It is obvious we were a more difficult case, and Dr. Styer took the time to review our case, consult other doctors at CCRM and give us several options on ways to proceed. It was not a "one size fits all" treatment protocol, it was truly individualized...was very warm and understanding. He was patient and answered all of our questions. He thinks outside the box and was willing to try things that other clinics would not. He is very intelligent and trustworthy, we couldn't have been happier under his care.
We only experienced an issue with billing one time [at CCRM Boston]. We chalked it up to the growing pains of a new clinic. They resolved it quickly for us and we haven't had any issues since...since we used a donor from CCRM's database, the cost was less than using another bank...is a fairly new facility (I think it opened in 2017). The office is beautiful, everything is modern and new. The areas where I had retrievals were state of the art, as well as their lab and other technology.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer was very warm and understanding. He was patient and answered all of our questions. He thinks outside the box and was willing to try things that other clinics would not. He is very intelligent and trustworthy, we couldn't have been happier under his care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Don't be afraid to ask questions, he is happy to answer all of them! He wants you to feel comfortable and educated on the treatment you are receiving.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
I felt like every member of the staff, including Dr. Styer was sensitive and caring. At previous clinics, we were given standard protocols without much thought. It is obvious we were a more difficult case, and Dr. Styer took the time to review our case, consult other doctors at CCRM and give us several options on ways to proceed. It was not a "one size fits all" treatment protocol, it was truly individualized.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
I have poor egg quality. Other clinics were pushing us towards donor eggs and I had read about other things to try before we pursued that route. We wanted to try everything we could using my own eggs and if it didn't work, we would move onto donor eggs, knowing we gave it our all. Dr. Styer did two cycles with my own eggs (we had done 4 at other clinics), trying things like HGH and clomid. We did get one beautiful looking embryo, however, it tested abnormal. After we accepted that IVF with my own eggs was not a possibility, we moved onto donor eggs and are so happy that we did.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CCRM Boston.
We truly love all the nurses and medical assistants at CCRM. Each person was so warm, caring, and helpful throughout this process. There were some very difficult times for us, and we felt fully supported and truly cared about by everyone there. We always had plenty of opportunity to sit with the nurses to review treatment, ask any questions. They always returned my phone calls promptly and I never felt rushed.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
CCRM Boston is a fairly new facility (I think it opened in 2017). The office is beautiful, everything is modern and new. The areas where I had retrievals were state of the art, as well as their lab and other technology.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
For cycles with my own eggs, we were covered by insurance. We paid out of pocket for donor eggs, but since we used a donor from CCRM's database, the cost was less than using another bank.
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
For our two donor egg transfers, we transferred one embryo each time. The first cycle we only had one embryo, so there was no need for a discussion. For our second transfer, we personally did not want to transfer more than one, so we were comfortable with his suggestion of a single embryo transfer.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Boston?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CCRM Boston.
We only experienced an issue with billing one time. We chalked it up to the growing pains of a new clinic. They resolved it quickly for us and we haven't had any issues since.
He [Dr. Aaron Styer] is very detailed and makes sure you leave every visit with no questions and in a good headspace. He truly cares about his patients and the end goal whether that is your own biological kid or not and has helped me view donor eggs as a good thing...Dr.Styer communicated that everything looked good for me to be able to carry a healthy pregnancy with donor eggs. We have not started treatment yet due to cost but once we can, we will be using Dr.Styer
[CCRM Boston] Strengths are they are very good about getting back to you and using the portal compared to other clinics I went to. They are not overalls friendly but they are not rude either at the front desk. The whole staff is very good though...They [nursing staff] were always ahead of me in scheduling appointments and next steps...We have not started treatment yet due to cost but once we can, we will be using Dr.Styer
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
He is very detailed and makes sure you leave every visit with no questions and in a good headspace. He truly cares about his patients and the end goal whether that is your own biological kid or not and has helped me view donor eggs as a good thing
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Make sure to ask questions if you need more explanation and always have an open mind. Dr.Styer was the second doctor I went to as the first had bad bedside manner. Even though Styer gave me the same medical advice, I felt much better in his care
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
He has great bedside manner and very compassionate. I was given the diagnosis of Premature Ovarian Insufficiency at a young age and the only treatment he recommended is donor egg IVF. He explained the diagnosis in terms I could understand and gave me a very detailed list of what to look for in donors and treated me with sympathy and hope for this cycle
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
He recommend egg donor IVF as my only option. I am in early menopause at the age of 30 with little TL no reason why. Dr.Styer communicated that everything looked good for me to be able to carry a healthy pregnancy with donor eggs. We have not started treatment yet due to cost but once we can, we will be using Dr.Styer
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CCRM Boston.
They were always ahead of me in scheduling appointments and next steps
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
Strengths are they are very good about getting back to you and using the portal compared to other clinics I went to. They are not overalls friendly but they are not rude either at the front desk.
The whole staff is very good though
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
The costs for diagnosing and consult are very reasonable is comparison. We had to use a third party social worker to do a meeting to approve us to use donor eggs mentally and that was around $400 I believe. My insurance covers the IVF process but the PGT testing was maybe $3,500 and then I have to work with donor egg agencies for that cost but typically $17,000-40,000 depending on fresh or frozen
I consulted Dr. Styer for recurrent pregnancy loss given he is an REI...He never once asked me what my questions were but proceeded to tell me that my recurrent pregnancy loss was going to become infertility...His behavior is rude, he doesn't listen, isn't compassionate. Is forceful about doing IVF. I felt like I was in a sales call more than seeing a highly specialized doctor...At one point I felt like disconnecting the video call but wanted to learn what I could from the call.
I don't have enough experience with them [CCRM Boston] clinic given I was only seem for a consult. It seemed appropriate given my limited interactions with the clinic and staff. I don't have input on this. They use an app that you have to download and send messages there...I can't imagine that someone could run a clinic with the way he [Dr. Aaron Styer] speaks to vulnerable patients. His behavior is rude, he doesn't listen, isn't compassionate. Is forceful about doing IVF. I felt like I was in a sales call more than seeing a highly specialized doctor.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
I can't imagine that someone could run a clinic with the way he speaks to vulnerable patients. His behavior is rude, he doesn't listen, isn't compassionate. Is forceful about doing IVF. I felt like I was in a sales call more than seeing a highly specialized doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
If it doesn't feel like a good fit or you are being heard, I would avoid him. I see that many people have had positive reviews and if you are one of the people being treated respectfully by him then it makes sense to choose him as a provider.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
I consulted Dr. Styer for recurrent pregnancy loss given he is an REI. As soon as the consult started he began by asking me about my my former fertility treatments though I had had them faxed to his office. When I told him I couldn't remember the name of the medications he started asking me whether it was the "pink one" or the "short one" and started writing it down despite my repeatedly saying I didn't know. He never once asked me what my questions were but proceeded to tell me that my recurrent pregnancy loss was going to become infertility and that the quality of my eggs were low because of my age (which every woman over 35 has heard this rant 1000 times). He wouldn't let me complete my sentences, cut me off, to essentially repeatedly tell me I had to do IVF. It seemed that even prior to our consult he was set on badgering me about doing IVF again though I was looking for input from him as an REI for RPL. At one point he said "ok let's set expectations here, what do you think is going on given your age and prior miscarriages." At one point I felt like disconnecting the video call but wanted to learn what I could from the call.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
I only had a consult with him
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
I don't have enough experience with the clinic given I was only seem for a consult. It seemed appropriate given my limited interactions with the clinic and staff. I don't have input on this. They use an app that you have to download and send messages there
Dr. Styer took me on as an advanced-age person who wanted to freeze eggs...After four rounds...he didn't think there was a good enough chance to go forward with any more IVF and we moved to donor eggs...was very clear, nice to speak with, personable...changed my protocol each time to try and increase its success
Working with [CCRM Boston] on billing and insurance authorizations was really atrocious. Things just didnt' get done, there was confusion...monitoring technicians were very efficient and good at their jobs...nursing team was responsive and predictable when you were in-cycle
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer took me on as an advanced-age person who wanted to freeze eggs when other clinics wouldn't work with someone my age (39). I felt like I got a lot of optimism out of that; after 2 paid-out-of pocket cycles, realism set in. A bit later when I was ready to use the eggs and pair it with fresh IVF cycles with a partner, Dr. S. then did 2 more cycles with me. In the end, everything failed. I have mixed feelings about the care, because of that. The egg retrievals didn't work very well even at the freezing stage (I got 3 and 2 eggs), but I got insurance to kick in for 2 more cycles so we went ahead and tried them. Oll that, we never made a euploid embryo. It leaves me wondering whether we ought to really have done all that, or ended earlier to avoid risks/suffering/disappointment. After four rounds, Dr. S told me that he didn't think there was a good enough chance to go forward with any more IVF and we moved to donor eggs. That part of the process was far smoother. Dr. Styer was very clear, nice to speak with, personable, and had a lot of expertise. At times, though, it felt hard to gauge whether he thought this would all actually work, vs him seeing insurance coverage and being willing to give things a try even if the odds were very low. All that said, I have recommended him to others. I really did like him and felt like he gave me good care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Try to push him for realistic odds of success to inform your decision making.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer and I went through it all -- egg freezing, IVF, uterine surgery, donor eggs, and in the end a (successful) transfer. I found him to be a great partner throughout, even though the 2.5 year journey was filled with disappointments until the end.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
He changed my protocol each time to try and increase its success, which I appreciated. Relative to some friends who've done IVF, I got the sense that I was on more medication than they tended to be. I don't know if that's good or bad, just an observation.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CCRM Boston.
The in person monitoring technicians were very efficient and good at their jobs. The nursing team was responsive and predictable when you were in-cycle. In addition, the nurse who handled egg donation logistics was wonderful.
I found them to be much hard to work with out-of-cycle during periods of planning or waiting. I never knew if my messages were received, the online portal is a mess in terms of finding information, things went unanswered, some responses that did come felt rushed. I felt like I had to hound them for things (and, not things that were me asking for extra, just the regular things to keep things moving along). You obviously have priority when you are in-cycle, which casts a negative tone on when you're out of cycle.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
Working with the clinic on billing and insurance authorizations was really atrocious. Things just didnt' get done, there was confusion, time ticked by. My friend and I would joke about how laughable the financial side was run.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
Egg freeze cycle ~$15K per cycle, all included. Egg freeze $1K per year but waived the first year. For me, the rest was covered by insurance.
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
We did SET (donor eggs) of one embryo, which we agreed on. We had one M and F of equal quality and they let us choose, although in the end, we let the choice be random.
I really liked Dr. Styer at first. He wasn’t the warmest doctor, but I appreciated his directness and I felt like I was in good hands. However, after my close to failed egg retrieval (where I believe the clinic triggered me too early) Dr Styer took no responsibility for the failure and suggested changes to my treatment that weren’t addressing the right issues. He also lacked empathy and compassion - while I realize doctors need to stay neutral and direct, at my post-egg retrieval regroup I was clearly devastated and shocked with results, and Dr Styer breezed over my feelings completely...
CCRM’s communication was terrible. I wouldn’t get a return call for over 24 hours for urgent matters, had to leave several messages to get a nurse to call me back, and really had to be aggressive to get anyone to care about my case. Also after being a patient for several months and going through my first failed egg retrieval, they tried to make me wait 3 weeks to have a regroup with Dr. Styer to discuss next steps when I was clearly devastated and panicked. I understand clinics have a lot of patients, but I felt like none of the nurses or doctors cared...
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
I really liked Dr. Styer at first. He wasn’t the warmest doctor, but I appreciated his directness and I felt like I was in good hands. However, after my close to failed egg retrieval (where I believe the clinic triggered me too early) Dr Styer took no responsibility for the failure and suggested changes to my treatment that weren’t addressing the right issues. He also lacked empathy and compassion - while I realize doctors need to stay neutral and direct, at my post-egg retrieval regroup I was clearly devastated and shocked with results, and Dr Styer breezed over my feelings completely.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Be prepared with your own research and treatment suggestions, and do not expect much compassion.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
CCRM’s communication was terrible. I wouldn’t get a return call for over 24 hours for urgent matters, had to leave several messages to get a nurse to call me back, and really had to be aggressive to get anyone to care about my case. Also after being a patient for several months and going through my first failed egg retrieval, they tried to make me wait 3 weeks to have a regroup with Dr. Styer to discuss next steps when I was clearly devastated and panicked. I understand clinics have a lot of patients, but I felt like none of the nurses or doctors cared.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
I have PCOS so I do not ovulate on my own. I started treatment with several cycles of letrozole and ovidrel trigger shot, 1 of which ended in a chemical pregnancy, and the others failed. I then moved onto IUI where I again took letrozole with trigger shot with the insemination, which also failed. I moved onto IVF priming with birth control pills. I started stims during the menopur shortage, so instead had to use low dose HCG. I did 2 injections of Gonal F, 1 of low dose HCG per day for the first 5 days, then reduced my Gonal F dose on day 6. I also started cetrotide on day 5. On day 6, I had 22 measurable follicles and several antral follicles. A few of these were above 18mm so CCRM told me to trigger on day 8 of stims, which I believe was too early. I did Lupron + HCG trigger shot for my trigger and started on cabergoline to help prevent OHSS. My retrieval was on day 10. Only 8 eggs were retrieved, 5 mature, 3 fertilized, 3 blasts and only 1 PGT normal. From seeing 22 measurable follicles on my final monitoring appointment to only getting 1 normal embryo, I was beyond shocked and devastated.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CCRM Boston.
All of the nurses were very friendly, but I don’t think I ever talked to the same nurse twice. This made it hard to feel like anyone was really tracking your case and caring for you consistently.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
The communication at CCRM is horrible. I had to call several times to get a call back on urgent matters, and really had to advocate for myself to get on the doctors schedule. Going through fertility treatment is stressful enough, so having the additional anxiety of the clinic not returning your calls and you missing important dates is an unnecessary burden.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at CCRM Boston.
Monitoring was very efficient and I was usually in and out within 20-30 minutes.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Boston?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to call with results
Failed to send your chart to another clinic
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CCRM Boston.
I had to call CCRM 2-3 times for each prescription they were supposed to call in for me. I’m not sure what the issue was, whether the nurses weren’t calling them in or there were system errors, but this happened every single month and it was incredibly stressful having to keep calling them and my pharmacy to see what was going on.
He [Dr. Styer] was always very rushed in our visits, seemed annoyed when we asked questions, and did not at all feel like a partner in this process. When our first protocol did not work he blamed it entirely on egg quality (saying "maybe your eggs are just worse than we thought") and he did not seem invested in finding another protocol that worked for us. We ultimately went back to our original doctor and were able to create a number of euploid embryos with a different protocol (and had a drastically better patient experience)....
CCRM Boston is an exceptionally poorly run clinic. I expected a smooth experience since it is a small, private clinic, but unfortunately it was not. It is nearly impossible to get in touch with someone at the front desk and the insurance team made multiple errors. It is very difficult to communicate with your doctor and even your nursing team is hard to reach when you aren't actively in a cycle. These issues caused so much more stress during an already very stressful process...
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer has excellent reviews, but my personal experience with him was very negative. He was always very rushed in our visits, seemed annoyed when we asked questions, and did not at all feel like a partner in this process. When our first protocol did not work he blamed it entirely on egg quality (saying "maybe your eggs are just worse than we thought") and he did not seem invested in finding another protocol that worked for us. We ultimately went back to our original doctor and were able to create a number of euploid embryos with a different protocol (and had a drastically better patient experience).
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
I would recommend that they look elsewhere despite the fact that he's well known.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
My treatment plan was not at all personalized to me and I felt when it failed he was not thoughtful or creative about changing it. I also felt very rushed in every visit and it felt like he did not care about me as a person.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
First round: lupron flare with estrogen priming, no blastocysts. Second round: antagonist protocol with estrogen priming and clomid, one aneuploid day 6 embryo.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CCRM Boston.
The nursing staff was fine when you were in cycle. He has a few different nurses so you hear from different people.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
CCRM Boston is an exceptionally poorly run clinic. I expected a smooth experience since it is a small, private clinic, but unfortunately it was not. It is nearly impossible to get in touch with someone at the front desk and the insurance team made multiple errors. It is very difficult to communicate with your doctor and even your nursing team is hard to reach when you aren't actively in a cycle. These issues caused so much more stress during an already very stressful process.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
Insurance covered most everything, not calcium ionophore or PGT-A testing.
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
His [Dr. Styer's] bedside manner is outstanding...From the first consultation to prepping for the retrieval and transfer I knew what our next steps were...Everything was explained and he was always willing to answer any questions I had...antagonist protocol with estrogen priming since I’m a little older. For my transfer prep, I was on Lupron and estrogen. I had a thin lining so he would tweak my dosages...
They [nurses at CCRM Boston] always returned my calls, and would answer my portal messages usually same day. They always called me when they were supposed to with med instructions and got me refills quickly when I needed...I do suggest that you do your own research on what your insurance will and will not cover. They’ll certainly go over it with you, but I did my own research on my own insurance and I had zero surprises or issues when the time came....
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
From the first consultation to prepping for the retrieval and transfer I knew what our next steps were. Going through IVF always requires a bit of research on your own, but I was willing to just put it all in his hands and see what happened. I figured he certainly knew what he was doing, and I’m glad I just went with his plans for treatment. Everything was explained and he was always willing to answer any questions I had. I trusted him, and it all worked out. We’d had a few miscarriages before trying IVF, and he was always up front about statistics etc.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Trust him, do your research, but realize he knows what he’s doing. If what you’re doing isn’t working, he’ll switch it up.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
His bedside manner is outstanding. He’d ask about your life outside of just trying to conceive, and it was always such a pleasant conversation with him.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
I was on an antagonist protocol with estrogen priming since I’m a little older. For my transfer prep, I was on Lupron and estrogen. I had a thin lining so he would tweak my dosages and how I could took the meds and he got it to where it needed to be.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CCRM Boston.
They always returned my calls, and would answer my portal messages usually same day. They always called me when they were supposed to with med instructions and got me refills quickly when I needed. I never had any issues with the nursing staff. And everyone was so nice when you’d go in for monitoring.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
I’ve seen people complain about insurance approvals and wait time on social media. I never had any issues with it. Things were put in for approval promptly. I do suggest that you do your own research on what your insurance will and will not cover. They’ll certainly go over it with you, but I did my own research on my own insurance and I had zero surprises or issues when the time came.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
Insurance covered everything except PGT testing. We paid 4K for that out of pocket
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
There was never a question that we were going to transfer more than one embryo at a time.
During our initial consult, he [Dr. Styer] laid out everything out from our medical history and then described how he would proceed. He was extremely clear and had a meticulous plan laid out and left us with very minimal questions. We are male factor, and our first retrieval ended up with 19 retrieved eggs and down to 2 embryos and 1 CCS normal. Our original plan was to do a frozen transfer, however, during our regroup he extended the offer of doing another retrieval to embryo bank (since our insurance approved)
[at CCRM Boston] Communication is a challenge but once you are in a cycle they are incredible. Stick with them though, they are 100% worth it. Their lab produced much better results for us. I cried when I found out we had quality embryos, I thought this was impossible for us. I have personally met with all 3 doctors for various procedures and they are all incredible and knowledgeable. They have a way of giving you the facts but with a warm and caring bedside manner which is huge during this vulnerable time.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
From the moment my husband and I consulted Dr. Styer, we knew we would be in the right hands. During our initial consult, he laid out everything out from our medical history and then described how he would proceed. He was extremely clear and had a meticulous plan laid out and left us with very minimal questions. We are male factor, and our first retrieval ended up with 19 retrieved eggs and down to 2 embryos and 1 CCS normal. Our original plan was to do a frozen transfer, however, during our regroup he extended the offer of doing another retrieval to embryo bank (since our insurance approved). He went over everything with us and answered our questions. Ultimately, we decided to do another retrieval cycle which we got 26 eggs retrieved and ended up with 3 more CCS normals! He essentially told us that because the sperm is our major issue, it's a "numbers game" and his plan to stim me a little higher to get more embryos worked. Of note, at my prior clinic we ended up with 3 poor quality blasts (BC/CB grades) which ended in a miscarriage and a biochemical loss. At CCRM we have MUCH better grades (ABx2, BA, BB) I recently had an embryo transfer and just graduated the clinic. My husband and I wish we could take Dr. Styer with us as our OB. A girl can dream.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Set up a consult! I wish we had skipped our first clinic and started with him!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer always made sure my questions were answered and remembered details of my personal medical history. He called me on his weekend off to congratulate me on a positive pregnancy test! The personal touches and attention he gave throughout my treatment made this experience so much easier than when I did this at a different clinic.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
Cycle 1: Antagonist protocol: OCP x 21 days, FSH 150 IU hMG 150 IU, dexamethasone, Lupron + hCG co trigger, Ca ionophore, ICSI
Cycle 2: Antagonist protocol: OCP x14 days, FSH 225 hMG 150, dexamethasone, Lupron + hcg co trigger, calcium ionophore, ICSI
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CCRM Boston.
Connecting with nurses when not in an active cycle and/or when not physically in the clinic was challenging. There were definitely occasions where I wouldn't get a response for multiple days. When I was in cycle/ the physical clinic, however,\ everyone was incredible and so compassionate! Shout out to the PACU girls- Julia, Helena, Jeanne, Sarah- they all made the experience SO enjoyable!
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
Communication is a challenge but once you are in a cycle they are incredible. Stick with them though, they are 100% worth it. Their lab produced much better results for us. I cried when I found out we had quality embryos, I thought this was impossible for us. I have personally met with all 3 doctors for various procedures and they are all incredible and knowledgeable. They have a way of giving you the facts but with a warm and caring bedside manner which is huge during this vulnerable time.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
We were fortunate to have insurance cover the majority of costs. We added in calcium ionophore to help with fertilization which was $500 per cycle. We opted to do genetic testing which was about $3500 per cycle.
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
Given my age, embryo quality and CCS normal, single embryo transfer was performed
Dr. Styer always remembers who I am, information about my specific case, and is truly invested in my success...He was able to problem-solve why my first IVF was unsuccessful and how he would alter my treatment plan. Between two retrievals, I ended up with five ccs normal embryos. I had multiple failed transfers but Dr. Styer changed something each time and I felt that he was genuinely invested in my success. He ended up mimicking my IUI cycle where I conceived my son and I recently was able to graduate from the clinic. Dr. Styer is the RE to see in the Boston area. He’s incredibly caring but also informative and open to questions about treatment. He never once suggested donor eggs or surrogacy and made it clear to me that we would find a way to get me pregnant. I can’t thank him enough for not giving up on me.
The clinic [CCRM Boston] prefers single transfers, which we were in agreement with...The strengths of this clinic are the doctors, the embryologists, and some of the nurses. I would say the weakness is communication with the nurses who will coordinate your care. I never felt like I connected to any of them in my 1.5 years at the clinic and none of them remembered my case. I think it would be beneficial for nurses to be assigned specific patients.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
I initially saw Dr. Styer in 2015 when he was at MGH and was able to have a son while under his care. I returned to MGH in 2018 but did not have a good experience and decided to follow Dr. Styer to CCRM even though it was a significant commute. He was able to problem-solve why my first IVF was unsuccessful and how he would alter my treatment plan. Between two retrievals, I ended up with five ccs normal embryos. I had multiple failed transfers but Dr. Styer changed something each time and I felt that he was genuinely invested in my success. He ended up mimicking my IUI cycle where I conceived my son and I recently was able to graduate from the clinic.
Dr. Styer is the RE to see in the Boston area. He’s incredibly caring but also informative and open to questions about treatment. He never once suggested donor eggs or surrogacy and made it clear to me that we would find a way to get me pregnant. I can’t thank him enough for not giving up on me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Just set up a meeting and connect with him. He’s incredibly informative and willing to work your case.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer always remembers who I am, information about my specific case, and is truly invested in my success.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
Two antagonist protocols and added HGH to second retrieval cycle. Also added letrozole to increase second wave of eggs.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CCRM Boston.
Sara and Imane are fantastic. They’re the ones you have contact with at each visit (in the ultrasound room and phlebotomy). They were my personal cheerleaders and I felt that they were invested in me and my success.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
The strengths of this clinic are the doctors, the embryologists, and some of the nurses. I would say the weakness is communication with the nurses who will coordinate your care. I never felt like I connected to any of them in my 1.5 years at the clinic and none of them remembered my case. I think it would be beneficial for nurses to be assigned specific patients.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
Insurance covered everything but ccs testing.
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
The clinic prefers single transfers, which we were in agreement with.
Dr. Styer has excellent bedside manner. He has always taken the time to address each of our concerns, and makes himself available for follow up questions/concerns after our meetings. He has always acknowledged and empathized with our disappointment with our outcomes and is honest with us about what is going on and what options we have as we move forward...He continually checks in to make sure we are comfortable with our plan and communicates if there are changes during the cycle.
In general, very good communication. You can always get a live person during business hours to help navigate your needs. Front desk and nurses [at CCRM Boston] did their best to be accomodating during morning monitoring and time sensitive procedures/appointments. I liked that morning monitoring were by appointment, not walk in... Produced 6 eggs, 4 embryos, then 2 poor quality day 7 blasts that they did not biopsy
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
While we are obviously devastated at the outcome of our cycles, we have been very happy with Dr. Styer. We have seen many fertility doctors along our journey, and we have found him to be one of the most communicative, compassionate, and honest. We trust his judgement and also appreciate that we are part of the decision making of our treatment plan. He continually checks in to make sure we are comfortable with our plan and communicates if there are changes during the cycle.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Do not be afraid to ask questions and have your concerns addressed. Dr. Styer will work hard to make sure you are comfortable with the treatment plan and takes your concerns/personal and medical situations into account.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer has excellent bedside manner. He has always taken the time to address each of our concerns, and makes himself available for follow up questions/concerns after our meetings. He has always acknowledged and empathized with our disappointment with our outcomes and is honest with us about what is going on and what options we have as we move forward.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
We had 2 cycles. First cycle, I was primed with estrogen patch, then took omnitrope for egg quality. Then I took high dose gonal f and menopur for about 11 days, with cetrotide to inhibit ovulation. Had HCG (10K units and lupron co-trigger. Produced 6 eggs, 4 embryos, then 2 poor quality day 7 blasts that they did not biopsy (said too poor quality).
Second cycle: primed with estradiol PO, took omnitrope for longer time, lupron. Then again, high dose gonal-f and menopur. HCG trigger-10K units. Retrieved 6 eggs, 2 fertlized, no blasts.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Boston.
The nursing staff was much better than any other nursing staff I have worked with through my infertility journey. I had 1 or 2 primary nurses (Jen and Renee), but also others I spoke to. Their communication with me has been excellent.
They returned my calls always the same day, and almost always within a couple hours. I felt like they were invested in my journey, and I felt very comfortable asking them questions. It meant a lot to me when one of them expressed her condolences after my second cycle did not produce any blasts again.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
In general, very good communication. You can always get a live person during business hours to help navigate your needs. Front desk and nurses did their best to be accomodating during morning monitoring and time sensitive procedures/appointments. I liked that morning monitoring were by appointment, not walk in.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
on top of usual IVF and medication costs, I also had to pay extra for services that had no insurance coverage, such as omnitrope (very expensive) and calcium ionophore to activate my eggs.
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
Sadly, I did not get to embryo transfer because I never made any blasts for transfer.
Dr. Styer was very upfront with me that he would only transfer one embryo at a time, and he went over the rationale and potential complications...conveyed genuine warmth and care for me the entire time. He explained things clearly and answered my many questions very patiently. He has a great sense of humor, often laughing with me at my nervous jokes and stories. He called me personally with the news of the positive pregnancy test, and we hugged when the first ultrasound showed a strong heartbeat.
Overall, the nurses [at CCRM Boston] were really kind, knowledgeable, and helpful. I broke down at two different points with two different nurses (one might have been a tech) and they were SO nice to me. It was really sweet. The only tiny thing is that I wish I would have had only one or two main point people rather than a handful. That said, it's not like there were dozens of people that i had to interact with - it still felt very much like a family business.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
I have only positive things to say about Dr. Styer and my experience being his patient. I really couldn't have asked for a better doctor and would absolutely go back to him again if need be.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Try to relax because you are in good hands.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer conveyed genuine warmth and care for me the entire time. He explained things clearly and answered my many questions very patiently. He has a great sense of humor, often laughing with me at my nervous jokes and stories. He called me personally with the news of the positive pregnancy test, and we hugged when the first ultrasound showed a strong heartbeat.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
Because of my age and number of miscarriages, we went right to IVF after doing many tests. There was nothing to indicate why I was miscarrying other than my age. I did the work up, then the egg retrieval and genetic testing, then the transfer about a month later.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CCRM Boston.
Overall, the nurses were really kind, knowledgeable, and helpful. I broke down at two different points with two different nurses (one might have been a tech) and they were SO nice to me. It was really sweet. The only tiny thing is that I wish I would have had only one or two main point people rather than a handful. That said, it's not like there were dozens of people that i had to interact with - it still felt very much like a family business.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
The clinic is easy to get to and has free parking, which is great considering how many times you have to be there. The waiting area, patient rooms, and consult rooms are clean and modern. The receptionists are friendly and helpful.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at CCRM Boston.
I never had a problem scheduling appointments and I very rarely had to wait.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
about 6K
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
Dr. Styer was very upfront with me that he would only transfer one embryo at a time, and he went over the rationale and potential complications. I was very relieved, actually, to not have to make the choice.
Felt accurately educated [by Dr. Styer] on the pros and cons [of Eset]. No real concern...Very personable, explains treatments and outcomes. After the failed transfer instead of just pushing through for the next cycle, he sat down with us in person... seems to genuinely care about his patients. He is pretty good at explaining the process, the next steps and what to expect during treatment. The only thing I found concerning was the push for genetic testing. I felt like it was presented more for their benefit than for ours, but it could just biases.
had to call the on-call nurse [at CCRM Boston] to get test results - this was a pretty big deal, and wish they'd just have called right away instead of making us wait until late in the evening...They are pushy about doing that genetic testing, and don't offer any sort of financial assistance...Compared to other places, the staff seems great and compassionate. I have no real complaints. I've had other clinics that don't return calls or speak back to you in a condescending tone. CCRM is nothing like that; they are all great people, understanding and helpful. I've had a good experience with them, and would recommend them to anyone who is going through this.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Personable Doctor who seems to genuinely care about his patients. He is pretty good at explaining the process, the next steps and what to expect during treatment.
The only thing I found concerning was the push for genetic testing. I felt like it was presented more for their benefit than for ours, but it could just biases.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Discuss if genetic testing is the best way to accomplish the end goal in detail with him. We felt like if you had a large quantity of eggs, it would be a no brainer, but otherwise it's a gamble.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Very personable, explains treatments and outcomes. After the failed transfer instead of just pushing through for the next cycle, he sat down with us in person.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
We had a fairly standard protocol from what we could gather. We had extra vials at the end of the retrieval, because one vial was go for a few days.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Boston.
The staff have all been genuinely great, compassionate and helpful even when calling off-hours with questions.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
Compared to other places, the staff seems great and compassionate. I have no real complaints. I've had other clinics that don't return calls or speak back to you in a condescending tone.
CCRM is nothing like that; they are all great people, understanding and helpful. I've had a good experience with them, and would recommend them to anyone who is going through this.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
In MA the costs are covered by insurance, but we had co-pays for visits and medications. The only thing not covered by insurance is the genetic testing at 3K per test. They are pushy about doing that genetic testing, and don't offer any sort of financial assistance. A 28% APR loan is NOT financial aid, it's highway robbery.
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
Felt accurately educated on the pros and cons. No real concern.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Boston?
Lost paperwork
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CCRM Boston.
Had a minor frustration with paperwork once. It was not the end of the world, but just slightly annoying once. We also had to call the on-call nurse to get test results - this was a pretty big deal, and wish they'd just have called right away instead of making us wait until late in the evening.
Dr Styer takes the time to discuss my progress with me at each appointment. He also took his time with explaining our results from our previous clinic and all of the testing we had done. He answers all of our questions thoughtfully and thoroughly. He speaks compassionately to us and makes us feel like we are important.... I had gone through a Lupron Flare and one other protocol at another clinic and I hadn’t produced any eggs (low AMH). By the time we got to CCRM, we were ready to move to donor eggs when it was suggested by Dr Styer.
This clinic [CCRM Boston] is new and beautiful. You feel welcome as soon as you walk in. It is smaller than some other clinics so you feel like a person and not a number. Sometimes the appointments can run late but the trade off of being at a smaller clinic where the nurses are available to answer your questions in person is worth it.... The nursing staff is always available to answer questions. They are kind and compassionate and they don’t make you feel crazy for asking any sorts of questions.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
By the time we met with Dr Styer, we had gone through two unsuccessful IVF cycles at another clinic and a consult at a second clinic. As soon as we met Dr Styer, we knew we would be staying with CCRM. He was realistic with us about expectations and our course of treatment, but also compassionate to our situation. He is easy to talk to and answers questions thoughtfully. When we had some minor scheduling and communication issues with other professionals at CCRM, he was quick to resolve them.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Make your appointment with him ASAP
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr Styer takes the time to discuss my progress with me at each appointment. He also took his time with explaining our results from our previous clinic and all of the testing we had done. He answers all of our questions thoughtfully and thoroughly. He speaks compassionately to us and makes us feel like we are important.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
I had gone through a Lupron Flare and one other protocol at another clinic and I hadn’t produced any eggs (low AMH). By the time we got to CCRM, we were ready to move to donor eggs when it was suggested by Dr Styer. We are in the middle of a donor egg cycle now. I completed a mock cycle last month with good results. This involved Lupron, Progesterone, Crinone, Ultrasounds and an Endometrial Biopsy. All procedures are performed by Dr Styer so we could discuss the results immediately.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Boston. (Assigned nurse: Julie Gold)
The nursing staff is always available to answer questions. They are kind and compassionate and they don’t make you feel crazy for asking any sorts of questions.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
This clinic is new and beautiful. You feel welcome as soon as you walk in. It is smaller than some other clinics so you feel like a person and not a number. Sometimes the appointments can run late but the trade off of being at a smaller clinic where the nurses are available to answer your questions in person is worth it.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
We are in a donor egg cycle, so with insurance covering some of the costs we have to pay about 25,000. This includes payments to the donor egg clinic.
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
He strongly suggested (in fact it felt like the only option) doing a single embryo transfer. He said the odds were not any better for us if we were to do a multiple embryo transfer.
Dr. Styer was always enthusiastic and positive when we were having a bad day or days. He went out of his way to make us feel comfortable by explaining everything in detail and even went as far as drawing things out for us as well. We felt very empowered by him to dive into this journey without fear and without and any regrets.... Dr. Styer made a point to really ask us as "humans" how we were doing emotionally and how he could help us. We were so touch ed and impressed.
The clinic [CCRM Boston] is beautiful! Everything from the calmness of the receptionist to the nurses and the cleanliness of the facility was so refreshing. They got me into treatment in a smooth manner and I did not feel rushed!... It was great because they scheduled me to see Dr. Styer most time. I also saw his partner a few times as well and she was great too! Since the docs to the ultrasound, they give you feedback immediately.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer was always enthusiastic and positive when we were having a bad day or days. He went out of his way to make us feel comfortable by explaining everything in detail and even went as far as drawing things out for us as well. We felt very empowered by him to dive into this journey without fear and without and any regrets.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
I would say that you can feel that he always has your best interests as his priority and will do all he can to make sure you have the best success.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
After reviewing my history and prior treatments, Dr. Styer stopped to ask me and my husband how we were feeling about everything. In the other I was at before Dr. Styer, there was big rush to get to treatment and no one every asked about how we were coping with all of the stress of not getting pregnant. Dr. Styer made a point to really ask us as "humans" how we were doing emotionally and how he could help us. We were so touch ed and impressed.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
Cetrotide, Gonal F, Menopur, genetic testing of embryos and frozen thaw transfer of normal embryo
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CCRM Boston.
The nurses always spent so much time with me to ensure that I understood everything and that we knew what we were doing. Their care was so much better than the clinic I was at before them. They really showed that they cared!
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
First off. The clinic is beautiful! Everything from the calmness of the receptionist to the nurses and the cleanliness of the facility was so refreshing. They got me into treatment in a smooth manner and I did not feel rushed! I have to say that my experience was so very memorable
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at CCRM Boston.
It was great because they scheduled me to see Dr. Styer most time. I also saw his partner a few times as well and she was great too! Since the docs to the ultrasound, they give you feedback immediately. It is very nice!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
All was covered
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
He advised that single transfer is as effective as two and is safer in certain patients. And he was right!
Dr. Styer and his staff were so very responsive to our phone calls and to our portal messages and they really showed us a "world class" experience and were so sensitive to us and really go us to pregnancy quickly...made a point of trying to do all of my procedures and ultrasound and really personalized my experience. We were so happy with our experience and felt like he and his staff really cared about us.
The nurses [at CCRM Boston] provided prompt responsiveness and incredible compassion to me at all times. I really felt like I was very capable and caring hands at all times...The clinic was very efficient and they really made my visits convenient for me. I am in the customer service industry and their customer service was top notch. They made feel like they really cared about us and put our care as their top priority
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer and his staff were so very responsive to our phone calls and to our portal messages and they really showed us a "world class" experience and were so sensitive to us and really go us to pregnancy quickly.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
I would just say that you can feel empowered to ask him and his staff questions. They are great about answering all of your questions and making you feel listened to. They really care!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Firstly, Dr. Styer really focused on asking me everything about my history and really focused the questions and concerns that my husband and I had about infertility and the treatments. He also made a point of trying to do all of my procedures and ultrasound and really personalized my experience. We were so happy with our experience and felt like he and his staff really cared about us.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
Gonal F, Menopur, Cetrotide
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Boston.
The nurses provided prompt responsiveness and incredible compassion to me at all times. I really felt like I was very capable and caring hands at all times.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
The clinic was very efficient and they really made my visits convenient for me. I am in the customer service industry and their customer service was top notch. They made feel like they really cared about us and put our care as their top priority
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at CCRM Boston.
It was great experience. I got to see Dr. Styer at each visit and go feedback from him and the nursing team then.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
all covered by insurance
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
Yes, he was a big advocate for single embryo testing. We did genetic testing on embryos and we transferred one normal one to reduce risk of twins for my safety
Dr. Styer takes his time with you, knows your history, and conveys compassion and empathy.... Dr. Styer is an exceptional physician. I just completed a retrieval and learned there are no eggs to send off to test. Despite this, I believe there is no other doctor I would want to treat me. There is no doubt in my mind that he is doing everything he can to help me have a baby. He is encouraging, thorough, treats you as a partner, and thinks critically at every turn how he may adjust for a better outcome. His communication skills are spot on.
Appointments are on time, the facility is easy to get to, ample parking, and the clinic itself [CCRM Boston] is immaculate. It feels very cutting edge. The reception staff are kind and helpful and the billing/insurance person is also eager to assist in any way possible. Liz does a great job of explaining benefits and options. She goes above and beyond in using her familiarity with the insurance billing process to help you resolve any issues.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer is an exceptional physician. I just completed a retrieval and learned there are no eggs to send off to test. Despite this, I believe there is no other doctor I would want to treat me. There is no doubt in my mind that he is doing everything he can to help me have a baby. He is encouraging, thorough, treats you as a partner, and thinks critically at every turn how he may adjust for a better outcome. His communication skills are spot on. I can also tell he is skilled at reading people. He knew just when he might offer a little more detail or assurance. He is warm, friendly, and understanding. He makes you feel like he’s truly rooting for you. Trying to conceive has been a long and difficult journey. If we try another cycle and it doesn’t work, I will know I received the best treatment possible, without a doubt.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Don’t hesitate. You’d be in great hands.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer takes his time with you, knows your history, and conveys compassion and empathy.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
Agonist protocol (estrace, clomid, hgh, gonal f 300, menapur 150, cetrotide, double trigger (lupron and novarel)
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at CCRM Boston.
All of the nurses I interacted with were friendly, kind, and compassionate.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
The clinic is CCRM Boston (not MGH)
Appointments are on time, the facility is easy to get to, ample parking, and the clinic itself is immaculate. It feels very cutting edge. The reception staff are kind and helpful and the billing/insurance person is also eager to assist in any way possible. Liz does a great job of explaining benefits and options. She goes above and beyond in using her familiarity with the insurance billing process to help you resolve any issues.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
We have some insurance to help with the cost but it’s minimal. We paid out of pocket for all meds and any pgs/ccs testing we would have done
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
From our first meeting with him [Dr. Styer], he explained things in a simple way and laid out our options. There was no pressure to move forward, but when we did, Dr. Styer was at every appointment...even called me on a Saturday night to change a dosage after he reviewed my blood work. He has a wonderful bedside manner...was smart and friendly...We never felt like a number. He was confident that we could get pregnant but was also honest in regards to what it might take. I felt like the care I was getting was absolutely individual to me.
Strengths [at CCRM Boston] - you see the doctor for every appointment, it's small and personal, little wait time, modern/new/clean office space, trustworthy team...Cons - the location can be tricky to get to coming from the suburbs but better than Boston; I wish I could have emailed the doctor directly through the portal instead of the nurses...nurses were always so helpful...Karen was great at overall explanation and communication. The nurses seemed quite busy but were willing to stop and answer questions. I frequently used voicemail to ask a question and would get a call back fairly quickly.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer was smart and friendly. He explained things clearly and with compassion. We never felt like a number. He was confident that we could get pregnant but was also honest in regards to what it might take. I felt like the care I was getting was absolutely individual to me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Don't be afraid to ask questions in your consultation or via follow-up. Dr. Styer is happy to take questions via phone or you can use the portal. Ask whatever you need to be comfortable.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
From our first meeting with him, he explained things in a simple way and laid out our options. There was no pressure to move forward, but when we did, Dr. Styer was at every appointment and the nurses were always so helpful. Dr. Styer even called me on a Saturday night to change a dosage after he reviewed my blood work. He has a wonderful bedside manner.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Boston. (Assigned nurse: Karen)
Karen was great at overall explanation and communication. The nurses seemed quite busy but were willing to stop and answer questions. I frequently used voicemail to ask a question and would get a call back fairly quickly.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
Strengths - you see the doctor for every appointment, it's small and personal, little wait time, modern/new/clean office space, trustworthy team
Cons - the location can be tricky to get to coming from the suburbs but better than Boston; I wish I could have emailed the doctor directly through the portal instead of the nurses but I understand why.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
Paid out of pocket for CCS
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
eSET
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Boston?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CCRM Boston.
I had to call to get my pregnancy test result. I waited all day for a call and then I called for the results and Dr. Styer called me back instead of the nurse. Waiting for a call back (or having to follow up) was not typical experience - they were normally on top of everything.
Dr. Styer showed compassion and knew who I was at each visit. He had honest conversations with us, providing pros and cons for each treatment/procedure/option without swaying us in a specific direction, gave us the time to ask all of our questions and talked to us in a manner that we could fully understand. Dr. Styer as of date has completed all of my ivf cycle ultrasounds, the pre ivf procedures and egg retrieval procedure with the exception of two weekend visits that I saw another doctor.
Everyone [CCRM Boston] has been very caring, kind, compassionate and attentive during each visit. The primary receptionist is always very kind and helpful, however I have called a few times and the phone has been answered by someone else and I did feel as though they were a little short with me on the phone. The case manager who deals with the insurance portion of things has also been very great and made multiple phone calls to ensure my insurance coverage.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer showed compassion and knew who I was at each visit. He had honest conversations with us, providing pros and cons for each treatment/procedure/option without swaying us in a specific direction, gave us the time to ask all of our questions and talked to us in a manner that we could fully understand. Dr. Styer as of date has completed all of my ivf cycle ultrasounds, the pre ivf procedures and egg retrieval procedure with the exception of two weekend visits that I saw another doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Take the time to ask all questions and voice all concerns, Dr. Styer will take the time with you without making you feel rushed in any way.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer, the nurse and the rest of the staff showed compassion for my individual case and struggles. I felt like they all truly cared about me and our outcomes.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
Ivf fresh cycle - gonal-f, menopur, cetrotide, pregnyl trigger shot, Lupron trigger, cabergoline. - 12 eggs, 6 fertilized, 4 embryos at day 7.
Day 7 embryo biopsy for comprehensive chromosome screening (due to 3 failed fresh cycles and 1 frozen cycle resulting in 1 chemical pregnancy and 1 miscarriage )
CCS result- all four embryos with normal chromosome.
Plan for two embryo frozen transfer. Currently completing Lupron injections started at 10 and now at 5 units and estrogen patches, started at 1 and now at 3. Plan for IM progesterone and endometrin progresterone prior to frozen transfer which is scheduled in 15 days
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Boston. (Assigned nurse: Karen Londergan )
Karen has been my primary nurse and has been absolutely amazing and has gone above and beyond for my specific case
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
Everyone has been very caring, kind, compassionate and attentive during each visit.
The primary receptionist is always very kind and helpful, however I have called a few times and the phone has been answered by someone else and I did feel as though they were a little short with me on the phone.
The case manager who deals with the insurance portion of things has also been very great and made multiple phone calls to ensure my insurance coverage. She did go on vacation at one point and it did not seem like there was adequate coverage for her and my case got stuck in limbo until she returned which was frustrating.
The girls in the lab are great at what they do and very nice.
Embryologist called and provided information in a timely manner and answered questions
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
My cycle is covered under insurance with 80%co pay. We have paid ~$400 so far for appointments. Do to copay majority of my fresh cycle medications were out of pocket ~$2,500. CCS testing and freezing the embryos were not covered by insurance and the out of pocket cost ~$5,000.
To complete the actual transfer from the frozen embryos ends up being another cycle and with my insurance it makes more sense to pay out of pocket ~$5,500 and the cost of meds that are covered by insurance were ~$400 copay
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Boston.
Due to our history Dr. Styer provides pros and cons of single vs multiple embryos transfer without swaying us in one way or another. We have decided to complete a two embryo transfer
Aaron is very warm, hopeful, straightforward about diagnosis/options and clear about expectations. He is completely focused on the patient and is happy to either sit and answer questions/talk through things or get started with the treatment plan....He is an ideal choice for MD. He is kind, warm, patient, willing to sit and talk through options. He is super straightforward and clear with facts and comprehensive in the workup he prescribes to get a full picture of a couple's fertility.
Because the clinic is through MGH and they have such a high volume of patients, wait times can be brutal, but they do try to move along as fast as they can to get you in for your appointment....The nursing staff was kind. During my first two rounds of treatment that did not result in pregnancy, they acknowledged the disappointment and encouraged moving forward with another month...One day, when the wait was egregiously long, they gave out free parking stickers (a little treat in a place like Boston, ha!) and free coffee gift cards for the hospital cafeterias.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
He is an ideal choice for MD. He is kind, warm, patient, willing to sit and talk through options. He is super straightforward and clear with facts and comprehensive in the workup he prescribes to get a full picture of a couple's fertility. We never felt rushed with Aaron, but we were eager to move forward with a treatment plan and he was happy to oblige. He was hopeful and positive and even encouraging when I became pregnant and didn't want to get my hopes up. I would recommend him to anyone--he was really wonderful.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
Feel free to be honest with him about your hopes and expectations. Because he is very straightforward and thorough in his explanations he will help to adjust expectations if necessary (I was not optimistic, and he encouraged my optimism) and fully explain the results of a workup to back up his opinions about treatment plans.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
Aaron is very warm, hopeful, straightforward about diagnosis/options and clear about expectations. He is completely focused on the patient and is happy to either sit and answer questions/talk through things or get started with the treatment plan.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at Massachusetts General Hospital and their degree of success.
I have PCOS, but I ovulate regularly. When my husband and I wanted to try to conceive, knowing I had the PCOS diagnosis, I proactively went to Aaron Styer for a workup as soon as I had my IUD removed. Aaron offered to let my husband and I try to conceive naturally for a while, but mentioned that we might derive some benefit from the use of Clomid (to help guarantee well matured eggs and time ovulation) and a trigger shot to help with timing. We were eager to conceive, so we wanted to start with that. He said that we would try that protocol for 6 months. Before the third cycle of Clomid and the trigger shot, I mentioned that my luteal phases seemed short (~10 days), so he suggested trying progesterone vaginal inserts which I would use every night after ovulation was confirmed 2-3 days after the trigger shot. On our third cycle of Clomid + trigger shot and the first cycle in which I used progesterone, we conceived our daughter. That pregnancy resulted in a live birth.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The nursing staff was kind. During my first two rounds of treatment that did not result in pregnancy, they acknowledged the disappointment and encouraged moving forward with another month, if I was comfortable and ready. Once I became pregnant, they were encouraging and friendly, very knowledgable and eager to support me in the early weeks before I was transferred to the OB/Midwife team.
Describe your experience with Massachusetts General Hospital.
The doctors and nursing staff are AMAZING. Because the clinic is through MGH and they have such a high volume of patients, wait times can be brutal, but they do try to move along as fast as they can to get you in for your appointment. One day, when the wait was egregiously long, they gave out free parking stickers (a little treat in a place like Boston, ha!) and free coffee gift cards for the hospital cafeterias. It doesn't solve the annoyance of having to wait for a long time, but it is something and I know they try hard. I do think they're worth waiting for, though!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital.
A few $15 co-pays for MD visits and some small prescription medication co-pays. My treatment and all medication was covered by my insurance.
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Massachusetts General Hospital.
We never got to IVF, but Aaron Styer had a strong preference for transferring a single embryo for several transfers in women under 35--which he discussed with me, should we have gone the IVF route. He was more open to multiple embryo transfer after subsequent IVF failure or in women over 35.
Dr Styer is the most compassionate trustworthy and professional doctor...Dr Styer has treated us like humans from the beginning. He knew our records front and back, asked about how we are doing emotionally, described what his approach would be and why. Since meeting him we have done numerous tests that have provided us with great answers that are heading us on the right track for our first cycle with Dr Styer. He explains in detail every test, why we are doing it, what the outcome is and how to proceed all while being one of the nicest caring professionals I've encountered
I love everything about this clinic [CCRM Boston]. It is brand new so everything is new, state-of-the-art, clean and beautiful. I love that I feel that I am a human at this clinic and not just a number. It is not crowded ever. Anyone who calls you knows who you are exactly why they're calling and what they need from you. The doctors are always available the nurses are always available and they always do what they say they're going to. I love that everything takes place in this clinic there is not one thing that you need to do elsewhere.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr Styer is the second ivf doctor my husband and I have been to. He differs in the best and every way possible than our first experience.
Dr Styer is the most compassionate trustworthy and professional doctor. We started seeing him 2 months ago after a nightmare of an experience at a larger Waltham practice. Dr Styer has treated us like humans from the beginning. He knew our records front and back, asked about how we are doing emotionally, described what his approach would be and why. Since meeting him we have done numerous tests that have provided us with great answers that are heading us on the right track for our first cycle with Dr Styer. He explains in detail every test, why we are doing it, what the outcome is and how to proceed all while being one of the nicest caring professionals I've encountered. I can't wait for our first cycle with Dr Styer.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Have complete faith in him his team and process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
At my previous Doctor. I was never treated by him or nurses as more than a number or burden.
Doctor Styer has made this process bearable again. He takes the time to get to know you and your partner, he asks about your emotions, he talks to you directly, he openly and whole heartedly is interested in getting you pregnant and takes the necessary steps to get there and explains everything he's doing and why. He is the most caring doctor I have ever been to. I have no doubt he and his team will bring us our miracle.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
At our first meeting Dr Styer drew blood to see where my hcg levels were at after my miscarriage.
Once I was at 0 and then got a normal period he did yearly bloodwork on my husband and I. Next we did a hysteroscopy to check my uterus, biopsy and do a mock transfer. From the biopsy we found out I have inflammation. And we also saw product of conception. We did a surgical hysteroscopy to clean out the uterus. Started antibiotics to get rid of inflammation. Next we are waiting to start the estrogen patches
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Boston. (Assigned nurse: Karen)
Karen, Andrea, Ellen, jackie, jeannie, Jaime, both liz's are all fantastic. They are all very organized, compassionate, friendly, professional, knowledgeable and treat you like they've known you for years.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
I love everything about this clinic. It is brand new so everything is new, state-of-the-art, clean and beautiful. I love that I feel that I am a human at this clinic and not just a number. It is not crowded ever. Anyone who calls you knows who you are exactly why they're calling and what they need from you. The doctors are always available the nurses are always available and they always do what they say they're going to. I love that everything takes place in this clinic there is not one thing that you need to do elsewhere.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
Dr. Styer always seemed genuinely pleased to see me/us. Even if I was just there for blood work or an ultrasound and he saw me in the waiting room he'd come by to say hello. He was thorough and his explanations and thoughts on treatment seemed to be thoughtful and based on research.... We used an antagonist protocol. After a failed fresh transfer and an FET that ended at 8 weeks in a miscarriage, we asked Dr. Styer about PGS testing for the remaining two frozen embryos. He agreed, and the next PGS-tested FET embryo was a success.
MGH is a busy clinic and you won't always get to see Dr. Styer for ultrasounds or routine visits, or even perhaps your transfer. If it's important to you that you stick with one doctor, a smaller clinic might be the way to go.... MGH was professional, organized, clean, new. It was also busy, the phlebotomists were occasionally surly as was the front desk staff (some were great though), and it's in downtown Boston, which presents its own challenges.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
Dr. Styer always seemed genuinely pleased to see me/us. Even if I was just there for blood work or an ultrasound and he saw me in the waiting room he'd come by to say hello. He was thorough and his explanations and thoughts on treatment seemed to be thoughtful and based on research.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
MGH is a busy clinic and you won't always get to see Dr. Styer for ultrasounds or routine visits, or even perhaps your transfer. If it's important to you that you stick with one doctor, a smaller clinic might be the way to go.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
Dr. Styer was great at in-person meetings. His demeanor was warm and inviting and he asked multiple times if I had any questions about any of the results he discussed with me and my husband.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at Massachusetts General Hospital and their degree of success.
We used an antagonist protocol. After a failed fresh transfer and an FET that ended at 8 weeks in a miscarriage, we asked Dr. Styer about PGS testing for the remaining two frozen embryos. He agreed, and the next PGS-tested FET embryo was a success.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. (Assigned nurse: Cheryl)
Cheryl was great during in-person meetings and setting up cycle calendars. She was not easy to get hold of any other time, as she didn't email. It was usually an on-call nurse that would get back to me when I called with questions, unless it was something directly related to my treatment plan.
Describe your experience with Massachusetts General Hospital.
MGH was professional, organized, clean, new. It was also busy, the phlebotomists were occasionally surly as was the front desk staff (some were great though), and it's in downtown Boston, which presents its own challenges.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital.
My insurance luckily covered everything except the deductible and the co-pay for the pharmacy costs.
What specific things went wrong at Massachusetts General Hospital?
When I see Dr Styer he has a lot of patience, compassion, and answers all questions fully. I wish we had done some of the tests he recently ordered sooner in the process but really that is my only complaint...Dr. Styer is often too busy given his schedule that I only speak with him at the end of IUI/IVF...Initially Dr Styer wanted me to try IVF but we were looking for the least invasive option. It seemed like it was more our decision than his recommendation that took precedence at that time.
It seems that they [MGH] are very busy and at sometimes disorganized. They are always running a little late and I often do not get phone calls back...When I'm traveling, I have a hard time getting in touch with the nurses to get in touch with medication implications. Also during an IUI, I had a very upsetting appointment where I was waiting so long I was nervous that the thawed sperm was impacted...
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
When I see Dr Styer he has a lot of patience, compassion, and answers all questions fully. I wish we had done some of the tests he recently ordered sooner in the process but really that is my only complaint.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
He is difficult to schedule time with so be sure you do it far in advance.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
I have had problems getting the medication straight and people to call me back in a timely fashion. Also I have had to come back for blood draw that I could have the day before when I was there. Dr. Styer is often too busy given his schedule that I only speak with him at the end of IUI/IVF.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at Massachusetts General Hospital and their degree of success.
Initially Dr Styer wanted me to try IVF but we were looking for the least invasive option. It seemed like it was more our decision than his recommendation that took precedence at that time. Since getting to IVF, he recommended ICSI and he was very familiar with our past as to what he felt was best emotionally for us. Due to insurance/our past history, we tried one embryo (Day 5 transfer) which did not work.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. (Assigned nurse: Cheryl)
When I can get in touch with the nurses on the phone (which is difficult to do) they are very caring. They are very friendly and helpful when I'm in the office.
Describe your experience with Massachusetts General Hospital.
It seems that they are very busy and at sometimes disorganized. They are always running a little late and I often do not get phone calls back.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Expensive especially when paying out of pocket.
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Massachusetts General Hospital.
I have not had a multiple embryo transfer yet but hope to next cycle.
What specific things went wrong at Massachusetts General Hospital?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Massachusetts General Hospital.
When I'm traveling, I have a hard time getting in touch with the nurses to get in touch with medication implications. Also during an IUI, I had a very upsetting appointment where I was waiting so long I was nervous that the thawed sperm was impacted. Being hormonal, I was crying when they were doing the IUI which is not the right frame of mind. They said they have since updated the processes which I struggled with.
Dr. Styer always greets me with a smile and cares about my comfort and level of understanding at every step of the process. He understands the nuances of my particular case which I greatly appreciate and takes all of these details into thoughtful consideration. I feel like I am in very capable hands and very at ease when I am in his care... each decision thus far has been made based on my medical history, age, current relationship status, etc. and in consideration of my schedule which has felt perfectly in line with everything I could have hoped and more.
CCRM is a great place to get care. It is a lovely place with great staff and easy to get to. I am always comfortable and at ease and everyone is incredibly welcoming and friendly. The facility is very nice and parking is a breeze...Everyone at CCRM is incredibly kind and considerate. I can't say enough good things about them...The costs were very much in line with what I expected, and in some cases much less than I had feared...I feel like I am in very capable hands and very at ease when I am in his care.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer always greets me with a smile and cares about my comfort and level of understanding at every step of the process. He understands the nuances of my particular case which I greatly appreciate and takes all of these details into thoughtful consideration. I feel like I am in very capable hands and very at ease when I am in his care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Know what you want in your doctor and do your research so that you can build a rapport with him right away because he is so easy to connect with - it is worth it. And as is the case with all fertility care, try to have realistic expectations, but remain hopeful.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston?
Dr. Styer is incredibly warm and considerate. He spends as much time with you as needed and cares about you as a person as well as a patient. He is exactly who you want as a clinical partner in this journey.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at CCRM Boston and their degree of success.
We are still working through these details, but each decision thus far has been made based on my medical history, age, current relationship status, etc. and in consideration of my schedule which has felt perfectly in line with everything I could have hoped and more.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Boston.
Everyone at CCRM is incredibly kind and considerate. I can't say enough good things about them.
Describe your experience with CCRM Boston.
CCRM is a great place to get care. It is a lovely place with great staff and easy to get to. I am always comfortable and at ease and everyone is incredibly welcoming and friendly. The facility is very nice and parking is a breeze.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at CCRM Boston.
The costs were very much in line with what I expected, and in some cases much less than I had feared.
Dr Styer provided an exceptional experience for my husband and myself. He always took the time to explain the procedures, options and provide a recommendation. He was compassionate to the situation but not overly coddling...Take notes in your initial appt. he provides many options and details on what can be done. It is quite overwhelming in nature and in hindsight I should have taken notes vs remembering from memory.
MGH IVF was an all inclusive practice with everything from your appts, lab work, and surgery procedures happening right at Yawkey which made it extremely convenient....Dr Styers team is a pod you consistently seen by at your appts. Cheryl is the primary nurse and Amazing. She felt like my mom was with me at my appts. Extremely warm and attentive.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
As per my previous comment, Dr Styer provided an exceptional experience for my husband and myself. He always took the time to explain the procedures, options and provide a recommendation. He was compassionate to the situation but not overly coddling. I 100% would recommend him to anyone needing fertility treatments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
Take notes in your initial appt. he provides many options and details on what can be done. It is quite overwhelming in nature and in hindsight I should have taken notes vs remembering from memory.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
Dr Styer always took the time to explain or options, how and why treatments went the way they did and provided a recommendation on what he would do next if he was in our situation. We had seen a female dr in the practice initially and struggled with her overly coddling personality. We were recommended to Dr Styer for his bedside manner and direct personality and were exceptionally pleased.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at Massachusetts General Hospital and their degree of success.
I had two potential ectopic pregnancies before seeking fertility treatment. Dr styer started with a round of clomid, then two iuis with different drug doses and ultimately moved to Ivf.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. (Assigned nurse: Cheryl )
Dr Styers team is a pod you consistently seen by at your appts. Cheryl is the primary nurse and Amazing. She felt like my mom was with me at my appts. Extremely warm and attentive.
Describe your experience with Massachusetts General Hospital.
MGH IVF was an all inclusive practice with everything from your appts, lab work, and surgery procedures happening right at Yawkey which made it extremely convenient.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital.
I was very fortunate to have insurance cover my entire procedure with the exception of my deductible.
Dr. Styer was sympathetic to our particular story and knew how urgently we wanted to be parents. He also personally called us after one of our miscarriages... He never forced us into anything we were not comfortable with. He respected my decision to transfer 2 embryos. I chose to have him remain my RE after we moved across country and he was great at communicating even over the phone when I could not be there for an appointment. He also watched me very carefully during early pregnancy and made sure I felt taken care of, I had lots of ultrasounds for reassurance.
FET [at Massachusetts General Hospital] was around $4,000-5,000...Every person that I worked with at MGH was a pleasure, be they support staff, nurse, or doctor. It is truly their desire to see your big pregnant belly in the future! The weakness of this clinic and I assume most clinics, is the time it takes from your first appointment to your first positive pregnancy test takes almost a year. The waiting is hard and their schedule for procedures is very full so it can take a while to get your cycle going for IVF.
How was your experience with Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
Dr. Styer was great at explaining our choices and supporting us in whatever direction we wanted to go. He was compassionate and professional. He never forced us into anything we were not comfortable with. He respected my decision to transfer 2 embryos. I chose to have him remain my RE after we moved across country and he was great at communicating even over the phone when I could not be there for an appointment. He also watched me very carefully during early pregnancy and made sure I felt taken care of, I had lots of ultrasounds for reassurance.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
I would tell them to trust that Dr. Styer is doing everything in his power to have you bring home a baby, in an ethical way.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital?
Dr. Styer was sympathetic to our particular story and knew how urgently we wanted to be parents. He also personally called us after one of our miscarriages.
Describe the protocols Aaron K. Styer used in your cycles at Massachusetts General Hospital and their degree of success.
We had male factor infertility and Dr. Styer recommended IVF with ICSI.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. (Assigned nurse: Cheryl Igo)
I was very close with my nurse and she always knew what was going on with my particular cycle. Whenever I called or emailed she got back to me quickly. She also worked with us out of state over the phone and she was a good communicator.
Describe your experience with Massachusetts General Hospital.
Every person that I worked with at MGH was a pleasure, be they support staff, nurse, or doctor. It is truly their desire to see your big pregnant belly in the future! The weakness of this clinic and I assume most clinics, is the time it takes from your first appointment to your first positive pregnancy test takes almost a year. The waiting is hard and their schedule for procedures is very full so it can take a while to get your cycle going for IVF.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Aaron K. Styer at Massachusetts General Hospital.
In Massachusetts ART is covered by insurance, so we had few out of pocket costs, only around $2,000. When we were covered and when we no longer lived in MA the cost for a FET was around $4,000-5,000.
Describe Aaron K. Styer's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Massachusetts General Hospital.
He recommended that we transfer a single embryo but I wanted to transfer two on two separate transfers and he allowed us to do that.