Dr. Tortoriello is the kindest RE I've ever met. He's easily accessible, responsive, optimistic and incredibly flexible...Long pituitary down regulation (due to advanced age and diminished ovarian reserve) + HGH + PREDNISONE (immune issues) + Lovenox (blood clotting disorder), hcg trigger, ICSI + ZYMOT
[Sher Fertility Solutions New York is] a well run clinic in general and they are accommodating..everyone is quite helpful. Messages are usually cc'd throughout the clinic so it's easy to keep everyone on the same page...Did have a fairly serious issue when meds were not ordered and I was in an unexpected, super time sensitive situation, but in the end it was handled.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
He is a brilliant doctor which means he can adapt quickly and effectively. Even if something is not his first choice he allows patients the autonomy to influence their own treatment. I went from a cycle with one mature follicle under a previous doctor into 9 under Dr. T. He's not afraid to adjust protocol as things progress and he's very smart about when the optimal time to retrieve is.
As someone with very low statistical odds of IVF success, Dr. T is exactly the kind of doctor I want to work with.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Just do it. He's so good.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. Tortoriello is the kindest RE I've ever met. He's easily accessible, responsive, optimistic and incredibly flexible. I wish he had been my first rather than fourth doctor!
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
Long pituitary down regulation (due to advanced age and diminished ovarian reserve) + HGH + PREDNISONE (immune issues) + Lovenox (blood clotting disorder), hcg trigger, ICSI + ZYMOT
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Had a few of the usual hiccups with orders and results. Did have a fairly serious issue when meds were not ordered and I was in an unexpected, super time sensitive situation, but in the end it was handled.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
It's a well run clinic in general and they are accommodating. Their initial phone greeting is suuuuper long but after you get through everyone is quite helpful. Messages are usually cc'd throughout the clinic so it's easy to keep everyone on the same page.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Zymot $350(?)
OOP FET with monitoring @4350, without monitoring @3950
What specific things went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Provided conflicting information
Failed to consider drug intolerance
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I had issues a few times with meds being called in and had to remind them that I need Lovenox anytime I take hormones.
Dr. T[ortoriello] is supportive of immune protocols, experimental supplements, and the like in order to come up with creative solutions for personalized treatment. But I needed a second opinion to find success my second time around...was incredibly warm and personal. He always looked into my eyes, remembered my history, checked in with me as a human. He responded within minutes by email and was always thoughtful in his responses. I always felt cared for and like he was in the fight with me to create my family.
The process [at Sher Fertility] was less formal than the NYC hospital RE clinics and a lot of times that felt like a better patient experiences. But I don't think that the lack of formality helps Sher. It seems like doctors (outside of Dr T) come and go and so do nurses. Also I didn't get a sense that the equipment or labs were as new or updated as Cornell, for example.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. T is an incredibly warm and caring doctor who always made me feel cared for. He is calming, methodical, and thoughtful about very personalized treatment. I felt like the patient experience at Sher, because of Dr T, was very special .... a unicorn in the fertility world.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. T is supportive of immune protocols, experimental supplements, and the like in order to come up with creative solutions for personalized treatment. But I needed a second opinion to find success my second time around. Don't be afraid to compare protocols and ensure you are on the right path.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. T was incredibly warm and personal. He always looked into my eyes, remembered my history, checked in with me as a human. He responded within minutes by email and was always thoughtful in his responses. I always felt cared for and like he was in the fight with me to create my family.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
My first retrieval with Dr. T was successful enough. We retrieved 16 embryos, 13 were mature and 12 fertilized. 3 made it to day 5 frozen and all 3 tested normal. One is my daughter. The second implanted but I miscarried, and it turned out that it was not a normal embryo even though it tested as such. The third didn't result in a pregnancy -- but it turned out that I had severe uterine scarring (Asherman's Syndrome) and that embryo would have never implanted. I was also told by Dr. T to use the IVF meds intramuscularly, and to this day found that an odd recommendation. My second cycle with Dr. T yielded only 3 embryos and none made it to day 5. I got a second opinion and learned about the scarring, did another retrieval with a new doc where my meds were all increased based on my weight. That retrieval yielded 6 day 5 frozen embryos.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
In my first retrieval with Sher I had a clear nurse and her name was Lindsey and she was incredible. She was personal, clear, communicative, etc. In my second transfer, I felt like I didn't have a head person taking care of me and just had to email the whole clinic to get answers. I found Cynthia to be cold and clinical. The billing department (Yisraela) was always WONDERFUL as was Frances (I wish she could have been my nurse!).
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Sher is a special place in the NYC fertility scene. It is SO personal and provides a really special patient experience. It does not feel like a cattle call of monitoring and the staff always recognizes you. It is not difficult to get appointments and I loved that my own doctor did my retrievals, transfers, etc. The process was less formal than the NYC hospital RE clinics and a lot of times that felt like a better patient experiences. But I don't think that the lack of formality helps Sher. It seems like doctors (outside of Dr T) come and go and so do nurses. Also I didn't get a sense that the equipment or labs were as new or updated as Cornell, for example.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I had insurance coverage for everything except a few medications and PGS testing.
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
based on my history the preference for me was always single!
Dr. T is so involved with every step of the way. He knows everything about your treatment and history and provides personalized care. He is reachable by email 24/7 and is super responsive. He is one of the kindest doctors that I've ever met and provides individualized attention...He is honest and doesn't sugar coat things but has a way to deliver information that makes even hard information easier to digest.
The [Sher Fertility Solutions New York] clinic is really well organized. They use a portal so your entire treatment plan is really spelled out including medications and dosages. When going in for appointments they are super prompt. It's a one stop shop clinic and everything is done in site which makes it super easy...All of the nursing staff is excellent. They are super responsive if you have any questions along the way.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. T has the best bedside manner of any doctor that I've ever met. He is honest and doesn't sugar coat things but has a way to deliver information that makes even hard information easier to digest. His level of expertise is next to none. He blessed me with my first child in 2019. When we wanted to try for #2 he was honest and said we would be lucky to get one egg but if we wanted to try he would be there every step of the way. Not only did we get 2 mature eggs, 1 ended up being a PGT normal embryo and resulted in the birth of my second son. I truly think that Dr. T made a miracle happen. Every step of the process we remained cautiously optimistic. He made a difficult process so much easier.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. T is kind, supportive and extremely knowledgeable. If you want to go to a clinic where you receive individualized care Dr. T is the doctor for you.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. T is so involved with every step of the way. He knows everything about your treatment and history and provides personalized care. He is reachable by email 24/7 and is super responsive. He is one of the kindest doctors that I've ever met and provides individualized attention.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Bushra)
All of the nursing staff is excellent. They are super responsive if you have any questions along the way.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
The clinic is really well organized. They use a portal so your entire treatment plan is really spelled out including medications and dosages. When going in for appointments they are super prompt. It's a one stop shop clinic and everything is done in site which makes it super easy.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
My cycles were covered by insurance. I had to pay for PGT testing, medications and some things that I had deductibles for.
Dr. T [Tortoriello] took the time to look at our case and to speak with us about why things may not have worked in the past and what might work for us in the next try...I appreciated how Dr. T looped in all relevant parties on emails to work together on various stages of our care. It was good to have them working as a team. I was a little surprised by the use of email for some sensitive information (they do have a patient portal but it was used mostly for communicating my calendar of medications), but I ended up just going with it because it made it easy for us to communicate with all relevant parties...
Overall the nursing staff at Sher was very good and caring. I often had to ask clarifying questions to get all of the information that I needed, but they were good partners in my care and I appreciated them...I often had to ask clarifying questions to get all of the information that I needed, but they were good partners in my care and I appreciated them...I appreciated how Dr. T looped in all relevant parties on emails to work together on various stages of our care. It was good to have them working as a team. I was a little surprised by the use of email for some sensitive information (they do have a patient portal but it was used mostly for communicating my calendar of medications), but I ended up just going with it because it made it easy for us to communicate with all relevant parties...
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
We are extremely grateful to Dr. Tortoriello for his expertise and care. We came to Dr. T after having 2 failed FETs and 3 failed IUIs. Within the first round of treatment we had an extremely successful IVF round, ending up with 6 genetically normal embryos (!!) from one round, versus the two we'd gotten from our 1st round and one that we'd gotten from our second round, and our FET with Dr. T worked on the first try, versus two failed FETs we'd had before coming to Dr. T. Based on the effectiveness of his approach alone I would 100% recommend Dr. T to anyone who is looking for a fertility doctor in NYC.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I would say that, as with many doctors, you always have to be your own best advocate. I found that it was very important to stay super organized and to ask questions. Dr. T is amazing, but he's not infallible, and there were a couple of times when I needed to ask "didn't you mean this?" when we were confirming a detail of a medication regimen, based on what he'd told me before. I think this is true with most doctors, so just a general word of wisdom going into this process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
We came to Dr. T (Dr. Tortoriello) on the recommendation of our previous fertility doctor after 2 FETs (and 3 IUIs) had not worked with him. We first met Dr. T as part of a consultation to discuss what our case and to understand whether there might be another approach that could work for us. Dr. T took the time to look at our case and to speak with us about why things may not have worked in the past and what might work for us in the next try.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
For the IVF cycle we did with Dr. T, the biggest difference between this regimen and the two we'd done before with another doctor was the use of HGH (human growth hormone), or Omnitrope. That seems to have made a huge difference -- we ended up with six (!!) genetically normal day 5 embryos (from 27 eggs), vs. the two we'd gotten in our first round (from about 20 eggs), and the one we'd gotten in our second round (from about 30 eggs).
It's a little hard to remember everything we did but looking back at my treatment calendar it looks like we did Cetrotide, Estrace, and Omnitrope for about a week, in the week *before* my period.
Then once I was at day 2/3 we stopped the Cetrotide and Estrace, kept doing the HGH, and added in Gonal F and Menopur. We did this for about a week and half. Then used HcG and Lupron for trigger shots before the IVF procedure.
After the IVF, and before the FET cycle, we did a mock transfer to two tests: (1) a Receptiva test to test for endometritis or endometriosis (came back negative) and (2) an ALICE test to test for any problematic bacteria (came back negative). With my previous doctor we'd done an ERA (endometrial receptivity assessment) to test for the ideal # of hours for me to do FET after starting progesterone and we used those results in our FET with Dr. T.
For the FET, before the transfer, Dr. T had me on estrace (estrogen) twice a day (4 MG twice a day); folic acid (1 pill); prenatal vitamins (which I'd already been taking for a long time); HGH injection once a day; vaginal viagra (! yes, vaginal viagra! this was new also, I'd never done this before) twice a day; predisone (a steroid) twice a day; and neupogen (an injection-- 20 iu once a day). I was on all of these meds for about 4 weeks (a little more) leading up to FET (my timeline was about a week longer than typical because the lining of my uterus wasn't getting to ideal thickness and so he gave it a little more time). We also did 2 PRP infusions and I had an intralipid infusion about every 3 weeks. As mentioned my uterus lining wasn't getting to ideal thickness so Dr. T also added in vaginal estrace (1 pill inserted into the vagina at night) about 2 weeks (maybe a little longer) into taking medications. My lining never got beyond about 7mm, but the trilaminal (trilaminar?) architecture/shape was good, and the FET worked :-)
As far as rationale for all of this:
The Vaginal Viagra, acupuncture (I did this also), and intrauterine PRP lavage were to help thicken the endometrial lining.
The HGH was to help with egg quality.
The predinose and neuogen I believe were used under the assumption that I might have a hyperactivated immune system that was rejecting the previous embryos (this is the "natural killer cell activity" theory which is relatively new in the fertility world).
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Marian Gerges)
Overall the nursing staff at Sher was very good and caring. I often had to ask clarifying questions to get all of the information that I needed, but they were good partners in my care and I appreciated them.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I appreciated how Dr. T looped in all relevant parties on emails to work together on various stages of our care. It was good to have them working as a team. I was a little surprised by the use of email for some sensitive information (they do have a patient portal but it was used mostly for communicating my calendar of medications), but I ended up just going with it because it made it easy for us to communicate with all relevant parties.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
We were extremely fortunate to be able to use insurance coverage for our IVF + FET with Dr. T (1 of each). This was our 3rd and final covered cycle. This also covered standard medications. The experimental medications were not covered by insurance. By the time we're done with medications total cost will probably be $14,000-$15,000. This includes medications, office co-pays, 2 PRPs, 5 intralipid infusions, and the receptiva and ALICE tests.
What specific things went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Overall Sher was a very well run operation. No big complaints. There was one time we're fairly certain they forgot to call us with results, but as soon as we called in to ask ourselves they called us right back, so it wasn't a huge deal.
I originally sought out Dr. Tortoriello to help me assess why I kept miscarrying and he ordered every test that he felt could provide answers which included immunology...Turns out that I was a poor responder to the stimulation so each round was different because Dr. T was thoughtful and methodical and made changes that were helpful. He is incredibly responsive to emails and performs each scan and retrieval himself...[his] preference was to only transfer one embryo at a time but given my particular situation (poor responder to meds & very few embryos) he agreed to transfer two.
I sought out Sher as I was searching for a highly personalized experience. That is what I can say is Sher's number one strength when compared to their peers. You are absolutely treated as a person and all of your specific details are taken into account. The only critique I would share is with respect to the billing process. There were a few times where we would sign up for a cycle but not be cleared financially which was due to miscommunication.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I originally sought out Dr. Tortoriello's help after I suffered two consecutive miscarriages in 2020 whilst trying four our second child. Dr. T was compassionate and thoughtful and took care in my situation and ordered several tests and exams on both my and my husband. We really felt as if he left no stone unturned. Never once did Dr. T suggest we try IVF and in fact he was fairly confident that if we continued to try unassisted that we would conceive. He did advise that the upside in our particular case would be the ability to screen embryos for abnormalities that could lead to additional miscarriages. After a few months of trying, we turned to Dr. T for our IVF journey. I had gathered so much information anecdotally and Dr. T never once made me feel like any of my questions were unfounded or silly. He listened and carefully responded to each question and suggestion - he made me feel heard. Anyone who has been through several losses understands how much that means. We ultimately did 3 egg retrievals to achieve our beautiful baby boy. Turns out that I was a poor responder to the stimulation so each round was different because Dr. T was thoughtful and methodical and made changes that were helpful. He is incredibly responsive to emails and performs each scan and retrieval himself. He also spent a lot of time diagnosing my husband and even suggested a urologist that specializes in male fertility who was amazing. My husband now sees him regularly.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I would suggest that you ask every question that might arise during your treatment. Dr. Tortoriello is incredibly responsive and forthcoming with information. He might not always tell you in the first instance but is more than willing to share his thoughts and expertise when asked.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
While under Dr. Tortoriello's care I always felt like I was receiving personalized care. He took care in ensuring that he carefully reviewed all of the nuances of my situation into consideration and listened to my concerns and thoughts. I originally sought out Dr. Tortoriello to help me assess why I kept miscarrying and he ordered every test that he felt could provide answers which included immunology.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
I did three egg retrievals with Dr. Tortoriello and all three were different, albeit I don't remember the names. I believe the first was a standard antagonist protocol with Ganirelix and the second and third were tweaked each time. He added Omnitrope and then we primed with estrogen and Omnitrope.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Cecilia)
Cecilia was my main coordinator but I also had several others and all were lovely and caring. I had nothing but amazing experiences with the nursing staff - from the nurses who drew blood at each visit to my coordinators.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I sought out Sher as I was searching for a highly personalized experience. That is what I can say is Sher's number one strength when compared to their peers. You are absolutely treated as a person and all of your specific details are taken into account. The only critique I would share is with respect to the billing process. There were a few times where we would sign up for a cycle but not be cleared financially which was due to miscommunication.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
We were completely out of pocket so we paid for procedure and medications on our own.
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Dr. T's preference was to only transfer one embryo at a time but given my particular situation (poor responder to meds & very few embryos) he agreed to transfer two.
Dr. Tortoriello is an amazing doctor who spent quality time whether in person, on the phone, or through email every time we needed him. He gave all information and valued opinion in a way we could not only understand, but respect...I did 3 rounds of IUI, all unsuccessful. We then switched to begin the IVF process which included oral medicine as well as the injections and trigger shot before transfer
Everyone at Sher is professional, respectful, honest and takes the time to work with you...Every appt was on time, the staff was extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of treatments and processes. They were able to easily explain everything from fertility calendar to financial questions. I never felt rushed or that my questions were annoying anyone. I always felt valises and respected !
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. T always made me feel 100% comfortable in every setting - office visits, IUI, retrieval, and transfers. I never felt confused about anything and was totally relaxed in every moment being a patient of Dr. T. I felt that any of my concerns were valued and discussed.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Follow Dr. Ts directions and opinions 100% - he is an amazing expert !
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. Tortoriello is an amazing doctor who spent quality time whether in person, on the phone, or through email every time we needed him. He gave all information and valued opinion in a way we could not only understand, but respect.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
I did 3 rounds of IUI, all unsuccessful. We then switched to begin the IVF process which included oral medicine as well as the injections and trigger shot before transfer. I was able to get 6 eggs from 1 retrieval - only 2 made it to viable embryos.
My first transfer (5 day fresh eggs) resulted in my daughter.
2nd transfer a year later (frozen embryo) resulted in my son.
We listened to every bit of advise and instructions given by Dr.T and we could not have been happier with our total experience over the past 5 years at Sher.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Cecilia)
Everyone at Sher is professional, respectful, honest and takes the time to work with you.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Every appt was on time, the staff was extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of treatments and processes. They were able to easily explain everything from fertility calendar to financial questions. I never felt rushed or that my questions were annoying anyone. I always felt valises and respected !
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
My insurance covered all
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
At our first transfer, we went in thinking we wanted to transfer our only 2 viable embryos, but we’re not aware of any concerns regarding doing this. Dr. T talked us through all of our options and without giving his opinion, he gently guided us in the safest most effective outcome. But he did not use his opinion to sway us in a direction, he openly gave us the opportunity to chose what we wanted. We ended up transferring 1 egg which led to a successful pregnancy.
Dr. Tortoriello is an excellent doctor and also very compassionate. He is warm and caring which makes the whole process so much easier to deal with...[he] always explained everything happening during the process and answered all of my questions. He is also available by email and will always reply right away...Over several years of treatment he never turned me away
[Sher Fertility Solutions NY] Exceptional care and compassionate doctor, nurses and staff. You can sometimes wait a little while in the waiting room but that is because they are not rushing any patients. When you have a question don’t hesitate to ask or email them as they are responsive...staff were great, always very responsive and compassionate
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. T is truly a great doctor and compassionate, caring and patient. Over several years of treatment he never turned me away, we did several IVF cycles and embryo transfers that were not successful he realized I had immunological issues and sought the advice of a reproductive immunologist who assessed my case, performed endometriosis surgery and added medications to my cycles to suppress the immune system. With a frozen embryo transfer done at Sher I was able to become pregnant and recently delivered a healthy baby. I highly recommend Dr. T and Sher for those struggling to conceive.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Don’t lose faith it may take a few cycles but maintain a positive attitude. You are in good hands with Dr. T.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. Tortoriello is an excellent doctor and also very compassionate. He is warm and caring which makes the whole process so much easier to deal with. Dr T always explained everything happening during the process and answered all of my questions. He is also available by email and will always reply right away. You are cared for as a patient and treated like a human.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Cecilia )
Dr. T’s staff were great, always very responsive and compassionate. Cecilia worked with me the longest and I trusted her completely and she was great to work with.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Exceptional care and compassionate doctor, nurses and staff. You can sometimes wait a little while in the waiting room but that is because they are not rushing any patients. When you have a question don’t hesitate to ask or email them as they are responsive.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Several IVF cycles covered by insurance some out of pocket.
[Dr. Tortoriello] tested us for things that other clinics either overlooked and blew off or didn't bother to look into at all. He is a very knowledgeable and compassionate doctor. He always takes the time to answer all of your questions thoroughly...It is amazing that I was able to contact him directly instead of communicating via his nurses...He is open to ideas from his patients, but will also tell you when he disagrees and the reasons why. His bedside manner is warm, friendly, and compassionate. He takes the time to communicate both good and difficult information directly to his patients.
The doctor and nurses [at Sher Fertility Solutions New York] were very supportive throughout my treatment and beyond...They worked around the clock and were available all the time regardless of night, or weekends. They responded immediately to my emails and calls...Cecilia was my nurse and she was available both in-person and thru email and phone. I felt supported and that she cared about me/the success of my treatment
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
How to describe Dr. Tortoriello (Dr. T.)?? Honestly speaking I don't have words the only thing I can say that he is the best doctor in the whole wide world. I am his international patient. I saw doctors both in the USA and out of the USA as well but only got a positive result thru him. My first cycle didn't work however I just delivered my twin boys thru my second cycle done by Dr. T. The only thing I can say that if you have been to other clinics and had failed IVF cycles but you are not done fighting infertility yet, you absolutely need to see Dr. T. He tested us for things that other clinics either overlooked and blew off or didn't bother to look into at all. He is a very knowledgeable and compassionate doctor. He always takes the time to answer all of your questions thoroughly. Dr. T understands that the infertility journey is difficult, scary, and ambiguous. He is open to ideas from his patients, but will also tell you when he disagrees and the reasons why. His bedside manner is warm, friendly, and compassionate. He takes the time to communicate both good and difficult information directly to his patients. Above all, you feel like you are part of a true doctor-patient relationship with Dr. T and you feel like you can trust his recommendations. Even when some cycles don't work out as hoped, you never feel like no one is watching you or a true attempt wasn't made.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Just listen to his recommendation and trust him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
He always takes the time to explain and give me satisfactory explanations for all of my questions and concerns. It is amazing that I was able to contact him directly instead of communicating via his nurses.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
I don't remember all of the exact treatment and strategies that he used , however, the only thing I clearly remembered that he prescribed HGH during my egg retrieval cycle as well as in my transfer cycle. My second cycle was a success and resulted in a positive pregnancy with 2 healthy babies.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Cecilia)
Cecilia was my nurse and she was available both in-person and thru email and phone. I felt supported and that she cared about me/the success of my treatment.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
The doctor and nurses were very supportive throughout my treatment and beyond. I don't remember the names of all of the nurses who took my blood and assisted Dr. T during my treatment. All of them were amazing. They worked around the clock and were available all the time regardless of night, or weekends. They responded immediately to my emails and calls.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I paid $14,500 for 1 egg retrieval and a frozen embryo transfer cycle.
[Dr. Drew Tortoriello] is a very kind person. He performed the treatment by himself every time I visited the clinic, and he responds my emails usually in 1-2 hours, and sometimes in a minute. I still remember the first consulting with him, he listened very carefully, and can accurately replied my questions...He is definitely a reliable doctor...he loves this job and has full passion on his patients and his career
[Sher Fertility Solutions New York] Clinic is clean, in good order. As a patient, every visit, the waiting time is less than 5 minutes. Finance billing staff is also very polite and reasonable. Location is quite good, in midtown NY, very convenient to NY, NJ residents...In general, nursing staff are nice, especially Cecilia Choe, she replied my emails even in late night.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. T is a very experienced, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and kind doctor. After the first consulting with him, I know I found the right doctor.
As a patient, I can see him every time I visit the clinic; I can receive his response on my questions promptly; even when I don't have sufficient medications, his clinic immediately provided me some for urgent use. I really appreciate it. I feel he is not only for the money, he loves this job and has full passion on his patients and his career.
The Clinic is quite clean and in good order. In general, nurses are all nice and friendly, especially Cecilia Choe.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Follow Dr T's instructions, he knows what he is doing and would find the best treatment for you. Trust him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr.T is a very kind person. He performed the treatment by himself every time I visited the clinic, and he responds my emails usually in 1-2 hours, and sometimes in a minute. I still remember the first consulting with him, he listened very carefully, and can accurately replied my questions. I feel I am a human not a number at Sher. He is definitely a reliable doctor.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
cant remember the treatment protocols, I just followed Dr. T's instructions.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
In general, nursing staff are nice, especially Cecilia Choe, she replied my emails even in late night.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Clinic is clean, in good order. As a patient, every visit, the waiting time is less than 5 minutes. Finance billing staff is also very polite and reasonable.
Location is quite good, in midtown NY, very convenient to NY, NJ residents.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
did not calculate yet; but feel reasonable.
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Did not discuss this question with him, as I have only one embryo to be transferred.
I have very low sperm and the motility was close to 0. Dr. Tortoriello was very helpful in talking about this with me and my wife in a sensitive and non-judgmental way...got us the right tests and treatment without wasting time. Plus my wife has English as her second language...Dr. Tortoriello always took time to listen and speak with her slowly so she understood...He recommended one embryo per transfer.
The location [of Sher Fertility Solutions NY] for me was perfect as it's near the path train...more of a boutique clinic. They give each patient appointments so it is never crazy or crowded...We had 2 nurses but Cecilia was the main one and she was great. She called or emailed me and my wife almost daily. The nice thing about Sher is they always send these calendars with medications on them so you always know what to take
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
He is calm and thorough. He never got agitated, even when at times I was frankly a lot to handle. My baseline mode borders on panic to begin with. I thought I was going to burst from anxiety when he told me my sperm count was super low. But he worked through this with us and got us the right tests and treatment without wasting time. Plus my wife has English as her second language and speaks English not very well and Dr. Tortoriello always took time to listen and speak with her slowly so she understood.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Trust him and ask questions at each visit in the AM.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
It is a bit hard to know that the reason for my wife and I's failure to have a child was my fault. I have very low sperm and the motility was close to 0. Dr. Tortoriello was very helpful in talking about this with me and my wife in a sensitive and non-judgmental way. He made it clear that it could be very hard to overcome without IVF but with IVF we had an excelletn chance.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
Urology consultation showed me that only IVF with ICSI was the way to go so we didn't bother with inseminations. My wife did a regular protocol with follistim and menopur. We did well. I wanted a fresh day 5 transfer so we did but it was only a brief pregnancy (chemical). We did PGT testing on the rest and had 2 normal embryos. We took a 2 month break to recharge our batteries and then did a frozen transfer with one girl embryo. Thank goodness it took.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Cecilia)
We had 2 nurses but Cecilia was the main one and she was great. She called or emailed me and my wife almost daily. The nice thing about Sher is they always send these calendars with medications on them so you always know what to take. Cecilia would send these and if we had any questions we could email her immediately.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
The location for me was perfect as it's near the path train. They just redid the 3rd floor location and it looks very modern and clean. At the time COVID was still big but they were very COVID minded and had barriers, hand cleanser, etc. The only thing I did not like was one receptionist who I found aloof, but she was gone after a few weeks. But I found that nearly everyone knew my wife's name when she came in.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Sher is more of a boutique clinic. They give each patient appointments so it is never crazy or crowded...a good thing especially during COVID.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
~13k
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I had gone to [Dr. Tortoriello] because I was told my egg quality was not good. On top of that, I had ashermans syndrome (scarring of the uterus due to 2 DNC's caused by another doctor). [He] was honest...I can successfully say I now have a healthy 4 month old son because of Dr. T. We did use a donor egg however I was able to carry my son the entire pregnancy - gave birth at 38 weeks - myself
Not one bad thing to say about [Sher Fertility Solutions New York]! The clinic was small which I liked because they knew me by name. I was always greeted with a smile. I ALWAYS saw my doctor. He ALWAYS answered my emails (questions or anxieties). The clinic and staff was clean and professional, yet warm...Bushra and Franny were the 2 nurses I had most contact with...every nurse was pleasant.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I was skeptical about Dr. T in the beginning because I had been through so many negative experiences with fertility doctors. But with every questions, concern, or anxiety I had, he stayed calm, patient, and kind. He treated me like a friend as opposed to a number. Hands down, the BEST experience. I recommend him to everyone looking for an IVF doctor.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Don't let your anxieties get in the way of Dr. T's expertise. He will tailor the treatment to you and will actually care about your outcome.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. Tortoriello treated me, not only as a human, but more. From the first time I met him until the last, he was with me very step of the way. He did not turn his back. He always answered my questions and eased my anxieties, not only with his answers and experience, but with his calm demeanor.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
I'm not sure the name, if there was a name, of the protocol Dr. T used but I can tell you we used Letrozole, Estrogen patches, baby aspirin, and progesterone suppositories. I had gone to Dr. T because I was told my egg quality was not good. On top of that, I had ashermans syndrome (scarring of the uterus due to 2 DNC's caused by another doctor). Dr. T was honest. He made no promises and in my eyes that's all I wanted! I can successfully say I now have a healthy 4 month old son because of Dr. T. We did use a donor egg however I was able to carry my son the entire pregnancy - gave birth at 38 weeks - myself!
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Bushra and Franny were my go to nurses. )
Bushra and Franny were the 2 nurses I had most contact with. However, I will say, that every nurse was pleasant.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Not one bad thing to say about them! The clinic was small which I liked because they knew me by name. I was always greeted with a smile. I ALWAYS saw my doctor. He ALWAYS answered my emails (questions or anxieties). The clinic and staff was clean and professional, yet warm.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
It cost us approx $90k
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I told Dr. T the gender of the baby my husband and I wanted and I let him pick with embryo looked the best and would give me the best chances. Can you tell I had faith in him?!
I felt that Dr. T[ortoriello] knew who I was as a patient - he was prepared to discuss my case every time and was very accessible...put me at ease during every appointment. He has an extremely calm bedside manner and explained what we were trying to accomplish at the beginning of every appointment. When we had an unsuccessful frozen embryo transfer, I felt that he truly took the results personally and had a different path to my care for the following attempt. I trust his professional judgment...was conservative in administering hormones (in a good way) so I wasn't overstimulated. I had heard horror stories from other clinics and felt fortunate to definitely avoid that experience.
Nursing and care coordination [at Sher Fertility of New York] was not very memorable. I didn't need hand holding so I don't think I relied on them for much other than coordinating beta tests...During my first transfer I was told I had a negative pregnancy test, which joyfully turned out to be incorrect. It was stressful to get re-tested at the time and was definitely shocking but a happy accident...doesn't employ the friendliest individuals on the phone. I know the staff may feel overrun but you are in the business of helping desperate families, a little compassionate would go a long way. I think there is some room for improvement when delivering bad news.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. T put me at ease during every appointment. He has an extremely calm bedside manner and explained what we were trying to accomplish at the beginning of every appointment. When we had an unsuccessful frozen embryo transfer, I felt that he truly took the results personally and had a different path to my care for the following attempt. I trust his professional judgment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I would advise anyone to come in equip with questions you have in mind. He is extremely knowledgeable but cannot read your mind and expectations.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I felt that Dr. T knew who I was as a patient - he was prepared to discuss my case every time and was very accessible.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
I don't remember all of the exact treatment strategies used, however, I do think Dr. T was conservative in administering hormones (in a good way) so I wasn't overstimulated. I had heard horror stories from other clinics and felt fortunate to definitely avoid that experience.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Cecilia Choe)
Nursing and care coordination was not very memorable. I didn't need hand holding so I don't think I relied on them for much other than coordinating beta tests.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
The clinic doesn't employ the friendliest individuals on the phone. I know the staff may feel overrun but you are in the business of helping desperate families, a little compassionate would go a long way. I think there is some room for improvement when delivering bad news.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
We had care under the Progeny insurance network.
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Dr. T was very firm to transfer a single embryo each time given my younger age.
What specific things went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Lost results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
During my first transfer I was told I had a negative pregnancy test, which joyfully turned out to be incorrect. It was stressful to get re-tested at the time and was definitely shocking but a happy accident.
He [Dr. Tortoriello] wanted to make sure to explain things to me and would not provide an opinion as to the best course of action until he conducted preliminary tests/did a workup. Dr. T communicated with my husband and me throughout all of the treatments we did...I had to do three egg retrievals. Given my age, we PGS tested all embryos that survived to day 5. For the third retrieval, Dr. T decided to add in HGH...it was this cycle that led to the ONE embryo that tested viable and which we then transferred.
The doctors and nurses [at Sher Fertility of New York] are very communicative and supportive. I did feel as though there needed to be more communication between billing and the drs/nurses. We were initially billed for storage of embryos that did not PGS test as viable and which [Dr. Tortoriello] wouldn't transfer, which was a little frustrating...I felt very supported and that she [nurse] cared about me/the success of my treatments. She was genuinely very sad to let me know the results of the PGS testing for the first round (none of the embryos tested as viable).
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. Tortoriello was kind and communicative from the second I consulted with him. I had previously been to another clinic where I felt like a number and that the clinic had decided I needed to undergo IVF before even diagnosing me or conducting any tests. The experience with Dr. T was entirely opposite. He wanted to make sure to explain things to me and would not provide an opinion as to the best course of action until he conducted preliminary tests/did a workup. Dr. T communicated with my husband and me throughout all of the treatments we did.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Ask him any questions you have...he will answer them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. Tortoriello was always available by email and his office was as well (by email and by telephone). He was sensitive to what I was experiencing emotionally and was encouraging.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
I first went through three IUIs for insurance coverage purposes. I used clomid in the first and third cycles. The third cycle led to a chemical pregnancy which slightly delayed moving forward with IVF.
I had to do three egg retrievals. Given my age, we PGS tested all embryos that survived to day 5. For the third retrieval, Dr. T decided to add in HGH...it was this cycle that led to the ONE embryo that tested viable and which we then transferred.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Cecilia Choe)
Cecilia was available. She even called me on her day off to let me know the results of a day 5 check of embryos. She spent time with me on the telephone when I had questions or doubts or needed assistance in thinking through what made the most sense. I felt very supported and that she cared about me/the success of my treatments. She was genuinely very sad to let me know the results of the PGS testing for the first round (none of the embryos tested as viable).
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
The doctors and nurses are very communicative and supportive. I did feel as though there needed to be more communication between billing and the drs/nurses. We were initially billed for storage of embryos that did not PGS test as viable and which Dr. T wouldn't transfer, which was a little frustrating.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Fortunately, my insurance covered a large portion of treatments. IUIs were covered; i had $50 co-pays every time I went for an appointment. IVF was 75% covered so I had a co-pay prior to treatment. Same for the transfer. I had to pay for medications.
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
He [Dr. Tortoriello] always changed my plan according to my needs. If something didn’t work, he looked for a solution. In my case he found it and we are blessed today at my age 44 with my own eggs. This is truly a blessing and miracle and It couldn’t happen without him. He didn’t turn me away where others did so it speaks to his compassion. He is dedicated and very diligent. I always felt 100 trust in him and his approach. He leveled with us when we asked the difficult questions and never gave us false hope... but somehow still managed to give us hope. I always felt relaxed with him because he is so easy going and very calm. That helps during such difficult times. I will forever be grateful to him.
[The staff at Sher Fertility of New York are] very responsive via email and in person and I never felt like a number. I felt unique in my journey and it was there approach that made me feel this way. They are amazing... They [nurses] were very responsive even communicating via email. I always felt comfortable knowing they would provide instructions when it came to my calendar and medications dosages. A couple times I ran out of medicine over a weekend and they provided me with some until I was able to get mine so I didn’t miss a cycle.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I don’t have enough words to describe the great Doctor he is. He is smart and is very knowledgeable in the latest research. He always changed my plan according to my needs. If something didn’t work, he looked for a solution. In my case he found it and we are blessed today at my age 44 with my own eggs. This is truly a blessing and miracle and It couldn’t happen without him. He didn’t turn me away where others did so it speaks to his compassion. He is dedicated and very diligent. I always felt 100 trust in him and his approach. He leveled with us when we asked the difficult questions and never gave us false hope... but somehow still managed to give us hope. I always felt relaxed with him because he is so easy going and very calm. That helps during such difficult times. I will forever be grateful to him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Don’t ever give up and Trust Dr. T. And his approach. I feel he is not about the money.... but truly cares. I believe that he really is in this to help in this difficult journey of infertility.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
The office staff and Dr. T were always very responsive via email and in person and I never felt like a number. I felt unique in my journey and it was there approach that made me feel this way. They are amazing.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Cecilia Choe and Frances Faundez)
I mainly worked with Frances Faundez and Cecilia Choe. They were both very easy to work with. They were very responsive even communicating via email. I always felt comfortable knowing they would provide instructions when it came to my calendar and medications dosages. A couple times I ran out of medicine over a weekend and they provided me with some until I was able to get mine so I didn’t miss a cycle. Frances was so compassionate and sweet when I had a miscarriage. And she took the time to make me feel like a person and not just another patient.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I think all the nurses should all be as compassionate and on the same page. I know it’s hard when dealing with so many patients but it really does help. When the staff are all professional and kind and take the time to know your name It separates the practice from any other infertility practice. This journey is hard as it is and when you deal with a practice that is professional and doesn’t treat you like a number or rush you or lose patience with you it makes it more tolerable. Their strength I feel is that they are all compassionate and willing to help... even when they seemed swamped. The one advice I would have is to make sure that their front desk staff (not the 6th floor) is professional. Sometimes on the other floor when I would go in for a procedure the girls were a little loud and not well spoken or professional. I felt they were not as approachable.
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
We asked Dr. T what he thought would be best for us and our situation. He would always give us his expert suggestions but ultimately try to let us decide how many we wanted transferred as long as it was safe. Based on my age we would transfer no more than two.
He [Dr. Tortoriello] was always nice and kind and polite. I always met with him every visit except for one weekend monitoring appointment where I met with his partner. He always answered my emails and all my questions...He was always right about my treatment...we moved to injectables and timed intercourse which failed the first time but worked more in harmony with my body and again he was correct 100% on which drug protocol to use despite me asking about trying other drugs and him assuring me that his choice would be best for me. My 2nd round of injectables we tried IUI and I got pregnant.
I never had to long wait or really any wait at all at [Sher Fertility of New York]...it was well run...very flexible in my appointment scheduling which was such a relief because there was no way I could have attended other well known NYC clinics with my schedule...[The nurse is] Always lovely and kind and helpful and answered emails promptly even after business hours at times...they are very busy and sometimes some details are forgotten but minor things and all in all lot better than most clinics.
Clinic Nps
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I have a very tricky schedule living in NYC with two toddlers (one with special needs) and no family to help out so Dr. T was very flexible in my appointment scheduling which was such a relief because there was no way I could have attended other well known NYC clinics with my schedule. He always answered my questions via email or in person and I asked huge amount of questions. He was straight forward and honest but kind and compassionate at the same time. He was always right about my treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Just ask questions and ask the office staff questions as well to put your mind at rest and email him your concerns. I never had to long wait or really any wait at all at his office...it was well run.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
He was always nice and kind and polite. I always met with him every visit except for one weekend monitoring appointment where I met with his partner. He always answered my emails and all my questions.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
Started with clomid even though I pushed that because I was new to fertility treatments and nervous about injectables, IVF etc and wanted to try something as simple as possible. He was right when he said it probably wasn’t the best course of action to take in my situation and it caused more issues for me. Then we moved to injectables and timed intercourse which failed the first time but worked more in harmony with my body and again he was correct 100% on which drug protocol to use despite me asking about trying other drugs and him assuring me that his choice would be best for me. My 2nd round of injectables we tried IUI and I got pregnant.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Frances and Ivana )
Frances is Dr. T’s right hand woman. Always lovely and kind and helpful and answered emails promptly even after business hours at times.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Strengths - small, kind, helpful, compassionate staff. Frances and Ivana went above and beyond. Also, I forget her name but the nurse who took my bloods and assisted Dr. T during examinations etc. was wonderful as well.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I only had co-pay each visit and co insurance until I met my deductible.
What specific things went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
As with any clinic you just have to follow up sometimes in case they are very busy and sometimes some details are forgotten but minor things and all in all lot better than most clinics.
He [Dr. Tortoriello] is very professional, he answers all your questions and also is always available via email. He is kind and compassionate but also direct. Sometimes when you get bad news, you would prefer not to be direct but he isn’t dismissive of your hopes and dreams. We had two miscarriages with both of our transfers so the embryos likely had chromosomal abnormalities and he indicated this early on when signs showed it via sonogram but also let me have hope.
It [Sher Fertility] is one of the best clinics I have been to for any healthcare. They really don’t have any weaknesses. They worked around my cycle, they are available at night, on weekends, they respond immediately to emails and calls.... Everyone is great, they explain in detail what to expect, they comfort you when you are upset, they are loving and compassionate.... 14,000k for IVF cycle, $3800 for frozen embryo transfer
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
He is very professional, he answers all your questions and also is always available via email. He is kind and compassionate but also direct. Sometimes when you get bad news, you would prefer not to be direct but he isn’t dismissive of your hopes and dreams. We had two miscarriages with both of our transfers so the embryos likely had chromosomal abnormalities and he indicated this early on when signs showed it via sonogram but also let me have hope.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Go with Dr. T and Sher, they are kind and know what they are doing. Ask questions when you need to and know that Dr. T is usually right when he says things don’t look right.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Everyone at Sher is so warm, they genuinely want to help you. Dr T. Is sensitive but also direct and tells you what to expect and doesn’t give you false hope. He also tries things when other Dr.s give up on you.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
He put me on an estrogen patch for 5 days to increase my follicle count and it worked. He followed my follicles very carefully and didn’t have me trigger too early, he adjusted my medicines daily as needed and as a result he got 4 eggs and all of them made it to 5 day blastocyst.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Frances )
Everyone is great, they explain in detail what to expect, they comfort you when you are upset, they are loving and compassionate.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
It is one of the best clinics I have been to for any healthcare. They really don’t have any weaknesses. They worked around my cycle, they are available at night, on weekends, they respond immediately to emails and calls. I love Sher!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
14,000k for IVF cycle, $3800 for frozen embryo transfer
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
After 2 successful IVF cycles at another boutique clinic...that resulted in 2 miscarriages at ~8 weeks (devastating), we switched to Dr. T[ortoriello]. During my initial consult with Dr. T he recommended a different protocol, adding several new medications. On my 1st cycle with Dr. T, I became pregnant and successfully carried to term and delivered a beautiful baby boy into the world. 2 years later, we went back to Dr. T., the man worked his magic again, and voila, we now have baby boy #2. I intend to visit Dr. T again soon as my husband is eager for baby boy #3...ha!
It was a combination of Dr. Tortoriello's bedside manner and the fact that Sher Institute's process is personable and didn't have the feel of an assembly line...After 2 miscarriages at ~8 weeks while at another clinic, Dr. T added Lovenox and intralipids to my cycle medications. My previous clinic did not prescribe these. I was 27 during my 1st cycle, my husband was 45, and our issue becoming pregnant was likely male-factor though it also seemed that I had an issue maintaining pregnancy beyond 8 weeks.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
It is my great honor and pleasure to write this recommendation for Dr. Tortoriello. He is a miracle worker. After 2 successful IVF cycles at another boutique clinic (on East 69th St. in Manhattan) that resulted in 2 miscarriages at ~8 weeks (devastating), we switched to Dr. T. During my initial consult with Dr. T he recommended a different protocol, adding several new medications. On my 1st cycle with Dr. T, I became pregnant and successfully carried to term and delivered a beautiful baby boy into the world. 2 years later, we went back to Dr. T., the man worked his magic again, and voila, we now have baby boy #2. I intend to visit Dr. T again soon as my husband is eager for baby boy #3...ha!
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Be proactive about your case. This is true for any fertility doctor you visit.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
It was a combination of Dr. Tortoriello's bedside manner and the fact that Sher Institute's process is personable and didn't have the feel of an assembly line.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
After 2 miscarriages at ~8 weeks while at another clinic, Dr. T added Lovenox and intralipids to my cycle medications. My previous clinic did not prescribe these. I was 27 during my 1st cycle, my husband was 45, and our issue becoming pregnant was likely male-factor though it also seemed that I had an issue maintaining pregnancy beyond 8 weeks.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
The nurses were friendly, organized and communicative.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Sher Fertility's strength is that it is a boutique clinic that can provide personalized care. You never feel like a number. The staff is
professional, organized and efficient. They are open on weekends, and I never had any issues with wait times.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I was covered by insurance up to $25,000.
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
After I had my first son Dr. T recommended eSET for subsequent transfers due to my age and success getting pregnant with previous transfers.
My wife had a serious complication that resulted from ovarian over-stimulation. She wound up in the hospital. Dr. Tortoriello actively participated in her treatment and remotely was able to correctly diagnose my wife's condition. His correct diagnosis allowed us to avoid a very dangerous surgery proposed by the hospital staff. ... Dr. Tortoriello treated my wife and I as if we were the only patients that mattered.
The clinic [Sher Fertility of New York] offers a variety of fertility doctors. It is centrally located. It is not the cheapest. But, its quality to cost ratio is very good. A little more nursing help (in the form of a dedicated nurse assigned to the case) would eliminate the majority of confusion that occasionally crept in ... Frequently, the persons responding to a phone call were confused as to who should be consulted on a particular question. Appointment times were sometimes shuffled.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
My wife had a serious complication that resulted from ovarian over-stimulation. She wound up in the hospital. Dr. Tortoriello actively participated in her treatment and remotely was able to correctly diagnose my wife's condition. His correct diagnosis allowed us to avoid a very dangerous surgery proposed by the hospital staff. For that, we are eternally grateful
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. Tortoriello is a very tactful person. Try to tamper your aggression. Trust this doctor to do the best for you. Ulterior motives exit when Dr. T enters
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
A number is faceless, a human (especially, a patient) requires compassion, attention to details, understanding, and I dare say empathy. Dr. Tortoriello treated my wife and I as if we were the only patients that mattered.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Sometimes, there was confusion as to the appointment dates, test results, etc.
We attribute this to a lack of primary nursing help assignment. No malice.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
The clinic offers a variety of fertility doctors. It is centrally located. It is not the cheapest. But, its quality to cost ratio is very good. A little more nursing help (in the form of a dedicated nurse assigned to the case) would eliminate the majority of confusion that occasionally crept in
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
The cost of the cycle (hormonal pre-retrieval therapy, egg retrieval, ICSI, pre-implantation hormonal therapy, PGS/PGD, fertilization, implantation) ran close to $20,000
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Unfortunately, we did not have the luxury of having the availability of multiple embryos. Therefore, this question is moot
What specific things went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Frequently, the persons responding to a phone call were confused as to who should be consulted on a particular question. Appointment times were sometimes shuffled.
Dr T. [Tortoriello] is very responsive to emails, typically responding within 2 hours. Unfortunately, because I wasn’t a local patient and did remote monitoring (through another clinic), I didn’t get to have the regular/ frequent interaction with him during monitoring or speak with him about my results.... I have DOR so he did not want to use BC for priming since it would suppress my eggs. He had me on Estrogen patches before my cycle started, then Gonal F and Menapur.
Strength: you feel less like a number comparing to other clinics since it's a small clinic. They [Sher Fertility of NY] accept insurance. They treat DOR patients and don't give them the donor egg speech. Weakness: if you are not a local patient, you don't have the frequent interaction with your doctor.... On one occasion my test results were misread and they asked me to proceed with stims on a cycle that would have ended up being canceled due to a lead follicle.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
He is patient and understanding of what his patients are going through. He is also very candid but you have to ask a lot of questions and be an educated patient. I had to ask about other options available. At times, I felt as a number. On one occasion he misread my test results and didn’t realize until I questioned it.
He is very responsive to emails and gets back to you promptly which is great but his emails were abbreviated.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Be an educated patient. Ask questions. Schedule follow-up appointments.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr T. is very responsive to emails, typically responding within 2 hours. Unfortunately, because I wasn’t a local patient and did remote monitoring (through another clinic), I didn’t get to have the regular/ frequent interaction with him during monitoring or speak with him about my results. If you do remote monitoring like I did, I would recommend arranging follow-up phone consultations after each monitoring. I found his emails too brief so I always had follow-up questions.
All in all, I would have appreciated more communication and personal guidance.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
I have DOR so he did not want to use BC for priming since it would suppress my eggs. He had me on Estrogen patches before my cycle started, then Gonal F and Menapur. He added another injectable to prevent early ovulation around D11. He then had me go in every couple of days and adjusted my dosage according to the results. he added HGH during my 2nd cycle which got cancelled due to a lead follicle.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Cecilia Choe)
Cecilia is organized and helpful. On one occasion, she located a local pharmacy close to midnight for me when I was traveling and that allowed me to continue stims.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Strength: you feel less like a number comparing to other clinics since it's a small clinic. They accept insurance. They treat DOR patients and don't give them the donor egg speech.
Weakness: if you are not a local patient, you don't have the frequent interaction with your doctor.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I do remote monitoring in another state, so Im not aware of Sher's practice when it comes to monitoring
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I haven't received a bill yet.
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
n/a
What specific things went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
On one occasion my test results were misread and they asked me to proceed with stims on a cycle that would have ended up being canceled due to a lead follicle.
He [Dr. Tortoriello] is quiet and introverted...For the first two FET rounds: Crinone Estrace Prednisone (slightly elevated NK levels) Lovenox (for slightly elevated anticardiolipin) Intralipids (slightly elevated NK levels) For third, I switched to PIO thinking maybe it was affecting implantation, skipped prednisone and intralipids and waited on the lovenox until a positive beta. This transfer worked, and so far so good.
[Sher Fertility has] Appointments rather than open monitoring...Don't feel like a number...It's almost always empty which makes me nervous! Big staff and sometimes feels disorganized...Modern facilities Modern communications...Financial coordination is great...She [nurse] was very responsive and supportive. Easy to talk to by email...I believe they misplaced a test result (test for initial clearance for an FET) but overall were very organized
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr T is a wonderful person, and I feel safe and well cared for with him. He knows his stuff and has zero ego. He is open to experimental treatment but committed to the standard fundamentals.
I did have two failed transfers with him, however, with tested embryos. He recommended a very different protocol than I had had previously, and I wonder if it was too different, or too out there. His protocol included things like prednisone and intralipids, which I know are controversial.
When I wanted to switch back to a more standard protocol he was very supportive, and so far this one has worked (I'm 11 weeks). I would feel very comfortable going to him for a future cycle.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
You must do your own research and be proactive! He is quiet and introverted ... Make sure you ask all your questions!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
His bedside care is amazing. He is warm, open, and caring. He listens and is incredibly patient. He remembers my case and responds to every email!
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
For the first two FET rounds:
Crinone
Estrace
Prednisone (slightly elevated NK levels)
Lovenox (for slightly elevated anticardiolipin)
Intralipids (slightly elevated NK levels)
For third, I switched to PIO thinking maybe it was affecting implantation, skipped prednisone and intralipids and waited on the lovenox until a positive beta. This transfer worked, and so far so good.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Lindsay )
She was very responsive and supportive. Easy to talk to by email. Seems to know her stuff but for some reason I'm not blown away by her capabilities as a nurse.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Boutique
Appointments rather than open monitoring
Don't feel like a number
It's almost always empty which makes me nervous!
Big staff and sometimes feels disorganized
Modern facilities
Modern communications
Financial coordination is great
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
$1540 per transfer with insurance
Plus other costs
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
He was very open and asked my preference. Because I said single without hesitating, we didn't discuss it further
What specific things went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Lost paperwork
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I believe they misplaced a test result (test for initial clearance for an FET) but overall were very organized
My follicles grew slowly so I had a long stimming cycle and adjustments were made throughout [my cycle with Dr. Drew Tortoriello]...a very calm and reassuring physician...Dr. T really explained everything and answered all my questions. You can tell he cares deeply about patients, and I never felt like a number. I could email him and he would reply very quickly...He doesn't make promises, but he will take so much of the anxiety out of the process. If you need someone who is reassuring, honest, and thoughtful, Dr. T your best bet.
I absolutely loved working with Lindsay [nurse at Sher Fertility]. She was so incredibly helpful and responsive. Having that kind of support made me feel like I had a team going through the process with me, rather than just me and my husband... I had a couple of great conversations with the Financial Coordinator who practically gave me a line item budget of what everything would cost, what insurance covered, etc. It was so very helpful to go into the process with a clear picture of what we would need to pay upfront.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I met with a RE at another clinic before working with Dr. Tortoriello and the experience was like night and day. While the other physician had zero beside manner and barely let me speak, Dr. T really explained everything and answered all my questions. You can tell he cares deeply about patients, and I never felt like a number. I could email him and he would reply very quickly. If I pursue more IVF, it would definitely be under his care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
He doesn't make promises, but he will take so much of the anxiety out of the process. If you need someone who is reassuring, honest, and thoughtful, Dr. T your best bet.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. Tortoriello is a very calm and reassuring physician. He presented information without editorializing or imposing any judgement.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
I was on Gonal-F, Menopur, and Cetrotide. My follicles grew slowly so I had a long stimming cycle and adjustments were made throughout. Gonal-F started at 300 but increased to 350. Menopur started at 75 and increased to 150.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Lindsay Cluff)
I absolutely loved working with Lindsay. She was so incredibly helpful and responsive. Having that kind of support made me feel like I had a team going through the process with me, rather than just me and my husband.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Sher has a pretty good system so for the most part you only deal with your primary physician. I had to come in on the weekend once for an ultrasound and met a different doctor on call but in terms of the care I received, it was the same.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I was able to use my insurance to cover my care, although we paid for medications out-of-pocket. I had a couple of great conversations with the Financial Coordinator who practically gave me a line item budget of what everything would cost, what insurance covered, etc. It was so very helpful to go into the process with a clear picture of what we would need to pay upfront.
I had 12 eggs retrieved and 6 embryos were frozen [with Dr. Tortoriello]. I sent all the embryos for biopsy and PGS testing. They all came back abnormal. After discussions with Dr. Tortoriello and going over my PGS results, I decided to go the donor egg route as my egg quality was not resulting in normal embryos to transfer...was always available to speak with me whether over the phone , in person or via email. He always took his time to explain all of my options and any answered any concerns or questions I had during my process. Loved his one-on-one communication.
I love the fact that Sher is a boutique type of clinic. Everyone is always available to speak with you whether you are there in person, over the phone or via email. The office is bright, clean and just overall inviting. The staff always greets you with a smile. I honestly can not think of any weaknesses I experienced during my treatment. They are open on the weekends for monitoring and are very good at making sure you are seen at your appointment time. I have never had an issue waiting to be seen. I always saw Dr. Tortoriello during my visits. Overall, I had a great experience.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I felt at ease with Dr. Tortoriello during my first consultation with him. He is very soft spoken as well as very thorough in explaining the pros and cons, as well as answering all of my questions. It was very easy to make my decision to pick him to be my fertility doctor. Any other consultations I had at other clinics made me feel like a number and not a human. He always made me feel like a human.
During my treatment with Dr. Tortoriello, he was always very personable and accessible. There was never a time that I did not get a call back or an email reply to my questions or concerns during treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I would tell a prospective patient to pick him as your fertility doctor. He takes his time with you and explains everything to you. You will not be disappointed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr. Tortoriello was always available to speak with me whether over the phone , in person or via email. He always took his time to explain all of my options and any answered any concerns or questions I had during my process. Loved his one-on-one communication.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
In 2016, I had an egg retrieval. The medication used was as follows: Lupron 10 units, Ganirelix 250 mcg, Gonal F 225 units, Menopur 75 units and Trigger Shot 10,000 IU. I had 13 eggs retrieved, 10 matured and fertilized and 7 embryos were frozen. I did not do any PGS testing during this first egg retrieval. In the same year, I did two frozen transfers. I transferred 2 embryos the first time and 1 embryo the second time and got negative results on both occasions. I then decided to unfreeze and biopsy (PGS testing) the 4 remaining embryos and they all came back abnormal (chromosomes). I then decided to discard those abnormal embryos and not transfer them. In 2017, I had another egg retrieval. The medication used was as follows: Lupron 10 units, Ganirelix 250 mcg, Gonal F 225 units, Menopur 75 units and Trigger Shot 10,000 IU. I had 12 eggs retrieved and 6 embryos were frozen. I sent all the embryos for biopsy and PGS testing. They all came back abnormal.
After discussions with Dr. Tortoriello and going over my PGS results, I decided to go the donor egg route as my egg quality was not resulting in normal embryos to transfer. In my case, my egg donor was my sister. It resulted in us having 2 normal PGS tested embryos. I transferred one of those embryos and got a positive pregnancy and a live birth. He is currently 7 months old.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Bushra Suddal)
My primary nurse was Bushra Suddal, but I also was helped by other nurses at Sher. Bushra and all of the staff were absolutely amazing. They were always responsive and answered all of my concerns immediately. I have reached out to Bushra during after hours as well as on weekends and she always replied (email or telephone) to any questions I had whether it was a medication question or just a general question I had at the time. The staff (no matter who I reached out to) was always quick to reply and handle any concern I had. Making my appointments was always easy and I never had an issue getting a date and time that worked with my work schedule.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I love the fact that Sher is a boutique type of clinic. Everyone is always available to speak with you whether you are there in person, over the phone or via email. The office is bright, clean and just overall inviting. The staff always greets you with a smile. I honestly can not think of any weaknesses I experienced during my treatment. They are open on the weekends for monitoring and are very good at making sure you are seen at your appointment time. I have never had an issue waiting to be seen. I always saw Dr. Tortoriello during my visits. Overall, I had a great experience.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
My care under Dr. Tortoriello was primarily covered under my husband's insurance plan. My insurance covered 2 egg retrievals (my own egg retrievals), 2 transfers and medication associated with both egg retrievals and both transfers using my own eggs/embryos. However, my egg donor process was paid out-of-pocket. My out-of-pocket cost for my egg donor process plus transferring the embryo was approximately $22K (including egg retrieval of egg donor, medication for her, anesthesia for her, my transfer and my medication).
I saw Dr. Tortoriello for every visit. He did each and every ultrasound and at the end of each scan he told me exactly where he thought i was in the process in relation to where he thought I ought to be. He did both my egg harvest and embryo implantation. He responded to all my many emails, even during his Easter weekend. ... He is my second IVF doctor and was a breath of fresh air. I genuinely felt he was my partner in this process
The 6th floor is beautiful to look at and very well run [Sher Fertility of New York]. I waited never more than 10 minutes. ... They need to open a bit earlier though as I had to rush to work after each visit. ... She [nurse] communicated with me practically daily and I actually feel bad at the number of times I had her call me! she was patient and soft-spoken and read and responded to most emails within 15 minutes.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
He is my second IVF doctor and was a breath of fresh air. I genuinely felt he was my partner in this process...which was a big deal for me as my husband travels a lot and it's easy to get overwhelmed if you are doing a lot of this immense process alone. His warmth and intellect I found to be a perfect combination.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Consult with him early onward and then make your choice.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
I saw Dr. Tortoriello for every visit. He did each and every ultrasound and at the end of each scan he told me exactly where he thought i was in the process in relation to where he thought I ought to be. He did both my egg harvest and embryo implantation. He responded to all my many emails, even during his Easter weekend.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
We did an estrogen priming protocol that incorporated omnitrope (growth hormone). We were planning to do a fresh transfer but I had fluid in my uterus so we had to freeze and then do a frozen transfer. I had fluid in my uterus with my previous doctors but they downplayed it and both prior transfers with them failed. So Dr. Tortoriello was the first to acknowledge this and correct for it.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Cecily)
She communicated with me practically daily and I actually feel bad at the number of times I had her call me! she was patient and soft-spoken and read and responded to most emails within 15 minutes.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
The 6th floor is beautiful to look at and very well run. I waited never more than 10 minutes. (Plus they have my favorite cookies out). They need to open a bit earlier though as I had to rush to work after each visit.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
No issues...was out of pocket.
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Dr. Tortoriello told me that twins were a high risk pregnancy so we opted to transfer just one blast and it took!
Email is [Dr. Drew Tortoriello's] best way of communication...My hormones were high leading up to my egg retrieval so he changed my trigger shot from hcg to Lupron...was very kind every time I went to see him. Very soft spoken and made me feel very comfortable...During my egg retrieval he was calm and patient and caring and checked up on me afterwards to make sure I didn’t have complications. I plan on using his services when I am ready to implant.
I never had to wait more than 5 minutes when I came in for an appt [at Sher Fertility of New York]. After my appt they were very quick and good in explaining my next steps. I would have to say timeliness was their biggest strength. For weakness I would say I wish they had someone like a social worker or therapist on hand or that the recommend. Going thru this process can be very hard on your mind and being able to talk to someone about what your feeling would have been great
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr T was fantastic from my consultation wiith him to having 17 embryos frozen! Having infertility issues is devestating but finding a doctor like him and now being able to plan a family is amazing. I am grateful for meeting him. Every appt I had with him was comfortable and fast. I would sometimes go on my lunch break and didn’t have to take much time off of work. During my egg retrieval he was calm and patient and caring and checked up on me afterwards to make sure I didn’t have complications. I plan on using his services when I am ready to implant.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Email is his best way of communication and it was mine too because of work. That was perfect. Every email I sent was replied to within minutes by either the doctor or the nurse
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Dr T was very kind every time I went to see him. Very soft spoken and made me feel very comfortable
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
I was on menapur, gonal f, and ganirelix. My hormones were high leading up to my egg retrieval so he changed my trigger shot from hcg to Lupron. Afterwards I took a prescription to lower hormones along with ganirelex
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I hate doing blood work because I have small veins but needed to do it every appt. but they were gentle and did a great job
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I never had to wait more than 5 minutes when I came in for an appt. After my appt they were very quick and good in explaining my next steps. I would have to say timeliness was their biggest strength. For weakness I would say I wish they had someone like a social worker or therapist on hand or that the recommend. Going thru this process can be very hard on your mind and being able to talk to someone about what your feeling would have been great
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
I had Cigna so they covered most after I met my deductible. The prescription medicine was an expense I didn’t budget. Cigna covered it but I had to pay a copay and that was 1k
The doctor [Dr. Tortoriello] communicates quickly by email -like within the half hour- to answer any questions...He explains things calmly and in detail. I saw him at every visit except one weekend monitoring. I trust his judgement and results were close to what he had predicted. For my 2nd round I requested he change one aspect of treatment and he agreed to do so...He recommended a mid amount of medication for my poor egg quality and dimished ovarian resserve. He didn't change anything during monitoring.
[Sher] Strengths: quick communication, billing was smooth (I have insurance), easy to make appointments in the near future. I only had to wait a long time in the waiting room once, and it was in the weekend so I didn't care too much...I actually never met the primary nurse on my doctor's team because She only spoke by phone to my husband (I had a meeting at work) and she wasn't available when I had my injections class. But she was great over email and the nurse I met at the injections class and at my retrieval was warm and organized.
How was your experience with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
He explains things calmly and in detail. I saw him at every visit except one weekend monitoring. I trust his judgement and results were close to what he had predicted. For my 2nd round I requested he change one aspect of treatment and he agreed to do so. He responds to emails very quickly which reassures me that my treatment is important.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions and explain your ideal outcome. Initially he didnt recommend PGS testing but when we explained we wanted to bank frozen embryos he agreed PGS testing would be beneficial. I'm glad we made that choice.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York?
The doctor communicates quickly by email -like within the half hour- to answer any questions. The support staff also responds quickly and with empathy.
Describe the protocols Drew Tortoriello used in your cycles at Sher Fertility Solutions New York and their degree of success.
He recommended a mid amount of medication for my poor egg quality and dimished ovarian resserve. He didn't change anything during monitoring. I only got 1 PGS embryo but I guess egg quality was a little worse than expected. He recommended ICSI and DNA sperm fragmentation for my husband because of low morphology.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Sher Fertility Solutions New York. (Assigned nurse: Bushra suddal)
I actually never met the primary nurse on my doctor's team because She only spoke by phone to my husband (I had a meeting at work) and she wasn't available when I had my injections class. But she was great over email and the nurse I met at the injections class and at my retrieval was warm and organized.
Describe your experience with Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
Strengths: quick communication, billing was smooth (I have insurance), easy to make appointments in the near future. I only had to wait a long time in the waiting room once, and it was in the weekend so I didn't care too much.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Drew Tortoriello at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
My insurance paid for most of it, except retrieval anesthesia ($625) plus cost of PGS testing. I paid copays for office visits and medications. Calls with dr were $75 (not covered by insurance). Injections meeting with nurse cost $100. We had to pay co-pays on all testing. DNA sperm fragmentation test was not covered by insurance.
Describe Drew Tortoriello's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Sher Fertility Solutions New York.
We told him we were very against twins so he didn't recommend iui or clomid. So he knows we would never transfer more than one embryo.
