I chose to have a consult with Dr. Cooper based off reviews I had read on Fertility IQ after having a bad experience with my local RE. I never thought I could leave a fertility consult feeling so hopeful, and excited to continue my treatment with her. She explained everything thoroughly-our issues, possible treatment plans, etc...She has asked my opinion on how treatment is going, accepts any ideas I have and we collaborate on what my next steps should be
[Vios Fertility Institute] is relatively new, and they're busy! But that doesn't take away from your care! They do occasionally run late for appointments, whether its monitoring or a follow up...they do everything at their Swansea location...Amie [a nurse] is the absolute best. She is so sweet and caring. She answers my messages and returns calls in a timely manner
How was your experience with Amber Cooper at Vios Fertility Institute?
I chose to have a consult with Dr. Cooper based off reviews I had read on Fertility IQ after having a bad experience with my local RE. I never thought I could leave a fertility consult feeling so hopeful, and excited to continue my treatment with her. She explained everything thoroughly-our issues, possible treatment plans, etc. She never makes you feel like a number or a statistic. She takes the time to listen to you, and talks through your options with you. She has asked my opinion on how treatment is going, accepts any ideas I have and we collaborate on what my next steps should be. She is kind, empathetic, intelligent, and compassionate. I truly wish all doctors were like Dr. Cooper.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Amber Cooper at Vios Fertility Institute?
Trust her! She always listens to you, and she customizes the treatment plan to YOU.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Amber Cooper at Vios Fertility Institute?
Dr. Cooper and her RN Amie are fantastic, as well as the rest of the VIOS (Swansea) team. I have not once felt like a number, or just another patient in the office. They provide so much support for us and I really feel that they are invested in me, and truly care about myself and my husband, and our outcome.
Describe the protocols Amber Cooper used in your cycles at Vios Fertility Institute and their degree of success.
IVF round #1: Menopur & Follistim in the evening for the first 5 days or so, then added in Ganirellix (in the am). Dosing for the Menopur and Follistim were adjusted based on ultrasound and lab results. Triggered with Lupron. Successful egg retrieval (14 eggs retrieved, 9 mature, 7 fertilized, 3 blasts biopsied & frozen. Started on Estridol after next period start to prep for transfer, but no PGT-SR normal embryos. FET cycle cancelled.
IVF round #2: Increased starting doses and changed the adminstration schedule this time- Menopur in the am, and Follistim in the pm, for the first 5 days or so. Then added in Ganirellix (in the am). Again, dosing was adjusted based on ultrasound and labs. Triggered with Lupron. Egg retrieval-8 eggs retrieved, 7 mature, 5 fertilized, 0 blasts.
IVF round #3: New protocol- Omnitrope daily x 4 days, Letrozole daily x 5 days Dexamethasone daily, Lupron 2x/day, Menopur daily, Follistim daily. No dosing changes were made throughout this stim cycle. Trigger with HCG. Successful egg retrieval- 35 eggs retrieved, 23 mature, 18 fertilized, 3 blasts biopsied and frozen, 1 PGT-SR normal embryo!
August 2019- cycle off, ovulated late. Switched to ERA/mock transfer cycle. Used letrozole x 5 days, dexamethasone daily, estrace 3x/day (morning and afternoon dose oral, evening dose vaginal) When lining was greater than 7, added in aspirin and PIO daily.
IVF round #4: Same protocol as round #3. No changes made throughout, again triggered with HCG. Successful egg retrieval-34 eggs retrieved, 27 mature, 21 fertilized, 4 blasts biopsied and frozen, 1 PGT-SR normal embryo!
FET #1- Same protocol as mock cycle, except following ERA results--added an extra day of PIO, and did doxycycline 2x/day x14 days. Embryo fully hatched, no issues with transfer. Ultimately embryo did not implant.
IVF round #5: same protocol as rounds 3&4. (I was sick (had fever) in the beginning of this round). No medication changes throughout monitoring. Egg retrieval: 14 eggs retrieved, 8 mature, 8 fertilized, 1 blast biopsied and frozen, blast was PGT-SR abnormal.
Currently prepping for IVF round #6, plan to use same protocol as previous 3 egg retrievals.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Vios Fertility Institute. (Assigned nurse: Amie)
Amie is the absolute best. She is so sweet and caring. She answers my messages and returns calls in a timely manner. She's a huge supporter of me, as well as all of her patients. I honestly don't know where I'd be on this journey without her.
Honestly, all of the nursing staff is wonderful. No complaints here!
Describe your experience with Vios Fertility Institute.
Vios is relatively new, and they're busy! But that doesn't take away from your care! They do occasionally run late for appointments, whether its monitoring or a follow up, but what doctors office doesn't? A big strength for me is that they do everything at their Swansea location! I already travel over an hour to the office, so it is great that no more additional travel to other facilities is necessary.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Amber Cooper at Vios Fertility Institute.
After insurance (deductible NOT met), I paid roughly around $130 for the consult and a follow up appointment, $70 for labs that had to be sent out to another facility, $130 for SHG, and $1100 for MRI. When insurance open enrollment rolled around, I signed up for a second policy with a different insurance company because my primary insurance does not cover fertility treatments. When starting IVF, I met my deductible and out of pocket max with my first medication order (I think it was $6500), and since then have only had to pay for cryopreservation of embryos ($1200 each retrieval) and the genetic testing of embryos. The insurance/finance staff at Vios was able to petition my secondary insurance for partial coverage of the genetic testing due to my diagnosis. I do pay out of pocket for certain medications (Omnitrope, and Progesterone in ethyl oleate. This is due to Omnitrope not being covered by insurance, and I am allergic to the PIO insurance does cover)
Describe Amber Cooper's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Vios Fertility Institute.
For my specific case, she will only transfer 1 embryo to minimize risk of multiples due to my unicornuate uterus.
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Clinic
Vios Fertility Institute
St. Louis