Weekly follow ups tend to be quick as she [Dr. Debra Minjarez] is busy with patients and travel from SF. However, she checks in and takes the time to speak with us before every procedure and ensures our comfort levels and understanding. She takes the time to answer questions/concerns and is patient/compassionate...has phenomenal bedside manner and has compassion for her work and patients. She is direct and intelligent and break down information for us to better understand the process and protocols.
You deal with multiple staff on the Dr’s team [at Spring Fertility]. Nurse, finance, patient coordinator, anesthesiologists, etc. all are super friendly and are able to get up to speed with status of protocols when I call the office (I don’t have to go through a gatekeeper or explain much). Sometimes talking to different people is a bit much, but everyone has their role...Flo [nurse] has compassion and high level of care when reviewing protocols and medications. She provides comfort and additional support through the process. It is reassuring to have a team that is cheering you on and supporting your journey as it is an arduous, emotional, and straining one.
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Weekly follow ups tend to be quick as she is busy with patients and travel from SF. However, she checks in and takes the time to speak with us before every procedure and ensures our comfort levels and understanding. She takes the time to answer questions/concerns and is patient/compassionate.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
She has been considered the best in the field coming from CCRM in Colorado. She was highly recommended to us by many people. You have the power to hire your fertility care team. Check to see what you want and comfortable with.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Dr. Minjarez has phenomenal bedside manner and has compassion for her work and patients. She is direct and intelligent and break down information for us to better understand the process and protocols.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Flo)
Flo has compassion and high level of care when reviewing protocols and medications. She provides comfort and additional support through the process. It is reassuring to have a team that is cheering you on and supporting your journey as it is an arduous, emotional, and straining one.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
You deal with multiple staff on the Dr’s team. Nurse, finance, patient coordinator, anesthesiologists, etc. all are super friendly and are able to get up to speed with status of protocols when I call the office (I don’t have to go through a gatekeeper or explain much). Sometimes talking to different people is a bit much, but everyone has their role.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
I really had to push for extra time [from Dr. Minjarez] to understand my treatment. On one instance, she made a quick decision that had major financial and treatment implications for me that were not explained. It all worked out, but I would prefer more discussion and shared decision making...Egg retrieval was stimulated with gonal f and menupour, which resulted in many more eggs than expected. ICSI successfully resulted in the expected number of embryos. I was advised to do PGS. A controlled cycle was used for the FET because I was not ovulating under the natural cycle as we initially hoped. First FET resulted in pregnancy.
Mel [nurse at Spring Fertility] was great. Very timely in response and helped me advocate for the care I needed...This clinic relies on the RN for most patient communications, so if you want more access to your doctor you need to push. I recommend meeting with the financial counselor regularly to assess payment options. I had a tricky insurance situation and we were able to get advice on how to minimize out of pocket expenses.
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
Most importantly, I got results with Dr Minjarez. I have no doubts in her clinical decisions for me. She isn’t the most warm and cuddly practitoner, which I don’t mind, but I did not have a great experience with her as a communicator. It felt like she didn’t want to take the time to explain my treatment plan to me. I really had to push for extra time to understand my treatment. On one instance, she made a quick decision that had major financial and treatment implications for me that were not explained. It all worked out, but I would prefer more discussion and shared decision making.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
Push for time and explanation if you feel like you need a better understanding. My pushing always worked even though I consistently had to do it.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
The overall care team is great but I didn’t get much direct time with my doctor at Spring. Almost all Appointments are for ultrasounds, which is five minutes and then you get rushed out. If you have questions after, everything goes through the nurse. My nurse was great, but I had times when I needed further explanation from my doctor on treatment, which I felt like I really had to push for.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility East Bay and their degree of success.
Egg retrieval was stimulated with gonal f and menupour, which resulted in many more eggs than expected. ICSI successfully resulted in the expected number of embryos. I was advised to do PGS. A controlled cycle was used for the FET because I was not ovulating under the natural cycle as we initially hoped. First FET resulted in pregnancy.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility East Bay. (Assigned nurse: Mel)
Mel was great. Very timely in response and helped me advocate for the care I needed. She met all my needs and expectations.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility East Bay.
All the staff are friendly and responsive. This clinic relies on the RN for most patient communications, so if you want more access to your doctor you need to push. I recommend meeting with the financial counselor regularly to assess payment options. I had a tricky insurance situation and we were able to get advice on how to minimize out of pocket expenses.
Dr. Minjarez was great - she was candid about the possibility that we might not succeed because of my very low egg count, but did her best to tailor an approach to my situation and coach us through the process. When I emailed questions to the team, she often called me directly to answer them. I found her to be very warm and friendly in a non-nonsense sort of way.
Spring is great - it was always very convenient to schedule appointments and the staff were always friendly and calm. They do their best to make it not feel too much like a hospital, which made it a little less stressful. I really liked the Oakland office...Nurses were nice but honestly pretty nondescript- I mostly saw the doctor
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
Dr Minjarez was great - as I said previously, she was very thoughtful and helped us think through our choices at every stage. When the second round of injections didn't yield any viable embryos, she adjusted the medications for the third round.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
Dr. Minjarez was great - she was candid about the possibility that we might not succeed because of my very low egg count, but did her best to tailor an approach to my situation and coach us through the process. When I emailed questions to the team, she often called me directly to answer them. I found her to be very warm and friendly in a non-nonsense sort of way.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility East Bay and their degree of success.
Minimal stimulation in general, but each round was slightly different
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility East Bay.
Nurses were nice but honestly pretty nondescript- I mostly saw the doctor
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility East Bay.
Spring is great - it was always very convenient to schedule appointments and the staff were always friendly and calm. They do their best to make it not feel too much like a hospital, which made it a little less stressful. I really liked the Oakland office.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay.
I was fortunate to be covered with Progyny from my employer, so the costs were pretty minimal - just medications.
Describe Debra Minjarez's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility East Bay.
Spring only does single embryo transfers, I believe, due to the risk associated with twin pregnancies
She [Dr. Debra Minjarez] is so kind and compassionate. A very smart and well prepared doctor with excellent bed side manners, she always listen to your questions or concerns and adjust your treatment to include any suggestion you may have if this makes sense of course... First cycle: estrogen priming, then Gonal F + cetrotide + saizen+ Clomid. 7 eggs retrieved but 3 follicles were empty, 4 eggs fertilized, 3 blastocysts, 1 CCS normal who is currently my 17 months old baby boy :-) Second cycle: estrogen+testosterone priming, then Gonal F + cetrotide + saizen+ Clomid. 6 eggs retrieved, 5 eggs fertilized, 4 blastocysts, 1 CCS normal who is my little girl still frozen
[At CCRM] First cycle: estrogen priming, then Gonal F + cetrotide + saizen+ Clomid. 7 eggs retrieved but 3 follicles were empty, 4 eggs fertilized, 3 blastocysts, 1 CCS normal who is currently my 17 months old baby boy :-) Second cycle: estrogen+testosterone priming, then Gonal F + cetrotide + saizen+ Clomid. 6 eggs retrieved, 5 eggs fertilized, 4 blastocysts, 1 CCS normal who is my little girl still frozen
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at CCRM Colorado?
She is so kind and compassionate. A very smart and well prepared doctor with excellent bed side manners, she always listen to your questions or concerns and adjust your treatment to include any suggestion you may have if this makes sense of course
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at CCRM Colorado?
She is very knowledgeable and she knows what she is doing
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
First cycle: estrogen priming, then Gonal F + cetrotide + saizen+
Clomid. 7 eggs retrieved but 3 follicles were empty, 4 eggs fertilized, 3 blastocysts, 1 CCS normal who is currently my 17 months old baby boy :-)
Second cycle: estrogen+testosterone priming, then Gonal F + cetrotide + saizen+
Clomid. 6 eggs retrieved, 5 eggs fertilized, 4 blastocysts, 1 CCS normal who is my little girl still frozen
Describe your experience with CCRM Colorado.
Strengths : knowhow, statistics, reputation
Weaknesses: in 2016 got acquired for a corporation and since then they have created a lot of affiliated clinics in other states and I don't think all of them will have the same lab and quality doctos as in Colorado, I see this like a marketing strategy
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at CCRM Colorado.
50k to 60k
Describe Debra Minjarez's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at CCRM Colorado.
Dr. Minjarez always talked to us with respect and care, answered all of our questions, and presented us with realistic information...She knows her stuff, she knows how to talk to people, and she doesn't waste your time (and money!) with things that aren't very likely to work. I never felt like I was being hurried along or misled. Overall, we felt like everything that we experienced was expected and reasonable.
This place [Spring Fertility] is just great. Clean, warm, and inviting without being cloying or annoying. The staff is *very* well trained and their systems and processes work very well. I never had to wait long for paperwork or phone calls. I never worried that things would slip through the cracks or felt like I had to follow up myself. I felt like I was in good hands the entire time.
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
She knows her stuff, she knows how to talk to people, and she doesn't waste your time (and money!) with things that aren't very likely to work. I never felt like I was being hurried along or misled. Overall, we felt like everything that we experienced was expected and reasonable.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
I wish you could still see her, but she has left the practice and, I believe, the field! But the clinic (Spring) where she practiced is fantastic.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
Dr. Minjarez always talked to us with respect and care, answered all of our questions, and presented us with realistic information.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility East Bay.
This place is just great. Clean, warm, and inviting without being cloying or annoying. The staff is *very* well trained and their systems and processes work very well. I never had to wait long for paperwork or phone calls. I never worried that things would slip through the cracks or felt like I had to follow up myself. I felt like I was in good hands the entire time.
She had great bedside manner and her knowledge of the clinic stats as it relates to my diagnosis was great. She made me feel confident that we were choosing the right path and was compassionate but direct too.
She [Dr. Minjarez] had great bedside manner and her knowledge of the clinic stats as it relates to my diagnosis was great. She made me feel confident that we were choosing the right path and was compassionate but direct too.
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at CCRM Colorado?
She had great bedside manner and her knowledge of the clinic stats as it relates to my diagnosis was great. She made me feel confident that we were choosing the right path and was compassionate but direct too.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at CCRM Colorado?
None
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at CCRM Colorado?
She was very personal and discussed everything with us. Spent time answering all of our questions and had a great bedside manner.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
EPP for two rounds and testosterone priming with gonal f, cetrotide, menopur and saizen for the third round. The EPP resulted in more mature eggs.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Rachael)
Very organized and a great communicator. Definitely advocated for things that I needed. Great nurse.
What specific things went wrong at CCRM Colorado?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at CCRM Colorado.
Just a confusion in which protocol (from cycle 1 and 2) was the most successful when determining what my cycle 3 should be.
She [Dr. Minjarez] is intelligent, direct, and yet kind. She remembers details and was very flexible for me in my cycles. I trusted her and everything she said... She was honest, but optimistic.
She and her nursing staff [at CCRM] are warm, reachable, and responsive. [The nurses were] Organized, easy to reach, detail oriented.
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at CCRM Colorado?
She is intelligent, direct, and yet kind. She remembers details and was very flexible for me in my cycles. I trusted her and everything she said.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at CCRM Colorado?
Don't hesitate to see Dr. Minjarez
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at CCRM Colorado?
She and her nursing staff are warm, reachable, and responsive. She was honest, but optimistic.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at CCRM Colorado and their degree of success.
I have DOR. #1 Estrogen priming with antagonist- 5 retrieved, mature, fertilized and 3 blasts.#2 estrogen priming and microdose Lupron with antagonist- 5 retrieved, mature, 4 fertilized and 4 blasts #3- testosterone and estrogen priming - 6 retrieved, 5 mature, 4 fertilized - 2 blasts. Plan FET next.
Describe your experience with your nurse at CCRM Colorado. (Assigned nurse: Christina )
Because we did the PGT we only transferred one egg [with Dr. Debra Minjarez]. Very happy with that decision...She is friendly and informative. She made me feel empowered which I believe contributed to the success of our transfer...Due to my husband's infertility, we did ICSI and PGT....She took us on with an intensity we needed to feel like IVF would work for us. Her confidence is infectious.
Due to my husband's infertility, we did ICSI and PGT [at Spring Fertility]...They [nurses] are kind, younger but energetic. I appreciate the positivity in the clinic by the nurses and staff. They are helpful but not too much. I am pretty quiet and I appreciated being left alone as well and not forced to make small talk. IVF is intense enough...was able to schedule us appointments, the same week as our consultation. Spring didn't pressure us into choosing them either, they offered us more information and availability. Spring helped us transfer medical records to their clinic so we wouldn't have to start over, which saved us money. The costs for Kaiser and Spring out of pocket were very similar. However I was able to save time being able to have ultrasounds and bloodwork done in Oakland instead of in Fremont. I got pregnant on our first transfer at 39. If you are thinking of leavin
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
After having an awkward time at Kaiser's IVF clinic, working with Dr. Minjarez was a pleasure. She is friendly and informative. She made me feel empowered which I believe contributed to the success of our transfer.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
Ask questions, no matter how dumb. Don't be afraid to share your experience with her. She took us on with an intensity we needed to feel like IVF would work for us. Her confidence is infectious.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility East Bay and their degree of success.
Due to my husband's infertility, we did ICSI and PGT.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility East Bay. (Assigned nurse: Irina)
They are kind, younger but energetic. I appreciate the positivity in the clinic by the nurses and staff. They are helpful but not too much. I am pretty quiet and I appreciated being left alone as well and not forced to make small talk. IVF is intense enough.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility East Bay.
I am leaving this review mostly for women/couples who are trying to decide between staying at Kaiser because you have Kaiser insurance or going with an outside clinic. I am very happy with our decision to leave Kaiser. After they cancelled all our appointments during the pandemic, their IVF doctor put us back on the waitlist even when they reopened because they had to restart other patients cycles. Understandable but waiting was not an option at my age. Spring was able to schedule us appointments, the same week as our consultation. Spring didn't pressure us into choosing them either, they offered us more information and availability. Spring helped us transfer medical records to their clinic so we wouldn't have to start over, which saved us money. The costs for Kaiser and Spring out of pocket were very similar. However I was able to save time being able to have ultrasounds and bloodwork done in Oakland instead of in Fremont. I got pregnant on our first transfer at 39. If you are thinking of leaving Kaiser, I am happy I did and feel my results are because of the care and intelligence of the staff at Spring. They are up to date on technology and have more than one doctor on staff.
Describe Debra Minjarez's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Spring Fertility East Bay.
Because we did the PGT we only transferred one egg. Very happy with that decision.
She [Dr. Debra Minjarez] is personable and incredibly knowldegable... At 38 years old, we thought that we were essentially done and lost all hope that we would ever have our own baby...we signed up and started with a video call with Dr. Minjarez... and before you know it, we were in CA and underway. Needless to say it worked and we now have the most perfect 8 month old little boy, Preston. We will be forever grateful to Dr. Minjarez and the entire team. The difference in the facilities, practices, philosophies, strategy and just overall kindness, when compared to the two places we tried in NJ, were night and day. So... for anyone reading this review, just know that we were at the end of journey and depressed befor
[Spring Fertility was] Excellent. thoughtful and well prepared. They are very compassionate and understanding. They went out of their way to help us on our journey... The difference in the facilities, practices, philosophies, strategy and just overall kindness, when compared to the two places we tried in NJ, were night and day. So... for anyone reading this review, just know that we were at the end of journey and depressed before we found out about Spring Fertility. You will not regret the choice of using them. Happy Thanksgiving to Dr. Minjarez and the entire staff!!! THANK YOU!!!!
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
I saved this review for Thanksgiving. Every year I think what am I grateful for? Well this year there is a clear answer, SPRING FERTILITY. We had attempted IVF at 2 other locations in NJ over the course of 4 years or so, and both were terrible experiences. At 38 years old, we thought that we were essentially done and lost all hope that we would ever have our own baby. Then through a program/fertility coach we found (Tasha Blasi), Spring Fertility was recommended to us. They were in San Francisco, and we were in NJ... so there would be travel, additional expenses and time off work involved, but we thought, let's just go all-in on this last attempt. I admit that for a second it seemed going across the country for this was a bit far-fetched, but then it sank in... what is more important than this? Not much in our minds. So we signed up and started with a video call with Dr. Minjarez... and before you know it, we were in CA and underway. Needless to say it worked and we now have the most perfect 8 month old little boy, Preston. We will be forever grateful to Dr. Minjarez and the entire team. The difference in the facilities, practices, philosophies, strategy and just overall kindness, when compared to the two places we tried in NJ, were night and day. So... for anyone reading this review, just know that we were at the end of journey and depressed before we found out about Spring Fertility. You will not regret the choice of using them. Happy Thanksgiving to Dr. Minjarez and the entire staff!!! THANK YOU!!!!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
JUST DO IT!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
She is personable and incredibly knowldegable
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
Biggest difference was day 3 eggs.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
excellent
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Excellent. thoughtful and well prepared. They are very compassionate and understanding. They went out of their way to help us on our journey and alswered all questions along the way
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Dr Minjarez presented us with a presentation that went over in detail what we can expect...very knowledgeable and answered any questions or concerns that we had...natural IVF...on birth control for about 3 weeks...took Letrozole for 5 days. 4 days later, I triggered with Ovidrel and took Medrol for 5 days leading up the embryo transfer
[Spring Fertility Silicon Valley] was extremely clean and well organized...staff knew exactly what they were doing and were all very welcoming. Everything was on the app so it was easier for me to remember my appointments, medications, communicate with the staff, access my lab results, documents, etc.
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley?
My husband and I came to Spring for a second opinion after our first IVF cycle failed with Kaiser and met with Dr Minjarez. During our initial consultation, Dr Minjarez presented us with a presentation that went over in detail what we can expect if we went with Spring and how this treatment would be different from my previous cycle. She was very knowledgeable and answered any questions or concerns that we had, from what we can do differently for our daily routines to what supplements to take when preparing for an egg retrieval. We felt super comfortable after that meeting and decided to go with Spring. From there, every step of the IVF process with Spring exceeded our expectations. We had an amazing egg and embryo count, and are now pregnant with our very first child. We can't thank Dr Minjarez and her team enough for this blessing!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley?
Definitely come to her and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask because she will give you an honest answer.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley?
The entire staff at Spring was extremely warm and welcoming.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley and their degree of success.
We went with a natural IVF cycle that followed my natural menstrual cycle. I was on birth control for about 3 weeks, had my baseline ultrasound a few days after, and took Letrozole for 5 days. 4 days later, I triggered with Ovidrel and took Medrol for 5 days leading up the embryo transfer. 2 weeks later, I got my first positive Beta pregnancy test!
Overall, the preparation and transfer took about 1.5 months (6 weeks).
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley. (Assigned nurse: Alyssa Glascott)
Alyssa was extremely responsive to any questions or concerns that we had. She kept us up-to-date with all of our lab results, what to expect, and was just there for us whenever we needed her.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility Silicon Valley.
Clinic was extremely clean and well organized. All the of staff knew exactly what they were doing and were all very welcoming. Everything was on the app so it was easier for me to remember my appointments, medications, communicate with the staff, access my lab results, documents, etc.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley.
Our insurance (Cigna) covered for the entire IVF cycle. The only thing we had to pay for were in-office copays ($40/visit) and ~$3500 for medications (Gonal F, Menopur, Omnitrope).
She [Dr. Debra Minjarez] spent time to talk through all the results of each session as well as all the medications to be taken. She also explained how she was adjusting the next round given the results of the previous unsuccessful rounds and why she was making the changes she was. She was very straightforward and confident yet showed a lot of empathy. I was very confident in her and trusted her.
I cannot say enough good things about the [Spring Fertility] patient portal. Super clear, quick results loaded, protocols easy to understand, schedules, appointments, signing forms electronically, training videos, supplemental information...would also work through vetting out the receptionists a bit more. There was a lot of confusion many times on their part as to what was to be paid, what was owed, etc.
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
Debra was very smart and methodical in her approach to medication amounts and brands to use. She looked at results from previous sessions and adjusted the next round. She was funny, and easy to talk to. She also had no judgement of us as a couple or how we got to that point. She was also very clear with her directions to her staff and in explaining things to us.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
Have us lay and relax longer after injection of IUI. The successful procedure I had was the only one that I laid in the room for 15 min after the injection with my legs still up in the stands. One of the nurses did that injection and did it differently than Debra had done the previous two unsuccessful injections.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay?
She spent time to talk through all the results of each session as well as all the medications to be taken. She also explained how she was adjusting the next round given the results of the previous unsuccessful rounds and why she was making the changes she was. She was very straightforward and confident yet showed a lot of empathy. I was very confident in her and trusted her.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility East Bay and their degree of success.
only have one ovary on right side, with short Luteal phase, age 35 when got pregnant and 36 when delivered
1st attempt: Clomid FSH, 1 follicle formed 1st time, good thick lining, want more follicles, however, many were close and trying, did not lay on back for 15min after IUI procedure
2nd attempt: Letrozal FSH, only developed 2 follicles that were mature and lining wasn't as thick as hoped, and less follicles were trying, did not lay on back for 15min after IUI procedure
3rd successful pregnancy: Clomid FSH with booster FSH shot. Did Clomid first, then follow with shot, 4 doses gonal, 2 menopur, then added progesterone to support lengthen time for egg to implant, laid for 15 min on back with legs up in stirrups after IUI procedure
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Spring Fertility East Bay.
They were awesome. Always ready to go, appointments were always on time, and I was in and out quickly
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility East Bay.
The snacks and beverages are a nice touch. The decor in the waiting area is nice and comforting. I like the no touch appliances in all the bathrooms and the rooms were state of the art technology feeling. I like the rooms to sit and discuss protocol after as well, they were minimal and the fish on the screens was nice. The shot training was really great as well. I felt very comfortable on how to do it when got home. And I cannot say enough good things about the patient portal. Super clear, quick results loaded, protocols easy to understand, schedules, appointments, signing forms electronically, training videos, supplemental information. I really felt in such good hands. Also super convenient was the ability to go to different locations, Redwood City, SF, or Oakland, depending on my needs. I would say the two opportunities I would suggest are to offer free parking or parking validation for the Oakland and SF locations. It was hard to find parking and/or it cost a lot. I would also work through vetting out the receptionists a bit more. There was a lot of confusion many times on their part as to what was to be paid, what was owed, etc. She would have to call the billing department and get clarification or she would give me incorrect information. Sometimes I would pay and then it would be short, or I would pay and it was too much such that I received a refund. She just seemed not up to the same standards as the rest of the staff from an business excellence perspective.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility East Bay.
I did an egg freezing procedure as well which there is a payment plan for $295/month and $600/year storage fee ($5000 for meds for the procedure)
My IUI cycles were $1500/cycle
We had a great experience with Dr. Minajarez. She is a take charge type of doctor that exhumes confidence. She was realistic with what our outcomes could be which made each round of egg retrieval more realistic. ... We had an unexpected complication and the doctor took the time with us to weigh our options. ... We used mini-stim for three cycles.
The strengths [of Spring Feritlity] are that it is inviting, does not feel like a cold doctors office, and they individualize everyones care. They are open early and are flexible, allowing you to go to different clinics if the date and time of your clinic does not work. However, all procedures are done in the San Francisco office, which can be a bit difficult to get to during commute times. ... My care team was very responsive.
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
We had a great experience with Dr. Minajarez. She is a take charge type of doctor that exhumes confidence. She was realistic with what our outcomes could be which made each round of egg retrieval more realistic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
Since Spring has three facilities your doctor may not be the one to do the procedures. They are up front with this.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco?
All medical assistants, nurses, and doctor tried to use my preferred name and seemed genuinely excited during our procedures. We had an unexpected complication and the doctor took the time with us to weigh our options. They put my health above my desire to continue treatment.
Describe the protocols Debra Minjarez used in your cycles at Spring Fertility San Francisco and their degree of success.
We used mini-stim for three cycles. The first cycle we used clomid along with injectable medication. After the first cycle, I had a health complication that we originally thought was from the medications. It turned out to be a chronic issue, but we changed the Clomid to Letrozole for the last two cycles and retrieved more viable embryos. We genetically tested the embryos retrieved which allowed us to know the actual amount of normal embryos we have.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility San Francisco. (Assigned nurse: Marina Lecoeuche)
My care team was very responsive. Any question I had was promptly answered with a pleasant response. They were more than willing to send different pharmacies my medications to help with costs.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility San Francisco.
The strengths are that it is inviting, does not feel like a cold doctors office, and they individualize everyones care. They are open early and are flexible, allowing you to go to different clinics if the date and time of your clinic does not work. However, all procedures are done in the San Francisco office, which can be a bit difficult to get to during commute times.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility San Francisco.
Each round was a little less than $15,000 including medication.
She [Dr. Debra Minjarez] was kind and explained the procedure well. The follow-ups were quick and helped that I had other friends who were there to answer my question and my nurses. They could have done a better job telling me when we would want to start the cycle and for me to track it better....Debra is patient and does answer your questions...
[Spring Fertility Silicon Valley] Strengths: convenience; organized; clean Weaknesses: can be better at explaining the initial timing and start criteria; some doctors in clinic can be more empathetic The clinic is doing a great job overall...The nurses are the most helpful as you usually chat or get on the phone with them...Maryam was the best nurse. She went above and beyond to take care of me and answer my questions. I am really inquisitive.
How was your experience with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley?
Debra is patient and does answer your questions. The nurses are the most helpful as you usually chat or get on the phone with them. My initial consultation was with Nam Tran and I asked to switch doctors as the founder who worked at multiple places, I didn’t think I would get the best care and attention. Debra was much better and I felt more human.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley?
She is great. If you don’t like your original consultation and don’t get a good vibe or feeling, feel free to switch.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley?
She was kind and explained the procedure well. The follow-ups were quick and helped that I had other friends who were there to answer my question and my nurses. They could have done a better job telling me when we would want to start the cycle and for me to track it better. I was asked to do bloodwork multiple times which would have cost way more than the fertility strips. I had to advocate for myself and said “no thanks you. I will let you know when the timing is right using strip cs another $500 for bloodwork”
Describe your experience with your nurse at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley. (Assigned nurse: maryam)
Maryam was the best nurse. She went above and beyond to take care of me and answer my questions. I am really inquisitive.
Describe your experience with Spring Fertility Silicon Valley.
Strengths: convenience; organized; clean
Weaknesses: can be better at explaining the initial timing and start criteria; some doctors in clinic can be more empathetic
The clinic is doing a great job overall.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley.
They were easy to schedule in general morning timeframe.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Debra Minjarez at Spring Fertility Silicon Valley.
$13000- $10K for procedure and another $3K medicine