He [Dr. Sameh Toma] would only do a frozen embryo transfer, because statistically that is your best chance of becoming pregnant...We had three embryos that made it to the freezing stage. He requested that we only do a single transfer, but we decided to do two the first time in hopes that one would stick, because twins did not scare us. He accepted our request to do a multiple embryo transfer, but unfortunately neither embryo survived.
My wife and I felt like a human [at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine] because they always knew our name, they were very accommodating with us because we lived 12 hours away, every question we had was answered quickly, and we really enjoyed our experience...We chose to drive 12 hours to NCCRM because they were half the price of anyone around home. There was very little communication issues even while being states away. We didn't feel like we were just a number even though we were so far away. Though we didn't conceive a pregnancy that was due to very weak embryos, which was not the doctor's fault. We knew we had a 50% chance from the start. My wife doesn't want to go through another egg retrieval, but we are still looking to do an IUI with donor sperm. Dr Toma's team is outstanding, and I would recommend anybody to go visit them.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
We chose to drive 12 hours to NCCRM because they were half the price of anyone around home. There was very little communication issues even while being states away. We didn't feel like we were just a number even though we were so far away. Though we didn't conceive a pregnancy that was due to very weak embryos, which was not the doctor's fault. We knew we had a 50% chance from the start. My wife doesn't want to go through another egg retrieval, but we are still looking to do an IUI with donor sperm. Dr Toma's team is outstanding, and I would recommend anybody to go visit them.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Be patient when communicating with them. There are many times where his staff will need to contact you daily, and sometimes it gets later in the day and you might think they're not going to call, but they always pull through. They are willing to put in the hours to accommodate everyone. His price is cheaper because he doesn't care about the money. His price is not too good to be true like I thought it was in the beginning.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
My wife and I felt like a human because they always knew our name, they were very accommodating with us because we lived 12 hours away, every question we had was answered quickly, and we really enjoyed our experience
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
He would only do a frozen embryo transfer, because statistically that is your best chance of becoming pregnant. This was difficult for us because we live so far away and that meant more travel, but he's the expert and we trusted him. He is a pioneer in the field of fertility and we trusted his judgments.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla Yelton)
Very friendly, no complaints
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic was very nice and clean. It was the second one that we got a consultation from. NCCRM was very nice, but I could tell they didn't waste a bunch of money on super fancy woodwork and whatnot. Being a simple guy I appreciated that. It seemed to be in a good location and there was a very nice hotel right next door which we frequently stayed at. It was nice to stay within walking distance of the clinic.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The first couple hours of the day were for the monitoring appointments. We never had a problem or a long wait but we always got there right when they opened.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Around home we were looking at around $20,000 without travel expenses for the egg retrieval and one transfer. At NCCRM we had around $20,000 in travel (fuel, vehicle maintenance, plane tickets, food, hotel stays), The egg retrieval, and two transfers. That being said it was significantly cheaper for us to travel to NCCRM than use a local clinic.
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
We had three embryos that made it to the freezing stage. He requested that we only do a single transfer, but we decided to do two the first time in hopes that one would stick, because twins did not scare us. He accepted our request to do a multiple embryo transfer, but unfortunately neither embryo survived.
[Dr. Sameh Toma's] Bedside manner leaves much to be desired but he is knowledgeable and confident in his treatment plan and manner of approach. He does not sugar coat or coddle patients but is very upfront and businesslike.... Utlized gonadotropins Gonal-F and Menopur with deltoid injections versus stomach placement for egg retrieval. It was indicated they had better results with medicine objected into arm versus stomach. Beginning of IVF cycle with 2 weeks birth control then Baseline ultrasound with estrogen levels checked and then ultrasound every 2 days to check follicles/along with labs to check estrogen
[At NC Center for Reproductive Med-Cary] IVF cycle $4500 included anesthesia, facility fee, retrieval, ICSI, assisted hatching, & blastocyst culture plus later FET. IVF cycle management fee $500 Monitoring ~$1000 for their package and payment varied locally Medications $3-5,000. Mine were $2500 with $1000 worth also donated to me Medical Screening $1300-2500 (paid by insurance) Semen analysis, freeze, SCSA $650 IVF class $65 PGS Biopsy $2000 with $150 for shipping and $150 per embryo tested. FET meds $96 due to insurance coverage. IVF cycle administrative fee $30.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Bedside manner leaves much to be desired but he is knowledgeable and confident in his treatment plan and manner of approach. He does not sugar coat or coddle patients but is very upfront and businesslike.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Don’t go into his office expecting to be coddled but do go if you want the best chance of pregnancy available in our area.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
The nurse in charge of IUI/IVF seems very busy and doesn’t always respond in a timely manner to phone calls or emails.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Utlized gonadotropins Gonal-F and Menopur with deltoid injections versus stomach placement for egg retrieval. It was indicated they had better results with medicine objected into arm versus stomach. Beginning of IVF cycle with 2 weeks birth control then Baseline ultrasound with estrogen levels checked and then ultrasound every 2 days to check follicles/along with labs to check estrogen. Triggered with Lupron to avoid OHSS but because of this fresh transfer is not utilized due to lining issues. Dr Toma does freeze all cycles with a transfer occurring later so the lining can be monitored for implantation success. He indicated that their statistics were higher for FET than fresh transfers. I had 15 follicles, retrieved 9 eggs, 4 were mature, 2 embryos made it to blastocyst with 1 being genetically normal.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla Yelton)
Carla is very clear with information provided but not great at getting back to patients when questions arise. I found emailing her worked much better than calling to leave a message.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Wait time can be long within the office, some of the staff from the embryology department is difficult to understand over the phone, office is calming/soothing, financial staff was very helpful in explaining all fees. The front desk staff were very helpful and friendly as well.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Monitoring at the clinic was between 8-9:30 on weekdays and 8-9 on weekends. I also did monitoring locally with my obgyn due to distance to travel. I usually had to wait quite a bit during the monitoring visits depending on number of patients there.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
1 IVF cycle $4500 included anesthesia, facility fee, retrieval, ICSI, assisted hatching, & blastocyst culture plus later FET.
IVF cycle management fee $500
Monitoring ~$1000 for their package and payment varied locally
Medications $3-5,000. Mine were $2500 with $1000 worth also donated to me
Medical Screening $1300-2500 (paid by insurance)
Semen analysis, freeze, SCSA $650
IVF class $65
PGS Biopsy $2000 with $150 for shipping and $150 per embryo tested.
FET meds $96 due to insurance coverage.
IVF cycle administrative fee $30.
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Dr Toma does 1-2 embryos depending upon the patient and factors specific to that patient.
What specific things went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
An embryologist attempted to give me financial guidance for paying for genetic testing and provided completely inaccurate information. A phone call to the financial staff cleared up the miscommunication. Also, some of the staff is very difficult to understand over the phone so I had to make several calls to have additional questions answered or information provided.
[Dr. Sameh Toma] had a very gruff bedside manner...often kept us waiting and never apologized for the long wait times...kept going to him because I felt like we were in too deep with him financially to transfer to another clinic...he was very rough with the speculum...rough bedside manner and his lack of empathy.
[At North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine] We found Brenda to be very nice and welcoming. Otherwise, we were underwhelmed with the facility...wait times were extremely long...waiting room is outdated and depressing...several support staffers said things that were insensitive...had to call Folita to find out that I was pregnant
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He had a very gruff bedside manner. He often kept us waiting and never apologized for the long wait times. I kept going to him because I felt like we were in too deep with him financially to transfer to another clinic. During the saline procedure prior to the transfer, he was very rough with the speculum. I screamed while asking him to stop. He just kept on going. Later, the nurse in the room for the procedure apologized on his behalf. She told me that men “just don’t understand.” I got the feeling that she apologized on his behalf frequently. After that, I never trusted or respected him. He got us pregnant, but it did psychological damage to me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
I have warned women of his rough bedside manner and his lack of empathy.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Toma’s bedside manner is lacking. During the saline procedure he was very rough with the speculum. I screamed to stop. He kept right on going and I felt very violated.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I do not remember much about the protocols other than him saying the protocol Carolina Conceptions had us use was outdated.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Folita)
Folita rarely returned phone calls or emails. When she did return a call I couldn’t understand her.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
We found Brenda to be very nice and welcoming. Otherwise, we were underwhelmed with the facility. The wait times were extremely long. The waiting room is outdated and depressing. On the day of my blood test several support staffers said things that were insensitive. I had to call Folita to find out that I was pregnant, rather than her calling me.
What specific things went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to call with results
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
My main complaint is with Dr. Toma not listening and not responding when I told him to stop the procedure. I was naked from the waist down with a sheet draped on me and a speculum inside me. I was in a very vulnerable position and I feel that he violated me. I had to keep going back because we were in so deep with money that we couldn’t switch clinics. I will be forever grateful to him because he got us pregnant, but I have not recommended him to anyone because of that incident. I have also told anyone who would listen about it.
I have been a patient for a year and I have only seen Dr. Toma one time. My impression of him was he was cold. I felt like he really didn't want to be in the room with me and couldn't wait to be finished with my exam. I don't have negative feelings towards him, but I didn't feel like he particularly cared about me...you are not going to get a whole lot of emotional support, time, or personalized attention from this physician.
Strengths [of NCCRM] - Very cost efficient, nursing staff, professional Weaknesses - Not very personalized, extremely busy so appointments can begin very late (one time I waited for an hour and a half to be seen, another time they were so behind they asked me to come back on another day)...for people who need a warm care team, I would recommend you look elsewhere...The nursing staff is amazing!
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
I have been a patient for a year and I have only seen Dr. Toma one time. My impression of him was he was cold. I felt like he really didn't want to be in the room with me and couldn't wait to be finished with my exam. I don't have negative feelings towards him, but I didn't feel like he particularly cared about me.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
I would advise future patients to keep their care expectation low. This is a high-volume clinic, meaning they see a lot of patients, so you are not going to get a whole lot of emotional support, time, or personalized attention from this physician.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
This clinic sees a lot of patients. I have been to four different clinics on my journey and I can say NCCRM is definitely the busiest. I don't really care about personalized treatment, so this doesn't bother me, but for people who need a warm care team, I would recommend you look elsewhere.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The nursing staff is amazing! I felt like they all were very empathetic and available to answer questions. Every time I called, I got a call back - excellent team! I especially liked Carla and Spencer
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Strengths - Very cost efficient, nursing staff, professional
Weaknesses - Not very personalized, extremely busy so appointments can begin very late (one time I waited for an hour and a half to be seen, another time they were so behind they asked me to come back on another day)
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
My FET was $2750; insurance didn't pay for any of it. I had an ERA which was $1200; insurance didn't pay for that either.
What specific things went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Lost appointments
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I did have one instance where I had to reschedule an appointment and when I showed up at the rescheduled time they didn't actually change it they said they did when I called but it didn't actually change in their schedule. The appointment was one that revolved around my period start date. I have PCOS so this was devastating at the time, because I sometimes go months without getting a menstrual cycle.
[Dr. Sameh Toma] is not present whatsoever with his patients. I went to this clinic for several months doing 3 rounds of IUI and 1 IVF egg retrieval. During this entire time I never saw or spoke with this doctor. After 1 unsuccessful egg retrieval at the age of 31, the doctor gave up and told me to consider donor eggs. I’m so happy I learned he is not board certified in RE, so I can take his words as a grain of salt
I would not recommend [North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine] to an enemy. The doctor is not RE board certified, you’ll never see or hear from him, the nurses make you feel like a number and don’t have time to answer questions, it’s impossible to get ahold of anyone at this office, after paying thousands for an unsuccessful egg retrieval I was charged for a 30 minute call with the doctor to review results.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
This doctor is not present whatsoever with his patients. I went to this clinic for several months doing 3 rounds of IUI and 1 IVF egg retrieval. During this entire time I never saw or spoke with this doctor. After 1 unsuccessful egg retrieval at the age of 31, the doctor gave up and told me to consider donor eggs. I’m so happy I learned he is not board certified in RE, so I can take his words as a grain of salt. However, I am very upset with myself for not researching this before I chose this clinic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He is not RE board certified. Go to a board certified doctor!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
I went to this clinic for 4 months. This included 3 IUIs and 1 IVF egg retrieval. I never once saw or spoke with he doctor. I had to request a call with the doctor after the failed egg retrieval in which I was charged for. I asked several times when I’d see the doctor and each time was “next time.” This office does not answer any calls (front desk, billing, nurses, etc). After 1 unsuccessful egg retrieval at 31 years old, the doctor threw up his hands and told me to consider donor eggs.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Saw a different person every time)
I saw a different nurse every time, all of which seemed too busy to answer my questions or made you feel dumb for asking questions. It is also incredibly difficult getting ahold of anyone at this office.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I would not recommend this clinic to an enemy. The doctor is not RE board certified, you’ll never see or hear from him, the nurses make you feel like a number and don’t have time to answer questions, it’s impossible to get ahold of anyone at this office, after paying thousands for an unsuccessful egg retrieval I was charged for a 30 minute call with the doctor to review results.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
You are counted as a number and they are trying to get you in and out.
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The doctor never saw or spoke to me so we never got to discuss this
Be prepared for long wait times [with Dr. Toma], but I think he knows what he is doing...He only does frozen transfers. First transfer - estring, baby aspirin, estradiol, progesterone 5 days before transfer, prednisone and antibiotic around transfer. transferred one embryo. Resulted in chemical pregnancy. Second transfer - same strategy, tried Viagra (oral tablets, not specially compounded). Transferred one embryo. Failed. Third transfer - same as above, but used specially compounded viagra to improve lining. Also did intralipids before and after transfer. Transferred two embryos. Pregnant with one, but miscarried at 9 weeks. Currentl
Pros [at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine]: fantastic nursing staff, cost is cheaper than many other clinics, doctor up to date on treatment methods and willing to try experimental treatments. They really do want you to succeed. Cons: long wait times, can be hard to get an appointment...Carla [nurse] is fantastic!! She will become your best friend...Egg retrieval plus first transfer was $6750 Subsequent transfers were $2250
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Pros: Definitely wants you to become pregnant, willing to adjust treatment, willing to explore experimental treatments
Cons: very busy, can be difficult to get in to see him, all communication unless you actually have an appointment with him is through his nurses
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Be prepared for long wait times, but I think he knows what he is doing.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Clinic staff knows who you are, but they are also very busy.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Egg retrieval - can’t remember all of the meds - retrieved 17 eggs, 12 fertilized, 6 made it to day 5 and were frozen. He only does frozen transfers.
First transfer - estring, baby aspirin, estradiol, progesterone 5 days before transfer, prednisone and antibiotic around transfer. transferred one embryo. Resulted in chemical pregnancy.
Second transfer - same strategy, tried Viagra (oral tablets, not specially compounded). Transferred one embryo. Failed.
Third transfer - same as above, but used specially compounded viagra to improve lining. Also did intralipids before and after transfer. Transferred two embryos. Pregnant with one, but miscarried at 9 weeks.
Currently waiting to under hysteroscopy before proceeding with final transfer, which will likely consist of same treatment plan as third transfer with addition of PRP prior to transfer.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla)
Carla is fantastic!! She will become your best friend.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Pros: fantastic nursing staff, cost is cheaper than many other clinics, doctor up to date on treatment methods and willing to try experimental treatments. They really do want you to succeed.
Cons: long wait times, can be hard to get an appointment.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Long wait times.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Egg retrieval plus first transfer was $6750
Subsequent transfers were $2250
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
He will generally start with one depending on embryo quality but will do two if not successful after first transfer.
do your research, know what your diagnoses are, and advocate for yourself [with Dr. Toma]...Telling a patient their result is normal when the pathology report states otherwise is unbecoming and upset me greatly. I am currently 2 weeks post op from a laparoscopy and hysterscopy that was done at another clinic where they had found an endometrial polyp the size of a grape plus endometriosis in my pelvis. I requested for my medical record to pass on to my current fertility doctor and found a few errors- some as impactful as missing medication allergies, diagnosis, and medical history...
You have to advocate for yourself [at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine]. The clinic is busy so anticipate them running behind. Miss Brenda is very matronly and helpful...My results for the endometrial biopsy came back positive for an endometrial polyp. Drs Tomah and Hoffman did not want to treat it...While Folita and Carla [nurses] were compassionate at times, some times it felt like the other MAs, nurses were very cold especially over the patient portal. I felt like I was being gas-lighted when I was told my biopsy report was normal and it wasn’t...The clinic's location was beneficial for my husband; the front desk will let you know if Dr Toma is running behind. The waiting room is very spa like and comforting. However there are no amenities except for water so be prepared. I did find it relaxing though. There is a spa across the hallway.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Bottom line- he will not coddle or sugar coat stuff for you! He can be abrasive at first, but his mission is to get you pregnant with your take home baby. I appreciated his candor to a point- then I felt like he was trying to squeeze money out of me.
I do give him credit for finding out what was wrong with me initially, but the drive to fix it was not there.
I will say I did not have a good experience with Dr Hoffman. During the saline sonogram and endometrial biopsy he was rough with the speculum and made me feel like I was inconveniencing him (I had undiagnosed endometriosis). He at least apologized, but the damage was done. I had to work with my pelvic PT after the trauma healed.
My results for the endometrial biopsy came back positive for an endometrial polyp. Drs Tomah and Hoffman did not want to treat it.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Have your questions ready, do your research, know what your diagnoses are, and advocate for yourself.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He sits down and tells you what his plan is for you and goes by what the test results showed. He’s quick to go off the labs that are in front of him and not delve deeper into the background. You have to advocate for yourself.
The clinic is busy so anticipate them running behind. Miss Brenda is very matronly and helpful.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Femara, Ovidrel, Claritin and Medrol.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
While Folita and Carla were compassionate at times, some times it felt like the other MAs, nurses were very cold especially over the patient portal. I felt like I was being gas-lighted when I was told my biopsy report was normal and it wasn’t.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic's location was beneficial for my husband; the front desk will let you know if Dr Toma is running behind. The waiting room is very spa like and comforting. However there are no amenities except for water so be prepared. I did find it relaxing though. There is a spa across the hallway.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
My insurance covered majority of my procedures, my husband had to pay out of pocket because they do not accept Tricare. We paid out $600 for his SA, DNA frag (which we never received the results for) and freeze.
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
None
What specific things went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Lost paperwork
Failed to call with results
Failed to order appropriate test
Lost results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Failed to consider drug intolerance
Describe the specific things that went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Telling a patient their result is normal when the pathology report states otherwise is unbecoming and upset me greatly. I am currently 2 weeks post op from a laparoscopy and hysterscopy that was done at another clinic where they had found an endometrial polyp the size of a grape plus endometriosis in my pelvis.
I requested for my medical record to pass on to my current fertility doctor and found a few errors- some as impactful as missing medication allergies, diagnosis, and medical history.
If you need someone to be subtle in their words Dr. Toma is not the right person for you. His approach works well for some people, but if you need a softer touch or more hand holding he is not the one. I love that he is blunt without being rude or dismissive...was very responsive to any and every question. He was available with funny stories to get me to calm down during transfer and scans. He made sure that I understood the entire process and that there are no guarantees but he would do is best and that’s exactly what I wanted. I didn’t want anyone to sell me any fairytale and I be devastated, and he was very honest about his expectations.
[North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine was] Very accessible when trying to get appointments set up and very upfront with cost. They were very accurate on the cost of the medication and the transfer. Some what difficult to reach someone at the front desk. You always have to enter a code to reach someone...She [nurse] was excellent. She worked with my many phone calls during business hours and the ones not during business hours. If I needed more time to think about a procedure she answered. She was also available through email and made every scan and blood work extremely comfortable. She was very comforting when telling me my test was negative and gave me time to grieve.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Roma was very professional very blunt. He didn’t waste time with pretty words. He said exactly what we need to do and that’s how it was executed. If I had questions about any procedure it was quickly answered. I was always able to speak directly to the Dr. if I requested him specifically or if I wasn’t sure about a procedure he would explain in detail and also provide research and links were I might find more information.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
If you need someone to be subtle in their words Dr. Toma is not the right person for you. His approach works well for some people, but if you need a softer touch or more hand holding he is not the one. I love that he is blunt without being rude or dismissive.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
My doctor was very responsive to any and every question. He was available with funny stories to get me to calm down during transfer and scans. He made sure that I understood the entire process and that there are no guarantees but he would do is best and that’s exactly what I wanted. I didn’t want anyone to sell me any fairytale and I be devastated, and he was very honest about his expectations.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla)
She was excellent. She worked with my many phone calls during business hours and the ones not during business hours. If I needed more time to think about a procedure she answered. She was also available through email and made every scan and blood work extremely comfortable. She was very comforting when telling me my test was negative and gave me time to grieve.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Very accessible when trying to get appointments set up and very upfront with cost. They were very accurate on the cost of the medication and the transfer.
Some what difficult to reach someone at the front desk. You always have to enter a code to reach someone.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Blood work and monitoring were done only in the mornings between 8-9 am. Good luck if you were in a hurry. They did their best to not keep you waiting long but sometime that depends on what day your blood work and monitoring was.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I believe the total cost of the ivf was around $6000. My blood work was covered by insurance.
I’ve had to advocate for my own healthcare on numerous occasions [with Dr. Sameh Toma]. Most notably with a stalled hcg after a pregnancy before the initiation of IVF (with femara prescribed by my obgyn). It was stalled for 8 weeks, I would never receive a callback from nccrm. I had to seek care elsewhere with my obgyn, only to find a “structure” in my left tube d/t ectopic. I was then treated with methotrexate...He’s very blunt and not delicate in communication, which is ok for me. I have RPL and question doses on my treatment, we started lovenox and steroids for second FET, no change. Miscarried at the same gestational age as first FET.
Have to call [North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine] multiple times for prior authorizations for meds to be sent to pharmacy. With stalled hcg, I wasn’t called with latest results, and would call but never receive a callback. Ended up seeking care with my gyn, then had methotrexate for ectopic pregnancy...$6300 for IVF FET $2325...pts must advocate for their care as communication is sometimes lacking. Sometimes I feel as though I’m no longer important to them after a miscarriage. Infertility is hard enough, sometimes patients need a little more tlc.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He’s very blunt and not delicate in communication, which is ok for me. I have RPL and question doses on my treatment, we started lovenox and steroids for second FET, no change. Miscarried at the same gestational age as first FET.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Be your own advocate, ask the questions, and don’t let anyone dismiss your concerns.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
I’ve had to advocate for my own healthcare on numerous occasions. Most notably with a stalled hcg after a pregnancy before the initiation of IVF (with femara prescribed by my obgyn). It was stalled for 8 weeks, I would never receive a callback from nccrm. I had to seek care elsewhere with my obgyn, only to find a “structure” in my left tube d/t ectopic. I was then treated with methotrexate.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
One egg retrieval with standard stimulation drugs. First FET resulted in my 3rd miscarriage. Then completed testing for RPL, two positives lab results. Treatment with lovenox and steroids, unsuccessful. We have only one more try with our remaining two embryos. Then we simply cannot afford another round. Initial excitement turns to fear and now to utter emptiness and sadness.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla)
Nurses are sweet, but sometimes lack in communication due to the business of the clinic. Why patients must advocate for their own care.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Again, pts must advocate for their care as communication is sometimes lacking. Sometimes I feel as though I’m no longer important to them after a miscarriage. Infertility is hard enough, sometimes patients need a little more tlc.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
$6300 for IVF
FET $2325
What specific things went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Failed to call with results
Failed to order appropriate test
Lost results
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Have to call multiple times for prior authorizations for meds to be sent to pharmacy. With stalled hcg, I wasn’t called with latest results, and would call but never receive a callback. Ended up seeking care with my gyn, then had methotrexate for ectopic pregnancy.
Dr. Toma was good at giving a lot of information with data, always explained everything he had to tell us and always made us feel comfortable. We traveled 12 hours to see Dr. Toma. He cared for us and made sure to pack as much into our appointments as possible to where we weren't making unnecessary trips in between treatment. ...
The clinic [North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine] is great at getting you in for appointments, all very friendly. The only thing I don't like is that it is very hard to get in touch with people once you've started treatment. Luckily, I had Carla who was great at emailing me ... Carla is AMAZING! She does the job of 20! She is so caring to her patients and always made me feel like a priority.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Toma was good at giving a lot of information with data, always explained everything he had to tell us and always made us feel comfortable. We traveled 12 hours to see Dr. Toma. He cared for us and made sure to pack as much into our appointments as possible to where we weren't making unnecessary trips in between treatment.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Since everyone I know is 12 hours away from Dr. Toma, I would recommend him (and I did, I had a friend see him and is currently expecting her first child) because he knows what he is doing and is NOT in it for the money. He just wants to help couples have children
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
It was always hard to get in touch with the clinic. They never called back in a timely manner. It's hard enough when you're going through IVF to not feel super important.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I had a typical round of IVF with ICSI. My first ER was cancelled because I didn't respond to medicine and dropped an egg on my own. For the next ER all of my doses were doubled for menopur and such. I responded well this time. They retrieved 16 eggs, 10 were mature, 8 fertilized and 3 made it to a 5 day freeze. My first frozen transfer we transferred 2 low grade embryos. All meds for me for transfer were also doubled except for my progesterone. This cycle ended up failing. The next transfer we transferred our last frozen embryo. Medicine was the same as last cycle. It also ended in a failure. They said we had poor embryos due to my husbands sperm quality.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla )
Carla is AMAZING! She does the job of 20! She is so caring to her patients and always made me feel like a priority.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic is great at getting you in for appointments, all very friendly. The only thing I don't like is that it is very hard to get in touch with people once you've started treatment. Luckily, I had Carla who was great at emailing me
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Very efficient!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
IVF was $5,000. We had to pay additionally for extra sperm samples ($300/ea) meds were all out of pocket. I don't even remember how much we paid for meds, I know it was in the thousands. I had to do monitoring at a home location and paid out of pocket for all of those as well. Which was another couple thousand
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
He didn't have a strong preference since we didn't have good quality embryos
What specific things went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to call with results
Describe the specific things that went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
After our final transfer we were waiting for BETA results all day. We kept calling and calling. We had the on call nurse paged 4 times until she called us back at 9pm stating that their fax machine was down. She finally called at 11pm with our negative results
Dr Toma’s personality is straight and to the point, a little blunt. He can sometimes come off as a little cold, but he doesn’t sugar coat anything, just what you need to know. Be prepared ahead of time with questions to ask because he is busy and will leave quickly if you hesitate with any questions after the visit is over.... [Protocols] All embryo transfers are freeze all cycles FET#1 progesterone in oil injections, estradiol in oil injections, estring, antibiotic(around transfer), steriod(around transfer), baby aspirin, progesterone capsule vaginally(morning of transfer).
The clinic [North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine] and laboratory seem to be very experienced with the freeze all cycles. All my embryos have survived the thawing so far. I was able to recouperate and rest my body to prepare for my first frozen embryo transfer after the egg retreaval. This clinic seems to be more affordable than most clinics in the research triangle area. Carla, Brenda(the receptionist), and Carolynn are super friendly and caring.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Dr Toma’s personality is straight and to the point, a little blunt. He can sometimes come off as a little cold, but he doesn’t sugar coat anything, just what you need to know. Be prepared ahead of time with questions to ask because he is busy and will leave quickly if you hesitate with any questions after the visit is over.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Be prepared to ask questions
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Clinic is very busy at times. If I was not in a current cycle, it is sometimes hard to get a prompt call back from the nurse assigned to me. It was easier to email her.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
All embryo transfers are freeze all cycles
FET#1
progesterone in oil injections, estradiol in oil injections, estring, antibiotic(around transfer), steriod(around transfer), baby aspirin, progesterone capsule vaginally(morning of transfer).
Transferred 2 embryos resulting a positive pregnancy test, but ending in a missed miscarriage at 5 weeks.
FET#2
progesterone in oil, estradiol in oil, estring, steriod (started at day 2 and ended at pregnancy test), antibiotic(around transfer), baby aspirin, progesterone capsule vaginally(morning of transfer)
Transferred two embryos, negative pregnancy test
FET#3
HSG Test performed before this transfer resulting in finding blocked tubes(no toxic fluid) but a normal uterus. Doctor suggested to proceed again. projesterone in oil, estradiol in oil, estring, metformin(to help prevent miscarriage), Claritin(help embryo attach, body not reject embryo), Pepcid(help embryo attach, body to not reject embryo), steriod, antibiotic(close to transfer, progesterone capsule vaginally(morning or transfer), baby aspirin.
Transferred 2 embryos resulting in positive pregnancy test, but missed miscarriage at 5 weeks.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla)
She was very busy, so it was hard to hear back from her at times especially between active cycles, emailing her was better that calling her. She was very friendly, caring, patient, and understanding. Overall, I had a positive experience with her despite my current outcomes.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic and laboratory seem to be very experienced with the freeze all cycles. All my embryos have survived the thawing so far. I was able to recouperate and rest my body to prepare for my first frozen embryo transfer after the egg retreaval. This clinic seems to be more affordable than most clinics in the research triangle area. Carla, Brenda(the receptionist), and Carolynn are super friendly and caring.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Monitoring was from 8-9:30am. If I got there right at 8, they typically would get me right in within 30 minutes, my bloodwork and ultrasound.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
$4800 for egg retreaval, first Frozen embryo transfer, storage of remaining embryos up to one year. Didn’t include any medications or injections($3,500 for egg retrieval meds and $500-$1,000 for each embryo transfer meds), monitoring(during and after transfer)and blood tests after transfer.
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I did not have my embryos PGD/PGS tested so Dr Toma suggested to transfer 2 embryos each transfer to increase my odds of pregnancy.
Dr. Toma was very knowledgeable and also blunt, which I appreciated. His bedside manner is good but he also doesn’t sugar coat the information he is intending to convey. He micromanaged my cycle which I also appreciate to ensure the best quality care.... We were using follistim 225 and Menopur 75 daily. We also did estradiol and had an ultrasound on days 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11. We introduced Ganirelix on day 6 and used daily until day 11. We triggered with lupron (hcg) on day 12 and had our retrieval on day 14.
The monitoring appointments [at NCCRM] were very quick and efficient. They were by walk ins from 8-10am and I would get there by 75 to be the first one seen. I was usually out by 8:30 if bloodwork was done as well.... Awesome! They [the nursing staff] were there day and night to answer and questions we had. They had great bedside manner and we loved having them on our team!
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Toma was very knowledgeable and also blunt, which I appreciated. His bedside manner is good but he also doesn’t sugar coat the information he is intending to convey. He micromanaged my cycle which I also appreciate to ensure the best quality care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Ask any questions you have and be ready to recieve the truth even if it’s not what you’re hoping to hear. Dr. Toma will be very honest with you to ensure the best form of treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
They always knew my name as soon as I walked in the door and where I was in my cycle. They also dedicated as much time as I needed when they were with me to answer any questions I had.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We started with bc pills for 2 weeks, then went in for a scan and began injections. We were using follistim 225 and Menopur 75 daily. We also did estradiol and had an ultrasound on days 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11. We introduced Ganirelix on day 6 and used daily until day 11. We triggered with lupron (hcg) on day 12 and had our retrieval on day 14. At our scans, we were measuring around 18 mature follicles, however at retrieval, some were empty so we only had 8 mature eggs. Only 3 fertilized and only one grade 3a made it to freeze on day 5. We did a frozen transfer and carried the baby to 8 week 4 days when we saw there was no longer a heartbeat.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla and Folita)
Awesome! They were there day and night to answer and questions we had. They had great bedside manner and we loved having them on our team!
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
They were awesome. For our ultrasounds to see our baby once we were pregnant, we did have to routinely wait in the ultrasound room for about 30 min. Before the doctor and nurse came in, but that is our absolute only complaint. When we saw there was no heartbeat, they changed their schedule around to fully accommodate my husband and I and get us in for our D and C.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The monitoring appointments were very quick and efficient. They were by walk ins from 8-10am and I would get there by 75 to be the first one seen. I was usually out by 8:30 if bloodwork was done as well.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I don’t remember exact costs but it was significantly lower than my previous IVF cycle with Carolina Conceptions. I want to say it was around $11,000.
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I have no opinions because we only had 1 embryo to transfer.
He [Dr. Toma] was to the point, which is great I am an adult and I prefer not to have anything sugar coated. We knew our risks and chances before we even started the process. ... Hes a brilliant man and I trust his decisions fully. ... He took the time to walk us through the process. ... My treatment consisted of gonal f and menopur. Then ganerillix shot leading up to egg retrieval. ...
Sometimes there's a wait but your usually seen fairly quickly especially when your having to go for your ultrasounds and bloodwork during the cycle you're in and out [NCCRM] which is awesome! ... Had to be in by 9:30 to re ieve blood results by the end of the day but you had lean way a little ... Carla is wonderful and was always there to answer any questions or problems that I had during my cycle
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He was to the point, which is great I am an adult and I prefer not to have anything sugar coated. We knew our risks and chances before we even started the process. We went through ivf and had a failed cycle but we plan on going back for another cycle this year and I am choosing to stick with the same clinic I did the first go around. Hes a brilliant man and I trust his decisions fully.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Avoid the bad reviews on him. Hes too the point but that doesn't make him rude, just honest. I would much rather have someone tell me okay here's your chances of having a child rather than someone blowing smoke because they want my money.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He took the time to walk us through the process.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
My treatment consisted of gonal f and menopur. Then ganerillix shot leading up to egg retrieval. I responded very well to this treatment, they retrieved 23 eggs from it. To prepare for my transfer I was taking progesterone shots daily and estrogen shots twice weekly. I also used the estring preparing for transfer and after transfer.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla)
Carla is wonderful and was always there to answer any questions or problems that I had during my cycle
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Sometimes there's a wait but your usually seen fairly quickly especially when your having to go for your ultrasounds and bloodwork during the cycle you're in and out which is awesome! .......................
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Had to be in by 9:30 to re ieve blood results by the end of the day but you had lean way a little
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Had to pay for ivf and medication. Also monitoring and management of cycle. I spent around 10 grand altogether.
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
At my age and the fact that my issue is a tubal factor we decided one embryo. Especially with it being my first cycle it was the better option since multiple embryos could lead to multiple births
He is very impersonal. A little like a robot. He is, however, extremely good at his job. If you want a very personal doctor we spoke with another within the clinic we liked, but dr Toma is obviously in charge and calls all the shots. He was always thorough and I appreciated how straight forward he was with medical details. ... As Dr. Toma was doing my embryo transfer he kept referring to himself as "the best", which was slightly off putting.
We sat in the waiting room and they [North Carolina Center for Repro Med] called us back in the order we arrived [for monitoring appointments]. ... The women at the front desk are all so nice. I always felt welcomed and cared for. Communication with them can be a little rough. ... Carla was hands down incredible. She is an absolute angel and has so many patients and works so hard to respond to emails and phone calls in a timely fashion.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He is very impersonal. A little like a robot. He is, however, extremely good at his job. If you want a very personal doctor we spoke with another within the clinic we liked, but dr Toma is obviously in charge and calls all the shots. He was always thorough and I appreciated how straight forward he was with medical details.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
The clinic is very busy. If you need assistance and are having trouble getting called back email your nurse coordinator. Carla is AMAZING. You wont speak with your doctor directly very often but your nurse will be your best friend!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
As Dr. Toma was doing my embryo transfer he kept referring to himself as "the best", which was slightly off putting. But he must have been right because my transfer worked and I will 100% return to see him in the future.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I did a low stim or mini ivf cycle. All meds were included with this cycle. We chose this because I have Pcos and my AMH was so high. Despite being low stim I still produced 30 eggs. I took 1 vial of menopur daily and I think 100 of gonal f. I was allowed to mix the shots and injected in my arm. Ganirelix was added 4 days before retrieval and I triggered with lupron. Of those 30 eggs, 19 were mature, 17 fertilized, and 7 embryos were frozen. I did one transfer and it took and I am currently pregnant.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla)
Carla was hands down incredible. She is an absolute angel and has so many patients and works so hard to respond to emails and phone calls in a timely fashion. I had an issue once and she called me back at 11:30 at night. She has always taken care of everything and I never had a single issue with her. The other nurse coordinator whose name I cant remember was terrible. 2 seperate times when she was on call I didnt get test results I needed and had to wait all weekend until Carla was back in the office. But again, Carla is amazing!
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
They have the best doctors and staff. The women at the front desk are all so nice. I always felt welcomed and cared for. Communication with them can be a little rough. The nurses are so busy sometimes they miss a voicemail. I learned if you emailed your nurse she answered much quicker because she can multitask when responding via email. Communication improved a lot once I did this and if you need to speak to someone on the phone tell them it is an emergency.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
We sat in the waiting room and they called us back in the order we arrived. I never waited too long and my nurse coordinator was the one that did the ultrasound so I always had the information right away.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I paid $5900 up front that included all procedures and medication. I paid an additional $450 for freezing more than 2 eggs. I also paid $60 for an initial consult, maybe 100 for the medication class, and $300 each for my husband and I to have bloodwork ran.
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
My husband wanted to transfer 2 embryos in the hopes of having multiples so we could pay for less treatment. However due to my young age and good health I agreed with my doctor that implanting 2 embryos was too risky because twin pregnancies are harder on both you and the babies.
What specific things went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to call with results
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The 2 times I failed to get information it was the same nurse on call failing to do her job, and my friend using the same clinic had the same problem when she was on call. I believe her name was Yolita.
He [Dr. Sameh Toma] is a serious doctor, very professional, he gave me confidence and hope...I did surgery and everything went very well...We managed to make 4 embryos of good quality and 4 of lower quality. In the transfer they gave me 2 embryos, but it does not result in a positive pregnancy...The doctor explained how many and because he was going to transfer 2. He said that for my case it was the best, since I have a bicornuate uterus.
the nurses [at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine] are friendly, show empathy and are professionals...I consider it a very good option to attend, all are respectful and professional, the only thing that gave me a little difficulty is that I am Hispanic and there nobody speaks Spanish, so I had to take someone to translate. But everything else was excellent service...They treat me with respect, they called me by my name and they were always professionals
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He is a serious doctor, very professional, he gave me confidence and hope. It is seen that he has a lot of experience and I made the quick diagnosis, I did surgery and everything went very well.
I consider him to be the best doctor in this region. Other people recommended it to me because they achieved good results with their treatments.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Have confidence and faith in Dr. Toma, but especially in God, and during the treatment are as calm as possible.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
They treat me with respect, they called me by my name and they were always professionals
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
First appointment, I reviewed my medical history, gave his diagnosis, scheduled a surgery, after the recovery, started the treatment with blood analysis, aultrasonido, then explained how to give me the injections and the amounts, during the process I drew blood in days Later, after I had the ovules removed, the second part of the medication was started to prepare and transfer the embryos. We managed to make 4 embryos of good quality and 4 of lower quality.
In the transfer they gave me 2 embryos, but it does not result in a positive pregnancy. So they still keep 2 frozen. I do not remember the names of the medicines.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
the nurses are friendly, show empathy and are professionals.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I consider it a very good option to attend, all are respectful and professional, the only thing that gave me a little difficulty is that I am Hispanic and there nobody speaks Spanish, so I had to take someone to translate. But everything else was excellent service.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
4,950 FIV + medications, and payment of initial consultations. 450 consultation
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The doctor explained how many and because he was going to transfer 2. He said that for my case it was the best, since I have a bicornuate uterus.
Dr. Toma presents the facts and is very frank with his patients. He is very thorough and takes into account all of your medical history, diet, etc. He also shares about his own family and tries to help you understand the process so that you can make an informed decision based on what is best for your family. Dr. Toma understands that finances are a huge reason why people are not able to do fertility treatments and tries to make procedures affordable for everyone.
The clinic [NCCRM-Cary] has a patient portal, which is helpful. They are very organized and make infertility treatment affordable to everyone. All of the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. At times, I had to wait longer than expected, but it was for legitimate reasons like the doctor being in an emergency surgery. Overall, the clinic is great and I would recommend to friends and family.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Toma presents the facts and is very frank with his patients. He is very thorough and takes into account all of your medical history, diet, etc. He also shares about his own family and tries to help you understand the process so that you can make an informed decision based on what is best for your family. Dr. Toma understands that finances are a huge reason why people are not able to do fertility treatments and tries to make procedures affordable for everyone.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Expect Dr. Toma to be a straight shooter. He knows his stuff and he will give you the facts....good, bad, or ugly. That’s what I like about him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
I was always greeted by name with a smile when I walked in. Each staff person was friendly and seemed genuinely interested in me and remembered things about me each time.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I don’t remember this information and do not have access to it at this time (not at home).
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla)
Carla was amazing. She was always so personable and hard working. She would always call when she said she would and I could call her with any questions I had. Carla explained things to me along the way and made sure that I understood the protocol completely. Every clinic would be lucky to have a Carla!
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic has a patient portal, which is helpful. They are very organized and make infertility treatment affordable to everyone. All of the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. At times, I had to wait longer than expected, but it was for legitimate reasons like the doctor being in an emergency surgery. Overall, the clinic is great and I would recommend to friends and family.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Monitoring was during the morning hours. There were always a couple of others there for monitoring but I never had to wait very long to be seen.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
IVF cost just under $4k plus medications. This was the most affordable option in our area, by far.
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Dr. Toma is supportive of transferring two embryos if you are over 35.
I like how direct he [Dr. Sameh Toma] was as well as thorough with everything he did to make sure you have the best possible outcome. When we were asking certain questions that pertain to the embryos he was upfront and honest in saying that there are people smarter than him that make the decisions for the best possible outcomes which proved to be true . His personality is pretty straightforward which to me is a positive because I want somebody that is not going to dance around when you’re trying to get answers
This clinic [NC Center for Reproductive Med-Cary] is always there for you and I need given time, their responses are usually very quick and the staff as a whole is just always ready to help and answer any questions you have. They are always available even on holidays and Only a couple times today I have to call the answerin only a couple times today have to call the on call service before I got a response but that was usually only when Rochelle was on call. Carla is seriously one of the best nurses I’ve ever met
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
I like how direct he was as well as thorough with everything he did to make sure you have the best possible outcome. When we were asking certain questions that pertain to the embryos he was upfront and honest in saying that there are people smarter than him that make the decisions for the best possible outcomes which proved to be true . His personality is pretty straightforward which to me is a positive because I want somebody that is not going to dance around when you’re trying to get answers
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He is very directive in the way he speaks but is honest
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He was very blunt in his consultation of expectations which may come off to some people as cocky but I felt more comfortable knowing that he was successful . He and his team seemed to make sure they were available at all times for you Regardless of the day or time
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
The strategy of a freeze all cycle is that it will allow you to come down off of all the hormones to create the embryos so that your body is more receptive to carrying the embryos. I firmly believe that this angle of how they do you freeze all cycles is why they have such great results at their clinic
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla)
Carlo was absolutely impeccably amazing and made the whole process so much more stress-free than I would’ve expected. She was always very professional and compassionate. Rochelle that works in place of her and very few instances where is sometimes nice but her bed Side manner was not nearly as good as Carlas
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
This clinic is always there for you and I need given time, their responses are usually very quick and the staff as a whole is just always ready to help and answer any questions you have. They are always available even on holidays and Only a couple times today I have to call the answerin only a couple times today have to call the on call service before I got a response but that was usually only when Rochelle was on call. Carla is seriously one of the best nurses I’ve ever met
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The entire IVF procedure was completely out of pocket however they gave you plenty of details of how to pay for it with financing companies as well as cash discount options
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
He was open to allowing us to transfer up to two embryos and told us that it was up to the embryologist of which ones they would transfer because they have an algorithm of what will produce the best results
He [Dr. Toma] wasn't very involved, he communicated with me through the Medical Assistant. I never really sat down with him and talked about my care, it was all through her and the nurses...I understand he sees a lot of patients but while he was doing my saline ultrasound he started asking me questions that he already asked me before. He should have known all that information already... I trusted that he is good at what he does but his communication with patients or at least with me could have been better.
I loved Brenda, the front desk lady. She was so helpful and very nice. The facility [NC CRM] itself was great! Well kept and made you feel welcomed...The monitoring process was first come first serve within certain hours which worked for me since i had to drive 2.5 hours to get there...[Nurse] Carla was great! She answered every question and made sure to repeat instructions to make sure i understood. She always called me back and was very nice and caring. She showed my husband a good technique to give me the shots...
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He wasn't very involved, he communicated with me through the Medical Assistant. I never really sat down with him and talked about my care, it was all through her and the nurses. I was referred to him by a friend and I trusted that he is good at what he does but his communication with patients or at least with me could have been better.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
To demand to talk to him instead of the medical assistant
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
I understand he sees a lot of patients but while he was doing my saline ultrasound he started asking me questions that he already asked me before. He should have known all that information already.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I don't remember exact dosages but i did have to increase my usage at one point
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla)
Carla was great! She answered every question and made sure to repeat instructions to make sure i understood. She always called me back and was very nice and caring. She showed my husband a good technique to give me the shots.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I loved Brenda, the front desk lady. She was so helpful and very nice. The facility itself was great! Well kept and made you feel welcomed
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The monitoring process was first come first serve within certain hours which worked for me since i had to drive 2.5 hours to get there
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I paid about $4000 for the cycle plus $800 for cyst aspiration plus $600 for sperm analysis $60 for medicine class $165 for initial counseling and the medicine i paid about $4000 to the pharmacy Carla sent my prescription to.
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
We never spoke about the number of embryo transfer. I was expecting 2 embryos to be transferred at one time but only 1 embryo survived so that wasn't even a factor
His [Ddr. Toma's] PA took one look at my age, said that she thought I was too old and that he would refuse treatment. He came in and started to list all the reasons a woman of my age couldn't carry a pregnancy without taking into account my family history of older women as mothers, or the fact of my wife being my donor. He simply ploughed ahead with his own agenda, and in the end, despite us jumping through all his hoops, passing his tests and a cardiological exam, he still pulled the plug a week or so before our cycle was due to begin - this /after/ we had paid out of pocket for all his diagnostic testing...
If you don't get a call back within 3 hours of leaving a message [at NC Ctr Repro Med - Cary] call again until you get someone. They are sometimes lax in returning calls, depending on what the call was for. The reception staff, particularly Brenda, are awesome! The nurses and nurse practitioners are mostly (with one notable exception) wonderful caring people who truly listen...
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Our first impression of him was that he was rude, dismissive and sarcastic. We are a same sex couple and planned on co-pregnancy, using my (younger) wife's eggs, with me carrying the pregnancy. He took no notice of this at first - not really until we practically 'beat him round the head' with the information. He walked into the room and his first words to us were, "Well I guess you've heard the bad news?" in an overly cheery voice completely lacking in anything even approaching compassion. When we finally got him to 'listen' to us, he relented slightly and listed all the tests that we would have to have/pass before we could proceed. The first of those was for me to be seen by a cardiologist to ensure my heart was strong enough to carry a pregnancy. I was referred to a local cardiologist (of his choice) where I had a stress echo test which revealed that my heart/condition of my heart was normal. The cardiologist said we could go ahead and she would inform Dr Toma. On the assumption that NCCRM would inform us whether that clearance had been received, we made (and were allowed to make) appointments for a) psych eval, b) Donor eval/sonogram for my wife (who is technically my donor), c) education classes regarding medication and administration of medication and d) saline ultrasound for me. He then said he had not seen the cardiologist report and he would 'need to.' but still sent us from the office with prescription for birth control, to synchronize my cycle with my wife's so we could have simultaneous procedures. I had to chase the cardiology report - there was no follow up on the part of NCCRM - and a week, perhaps 2 after I know the report was sent to them (the receptionist called me to tell me they had it), I had a call AT WORK from one of the clinical staff who told me that he had 'advised against' proceeding with the cycle. No one could or would give me more information than to tell me that it was due to the words 'high risk pregnancy' being a part of the cardiologist report, (I've since spoken with her, and she informed me she was basically quoting statistics in that part of her report not referencing me personally). Dr Toma wanted us to come into the office (and presumably pay another almost $200 consultation fee) just for him to tell us no to our faces. We declined/refused that appointment, as we feel that based on our previous experiences with him (numbering 2 occasions we had seen him), he would just continue to be uncompassionate, obstructive, dismissive and rude. When I went in for my Saline Ultrasound, and he came into the room, he did not knock at all, (and could have potentially exposed me to others in the facility had I not been covered), almost knocked my wife over with the door, he opened it so abruptly, and was terse, asking questions to which he had already received the answers, all while conducting the ultrasound. He was not at all gentle... inserting the speculum without warning, manipulating the internal ultrasound want roughly, and generally demonstrating little care or compassion. I felt like a piece of meat. We paid out of pocket for all of this testing, and feel that he knew very well he was going to say no, from the outset, no matter the outcome of the tests, so as well as feeling emotionally brutalized, we also feel financially cheated, and taken advantage of.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Seek another doctor, do not use him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
His PA took one look at my age, said that she thought I was too old and that he would refuse treatment. He came in and started to list all the reasons a woman of my age couldn't carry a pregnancy without taking into account my family history of older women as mothers, or the fact of my wife being my donor. He simply ploughed ahead with his own agenda, and in the end, despite us jumping through all his hoops, passing his tests and a cardiological exam, he still pulled the plug a week or so before our cycle was due to begin - this /after/ we had paid out of pocket for all his diagnostic testing.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We did not get so far as to begin any cycles, just the 'diagnostic' testing. Donor ultrasound, and saline ultrasound for the recipient.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Folita Sherman)
Folita was very open and a good communicator on the few occasions we saw her, during our 'class' and when we asked questions of her. It was wrong that it was given to her to pass on Dr Toma's decision. He should have made that call himself, rather than expect her to make that telephone call.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
If you don't get a call back within 3 hours of leaving a message call again until you get someone. They are sometimes lax in returning calls, depending on what the call was for. The reception staff, particularly Brenda, are awesome! The nurses and nurse practitioners are mostly (with one notable exception) wonderful caring people who truly listen. Such a shame their doctor doesn't do likewise.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
It was all out of pocket for us. Initial consult $165, a whole day of testing, psych evaluation and class $465 and Saline ultrasound $450
What specific things went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Lost paperwork
Failed to call with results
Lost results
Provided conflicting information
Failed to convey critical information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
What went wrong was due to Toma's inability to guide them to follow up with information from referrals that he had made. We should not have been 'allowed' to proceed with testing until he had the cardiologist report. If she sent that initially then it was lost, or failed to be scanned into notes. Dr Toma was not at all informed that we had gone through all the testing and classes on which he had insisted, so either the paperwork was not in the file, or he didn't bother to read it, (or his staff did not brief him) either way, the whole experience was soured by his attitude.
He [Dr. Sameh Toma] did my tubal reserval and he did the HSG test which resulted that everything was still good...He was very kind and he cared about my feelings, he was very helpful and he wanted but the best treatment for me and he never gave up on me and he still hasn't, also he has a big heart... treats his patients with the up most respect. He made me feel comfortable with any procedure and he is trustworthy and stands by his words he was great with me and my partner.
Overall the clinic [North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine] is wonderful, it is clean, neat, organized and well staffed and all the staff is polite and kind and they all care about their patients feelings and what they are going through. I would recommend tis clinic to anyone that is going through fertility issues...They [nurses] were great,helpful, and considered my feelings and what I was going through.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Toma is a great Doctor his experience with fertility is amazing he knows what he is doing and treats his patients with the up most respect. He made me feel comfortable with any procedure and he is trustworthy and stands by his words he was great with me and my partner. I would recommend me him to anyone and exactly I recommend him to my best friend and she is very satisfied.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
That he is full of great knowledge and care about your feeling.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He was very kind and he cared about my feelings, he was very helpful and he wanted but the best treatment for me and he never gave up on me and he still hasn't, also he has a big heart.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
He did my tubal reserval and he did the HSG test which resulted that everything was still good, he find a polyp in my utrenus and it had to be removed by my ob/gyn he than asked that my OB put me on clomid and if needed to follow back up with him. I have appointment on the 21st of March to see him to consider IVF Because we haven't gotten pregnant yet but the cost is very overwhelming and he just spent so much on the one surgery and the second surgery and as well on all the meds. I trust Dr. Toma and that's why I would like for him to do my IVF.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
They were great,helpful, and considered my feelings and what I was going through.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Overall the clinic is wonderful, it is clean, neat, organized and well staffed and all the staff is polite and kind and they all care about their patients feelings and what they are going through. I would recommend tis clinic to anyone that is going through fertility issues.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
5300 dollars for my surgery, and than my HSG was 216.00 my insurance covered the rest.
Dr. [Samhe] Toma was very honest and straight forward, he was not afraid to give me all of the information, risks and all. He was willing to answer all of my questions and hear my concerns. Sometimes I did feel like he thought I wasn't aggressive enough with my treatment because he would try to push me toward trying something more each time but we had our financial situation and our sanity to consider. In the end, he was supportive of our decision.
Dr. Toma really took the time to listen and was no nonsense...The nursing staff was for sure a great strength for this clinic [North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine]. Everyone I interacted with was so kind and compassionate. I felt like I had my very own cheerleaders. The facility had everything you needed as well, so it was nice to be able to go to the clinic for the IVF procedure. I was a bit odd that it shared space with a plastic surgery office as well. I felt more vulnerable knowing that people there were not all there for the same reason.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Toma was very honest and straight forward, he was not afraid to give me all of the information, risks and all. He was willing to answer all of my questions and hear my concerns. Sometimes I did feel like he thought I wasn't aggressive enough with my treatment because he would try to push me toward trying something more each time but we had our financial situation and our sanity to consider. In the end, he was supportive of our decision.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Do your research, ask the questions that you need to ask. Don't feel like you have to agree to all treatments presented, they are options and if you don't feel comfortable doing them yet, then take your time.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Toma really took the time to listen and was no nonsense. I had done my research and work by this time and so I had a lot of questions and he was willing to answer all of them. I always saw Dr. Toma anytime I came in for a check-up or procedure, even if it was just to say hi how are you feeling? That meant a lot to me. I also had an amazing dedicated nurse that was so kind and compassionate.
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
First month was on Clomid because Dr. Toma wanted to see what baseline looked like for me. Dr. Toma also insisted I go back on metformin at 1500 mg/day because that was the highest dose I tolerated.
Second month he suggested IVF or ovarian drilling because he said I couldn't take anymore Clomid. I had reached the max I could take before I significantly increased my risk of ovarian/uterine cancer. We decided on IVF.
After IVF failed, we assessed what might have gone wrong and Dr. Toma suspected endometriosis so he recommended the ovarian drilling procedure and diagnostic laparascopy and hysteroscopy.
The procedure confirmed endometriosis diagnosis as well as uterine fibroids.
Dr. Toma suggested another round of IVF but we declined due to financial reasons. We decided to try IUI + femara instead, and another negative pregnancy result.
After that we were emotionally spent and did two more months on Femera with successful ovulation and no positive pregnancy results.
Then we stopped treatment all together.
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla)
My assigned nurse was amazing! Carla was compassionate, kind, cheerful, and always willing to answer my questions. She saw me after every visit even if to say hi and sat down with me if I wanted to talk about the procedures, or side effects or anything like that. She was the best medical staff I have ever had.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The nursing staff was for sure a great strength for this clinic. Everyone I interacted with was so kind and compassionate. I felt like I had my very own cheerleaders. The facility had everything you needed as well, so it was nice to be able to go to the clinic for the IVF procedure. I was a bit odd that it shared space with a plastic surgery office as well. I felt more vulnerable knowing that people there were not all there for the same reason.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
We were given slots in the early morning for ultrasounds that made it convenient to schedule work around and they were usually on time. Only once or twice I was delayed for work by 45 minutes. Blood work was also convenient and quick. I was never delayed for blood draws.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Doctor visits, ultrasounds, and labwork were covered. the IVF procedure was out of pocket and was $5000. The injectables were covered 80% so we ended up paying close to $2000 for those. IUI was not covered and we paid $600/cycle. The surgery was not entirely covered and we had to pay close to $2800.
What specific things went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy
Describe the specific things that went wrong at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Once my timing for a trigger shot came in on the weekend and so I had to go in to pick up an injection. I had a misunderstanding with the on call nurse for when I was suppose to meet her at the clinic to pick it up and it caused a lot of stress for me I was afraid we would miss that cycle, in the end we worked something out and I had to go to a pharmacy and pay extra which was stressful too.
Dr Toma was a breath of fresh air from the first conversation we had. They was no beating around the bush, he told me exactly how we wanted to proceed and answered all my questions about other options...He is straight to the point, which I appreciate. Some might want to ease in to conversation a bit more but I liked that he was so direct...He advised me not to go for IUI any longer. That IVF and creating embryos at this stage of my journey would be the best option and would give me the results I’m looking for.
Everyone [at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine] from front desk, nursing staff and physician are so keyed in to my care. It’s been really nice to be remembered from appointment to appointment. They very much care...No frills, straight to the point. Which I consider a strength. Great ivf session and the process was quick to start once it was time to get going. Love that they did a medication review during the class and once again the day you start.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Dr Toma was a breath of fresh air from the first conversation we had. They was no beating around the bush, he told me exactly how we wanted to proceed and answered all my questions about other options.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He is straight to the point, which I appreciate. Some might want to ease in to conversation a bit more but I liked that he was so direct.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
This is my second clinic while trying to conceive and the experience has been night and day from my last clinic. Everyone from front desk, nursing staff and physician are so keyed in to my care. It’s been really nice to be remembered from appointment to appointment. They very much care!
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
He advised me not to go for IUI any longer. That IVF and creating embryos at this stage of my journey would be the best option and would give me the results I’m looking for.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Busy but always available to answer questions. I didn’t feel like they didn’t have time for me to confirm details of my care.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
No frills, straight to the point. Which I consider a strength. Great ivf session and the process was quick to start once it was time to get going. Love that they did a medication review during the class and once again the day you start.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I’ve only ever waited up to 10 mins to be seen for a monitoring appt. They run them for an hour and a half in the morning and limit other patients during this time. The longest I was there was 45 mins start to finish.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Under 10k for ivf. This of recourse did not include some initial appts and any meds.
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Some said Toma was a tough Doc. I absolutely loved him from day 1. He listed to what I wanted to do offered suggestions but then let me make the final decision. That meant a lot to me to have a doc on my side willing to try what I wanted. At the past two doctors they basically suggested egg donation and didn’t want to entertain me using my own eggs. Toma suggested some supplements to improve the egg quality and then we moved forward with what I desired
I loved the clinic [North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine-Cary]. The only thing I would suggest is that the price stay the same. If I come in and it’s offered at a certain price at my original visit it shouldn’t go up by the time I start my meds. This did happen to me but it was only a minor jump... Cost was around $6500 for IVF cycle not including meds This included monitoring and ultrasounds
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Some said Toma was a tough Doc. I absolutely loved him from day 1. He listed to what I wanted to do offered suggestions but then let me make the final decision. That meant a lot to me to have a doc on my side willing to try what I wanted. At the past two doctors they basically suggested egg donation and didn’t want to entertain me using my own eggs. Toma suggested some supplements to improve the egg quality and then we moved forward with what I desired
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Be honest with him. If you are not completely healthy be prepared for him to tell you to get healthy. He only wants the best possible results for you and in order to achieve that you need to take care of your body
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
With this being my 3rd fertility doc I wanted a doctor that treated me like family like they cared. Dr Toma is the only doctor that acted like they cared about my outcome
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla Yelton)
I cannot day enough good things about Carla. This can be a crazy experience with lots of knowledge to retain. Any time I had a question I reached out to Carla and she responded so quickly. I looked forward to seeing her every time I went and she knows her stuff inside and out
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
I loved the clinic. The only thing I would suggest is that the price stay the same. If I come in and it’s offered at a certain price at my original visit it shouldn’t go up by the time I start my meds. This did happen to me but it was only a minor jump
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Cost was around $6500 for IVF cycle not including meds This included monitoring and ultrasounds
The team was great. Dr. Toma was straightforward and very knowledgeable and thorough.... He does not treat his patients like a number. He is very knowledgeable and thorough and makes sure that his patients understand the procedures. I was having some complications early in my pregnancy. He was truly encouraging, but also explained to me how this could play out. I would highly recommend this... Our nurse is always available via email.
The clinic [North Carolina Center for Repro Med] is good at communicating with its patients. We are contacted daily about any changes to our protocol. Our nurse is always available via email. The receptionist would always greet me with a smile and get us checked in a quickly as possible.... The cost was very reasonable. We paid $3999 for one full cycle which on included retrieval, transfer, and monitoring.... [Nursing Staff] Very caring and compassionate.
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Toma is straightforward. He does not treat his patients like a number. He is very knowledgeable and thorough and makes sure that his patients understand the procedures. I was having some complications early in my pregnancy. He was truly encouraging, but also explained to me how this could play out. I would highly recommend this
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Please be patient. This journey is not an easy one and can be enduring. Follow Dr. Tomas orders and trust him.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
The team was great. Dr. Toma was straightforward and very knowledgeable and thorough.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Very caring and compassionate.
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic is good at communicating with its patients. We are contacted daily about any changes to our protocol. Our nurse is always available via email. The receptionist would always greet me with a smile and get us checked in a quickly as possible.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The cost was very reasonable. We paid $3999 for one full cycle which on included retrieval, transfer, and monitoring.
Candid, direct. Honest. I prefer direct over bedside manner, but if you are a patient who requires a lot of warmth, he [Dr. Samhe Toma] may not be the greatest choice. His treatment plan didn't waste time or money in my opinion. It was a great experience. Dr. [Toma] advised the method with the highest probability of success. I appreciated his insight and his direct manner...He was candid, direct, concerned. Recommended treatment aimed at desired results
Easy to work with and friendly. The clinic [North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine] is well-run and accommodating. Very organized. Flexible hours. Knowledgeable nurses. No billing problems....[Nurses were] Very good. Knowledgeable... His [Dr. Toma] treatment plan didn't waste time or money in my opinion. It was a great experience. Dr. [Toma] advised the method with the highest probability of success....Recommended treatment aimed at desired results
How was your experience with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Candid, direct. Honest. I prefer direct over bedside manner, but if you are a patient who requires a lot of warmth, he may not be the greatest choice. His treatment plan didn't waste time or money in my opinion. It was a great experience. Dr. [Toma] advised the method with the highest probability of success. I appreciated his insight and his direct manner. I was seeking results. We tried a few Hail Mary IUI and Cloud attempts before going all in with in vitro. After the first unsuccessful round of IVF, Dr. Toma removed uterine fibroids and we tried again. This time with success.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
Trust him
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine?
He was candid, direct, concerned. Recommended treatment aimed at desired results
Describe the protocols Sameh Toma used in your cycles at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I don't recall specifics
Describe your experience with your nurse at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Carla (I think))
Very good. Knowledgeable
Describe your experience with North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Easy to work with and friendly. The clinic is well-run and accommodating. Very organized. Flexible hours. Knowledgeable nurses. No billing problems.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Sameh Toma at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
Cost of egg donor, men's, embryo transfer
Describe Sameh Toma's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine.
He always transferred 3 in order to achieve optimal results