She [Dr. Kathryn Honea] also had to remove a large fibroid on my uterus that was causing me pain and maybe the cause of me not getting my periods... She would then start me on cycles of estrace, progesterone, and a round of metaformin because my blood glucose was extremely high and they thought that I might have PCOS...After about 2 years Dr. Honea came to the conclusion that I was pre-menapausal, and that I may not get my period again,but she continued wit the estrace and progesterone in order to build my lining for the donor eggs; because she said that would be our best option for having children.
The Birmingham nurses [at ART Fertility Program of Alabama] are the main points of contact, and are in charge of the nursing line. I don't get to talk to the nurses in Huntsville unless I schedule an appointment. I think that her nursing staff are pretty nice, but I would like to be able to speak directly with the nursing staff at her Huntsville office since I deal with them more often than the Birmingham nursing staff. Both nursing staff are very helpful.
How was your experience with Kathryn Honea (retired) at Alabama Fertility Specialists (formerly ART Fertility Program of Alabama)?
My experience as a patient with Dr. Honea has been pretty good. I think that she is very knowledgeable and I respect that she is easy to talk to. I really respect her that she has gone through a similar process to conceive her children, and that she was very understanding when we had to re-start our the process because my dad passed unexpectedly prior to us being the donor egg transfer; which put a lot of stress on our family. She makes you feel like you are not crazy for your feelings, and that you are not broken but just have to find a different way to become a mom. She has been our doctor for more than three years, and we would recommend her to other people. She has a personality that makes you feel comfortable and at ease, and makes you feel like become parents.
She makes me feel comfortable and at ease, and answers any questions that I might have. I really appreciate her honestly, and I really like the fact that she is spiritual as well. She has made my husband and I experience pretty good, and help answer our questions.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Kathryn Honea (retired) at Alabama Fertility Specialists (formerly ART Fertility Program of Alabama)?
A piece of advice that I would give a patient coming to Dr. Honea would be to come with any questions that you may have. Don't be afraid to ask your questions, and don't think that any question you ask are weird or not right to ask. You want to make sure that you questions and concerns are addressed, and don't be afraid to ask again if you don't understand. Don't be afraid that your questions are stupid or that you may have asked them more than once.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Kathryn Honea (retired) at Alabama Fertility Specialists (formerly ART Fertility Program of Alabama)?
I think I feel like a number sometime because I don't have a direct contact with her office. I have to call the nurses line, and then wait all day or even sometimes two days to hear from them. I think because her practice is so large that you feel like a number because there are some many patients. Also, with her main practice being in Birmingham; its hard a lot of the time to get in touch with her even though she has an office in Huntsville. Moreover, I am a patient at the Huntsville office. The staff at the Huntsville office are amazing, but I don't have direct contact with them if I have any questions, and everything is funneled through the Birmingham office, which makes it difficult. Sometimes, it feels like being a number because I don't have someone directly that I can call with questions. I think that if my care was designed specifically for me and they would stay in contact with me more, I wouldn't feel so much like a number.
Describe the protocols Kathryn Honea (retired) used in your cycles at Alabama Fertility Specialists (formerly ART Fertility Program of Alabama) and their degree of success.
When I first started with Dr. Honea, I believe some of the first strategies that she used involved trying to get my period started. She used clomid, and birth control pills to try and get my period started, but I wasn't able to get my period started. She also had to remove a large fibroid on my uterus that was causing me pain and maybe the cause of me not getting my periods. After the surgery, she still continued to try and start my period, and I did get my period at least twice, but then it stopped. She would then start me on cycles of estrace, progesterone, and a round of metaformin because my blood glucose was extremely high and they thought that I might have PCOS. Moreover, when I would go for a uterine lining check, it was not thick enough, and my levels were not were they needed to be, so they would start the process over again. I continued on the cycles for about 2 years, switching my medicine out from estrace and progesterone to metaformin. After about 2 years Dr. Honea came to the conclusion that I was pre-menapausal, and that I may not get my period again,but she continued wit the estrace and progesterone in order to build my lining for the donor eggs; because she said that would be our best option for having children. However, I had to stop my cycles when my dad passed away unexpectedly in 2016, and I wasn't able to really start again until January of 2017. When I started treatment again, she also tried a round of Lupron shots for about 2 months in to get my lining and numbers up to par in order to get ready for the frozen egg transfer. She stopped the lupron shots because I still didn't get a period, but my lining was adequate and she ordered a SIS, and HSG back in October of 2017 which came back normal, as she wanted to make sure that my body would be ready to receive the donor eggs. I have continued to be on the metaformin, estrace, and progestrone for now until do select a donor from MyEggBank.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Alabama Fertility Specialists (formerly ART Fertility Program of Alabama).
I think that the Nursing staff at her Huntsville office are great. I don't have that much direct contact with the nursing staff at Dr. Honea main office in Birmingham. I think that her nursing staff in her Huntsville office are so nice and compassionate, and I really enjoy her staff there. The nurses at the Birmingham office I have only spoken to over the phone, and they seem pretty nice. The Birmingham nurses are the main points of contact, and are in charge of the nursing line. I don't get to talk to the nurses in Huntsville unless I schedule an appointment. I think that her nursing staff are pretty nice, but I would like to be able to speak directly with the nursing staff at her Huntsville office since I deal with them more often than the Birmingham nursing staff. Both nursing staff are very helpful.
Describe your experience with Alabama Fertility Specialists (formerly ART Fertility Program of Alabama).
I would describe the ART of Program of Alabama strengths as follows:Knowledgeable and caring physicians and nurses; More than one location;Welcoming staff; Some weekend appointments offered;Lots of resources available regarding infertility; Answers your questions and helps you understand the processes involved with the ways you can become parents. Another strength would be the scheduling process.
I would say that some of their weaknesses would be not being able to email the office with questions, not being able to speak with nurses at your designated clinic directly, and not having a specific nurse assigned to you.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Kathryn Honea (retired) at Alabama Fertility Specialists (formerly ART Fertility Program of Alabama).
My insurance did not pay for any of my expenses with Dr. Honea; however, my husband's insurance did pick up some of the cost. Moreover, I was still responsible for payments that our insurace didnt cover such as medications such as Lupron that cost $179.00. Exams that would cost between $200 to $250. I have come out of pocket for medications, office visits/exams SIS, HSG, and the our psychological consult that we did prior to registering with MyEggBank. In total we have spent roughly $6,500 out of pocket.
Describe Kathryn Honea (retired)'s approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Alabama Fertility Specialists (formerly ART Fertility Program of Alabama).
Dr. Honea will be doing a single embryo transfer which I am okay with since this is our first time doing it, and we wanted to make sure that if it didn't work on the first try, that we had another embryo to try.
What specific things went wrong at Alabama Fertility Specialists (formerly ART Fertility Program of Alabama)?
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Alabama Fertility Specialists (formerly ART Fertility Program of Alabama).
I sent in some paperwork regarding completing my medical information for a grant that my husband and I were applying for and they didn't return the forms back to us, so we had to re-request for them to complete them again.
8
Doctor
Kathryn Honea (retired)
8
Clinic
Alabama Fertility Specialists (formerly ART Fertility Program of Alabama)
Birmingham (closed)
