John Rapisarda

Dr. Rapisarda was very kind and compassionate. He listened, but he did not give me enough details on my treatment. On my first IVF cycle, the dr. nor the nurses showed me how to do my injectable meds. I had multiple cancelled FET's due to thin lining, and not one time did I receive a call from the doctor. Only from the nurse, who always gave me the feeling that I was bothering her. We tried ~5 separate times for an FET and the doctor barely made any changes to my protocal that clearly was not working.

Be your own best advocate. Document everything.

Monitoring was a well-oiled machine, but sometimes long wait times. There were at least 30 people waiting for monitoring each time I went.

My insurance covered most costs. Out of pocket for ERA test, genetic testing, embryo storage

Dr. Rapisarda is a wonderful doctor and is very passionate and knowledgeable about his practice. He spoke to me gently when I needed it and frankly when I asked technical questions. There were times I felt I had to push to be more aggressive with treatment but he always met me where I needed to be and was supportive of our decisions.

If you have a question about further treatment/ other treatment ask about it and if you feel it is something you want to pursue, then push for it.

We had to do 3 IUIs with chlomid before moving to ivf. For our first round of IVF we did an antagonist protocol and retrieved 16 eggs. Dr. Rapisarda discovered my blocked tube during this cycle, which my old OB missed, and he helped me get it taken care of through surgery right away so we could get back on track. I had my left tube removed and they cleaned up my low grade endometriosis, as well. We ended up with 3 day 5 embryos-no PGS, all grades A/B. We transferred one embryo that was not successful and decided to do another egg retrieval before moving on. We did a similar protocol this time with higher doses to try to get better eggs. We retrieved 14 eggs with better development, but we still ended up with 3 day 5 embryos. We decided to do PGS with these and discovered only one normal embryo was created. I was diagnosed with poor egg quality and we are preparing for our next transfer after doing an ERA.

I have rear insurance so once I reached my deductible I was covered at 100% the first cycle with surgery cost us around $8,000. PGS ($3800) was not covered or my era ($2,000) overall after 3 medicated IUIs, 2 rounds of IVF with PGS, one surgery and 2 ERAs we have spent about $12,000

FCI in general pushes for single embryo transfer especially when all other factors looks favorable. Due to my poor egg quality we were not willing to lose more embryos if my body wasn’t responding so we agreed. However, Dr. Rapisarda would support transferring multiple embryos if They were not PGS

Dr. Rapisarda seems very knowledgeable in the field. From day 1 he was very open to answering all of my questions and providing information. I never felt like I was being pushed into any specific treatments or tests. He maintains a professional manner without being too personal (which I personally don't like in doctors) and without also seeming cold.

Don't be afraid to ask hard questions.

We started the process with testing my husband's semen for analysis and getting bloodwork done on both of us. Since we had been trying to get pregnant for a couple years of trying, and with normal cycles and ovulation, the first couple months we monitored my cycles and bloodwork and ovulation. I also had ultrasounds done to look at any physical issues and saline ultrasound to verify that my tubes were clear. Genetic testing was also done on me to see if I was a carrier of any of the most common bad genes. Everything came back good. Once everything came back clear, the doctor recommended starting with IUI and Clomid. The cycle used OTC ovulation kit to predict ovulation, a trigger shot and a scheduled IUI. Monitoring using bloodwork was done to rest estrogen levels and progesterone levels. I was given Prometrium due to low progesterone levels post IUI. Two weeks later I had the pregnancy test bloodwork done and it came back positive but with low HCG levels. Follow up tests over the course of a couple weeks weren't looking good. It turned out to be an ectopic pregnancy. Since I was being monitored so closely, we caught it early. I was prescribed Methatrexate to end the pregnancy and was told that I wouldn't be able to try to get pregnant for 3 months due to possible birth defects from the medication. I was given that information in advance of taking the medication. My options were to take Methatrexate or remove my fallopian tube where the pregnancy was. We ended up waiting about 5 months before the next IUI. In the meantime I had bloodwork monitoring until the HCG levels came back down to 0 and another saline ultrasound to make sure my tubes were cleared following the ectopic pregnancy. Round #2 of IUI, the doctor switched it up to try Femara. It works similar to Clomid but in a different way. Starting this cycle, I was monitored more closely with more ultrasounds to track the size of the follicles. Also did a triggers shot with Ovidrel, IUI and Prometrium on the latter part of the cycle. Pregnancy test came back negative. Round #3 of IUI, we went with Letrozole. Ultrasound monitoring of follicle sizes, Ovidrel triggershot, IUI and progesterone again on the latter half. Once again, negative pregnancy test. After two rounds of no results with IUI, the doctor recommended going with FSH injectibles. I was injecting 75IU of Follistim daily for 3 days, had a checkup and was told to go 2 more days at 75IU. After the next appointment, I was instructed on 1 day of 75IU and 1 day 66IU. Following those days, I was told to trigger shot with Ovidrel that night and IUI the following 1.5 day. A few days following the IUI, I was put on Progesterone in Oil shots daily. Pregnancy test came back positive. The first appointment to measure heartbeat (6wk), I was told the heartbeat wasn't as strong as they wanted to to continue monitoring. At the 7wk appointment, there wasn't too much growth from 6wks and the heartbeat was still lower than they wanted. They also said the gestational sac was irregular in shape. A few days later I had some light spotting. I was able to get in the next day and still there was low heartbeat and not any measured growth. The doctor indicated that it didn't look like a healthy fetus. I as told I could continue progesterone shots and see what happens. I was still spotting this whole time. A few days later I decided to stop the progesterone shots. When I went in for an ultrasound a few days after that, there was no more heartbeat. I was given several options following this. 1) I could wait and let my body miscarry the fetus on it's own which could take several weeks. 2) I could have a D&C to remove the tissue but there would be risk of scarring that could cause problems getting pregnant down the road. Or 3) Take Misoprostal to induce 'labor' essentially. It causes the uterus to contract and release the fetal tissues. The doctor explained the side effects of the medication and what the process would be like. He also explained that there is a chance that my body wouldn't expel all of the tissue and I might still require a D&C. I decided to take the Misoprostal that following weekend. It took about 5-10 hours for major cramping to kick in. About 12 hours later I had bad cramping and felt a rush of liquid and tissue pass. I collected the tissue in a specimen cup since we were going to send it off for genetic testing. Cramping continued for another day or so but got a lot lighter. 1.5 days later, I passed some more tissue, saved it and dropped it off with the other sample at the doctor's office. Bleeding continued, similar to period bleeding, for another couple weeks. It was very light. I went in weekly for HCG level monitoring until it dropped to zero. The tissue specimens were sent for genetic testing. All of the tests they ran came back normal. Since miscarriages happen typically due to a genetic abnormality, the doctor wanted to run a few tests to check for possible other issues. I had bloodwork done for immune system sensitivity that could have caused the body to reject the fetus. I also had a uterine biopsy done to check for bacterial issues that could have caused it. And lastly a bacterial swab of the vaginal cavity to check for bacterial issues. All tests came back normal. Essentially the miscarriage is unexplainable. The doctor said it still could have been genetic but something rare that isn't tested for typically. They only test the most common issues. After my cycle came back, we waited 2 months of normal cycles before trying two more rounds of IUI with Follistim injections and Progesterone in Oil. Both resulted in no pregnancy. We are currently in a self-imposed wait before jumping into IVF. This was a decision we have made as a couple. The doctor didn't even mention anything to us about switching to IVF. We just feel it's time to move on from IUI. In the next month or so we'll go in for our IVF consultation and see where that all goes.

I had some insurance coverage, mostly for ultrasounds and bloodwork. But the IUI and medication was not. For a Clomid IUI cycle, I paid $1,600 after insurance. For Femara IUI cycle, I paid $1,450 after insurance. The Follistim monitored IUI cycles were about $2,500-3,500 based on how much monitoring was required. An office visit consultation with the doctor was about $300.

We haven't had this conversation yet.

My husband and I were very pleased when leaving and felt a big weight was lifted off of our shoulders. We were coming from a clinic where all 3 rounds of treatment didn't work and we were just very down about it all. Dr. R made us feel like there was hope again and he would do everything he could to help us.

Make sure to ask any questions you need to.. no question is a dumb one and he doesn't make you feel like you're being a burden or taking up too much of his time.

We are just starting with Dr. R - we are starting the IVF treatments the week of 03/12/18. at my previous clinic I did 3 rounds of IUI's

If we are qualified to do the Invocell IVF - $8,500-10,000 If we are doing the normal IVF - anywhere from 14,000-16,000

not at this time.

Dr. Rapisarda is a very competent, intelligent, even keel doctor. His bedside manner is exactly what I was looking for. Very calm and warm, but also very subtle and neutral in his demeanor and approach. I really appreciated this since I was the opposite in my demeanor. I was on edge and nervous about ever getting pregnant and needed someone to bring me back to a calm place and explain things in terms I could understand. He is extremely patient and never rushed through any explanations. The only thing I would have wanted more of is to have communicated with him directly during times that were a challenge. I understand it is very difficult since he has so many patients. though.

Trust the process and Dr. Rapisarda. He knows what he is doing. It may not work the first time or the second time, but he will find the right "recipe" to make your dream of having a child come true. Be patient and don't stop living during this time. Try to enjoy your life even during this emotional time. Most importantly, reach out to women and couples who have been there. They are your biggest supporters!

I was not a candidate for chlomid. I started with IVF and it was cancelled due to poor response and converted to an IUI cycle that did not work. A few months later, Dr. Rapisarda put me on a different protocol for IVF that did work.

My insurance covered my treatment. I only had to pay co-pays.

I had a day 3 transfer. It was advised by a different doctor who was on call that we transfer 2 embryos. Given that is was a day 3 transfer and the embryos were less developed. It was a difficult decision to make on the on the spot. I wish I had done a little more research and had information about this possible decision beforehand.

As states earlier, he missed that I had a septum uterus which was most likely causing my miscarriages. I spent a lot of time and money on treatments that were unsuccessful and towards the end he had to recommended course of action or next steps.

Find another doctor. Get a second opinion.

We did 6 rounds if IUI. First two with injectables (gonal F). The first IUI resulted in a pregnancy. I misscarried at 7 weeks. IUI cycles 4 through 6 were just using chlomid. We were trying to get through 6 rounds of IUI for insurance purposes so we could move on to IVF/FET. Those attempts were unsuccessful. We proceeded with an egg retrieval and did a FET and not IVF so that we could do PGS. First FET attempt resulted in pregnancy but again I miscarried at 7-8 weeks. That’s when I chose to search for another doctor.

We spent a lot of money even though a good portion was covered by insurance. I would say over $30k.

N/a

He was certainly very professional, but not warm or friendly. I also felt judged around some of my decisions to stay on medications during pregnancy. It felt chaotic and I never knew what the next steps were. I was never sure if Dr. Rapisarda even knew what was going on. I was a very involved patient - I called frequently and was always asking for updates and clarification - I would hate to think of what it would be like for someone who wasn't that persistent. I felt in the dark a lot in a very intense process.

Be ready to advocate for yourself and ask lots of questions. He probably won't do any of your procedures. Don't expect warmth, but he is very direct and professional. He will give you a lot of information if you do your research in advance and know what questions to ask. Don't expect him to give you a sense of the process, that is more what his nurses will do.

I had a uterine polypectomy. Follistim and several other drugs during stim cycle (can't remember them all). 10 day cycle before retrieval. Then 5 day embryo fresh transfer. While waiting for pregnancy test, endometrin suppositories, estrogen, and baby aspirin. He didn't do any of the procedures.

My husband and I had a good experience with Dr. Rapisarda. He was open and honest with us about our situation. He spoke bluntly while remaining positive about his ability to help us with our specific situation. The game plan was very clear from the beginning. He made sure we were comfortable with the procedures we were going to undertake and did not push us to do anything we were not comfortable with. We only met with him three times - once during our initial consult, once after initial testing was completed and then an exit meeting after we became pregnant.

Be your own advocate. Dr. Rapisarda is very open and understanding and willing to work with his patients to achieve their goals in a way that is comfortable for them. He will be honest with you regarding what will and will not work but you should feel comfortable speaking up about your questions and comfort with procedures

I was diagnosed with weak ovulation, low progesterone and a possible mild case of PCOS. I was ovulating on my own each month but my levels were slightly below the normal range. I was prescribed Clomid and then used Crinone progesterone after ovulation. I got pregnant on my second cycle of Clomid

My costs were reasonable. I did not have extensive or invasive procedures. Many of the diagnostic procures were covered by my insurance.

Dr. Rapisarda spoke honestly and completely. He explained everything slowly and repeated when necessary -as I was taking notes. I felt like he knew was knowledgable and that I was in good hands. After my first negative pregnancy he explained our next course of action.

Do not be thrown off by the size of the clinic. I saw it as a source of comfort versus a number or being in a baby factory.

I don't remember the protocols. I'm not sure that I ever asked for those details.

I typically went in at the top of the morning before work. I never had a hard time getting in early. The appointments ran well.

I only paid co-pays.

Dr. Rapisarda was clear on how many embryos to transfer and why. He ultimately allowed me to make my own decision.

He was direct but kind, and after years of feeling discouraged my husband and I finally felt a sense of hope. We were delighted to get pregnant on our first IVF cycle, resulting in a beautiful daughter. Two years later our son was born from a FET.

Don't be afraid to ask follow-up questions. He's extremely knowledgeable and won't hesitate to give you more in-depth answers if you need them.

I was very fortunate to have my IVF covered by insurance at 80%. The medication was often the costliest part of my care.

I felt the Doctor was compassionate and easy to talk to, without being arrogant. He talked with me about our chances of conceiving and the risks with transferring multiple embryos. He called me personally when they discovered the heterotopic pregnancy and that meant a lot to me.

Ask a lot of questions and be honest about your expectations.

I used Lupron, Follistom, and Menopur. It was a 12 day course

We had some insurance coverage but I think it was between $10-$15k

He recommended a single embryo transfer but I opted to transfer 2 embryos

I would definitely recommend Dr. Rapisarda- he made us feel comfortable. I feel that he really listened to us. He set realistic goals and was prompt to get back with questions. He didn’t sugar coat anything- it gave us realistic expectations.

It’s scary but just go! It’ll be worth it!

Clomid for 5 days— trigger shot and then iui. Progesterone 400mg daily until week 8 of pregnancy

I’m not sure of exact cost but through insurance under 3000 for iui

Nothing alarmingly negative to report about Dr. Rapusarda, but nothing extremely positive. Due to the format of FCI in general, I never felt like a unique patient, but more like running on an assembly line,

Advocate for yourself - no question is a stupid question. If you want to explore a different protocol, or medication - ask! Don't assume that because he doesn't mention it that it's not possible.

We found that I responded very well to crinone vs other progesterone products. With my third IVF, we used the estrogen priming protocol to hopefully recruit more eggs - I did end up with the most eggs of my 3 retrievals, but in the end, still only had 2 embryos on day 5. (13 retrieved, 8 ICSI'd, 5 fertilized, 2 embryos on day 5, transferred one (miscarriage at 9wks), froze one).

Lucky to have great insurance which has covered most of my treatment

I've only ever had one or two to transfer so we've always done SET. In my first SET, the embryo split to identical twins (miscarriage at 8.5wks)

He is very patient and takes the time to answer all questions. He understands the emotional aspect of fertility. He is accessible and makes himself available when there are questions.

Don't be afraid to ask any question.

Two retrievals, two transfers, pgd, pgs, hysteroscopy for diagnostic purposes.

Most costs were covered under my insurance.

Dr. Rapisarda answered all my questions, laid out pros cons and left decisions up to me and I felt like I had options and choices which is huge because during this process you have very few options and choices. He is respectful and caring when things don't always work out the way they should.

Give him a try. He will listen and try to help you.

My stem cycle was 13 days. Started out on Follistem, then added Medipure was on low dose and monitored to ensure I did not get overstimulated.

After my deductible was met I paid nothing more.

Very caring but also focused on treatment. Straightforward with what we needed to do to have a baby but also understanding that we had to make tough decisions. Always felt understood and included me in the decision-making process.

Antagonist protocol for both stim cycles. 17 eggs first cycle; 32 second cycle. Did endometrial biopsy after 3rd failed transfer. Discovered I needed an extra half dose of progesterone. Got pregnant on next transfer.

Dr. Rapisarda explained everything to the fullest extent (i am a healthcare professional, so for me it is easier to understand most of this "stuff"). He was empathetic when delviering bad news.

Make sure you write down all of your questions ahead of time to make sure you ask all of your questions.

I only did one cycle with Dr. Rapisarda. It was unsuccessful and we moved on to CCRM.

Do research.

aggressive antagonist approach.

Decent. Cheaper than Indiana because I was a self-pay and most people in Illinois have fertility coverage.

Dr. Rapisarda did an amazing job at explaining everything the first time we met him. He made us feel completely comfortable with my diagnosis and with our treatment. Every question we had he answered with integrity and never made us feel like a question wasn’t important. If it was important to us, it was important to him.

if you’re looking for a dr that is good with PCOS or truly just cares about what you want, then Dr. Rapisarda is the one for you!

I’m so sorry, I don’t remember what he prescribed me. I do know that he had to keep increasing my progesterone pills because it was very low for each cycle.

I’ve had 4 miscarriages, I ectopic and an unsuccessful transfer. Dr. Rap has been so sensitive to what we’ve gone through while balancing an aggressive treatment plan in hopes of maintinf a pregnancy!

Trust your Dr, but speak up when you have concerns or questions

We went through every blood test, sonogram, ultrasound possible. Elected to do PGS testing as well as an ERA (mock trial)

ERA (mock trial) was not covered by insurance.

We felt we were under great care with Dr. Rapisarda. From beginning to end it seemed he felt very invested in making our dreams of becoming parents come true. He was very clear and supportive throughout the entire process.

My insurance coverage is pretty good, so I just had to pay my out of pocket max and the rest was covered.

He was great, I would seek care from him again. I always felt like he has time for us and was honest about pregnancy chances as well. Nothing bad to say. I felt cared for and that he used words we could understand without talking down to us.

He will work with you all the way and is compassionate.

No idea. This was 10 years ago.

Sorry it was 10 years ago. However, I remember my insurance took care of most of it.

No, he was flexible.

He was kind, caring, and very thorough. He had no insight into why our iuis were not working other then we were using frozen sperm. When we hit the number of iuis needed for insurance to pay for ivf he fully supported us on that journey.

He may run a bit late but when you are with him you are the most important person in the world.

We started with 3 unmedicated iuis and ovidrel trigger. Two of those we did back to back inseminations. All negatives so we added clomid and ovidrel trigger for two cycles. Also switched sperm donor. Still negative. Iui six was done with gonal f and ovidrel. Again negative. Moved to ivf. Pretty typical protocol of gonal f, menopur, and centricide. Retrieved 17 eggs. 10 mature and fertilized. Transferred one AA embryo on Day 5. Froze two on day 5. Froze anonyher on Day 6. Pregnant with a singleton. Gave birth 9 months later. Now did our consult for a FET for baby 2. Started birth control today. Will use lupron, estradiol, and PIO.

We spent $8000 on ivf procedures total out of pocket after insurance.

Our doctor recommended transferring one due to age and no known fertility issues. We transferred one. Will transfer 1 for our FET due to quality of embryo.

Dr. Rapisarda was very thorough and clear with us about our treatment plan, what to expect and any obstacles we've faced. He has adjusted the course of our treatment based and explained the adjustments along the way. We are early in our journey to conceive child #2 with Dr. Rapisarda (saw a different doc for child #1), but we're hopeful that we will have success.

Dr. Rapisarda will explain all options to you pretty objectively, but I've found that if you ask him for his recommendation or opinion on best course of action, he will provide you with his feedback.

For FET attempt #1, we did a course of estrogen and progesterone, plus baby aspirin and 3 monitoring visits prior to transfer. This resulted in a chemical pregnancy. Attempts #2 and #3 were cancelled because of fluid in lining due to prior c-section, and issues with lining thickness. The protocols used were the same as attempt #1, then a stimulated protocol for attempt #3.

BCBS covered my care, but my employer has a lifetime maximum for fertility coverage. As I approach the lifetime max, that presents extreme complications with the cost of coverage for my family.