Eugene Stoelk

Dr Stoelk has been great to work with. He tries very hard to work with my difficult schedule to get me in. I had an hsg done and he had a full schedule that day but worked me in inbetween cases he had that day. Also he did surgery for my endometriosis and he tapes the procedure and as he talked through it it was very personable made me feel like I was a person and not a case. He has called me from Home to check in on me after a couple appointments.

He is thorough in going through all the tests to pinpoint what is going on so be patient.

He always calls me by my name even in my surgery I had for endometriosis on the video he called by my name and referenced my line of Work making me feel like he knew who I was. He works hard to get me in for appointments even if that means staying late.

Started with sperm analysis since it is least invasive. Then an ultrasound at ovulation to check the follicles and uterus along with a postcoital test to make sure the sperm could survive in the mucous. We then moved on to an hsg to make sure my tubes were open along with some labs. All of these were normal so he believed maybe I had endometriosis from some of my symptoms so I then had laparoscopic surgery that did diagnose me with endometriosis, which he lasers off in the surgery.He then wanted us to try for a few more months with the endometriosis gone. We were unsuccessful so have moved onto iui.

They are all very friendly and helpful when making appointments.

They can run late meaning you can be waiting for a bit for your appointment . The people at the office are all very friendly and compassionate. Whenever I call they are quick to help. If they are unsure on how to help they will get the dr himself and put him on the phone to talk you through whatever it is you may be calling for.

Hsg 300 Surgery 2000 Iui 150

His specialty seems to be endometriosis treatment. My wife underwent laparoscopy to clear this up but this did not improve her fertility or her menstrual pain, both of which should have been improved following this procedure. However, he was very professional in performing this and communicated well with both of us throughout the process

If you have endometriosis, he'll want you to undergo laparoscopy

Dr. Stoelk was honest with us about our chances and really felt that we'd have a better chance if she underwent a laparoscopy to clear up endometriosis. He gave us all of the pros and cons to this process.

After laparoscopy to clear up endometriosis, she underwent a cycle of Gonal-F injections with an Oveidrell trigger shot. I had a sperm analysis done that showed that my sperm have normal abundance. After regular intercourse (no intrauterine injection of sperm) this did not result in a pregnancy.

The nurses were pretty fair with us and we appreciated how well and regularly they communicated with Dr. Stoelk and us at the same time. This got everyone on the same page so that we did not hear different things from the doctor and the nursing staff.

Small clinic in a somewhat older building in the Riverview South Waterfront district. I'd describe the clinic as somewhat cramped with narrow hallways and tiny rooms, including a very small waiting area that can sit maybe 3 couples.

Gonal-F $1125 Ovidrell $120 Teaching session $200 Office visits $200 Ultrasounds $500 HCG injection $50 Blood draws and testing $310

I felt like Dr. Stoelk listened and evaluated our situation individually. I appreciated his confidence when he spoke. My husband and I both liked that he was very efficient in helping us eliminate what might or might not be wrong and find a fix for our infertility.

Come to your appointment prepared with the questions you want to ask, so that you don't forget them.

He took time to sit down with us and share a bit of his story of infertility with his wife, while also thoughtfully listening to our story. When we did the post-coital test, he even let my husband and I view the sperm through the microscope! Such a weird experience, but thankful that he made it somewhat fun for us and included us in viewing the results of the procedure.

We were starting from the very beginning trying to figure out the cause of our infertility. During our consultation, he spontaneously did a pelvic exam. I appreciated him doing it during that appointment and not making us schedule another appointment and come back for that. We also did an ultrasound to make sure I was ovulating and a post-coital test to make sure that the sperm was moving efficiently. We did a Progesterone test to ensure that I ovulated and he scheduled an HSG to make sure my tubes were clear and open.

We did not spend a lot of time with the nursing staff, but the time we did spend with them was pleasant. Everyone was friendly and kind.

The clinic is inviting and warm. It's not very big and is located in a building with other businesses. The building was quiet and clean. Parking was limited, but we never had any issues finding a spot.

Costs included Dr. visits, medications, and procedures.

Dr. Stoelk was friendly and knowledgable, and I don't doubt his ability to determine a proper course of treatment. However, on at least two occasions I came away from our sessions not fully informed of what to expect, which led to some disappointing outcomes, and eroded my trust in him. My first month of treatment we were testing my progesterone levels, and I thought we should not be trying to get pregnant during that testing month. However, the Dr. left a voicemail after the test came back with good numbers that he hoped we would see a positive pregnancy test that month. It seems like a small thing, but that was month of trying to get pregnant that we missed for no reason. The next month we used gonadotropin shots and a trigger shot to try to produce more viable eggs. He never told me that I should not test early because there would likely be a false positive. I ended up testing a couple days early and thought I was pregnant, and was then told that it was just the residual hormones from the trigger shot. I was very angry and upset that no one had communicated this to me. Also, Dr. Stoelk seems unable or unwilling to say the words "sex" or "intercourse." When we talked about the timing of intercourse with my husband for the month he would say I should "be with" or "get with" my husband. It was very awkward and strange - it made me feel like I was seeing a Dr. from the 1950's. This is a medical doctor who is dealing with women's reproductive organs all day long - he should be able to talk about the act that leads to pregnancy in plain language.

Don't go - not enough clarity or directness of communication, which leads to confusion, misunderstanding, disappointment, and lack of trust.

Dr. Stoelk's office is small and you see the same people on each visit. Dr. Stoelk does all the examinations and treatments himself.

Dr. Stoelk put me on gonadotropin shots to induce the growth of multiple eggs, monitored by regular ultrasounds, and finished with a trigger shot to trigger ovulation. He said it would not be useful to start with Clomid since I was already ovulating regularly. My issue was low AMH and high FSH, so I needed help jump-starting healthy egg production. We also did not do IUI since I had gotten pregnant from intercourse twice before. I did one cycle of shots with a trigger shot but did not get pregnant.

There was a new nurse named Chloe that handled most of my intakes, blood draws, and medication distribution. She did not do a good job of fully informing me how to handle the trigger shots, and I ended up panicking that I had done them wrong. When I explained what happened and said I would have liked more clear instructions, she did not do a good job of accepting responsibility or showing any ownership, compassion, or apology. The same thing happened when I did not get clear communication about when to take the pregnancy test, and I ended up with a false positive. Also, none of the nurses washed their hands or wore gloves when taking blood draws, which was concerning to me.

Strengths: Small clinic, intimate setting, direct access to the doctor, easy to make appointments. Weaknesses: Archaic record keeping systems, poor/incomplete communication, felt like seeing a Dr. in the 1950s.

I spent approximately $1750 - it would have been much more, but I had a friend who gave me her unused medications.

N/A

He has a very calming demeanor. He is open to your requests - you want acupuncture, they'll make it happen even though he doesn't think it has any effect. He was always willing to take the time to answer our questions. He also gave us space after receiving bad news and then following up later at a better time. I never felt pressured into any procedure and he clearly explained how it all worked. After the first round, I wish Dr. Stoelk suggested more testing and took more time to investigate what went wrong instead of modifying the protocol a little and moving forward. You really need to do your research and make sure you are your own advocate instead of assuming the doctor knows best. I do think he did what he thought would work. Granted the 2nd round of IVF was better than the 1st.

Read up and ask for procedures and testing. He often won't suggest some of them because he doesn't feel that there is enough evidence to support a method or the testing won't tell you anything important. Very understandable. Yet if you read something and want to try it such as a uterine scratch. Tell him. He'll do it but you need to suggest it. Ask questions, be your own advocate.

It is a small staff, so you got to know everyone. The staff knew my name and where I was on my cycles. I'd walk in the door, and they'd check me in. I have to travel for treatment, to make it easy on me, they coordinated with me so I could do as much as I could at home before coming in.

The first round, we used BC followed with lupron, then added in Menopur and Gonfal F with a hcg trigger shot. I overstimulated. Second round I was put on metformin for a couple of months before the retrieval, then BC, Menopur, Gonal-f, and Bravelle (sp) with a lupron trigger. Less eggs and I didn't overstimulate.

AMAZING! They know you, they know what is going on, they are friendly and compassionate. They are on the ball. I had no problems with scheduling appointments.

It's a small clinic which is comfortable. You get to know everyone and see the same people every time. The doctor and staff are great. I wish I had better results but I do not think it was anything the doctor and staff did or did not do. They were all great and answered all of my questions. They were helpful suggesting future options. I wish we had done more testing though not sure if it would have helped with our situation.

The IVF with ICSI plus medication and transfer was about $12,000.

Dr. Stoelk was very caring and I did not feel like a number or just a way to make some money. I was worried when I made my first appointment with him that he was going to jump straight to IVF and not try to figure out the specific cause of my infertility struggle. That was not the case at all. He gave us a lot of information on infertility in general and various common causes. We discussed my situation and he gave my husband and I options on how we would like to proceed. We went through multiple tests before even starting treatment so he could understand my body better.

We were referred to Dr. Stoelk by a good friend would had success with him and loved him as a Dr. When we made the decision to seek further help from a RE, we did not even hesitate to contact his office and we are so glad we did. We weren't successful right away, but he never gave up hope. He kept a positive attitude all while not giving us false hope that everything we tried would work. Infertility is a long, painful process but Dr. Stoelk somehow let some light in on that dark tunnel. I wish he could have remained our Dr. through the entire pregnancy!

Dr. Stoelk was very personable. I felt like he always remembered me and my specific situation. Any time I called his office, almost always he took the call himself and answered any questions or concerns I had. I had a laparoscopy with him on a Friday and received a call from him on Saturday checking to see how I was doing. I felt very taken care of and helped build my trust with him.

We went into our first appointment with Dr. Stoelk a little nervous that he would jump straight into IVF. I did not want that as I felt very hopeful there were other options for us and more things we could try before taking the IVF leap. He took his time describing for us all the options and possible paths for treatments. We had various tests run so he could gather more information on our specific situation. We started at the bottom with several clomid cycles, clomid with progesterone. A laparoscopy for endometriosis removal and removal of paratubal cysts. We took several breaks during this time due to our own need for a little separation from the medication and needing to gather ourselves again. We jumped back in with Gonal-F shots with a trigger shot...found out on my 30th birthday we finally got our +!!!

All the nurses are very friendly and personable. They seemed to really enjoy their jobs, it always reflects in someones attitude if they like where they work. If I called with a question or concern, and it was always answered very quickly. I never had to call to request test results, they were relayed to me in a very reasonable amount of time.

Very small, family atmosphere at this clinic. Easy access from I-5 as well as convenient parking. Never had to wait long to make an appointment or wait for my appointment time. They were always on time and very friendly. When we finally "graduated" from Dr. Stoelk's care and released to our regular OBGYN for the remainder of the pregnancy, Dr. Stoelk's team had a little care package for us for the baby. It was very sweet, you know they really care.

We were very fortunate to have our insurance cover most of the procedures, office visits and ultrasounds. We only had to pay out of pocket for the medications, which ended up being $3000-4000.

He offers reasonable and effective treatments. You can tell he isn't in this for the money but truly because he wants people to have a family but things just don't go as planned. At 5 weeks pregnant I experoemced significant bleeding on a Sunday. It was a lot with cramping. He answered his cell phone on the 3rd ring and had me calmed down and reassured me in a way only he could. He is very scientific and provides real explanations. He told me to come in first thing in the morning for a check up and all was fine. I continued to bleed for 6 months and he was always positive and, you know what, he was right.

Ask questions and tell him how you communicate best. Sometimes he gets a little scientific and goes quickly. He's very successful so trust him. He may be quiet at times and you're left wondering if what's happening next is good or bad. Just ask him. He's not the most gregarious person but he is patient and kind.

He spends as much time with you as you need. He is candid about YOUR chances of fertilization and live births. It's not all about what the averages are. He pours over your individual results and lays put options. We didn't opt for IVF with my eggs because based on MY testing and cost it didn't make sense. He showed us all the options and we were able to come to a decision. Previous fertility clinics we had been to wanted you to go through every option first which is costly and emotionally draining when you never get pregnant.

We went straight to donor egg due to poor egg production/quality from another clinic and failed cycles. Dr. Stoelk was very reasonable and truthful with my labs and previous experience and while he would have supported IVF with my own eggs he wanted me to be realistic and not waste a ton of money on my own eggs. Since we were extremely open to donor eggs, didn't even have to think about it, we continued with using Dr. Stoelk's internal egg donor list and not use an egg bank. These were individuals he has screened personally, vetted and most he has worked with in the past and are proven donors. We chose a proven donor, my husband had already completed a spermanalysis, so the donor and I began birth control to sync cycles. Our protocol was: Me: Begin Birth Control on first day of menses; continued that for 2 weeks Began Lupron - 10 units once a day for approx 2 weeks Began Estradiol 2 mg once per day for 3 days then creased to 2mg twice per day for 10 days; increased estradiol 2 mg 3 times per day until the pregnancy test. Ultrasound was scheduled for lining check and waited for egg retrieval of the donor. Once retrieval took place I started progesterone in oil shot in the AM and continued with 1 cc daily for 12 weeks. Donor: Lupron for 10 days to sync; ultrasound and blood tests done and Bravelle Ingections began. ES blood draw every other day with an ultrasound beginning at 8 days to check for egg production. Novarel injection (HCG Trigger) was administered on the 9th day and retrieval took place on the 10th day. 22 eggs were retrieved, 18 fertilized and 14 made it to 8 days cell on the 5th day. Embryo transfer occurred on the 5th day post fertilization 2 embryos transferred; 12 were frozen Home Pregnancy Test taken on the 6th day post 5 day transfer and it was positive. Blood test confirmed pregnancy on the 8th day post 5 day transfer. 5w4d ultrasound showed 1 embryo with heartbeat 6w2d ultrasound showed 2 embryos with heartbeats At 35 weeks two perfect girls arrived!

This is an extremely small clinic with a small staff. There is no "nurse coord" like you read about on other sites or from larger clinics. Everyone knows your protocol, he only performs IVF once per month because it's just him and he does everything. I loved it because it was like going to a friend's office and they just know what is happening and you can ask them anything. I will say, it may appear that he can be disorganized but he is NOT. He is amazing and smart and caring and knows what he's doing.

Very small so don't expect bells and whistles with everything. I've been to a big clinic and they took every bit of my money and I didn't get half of the truth that Dr. Stoelk provided. He does offer acupuncture during transfer which is awesome. I had his cell phone and he actually answers on the first ring, he's calm, he's patient and he's a positive man. He is a Christian and it is clear that he has a specific belief system but it is not overt but it is there. I'm not Christian and never felt uncomfortable and he treats all walks of life. A homosexual couple friend of ours noted that he did not feel that they would treat them because he is obviously Christian, that was not the case at all! They ended up choosing another clinic and 3 years later they are still waiting for a successful transfer to their surrogate. They have since returned to Dr. Stoelk for treatment.

The total cost, including medications and donor fee was $18,400.

DR Stoelk: At our first meeting he was so clear and open and understanding, I couldn't believe it. All the other docs I met with treated me like a science experiment or continued to point out all the things I had "wrong" with me. But DR Stoelk was confident and realistic. He took the time at the intake meeting to go through the whole IVF procedure, risks, costs, timeline, etc. He asked questions to make sure I understood and was responsive to my concerns. Best of all, he actually communicated that he CARED about me as a person first and a patient second. And that didn't stop after the first meeting. That care continued through our whole cycle. The excellent thing was that he was always the one doing all my procedures and ultrasounds. No rotating ultrasound tech, no waiting for phone calls, he was right there all the time, helping me through till the very end.

Be clear of what you want and let him know what your fears are. He will help talk you through all outcomes and give you realistic expectations.

Friendly faces: Every person in that office is happy to see you and happy to be helping. It is a small team, so you will never wonder what new face you may see. The same 2 people did all my blood draws, picked up the phone when I called, helped me with scheduling and questions. During a time when so much is chaos and you feel really out of control, I can't express to you how comforting it is to personally know your whole care team and know they honestly care about you and your results.

If I am able to come back in and edit this review I will input the info when I get home to my med records for details.

Responsive, friendly, intimate: That was my first impression of their office. The office team was expecting me and in that first appointment (and every, seriously every, appointment thereafter) I never waited more than 5 minutes to get into the exam room.

Exams/Procedures: Wow, IVF is a tough road in the best of circumstances. If you add anything out of the box...it gets pretty dramatic pretty fast. I will always admire the team at Northwest Fertility Center for the challenge I presented them on my egg retrieval day. When faced with a less than perfect situation, DR Stoelk and his team jumped to action to change the game plan to ensure that we retrieved as many eggs as we could. All the while helping calm a terrified woman (me) that I was in confident and experienced hands. I can't imagine any other DR responding as well as DR Stoelk did. It is truly due to his expertise that we were able to capture 5 little eggs. Cost: Fertility treatment is expensive; really really really expensive. Northwest Fertility Center has a dedicated team member who can help you with finances and options. We were certainly mindful of the cost...but like the outcome...don't let that be your only determining factor. I will say that the way that Northwest Fertility Center bundles their meds and exams it is one of the most affordable clinics in town. Outcome: You can access all the statistics you want about all the clinics in town. But honestly that only tells half of the story. In my opinion, when it comes right down to it, going through any fertility treatment is going to be a gamble at best. Whether a clinic has a 60% positive response rate or a 40% rate...it is all still a huge margin for undesired outcomes. So in choosing my clinic I had to go deeper. I asked myself...who do I want to spend the next 3 months of my life with? Who do I want to come and see almost daily? Who do I trust is going to have MY best interest in mind? Who is going to care about me and what I am going through? Who actually cares about helping me build a family? None of those answers are in a data base somewhere. You have to assess them on your own. I earnestly feel that regardless of my outcome my review of this team would be the exact same.

All said and done (meds included) it was around 12-13,000 a full fresh cycle and transfer.

While he seems disorganized he actually is very methodical and process driven. Sometimes you read way too much about infertility on blogs and we research way too much on Google. Dr Stoelk would always explain what I read and break it down in real speak. He never over promised, he never over reacted or over shared. Sometimes it was good to just answer my questions or concerns candidly but he always reminded me that every person is different. I had major bleeding for the first 8 weeks and he never became overly concerned. He would talk me off the ledge and let me come in for an ultrasound to ease my fears. He is straightforward and very mellow and I love him and thank him everyday for our babies! And he's raasonably priced. No gouging and when our first proven donor didn't produce enough eggs he gave us the next cycle of meds at no cost.

Do not think he doesn't care because he's calm and mellow. He's realistic and has been doing this for years and years. He knows what's best and trust him.

Dr Stoelk remembered every detail and was blunt and honest about the treatment we should pursue. He wasn't there to solely make money, he wanted us to have our take home baby.

Started with Lupron and then BCP until my next cycle. Had a period and cycled with our donor. Once she started her meds I continued with Lupron, an aspirin and Vit D and estrogen pills. Had a lining check the week before retrieval At egg retrieval I started Progesterone IM shots and continued with estrogen until pregnancy was confirmed. Continues with progesterone for 12 weeks.

They always remember you and no question or concern is dumb.

Total cost including donor's cycle, meds and fees and my meds, transfer, blood work and ultrasounds was $22000.

He is black and white with his explanations. But I like that. Explained all possible outcomes. He was willing to meet our needs no matter what. Always available to answer my many questions! Even after our treatment he was more than willing to follow up with us and make sure we were getting what we needed.

He will give you his honest opinions and also his best recommendations.

He was always so personable. Would work any day or time to meet your schedule. His office is small and we got to know all his staff. He prayed with us and was also very honest. We are so grateful for his help in starting our family! I would absolutely recommend him to anyone in need of a fertility doctor.

We used injections to help me grow nice big eggs! Then I had a trigger shot (HCG) to cause me to ovulate when the eggs looked big. Then I had IUI. The first time it did not work. The second time it did. I had many blood tests at various stages of the process. My daughter is now 4.5 years old! Hard to believe. For my son, he only needed to give me the HCG shot and my husband and I conceived on our own. My son is 3 now. Baby #3 came on her own the old fashioned way.

Small staff so I got to know them all. They were always very honest and helpful and friendly. I always felt welcomed and comfortable.

Basically the clinic is so small there isn't anything additional I can add. The clinics strengths are the doctors and nurses strengths.

All fertility treatments are expensive! But they were comparable to other places and doable.

We rarely saw a nurse, as all appointments were with Dr. Stoelk. If going in for a blood draw, or to pick up meds, we'd see his medical assistants, and they were amazing. Always on a first name basis, ready to see you when you arrived, so professional, personal, and friendly! We did see a nurse on embryo transfer days - she assists Dr. Stoelk with the procedure. She too is very kind and professional!!

Small clinic, only ever one other couple there at same time I am, always addressed by first name (spouse too). Know who you are every time you call on the phone without referencing the system or a file. Can talk to Doctor when you call or receive a call back within an hour at most. Have doctor's personal cell number.

We rarely saw a nurse, as all appointments were with Dr. Stoelk. If going in for a blood draw, or to pick up meds, we'd see his medical assistants, and they were amazing. Always on a first name basis, ready to see you when you arrived, so professional, personal, and friendly! We did see a nurse on embryo transfer days - she assists Dr. Stoelk with the procedure. She too is very kind and professional!!

Scheduling appointments...So easy! Got in quickly/easily, even same day if needed. They work early mornings and weekends too!

He is a one man show, does everything himself and not a factory. No he doesn't have the latest and greatest machines, but he also doesn't charge an arm and a leg for ivf. I appreciated the time he took to explain things to me. I appreciated that he answered my questions directly rather than having me deal with a nurse.

He's not for everyone, just like other clinics aren't for everyone. Find one that is a best fit for yourself.

He called me personally for all test results. Recognized me and my spouse when we came in, referred to past scenarios without having to read up on notes etc

Best nursing staff! The we're always on top of everything. I didn't feel like I was another I number and they actually cared about me

Strengths: Personalble, he's been doing this a long time. He and his wife dealt with infertility. He was honest about everything. Kept costs down compared to other clinics. Weaknesses: he is a one man show. His process isn't for everyone. Equipment isn't latest and greatest

15k

I cannot say enough great things about my doctor. He’s very professional and knowledgeable, always available to answer any questions. Dr. Stoelk has been by our side since 2007 and shared in our many heartaches. He never gives up. His bedside manner is one of a kind!

Don’t hesitate to ask questions.

Dr. Stoelk and his staff have always gone above and beyond for us. They provided contact information outside of business hours which made us feel important.

We love them! Honestly, they are always the sweetest, most thoughtful team. It means the world to us that they can call us by name.

The office is surprisingly quiet for being in Portland. I personally love the baby books they have in the waiting area. It gives me hope seeing the families that we able to conceive with Dr. Stoelks help

I believe our IVF cycle was approximately $11,000. I do not recall costs associated with the other treatments.