Daniel Levine

Dr. Levine is a very caring funny guy. He shows compassion to his patients. He listens and answers. Clinically though I am not that happy with him. He diagnosed me with PCOS and placed me on metformin. He never told me to supplement with vitamin B12. He ordered an elaborate blood clotting panel after 2 failed embryo transfers and a miscarriage, but never spoke to me about the results. After I looked up my own results on my portal with labcorp it was found that there was an abnormality with the MTHFR. I brought it up and he said that he doesn’t really look at that (If he didn’t care I don’t know why it was ordered in the first place). After each transfer he wished us luck, but we had no luck with Dr. Levine which ultimately made us change fertility clinics.

Make sure you are your own advocate. Look up your own lab work because he will not go over it with you.

First Dr Levine gave me a script for clomid. We did 4 unmonitored cycles (diagnosis PCOS) all failed. Next we tried IUI. My first IUI worked with letrazole and an ovidrel trigger shot. We were discharged from the clinic when I miscarried at 11 weeks. After that we came back to Hudson valley Fertility and tried another IUI which my follicles did not get to the appropriate size so it was canceled. We did 2 more IUI’s with letrazole and ovidrel that both failed. Next IVF was recommended, and per Dr. Levine I would “definitely” get pregnant. I did my retrieval using follistim 175u, low dose hch 5u, and ganirelix. I stimmed for 10 days. My retrieval went well, 16 eggs retrieved, 10 mature, 10 icsi, 4 sent for Pgs. We did 2 frozen transfers using estrace vaginally, progesterone vaginally and progesterone in oil injections. Both transfers failed after being told that this would “definitely” work for us. That was when we transferred to CNY.

IUI $600 each round X3 IVF $10,325 PGS $1,500 FET $3,400 Embryo storage $70/month

Dr Levine would not let me transfer 2 embryos as I was 28-29 years old.

Dr. Levine was friendly, warm, welcoming, funny, encouraging, and had a positive attitude. He put results of visits in a positive light (for example, when I had a couple of good follicles he made me feel better by mentioning that is exactly what they want to see). He also would wave his hands over my stomach after an IUI to transfer positive energy and lighten the mood.

Even if you have worries or nerves, make sure you ask your questions.

Dr. Levine helped to monitor me closer to IUI time. On some cycles he helped to monitor my follicle size and determined when I needed to trigger. He also completed some IUI. In the beginning of one cycle a cyst/cysts were noticed. He analyzed my blood work to see if we could starts medication or take a break. He prescribed birth control for a couple of weeks to help to dissolve the cyst/cysts.

I had to pay co pays.

NA

I believe that Dr. Levine is genuine but I do think it's difficult as a patient to understand him. It's the way he delivers information that is hard to understand. I think he needs to slow down and speak in more generic terms that people hearing not so great news would better be able to understand.

To make sure you have him slow down and write everything down. He doesn't explain things the way someone without a medical degree would understand. He also speaks very quickly.

We froze my eggs in January. Put me on prenatals and BC in August and started my fertility meds for a transfer in early September. They did rapid PGS testing the night before my retrieval and when I got to the office for my retrieval they told me all my embryos were abnormal and we couldn't proceed.

13,500 for one full IVF cycle. $50 monthly for sperm storage. PGS testing $350 an embryo.

Dr. Levine is very compassionate, explanatory, friendly, and has a great great bedside manner. He makes himself available for many of the appointments personally. He doesn't sugar coat the odds. He does ample testing to cover all bases. He, personally, has performed most of my IUI's (a few were done by his P.A.), all of my saline sonograms, hysteroscopies/D&C's, ERA, and my IVF retrieval/transfer. If you don't want to be passed between many different doctors, this is the place. He adjusts treatments frequently based on lab work and ultrasounds. His lab had phenomenal results for us using ICSI and growing out my poor aging eggs to blastocyst stage for PGS testing. If I had to pick a few downsides, I'd say it's that they barely have a donor egg/embryo program and the little that is available seems much more expensive than other places.

Ask lots of questions. Take notes after each appointment. Speak up if you're uncomfortable or don't understand any procedure.

I have PCOS so I always had a decent amount of follicles/eggs during IUI cycles and IVF. I am also AMA. Dr Levine was always careful to balance meds and not overstimulate. Our very first IUI cycle (many years ago) was cancelled due to fast response to meds and far too many follicles to procede with IUI. All of my meds for IUI were either Follistim alone (150-225iu per day), or a combination of either Letrozole 5mg (or Clomid 100mg) and Follistim together. For IUI we occasionally used 250mcg Ganarellix for a few days to hold off ovulation and let follicles catch up with others. For every IUI we used 250mg Ovidrel as the trigger. Every cycle we used progesterone suppositories during the luteal phase. For our one IVF cycle, we used 225iu of monopur for 11 days and 225iu of Follistim/Gonal F concurrently for 11 days. For 5 of the 11 days, we also used Ganarellix 250iu. We used a half dose trigger of 5,000iu of Pregnyl to lessen the risk of OHSS since my estrogen was high (over 5,000) and I had approx 27 follicles. We used cabergoline after retrieval to avoid OHSS also. On day 14 we had 22 eggs retrieved. 15 were mature and 2 more were able to be matured in the lab for a total of 17. All 17 fertilized with ICSI. At day 3 we still had 17 embryos. (9 grade 1; 5 grade 2; and 3 grade 3). By day 5 we had 3 AA blastocysts that were biopsied for PGS and then frozen. At day 6 we had 3 more blastocysts (grade BB) that were biopsied for PGS and then frozen. The other 11 embryos were either low quality C blasts or deteriorated and stop growing. We had 1 PGS normal blast and 1 inconclusive blast from the testing. The other 4 had monosomies, trisomies, or multiple chromosomal errors. 7 months later we transferred both blastocysts. The 7 month delay was from me needing a few procedures on my uterus and also having 2 transfers cancelled due to lining issues and unexpected bleeding. For lining prep and during and after transfer we ultimately used BCP, Lupron, Estrace orally, Estrace vaginally, estrogen patches, delestrogen injections, progesterone vaginally, progesterone in oil injections, Lovenox, Medrol, and doxycycline. We also used Valium the day of transfer. 1 of our 2 embryos stuck but stopped growing near 5 to 6 weeks. A heavy bleed following shortly after, but I ultimately ended up needing a hysteroscopy/D&C near 10 weeks for a retained gestational sack.

Costs were broken up into a million different costs also billed thru insurance. So it's difficult to say what total costs would have been for cash pay. Many options were ala cart and could have been chosen or not depending on your preferences and needs.

Dr Levine runs a very tight ethical ship however he uses common sense and weighs the odds and uses his experience to make sounds decisions with number of embryos transferred. Before we knew how many embryos I would get (remember I'm advanced maternal age) he was leaning towards transferring a couple (2-4) day 3 embryos. When we had 17 day 3 embryos we decided to grow out to day 5 and go along with my husband and my desire to PGS test. When we had 1 PGS normal and 1 inconclusive blastocyst, Dr Levine was supportive of our choice to transfer 2 back in.

Dr.levine is extremely knowledgeable. He gave me hope when another high rating clinic turned me away because of DOR. He literally said to me “I will never deny a woman her right to at least try”. That statement made all the difference.

Really listen to him!!! Open your mind and heart to his suggestions.

I remember ganorellix, menopur, PÍO, vaginal estrogen. Everything he prescribed worked for me and my body as I now have twins with his help and knowledge.

Out of pocket expenses without insurance coverage I would say we spent about 4-5thousand dollars. Paying for a premium coverage to include fertility coverage for out insurance to cover process I would say it was about 20-25k

I saw dr Levine during the very first part of our 5.5 year journey with infertility and then we moved out of state. I saw Dr. Levine over the course of about 2 years (maybe 1.5) and we were just in the beginning stages of figuring things out. My husband and I weren’t ready to try IUI (we were still in disbelieve that WE couldn’t get pregnant) and so Dr Levine ordered/ performed some of the basic diagnostic tests. Through him, we had bloodwork done, I had a hysterosalpingogram, and I had a saline infused sonogram. Everything came back normal and our next step was going to be to try Clomid on it’s own for a few months. However, we moved to Seattle and didn’t even get that far with Dr Levine. The basic work up with Dr Levine was fine. Nothing stellar or exceptional - but I felt fine and taken care of to a comfortable level.

Ask questions about everything? Why this drug and not that one? Why do I need this? How will it help with conceiving a baby or figuring out the problem.

I only did the beginning work with him. He suspected endometriosis and I had a hysterosalpingogram and a saline infused sonogram. However, I was never diagnosed with endo with him and he never performed or suggested a laparoscopy. His next step with me was going to be Clomid.

The state of NY had good coverage for teachers and infertility. Most of my expenses were paid for as long as they were pre approved. This was a hassle, but now that I live in a state with zero coverage, I realize i should have been more thankful!!! As a teacher in NY, I was allotted $25,000.00 for fertility treatments. We just weren’t ready to do IUI or ivf then. Kicking myself now ...3.5 years later living in Seattle with $0 coverage!!!!

When my husband and I first met Dr. Levine we were very nervous but he was reassuring. He explained all of the paths we could go and explained them throughly. There were times that we saw his assistant and she was very helpful and attentive as well. When we had a very disappointing miscarriage, he was very sensitive to the situation and very informative.

Ask questions...he will always answer them openly.

It has been a while since we went through the procedures but everything was explained in great detail from the dosage of medication to the execution of laboratories.

Not sure if the exact costs but the insurance plan covered a great deal if it. Our co pays were $50.

I felt as though it was more about money than the treatment. I wish he did the iui's, not the assistant. Dr Levine seemed like he understood my situation but, I had to ask for some of the testing to be done. I wish I had more of an explanation for my conditions also.

Ask questions. Ask for him to perform the procedures.

Most were covered under insurance but, I was charged incorrectly twice

I felt dr. Levine sugar coated our treatment and wasnt always honest about his expectations. He was pretty rough with his exams. He always seemed wishy washy and indecisive.................................

Make sure you ask questions and make sure hes answering them throughly.

They used letrazole with ovidrel trigger and timed intercourse because they were trying to get insurance approval.

I have insurance so not sure on cost

None

Dr. Levine explained everything to me and answered any questions I had. He never rushed me out of his office. He had a good sense of humor which helped ease the anxiety and concerns I may have had at the time. He was very polite, professional and made sure I understood everything that was going on. He didn't give up on me like my previous doctor.

If you have any questions, or concerns, don't be afraid to bring them all up because Dr. Levine will answer them and put you at ease. He doesn't rush you out of his office. He genuinely cares.

I've had issues with estrogen pills in the past which caused my triglycerides to go up and that resulted in pancreatitis. One was with birth control and another was with preparing for a transfer. Dr. Levine assured me that he wouldn't let that happen as he would change the way I receive estrogen. The plan was to do the egg retrieval first and then remove some polyps so that my uterus would be clean of anything that could cause an issue for the embryo and then do the transfer.

There was always a copay of $20 and we had to pay out of pocket for the transfer of $3500 since our insurance money ran out. We also paid for the PGD which wasn't covered.

No complaints. We will see him again in the future when it's time for baby #2. He always made us feel comfortable. He went out of his way to visit me in the hospital after my myomectomy when he needed to get to the clinic. After a certain number of failed IUIs he made the point of calling us instead of the nurses. He was beyond kind and professional.

Do your research first so you understand better what he's saying and can be ready to ask questions. Join a support group too- you will need it.

IUI- sometimes clomid and trigger shot- sometimes gonal f, trigger shot, progesterone suppositories. Started with clomid as standard protocol to investigate my body's reaction; moved on to gonal after 2 tries. Never did timed intercourse because we knew we had male factor issues. After 3 failed IUIs conducted myomectomy to see if removal of fibroid would help. It did not, but was still important for IVF later anyway. IVF- menopur, cetrotide, gonal, trigger shot, progesterone suppositories, progesterone oil, estrogen. Frozen cycle because I am younger and didn't need to rush; let the body heal after retrieval.

My insurance covered my surgeries, IUI, and medicine. It covered 75% of IVF. We paid about 2500 for IVF.

We only had one viable embryo so it didn't matter. But we did discuss before retrieval, and we agreed on transferring 1 because of my age (younger, higher success rate) and multiples can be high risk.

During our consultation Dr Levine was honest but positive based off our situation. Despite having PCOS and male factor infertility Dr. Helped us to understand how possibilities. He helped us to be confident and positive going into our treatment.

Trust him and follow his directions for the outcome you want. Takes the vitamins he recommends, exercise, etc. Aks questions he and his team will always give you the best advice.

Courtney had me on ovidrel and gonal F then endometrin. They were to help me ovulate, help the egg drop, keep my progesterone level up after IUI and positive pregnancy test.

He is very confident in his skills and very honest which for some may be a problem. For me, I wanted someone who was going to be honest with me and let me know what was going on. I can’t say enough good things about him. He has a great sense of humor which I find to be important when going through fertility treatments.

Write your questions down, he is great about answering as many questions as you have.

Dr. Levine was always honest and provided all the information we needed. He cares and takes the time to know the couple. Dr Levine made the changes necessary to assist us in getting pregnant. Dr. Levine also makes you feel very comfortable in all stages of IVF

IVF is out of your control; have faith in your Dr. they know best

Dr Levine provided all the information on risks to transferring multiples, he let us decided at the end of the day