Erika Johnston-MacAnanny

She incredibly thorough, kind and a great sense of humor which can make difficult situations less difficult. I felt very confident with all her courses of treatment and she was always spot on with what she’d expected. I never felt rushed or pushed. She always gave very thorough answers to ALL of my many many questions no matter how silly some of them were. I was always very confident in her decisions. I’m very thankful to have used her during some very difficult experiences.

She knows what she’s doing, so you can feel confident to trust her plan.

She’s incredibly thorough and takes her time, she worked with me to explore all options and helped me reach conclusions so I could move on to the next treatment.

After multiple Miscarriages from having a Tubal Reversal to try and repair my tubes with a different dr, Dr.Johnston first preformed an HSG to be sure there were no blockages. The next step when I had another Miscarriage was to take 5mg Femara on CD 3-7 to try and encourage my good side/tube for the embryo to use which could then prevent possible ectopics that I was experiencing on my left side. The first two cycles I did in fact ovulate on my right side just as she predicted, the third cycle it was my left. After not getting pregnant during those cycles I chose to take a break. When I went on to have more Miscarriages she started to encourage IVF and that bypassing my tubes would give great chances of success. I was never open to trying IVF but feel more confident after speaking with her to try that path which is where I am now.

The staff here was incredible. They were all ver compassionate, and very helpful. They got back to me within minutes sometimes of me messaging through the patient portal. The communication at this clinic is some of the best I’ve ever experienced with any Dr.

Very innovative, as a whole just a wonderful place where you don’t question the care you’re receiving. Only weakness is that their costs for the more expensive treatments are high, still reasonable compared to some, but I think because they are a part of Wake Forest Baptist they don’t have as much say in prices for services offered.

My HSG, Bloodwork, And Medicated cycles were all covered by insurance. The quote I was given for IVF was 8995 for the procedure. An estimate of anywhere from 3000-7000 for IVF meds and another 2000 roughly for embryo testing. Around 500 a year to store fertilized eggs. And then around 3000 per FET cycle not including meds

When discussing IVF she highly encouraged an eSET due me being Type 1 Diabetic and the Toll that twins would have on my body.

Dr. Johnston communicates effectively with her patients, even calling them herself at home if questions arise. She has made every effort to include us in decision making for treatment options. There have been several times where she has spent additional minutes out of her busy day talking to us like people, not just her patient and spouse. Her bedside manner is second to none.

She is worth waiting weeks for an appointment with.

Dr Johnston takes the time to sit and explain everything with you. She validates your feelings, fears, concerns and frustrations. She is sensitive to your specific needs as her patient and involves you in the decision making process. She has made an effort to get to know little details about us, such as our favorite things to do together on weekends, places to eat, favorite foods, etc.

She started me on femara with Ovidrel with timed intercourse following 2 failed rounds of clomid. We then moved to injections of menopur with ovidrel for three IUI cycles, in hopes of increasing my number of mature follicles

The nursing staff has failed short a few times on communicating effectively, especially late in the day as the clinic is about to close. New medication side effects are never discussed and compassion is rarely shown. I know they work hard and are very busy, but I feel more could be done with educating the patient before they leave to office.

It is a small office feel, in that most of the staff begins to recognize you after a few visits. The appointments for US and labs are difficult to schedule, and the office is only open during normal business hours. Early morning, weekend, or extended hours are not an option for monitoring, which is a challenge when you work full time. Additionally, appointments are almost never on time, with a wait time of usually at least 15 minutes.

most not covered under insurance. Injectables for IUI were partially covered as were labs. The IUI and numerous US are out of pocket expenses

She was very nice and informative. She spent quite a while with my husband and I and answered any questions I had. She made us feel like everything was going to go great and we had great chances for success. However, after only 1 embryo to make it out of 10 eggs and no explanation, I was kind of put off. There was no "answers" to be had, however Dr Johnston did seem compassionate and understanding about the cost of treatments and not being able to afford further treatments

Go in knowing that although you could have a 99% chance of conceiving, things still may go wrong.

I was pleased with the way the doctor and nurses treated me. However, -after a failed IVF there was not much talk after. I felt as though my IVF was failed after I was told there was close to 80% chance of success, and there was no explanation why.

I used menopur, Lipton, /and gonal F during treatments. We used a birth control antagonist protocol before Begining. We did this because she said we should have great eggs, egg quality, and be able to produce lots of good embryos given an Unexplained dx, and young age.

Nursing staff was very attentive and readily available. They were friendly most days and informative. However, I do not feel they connected with each patient as much as Dr Johnston did.

Strengths - good staff, friendly, and organized. Weakness- I believe something failed with the lab and that is why our embryos fragmented. The embryologist was hard to understand and not able to explain why.

I paid for all blood draws. Typically about $100 each time. I also was billed for some of the IUI, and for IVF. Still currently owe about 5,000 from last IVF

On day one with Dr. Johnston she candidly told me at my age she would move straight to donor eggs if my objective was to have a baby. She showed me the statistics of other options. She was informative and supportive. She spent as much time with me and my Husband as we needed to answer all of our questions. After the first meeting I had her email address. I didn't hesitate to use it and her response time was amazing. Our first two transfers resulted in negative betas. After each she sat with me to plan our next steps and to answer long lists of questions I had. She allowed me to be involved in the protocol planning. When I had ideas she was open to them. After the 2nd negative result she ordered aggressive testing and found an issue which she was able to correct. The next transfer resulted in a positive beta. My betas don't double like other people's betas. Because of this, I didn't get my results from the lab or a nurse. Dr. Johnston worked directly with me through this. She explained what would likely occur and kept me informed of what to expect. When my little wonky beta turned into a heartbeat and numbers aligned to what the norms are I think she was about as happy and excited as my Husband and I were. Dr. Johnston worked with me to plan my 2nd pregnancy in a manner and time-frame that worked for my Family. Throughout my journey she was not only the doctor, she was the overall care manager. She individualized my plan of care to meet my goals. She directed her staff in a manner that made each step as painless and as efficient as could be. She accepted and worked with my need to be involved in each step. She offered the information needed to allow for true informed consent. She stayed focused on the big picture while not missing a single detail. I have a Known Donor. As she did with me, she took prodigious care of her. Donors provide no income to facilities. All of their expenses are incurred by the intended parent(s). With Dr. Johnston it isn't about generating revenue. It's about offering the care it takes to help women come our of the nightmare journey of infertility with a baby(ies) in her arms. She will treat everyone with respect and dignity and be as gentle and thorough as possible. I've taken my Children back in to show off to the staff and Dr. Johnston. It feels like coming Home. They still care about me and they care about my beautiful Children they helped bring into this world!

Listen to her and talk to her about your wishes and needs... she has the knowledge and your best interest at heart. She probably wants you to have a baby as much as you want it.

I had previously been with REACh in Charlotte, so had first hand knowledge of the "cattle" approach to infertility treatment for woman. My experience with Wake Forest Baptist Health Center for Reproductive Medicine doctors and staff was the exact opposite. They KNEW me. After the first visit the receptionist, nurses, assistants, embryologists, doctors, billing representative... everyone knew my name, my infertility history, my Husband, my Known Donor... my story. They all CARED. From the first meeting Dr. Johnston spent time listening to me and keeping me informed of the details of my results and next steps. Being involved was important to me and she welcomed my participation. When I needed information I emailed her directly. She always replied quickly... once even when she was on vacation. I worked directly with the embryologists when determining which embryos to transfer. I had pictures and detailed information about every embryo. I was very involved in my process and the clinic respected that and worked with me. With both pregnancies I had wonky beta results. Everyone at the clinic "held my hand" through the grueling wait to determine if my pregnancies would be viable. During the wonky beta experience with my 2nd pregnancy Dr. Johnston was at a conference in Hawaii. She still contacted me directly through that time to help with questions and concerns. I have a Known Donor and their care for her was wonderful. In the end I don't know that it really matters if you're treated like a human. The goal is to have a baby and, when push comes to shove, not much else matters, but it sure makes the experience gentler when you have understanding doctors and staff that care about your journey and your family. infertility is a nightmare journey. Choosing a smoother road by working with Dr. Johnston was one of the best choices I made in the process.

The below is from memory and my oldest Child is 3, so I could be forgetting parts. Also, I had previous to infertility had tests related to blood-clotting factors, so these were not part of my protocol, but would have been if it had not been done previously. 1st cycle for me and Known Donor... Lupron, Estradal tablets, Vivelle Dot patches, Progesterone in oil, Follistim, Menopur, hCG trigger, and antibiotics for my DH and Donor. Transferred 2 fresh embryos. I think this is all pretty run of the mill. (Negative beta.) 2nd cycle: Dr. performed a SIS. Same protocol for me minus Lupron. I did acupuncture as well. Transferred two thawed embryos. (Negative beta.) Prior to 3rd transfer: Hysteroscopy and an endo biopsy. The hysteroscopy uncovered a medical issue that was corrected during the procedure. The issue was probably what was keeping implantation from happening. We did some basic immunological testing at this time as well, but I do not remember the specifics. Dr. Johnston was open to every idea I had during our appointment following the failed transfer. We discussed all options and decided together how to move forward. 3rd cycle: Same protocol as 2nd plus low-dose aspirin, Medrol, Folgard, and Valium at transfer. Continued with acupuncture. Transferred two thawed embryos. (Positive beta resulting in a live birth!) I remained under Dr. Johnston's care until we heard a heart beat and was release to my midwives' care. 4th cycle: My period returned on its own, so we did a "natural" cycle protocol. I was still breastfeeding my Daughter during this transfer, so medications were limited to what was not contraindicated. Transferred onethawed embryo. (Positive beta resulting in 2nd live birth!) My Family is complete.

Following Dr. Johnston's style and direction, the nursing staff is devoted to reaching the goal to have a baby. They were organized, efficient, thorough, compassionate, skilled, and caring.

The bottom line is I was successful in completing my Family at Wake Forest. I don't believe I would have had the same outcome at the first clinic (REACh) where I was a patient. The greatest strengths at WF are the people! In addition to the exceptional Doctors and medical staff, the other members of the team operate at the same standard. The receptionist and phlebotomists were attentive and efficient. The billing department (Patti) was AVAILABLE, knowledgeable, creative in helping us with our expenses, and cared about my outcome. The embryologists (my Babies' first babysitters) were AVAILABLE, skilled, and... again... caring. This is a smaller clinic. The stats don't have the big numbers you find at other places, but the percentages are great. I am a member of an online group for infertility with thousands of others walking the infertility journey in search of their baby(ies). The individualized and involved care I received was unparalleled when comparing notes with other members of the group. Other members were often surprised at the amount of detailed information I had about my case; the direct communication with my RE, embryologist, and the staff; the availability and knowledge of the billing department; and the overall care shown to me and my Donor throughout the process.

I do not remember the specifics for the fresh transfer, but know it was in line with what other clinics charged. An FET was $2700 (2012 & 2014). Because our insurance covered very little, but we still paid as we went, we were given significant discounts of overall costs. Patti, in billing was great!

I have been under the care of Erika Johnston-MacAnanny and 2 other doctors from other clinics. She is the only one that treated me as a person that she understood my goals and really wanted to see me succeed. She didn't make me feel like it was all about the money as they did. She made me feel uplifted in my journey regardless of the outcome.

Be honest with her regarding your goals

She made me feel ok and let me know not to feel bad if the ivf doesn't go all the way through and that I could keep trying. She also had me come back in to check my uterus and assured me my uterus was perfect for carrying a baby if I wanted to try again. She did not give me a pity party when it failed she encouraged me to move forward.

She has used clomid and IVF

Lori was very informative and always catered to answering any of my questions as soon as humanly possible.

The clinic was clean, staff was attentive, their was always coffee, television, nice comfortable furniture, plenty of parking, confidential setting, nice and quiet. THe location was easy to get to. Lab for the clinic was also convenient and their techs are very professional. I am frightened of needles but I never was afraid to go in for bloodwork which was down the hall from the clinic I was being seen in.

about 8500

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We did one round of IVF with ICSI, PGS and 2 FET (first one ending in chemical). When we first met Dr. Johnston-MacAnanny she was very straight forward about our unexplained infertility diagnosis. During our first meeting she had clearly reviewed our charts and knew everything we had been through and already had a plan In place for us based on her opinion and was very positive about the likelihood of use having a baby. She was very comforting. She was willing to start treatment as soon as we were ready. We were very excited about not having to wait months to get started, especially after all we had been through. Of our 13 embryos only 4 came back genetically normal from PGS. We transferred 2 embryos durning our first FET which resulted in a chemical. The staff were heartbroken for us and very supportive. Dr Johnston-MacAnanny got us back in to review what may have happened and proposed a new plan. She remained positive which is what we needed! We proceeded with FET of our last embryo (one did not survive the thaw during the first FET leaving us with only 3 embryos). Dr. Johnston-MacAnanny ordered blood thinners for this transfer even though my clotting factors were normal and now we have a beautiful healthy baby girl!! Dr. Johnston-MacAnanny definitely had our best interest at heart. Her and her staff were caring and supportive throughout our treatment. We would not have our daughter had it not been for Dr. Johnston-MacAnanny and her wonderful team!

I had setbacks all along but she always had a new idea. She was always willing to talk about any questions or concerns. Her bed aide manner is great. Talks to us like people and even emailed me personally after I got pregnant.

Ask anything. I always asked questions about what was on ultrasound screens. She always explained.

She was very efficient but took time to answer questions and relieve any concerns.

Started Ivf because of my age. When we went through several losses still had new ideas and encoruragee us not to give up.

Always emailed me back that day and returned calls if needed. Help get medicine that I needed quick.

We Loved how people remembered you. Communication was great. Always replied to all emails and calls. They even set up appointments over email Sometime not enough staff and had long waits on occasion. Dr. Johnson and Patty are our favorite.

It was not cheap. We paid less that 12000 for procedure and 5-7000 for medication each cycle. Visits were 70 copay. Most visits were covered up my insurance

That was not an issue for us.

She has a great personality and bedside manner that can make even the most anxious person (me) calm. She is so compassionate and empathetic; she genuinely seemed as upset and disappointed as I was after each failed cycle. I love her! I want everyone to be treated by her!

Ask as many questions as you want about whatever you are concerned about. She will take as much time as you need to explain everything, and she treats no question like a stupid question.

She always acknowledged how I was feeling throughout the entire process.

I did three cycles of clomid then after a brief break, I had the procedure to check the patency of my fallopian tubes. That procedure is usually done first but I am allergic to the dye used, so Dr MacAnanny wanted to try a few cycles prior to the procedure since I could possibly develop some scarring from an allergic reaction. The procedure went well without any residual effects. Afterwards there was a month break then my medication was changed to letrazole. I was using the letrazole with a trigger injection when I got pregnant.

The VA paid for it.

From our very meeting, she was always great to work with. She was very pragmatic but also positive. It was clear that she cared about me as a patient. She did a good job of explaining the science behind my diagnosis and treatment. She was great about communication as well.

She is a wonderful RE and you should work with her if given the chance.

I could tell that she cared.

She used a very standard treatment given my diagnosis.

I don't know that I could think of a weakness of the nursing staff. They were compassionate and great about communication. They were always happy to take their time and answer all of my questions.

The only thing I don't like about the clinic is its location. It was short on space and that could be inconvenient at times. Every person that worked there that I encountered was an asset. While my experience was challenging, I always felt so well taken care of by the staff.

We did not make it to transfer.

She told me I needed an IUI and tried to fertilize a cyst instead of an egg. I went to see Dr. Deaton for a second opinion after already having a couple of failed IUIs with her and her then suggesting an IVF, turns out I don't have any eggs. My AMH is less than .02, so not even IVF was an option for us. If she had down the proper testing prior to all of these costly procedures she would have known that.

They take a long time to call you back.

No complaints at all from her! She helped and guided us through out the process.

None. She is great

She was amazing! Bedside manner was awesome. She truly cared about my husband and I

Caring and organized. Great personality!