How was your experience with Matthew Lederman at RMA of New York?
Dr. Lederman is a great doctor. He's relatively warm and compassionate, but he's also realistic. He always sets expectations. I had (have) a difficult road, and even switched doctors at one point to see if there was another doctor who would do a better job. I ended up coming back.
He does need a lot of pushing and convincing to try tests/protocols outside of his standard method. But there are some procedures he will not buy into, and he will share the evidence and explanation as to why (even if you don't agree).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Matthew Lederman at RMA of New York?
Write everything down, and ask him to repeat himself - he talks fast! Ask lots of questions.
Describe the protocols Matthew Lederman used in your cycles at RMA of New York and their degree of success.
Retrieval #1: Gonal-F in the morning, Menopur in evening. Cetrotide added 5 days before trigger. Dual trigger shot (HCG and lupron). 14 days of stims. Resulted in 20 eggs, 5 mature, 5 fertilized, 4 made it to day 5, 4 PGS normal.
Before first transfer: hysteroscopy - 2 small polyps and small adhesion removed.
Transfer #1: BCP, estrodiol 2x day at day 3, increased to 3x a few days later. Progesterone (1mL) 5.5 days before transfer, medrol for 7 days starting 5 days before transfer, baby aspirin day of transfer. Resulted in CP.
Transfer #2: Next cycle after. Estrodiol 2x day at day 3, increased to 3x a few days later. Progesterone (1mL) 5.5 days before transfer, medrol for 7 days starting 5 days before transfer, baby aspirin day of transfer. Resulted in CP.
Transfer #3. RPL panel (negative), karyotyping (negative), saline sonogram (negative) biopsy (positive for endometritis). 2 weeks of antibiotics. Estrodiol 2x day at day 3 of following cycle, increased to 3x a few days later. Baby aspirin on day 3. Progesterone (1mL) 5.5 days before transfer, medrol for 7 days starting 5 days before transfer. Resulted in negative.
Transfer #4: 3 weeks of antibiotics. Estrodiol 2x day at day 3 of following cycle, increased to 3x a few days later. Baby aspirin on day 3. Progesterone (1mL) 5.5 days before transfer, prometrin (2x day) and endometrin (2x day) starting day after transfer, medrol for 7 days starting 5 days before transfer. Resulted in CP.
Retrieval #2: Gonal-F in the morning, higher dose (than last time) or Menopur in the evening. Cetrotide added 6 days before trigger. Lupron trigger only. 15 days of stims. 19 eggs, 18 mature, 16 fertilized, 9 made it to day 5/6/7, 5 PGS normal, 1 inconclusive.
Transfer #5: 12 days of birth control pills, 5 days overlapping with 10 units of lupron. Continued 10 units of lupron until light period arrived, reduced to 5 units. 3.5 weeks of lupron total. Estrodiol added 2x day, increased to 3x a few days later. Baby aspirin on day 3. Progesterone (1mL) 5.5 days before transfer, prometrin (2x day) and endometrin (2x day) starting day after transfer, medrol for 7 days starting 5 days before transfer. Resulted in pregnancy starting with very low beta (37 at 9dp5dt) - currently 9+2 weeks.
Describe your experience with your nurse at RMA of New York. (Assigned nurse: Martha)
Primary PA was easy to reach and quick to answer questions when she was at work. If she was out, I got calls with results from nursing staff I had never met.
Describe your experience with RMA of New York.
The Westchester location is excellent, with only 2 doctors during monitoring hours. Warm staff, easy communication, questions always answered. However, RMANY is a large company. If you need monitoring on a weekend or holiday, you are stuck with a random doctor and a huge waiting room filled to the max with people and names being yelled from every direction. It is far from pleasant.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of New York.
Efficient on weekdays at the Westchester location. Terrible cattle-call on the weekends at the Madison Ave location.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Matthew Lederman at RMA of New York.
Insurance covered our IUIs and $10K or IVF, plus $10K of medications. RMA charged us the remainder. First 2 transfers were included in insurance cost. Each transfer after was $3500. Costs included bloodwork, ultrasounds, and monitoring appointments. Once we were paying out of pocket for IVF #2, the total cost included all appointments, bloodwork, ultrasounds, and 1 transfer. PGS is private pay, and any procedure (saline sonogram, biopsy) is charged to your insurance.
Describe Matthew Lederman's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of New York.
Dr. Lederman firmly believes in only transferring 1 embryo at a time. He also insists on only transferring PGS/PGD tested embryos.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of New York?
- Failed to call with results
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol