How was your experience with Meaghan Bowling at Carolina Conceptions?
Dr. Bowling is extremely personable, knowledgeable, and friendly. She has taken the time to sit and talk with me several times, even when it may have been inconvenient for her. When I had questions and reservations about the next steps for our fertility journey, she was able to talk me through each step, making sure that I fully understood everything and felt comfortable as we went. She reassured me of my risks, offered practical advice about next steps, and was patient as my husband and I decided. We are hoping to begin the IVF process this summer, and it is largely because of her ability to comfort my concerns and address my needs as an individual, rather than as a statistic. I've been to other fertility clinics in the area and felt very un-heard, rushed, and valued only as a statistic in their office results. Dr. Bowling is NOTHING like that! I have loved every appointment I've had with her and it truly is because of her that we are planning to proceed with IVF to grow our family when I had previously rejected the idea of IVF altogether.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Meaghan Bowling at Carolina Conceptions?
Ask questions! She is patient and willing to answer every concern, and is so sweet and knowledgeable as she answers!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Meaghan Bowling at Carolina Conceptions?
Dr. Bowling is THE BEST! She has always been willing to spend extra time with me if I need it, explain procedures and symptoms extremely thoroughly, and spend time getting to know my husband and me, including our desires and preferences for treatment. I've never felt pressured to do a procedure, or to take things faster than I preferred. I have always felt very well cared for by both nurses and physicians alike!
Describe the protocols Meaghan Bowling used in your cycles at Carolina Conceptions and their degree of success.
We started with basic hormone pills (Letrozole), then adjusted to try to trigger a greater response when we didn't see the follicles we wanted. Then, Dr. Bowling added a small steroid to help the growth of the follicles on my left side because it wasn't responding as well--and we saw great results with that! Then, we did an HSG test to check for scar tissue from a previous ectopic pregnancy, and that is when Dr. Bowling diagnosed the tubal blockage on the right side. From there, we also discussed that my condition is not-quite PCOS, and Dr. Bowling explaining that because of the tubal blockage + ovary dysfunction, our chances of getting pregnant through TIC or IUI were extremely low. Dr. Bowling then met with me for nearly an hour to discuss both IVF and embryo adoption, giving me the time and space to process all the information. Our next steps will be to begin the IVF process this summer, when I am not teaching.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Carolina Conceptions. (Assigned nurse: Terri)
Terri is THE BEST!!!!! Actually, every nurse I've seen has been amazing, but Terri has been so incredibly helpful every step of the way! As a teacher who works 30 minutes from the office, Terri was able to leave extremely detailed voicemails when I couldn't answer the phone, and meet with me in the hallways after visits to address any questions or concerns. She's been so incredibly helpful and informative, plus I love that she is very straight forward in her communication. She is not wanting to waste anyone's time, and I so appreciate her!!!
Describe your experience with Carolina Conceptions.
The woman at the front desk has been somewhat abrasive to me on several occasions, even to the point of my delaying the start of treatment with the office for almost 8 months because of her rudeness. She was very unaccommodating when I explained my schedule as a teacher 30 minutes away, especially in regards to my difficulty and inflexibility with scheduling. However, everyone else on the staff is extremely considerate, informative, and accommodating!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Meaghan Bowling at Carolina Conceptions.
All nurse visits were approx. $35, but doctor visits were $85. Prescriptions were varying in prices, but most of the pills were fairly affordable. The Ovidrel was expensive, but mostly due to my insurance. About to start IVF and were quoted at roughly $18,000 for the procedure + medications.
Describe Meaghan Bowling's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Carolina Conceptions.
Since we haven't started the IVF process yet, I don't know definitively, but she has definitely recommended that we are more conservative early on because I am just now 30 and there is not much of a reason to be overly aggressive.
What specific things went wrong at Carolina Conceptions?
- Failed to inform you of changes in protocol