Angela Thyer

She was willing to modify protocols when we weren't getting the results we wanted. She was comfortable trying low-dose IVF which is something newer on the scene for my situation. She was also willing to run tests proactively given as older prospective parents we didn't want to waste any cycles if we could spot a problem ahead of time that was relatively easy to diagnose such as run a blood panel, genetic prescreen, or hysteroscopy. Sometimes I felt like the follow through was lacking. I asked about some lab stats for example and she never really got back to us with the answers and though this is typical health care system stuff falling through the cracks, it's really bothers me when I have to keep repeating my questions to get answers. Overall she has a style of delivering realistic info in a nicer way.

Be proactive in asking for feedback after tests or cycles because your case will not be automatically reviewed by her.

This practice does a high volume and sometimes if you are not a squeaky wheel, you will not the the information you need in a timely fashion. This clinic had my allergies on file and still prescribed me a medication that is prohibited with my allergies. They were courteous about resolving that and prescribing an alternative. Also it wasn't until we were several IUI's in that they commented on some age related poor quality in the specimens my husband produced. This was only because we made an appointment to go back over our results. It shocked me that our doc did not seem to be at least reviewing the data coming out of our IUIs and letting us know if something didn't look right, because we were not the experts and didn't know what do look for. I do feel in general that I was able to get all the tests I asked for once I started doing research about my situation. They did decline to do acrosome sperm testing, which we wanted to see if it was worth doing more IUIs before moving on to IVF. They are not a weeding out practice, allowing you to try IVF even when your success rates are low (less than 10% per cycle). Our Doctor was realistic and kind in telling me the stats and in doing any tests that seemed reasonable. Also they are conscientious of wait times and if its over 30 mins late they give you a starbucks card. I found the nurses to overall be pleasant in clinic but sometimes not as responsive in email as I would like. When I mentioned that I have had some painful IUIs, my doc made sure my next one was done by the same experienced person.

Our first attempts to deal with my age related diminished ovarian reserve were to try medicated IUI's to help me ovulate a few eggs each cycle. We tried follistim and menopur and I was successful in producing 2-4 follicles of appropriate size each time but none resulted in pregnancy. I also did at one point develop a cyst after doing back to back cycles that necessitated us delaying our next IUI attempt until it resolved. After 3 failed IUIs we discussed trying IVF or a mini/low dose IVF but eventually decided to go with another clinic to pursue this treatment.

I wasn't really alerted about when my care coordinator was going to be out and would get emails or calls back from nurses I didn't know. Sometimes felt like I did not get speedy responses to my emails. There was one situation where I was having trouble getting timely responses from the pharmacy where the clinic told me they sent the prescription and the clinic staff was slow to respond to my requests to use another pharmacy even though time was running out for me before an upcoming holiday to get stuff shipped in time. It made for a much more stressful process than it needed to be. Otherwise I found most of the nurses to be pretty pleasant.

Strengths: This is not a screening clinic. They do try to help everyone while also being realistic about your chances of conceiving. Their higher numbers of patients can be a good thing as far as making sure their lab is handling an adequate number of cases to keep their skills sharp. Although we had some IUI semen samples where things got worse rather than better after their lab treatment to them with no concern from them at the time that this was a problem, which made us have less confidence in their lab. Lots of locations for more convenience. Weaknesses: This is a high throughput clinic and if you are not proactive about seeking feedback you will get lost in the shuffle at various points. You will not see your doctor during IUIs, ultrasound checks as this stuff is handled by the staff. The doctors also rotate who is on duty for the surgery procedures so it may not be your doc who does the egg retrieval for example. Based on my search for how many papers their physicians have authored recently, they don't really have a research focus. If you want the kind of team who really enjoys staying really on top of the latest technology improvements and working towards more, this is not the clinic for you. Billing can be incredibly slow. We received our last bill 7 months after the appointment. Other: Often doctors are booked more than a month out so be proactive about scheduling follow ups in advance if you want to see them in a timely fashion.

IUI's would run about 1200 plus medication costs.

I really appreciate that Dr. Thayer isn’t pushy and allowed me to go at my own pace of treatment. She had good ideas and was careful to explain things in a way that the layman could understand. At times she was hard to get ahold of and it was rare that she was my actual treating physician. (It’s a very large clinic and they rotate clinical duties.) We mainly talked during follow up appointments and discussed next steps when previous treatments didn’t work. She is kind and compassionate, though with so many patients I’m not sure she recognized me for the first few months. Overall she’s a great doctor and I’ve been told by other, non affiliated healthcare professionals that she’s the best in the business.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Also, if you decide to do ivf, ask up front if they plan to do ICSI for your treatment plan. That was a surprise for us.

It’s a big clinic, so it was easy to feel like a number, but the doctors took their time and the nurses were really helpful, making me feel more like a cherished part of the team.

Our nurse was top notch. She was an excellent communicator, gave prompt and empathetic responses to messages, and was a great intermediary between us and Dr. Thayer. Two thumbs up!

The Srm clinics are clean and professional. They offer beverages while you wait and are fairly comfortable. There are several to choose from, with was beneficial. Scheduling could be frustrating, as appointment times fill up quickly. I found that I needed to bend my schedule around their availability (taking time off work, etc) because it was just too frustrating to try to make it work with the limited availablity. It’s nice that weekends were an option at the Seattle clinic. Scheduling, phlebotomist, and support staff at all the clinics were really great.

Ivf is really expensive, I’m not sure the exact number but it was definitely over $10,000 to start, then $3500 for each frozen embryo transfer cycle. Medication was separate, which would vary between $150-$4500, depending on needs. Additional screenings and tests were also out of pocket, usually between $500-$800 dollars a pop. It takes a lot of saving and years of patience to undergo ivf. It’s especially frustrating when you spend all that money and you still get negative results.

At first the plan was always to transfer 1 embryo at a time, but this last time we elected to transfer 2, and that was our first positive beta. Dr. Thayer was typically conservative and tried to stear clear of multiples, for their and my health, but after 3 failed transfers, she left the decision up to us, which we appreciated.

We found her to be personable, compassionate, educated, and realistic. Our 2nd (and most recent visit) she was again realistic about our chances (5-10%). She also said that she would recommend no more than 2 IUI cycles, as the chances of success greatly decrease after that. Although that puts a bit of personal pressure on me, I appreciated hearing that she wouldn't continue to push IUI cycles if it wasn't appropriate. The previous clinic we went to was adamant that we do a minimum of 6 months. There were a few hiccups involving the calendar for treatment as well as the medications involved, but with the help of our nurse Lindsey, we got it all sorted out. Lindsey has been wonderful, responsive with emails, calls, and explains processes completely. I did notice several instructions on the paperwork we received that were not gone over in person with us...such as the recommendation to have sex every day or every other day, and instructions about when to use OPK's. So some of those details were not discussed, but in our situation we literally had 24hrs to get everything squared away, where I most patients have a bit more time to prepare.

Do not be afraid to ask lots of questions! Bringing in all of our paperwork from the previous clinic and previous bloodwork, semen analysis, etc. seemed to be really helpful to our initial consultation, so consider bringing that.

After a highly traumatic experience with a previous clinic 2 yrs prior, we were referred to Dr. Thyer. We just started FSH shots and are hoping to do at least 2 IUI procedures. She has expressed the reality of the situation (in terms of success rates at our age and w/ our situation) but has given us hope that it IS possible, where I previously we were told IVF was the only option. She was very matter of fact that IUI would be her first option for us, and was very compassionate when I burst into tears upon hearing this news (happy tears). She answered all of our questions, and spent at least an hour with us. Again, she was realistic about our chances, but thoroughly explained why IUI would help us, and seemed confident in her knowledge. We just had our follow up earlier this week, and I just so happened to be at the beginning of my cycle. The ultrasound looked good, so here we go! I have started the shots, and our treatment plan is a bit "out of the box". I feel like she is giving us the best chance possible.

We are in process of our first controlled and medicated stimulation, with an IUI next week of all goes well. She suggested medicated IUI due to my age and to increase chances of conception by releasing multiple eggs per cycle. My husband had a vasectomy reversal and has a normal sperm count, but low motility and thick viscosity. She explained that the sperm is not able to reach the egg naturally due to these factors. IUI will at least give us the chance we haven't previously had. She also recommended supplements for my husband and I to take, which should assist with better egg quality and sperm motility.

Lindsey is WONDERFUL. Answers all my questions and coordinated a quick turnaround for getting my meds shipped correctly and in a timely manner. She has also consulted with Dr. Thyer if need be.

I like the different clinic locations...helps to be able to pick a location based on our schedule, traffic, etc. Ambiance is welcoming, particularly at the Bellevue office. I do not like that they don't validate parking at the Seattle office. Have to pay $10 every time. I have never felt pressured about money or bills.

Our insurance covers diagnostics but not meds and IUI. With our treatment plan, it will be approx. $1200 per cycle for medicated IUI (injections).

I felt that Dr. Thayer over-promised what I should expect. I was told that I would be pregnant by the "end of the year" during my January appointment. That did not happen and quite frankly I don't know how she could be so sure of this before I'd undergone the full array of testing. I believe I only actually met with her twice, but I recall leaving in tears every time.

You should have thick skin which is sometimes very hard when dealing with such an emotional issue like infertility. Also do not expect to see her at every visit.

During my visits with Dr. Thayer I found her to be rather cold. She was the first to diagnose me with PCOS and I was quite emotional after finding out that I had it. She didn't seem very warm with her delivery.

The first treatment strategy prescribed was a high dose of Femara and timed intercourse. After 4 rounds this did not result in a pregnancy. The side effects were so bad that I asked to have my dosage lowered, but was denied and only given the option of another drug.

During my time at SRM the nurses confused my treatment plan on more than one occasion. I had to ask them to contact the doctor to confirm my plan.

I would say one strength would be their ability to schedule your first appointment very quickly. A major weakness is the wait time to see the doctor once there. Several times I had appointments during my lunch hour and would end up sitting in the waiting room sometimes up to 25 minutes after my scheduled appointment. I felt like in general the doctors and staff were not always on the same page and I would sometimes get confused with another patient's treatment plan.

It has been two years since I was a patient at SRM so I do not remember the exact cost. Also during the time I was a patient my insurance covered infertility expenses.

N/A

Working with Dr. Thayer and her nurses was an awful experience. She did not remember who I was the few times she saw me. She had us waste vials of sperm on IUI while I was still nursing my first child, and I felt sabotaged as an IUI patient so that I would opt for IVF. She forgot to make notes in my chart about what we talked about. She did not care if I got pregnant. She also dismissed our concerns about male factor infertility, saying we were lucky that we didn't have it as bad as some couples. Just not the way to handle it.

You are in charge of your own care. Do not expect compassion from her. Know that she is in the business of maximizing profit from convincing patients to do IVF and she gets a bonus on her IVF conversion rate.

Rarely had face time with doctor. Nurses confused my case with others, couldn't keep the patients straight, and miscalculated treatments. Doctor did not make notes in my chart so the weekend doctor could prescribe medications on time. I felt actively sabotaged in my IUI cycle, though I have no proof. I believe that as an IUI patient, I was treated as a throwaway low value patient and was not listened to. My complaints and he humiliation was endless. I switched doctors and clinics and am now treated like a human. Dr. Thayer's case load was too high for her to handle. We would sit down with her and she didn't even remember our names and she would read our chart on who we were after we entered her office. She also encouraged me to waste sperm (limited amount, husband is cancer survivor) when I was actively nursing my first child. She said that nursing a baby did not affect fertility in any way. My new doctor at a different clinic was shocked that I was encouraged to do IUIs while actively nursing my toddler.

I worked with several nurses, as turnover was high. Nurses made real mistakes on IUI timing, got confused over the difference between and opk and a pregnancy test, and we're unable to do the IUI procedure smoothly and got flustered and cried. I have email proof of nurses confusing me with other patients. They seemed overworked and miserable.

The front desk receptionist is the only thing good about this awful clinic. Patients should know that staff has zero respect for temperature charting. My nurse insisted that I come in for an IUI a day later than I knew I should. I insisted on doing it my way, and had a healthy baby. Whenever I trusted the clinic on timing, it failed. Also, once I told a Nurse, "is it too late to do IUI? I think I already ovulated." She said, "you wouldn't know If you did." Never mind that there is a German word for the feeling of ovulation and that I was temperature charting and knew my body very well! They just do not listen at this clinic and they treat you like a number. I switched clinics and I know that it is much better in other places.

She is confident in her abilities and absolutely knows the latest in fertility treatments (at least for my issue of rpl). She can be straightforward that some might think of as uncompassionate but I appreciate the clear communication in an area that can be so murky. She is responsive to my stress levels and emotions and I absolutely feel taken care of when she is doing a procedure on me.

I have a history or scarring and she has been truly compassionate bout treating the scarring. She always remembers our case details and understands if I have questions that are emotional.

I've had to hysterscopies to remove scarring after a miscarriage---one of which was a fairly experimental approach (my body was not naturally passing the miscarriage so this was done instead of a d&c). She absolutely had my best interests at heart. We are now doing timed cycles with letrozole and gonal f.

The primary nurse is probably overworked as she often forgets details of my case. However I find her very responsive and she always makes sure to answer my questions to my satisfaction