours (not days). When we got the bad news that both tubes were blocked (most likely from the time I was born), it was heartbreaking. My doctor heard me crying in the bathroom and waited outside to reassure me that it was going to be okay and we would just move into IVF and that we are on this journey together. Wow, I have never trusted a doctor the way I trust him and fully encourage any woman who is going through this struggle with infertility to see him.

The nursing staff, in general, is excellent. They are caring and compassionate and know that this is an extremely stressful journey. They are not there to add anything more to your plate but rather to relieve some of the heavy load that you have been carrying on your shoulders.

Dr. Maxson is absolutely wonderful. He is caring, compassionate and extremely knowledgeable. He speaks to me at my level and is blunt but still empathetic. I like to receive information and don't want it sugar-coated, he is great at doing this. He has been there every step of the way and told me on my first appointment that I have been doing a great job of keeping the "car on the road" but now it is time to let him take the wheel. He could see that I had been stressed about this process for a long time and after that initial visit, I think I took the first deep breath for over a year. Could not give him a higher rating, strongly recommend.

Do your own research before going in and come with questions. Dr. Maxson will never rush you and will answer any and everything you may be curious about. Just remember, he is the expert and to trust him and not try to struggle for control. At this point, he is joining you on your journey to becoming a parent.

Dr. Maxson has a strong preference to only transfer one embryo. He feels that transferring more than one puts the mother as well as the baby (babies) at an unnecessarily high risk.

IVF Florida in Margate is a beautiful office. You are always greeted with a smile and hello from the front desk. Most of the girls are very knowledgeable when checking in and out. They remember each individual by name. I have always had a great experience with their phlebotomist and their ultra sound tech, Colleen, is amazing. She is so sweet and talks you through the ultra sound. She even shares what she is seeing with you.

Dr. Ory is very straight forward with his diagnosis. He has a wonderful personality and cracks a smile every now and then when discussing the issue(s). I felt like I was treated like an individual with Dr. Ory because he specifically spoke of me and very rarely compared me to anyone else. He know I was me and this was "my" issue and not a "bunch of other woman".

Cassie and Nadia are amazing. They are very caring, compassionate and listen to your concerns and even let you cry to them :) Cassie performed a number of my inseminations with ease. She was extremely knowledgeable on the protocol and procedure. Nadia was my shoulder to cry on. She listened when I was upset and always consoled me when I needed it. She explained things to me in a simple way, shared her personal stories and made me feel comfortable.

Dr. Ory's strengths: He explains everything to you and step by step. He is very caring about your situation and helps you feel comfortable with his protocol. Dr. Dr. Ory's weaknesses: Runs a little behind for appointments. I have waited close to a hour at one visit to just meet with him. Overall, Dr. Ory is a fantastic doctor who knows what he is doing.

Listen and ask questions. Dr. Ory will not explain above and beyond. He will tell you textbook wise what is going on and what his plan is. But research and ask questions...anything. He will answer them on the spot.

In 2014 I had a small fibroid preventing me from getting pregnant. Dr. Ory suggested 3 months of depot lupron shots to shrink it to avoid surgery. Unfortunately they did not work and ended up having laparoscopic surgery with Dr. Christie (Dr. Ory does not perform lap). The fibroid was removed and I became pregnant. Fast forward to 2016. I became pregnant but unfortunately miscarried. After 5 months of not getting pregnant again I returned to Dr. Ory. We ran a number of tests and determined diminishing ovarian reserve / poor egg quality was an assumption. We tried a few rounds of 50mg clomid to produce more eggs with timed intercourse, no luck. In January, February, and March I completed 3 IUI's, each with two days of insemination. I was given 50mg of clomid with ovidrel trigger shot. Each IUI was unsuccessful. We took a break for a few months and then tried 3 months of 2.5mg of letrozole with trigger shot and timed intercourse. Again no luck. We have stepped back from treatments for a while, but still keep in touch with IVF for questions, blood work etc.

For visits I had a $30 copay each time. My insurance covered 60% of my IUI treatments. I had to pay approximately $1500 for 3 IUIs. Most medications were covered, expect for the ovidrel injection.

The only down side that I had was that if I needed treatment on a Sunday I would have to drive 2 hours to margate, but other than that the staff at Ivf Florida are all amazing and were always concerned with how we felt and wanted to make sure we always had the info we needed.

Every time I walked in the office the nurses knew my name and greeted me with a big smile and a caring face. When ever I had a question it was always just a phone call away and they always answered and answered my questions with truth and professionalism.

My nurse was absolutely amazing. She handled everything from my negative pregnancy test to my joy for starting another cycle.

The first time meeting Dr.Maxson my husband and I knew right of the bat that he was the Doctor that we wanted and that we were going to be in great hands. He explained everything in detail and answered every question we had. Dr. Maxson had a vision for my husband and I and started right away. I wouldn’t go anywhere else.

If I could give any advise it would be to never give up on your dream to become parents. When you think you have hit rock bottom to get back up again and try harder for what you want to achieve and that is a baby!

The first thing Dr. Maxson said was to loose 5% of your weight. Even a small amount is beneficial to conceive. He started me on metformin starting at 100mg and working my way up to 1000mg. With having pcos it is suppose to balance my blood sugar and even out my hormones. From there it was weekly apt to check my follicles. Once my follicles got to a certain size Dr.Maxson told me to trigger and to trigger at a certain time. We would trigger and then the next morning we would go in for iui.

For the iui treatments I spent $1,700 per iui. I did 2 iui and I am working on my 3rd now

Everyone at the clinic is absolutely wonderful. They are kind, patient and very thorough to ensure everything is correct and up to date. The use of the portal is an excellent and efficient way to receive results and communicate with the office and nurses.

Dr. Christie is kind, respectful and honest. He tells us the good and bad in a very nurturing manner. He is a very sweet man and we have all our faith tha8t he is doing everything he can to help us have a baby.

The entire staff is absolutely wonderful and so caring. Love them all.

Dr. Christie is extremely professional. He has always made himself available to us to answer questions or concerns. He is very knowledge and recommend a different procedure in our last cycle that allowed us to have 8 more embryos to complete PGS testing on. One of which is now our little popsicle.

Don't keep wasting time. Go see Dr. Christie or any of this partners at IVF Florida. They are amazing.

In round 1, we went the "normal" way of fertilizing the eggs. On round 2 they were hand fertilized and we got 8 more embryos over the previous cycle (18 total). 8 in total made it to day 5 and after pgs one of those is now our popsicle. We couldn't be happier. We are now going to do an ERA to improve our chances of a successful transfer.

I purchased a 2 ivf cycle plan via Attain. I believe the cost was around $25k plus PGS testing $3k, medication $2k per round, and PGS testing was $3,600 per 8 embryos. ERA should be around $1k. In addition I have about $500 for anesthesiologist and another $2500 for the removal of a fibroid. I think that covers it.

They do not allow multiple transfers and I'm not sure about eSet (not interested)

Wellington Office is kind, caring, organized, up to date with your file. The billing office does tend to be inaccurate time and time again. Which is very frustrating when you are seeking such expensive treatment.

Dr. Maxson is very warm, compassionate and down to earth. His compassion and knowledge of the field really resonated with us. From our initial visit to our most recent loss Dr Maxson has been with us every step of the way. He often checks in on us during our cycles and even on our "breaks". He really understands how grueling this process is not only on the patient but often on the family. There have been several times Dr. Maxson has met with my husband and I as well as my parents to calm our nerves and fears. At the end of the day Dr Maxson truly cares about his patients and the family they are so hopeful to create.

I attend the Wellington Office and the nursing staff there exceeds expectations. Being a smaller office they know you by name, know your journey and are with you 100% of the time. This includes the nurses, the sonographer, the triage nurses (who take our blood) , the office/billing employee and many others. They greet you by name, follow up with you via the web and phone, and show general interest, care and concern not only about your treatment and care but also about your general well being.

One of the things I like the best about Dr. Maxson is that He stays educated on up to date research and procedures and educates us as well. He doesn't hold back when offering "out of the box" thinking. I know that Dr. Maxson has several patients. However, that doesn't alter him from knowing every little detail about me and our journey to parenthood. He is blunt when He needs to be and He is cautious of our feelings when He needs to be as well. Recently we have hit a bump in the road financially and we are almost at the end of our journey and have no baby to show for our journey. To see the emotion on Dr. Maxson speaks volumes. This man genuinely cares about us. About our Marriage. About our Hopes and Dreams. And most of all about our desire to become parents.

When seeing Dr Maxson I would recommend that you remain open and honest with him. Be upfront about your plans and where you are at financially. Be open to suggestions--- even the ones that are hard to hear. Be ready to hear things you may not want to hear but be open to what He has to say regarding this and follow through with his plans.

We tried Clomid and Letrozole with IUI first. I stopped responding to both. We then moved to IVF with Menopur, Gonal F , Centrotide and HCG trigger shot. We retrieved 10 eggs and 6 made it to day 5. Sadly, these embryos resulted in 2 chemical pregnancies and a miscarriage around 12 weeks when referred to my OB. Our Second Retrieval we did Lupron for several weeks, Menopur and Gonal F with HCG trigger. We retrieved 17 eggs and 4 made it to blast. This was a freeze all cycle. We did an ERA test to make sure that we were transferring at the right time and that my uterus was receptive to the Progesterone shots. We found out that I was pre receptive by 24 hours and needed an additional day of Progesterone. We did two more transfers after this which resulted in negative pregnancy tests. We have two more embroys on ice and will be transferring again in 2019.

We used Attian, IVF

Dr. Maxson is very amendment about single embryo transfers. His first priority is always the health of his patient and his goal is always "one healthy baby".

Strengths would be the knowledge & education of assisted reproductive technology of all of the doctors and how there able to take an individualized approach still getting a positive result. Weaknesses would be sometimes it may take a minute to get called back when leaving messages with answering service over the weekends.

I’d like to start by saying I am over the moon happy I found Dr. G. I initially went to him as a second opinion after working previously with a different RE. From the day I made my appointment up until now I’m extremely glad I chose to stay with him. He is extremely intelligent, very committed to making sure I understand my particular case & condition, gets back to me in a timely manner & always answers my questions of concern. That by far is the most important thing to me. Knowing that we’re on the same page and he is willing to do what it takes to help me have a baby.

Compassionate. Helpful. Outgoing & always willing to help with additional resources. Gives great hugs & words of encouragement!!

Dr G, is very well educated and highly skilled on what methods work for each individuals case. He always explains everything to me in lamen terms & I always walk out like I get it. I am a bit over weight and he has never made me feel any less deserving of having a baby like my previous doctor. He suggested eating better & integrating exercise just to stay healthy & get my sugar levels under control. He can relate to me and that is impressive!

Trust him!

Well I have not had my actual IUI. I am in progress. So my husband & I were given a work up and consulted regarding results. We both did really well & the few areas of concern like my blood sugar which was also addressed by placing me on metformin. I’ve been on metformin for 4 months. Next phase of treatment includes ovulation induction medications including injectables & ultrasounds to monitor the effectiveness of the OI. Once final ultrasound and blood work is completed ovidrel will be prescribed & I’ll be scheduled for IUI.

$1300-2500

The clinic was well organized, modern, and clean. When I arrived for my initial consultation I was extremely overwhelmed with the process and costs, but after speaking with the nurses and staff I felt better. The nurses/staff perform the ultrasounds and blood testing in house so it is convenient and you get the test results within the same day. On the other hand, it is very busy and the waiting room is always crowded. Expect longer than usual wait times.

The clinic is large and always had a lot of people in the waiting room. I felt rushed during each of my appointments.

The nurses were kind, understanding, and sensitive to my needs and concerns. Their positive attitude made me feel comfortable. If I had any questions after my appointment I could email the nurses through the portal and they would respond within 24 hours. At times I was given conflicting information by each nurse which was confusing during my treatment.

He was professional, knowledgeable and kind. After my initial appointment, I was nervous but confident that he could help me become a mother. He explained the process and procedures, and was positive I would achieve pregnancy.

Conduct your own research beforehand and be prepared to ask questions because he doesn't give you all the information you need unless you prompt him with questions. Prepare for a long wait time.

During the initial testing, it was determined I have diminished ovarian reserve. He performed an HSG which resulted in one blocked Fallopian tube. Despite these results, his protocol was 3 IUI cycles with no medications and no monitoring (i.e. blood work and ultrasounds). I was instructed to take a OPK at home and to make an appointment for the day after I received a positive. I felt the timing was off and was not confident considering my test results and no monitoring. After 3 failed attempts, I am taking a break and getting a second opinion.

3 IUI cycles at $278.00 each. My insurance covered the consultation, blood work, and ultrasound so I paid my co-pay for those visits. Total cost – approximately $5,000.

The waiting room was large and clean. It was always crowded no matter the time: weekdays and weekends. The process from check-in to check-out was smooth, but it was usually a long wait. My favorite part was the break room - snack machines, coffee and TV (it wasn't just for employees!). Once I decided to seek a second opinion, it was difficult to obtain my medical records. I had to consistently follow-up with the records custodian as my request seemed ignored and took longer than it should.

No matter what time or day we arrived for an appointment, the waiting room was always full. The front desk staff seemed frustrated at times with patients. During one appointment scheduled with Dr. Ory, we waiting an additional hour for him in his office. He seemed rushed to answer our questions. We rarely had the same nurse, so each time they would have to read my chart to understand my situation and treatment.

There are multiple nurses that are involved in your treatment. This was frustrating at times because they would each provide me with conflicting information. For example, one nurse would tell me to come back the next day following an IUI to undergo a second IUI ("back-to-back). However, the next month/cycle, a different nurse instructed me to take a OPK that night following an IUI, and if it was negative then do not return the next day for the 2nd IUI that cycle. It was very confusing, each nurse had their own protocol!

Dr. Ory is soft spoken and doesn't show much emotion. Overall he seems like a nice man that wants patients to achieve success. Although I underwent treatment with his facility for over one year, I only met with him a few times as the nurses handled most of the treatment. I didn't see him unless I had a scheduled appointment for him specifically. For those appointments, he had me waiting for an hour or more, and I felt rushed when I finally met with him.

Seek a second opinion.

I first met with Dr. Ory during my consultation. He led me to believe that my only issue was lack of sperm (I'm married to a woman). After standard blood work, ultrasound and HSG, he explained my ovarian reserve was "low for my age," but he was confident I would achieve pregnancy within my first 3 IUI cycles. Based on his recommendation, we proceeded with 3 "natural" IUI cycles (no meds and no monitoring), which all failed. Next, he prescribed 50 mg Clomid for the 4th IUI cycle - failed. For the 5th, 6th and 7th IUI cycles he increased the Clomid dose to 100 mg and added Gonal-F 150iu with Ovidrel 250 trigger shot - failed, failed, failed. He remained confident that I would achieve success, but it never happened. He suggested a Laparascopy (possible endometriosis) and IVF treatment. I decided to seek another opinion. After numerous failed attempts, the process was taking a toll on my marriage, finances, and emotions. I lost my trust in Dr. Ory. After transferring my records to another RE, it was immediately determined that I have Hypothyroidism. This was based on the review of my initial blood work taken by Dr. Ory prior to his treatment! If your thyroid is off even slightly, then it could cause infertility. Dr. Ory failed to diagnosis my thyroid issue.

My insurance does not cover anything fertility related so I paid out-of-pocket for everything. Each IUI is $278, ultrasounds are $300 each, blood work (i.e. progesterone, estradiol) is about $100 each time, HSG is $700, initial consultation and follow-up visit(s) with doctor are $300 each, frozen sperm storage at clinic $100 per month with $50 processing fee each time they receive donor sperm vials. I spent over $20,000 for 7 IUI cycles (5 cycles were back-to-back = 12 IUIs total).

Strengths: - Convenient times and multiple locations (we were able to go to another location for testing at times when mine was booked out). - I think the doctors are generally very knowledgeable and do a good job. I liked all the doctors that I interacted with (different doctors did my HSG, retrieval and transfer). Weaknesses: - Nurses run the show and you don’t see the doctor that often. That being said all the nurses were great although it seems like different nurses supervise different stages of your treatment rather than having one nurse throughout the process. - No updates on monitoring ultrasounds during stims - if you don’t call to ask or ask to speak to the nurse afterwards, they do the ultrasound and tell you nothing about afterwards. Labs get uploaded to the portal but not the ultrasound results. - It is a bog clinic and you can sometimes feel like just a number or like your care is not being individualized.

This is a big clinic and sometimes you can feel like just a number. There are benefits to a big clinic also like more convenient hours and multiple locations.

Dr. Ory is definitely more of a straight-forward, to the point type of person which I didn’t mind. If you need a lot of hand holding or someone who will be very gentle or careful with what they say he may not be the person for you. I prefer the blunt approach and to go in knowing all the facts beforehand. He does not always go into a lot of detail but will answer any questions you have so just have your questions ready. I would have probably liked to see my doctor more. At this clinic the doctors do the initial consults then you mostly see the nurses after that until the end. I also did not have my doctor for my retrieval or transfer but I understand that the doctors work on a shift system.

Research ahead of time and have a list of questions prepared.

I was on microdose Lupron protocol due to low ovarian reserve. I was on Lupron, Menopur and Gonal F. I also did 3 weeks of birth control pills before my starting stims and before my transfer. For my transfer I did Lupron then estrogen patches then added vaginal progesterone just before transfer.

IVF cycle with retrieval and fresh transfer is about $12000 FET is about $4000 Embryo freezing and storage is about $1500 plus $100 per month Meds totaled about $5000

It was explained to me in detail and I was given hand-outs about how they decide how many embryos to transfer. Based on the odds I was given, I felt comfortable transferring one embryo.

IVF Florida - Margate is full of amazing staff. Everyone from the ladies at the front desk, to the woman who drew my blood, the US techs, the doctors and nurses are all wonderful. They take their time to make your visit a smooth process. I had one of the front desk ladies come down to the second floor the day of my egg retrieval because she saw me on the schedule and she just wanted to come and give me a hug and wish me good luck. You don't find medical staff as friendly as you do at IVF Florida.

The staff always remembered my husband and I, always asking us how we were doing. The office and staff are very personable.

At IVF Florida you are assigned to a nurse team. My team consisted of 3 nurses - Brittany, Jackie and a third whose name I can't remember at the moment. All of them were very nice. There is a patient portal that you can send questions to your nurse team and they always respond promptly.

Dr. Hoffman was my doctor and he is amazing. He will not sugar coat anything and will tell you how it is. He is very upfront with you and does not want there to be any surprises, and he will not get your hopes up unnecessarily. I really appreciated his honesty.

Do not let his "to the point" take on things fool you. He cares a lot and only wants you to succeed. Once you get to know him a bit better he ends up feeling like family.

My ovarian reserve looked good and our main issue was male factor. We used the agonist protocol using Ganirelix to supress ovulation. Dr. Hoffman also had me trigger using Lupron to reduce the changes that I would have OHSS. The protocol worked beautifully. I have 9 eggs retrieved, 8 were mature, 6 fertilized and all 6 made it to freeze. We did an all freeze cycle because I had to have surgery to remove a uterine fibroid.

SIS costs $975.00, HSG cost $595. I don't remember specifically the other costs. IVF is not cheap though (no matter where you go)

Dr. Hoffman was very adamant that we should only transfer 1 embryo. Due to my age and the fact that I had never been pregnant or miscarried he said my chances didn't change with multiple embryos, only my chances of having multiples. IVF Florida is very careful - their main goal is to get your pregnant with 1 baby.

The Wellington office is amazing!!! The Jupiter office is also a good one. Other than the issues we have had at the Margate receptionist/checkout area we have had a good experience. When we found out about the misscarriage it was at the Margate office and as we were leaving the check out lady yelled at us to pat before we left. After telling her about our loss and wanting to be alone, we would pay them later she insisted we would leave and skip payment so we had to pay. She was spoken to by our Dr and the office manager who apologized to us for the incident. Every Dr, nurse, tech, and other person at the 3 offices I mentioned have been good at their jobs as well as good people.

Everyone at IVF Florida, Wellington office has been kind, caring, involved, and helpful through out each and every step. At the Margate office we have had some issues. The lab where all procedures take place was wonderful, but the front desk at the 3rd floor for check in and check out are not as friendly.

Erica and Ilean both called us to celebrate our success and called to express sadness when we had our loss. Everyone we see them they always greet us warmly and have all the information ready for us. Both are very organized and professional, but also involved and human!

Dr Hoffman is caring and compassionate. He takes his time to give all of the information and to also help you and your spouse understand it. He is very hands and upfront about the rotation of Drs that may do retrieval and or transfers, but in my experience he has been there for us when we have asked him to be.

Listen to him then ask questions. He has a way of getting to the information in a logical and medical way that will help you understand what can happen. Asking questions afterwards gives you and Dr Hoffman the time to ensure you understand everything being said.

75 units of Menupor and 75 units of Gonal-F twice a day for 10 days. At day 6 we added .25mg of Cetrotide for the last 5 days. We then did a Lupron trigger of 40 units. (We did this protocol for both retrievals) For our only FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer) we used Lupron, 10 units, for 17 days every morning. On day 17 we went in for scans and blood work where we were told to start PIO (progesterone in ( sesame) oil). We did PIO for 5 nights then transferred a 5 day embryo that was PGS tested normal. The embryo took and then at 5 weeks 4 days we had a misscarriage. After this loss we did an ERA (Endometrial Receptive Assessment) test, once the HCG levels went down to less than 1. After the ERA we are currently doing our second FET with the same protocol, but have no results yet. We choose to move forward after speaking to our Dr and team to assess what our options are.

We choose to use an Attain program. By bundling our cycles we saved money and have a plan that allows us unlimited frozen embryo transfers. We picked a plan that gave us 2 retrievals with PGS testing, 2 fresh, and unlimited FETs. We chose not to use the 2 fresh so we could do PGS testing in every embryo we made.

Dr Hoffman feels that 1 embryo transfer at a time is healthier for potential mom and fetus.

The only weakness would be that some might consider it to be impersonal, it's very large and you tend to see a different nurse each specialized visit. The benefits of a large clinic vastly outweighed any negatives. I rarely waited past my scheduled appointment time, my results were often online the day of my visit, the nurses were on top of the voice messages and e-mails, never leaving me waiting long to get a response. Also, despite the size I had the same nurse do my blood work each time, as well as the same nurse do my ultrasound, they were both amazing and remembered me when I came back.

Dr. Hoffman always referred to me by name, actually, he used my nickname. He remembered by hobbies, he asked how I was doing with the adjustment of changing my exercise routine during hormone injections, and was candid about what I needed to do to have a successful pregnancy. When he first told us we would have to do IVF to get pregnant, I was upset, but the way he said it was truly hopeful, he told me we could get pregnant, we just had to trust him. We did and we're pregnant. It's a huge step to make, but I'm glad he encouraged us to do IVF when Clomid didn't work. I have heard women that have tried multiple IUI cycles and wasted precious time and money. I felt like he wanted us to be happy and made the suggestion that would make that happen.

The nursing staff was amazing, they were so patient and always available. They responded to all my e-mails that day, and were available to respond to my messages regarding any concerns. They really went above and beyond my expectations making sure that I had all the information I needed and helped with anything that I was concerned about.

Dr. Hoffman is old school, he'll tell you like it is and make sure you understand what your options are. I think that he knows that main goal is to get pregnant, and he does not want to waste your time with treatment options that don't have a high chance of being successful. He told us exactly what to expect, exactly what his expectations were, and called himself with any important updates. He was real and genuine, I appreciate the care he gave us and his honesty with what needed to happen to get pregnant.

Trust his suggestions. When he told us we would need to do IVF we thought he might be jumping the gun, going with the most expensive and invasive procedure right off the bat. I know now that the other options had such a smaller likelihood of resulting in a pregnancy, and although we tried Clomid and a trigger injection (without success), we ultimately trusted him and it worked!

Our first cycle was using Clomid to see if my hormone levels would increase to the point of ovulating (I was not ovulating, that was why I would not get pregnant). I took the Clomid and a trigger shot, however, my hormones plateued and I was not able to reach the level needed to ovulate and undergo IUI. The next cycle was IVF. We injected one hormone for about a week morning and the same hormone and another at night, for the second week we did the same injections and added another injection in the evening (Menopur and Gonal-F, then another one I can't remember). I went into the office once or twice a week for bloodwork to check that my hormones were responding to the medications. My cycle went exactly as planned, my husband gave me my trigger shot and then we went in for the retrieval. Dr. Hoffman thought I may have a frozen embryo transfer due to concerns that I may over-stimulate, however, after the retrieval I was slated for a day 5 fresh transfer and went back in to have my embryo implanted. It all happened so fast, we were so lucky.

$20,000

We only really discussed transferring one embryo, due to my age and the expectation that my embryos would be of good quality, he was confident that one embryo would result in a pregnancy.

Sometimes when the nurse is calling in the next patient, she'll announce whether she needs a urine sample for the entire waiting room to hear. I do not like that. I have waited a long time in that office before. It's usually not too bad but there have been a couple of times that it was a very long wait. I don't like that I'm not able to see the screen during an ultra sound. I've been to offices where there is a screen visible to the patient. Being able to see the screen makes the patient feel included in the treatment rather than in the dark (figuratively and literally).

With Dr. Weitzman, I felt like a human. Dr. Weitzman performed a laparoscopy and came in to go over everything and give me a hug during pre-op. She is also the one to call me with the results of a treatment cycle. The practice is very large and it can feel like being a number. Also, I saw several staff throughout the process so it felt like only Dr. Weitzman really knew me as an individual.

There are a few excellent nurses. They are excellent because they are compassionate, attentive, happy to be helpful, and make an effort to remember you. However, half of the nurses, if not more than half do not have these qualities. More often than not, they seem to do just what's required of them and nothing more.

As a patient of Dr. Weitzman I felt very well taken care of. There was once a call to be made on my treatment (regarding the time of a trigger shot) when she was not on call. The doctor on call gave his instructions and after she reviewed it, she over-ruled them with her own instructions. She has a warm bedside manner and she is also direct.

She is very likeable and and she's a good doctor but the patient should expect that since she works in a large practice, the odds are unlikely that she will be the one performing any of the actual treatment procedures because the doctors are on an on-call rotation. If the timing of the procedure can be flexible (for example, a laparoscopy in some cases) then it's possible to schedule it with your own doctor.

The strategy that stands out to me is the timing of the trigger shot. The doctor on-call who reviewed my results that day while Dr. Weitzman was away, gave his instructions for a trigger shot the following night. Dr. Weitzman also reviewed the results and called to override those instructions, saying that the trigger shot should be doe that very night. The rationale was that there were follicles that were a good size but a few that were smaller. Dr. Weitzman didn't want to compromise the mature follicles waiting for the immature ones to catch up. It turned out to be the right call in my unprofessional opinion because I ended up with 8 eggs, nearly twice as many as I had ever had. I don't remember how many fertilized but it was also the first time I was able to freeze an embryo.

I think the costs were comparable to the other local clinics. I did not feel like I was nickle and dimed, which I have felt at other clinics.

The decision of how many to transfer (one or two) was definitely mine, but Dr. Weitzman strongly recommended one.

Dr. Sueldo is the most through Dr. that I've ever had. She takes her time to talk you through everything so that you feel completely comfortable with your treatment plan.

The staff at the Coral Gables location is small. I think that's what makes it so great. It's always the same ladies doing your ultrasounds, drawing your blood, giving results and following-up. It provides a seamless experience that I am very grateful for!

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Sueldo prior to becoming her patient back when she first joined IVF Florida.I knew that patients would love her as her personality and character would make her an amazing asset to the practice. Now that I know her as my doctor, I'm glad to see that my initial assessment of her far exceeded any expectations I may have had. Words can’t even begin to describe how grateful I am to her for being so through. Us IVF chicks are nuts, I feel like you can never give us "too much" information. She basically started from scratch and asked me all the "new patient questions" then she asked me for my questions. I had "a list". We went over them all. She took all my thoughts, apprehensions and concerns in to consideration and I felt like I had a say in things. We came up with a plan together that we were both happy with. During a process where there are so many ups and downs, you definitely want to feel like your Dr. has your back. I'm blessed that I feel like mine definitely does.

She will give you all the information you need. The good, bad & indifferent so be ready for it all!

Insurance Covers Most

Location - Port St. Lucie is absolutely their biggest strength. We have no one else up near us. Financing - Biggest weakness. The discussion of financing (if needed) should happen much sooner. Specifically for IVF patients because the costs are the highest for them and happen all at one time. Even if a blanket cost is used, such as, "Your treatment will cost around $25,000. Your financing options are: ___________________." I was hoping for terms that were a little more reasonable, like you can receive for other medical procedures including cosmetic procedures.

Dr. Manko knew us by name each time we met. Each time we have discussed IVF, it has been in depth and answered all of our questions. We felt very confident that Dr. Manko knew the best course for us to take.

The nursing staff and care coordinator were all wonderful. The only issue I had with my (cancelled) treatment was how the financing was handled. I called several times to set up discussion (per my care coordinators instruction) and was told we couldn't talk about it without protocol. Finally, I said "please go ask someone else and don't dismiss me because I know my protocol exists somewhere." It was only then that she would speak to me. The frustrating part is that my question (had she let me ask it in the first place) was simply, "what are the financing terms?" If I'd have had the terms, I would have been able to stop sooner and perhaps not spent so much money on testing that I will have to spend again once we have enough saved to start.

When we started fertility treatments, I had already had both tubes removed, so it was straight to discussing IVF for us. We scheduled our first cycle Summer 2016, but had to postpone for financing reasons due to building our home. Dr. Manko is the second doctor I saw for fertility treatments, and worked with us the best he could to save costs during the testing phases. He explained things thoroughly.

Unfortunately, the discussion of financing does not come until very late in the process. You can google the costs, so its no surprise that it is going to cost $20k+ when it is all said and done. The surprise, which could cause you to have to delay your cycle, is that financing is outrageous. There isn't an easy payment plan and the interest rate is extreme. Save as much as you can before you even walk in the first time.

Ours was pretty straight forward IVF, no ICSI.

We cancelled our first cycle due to cost.

Dr. Manko is a big proponent of elective single embryo transfer. His number one goal is always a full term, healthy baby.

IVF florida margate is professional, clean, and comfortable. The front desk staff is always helpful and smiling. The lady that takes my blood is nice and Coleen the ultrasound lady is super sweet. The waiting room is always full, you start to recognize ladies/ couples with similar cycles are you. Communication is done. Lately through internet portal you will set one up on your first visit. They send appt reminders and lab results and instructions via the portal. It is convenient but does feel a little "cold".

When in the presence of dr Ory I felt very much like a human. He was warm and care and encouraged me to ask questions. Scheduling, discussion through the portal etc is what contributed to a some what "feeling like a number"

Casie and Nadia are excellent. Thy each performed an IUI on me. They are knowledgable, compassionate, friendly and always have a positive attitude. The only down side is I think they are swamped with patients and procedures all day so they don't respond to the portal messages until very late in the afternoon.

Dr Ory is great. He has a laid back professional attitude. He is very by the books, research, procedural. He encouraged me to ask questions. He was confident in our treatment plan. He spoke in a sensitive way regarding sensitive subjects such as weight

Come prepared with questions. He is to the point (still warm) but doesn't go into extra detail or "fluff". He encouraged and happily answered all of my questions

My protocol is/was clomid and trigger x 3 double IUI cycles and then regroup for plan b. I had am allergic reaction to clomid so he will be switching to a different med next cycle

475 each IUI (2 per cycle) Appointments ran around 200 each visit

The only weakness I would share is when they called to tell me none of my embryos made it to freeze. The nurse should have had a kinder bedside manner.

I believe strongly that the doctor patient relationship in this process is extremely important. Dr. Gualtieri always made the time to talk to me, answer all my questions, and calm me. He learned about my personality and tried his best to guide me in the process.

They were just wonderful women that showed compassion and were with me on this tough journey. I'm sure there were a few times they wanted to hang up on me, but the patience and care they showed were invaluable.

Although we did not get the result we wanted, I do not hold that against him. There are certain things we cannot control and that was the biggest lesson I learned from dr g and my first cycle. He became a friend in the process and I trust him implicitly. He understands me as a patient and my needs emotionally. To me, that is first and foremost. Going into our second cycle, we have adjusted the protocol. IVF is an experiment. We never know what will or won't work.

He loves a prepared patient. You're a team in this infertility war. There's not much advice I would offer.

I tested negative on blood and glucose for PCOS. For stim, we used menopur, gonal-f, and ganirelix. We waited to see about my trigger so we would know the likelihood of overstim. We ended up using hcg and all went ok. No overstim and recovery was a breeze. I did however, stim slightly fast and had lots of smaller follicles. Our next protocol will be more aggressive in hopes for more follicles and even growth across the board.

It was billed through insurance last time so I cannot speak Fairly to costs. We are paying out of pocket and I feel it is a fair rate.

I agreed with the approach.

The clinic is very clean and is run effectively. They have a lot of patients, and that can seem overwhelming at times. Throughout your cycle you will have to get many blood draws and ultrasounds. These appointments are typically lengthier than they should be (in my opinion) due to the volume of patients.

I never felt rushed during an appointment with Dr. Maxson. He was always very thorough and willing to answer all of my questions. He's extremely knowledgeable and will go into a great deal of explaining the science part of everything if you wish.

Dr. Maxson was my Dr through 1 frozen embryo transfer (FET). Unfortunately, that pregnancy ended at 7 weeks due to a miscarriage. He was extremely compassionate, and thorough in dealing with the miscarriage itself and in trying to determine a reason for the miscarriage. I'm still in the process of testing and learning if there is any reason for my miscarriage, but I hope to have another FET in February 2018, and hopefully that one will be successful!

Ask a lot of questions, and be willing to listen to his answers. I was so positive my first time around, that I blocked out the statistics related to having a successful pregnancy on try # 1. Now that I'm about to start try #3 I wish I was had been more prepared for the idea that try #1 might not be successful.

My frozen embryo transfer (FET) started with 10-14 days of birth control. Once I got my period, I started Lupron injections every morning and estrogen patches in increasing doses for 14 days. I had to take 6 days of progesterone injections in oil before my FET due to ERA results indicating I was pre-receptive at the time of my 1st FET which ended with a negative pregnancy test result.

The egg retrieval with PGS testing cost around $15,000, not including medication. Each frozen embryo transfer was about $4,500, not including medication.

Dr. Maxson highly recommended a single embryo transfer due to my age (30). Multiple embryo transfers were never an option.

Lead nurse is outstanding, very compassionate. All the med information is very overwhelming. Keep a binder with all of your "documented paperwork". Too many patients at the clinic, you feel part of a "crowd". Talk to other patients while in the "waiting area", you learn so much from the expereiences of others. Don't hesitate to change dr/clinics... this is one of your most important decisions in life and who's on your "team" is crucial. Don't be silent about your infertility struggles.. so many of us are going through this and we can help eachother...if we keep HOPE alive...eventually we will hold our precious one.

After using donor eggs and having a failed cycle, took the Dr two additonal weeks to call me and discuss the results.

First cycle nurse was OUTSTANDING, best part of the clinic. The "donor team" was not organized, I found errors in my protocol and needed to advise them to order a 2nd bottle of medication.

Dr. Barrionuevo was excellent during my initial visit. His response time post second cycle made me feel differently. The clinic advertises it self as "compassion care" but I did not feel the wait time showed compassion, would have understood if he passed the call onto "on call Dr" during his 2 week "vacation", at least it would have some acknowledgement for what I went through and given me some needed closure.

Ask lots of questions and keep in mind that with a group this large, it's not necessarily Dr. B doing the retrieval/transfer.

Gonal F, Menopur as well as Ganirelix and Leuprolide. Felt my protocol was "the clinic usual" and was not necessarily adapted to my needs.

There was often a long wait time but techs were skilled and professional.

Regular IVF cycle close to $12,000 Donor Egg Cyle $20,000

No comments.

Overall, I found the clinic in the Margate location (where I went) to be clean and professional. During certain times of day there was occasionally a wait, but other days I was in and out quickly. I found that the office ran very smoothly and they definitely have good systems in place.

Dr. Wayne Maxson is by far the most professional, bright, kind and caring doctor I have ever worked with. He always went above and beyond for me. I feel that he is deeply passionate about the work he is doing and he is a true scientist. As a father himself, he also is able to demonstrate enormous empathy and is very emotionally attuned to his patients.

The nursing staff at IVF Florida is incredible. I truly adore Justine and Bonnie and I am so appreciative of everything they have done for me. They were always there to answer my questions and help walk me through the process. They helped explain everything and keep me on track. And they both show enormous compassion.

Dr. Wayne Maxson is an incredible doctor. He is brilliant and up to date on the most cutting-edge research and technology. He is an incredible scientist, but even more wonderful human being. He is kind, emotionally attuned to patients and empathic. During difficult moments in my fertility journey he offered me such comfort and treated me with the utmost respect. I felt that I was a person to him, and not just a number. He is truly remarkable and I highly recommend him. I came to him after struggling with secondary infertility for over a year. I was working with another reproductive endocrinologist (who did not offer IVF) but who had helped me get pregnant with my son (with the use of Clomid). When I returned to this doctor to get pregnant again, the Clomid did not work and I spent over a year (with 2 miscarriages) trying oral and injection options with IUI. At one point, my first doctor recommended I speak with Dr. Maxson for a second opinion. When I met with Dr. Maxson, he did NOT push me into doing IVF. In fact, he discouraged it at first and recommended less invasive courses of action. Once those failed, he discussed IVF options with me and with that information he helped guide me in the process. My medical presentation was actually very complicated due to a severe case of PCOS. We met hurdles at many points in the process and Dr. Maxson managed them beautifully - he even suggested a cutting edge test to confirm the perfect date of implantation for me, which turned out to be different from the norm. Because of him, I am blessed with a healthy, full-of-life and just delicious baby girl. She is almost 1 year-old.

Dr. Maxson will often explain different alternatives to you and often times there is no "right" or "wrong" decision. He rarely pushes you into a decision, unless he feels VERY strongly that it is important medically. More often than not, he is there to guide you but also respects your own viewpoints (within reason and safety of practice, of course). If you do feel that you need more guidance from him, ask him the decision he would make if you were his daughter or his family member. Dr. Maxson is extremely human and when you ask this question to him he will speak openly and honestly. He will meet you where you are at.

It has been almost 2 years since I underwent the egg retrieval process and almost 1.5 years since the implantation. I apologize that I really do not remember - and probably have chosen to forget - much of the details. However, I will say that I highly recommend PGS testing. Due to my PCOS, I produce a large number of very poor quality eggs. After my egg retrieval, I had 12 blastocysts. I am so glad I tested them with PGS because 6 of the 12 came back with chromosomal abnormalities. I fortunately had this information (which Dr. Maxson recommended I obtain) and so I did not waste lots of cycles implanting poor embryos. My first embryo transfer (with a healthy embryo) did fail, which was somewhat surprising to my team. Dr. Maxson suggested I take a month "off" and use that month to do a test of my uterine wall with a cutting-edge technique (sorry can't remember the name!) that allows the doctors to determine the optimal day in the cycle for implantation. This test (which was very new when I was going through the process) showed that my uterine wall was not ready on the day that transfers are typically done...I needed to wait one more day. Knowing this information, we planned accordingly for the second embryo transfer and it was a success :)

My impression is that Dr. Maxson is conservative when it comes to multiple embryo transfer and he follows guidelines and literature on safe practices. When I was going through IVF, I was 32 years old. I also had one biological son from a non-IVF, Clomid cycle previously. Given this information, Dr. Maxson strongly discouraged multiple embryo transfer and explained the risks associated. It is possible he may be open to multiple embryo transfer in other cases, but I can only speak from my own experience.

Too big and corporate-like. They treat everyone in the same way - not individualized care.

At IVF Florida I felt like everyone was having the exact same treatment plan regardless of their prognosis. I had several other friends going there as well and we compared notes and realized nothing was individualized. Worst of all, the practice kept insisting that I come back many days in a row to do the same procedures over and over again with no discernable improvements. Of course, they charged a lot of money for every visit.

Some of the nurses were very nice and compassionate, but others treated us like just another object on a conveyor belt in a factory. They were very hesitant to give us any real information and told us the Dr. was the only one who could advise on certain matters. I get that this is for liability reasons, but it was also really frustrating because the Dr. was not very reachable. I also thought some of the nurses were trying to push us into having more expensive procedures (IVF) when it wasn't necessary.

Dr. Christie was very nice during our first meeting, but then I barely saw him. The nurses were asked to handle everything else. Even after repeated treatments didn't work I didn't hear anything from him. I had to call and insist on a meeting to come up with a new game plan. Only at that time, after my pressing and after many months of treatment, did he suggest making an adjustment to the protocol.

Don't go to IVF Florida. Period.

At first we tried Clomed - absolutely no result. Then Femara - no luck there either. Then, only after my insisting, some injectable drugs to stimulate ovulation with Femara. However, the dosage was off and he didn't adjust it properly. After more combinations of oral and injectable drugs I finally ovulated (after about 5 months).

The per visit costs were lower than other practices, but they made me come back for many unnecessary visits so the overall costs turned out to be a lot higher than other providers. The biggest cost, however, was the time I lost during many months of useless treatments.

I think overall the clinic has done a good job. When I first started treatment they had yet to have the patient portal so it was a bit difficult to get in contact with a nurse. But after the patient portal the nursing team was very decent in responding. The portal is very useful and has all your results needed.

Dr. Christie always reffered to me by my name which made me feel good that he remembered me.

At the beginning of treatment we had a disconnection in communication after it was addressed everything went great. Mostly all are very friendly and helpful as well as knowledgeable. Darlyng is truly amazing! Always remembered me by my first name and was very knowledgeable and attentive.

Dr. Christie is a very generous and kind hearted being. He took his time to explain to you everything that was going on and always looked for a solution when a treatment wasn't working. You also felt his hurt along with you when a pregnancy wasn't successful. He is a very knowledgeable and positive doctor.

Dr. Christie is just amazing. The way he speaks makes you feel valued. Always ask questions! He has a great way of explaining in detailed and at your pace so you can fully understand with him every step of the way.

With my first 2 IUI cycles I took Letrzole which were not successful. With my 3rd IUI cycle I took Clomid and it wasn't successful. Finally, with my 4th IUI cycle we took injectables only (Follistim) and it resulted in a successful IUI and pregnancy with Triplets.

Since I do have insurance I had to pay my $2,500 deductible. After that with copays and medications I paid around 1,000.

The clinics are beautiful, welcoming and have everything on site at at least one location making not so you never have to go elsewhere for anything. So convenient! The only weakness would be the communication. Both the phone and the portal do not always get answered in a timely manner.

From the moment I met Dr. Weitzman she always made me feel like I was important. Over the years she has been amazing. I always felt like I had someone in my corner who truly cared. I don't think I could make it thru this process without her.

Most of the nurses are wonderful. Super attentive, compassionate and an amazing extension of the Drs they work with. However, sometimes it's very hard to get them on the phone or get responses to basic questions. They also occasionally forget to call with results that you need that day.

When I first decided I wanted to see Dr. Weitzman I did it based on a picture on the website. After our initial consultation 7.5 years ago she gave me something I had lost...hope. She is comforting, compassionate, eternally optimistic and the perfect example of the kind of doctor you want in your corner during this process. She has given me one beautiful son and has been there in my seemingly endless journey to #2.

Try to be patient and have faith in your doctor.

IUI #1 2009 Clomid and one 150iu of Follistim followed by B2B IUIs IUI #2 2013 - same IUI #3-6 - all injectables using Follistim increasing doses each cycle. IVF #1 - Antagonist - 10 days of stims retrieved 11 eggs, 4 fertilozed. Transferred 1 Fair embryo on day 5 FET #1 - Transferred 2 thawed 5 day embryos Fair IVF #2 - Antagonist - 11 days of stims retrieved 7 eggs, 4 fertilized. Transferred 2 Fair embryo on day 3 *Ectopic pregnancy FET #2 Transferred 2 thawed embryos Fair

Insurance covered

I'm someone who feels better knowing what to expect. All of the staff did a good job in keeping you informed of next steps. They were easily accessible. I never had issues with scheduling appointments or any of the financial aspects. Wait times were usually pretty good, except for weekends she only the margate office is open. As long as you know that you'll be waiting, it's fine. Just bring a good book,

He always remembered me. He made sure to read up on my chart prior to each interaction. I could also feel his frustration along with mine when I wasn't getting pregnant.

Some were more warm and fuzzy than others, but most remembered me. They let you know what was coming next and were supportive. Best experience I've ever had in a doctors office.

He was knowledgeable and explained everything thoroughly. If you had questions, he would call back within 24 hours. He didn't pretend to have all the answers which sometimes you don't after a failed cycle with good response, but I never felt like he gave up on me. He wanted me to get pregnant as much as I did.

Iui 1 - clomid 50mg, iui2 - clomid 100, iui3- clomid 100 and progesterone, iui 4-clomid, progesterone, gonal f, iui5-same as 4 Ivf 1- birth control cycle prior, gonal f, menopur, cetrotide, progesterone. 5 retrieved, 4 fertilized, 2 day 3 transfers, none to freeze. Chemical pregnancy Ivf 2 - estrogen patches, all same injectibles as 1 but higher dosage. 12 retrieved, 8 fertilized, 2 day 3 transfers, none to freeze. 6 months pregnant with twins.

I had no insurance coverage. Including medication, i spent almost 50,000

This clinic is extemely busy but well run. The wait was usually not that long and their hours are accommodating, esp weekends. All of our encounters with the care team was positive. Be sure to ask questions you may have along the way.

Dr. Hoffman was personable and he took the time to explain our course of treatment in terms that were easy to understand. He was also pretty up front about the statistics.

The nurse team is amazing. You really communicate with them more than your doctor. I also saw Barbara along with Debbie. They were thorough and called to keep us on track. They demonstrated how to give yourself the injections. They are compassionate and very well informed.

Dr. Hoffman is very straight forward, which I appreciated. I felt at times though that because he has so many patients he was often rushing. I like that he was thorough with pre testing and he is very good at surgical procedures, ie hysteroscopy.. I did not like that after none of our eggs made it to blast he didn't call us. Instead we heard from someone we never had contact with prior and we had to call and ask for a follow up appointment to speak with Dr. Hoffman about the particulars. I did not feel reassured that the protocol a 2nd time around wld be changed to yield a better outcome. Instead it felt like Dr. Hoffman had no real answers as to why none made it to blast for a transfer and it would be a try again and see what happens.

Go in with specific questions and don't be afraid to ask about the pros and cons of alternatives.

We did the lupron, gonal protocol. It spanned close to 10 days . I think due to my age i was put on an aggressive course, but while it yielded a lot of eggs, the quality was not good after fertilization and i had mild over stimulation.

The costs were abt $12,000 not including medication. We had icsi and storage costs

We did not get to the point of transfer so cannot comment.