I remember he called me personally while he was on vacation to discuss using HGH on our second round of IVF (with my own eggs)...He takes the time to show up for every single appointment I have, which I love. He always makes me feel like I am the only patient he has at the practice...Dr. Payne allowed us to do a fresh transfer with the two embryos we had from our second round of IVF...After our two failed rounds of IVF with my own eggs, he never pushed me to donor eggs, which made me feel so good
[the PREG nurse] always replies to all my emails the rapid time and always with the kindest words...a package IVF cycle, which included two retrievals, and one FET, and that cost us roughly $18,000. But we spent another $10,000 on meds...The only weakness I would give PREG is there billing department. They have made a few mistakes with insurance, since I don’t have any fertility coverage. But when mistakes are made they are always addressed quickly.
How was your experience with John Payne at Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group?
Dr. Payne calls me his “special patient”, mainly due to the fact that I always seem to have bad luck. And I truly am special, but because of that we have a very close connection. He always asks me how my day is, and talks about sports with my husband, when he comes for ultrasounds. He takes the time to show up for every single appointment I have, which I love. He always makes me feel like I am the only patient he has at the practice.
After our two failed rounds of IVF with my own eggs, he never pushed me to donor eggs, which made me feel so good. My husband and I came to the decision to use donor eggs on our own. And when we choose the donor, Dr. Payne was so supportive.
I remember asking for an ERA before we did a DEFET and he suggested he not and the transfer failed. He immediately felt remorse and even offered a free ERA and DEFET, to make up for the mistake. It was so nice knowing he not only had our back medically, but financially as a well. And after our donor egg transfer failed to produce a live birth, he has graciously offered a discount for another round of donor egg. He has helped us so much and made us feel good moving forward.
The other part I love about Dr. Payne is his compassion. When we lost our identical twins due to my appendicitis bursting, he just felt awful. You could tell he was just as upset as we were.
I am so excited to continue working with him and have never even thought twice about switching to a new doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of John Payne at Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group?
I would tell any patient seeing Dr. Payne that he is caring, but always push the extra testing. I would also say that he always has your best interest at heart and truly wants the best for you, and you are not just a number.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with John Payne at Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group?
Dr. John Payne is the most incredible human being and doctor I have ever met in my life! He truly cares about his patients and is always completely invested in there story. I remember he called me personally while he was on vacation to discuss using HGH on our second round of IVF (with my own eggs). And it was so nice to see how much he cares.
But what makes Dr. Payne the best doctor is he just cares so much. I became pregnant after our second transfer with our donor egg cycle and had horrible abdominal pain, and I thought I was having an ectopic pregnancy and rushed to the clinic for a ultrasound. It was reviled I had identical twins and he suspected I had appendicitis. He was so calm and collected but walked my husband on what to do and to take me to the ER right away. He and his entire team were so concerned about me and he even had his nurse check in on me through a contact she had at the hospital.
And when I lost the twins due to the infection of my appendicitis, he was heart broken for my husband and I. He had so much sympathy and compassion for our horrible loss and the way we were treat at Prisma Health.
Dr. Payne also listens to everything I have to say and answers any question. I am very type-a and a researcher, and he knows that. He doesn’t dumb things down for me we always brainstorm new ideas and new methods for the next round.
He knows I will get pregnant and is committed to helping grow our family. There need to be more Dr. Payne in this world and I appreciate everything he and his practice have done for me and will continue to do for me.
Describe the protocols John Payne used in your cycles at Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group and their degree of success.
For our first IVF cycle, he did a micro-dose lupron protocol, and after it yielded 2 abnormal embryos I wanted to change things up, and Dr. Payne was totally on board! I had ask to do a natural start cycle with HGH and he reviewed it with the entire practice and decided to move forward with that. We changed up the protocol and even though it didn’t yield a positive pregnancy, I felt like it was a better cycle outcome.
Once the two IVF cycles failed we moved onto donor eggs. He did a fresh cycle donor egg and I had asked an ERA and he didn’t think we needed it and after that cycle failed, he was complete on board with it and even suggested the full bout of testing.
And after the third DEFET failed, I had asked for an interlipid infusion treatment and he agreed with this strategy. And although it didn’t work it was nice to have the support of my doctor to always be changing protocols, when things don’t work.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group. (Assigned nurse: Lindsay Polowczuk)
Lindsay is not only my care coordinator but most the times my nurse for ultrasounds. She is truly an angel sent from God himself! She always replies to all my emails the rapid time and always with the kindest words. When we have ultrasounds, she and Dr. Payne are always welcoming with a smile and a bubbly personality.
On the day I came in so much pain, to find out I was pregnant with identical twins and suspected appendicitis, they cared for me greatly! They allowed me to lay down on the bed and wheeled me out in a wheelchair. One of the nurses Kristina even reached out to her dad, who was a doctor at the hospital we went to make sure I was ok. The entire staff where so concerned for me health and the babies health. I even had Lindsay email me and checked in on me after my surgery, and emailed me personally when I lost the twins to say how sorry she was for our loss.
The staff at PREG is truly amazing and they work so well with the doctors and patients, and make everything run so well.
Describe your experience with Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group.
PREG is a clinic who truly cares about there patients. They always answers he phone and emails in rapid response and always have a great attitude. The doctors and nurses are very efficient and I never feel like I have to wait in the waiting room for long periods of time. It is always welcoming and inviting space.
The only weakness I would give PREG is there billing department. They have made a few mistakes with insurance, since I don’t have any fertility coverage. But when mistakes are made they are always addressed quickly.
There aren’t really any negative things I can say about my clinic, and I would suggest anyone going to PREG over the other clinic (Fertility Centers of Carolina). I love that PREG is independent from PRISMA Health, and I feel like I am a human and given unique attention, which is something PRIMSA always lacks in.
Describe the costs associated with your care under John Payne at Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group.
IUI’s were about $1,000 including meds. The clinic charged roughly $800.
I did a package IVF cycle, which included two retrievals, and one FET, and that cost us roughly $18,000. But we spent another $10,000 on meds, so it was close to $30,000 for the two rounds of IVF.
When we did the donor egg package, we paid $20,000, and another $5,000 for meds, FET’s, infusions, D&C, etc.
Our next round of donor eggs will be about $20,400.
Between the surgeries, therapy, and fertility treatments I have done thus far, my husband and I will be close to spending $100,000 on treatment.
Describe John Payne's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group.
Dr. Payne allowed us to do a fresh transfer with the two embryos we had from our second round of IVF, but really wanted us to do a single embryo transfer with the donor egg cycles.
This last FET, he did allow us to transfer the last two embryos from the donor egg, because the grades weren’t as good.
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Clinic
Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group
Greenville