Elie Hobeika

I’ve read a number of reviews on doctors and their protocols, however what I appreciate most about Dr. Hobeika is that when something doesn’t work he’ll make a change. Not all the changes suddenly made a difference but he will continue to make adjustments to treatments for the individual. He also understands when you say “do I really need to do that test again, because we did it twice this year” he’ll say the reasons you should but will let you decline if you choose (specifically I hate the saline). Dr. Hobeika will call me to discuss if my cycle is doing something funny or if he’s thinking we should cancel the retrieval, etc. I also can tell my nurse I want to get a message to him or talk to him and they’ll make it happen. I’ve never had issues getting in touch with him. He’s compassionate, smart and willing to discuss things.

Ask all the questions that you have, if he doesn’t know the answer he’ll call you back with it. If you don’t like something happen that he isn’t aware of, tell him, I.e. nurses, staff, etc.

1) standard protocol for unexplained female infertility (Gonal F + menopur + HCG trigger) I had a poor response, few eggs with the retrieval, day 3 transfer unsuccessful 2) lupron cycle, I felt awful and it was another poor response- at this point it was clear it’s not the meds but that I’m just a poor responder at 34, no retrieval 3) Gonal F + Menopur + Omnitrope + HCG trigger = resulted in my son 4) Gonal F + Menopur + Omnitrope + HCG trigger = resulted in miscarriage, d&c 5) Gonal F + Menopur + Omnitrope + HCG trigger = cancel due to poor response 6) Gonal F + Menopur + Omnitrope + HCG trigger = resulted in chemical pregnancy 7) ) Gonal F + Menopur + Omnitrope + HCG trigger = resulted in chemical pregnancy

I have really good insurance, it was my deductible of $2k

As a poor responder and a 3 day transfer he allowed me to do 2 embryo transfers 2 times. On the second I was pregnant with twins until week 24, he’s since advised we only transfer 1 since my still birth of 1 is unexplained. The last cycle he agreed to 2 embryo transfer but I only had 1 to transfer.

I trusted him completely! He made me feel so comfortable under his care and I trusted the process. From our initial consult, I felt confident he would be able to help us conceive in whatever way was necessary.

I would advise someone to start sooner than later and to trust your team. Dr. Hobeika and his team always kept me informed on next steps and really took this process one day at a time.

With the help of Dr. Hobeika, my husband and I decided to jump right into an IVF cycle. We used stimulation medication for 2 weeks and was closely monitored through ultrasounds, triggered with HCG and had my egg retrieval a day and half after that injection. The egg retrieval was done at the River North location and my home base location was Tinley Park so I had a different doctor and nurse and both were amazing! After the retrieval, I was updated each step of the way just as they said I would be. We did a fresh day 5 transfer and Dr. Hobeika was the Dr. in River North that day and was the one who transferred our embryo! We had 4 other embryos make it to the final stage, sent for genetic testing and frozen!

You are assigned to a financial coordinator and they help with insurance and the billing process. They took care of most of this aspect so I don't have a lot of feedback here, but I guess that is a good thing!

I can't express how much I appreciated Dr. Hobeika's honest and data driven advice to me and my husband. He suggested a fresh transfer if my body was responding well and a single embryo. I felt I didn't need to ask questions or felt uncomfortable with his advice at all. I am so glad we trusted him!

I could never get ahold of my nurse or doctor when I needed to (at one point, I left a voicemail in tears on a Monday and didn't hear from anyone until Friday). And I think something was off with the protocol. I was never told ahead of time what medications I may need in the near future, so I wasn't prepared with Cetrotide when we needed it. Then I only got 2 eggs frozen - I went to another clinic and 2 months later I had 12 eggs. VASTLY different results!!

Do not go here for egg freezing, especially if you are paying out of pocket. Go somewhere that will make you a priority and not waste your money, and will be available to answer your questions and fears.

I had been on birth control for 10-15 years, so I went off of it for about 3-4 months. Then I did 5-6 days of Minivelle/Estradial patches and Cetrotide for priming. A week later, my period started and we began with Menopur and Gonal F. Stimulation lasted 11 days. We kept Menopur at 150 the entire protocol, while the Gonal F we increased from 225 for 3 days, then 300, then 375, then 450 for the last 4 days. I started Cetrotide again on day 8. We triggered with just 10,000 HCG.

Dr. Hobeika was wonderful to work with and we would highly recommend him to anyone struggling with infertility! He is very knowledgeable, honest and empathetic. His response times were extremely quick and often times he would personally call or email (even on nights and weekends!) which we very much appreciated. He took the time to make sure we understood everything and would ask for our opinions, but also offer his professional guidance on what he recommends. The overall experience was over and beyond our expectations, especially compared to our experience with other doctors.

No advice- just know you have the best doctor and you're in great hands!

We used Follistim/Menopur/HCG trigger for first egg retrieval. Got 9 eggs, 6 mature/fertilized via ICSI, ended with 2 embryos on day 5. We did a fresh transfer of one embryo, and tested and froze the second embryo. Fresh transfer did not stick. Frozen embryo came back normal, we transferred that one using the protocol where we use medications but still relied on my body to respond and produce hormones. I believe we used Follistim, Menopur, Ganirelix prior to transfer, and PIO shots, crinone, estradiol tablets and patches post transfer. This transfer also did not stick. We then did a second egg retrieval using similar protocol but added birth control and lupron and also waited an extra day to do the retrieval. It resulted in 23 eggs, 16 mature, 8 fertilized normally via ICSI, 1 embryo made it to day 6. That embryo was tested and froze, came back normal, so we did a transfer using a completely medicated cycle where we did not rely on my body to respond or produce anything. After transfer support was the same. This is the transfer that stuck, I am currently 11 weeks pregnant! (note medications/protocol were to the best of my knowledge/memory!)

I think this was a well oiled machine and getting appointments during the window I needed them was relatively easy

My insurance covered most of my care, I was only responsible for co-pays

He recommended for my age and health, 1 embryo was best, which I agreed

Dr. Hobeika is absolutely wonderful, to say the least. We had gone to see him for a second opinion (after my initial fertility specialist in Milwaukee had informed us that I would need surgery to remove BOTH of my fallopian tubes after an HSG procedure). Dr. Hobeika made sure to repeat the HSG and he was the one that was performing it so he knew exactly what to look for). He informed me that NO I did not have to remove EITHER fallopian tube. Definitely made a difference in my life, without a doubt! It was definitely the smartest decision that we had ever made switching over to him. He does take his time to answer each and every question and address any concerns that we had. From the time that we had initially met him for our consult, I felt at ease. He was great at explaining every step of the process! Dr. Hobeika is detail oriented which is exactly what you'd want out of a fertility specialist. Would definitely go back to him in a heartbeat and I would definitely highly recommend anyone struggling with fertility issues to see Dr. Hobeika!

Must see Dr. Hobeika for all of your fertility concerns/fertility journey!

Dr. Hobeika placed me on Estrogen patches for priming for about 3-4 days. Then, I was on Follistim 300 units daily & Menopur 150mg daily. Went in for follicle growth scans every other day. He ended up adjusting my Follistim dose after a couple of scans and increasing it to 450 units daily due to slow follicle growth. Ended up taking stimulation medications for 14 days. Went in for egg retrieval & ended up with 13 follicles, 9 matured & 9 fertilized with ICSI (to my surprise, given my AMH was on the lower end for my age *I'm 33 and AMH level of 0.69). 1 fresh 5 day blastocyst transfer. 5 made it to day 6 which were frozen; did PGT-A testing & 2 normal euploids. Couldn't be happier! He fine-tuned everything prior to starting the actual stimulation phase. Dr. Hobeika also closely monitored my TSH levels and initiated Levothyroxine & adjusted the dosage as needed based on blood results. All of my other physicians had been telling me that my TSH levels were "fine" for years, despite the levels being >3 for years when in reality levels are supposed to be <2.5 for IVF.

My husband has UHC. UHC does not cover fertility services. Instead, they have a branch called Progyny. Progyny is great! Out of pocket costs were minimal with Progyny.

Dr. Hobeika did inform me that since I am <35yrs old, that the guidelines do recommend eSET vs multiple embryo transfer.

The thing I liked best about Dr Hobeika was that he listened to me. He made clear what my options were, and instead of dictating like most doctors, he compromised with me when I wanted to do something different while still making sure I was on the best and medically sound path. Although two of my IVF cycles ended in chemical pregnancies due to poor egg quality, Dr Hobeika did not give up and he changed my protocol when needed, and it worked! Now I am pregnant with twins! He was very compassionate and caring. I was supposed to be put with another doctor when I originally called their office, but I lucked out that they put me with Dr Hobeika. I would recommend him to anyone looking for compassion, competence, and hope!

Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

We did 3 rounds of IVF, planning to freeze and genetically test on the last two rounds, but I am unfortunately a poor responder to the medications, have DOR, and we did not receive as many eggs as we wanted. But my last round we decided to transfer the only two that made it without testing. They both implanted and now I am pregnant with twins!

I have insurance so it was not too much out of pocket for me.

We did end up transferring two embryos on my third round because I have poor egg quality, and we were hoping at least one of them was viable and would implant. Luckily they both did!

Dr. Hobeika was very warm and open from the beginning. He had to come to the clinic as a favor because the doctor originally scheduled for my consult fell sick, but now I wouldn't want any other specialist. He was very thorough with my diagnostic information, and the next steps to take, how to figure out finances, and introduced me to my personal nurse. He let every decision be my (and my husband's) own. I would also like to point out he has personally called me on several occasions during this Covid-19 crisis just to make sure we can do all we can from home while treatment has stopped. While the clinic can no longer see me, he has worked with my Ob-Gyn to ensure I receive any medication that could help us conceive at home. It is so very obvious he is in this for all the right reasons, as he is even supportive if my IUI's don't work and I need to be monitored at this clinic while undergoing IVF at a lower cost clinic out of state. He has never made me feel like it's about what I could do for him, but what he could do for me. And that is the type of doctor everyone should have. I feel that God has placed him in our path and I am excited for what is to come!

Don't not be afraid to come with your list of questions. He will answer every one of them, no matter how long they take.

So far I am only in the IUI stage. I have had 2. For each I was monitored with ultrasound and blood work at the beginning of my cycle (to make sure I had follicles and to assess my lining and hormone levels). Then I was on medication to help my eggs mature, followed by another ultrasound and blood work (to see if my lining was thick enough, my eggs were getting mature, and assess my hormone levels again). Each of those ultrasounds were very close to having my eggs matured, so I waa prescribed a trigger shot right away on both cycles. A couple days later I would do my IUI. The ultrasounds and blood work helped them decide to prescribe estrogen in my first cycle, and progesterone in my second. I also switched from Clomid on my first cycle to Letrozole on my second since I had been taking Clomid for 6 months prior. Every detail of my treatment and that of my previous treatments at my Ob-gyn were fully analyzed. Now, while I can no longer go into the clinic, my doctor is working with my Ob-Gyn, to prescribe medicine for me while the clinic is closed, and he also instructed me how to use my left over progesterone since it is likely that I am still low. So even though I am not technically in a monitored treatment cycle, I feel very confident we are doing everything we can at an impossible time.

Since I am newer I haven't received all my bills yet, but mine go through Progyny and they take longer and I pay them directly. So far every statement or EOB I have received has been exactly the out of pocket expenses I expected from my insurance coverage. They have a financial specialist if I ever need an explanation of costs.

I have not started IVF yet, but he was very respectful of my conservative wish to make only as many embryos as I would be able to have transferred. I do not believe in letting my embryos sit in limbo. He was understanding.

Dr. Hobeika is very warm and personable. He makes sure you completely understand what he is telling you, and goes over very specific details many times to ensure understanding. He has lots of data to help you make the best decision about your treatment. He gives you several routes you can choose from, gives you the pros and cons of each, and helps you come to what he feels is the best conclusion to help you successfully conceive. He has called me personally to ask how things are going and ask if I have any questions.

Listen to everything he says. He gives a lot of information. Make sure to ask him to repeat anything you need clarity on. He has no problem reexplaining things to help you better understand them.

The only thing I had to do was take a medication to lower my thyroid numbers. He said the number was not in a zone that indicated something was wrong, just that they like the number a little lower for fertility purposes. He also recommended I start taking a Prenatal vitamin and Co-Q10 just to prepare my body.

They do their best to bill your insurance before billing you. Even with insurance not covering everything, the cost was medium (not cheap, but not overly expensive compared to testing and procedures I have had done in the past). They also have payment plans, so that if you cannot pay your whole bill at once, they will spread it out over 6 months to be able to help you pay.

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I absolutely love Dr Hobeika. Out of all of the doctors I’ve worked with he has by far surpassed my expectations of care. He’s patient and thorough. Takes the time to make sure you understand what’s going on and what can/can not happen. Calls to check in on your during your treatment cycles and calls personally with bad news which makes a world of difference. He is compassionate and you can tell that he really loves his patients and what he does.

Please pick him to be your doctor. I’ve had a few fertility doctors to date and he is by far the best I’ve had.

I’m plagued with ovarian cysts so I had to be monitored closely as I did not respond to the medications the way I should have due to interference from the cyst on my ovary. It wasn’t active at the time of starting stims so we had to adjust our treatment when it began to interfere with the hormones.

I have decent insurance but I’m not sure how much I’ve spent over the past year.

I knew from consultation with Dr. Hobeika that he was going to be the one I wanted to endure my journey with. He explained everything thoroughly for me & my husband to understand. He was always there when I had a question or concern.

If you have a question or concern don't hold back on asking Dr. Hobeika will accomdate you in any way you need with the help of him or his staff.

Every dosage that Dr. Hobeika prescribed me he was pretty much on point and never really needed to be changed. I didn't have a bad reaction to any of the medicines or dosages.

Ultrasounds and bloodwork were always done in the morning within a good range of hours!

Unfortunately our insurance did not cover IVF. Therefore we had to pay out of pocket for the procedures and medications.

Going into it we were only going to transfer one embryo but on the day of the transfer my embryos had not yet made it to blastocyt, due to this reason we transferred 2 embryos giving me a 40 percent chance rather than 20.

Before starting this treatment cycle we had a negative experience with another doctor at this clinic. I was feeling nervous and a bit guarded. From our first appointment Dr. Hobeika was eager to ensure that our experience was personalized for us. He was a great communicator and ensured that he was available to answer questions when needed. In addition he made sure to schedule my transfer so that he was physician on shift. He also personally called me to share my pregnancy test results.

Dr. Hobeika truly sees the whole patient not just a number. He inquired about our family plans and seemed truly invested in helping us achieve our desired outcomes.

We completed a frozen transfer. We began with a birth control regime, then moved to preparing the uterus for transfer with progesterone injections and vaginal inserts.

Highly recommend Dr. Hobeika for your fertility journey. We wish we would have met him sooner. We went through 4 failed IUIs & 1 failed FET before we switched to Dr. Hobeika. As soon as he became our doctor, I felt the weight lift from my shoulders. He gave me so much confidence that I knew our next FET would be successful. He takes initiative to show up to your more important appointments and recognizes you as a person. He genuinely cares about your journey and helping you succeed.

See Dr. Hobeika right away when when starting your fertility journey.

I don't recall the levels of prescription needed to prepare for my second FET, just that having Dr. Hobeika made me feel more hopeful our next FET would be successful.

Thankful insurance covered 80% of treatment. Not all of us are as fortunate, that is why I would pass this along to my friend to help in her long battler with infertility.

Dr. Hobeika makes you feel and actually treats you as if you were his only patient. We were able to contact him directly, his response to our emails comes within minutes, he personally calls us to discuss lab results and planning ahead. We decided to go with Dr. Hobeika immediately after talking with him for the first time for a “quick” consultation, he literally spent 45 minutes to one hour with us, answering in full detail every question we had and educating us on things, we like so many others, knew very little about. I don’t know of any doctor in any network that you. Al contact directly and get him/ her to respond right away, Dr. Hobeika does.

Have faith and follow the schedule and instructions of Dr. Hobeika, you are in very good hands.

Very helpful doctor! Does everything he can to help on the path towards having a baby. He is very knowledgable on fertility issues. He is going to cover all the possible medical issue with infertility and give you every possible option, which was great for me as I struggled with infertility. I felt like I was in the best hands possible!

Just sign up for diagnostic testing! It doesn't cost as much as you think and it is worth it!

Dr. Hobeika does all the diagnostic testing before making a medical plan to move forward. It was good to know that every possible explanation for my unexplained pregnancy losses were explored.

We thought the bills were going to be in the thousands but after insurance we only ended up paying a $100 co pay!

I liked him so much he was very helpful and explained everything to me about my condition also i like the fact that he always smiling i feel very positive when i see him he does not mind me asking him the same question over and over he has a lots of patience hands up for Doctor Hobeika and thanks to you that today I m a mother of 2

Follow doctor Hobeika you will regret it

In 2001 he did a surgey for me i forgot what it called basically i had blockage in my uterus is stopping me from getting pregnant soon after the surgery i got pregnant with my first son

i dont remember exactly

I strongly recommend Doctor Hobeika. He is always available to answer all the questions sent to his email address. He always explains the positive and negative sides for every step. My first transfer was not successful and when Receptiva test came back a little bit elevated, I thought I should take Lupron Depot. Luckily, on the last saline I went, he changed my mind and we did another transfer. Now I am pregnant. I am so happy that I followed his advice and didn't take any unnecessary medications.

He always suggest single embryo transfer especially when is PGD tested. Also because of the potential of the embryo to split, and having in mind the risks that comes with multiple pregnancies, his recommendation was only single embryo transfer.

Dr. Hobeika was a wonderful doctor and took the time to explain and answer any questions that I had. He met with me in person whenever he was in the office and I had an appointment. Also, he was there for my egg retrieval and did my hysteroscopy.

He will make you feel comfortable and take his time with you.

My insurance covered all costs except my copay and the freezing of my eggs.

Hes very straight forward, which I appreciate. He's understanding and devoted to helping his patients get pregnant. When he found out my test was positive, his tone even sounded excited to get the news.

Just listen to what he has to say. If he recommends something, trust him

My insurance covered absolutely everything except for a $10 co-pay for each visit, and a total of $100 for my IVF meds, start to finish. All surgeries were covered through insurance.

Dr. Hobeika is the kindest, most patient, compassionate doctor I have ever met. He truly cares about his patients and their journey. Struggling with infertility is a very stressful process, but Dr. Hobeika makes everything easier. He always takes the time to answer my many questions, and always has me leaving the conversation feeling comfortable. I can't recommend him enough!

This journey is a marathon, not a sprint.

Antagonist protocol was used for egg retrieval. We did an FET with Lupron, progesterone, and estrace.

Costs were in line with the market.

Dr. Hobeika was fantastic. He is very kind and caring. He explains things very well and I always left understanding what was going on. He never tried to rush through appointments which I liked a lot.

Trust in him! He’s amazing!

My treatment was IVF. I had to take injections because that was the plan he had recommended for my husband and I. The process went very well.

He recommended only one embryo to be transferred. This was our first time and it worked. :)

I went through Ova to do my egg freezing. I went to Highland Park to do my retrieval with Dr. Hobeika and he met with me before and after the retrieval. Very nice and trustworthy. I felt very comfortable sharing how I felt and he didn’t make me feel annoying or silly. He also wasn’t salesy just very genuine.

Dr Hobeika was fantastic at helping me to understand the process and exactly what I needed to do. I never felt as though he was rushing me or overlooking something. He took the time to get to know us as a couple. My husband and I both felt very comfortable with Dr Hobeika.

Schedule the appointment.

I started STIMS of Gonal F and Menopur for 12 days then did my egg retrieval. After egg retrieval we sent our embryos in for PGTA testing. About a little over a month later I started prepping for FET with Lupron then added in Edometrin and Estradiol patches. Once I stopped the Lupron I started with PIO. Had my transfer almost 2 months after egg retrieval. I am currently 10 weeks pregnant.

For the most part, I was able to get monitoring appointments scheduled out far enough that I could choose what time I needed due to my work schedule. Now if it was something that was different that instructed like needing to be in the following day, it was hard to find an appointment that would work with my schedule.

We have PROGYNY insurance which was very beneficial. After switching over to “maternal care” I had to pay copayments for medications. Ranging from $5-$60

Dr. Hobeika is very good at explaining everything and answering all your questions. Although he can talk quickly, he is always happy to answer any questions you may have. I usually didn't have many questions left at the end of our appointments because he answered them before I could even ask them. He is also compassionate and understanding during the process. He always calls personally to give pregnancy test results and when things aren't working, he will make changes to make sure you are receiving the best care for your body.

Hang in there

Our diagnosis was unexplained infertility. We tried 4 IUIs with Clomid which were unsuccessful. We did one egg retrieval and got 24 eggs. 23 were fertilized and we got 7 embryos. We did not do genetic testing. Our 3rd transfer was successful and we are at 10 weeks now. I used natural cycles for transfers using Progesterone suppositories vs the injections for each transfer cycle.

Monitoring appts were very quick and smoothly run. I was usually in and out in 10-15 mins. My drive to the clinic took longer than my appt.

My insurance covered almost everything. I would estimate I paid around $2500-$3000 total out of pocket for copays, things that weren't covered, and meds.

We used one embryo each time due to my age of 34 and the risk of multiples

From the first time we met with Dr. Hobeika, he seemed pretty straightforward, confident and had a game plan for me. Being over 40, overweight, and having pre-existing medical conditions, there was never a point in which I felt shamed or that he wouldn't be able to proceed with the procedure.

Trust that he and his Team are going to guide you in the right path.

With my age and recent attempts with my OBGYN using Clomid and its failure, we went directly into IVF. During my process of growing my eggs, Dr. Hobeika and his Team monitored my progress very closely and increased my dosage based on my results. I visited the office at least once or twice a week during this process. I could really tell they were subject matter experts and there was never any changes they made that made me feel uneasy. I felt like through their experiences, they knew exactly how to treat my body.

Monitoring appointments for me were quick. The staff seemed to stay on track with their appointments and the waiting room was never really full because of their efficiency. Also, I've never had any issues with booking times that were convenient for me. But that may be due to my flexible work schedule. My monitoring appointments were always between 7-8:30, by my choice and availability

I can't recall each individual treatment cost but I've bundled them all together. My health insurance didn't cover a lot of my care so the majority was out of pocket. For 2 cycles, the cost was approximately $45,000.

Dr. Hobieka educated us thoroughly on this process. If it were up to us, we were looking for twins on our first try so transfer as many embryos as possible. But he made us understand the risks and possibilities and kept us safe by transferring the appropriate number of embryos for each transfer.

Dr. Hobeika is a genuine and caring soul and very upfront about his direction of care with keeping our feeling and opinions and concerns in thought. He goes above and beyond to call you and not just have the nurses always send portal messages and really make you feel comfortable. He has age on his side, I believe he is more up to date with how and when to adjust your care/medicine to get the results on your ends. He is also very positive and is available for any concerns or questions you might have. He has reached out to me nights and weekends when I know he isnt always on call.

Meet in person for your first meeting if you can. You really get to know him when you are in the room with him. No offense to zoom, but this potentially can be a long process and the more you get familiar with any dr. the better.

Dr. Hobeika was more aggressive on my 2nd egg retrieval vs. my 1st one. With that too and his guidance, I was able to produce a lot more high quality embryos and just in general a lot more embroyos. I reacted to Dr. Hobeika treatments as he did everything in his power to cater them exactly to how my body was responding.

I hit my deductible on my insurance, so all my costs were covered by my insurance plan. I did have a concern on my 2nd egg retrieval in regards to pricing and my concerns were voiced to my Dr. and he worked with finance to help take care of my concerns. Looking at my statement of benefits from the insurance, I believe it everything to look fair

Typical due my age, standard transfer was 1 embryo. It was always discussed each transfer, but Dr. Hobeika recommended it and I followed his guidance.