Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
2022, Successful
10
10
she [Dr. Schell] treated me like a patient, not just a body to get pregnant. She spent an extensive amount of time talking with me and I never felt she was in a rush to brush me off. She answered any questions I had and never treated me like it was a dumb question. She took seriously any concerns I communicated and it impacted the course of treatment she recommended...She gave me her personal cell phone number and email. She and her team were accessible...
I loved all of the nurses [at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago] I interacted with. They were all warm, responsive and competent...Compassionate, communicative and competent team...I only wish their Downer's Grove office was open 7 days a week -- driving to Gurnee was a hike...The call center they route you to to make your first appointment was the worst part of the process. Waited over 24 hours for a call back and not the best communication...
How was your experience with Debra Schell at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
She was very accessible, and very willing to talk with me and answer any questions I had. She really listened to my concerns and let it guide the recommendation for treatment. I felt heard and seen as an individual. Her explanations made sense and were really helpful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Schell at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Be open about any concerns and ask any questions you have -- she is very receptive to hearing them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Schell at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago?
Dr. Schell was a radical improvement over the last fertility doctor I saw. She was an OB for many years and I could tell -- she treated me like a patient, not just a body to get pregnant. She spent an extensive amount of time talking with me and I never felt she was in a rush to brush me off. She answered any questions I had and never treated me like it was a dumb question. She took seriously any concerns I communicated and it impacted the course of treatment she recommended.
I had concerns about taking Clomid for IUI (due to impact on my mental health as I have a history of anxiety and depression) and asked her about IUI without Clomid. She was open to it if that is how I wanted to proceed, but also candid about the chances of success. I started out feeling pretty resistant to IVF, as it seemed like a really tough process, but she really sold me on the idea. She explained that the hormones for that process were unlikely to affect my mental health, the benefits of being able to do genetic testing (especially as me and my husband are a bit older) and explained the IVF process in great detail. I felt completely comfortable with her by the end of the call. And that continued on through treatment. She gave me her personal cell phone number and email. She and her team were accessible. She had an hour long conversation with me when I wanted to implant two embryos rather than one, even though one was the official recommendation. I felt in control of my care with an expert guiding me.
I also wanted to avoid taking birth control (as that adversely affects me emotionally), and unlike my last doctor, they were willing to make that work and planned everything around my regular cycles.
Describe the protocols Debra Schell used in your cycles at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago and their degree of success.
Folistim twice per day, HCG once per day, then Ganorelex later in the cycle one per day in prep for egg retrieval. In prep for transfer (and continuing through early pregnancy), estrogen pills 4 times a day, progesterone in oil shot once per day, medrol and doxycycline leading up to the transfer, plus progestorone capsule the morning of injection. As well as low dose aspirin and pre natal vitamins.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
I loved all of the nurses I interacted with. They were all warm, responsive and competent. Great team!!
Describe your experience with Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
The call center they route you to to make your first appointment was the worst part of the process. Waited over 24 hours for a call back and not the best communication. I'm really glad I didn't let that put me off (although I considered it!), as everything from them afterwards was outstanding. They may want to rethink that process.
Otherwise, everything was excellent. Compassionate, communicative and competent team. I could not have asked for anything more than I received. I only wish their Downer's Grove office was open 7 days a week -- driving to Gurnee was a hike!
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
Having to do monitoring is inconvenient, for sure, but the process was relatively smooth. I think only once did I experience any real delays in waiting for my monitoring appointment. Otherwise it was a pretty well oiled machine! And the nurses were really great to interact with.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Schell at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
In excess of $20,000
Describe Debra Schell's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago.
One embryo was the "official" recommendation, but I wanted to do two as I felt comfortable having twins. I wanted a candid conversation with her about the risks of doing two and becoming pregnant with two, and she spent an hour discussing it with me. She told me about the risks, but didn't use scare tactics and ultimately let me make the decision.