How was your experience with Gilbert Mottla at Shady Grove Fertility?
Not sure this site will let me review the other two docs, who I was NOT happy with. But he was my last stop--I thought I would get a chance to even try with my own eggs, but I wasn't. Even with my DOR status, I had gotten pregnant 3 times on my own. I think he knew that despite being at the end of my emotional rope, that I really wanted to use my OEs despite my intense fear of another MC. He said, "he didn't want to put me through all of that" and that DE "was my best chance of a successful pregnancy." I don't know what could have happened, but we went with DE and our first is due in 2 weeks. Got lucky on shot #1. I will say for the very expensive money, if it doesn't work, you get it ALL back through their guarrantee program (6 shots). Dr. Mottla did genuinely care about me, I believe. I did not care for the other doctor and left the clinic the first time because of his demeanor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Gilbert Mottla at Shady Grove Fertility?
I'm not sure there is anything I would tell you about him specifically, only that the fertility road is exhausting, emotional, expensive, and really makes you question everything as a person and what kind of information you can trust. I think Dr. Mottla is completely aware of all this. In the end, I had to trust him. Had to trust somebody.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Gilbert Mottla at Shady Grove Fertility?
Dr. Mottla was the 3rd doc I saw. 2nd at Shady Grove. I did not like Dr. McKeeby (my first doc) and transferred up to Johns Hopkins. I did feel like a number there and had no real personal interaction. Dr. Mottla was my last stop and although I didn't like what I heard (and still don't totally believe the actual source of my issue was DOR), I am almost due with my first baby, through the use of DE and couldn't be happier.
Describe the protocols Gilbert Mottla used in your cycles at Shady Grove Fertility and their degree of success.
Because he would not let me use my own eggs (my AMH was less than 0.01, despite getting pregnant multiple times on my own), none of the treatments I had researched were used. My DE treatment was pretty basic with estrogen/progesterone shots after my cycle had lined up with the donor's.
At Johns Hopkins, we were doing natural, medicated cycles using Femara and then the ovidril trigger shot. Only 2 of my 4 cycles cooperated. They had terrible communication up there and I was always confused by what they were telling me. They would have treated me with my OE, but by then the 2 hour round trip ride and the complete lack of communication had thoroughly exhausted me.
Mottla felt that while I could have a miracle baby, that any egg my body produced would be far superior to any eggs they could get from me artificially.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Shady Grove Fertility. (Assigned nurse: Multiple, but ended with Penny)
My first nurse (can't remember her name) answered my endless questions (and I had a lot). She was always kind and helpful, returning calls immediately. Penny was my DE nurse. She was kind of an "all business" lady and by that time, I did not need as much emotional support.
Describe your experience with Shady Grove Fertility.
Shady Grove: They always knew my name when I walked in. They were as prompt as they could be with the many appts they had. By the time I got to DE, I felt pretty special--maybe bc they knew I had coughed up $30k! I love the blood draw ladies.
Johns Hopkins: So impersonal, not nice office, never saw the same doc twice. Much more cold hospital setting. JH is great if you have a rare illness (which I had and my care was great), but for fertility stuff, a specialized clinic is better.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Gilbert Mottla at Shady Grove Fertility.
My insurance would have paid for 3 rounds of IVF with my own egg. But they wouldn't do it :(
I used their most popular program: the 1:3 donor egg match (1 donor to three recipients). $30k for 6 cycles or all of your money back. We did get lucky on try #1.