Rifaat Salem

He was very charming the first time I met him. From then on, he had no contact with me via phone or email. I had questions about all sorts if things and he didn’t care enough to ever respond because I had already written a check.

Stay far far away. Find another doctor like Dr. Lin in Irvine.

Hysteroscopy for egg retrieval Medications such as cetride, clomid, gonal-f to grow as many eggs as possible 2 fertilized eggs were checked with pgd, both had aneuploidy

It ruined my schedule. It was never according to my convenience but according to theirs. It was come tomorrow at 2. There was no choice. If I didn’t go at 2, the cycle was canceled and there’d be no refund or rolling leftover funds over to the next. cycle.

$30k

He strongly advised implanting more than one embryo if he was able to retrieve multiple eggs

Dr. Salem is straightforward but encouraging. His greatest asset is his decades of experience, and I have found him hopeful for me without being unrealistically optimistic. He relies on clinicians to do a lot of the day-to-day, which for me was not a problem at all, but it's something to know going in. There are certain opinions he has based on personal experience that are not necessarily the main "done thing" across all clinics. That said, he makes very clear the distinction that his recommendations are not the only way of doing things, and the patient has the ultimate choice -- something I really appreciate.

Ask to work with Akira! Dr. Salem trusts her a lot and she's wonderful.

I had an investigative hysteroscopy, which was done under anesthesia. Everything looked good and a biopsy came back normal. One IUI cycle with Clomid, one with letrazole. Letrazole was easier on my system and helped with the lining. Both IUIs used donor sperm, which was delivered by courier to the Torrance office, where most procedures are done. Both egg retrievals involved Menopur injections as well as GonalF injections. My fresh cycle (which resulted in a pregnancy, but blighted ovum miscarriage confirmed around 8 wks) also involved progesterone (injections and vaginal suppositories). A second IVF cycle started about 5 months after the miscarriage with Enskyce for one week, then Menopur and GonalF. Both retrievals were under anesthesia. In-office embryologists used ICSI to create embryos and called with updates.

IUI: approx $1195 First IVF Cycle (fresh transfer) $12,464 IVF Cycle for frozen embryos (no FET yet) $8,464 anesthesia and medication costs not included

For the first (fresh) IVF, Dr. Salem transferred all 3 of my embryos after 3 days, saying that they were more likely to thrive (or, at least one of them) in utero than outside. The clinic does have you sign paperwork saying that you understand the option of elective reduction in the event of multiples. I am not sure yet if he'll encourage multiple frozen embryo transfer for my FET, because it won't happen for a few months yet.

I first net doctor Rifaat Salem for my first egg retrieval, he cane to see while I was getting prepped and introduced himself and explained the procedure. He went on to to many more egg retrievals and transfers as well as other procedures during the multiple cycles we did. He knew us personally and always made me feel at home at that office. I always trusted his expertise as well as his staff, he has a lot of experience and keeps the best staff on hand to treat his patients with him.

He may seem matter of fact but I personally appreciated his cander with us on what we needed to do and how things were going. You can ask himanything and he will take the time to make sure you understand.

All of my fresh cycles have been the Long Lupron Protocol with Follistim & Menopur and then trigger with Pregnyl (HCG). All of my fresh cycle we have done AH, ICSI and PGS testing with a fresh day 5 transfer of 2 embryos. My first IVF cycle worked and I got pregnant with my son in 2013, he was born 2014. In 2015 we did an FET with embryos from the 2013 cycle and had a CP. Prior to start of FET we did a hysteroscopy which showed uterus was clear from scarring and polyps. We then did a fresh cycle after which also resulted in a CP. We added Cabergoline this cycle to reduce risk of OHSS because I'm a high reposnder and e2 tends to get a bit high. For the next fresh cycle we did an RPL panel and checked NK cells, the results came back pretty normal except Vitamin D slightly low so I started a D3 supplement. We also repeated hysteroscopy and did endo scratch. Hysteroscopy revealed a polyp and scar tissue which was removed. During the stim cycle we added Heparin until 12 weeks gestation and intralipid infusions during stims, at embryo transfer and after positive pregnancy confirmed with 2 beta HCG blood tests. This cycle and these changes resulted in twin girls which are due October 2016.

Our FET cost about $7000 including all medication. The fresh cycles ranged from $20,000-$25,000 which included all procedures, office visits, monitoring, medication, ICSI, AH & PGS testing.

He was a great doctor and explained things really well. He was compassionate and very confident. He was willing to talk when I had questions and he was very positive. He gave us another consultation after we had our first daughter and wanted to try again and really explained our chances with the remaining embryos we had.

Come prepared with questions

For my fresh cycle with Dr. Salem I took metformin all throughout and I was on birth control for 19 days, 14 days in I started Lupron 10 U shots. I did the Lupron shots for 18 days. CD2 I started taking prenatal vitamins, started Follistim 150 shots, Menopur shots, medrol 16 mg/day, and a baby aspirin. I had about 30 eggs growing on each ovary so we scaled down the medications from about CD7...I can't remember exactly what they had me do, but I think I skipped a dose of Follistim. I took all of that for 7 days. On CD12 I had an HCG trigger shot. I had my egg retrieval CD 13. That day I started progesterone injections 1 mL/day, doxycycline (just for 5 days), and delestrogen (0.3 mL twice a week). I continued the prenatal, baby aspirin, and medrol. On CD18 I had my embryo transfer. As far as blood work and ultrasounds: I had blood work and ultrasounds done CD1, CD7, CD9, and CD11. We transferred 2 embryos to increase our chances of at least one implanting. Then I was on bed rest for 3 days. Ten days after the transfer I had a blood test to see if I was pregnant, then two days later I had another test. And i was! Then when I was 7 weeks along I had an ultrasound to make sure there was a heartbeat and then had an ultrasound again at 9 weeks and then I was released to my regular OB. For the Frozen embryo transfer we did about 2 years later I was on metformin all throughout and BC for 16 days. 10 days in I started Lupron 15U shots. I took 15U for 11 days and then we took it down to 10U. On CD2 I started prenatal vitamins daily, baby aspirin daily, and delestrogen .5 mL injections twice a week until CD13. On CD14 I started medrol 16 mg/day and progesterone .50mg shot. Throughout that time I had blood work and ultrasounds on CD1 and CD11. And just blood work on CD8. The embryo transfer was CD19. We transferred 2 embryos again. After the transfer I stopped the Lupron, but started the progesterone vaginal capsules daily, and continued the rest of my medication (progesterone injections, prenatals, baby aspirin, medrol, and delestrogen). Seven days later I had my first blood draw to check to see if I was pregnant and to 2 days later had another. That one ended up being a chemical pregnancy.

It was about $10000 plus medications which were about $3000

Dr Salem never had a good bedside manner but that didn't matter to me. He got the job done for my cycle in 2013 but when I returned in 2016 for a failed FET and later a miserable fresh cycle, he was completely uninterested. He was working on opening a clinic in Dubai and not paying any attention to his work. I didn't lose confidence in him after my failed FET because things happen and no fertility treatment guarantees success so I agreed to do another fresh cycle. That cycle was a nightmare, he barley glance at my ovaries during ultrasounds while I was on stims, only measured ONE follicle so he never increased my dosage when I wasn't responding well. Then because I had so few follicles growing and they were small, he had he continue to stim for too long, likely compromising egg and embryo quality. I was devastated at the results of that egg retrieval and fresh transfer and immediately sought a new doctor.

Choose another doctor. Dr Salem doesn't care about his patients.

Dr Salem prescribed menopur and follistim. He did not properly monitor my follicle growth for my fresh cycle in 2015 like he did in 2013. I needed severa dosage adjustments the first time around. The second time he never bothered to measure my follicle sizes and never increased my dosage throughout the cycle.

My first cycle was a two cycle package (only used one to get pregnant) was $15,000 without medication. I qualified for a reduced rate for a second single cycle later and it was $8500 without medications.

He spent a good amount of time looking at our chart to try to figure the best next thing. I felt like he cared and wanted to succeed. He wasn’t always available because his main office was at the Torrance location.

If you start at the Corona office keep in mind to do almost all the procedures you have to travel to Torrence. This was not told to us at first so it was a bit of a surprise.

This was a FET. Lupron was used.

$5000

He was comfortable doing 3.

I have uterine fibroids so I went in for a consultation. He advised I could definitely get pregnant with my fibroids, and the biggest was a 5cm. He said we should start with clomid and I needed to have a Uterine biopsy. The biopsy took place at another office where I had to pay out of pocket because my insurance didn't cover that facility. When I asked if I needed the procedure, it was said, its good to have. So I had the procedure which was later confirmed by my OBGYN and three other fertility Dr's to not have been necessary. He was at my first monitoring appointment and said I might have PCOS because of the amount of follicles I had, and then is was a different Dr or nurse everytime after. no other Dr or nurse mentioned PCOS, but they would ask me if I had fibroids, the biggest fibroid everyone acted like they didnt know it was a fibroid and at on time a nurse said maybe it was a growth off my kidney. the second clomid cycle failed as well. We were going to start the 3rd cycle and I went in for monitoring. It was a different Dr Salem, a women. After the ultrasound she immediately said " I do not recommend continuing treatment cycles until you removed these fibroids" she was very shocked I started clomid cycles. I wasted two of my progyny cycles with Rifaat that I did not get back. I just got off of the table and walked out. The I got a second opinion and they also said the fibroids needed to be removed before any thoughts of pregnancy. The 5cm fibroid that he said was the biggest and OK to get pregnant with was really a 7cm fibroid and there were more than 4!!!

Stay AWAY!

Two cylcles of clomid, 50mg. because he was sure I could get pregnant with just clomid. both times negative

covered under insurance