Kaiser Permanente NorCal

Well educated, attentive, great bedside manner, and explains the options and the treatments well. Also very gentle when performing ultrasounds. If not for Kaiser being extremely expensive, I would continue to see Dr. G.

He is great at answering questions so if a new client has concerns, he has answers.

He always starts off with the medications with the least side effects that would produce the result desired. If those medications don't work, he gradually increases the dosage until it works.

I had most of my care covered by dual coverage. I only completed 2 rounds with 0% coverage which ended up costing around 3500 for doctor visits and around 7-10k in medication

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Dr Tan is kind and considerate without being soft. He manages to be direct, giving you the facts, without being cold. He is gentle but firm and always takes time to make sure we are comfortable with where we are in our protocols and exams.

Ask questions! Don’t be shy or nervous. If you have a question or don’t fully understand what is being said or is happening, he wants you to be honest and open.

Starting protocol was a round of clomid w/IUI. Second round was Menopur and IUI. He has always told us that with our diagnosis and our ages, IVF was our best shot at conceiving.

Ultrasound $175 Saline sonogram $250 Insemination $495 Pregnancy labs $175 Clomid $7 Menopur $100/per inj Trigger shot $100 Laparoscopy $ 2500

Dr Telles used visuals in explaining things which is very helpful when you are totally lost in this process. She shared her own story which was nice to hear. We leave most appointments not knowing what to do or expect next.

To provide a written step by step plan.

A LOT

I don't even know what these are

Dr. G was straightforward, helpful, and positive about our chances. He clearly explained our risks and was sympathetic when we needed to cancel one round due to unforseen circumstances. He helped us by recommending Alto pharmacy for quick and cheaper medications. He seemed a bit old school, making some assumptions about my husband and I that I just laughed off, because with Kaiser I know that I'd usually have another RE the next cycle or the next appointment.

Definitely don't take his humor too seriously and don't be afraid to ask questions or any clarification on anything.

Dr. Joshi was a great doctor who knew his area very well and also made me feel cared for as a patient. Kaiser has fairly strict rules about what can be done, so that can be frustrating, but Dr. Joshi worked hard to get me the best outcome within those constraints.

Do your research before seeing an REI doctor so you know what to expect and can ask questions about different treatment options. The FertilityIQ courses are excellent for this. Sometimes it's hard even for the doctor to know which treatment approach will have the best outcome, so the more you know, the more you can ask questions that help you and your doctor decide on the best path for you.

We did two IVF cycles. In the first cycle, we did the most standard medication approach. It didn't produce many follicles, so we cancelled the retrieval and did IUI. In the second cycle, we tried a lot of medication, and that produced more follicles so we completed the retrieval. Still, probably because of DOR, the 2 embryos didn't grow very well so we were not successful.

The IUI and IVF were consistent with Bay Area average prices

Dr. Joshi was very clear that 1 embryo at a time is usually best, but also said exceptions may be made when the embryos aren't very good quality.

He's warm but didn't seem to consider my particular situation or priorities much. It was hard to get a response from him because Kaiser encourages you to reach out to the nurse practitioners instead. He was encouraging in that he thought I could eventually get pregnant from lower-intervention methods but didn't consider what my timelines and goals and urgencies might otherwise suggest.

You have to be willing to advocate for yourself and know what your priorities are. Come prepared with questions written down.

Because I didn't proceed to IVF at Kaiser, everything was covered under my plan.

Strengths - willing to explain things in detail, patient, not condescending, willing to explore/consider your suggestions, didn't feel he rushed appointment Weaknesses - could show a bit more compassion, also a bit of optimism wouldn't hurt, constrained by what is allowed in the Kaiser system (I suppose not his fault), could have provided more rationale for treatment approach (contact is mostly with nursing staff)

Not really specific to this doctor - but overall believe in your own fertility and remember that you are the one person who cares the most about your own outcome. Advocate for yourself, don't be afraid to ask questions (or be the 'annoying patient') - push to get all the answers you need to feel comfortable.

We did a letrozole cycle. The doctor suggested clomid but was willing to give letrozole when I asked because I had information from my previous clinic that I have a possible thin lining. I also heard the side effects were less. He stated there wasn't much difference in side effects between but agreed to try this route I was happy he was open to this.

ultrasounds approx 180 each, a lot of other items were covered so I am not sure exactly

As mentioned he did not communicate information at all- by comparison, my first visit with my new doctor, I got 4 pages worth of preparation information for my cycle. I never knew what the blood tests were for or what they meant (except through my own research). I had to call multiple times to get information on how to give myself shots. Problems were rarely addressed, and his office gave printed wrong medical directions to me and blamed me for 'my body's failure to accept medication', instead of the fact I'd followed his (wrong) directions. He then wasn't even going to have us do the egg retrieval and just assumed the eggs were lost - had another doctor not intercepted, we would have lost the eggs that were very much still obtainable. He made no apologies for his botching of the cycle, and even alluded to us needing to pay for a whole new cycle - despite, again, this being him and his office's mistake.

GO WITH SOMEONE ELSE. Seriously, he treats you like a number. He is always SIGNIFICANTLY late to appointments. He never apologies. He will not share any information with you. He will be very difficult to get ahold of. He does not treat you like a human and do not expect sympathy or understanding from him. There are better doctors out there.

IVF - up to the egg retrieval. We were never given an option and told due to my age this was the route we needed to take (frozen embryo). We had a number of medications that were prescribed as a default. No rationale other than 'this is what you take' were given. He also didn't seem to understand his own procedure timelines, giving us a much shorter view of how things would go, including forgetting to include the time I'd need to recover from related surgeries that would delay implantation.

$21,000 before we could even get scheduled; $7,000 for medications. Optional genetic testing cost an additional $3500

He said to do eSET..there was no reason given other than it was the best option for me

I got in touch with Nikhil Joshi in early 2020 after trying for a baby for more than a year. After all tests and blood work, we had a video visit with him. We found him very knowledgeable, to the point, and knows what is covered in our insurance plan(which was very helpful in the beginning). As our all test results were okay (no red flag), he suggested 3 IUIs as a treatment plan as it was covered in our insurance, not IVF. Unfortunately, all three were failed. I took an emotional break in late 2020 and wanted to resume IUI again in January 2021 (another 3 cycles). Fortunately, my husband got a new job that gives IVF benefits through other insurance. In January 2021, I had my follow-up call with Dr. Joshi where I shared the upcoming changes in my health insurance plan. He is extremely supportive of our decision and the forthcoming. During the call, he answered all our queries regarding IVF treatment, shared necessary details, and even update my health summary for the future doctor. He even helps me to understand the SART website for fertility clinic selection. I couldn't expect anything else from him.

It is hard to get an appointment with Nikhil Joshi so please have patience. Good luck!

Dr. Farah-Eways is compassionate and really wants to make your dream of having a baby come true. You should note she is quite the multitasker, so when you have an in person consultation or phone appointment with her you may notice that she’s typing/performing computer task while talking to you. Please don’t mistake this for her not caring or not being focused on you and your treatment. At the end of your consultation/appointment you will have a summary in the form of emails with all things discussed, recommendations, plan of care and a detailed summary of your visit. Her typing/inputting things on the computer as she is discussing processes with you, I believe, is her way to ensure that no information during your conversation is missed in the hard copy of your plan of care and that all test you need to have done are ordered as soon as she decides you need them. Because she documents things while she’s talking, you end up having a complete reference in terms of next steps. This is important because there can be so much information, many dates, and timed studies to complete. I’m the type of person that comprehends and processes information quickly, so I prefer information to be delivered straight forward in the form of what the plan for me is, what my next steps are, and when they steps need to be completed. Having a hard copy plan of care with dates/times to complete and contact numbers has helped me feel more control in a situation that can be so out of your control. If you like information delivered this way I think you will be happy to work with Dr. Farah-Eways, also note that if ever there is a time that you feel you didn’t understand or you need to verify what the plan is, she responds best by email to address your concerns.

Understand that she works within the Kaiser Permanente health system, so at times because the Kaiser process calls for systematic approach since they see a greater volume of patients than private REI clinics, you won’t always see her at appointments for procedures such HSG test, IUI or ultrasounds to verify meds such as clomid, femara, etc produced sufficient follicles for IUI. While you have a care plan by Dr. Farah-Eways, these procedures will be performed by her Nurse Practitioners (NP) and not necessarily the same NP each time. It comes down to who is available at the time you need the appointment. As for diagnostic procedures such as Hysteroscopy, endometrial biopsy, trial transfers, and saline sonograms you will see her or one of her colleagues that is an REI doctor. If you want her specifically for those procedures , this goes for IVF retrieval and transfers as well, you would have to wait for an opening on her schedule. If you don’t want to wait there are other REI doctors that can perform the procedures at the earliest date and report the findings to Dr. Farah-Eways. The process at Kaiser works where a REI doctor like Dr. Farah-Eways may be doing diagnostic test 1 day, clinic appointments the next day and IVF retrieval and transfer the all day the entire next week. So if you’re looking to see the same REI doctor/nurse at each appointment and it wouldn’t be okay with you if you didn’t, she may not be the REI doctor for you.

Lab work was completed to rule out any clotting disorders or genetic abnormalities prior to IUI Pre-IUI supplements: -Prenatal -Co-Enzyme Q10 600mg/day -Methylfolate 1mg (folic acid in prenatals may not be absorbed in its form) 2000U of vitamin D (prenatals amount not enough) -Probiotics ( to help with gut health) For each IUI the medication protocol was used to make me have a stronger ovulation and produce more than one egg in attempt to increase the chances of successful IUI. Dr. Farah-Eways confirmed with tests and from multiple previous pregnancies that unfortunately resulted in losses, I ovulate regularly on my own. The progesterone was used to proactively to help aid in preservation of pregnancy if the IUI was successful. IUI was chosen as a first line of treatment because we had not been able to conceive naturally for close to 1 year after our 3rd miscarriage: IUI #1: femara 2.5mg/ twice per day x 5 days Ultrasound day 7 (verify mature follicles) Ovidrel for timed ovulation IUI 24-36hr following Ovidrel injection IUI #2: femara 5mg/ twice per day x 5 days Ultrasound day 7 (verify mature follicles) Ovidrel for timed ovulation IUI 24-36hr following Ovidrel injection Progesterone vaginal suppository 1x/day IUI #3: femara 7.5mg/ twice per day x 5 days Ultrasound day 7 (verify mature follicles) Ovidrel for timed ovulation IUI 24-36hr following Ovidrel injection Progesterone vaginal suppository 1x/day IUI #4: femara 7.5mg/ twice per day x 5 days Menopur 150units 1x/day x 5 days Ultrasound day 7 (verify mature follicles) Ovidrel for timed ovulation IUI 24-36hr following Ovidrel injection Progesterone vaginal suppository 1x/day Neither of the 4 IUIs were successful We had a natural conception 1 month after the 4th IUI attempt. That natural conception resulted in our baby not growing after week 6. I had a D&C in February. Followed by a saline sonogram, endometrial biopsy and trial transfer done in March by Dr Farah-Eways to clear me for the IVF process. The IVF protocol will include a Retrieval with Freeze All and Frozen Embryo transfer so that the embryos can have PGT testing to rule out genetic abnormalities. The medication protocol for IVF retrieval will include Follistim, Menopur, Omnitrope For FET, it will include Estrace tabs, Climara Patch, and progesterone vaginal suppositories

IUI covered by Kaiser Permanente insurance with $20 copay IVF NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE IVF: 1 Freeze all + Frozen transfer $15,455 Meds: $5,000-8,500 PGT testing: $3,500 (hospital fee) plus additional fees paid to outside genetics lab roughly $250/egg or can opt for package deal Each additional Frozen transfer: $4,150 plus meds ($800-1500) Fresh IVF cycle $13,100

Dr Farah-Eways only performs single embryo transfer and cautions against multiple embryo transfer. She informed me that many studies have shown that single embryo transfers have less risk And higher success rate of making it to term live birth

She is very honest and also has a great bedside manner. She is able to explain the situation, what to expect etc. she also follows up with emails and she is very responsive. I appreciate her positive outlook and her urge to get it right so that we can become parents.

Expect honesty and being a pen and notepad. Getting all this information is tough and when you walk out sometimes you forget what was said. I print the messages sent to me because I like to keep all the information in the folders they provide and bring everything to all visits so you can be prepared ask questions and follow up on things you don’t understand.

I was on an antagonist protocol and will continue to be on one when I can restart. I also was told to go gluten, dairy, soy and sugar free. This has been tough but I am working hard to do so (although in quarantine it has been hard). This diet she said helps reduce inflammation and she stated even though there isn’t evidence that will totally increase my chances, it can’t hurt. (I am pretty heavy so it’ll also help me lose weight which is good). I am also on many supplements CoQ10 Vitamin D Probiotics Prenatals Myoinositol

Approximately $14,000 But this didn’t include any of the appointments or testing done before which was probably close to $3000 between my husband and myself.

I agree with why they do it the way it is set up but I am concerned the longer we wait (quarantine being the delay) the older my eggs get and the older I get. I wish to have more than one kid and I’m concerned this could hurt my chances. Also I am worried about it not working and I don’t have the financial resources to do another cycle.

He is very warm and caring. He answers all my questions and responds to my emails promptly. He makes sure both my husband and I understand what is going on. I had a hysteroscopy performed with him and he did a wonderful job making sure I understand everything pre, intra, and post op. He doesn't confuse you will medical jardin and makes you feel comfortable to answer any type of question.

I would say to be patient because everything is a process, and he does give all sides as far as explanation and then he gives his recommendation.

I had an initial consultation with him, and currently are waiting to start IVF. I had a surgery with him prior which was a hysteroscopy. I was on birth control 3 months prior to that surgery and once that was completed I was able to get off it. As of now I am not taking any medications yet

We got an estimated cost based on Dr. Joshi's recommendations which estimate at $23K

For us he recommended a single embryo transfer. He stated that is is much safer, and we both agreed with him

It always felt like Dr. Eways went above and beyond and she truly cared. Never having done this before (but consulted and almost started the process with another clinic) she made us feel safe and explained every step and process and was candid. It didn't feel like I was speaking to someone who was reading a process or procedure out of a book (as with my previous experience), she actually made sure that we understood exactly what was happening, what she was doing, what to expect and what to consider and like we were people with feelings and emotions to consider trying to grow their family and not a next number in line. She was always honest and didn't sugar coat anything which I really appreciated because the process itself can be very stressful so to know exactly what to expect was reassuring. She was always gentle and caring and honest in her approach and when she met with my husband and I, we felt like we were the only patients she had as she never rushed any of our meetings. She treated both of us as a couple and was inclusive with conversation making sure we were both comfortable with next steps and what to expect. No words can explain her genuine, caring and helpful nature. She truly has redefined the way patients need to be handled and treated because her ability to make you feel safe and to build an immediate trust connection (regardless of outcome) is unmatched. We've been SO LUCKY to have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Eways and if we decided to do this again, no doubt in my mind as to who I would be calling. She's been an angel in our lives!

Keep an open mind and trust the process. Don't stress :)

The medication was very straight forward and I was given a calendar with a breakdown of what to take and when and Dr. Eways reviewed it in addition to her staff following up to make sure that there weren't any questions. The pills were easy and when it came time for the shots, it wasn't bad at all and I was able to administer them myself without any issues. There was also blood work along the ways to readjust the amount of medication to take based on how your body was responding so constant check up along the way.

Dr. Eways educated me on options and we talked about transferring one embryo if genetically normal or 2 untested embryos.

Dr. Farah-Eways stuck through thick and thin with me. As a patient with a thin uterine lining and diminished ovarian reserve (.16 AMH), I had an uphill battle! In my experience, Dr. Eways was always very straight-forward with me about treatment plans, but never gave up, and always helped me determine my next game plan using data, experience, and the latest research. She also has a wonderful and warm bed-side manner. She would personally call me with updates or to follow-up.

If you want someone that is transparent and blunt, yet extremely caring, Dr. Eways will be a great fit for you! She is also very persistent. I had a very long journey, but never once did I feel she gave up on me. Meaning, she would really think about what testing and/or adjustments were needed for the next plan of action each time.

I thought monitoring appointments were ok. They were scheduled within a window of time in the morning. You were given an appointment time, but they generally saw you on a first come first served basis.

There is a financial advisor that works with patients around the costs associated with treatments.

Dr. Eways sufficiently explained to me the trade-offs and risks of transferring multiple embryos. Her approach is very much in-line with the medical guidelines and recommendations. She does a thorough job of explaining her reasoning behind her approach to eSET. Generally speaking, she recommended only transferring one embryo per cycle because we used donor eggs and my embryos were pgs-tested, but there were times where she was open to transferring two.

Dr. Abel was the best part of my experience at the Kaiser Fertility clinic. She is warm and caring. She explains things well and she has a comforting nature. She always answered my questions and always responded to my emails in a timely manner. I really enjoyed having her as my doctor, but had frustrations with the clinic.

Dr. Abel is caring the nurturing. My one caution would be that the Kaiser clinic has very high demand and the waiting lists are long. I was also not guaranteed to see Dr. Abel for all of my procedures.

My first cycle was a bcp primed cycle with a high dose of Gonal-F, Menopur, and Omnitrope. The cycle was canceled on day 9 because I did not respond well to the treatment. My second cycle was estrogen primed and a lower dose of Gonal-F, Menopur, and Omnitrop. We retrieved 5 eggs and did ICSI, but only one egg fertilized and it did not form a blastocyst.

The cost for one retrieval with ICSI and the biopsy for PGS and one transfer was $20855. This had to be paid in full before getting on the calendar for treatment

We didn't get to this stage, but the clinic told me they'd do a single embryo transfer.

She was incredible and while it was a very long process, we trusted her and she told us more than once she “plays to win”...she is quite the perfectionist, but we appreciated her for that. I was supposed to have a fresh transfer March 2017 but my lining didn’t get thick enough, so she cancelled and had me wait to do a frozen transfer until August. All summer she was trying different medication combos to get my lining thick enough...the August date even got changed a few times and I don’t think my lining got to highest she would’ve liked it to, but she felt good about it and gave us the green light. I highly recommend her. I also remember when we had our initial consultation, that evening she called me just to check in on me. She is extemely responsive as well.

You might find her personality at times rigid because she is a perfectionist but her main goal is to get you pregnant and have a healthy baby, so you just have to trust her. She is extremely knowledgeable.

To get my lining thick enough she recommended acupuncture and she was also OK with me taking the tincture they prescribed. She also adjusted my meds taking me off the estrogen patch and instead having me take it as oral pill and vaginally. Towards the end we ended up adding baby aspirin and eventually vaginal viagra. She also had me on terbutaline to prevent uterine contraction and gave me stronger dose of Valium the morning of transfer. I have a heathy 11 month old :)

From my understanding Kaiser does single embryo transfer and there are some criteria but if it’s not successful then it’s like a buy 1 get 2 free...like 3 tries for price if one. But ours ended up being successful on first try.

Infertility is already a scary topic to even come across. During our first appointment, my husband and I were so scared of being told we would never conceive; however, Dr. Nixon was very positive and demonstrated that our chances of conceiving with treatment were very high. He made sure that all our questions were answered.

I would advise prospective patients to have a list of questions for him to answer. He definitely takes his time in answering and offering guidance, next steps!

While preparing for the first insemination, I started with low dose of Femara. He wanted me to start with a low dose to see how I would respond to the medication and how helpful it would be in developing follicles. I produced one dominant follicle. For the next four IUI's, he gradually increased the prescription. In once instance I developed up to 5 follicles. He also ordered a HSG X-Ray to see my uterine cavity and determine if my fallopian tubes were open. After three failed attempts he thought it was ideal to perform this exam.

Both my husband and I work for the same employer. Our employer sponsored medical coverage took care of all costs. Unfortunately IVF is not covered.

None

I went to see Dr. Nixon after having been trying naturally for a while. I had already done rounds of fertility medications and over a year of acupuncture. I felt like he explained the cycle and the process of getting pregnant naturally, which I was already very aware of. I went in with specific things I wanted to try and I felt like I really had to push for them and that he wasn't listening to me. But he's a nice guy. Seems caring.

Stick up for yourself. If you already know what you want to do going in, make sure you advocate for yourself.

We started with the typical bloodwork. I already had done a lot of diagnostic work and 3 rounds of clomid. We skipped straight to IUI with letrozole, HCG trigger shot (make sure I ovulated), and an ultrasound (make sure follicles were good and ready).

IUI - $343 New patient visit - $340 HSG - $253

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Dr. Abel listens to you and I loved that she did all the monitoring and the procedures. She is very personable and I was transferred to her care after the initial consult with another doctor in the clinic because I wanted to have my cycle earlier. I was on the antagonist protocol and we were initially concerned about the risk of OHSS, which fortunately we avoided. While the cycle ended in a chemical pregnancy, she offered a lot of suggestions on what to do moving forward and was open to suggestions.

Get her from the start if you can. Ask about supplements.

We used the antagonist protocol because I have irregular cycles and a high AMH. I was on BCP 2 weeks at a time for about 3 weeks before starting injectables. We did ICSI although we didn't have MFI. We expected to retrieve a lot of follicles given the monitoring results but we only retrieved 7 eggs, fertilized 5 via ICSI, 2 fertilized normally and ended up with 1 day 5 blastocyst. Fresh transfer.

You are lucky if you get to the Fremont REI early but there were times when I had to wait an hour.

ICSI was an additional $1,500. My HDHP plan covered 1 cycle of IVF and medications.

We only had one embryo to transfer but the clinic prefers eSET.

I was very disappointed with his time management skills and felt very rushed by how quickly he was taking. He sounded very optimistic for our chances of getting pregnant, but did not describe our options well.

Give yourself extra time to be at the office in case he runs late.l and don’t be afraid to interrupt him to ask questions.

I was switched to letrozole as a result of negative side effects from clomid. He then encouraged us to do IUI with ovidrel to trigger ovulation to time the insemination to increase our chances since my cycles are so inconsistent and at times I have anovatory cycles.

60 minute consultation was covered by our insurance at 50% and cost $170 for us. Ultrasounds were also covered at 50% cost and were $117. IUI was covered st 50% and cost $172.

Overall, Dr. Ikhena-Abel is an excellent doctor. She responds quickly to my questions and is caring about my situation. There have been a few times where she references discussing something in my initial appointment that I don't remember talking about but it was a lot of information in a short amount of time. I was diagnosed with PCOS during my first ultrasound and I wish I could have talked to her more about the implications. It took a while, and a lot of research on my part, to understand what PCOS and anovulation meant for my fertility journey. I appreciate that she and the nurse practitioners changed my protocol each time to try to have a better outcome and that she's been honest with me through each step of the process.

Take copious notes at your first consultation!

1st cycle: Femara 5 mg. days 3-7, IUI 1, failed 2nd cycle: Femara 7.5 mg. days 3-7, 2 days of Menopur ml. at the end of the cycle to try for more than one egg (cancelled) 3rd cycle: Femara 7.5 mg. days 2-6, Menopur 75 ml. days 3-10; IUI #2 with 3 eggs, failed 4th cycle: Femara 5 mg. days 2-6; Menopur 75 ml. days 3-13; IUI #3 with 1 maybe two eggs 5th cycle: Femara 7.5 mg. days 2-6; Menopur 150 ml days 3-4; Menopur 75 ml days 5-9; Menopur 37.5 ml day 10; IUI #4 pending

I have IUI fertility coverage so my generic medication was $7 and my non-generic was $25. My ultrasounds and IUIs are $20 per appointment. I did not pay anything for my HSG or blood tests.

Dr. Eways is very professional and personable. She takes the time to explain everything in detail. I did not feel like she was rushing me out to get to her next appointment. I have my first fresh cycle IVF planned for next month. She did a hysteroscopy to remove a polyp 2 months ago, which went smoothly. She made me feel safe and taken care of. Great bedside manner. My only criticism is that I had a phone appointment schedule with her once and she called me 40 minutes after our scheduled time. In her message, she stated that she usually calls within 2 hours of the scheduled time. Nobody in her office told me there was a timeframe, so I was unable to take the call. We were able to connect later that day, however.

She is great, but her schedule is packed and you have to wait several months for treatments.

I have not yet started my treatment protocol yet. No results yet.

About $500 for HSG, about $1000 for Hysteroscopy, $13,200 to book fresh cycle IVF

She mentioned that she prefers eSET, since there is higher risk for complication throughout the pregnancy with multiples.

I think IVF doctors forget that its hard for people going through infertility. Very emotional experience and a very pricy one. I did 3 rounds of IUI before meeting Dr Harris. When I did finally meet him I didn't feel like my meds were strong enough so in return my body didn't produce follicles

Ask questions, speak up, don't take no for answer, it's your body, your money and your future child, so don't be afraid to speak up on what you want to do or questions.

Menopure and Follistim

20,000

This is the one area I don't agree with Kaiser on. They don't allow you to put more than one embryo in AND they don't allow you to select the sex if you pay for genetic testing. I still struggle with both

I only saw him during my first visit at the initial REI consultation. I felt his communication style was a little awkward as he would throw in jokes that weren't exactly tactful, in short, his bedside manner was less than desirable. He wasn't rude or brash though. I just didn't particularly felt we clicked.

I would go with a different Dr. at the Kaiser REI.

The suggested treatment plan was to do three cycles of Chlomid, then two to three cycles of IUI. However, after the first cycle failing, I asked my nurse if I could go straight into IUI. She said yes, which led me to question why I wasn't initially given this option. She just said that based on my age, the Dr. didn't see a need for me to do IUI right away. However, I'm glad I proactively requested an adjustment to my treatment strategy or else I would have "wasted" more time.

So far I've spent about $1,500.

I have seen Dr. Harris for our initial consult and for my saline sonogram. At each of those appointments he answered all of my questions thoroughly. He was warm and kind. We have not started STIMming, but I have been informed that once that starts, I will see him for each appointment. He answers his emails promptly and gives me next steps and reassurance when needed.

Ask a lot of questions and have Dr. Harris explain what is happening and what is going to happen to your body. It will save you the research time later and he is thorough and easy to understand.

I did 3 rounds of Femara with Menopur injectables, along with HCG trigger shot and IUI. All 3 cycles resulted in negative pregnancy tests. One cycle was cancelled due to too many follicles and the staff feared that I would have OHSS.

$11, 500 for IVF $1900 for ICSI ~$4000 for medications ~$96 for ultrasounds (out of pocket cost) ~$136 for IUI (out of pocket cost)