How was your experience with Nicholas Spirtos at Northeast Ohio Fertility Center?
Overall it's been a good experience. I do, however, wish he would've explained that the endometriosis he thinks I have should be treated first. I feel like we continued with 3 IUI attempts before he told us the endo was creating a "hostile environment." I think I would have approached treatment differently had I known it was such a huge issue. I was under the impression the IUIs would still work and give us as much a chance as a normal fertile couple. Overall, he has taken the time to explain what steps need to be done. Although I feel like IVF was pushed on us as "the best option" at each appointment, he did offer many other alternatives to help with our fertility issue. He CARES to get you pregnant, but leaves the option up to you to figure out what next steps you want to take. No pressure, except "IVF as the cure all for everything," which I don't think is necessarily true.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Nicholas Spirtos at Northeast Ohio Fertility Center?
Be prepared to not be babied. He is direct with his approach, and he gives a "these are your options" and it's "up to you what you want to do" type of appointment. He doesn't sugarcoat. My best advice - break the ice with a joke. That really made my first couple appointments go better and really made me feel more comfortable with him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Nicholas Spirtos at Northeast Ohio Fertility Center?
Although direct, he explained everything in detail as to what was going on with me and my body. He sympathized with our agony and really made it a goal to get us pregnant under his care.
Describe the protocols Nicholas Spirtos used in your cycles at Northeast Ohio Fertility Center and their degree of success.
We did a non-medicated, natural IUI during our first month. It was a failed cycle.
Throughout the course of bloodwork, Dr. Spirtos found out I had an auto-immune disorder, Hashimoto's Disease and hypothyroidism. I would not have known otherwise if it wasn't for him. With that being said, I had already started my first medicated cycle with Clomid. We stopped that cycle's IUI because I needed to get an ultrasound on my thyroid to rule out any further issues. We still tried to conceive the "old fashioned way" with Clomid only, but it was a negative cycle in month 2.
Month 3, we did a full Clomid, trigger shot, IUI cycle. It failed. I started taking supplements/vitamins for my thyroid (selenium, zinc, B1, magnesium) and I also went gluten-free and caffeine free.
Month 4, we did a full Clomid, trigger shot, IUI cycle. It failed. I was devastated. Dr. Spirtos told me that I either needed to do IVF to get pregnant, or I needed to get a laparoscopy to diagnose and remove the possible endo.
Month 5 I took off from treatment and am seeing an OB for a second opinion on the endo and potentially move forward with the surgery should the OB find the "nubs" Dr. Spirtos felt during my pelvic exam.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Northeast Ohio Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Theresa)
The entire staff at this clinic is next to none. They are amazingly wonderful and supportive. They cry with you. They understand the emotions around the issue. They've been my biggest cheerleaders in times of darkness. What clinic is open 7 days a week? This one. They care about their patients on every level.
Describe your experience with Northeast Ohio Fertility Center.
This clinic is open 7 days a week and does all procedures in-house including egg retrieval and IVF, among all other things. That's really nice that it's a one stop shop without being a formal hospital setting.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Nicholas Spirtos at Northeast Ohio Fertility Center.
All out of pocket costs as my insurance only covered clomid:
IUI: $395 each
Trigger shot: $100 (single dose)
Progesterone suppositories: $110 (couple months worth)
Clomid: $11 (for 5 pills with insurance)
IVF: $8,995
Injectables for IVF: $2,400
Each in-house blood draw was $95
My insurance covered ultrasounds.injec
What specific things went wrong at Northeast Ohio Fertility Center?
- Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Northeast Ohio Fertility Center.
Usually if I have a negative HCG test they don't call. I still would like a call either way. Out of my 4 HCG bloodwork tests they've only called me once - on the first one. It's kind of like they don't want to "deliver the bad news" but I'd rather be told than feel like I've been forgotten.