Dr Schriock has been very open to our questions, to trying slightly different approaches to our cycles, takes our feedback and input seriously and continues to apply current research to our situation. He has been open to trying things that may not be scientifically proven, but seem to make a difference for me in getting a positive pregnancy result. He has listened to us and while he gives us his medical opinion, there are decisions we are able to make based on the info he provides (rather than being told what to do). He's very open to collaborating with others and when we realized we were dealing with recurrent pregnancy loss, he created the path for me of what doctors/specialists to see (outside of the clinic) so that we could all come back together with all the info gathered to create a next step forward. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table and when I feel all hope is lost, he brings some hope back to us.
I've dealt with several coordinators [at Pacific Fertility] (cycle coordinators and sperm donor coordinator) and all were very good with communication, answering questions and providing all info needed (with patience)...The front office seems well coordinated with check-in, check-out and processing paperwork...Insurance claims are processed by the office even though for me they are out of network. Questions about my contract or financial/payment info has been handled professionally and promptly. Possible weakness: there seems to be a somewhat high turnover of medical assistants.
How was your experience with Eldon Schriock (retired) at Pacific Fertility Center?
Dr Schriock has been very open to our questions, to trying slightly different approaches to our cycles, takes our feedback and input seriously and continues to apply current research to our situation. He has been open to trying things that may not be scientifically proven, but seem to make a difference for me in getting a positive pregnancy result. He has listened to us and while he gives us his medical opinion, there are decisions we are able to make based on the info he provides (rather than being told what to do). He's very open to collaborating with others and when we realized we were dealing with recurrent pregnancy loss, he created the path for me of what doctors/specialists to see (outside of the clinic) so that we could all come back together with all the info gathered to create a next step forward. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table and when I feel all hope is lost, he brings some hope back to us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Eldon Schriock (retired) at Pacific Fertility Center?
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Even though you are the patient, be your own advocate. Speak up for what feels right for you and your situation. Dr. Schriock will answer your questions and listen to your concerns and ideas, so speak up! He tends to talk quickly so make sure if you are not done talking, or still trying to process what has been said, ask him to repeat it. Utilize Dr. Schriock's care team for asking questions during your cycle.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Eldon Schriock (retired) at Pacific Fertility Center?
We have been through a very difficult and painful journey with male infertility and poor egg quality due to my age (after two rounds of IVF). We've had 3 miscarriages, one of which at 15 weeks. The doctors and staff at PFC have gotten to know us and care about what we've been through. Dr. Schriock continues to support us with realism but a sense of hope and is always open to talking to us and trying to figure out what to do next. He's been with us to see two twin pregnancies at the moment we discovered the heartbeats had stopped. We've been going to PFC for about 4.5 years so it is a place that has become part of our journey in addition to being our doctor's office.
Describe the protocols Eldon Schriock (retired) used in your cycles at Pacific Fertility Center and their degree of success.
My IVF cycles were in 2012 and 2013 so I don't recall the precise protocols. For embryo transfers post-IVF I did a few natural cycles but then had to cancel a cycle as my body was not cooperating. For the majority of my embryo transfer cycles, I have done "controlled" cycles with Delestrogen (20mg/ml) and Progesterone in Ethyl Oleate (50mg/ml). Delestrogen is a twice a week IM injection, then Progesterone is added in 6 days prior to FET and is a daily IM injection and would continue through 10 weeks of pregnancy. One of our treatment strategies we have tried several times is to do an endometrial scratch the cycle prior to the FET cycle. While there is no conclusive evidence that this will increase the chances of pregnancy, my last two pregnancies followed this plan. (these pregnancies ended in miscarriage).
Results: IVF#1: pregnant but lost at 15 weeks
IVF#2: negative
1 more FET with own eggs - negative
Donor egg IVF Results: (I believe these were all controlled cycles)
Donor FET#1-not pregnant
Donor FET#2 - pregnant twins/lost pregnancy (did endometrial scratch prior to FET)
Donor FET#3 - chemical pregnancy
Donor FET #4 and #5 - negative
Donor FET #6 - pregnant twins/lost pregnancy (did endometrial scratch prior to FET)
Donor FET #7 - negative (did endometrial scratch prior to FET)
Describe your experience with your nurse at Pacific Fertility Center. (Assigned nurse: Joanna)
Since I have been going to PFC since 2012, I have met and interacted with many nurses and my main nurse contact has changed a few times. However, I have been very pleased with the nursing staff. Especially under times of emotional stress/trauma, there were a couple that stood out in particular with their support and compassion. I have always been pleased with my cycle coordinators, especially when I got to work with someone consistently who knew my history.
Joanna in particular has been my main nurse contact for a while and she has been very quick to respond to questions and concerns especially with use of email. The front office has done very well getting me in touch with her over the phone. She has been very open to being a resource to me for questions and to reach out to when I have negative outcomes to my transfers. She's always been patient with me in appointments when I ask for explanations or extra help with coordinating my schedule with appointments.
Describe your experience with Pacific Fertility Center.
The front office seems well coordinated with check-in, check-out and processing paperwork. I always get prompt service when calling in and getting directed to the appropriate person or coordinating a call back. Insurance claims are processed by the office even though for me they are out of network. Questions about my contract or financial/payment info has been handled professionally and promptly. I've dealt with several coordinators (cycle coordinators and sperm donor coordinator) and all were very good with communication, answering questions and providing all info needed (with patience).
Possible weakness: there seems to be a somewhat high turnover of medical assistants. This can be somewhat frustrating.
Other concerns: This clinic is likely not in your insurance plan. For me, they are out of network. Payment has to be made upfront, leaving you to figure out how to come up with the funds ahead of time (loans, credit cards, etc). It is important to consider what the cost will be to go with someone in network, vs out of network. Looking back on my process, Dr. Schriock was highly recommended to me so I decided to go there, but financially it would have been better to go to an in-network facility.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Eldon Schriock (retired) at Pacific Fertility Center.
IVF #1 and #2 approx $12,000 each (2012, 2013)
FET #3 approx $3,000 (2013)
All further FETs were part of a contract for the Donor egg IVF. Our entire out of pocket cost for DEIVF with one year contract for unlimited FETs was approx $50,000. Contract was extended for further FETs until March 2017.
Frozen Embryo storage fee per year: $600
Sperm storage fee: $300 per year (as I recall)
Describe Eldon Schriock (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Pacific Fertility Center.
Dr. Schriock's plan is to limit pregnancy risk with multiples. He's very focused on the health of the mother and the baby. He takes into consideration, the quality of embryos, health of the mother and age and our personal preferences to guide us to a decision. While he highly encourages single embryo transfer in my case, he is open to our requests and to discuss pros/cons of transferring up to 2 embryos. I have transferred 2 on our first IVF round, got pregnant with 1. On one other occasion due to repeated FET's resulting in negative results, I decided to transfer 2 embryos in hopes of increasing my chances. NOTE: This was my decision with my husband, where Dr. Schriock recommended one, but supported our decision to try two. This did result in a twin pregnancy which i lost. The bottom line, is that Dr. Schriock will highly advise doing single transfer but is open to discuss your personal wishes.
10
Doctor
Eldon Schriock (retired)
9
Clinic
Pacific Fertility Center
San Francisco