It is apparent how very knowledgeable [Dr. Kavoussi] is and that he takes ample time to research and stay extremely current on all medical news. That’s first and foremost as a patient what I need, however, you couple that with his ability to connect with his patients on a human level and you have an unbeatable experience...He will support the couples wishes completely as long as it doesn’t go against his commitment to medicine...he makes you feel like you are the only patient he has. His demeanor sets patients at ease...
there are some truly awesome women working there [Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine]. Some of the best I’ve encountered in a doctors office...I would point out the practice is not highly technical in nature. Some clinics communicate electronically whereas here it’s commonly verbal over the phone or in person...Approximately $250 per ultrasound. $2k+ per IUI...I believe all in for transfer cycle we spent nearly $30k.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi is at the top of his field. It is apparent how very knowledgeable he is and that he takes ample time to research and stay extremely current on all medical news. That’s first and foremost as a patient what I need, however, you couple that with his ability to connect with his patients on a human level and you have an unbeatable experience. He has a huge heart and it shows.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Trust him, his staff, and the process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi speaks softly and empathetically while ensuring he provides thorough detail and answers every question you might have. When he’s with you he makes you feel like you are the only patient he has. His demeanor sets patients at ease and I would not wish for any other doctor.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We started out in a conservative manner with drugs/timed sex, leading into IUI’s. Each major step came with a 1:1 consult to discuss more in-depth prior to making final decisions. Dr. Kavoussi takes the time to really explain your options. We wanted to start conservative but the minute we said we were ready to be more proactive and aggressive, he supported us fully. He will support the couples wishes completely as long as it doesn’t go against his commitment to medicine. We moved into IVF and were able to complete our pre-transfer cycle resulting in 6 healthy embryos. We are currently waiting to begin our Transfer cycle.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Amy Esqueda )
Amy is fantastic. She’s highly experienced and it’s no wonder Dr. Kavoussi trusts in her so much. As a patient it’s easy to trust completely in her too. She cares, and will do the right thing by you.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Strengths: there are some truly awesome women working there. Some of the best I’ve encountered in a doctors office. There’s one staff member that’s not as friendly or interested in answering your questions. Overall, the staff are incredible. I would point out the practice is not highly technical in nature. Some clinics communicate electronically whereas here it’s commonly verbal over the phone or in person.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Approximately $250 per ultrasound. $2k+ per IUI. It gets more confusing with IVF expense since it’s goes in multiple directions for meds, Testing, etc. I believe all in for transfer cycle we spent nearly $30k.
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Dr. Kavoussi opts for single embryo transfer for his first time patients without prior failed transfers and without major medical issues. We will be doing a single transfer. He also leans toward preventing multiples due to the associated risks. I can’t speak for his other patients, but this has been our experience.
[Dr. Shahyrar Kavoussi] always takes the time to speak fully to you in a professional but caring and empathetic manner. Such a loving person who really truly cares...When we went to have a consultation he was the first doctor that believed me, listened to my story, showed compassion...you get the care every patient should.
the NP [at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] was incredibly compassionate and positive. Always supportive. Would get all your questions answered. Would even call you personally to check in...we had to pay out of pocket. You do have care credit as an option to use.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
My situation is different I had scarring from a previous D&C. I couldn’t get any doctor interested in figuring out why we couldn’t get pregnant like our super easy first time try years before seeing Kavoussi. When we went to have a consultation he was the first doctor that believed me, listened to my story, showed compassion, and said we are going to figure this out.
We did find moderate scarring filling my entire uterus. He successfully removed it, unfortunately from the procedure I developed some scarring in my cervix and have had to have additional procedures. You could never ask too many questions and I never felt rushed either. When Kavoussi is caring for you, you get the care every patient should.
This is still my doctor but from the 7 years it took to find an answer my husband and I are taking an indefinite breather from doctors offices.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
As always and with any physician - be an advocate for yourself and don’t leave any rock unturned
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He always takes the time to speak fully to you in a professional but caring and empathetic manner. Such a loving person who really truly cares
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
After my surgery I did have a uterine stint in for 8 days. I also had high dose hormones for a month to help encourage healthy tissue growth and hope to prevent scarring.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
the NP was incredibly compassionate and positive. Always supportive. Would get all your questions answered. Would even call you personally to check in. Kavoussi did this too after any surgeries.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
For us it’s location, we live in San Marcos and would have a 50 minute drive to get to the office. They did have two locations but morning appointments were at the farthest one. No complaints about the clinic space
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I don’t know how to compare the costs with other clinics but we had to pay out of pocket. You do have care credit as an option to use.
He [Dr. Kavoussi] was extremely caring and compassionate, yet at the same time he did not sugar-coat the facts. He is extremely knowledgable and his explanations were backed up with current research and statistics. He gave me plenty of time to ask questions and made sure to clarify anything I didn't understand. ... He recommended either IUI, IVF with ICSI, or egg freezing and laid out all of the statistics for both so that I could make an educated decision on what worked best for my situation.
The rooms [at Austin Fert & Repro Med] are buffered well so sound doesn't travel, which made me feel secure and that our discussions were kept private. The consultation room was bigger than I expected it to be, and included a good sized-table so you could easily take notes. They provided me with some handouts with more information and also a folder to keep everything together in.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi has a great bedside manner. He understands what a miracle a child is and is the most compassionate physician I've ever had. He took lots of time to explain possible procedures and outcome statistics and to answer any questions I had.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Be sure to find out how many cycles you could potentially need to accurately estimate your total cost and also ask about potential fertility drug discounts to see if you are eligible for a reduction in medication costs.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi is incredible. He took his time with me and explained all of the pros and cons of my different options. He was extremely caring and compassionate, yet at the same time he did not sugar-coat the facts. He is extremely knowledgable and his explanations were backed up with current research and statistics. He gave me plenty of time to ask questions and made sure to clarify anything I didn't understand. His staff was also very kind and patient with me.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
He recommended either IUI, IVF with ICSI, or egg freezing and laid out all of the statistics for both so that I could make an educated decision on what worked best for my situation.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The nurse was great. She answered all of my questions.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic is extremely clean and very comfortable. The rooms are buffered well so sound doesn't travel, which made me feel secure and that our discussions were kept private. The consultation room was bigger than I expected it to be, and included a good sized-table so you could easily take notes. They provided me with some handouts with more information and also a folder to keep everything together in.
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
He indicated a preference to transfer single embryos due to the high live birth success rate and in order to reduce potential risk to mother and baby.
Dr. Kavoussi makes himself available to patients at pretty much all times. He cares about our journey, speaks to us with intelligent details and answers our questions carefully. ... A few days after the successful egg retrieval ... it was clear that I was experiencing moderate, then a few days later severe OHSS. I had to visit the ER ... He is respectful and professional while also having the right amount of a sense of humor. ... Dr. K. wanted us to only transfer one embryo due to my reproductive health, "young" age (34), endometrial lining and hormone levels. ...
All of them [nurses at Austin Fert Repro Med]were super sweet, supportive, and made us feel like they knew us and cared for us. ... The South location is a little dingy. Westlake is a lot nicer. The whole thing is super expensive...but most people are aware of that getting in. Again, asking questions and making sure you, the patient, have the info you need to feel comfortable, is a must. You can't count on doctors and nurses, even great ones, to read your mind.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi makes himself available to patients at pretty much all times. He cares about our journey, speaks to us with intelligent details and answers our questions carefully. He is respectful and professional while also having the right amount of a sense of humor. He knows the right things to say when we're discouraged without giving us false hopes.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Take your fertility journey into your own hands...call as many times as you need to, ask questions, and voice your concerns or frustrations. You are your own best advocate.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Reassuring bedside manner and genuine care for and investment in our fertility journey.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Started with IUI because we didn't want to jump right into IVF, even though Dr. K. told us from the get-go that IVF was our best shot and that we were great candidates. Tried 3 times unsuccessfully and decided to proceed with a round of IVF. Dr. K. put me on lowered doses of injectables leading up to egg retrieval due to PCOS, yet my estradiol became dangerously elevated near our egg retrieval date. It was at this point that he called the freeze-all, still planning the egg retrieval but changing the plan from fresh transfer to frozen transfer when my body was ready. Even with elevated Estradiol (somewhere around 4000) they still advised me to administer the HCG shot in preparation for egg retrieval. I questioned this decision later. A few days after the successful egg retrieval (39 eggs, 24 mature, 8 fertilized to make 3 blastocysts, 16 eggs in storage), it was clear that I was experiencing moderate, then a few days later severe OHSS. I had to visit the ER, was ultimately checked into the hospital for an expensive 3-day stay that my insurance is refusing to cover despite its emergency nature, and it was horrible. After things calmed down with my body (almost 2 months later), we went ahead with our first transfer of a single embryo and had a positive pregnancy test 9 days later! I am now 20 weeks pregnant.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Amy Esqueda)
All of them were super sweet, supportive, and made us feel like they knew us and cared for us.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The South location is a little dingy. Westlake is a lot nicer. The whole thing is super expensive...but most people are aware of that getting in. Again, asking questions and making sure you, the patient, have the info you need to feel comfortable, is a must. You can't count on doctors and nurses, even great ones, to read your mind.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
$595 per IUI, $250 per ultrasound when out of pocket, about $17,000 for IVF (about half lab fees and the other half clinic fees) and another 3+K for meds.
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Dr. K. wanted us to only transfer one embryo due to my reproductive health, "young" age (34), endometrial lining and hormone levels.
He [Dr. Kavoussi] is so warm and kind. ... He considers my emotional state and spends time making sure I’m doing well. ... He genuinely cares for his patients and has a heart to help them expand their family. He gave excellent advice and supported every decision we made. ... I did multiple rounds of fermara IUI with ovidrel. The fermara was used to grow the eggs and the ovidrel to trigger ovulation.
I would recommend them [Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] to anyone I know struggling to become pregnant! The only weakness is they don’t communicate in advance if I will be seeing the doctor or the NP. I could ask, but would like to know who I will be seeing. ... All staff at Dr. Kavoussi’s office are professional, kind, courteous, and considerate of the stresses of fertility treatment.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He is so warm and kind. He genuinely cares for his patients and has a heart to help them expand their family. He gave excellent advice and supported every decision we made. This journey is hard and he works to carry as much of the burden as he can for his patients.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. He is always willing to take the time to answer every question we had!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi knows my family and treats us like friends. He considers my emotional state and spends time making sure I’m doing well. He even knows my adopted daughter’s name and plays with her each time she is with us.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I did multiple rounds of fermara IUI with ovidrel. The fermara was used to grow the eggs and the ovidrel to trigger ovulation. The second ended in chemical pregnancy. He was amazing through this process. I am currently on my second round of IUI with Fermara(grow eggs), Gonal-F (increase egg size), ovidrel(trigger ovulation), & IUI. So far I have had The chemical pregnancy listed above, all others have been negative pregnancy tests.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Amy )
Amy is always extremely positive, caring, and knowledgeable about fertility treatment. Her passion for helping families grow is apparent in her communication.
All staff at Dr. Kavoussi’s office are professional, kind, courteous, and considerate of the stresses of fertility treatment.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
This clinic is fantastic. I would recommend them to anyone I know struggling to become pregnant!
The only weakness is they don’t communicate in advance if I will be seeing the doctor or the NP. I could ask, but would like to know who I will be seeing.
Dr. Kavoussi is always available for questions. ... When call or email with questions, I get them very quickly. If I bring in research, he is willing to go over the information with me. ... It does seem like treatments are rather cookie cutter for most patients to start. ... Due to PCOS, we have always been able to retrieve a lot of eggs. Recurrent pregnancy loss is the biggest factor we are facing with treatment.
The biggest complaint I have about this clinic [Austin Fertility] is communication with the billing personnel. There were some inconsistencies that were frustrating to deal with in the middle of hormone treatments and procedures. ... They have multiple locations, which can be helpful to those dealing with local traffic. Egg retrievals are done on site, so you don't have to travel to a surgery center. ... They have an ultrasound tech do a lot of the scans, so you will often see her before you see Amy or Dr. Kavoussi. She is friendly and highly skilled.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
It does seem like treatments are rather cookie cutter for most patients to start. But, that's the nature of infertility - often the first cycle is more diagnostic than anything. Dr. Kavoussi has always been available, caring, and never insulted when I express concern for wanting to change my treatment protocol.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Be an advocate for your own care. Dr. Kavoussi is great, but he's also human. If you have a concern about something, then speak up. He will listen.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi is always available for questions. How he balances this with his incredibly busy practice has always baffled me. When call or email with questions, I get them very quickly. If I bring in research, he is willing to go over the information with me.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
First retrieval was 150 gonal f and 75 menopur. Second was 225 gonal f and 75 menopur. ICSI/PGS/FET. Due to PCOS, we have always been able to retrieve a lot of eggs. Recurrent pregnancy loss is the biggest factor we are facing with treatment.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Amy)
This is a bit of a mixed review as Kate is no longer with the practice and I had more experience working with her.
Amy is the new NP, and she is still learning the ropes. But what she doesn't have in clinical experience, she more than makes up for in bedside manner. She is very quick to respond to questions/concerns and is willing to consult with Dr. Kavoussi if she needs to. She is very empathetic.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
They have multiple locations, which can be helpful to those dealing with local traffic. Egg retrievals are done on site, so you don't have to travel to a surgery center. There has been turnover in office staff, so some of the staff are more skilled than others at handling your questions (props to Marisol and Kayla - they are always on the ball). They have an ultrasound tech do a lot of the scans, so you will often see her before you see Amy or Dr. Kavoussi. She is friendly and highly skilled.
The biggest complaint I have about this clinic is communication with the billing personnel. There were some inconsistencies that were frustrating to deal with in the middle of hormone treatments and procedures. However, issues were often resolved with a phone call or email. Get your estimates in writing.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
IUI is about $500. IVF with ICSI and biopsi was about 12k. SIS $500. Meds and genetic testing are more (~4k and 2k).
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
He is willing to transfer more than one euploid embryo, but is open about the risks of multiples.
What specific things went wrong at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Failed to order appropriate test
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
There is the occasional lab order that is not called in on time. However, results were almost always reported back in a timely manner.
Dr. S. Kavoussi is a very compassionate doctor. He really takes the time to listen and explain everything. He allows us to make our own decisions after he educates us. My favorite phrase he says is "I'm just trying to get you a baby I don't care how it happens." He is very knowledgeable and a great listener. I had to have a surgical procedure and I was really nervous as I had never had any hospitalizations or surgeries before. He reassured me all the way through it. On the day of the procedure (at a surgery center) I was a nervous wreck until he walked in the room. I can't sing his praises enough. I will refer everyone I know who lives in this area and needs his services to him.
The clinic [Austin Fertility & Reproductive Med] is great!! It is nice and clean and not too big and impersonal. They do not schedule too many people at once and you don't usually wait more than 10 minutes. The James Casey location does not have much parking as it is located really close to a hospital however the Westlake office does. I prefer the Westlake office even though it is a little further drive for me.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. S. Kavoussi is a very compassionate doctor. He really takes the time to listen and explain everything. He allows us to make our own decisions after he educates us. My favorite phrase he says is "I'm just trying to get you a baby I don't care how it happens." He is very knowledgeable and a great listener. I had to have a surgical procedure and I was really nervous as I had never had any hospitalizations or surgeries before. He reassured me all the way through it. On the day of the procedure (at a surgery center) I was a nervous wreck until he walked in the room. I can't sing his praises enough. I will refer everyone I know who lives in this area and needs his services to him.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Relax you are in great hands!!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi and his staff are so friendly. I never felt uncomfortable from the first visit. Dr. Kavoussi himself never makes me feel he is in a hurry and he really is listening to me and my husband.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The office has a small nursing staff however they are all really friendly. They are gentle in their approach with you and I never felt judged. Dr. Kavoussi's right hand person is his nurse practitioner Kate. She moves 100 mph however she is really nice. Kate and Dr. Kavoussi make a great team.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic is great!! It is nice and clean and not too big and impersonal. They do not schedule too many people at once and you don't usually wait more than 10 minutes.
The James Casey location does not have much parking as it is located really close to a hospital however the Westlake office does. I prefer the Westlake office even though it is a little further drive for me.
Dr, Kavoussi is a caring man with a huge heart. He is clearly committed to the success of every patient who walks through the door. He is kind with his approach, but he doesn't sugar coat things.... he stays current on all research. I could easily discuss papers with him that had just been published within several months.... My stim protocol was moderately aggressive for my values, due to my age (37). We did have to adjust my use of ganirelix (started it early) because my body was wanting to ovulate sooner than my eggs would be ready.
The clinic [Austin Fertility & Reproductive Med] overall does a great job with flexible scheduling, responding quickly, writing letters for you as needed for grants or insurance, and always being on call in case of emergencies or just panic attacks.... I could go in for monitoring when it was convenient for me - as long as it was on the day I needed to go.... The only thing I had go wrong was when a nurse was showing me how to give myself injections and at first she had no idea whether I had done stim before or not, indicating that she had not read my chart carefully.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr, Kavoussi is a caring man with a huge heart. He is clearly committed to the success of every patient who walks through the door. He is kind with his approach, but he doesn't sugar coat things. And he knows what he is doing. Not only does he have decades of experience, but he stays current on all research. I could easily discuss papers with him that had just been published within several months. I felt like I had a great coach, leading the team to victory. And although he was not at every appointment, if I wanted to see him, I could. He didn't hide in an ivory tower - he was down in the trenches with you.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Do your research beforehand and come with lots of questions because he wants to answer them. Take charge of your care, Dr. SK will not be offended, he will appreciate your dedicated interest in your own protocol.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Since our problem was male factor, we began with his brother Dr. Parviz Kavoussi. Both are amazing doctors. Kind, understanding, up on research, intelligent, and honest. I also appreciated that they spoke to me like a professional. I have experience researching endocrine systems and didn't need things to be put in laymen terms. They *heard* me and we conversed on a level I felt appropriate. I was encouraged to ask questions always and could call night or day, any time, if I had concerns during the process. Also, my husband is an immigrant who is shy with his English. They never made him feel unwelcome or stupid.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Since our only issue is male factor (that cannot be reversed with medication) we had to do a full IVF cycle. Although, Dr. PK did allow us to try clomid for 3 months, just in case, which we appreciated. My hormonal values all showed normal for my age, with my AMH above average. We initially tried starting me on birth control, but both months I ovulated anyway. We decided that birth control was not a viable option for me. Additionally, we found polyps at a saline ultrasound and paused our start date to remove them. My stim protocol was moderately aggressive for my values, due to my age (37). We did have to adjust my use of ganirelix (started it early) because my body was wanting to ovulate sooner than my eggs would be ready. We also extended my stimulation shots by two days. At retrieval we got 14 eggs, but only 6 of them were mature. If we ever need to do another retrieval, we will use a double trigger shot.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kate)
Kate is very no nonsense, with a heart of gold. I have cried in her arms, I have pushed her with question after question, I have emailed her at all hours of the night. She is amazing. I always felt like she CARED about me as a person. She would ask me what was wrong if she could tell that I was "off". And I never felt rushed. She always asked "What questions do you have?" "What else do you need from me?" Kate is very compassionate.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic overall does a great job with flexible scheduling, responding quickly, writing letters for you as needed for grants or insurance, and always being on call in case of emergencies or just panic attacks. Both Dr. S and Dr. P are staggeringly kind. And they never make you feel like a "bother". The only thing I wish they would improve on is their billing system. Their invoices don't really make much sense and I would like to have clear details to keep track of. Their fee breakdown sheets could use improvement as well.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I could go in for monitoring when it was convenient for me - as long as it was on the day I needed to go.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
~$3,500 for a Micr-TESE, ~$9,000 for egg retrieval and fresh transfer,~$3000 for a frozen transfer, $250 each for post positive beta ultrasounds - no medications included. If things were "medical" they were billed to my insurance so I paid as little as possible.
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Dr. Kavoussi says it is our decision. For women over 35 he recommends two, but ultimately it was our call.
What specific things went wrong at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The only thing I had go wrong was when a nurse was showing me how to give myself injections and at first she had no idea whether I had done stim before or not, indicating that she had not read my chart carefully. Then, she kept saying I was on gonal, when i was on follistim, which was worrying.
He [Dr. Kavoussi] was very caring and understanding. He was genuinely sad when things did not work out and very happy when I got my positive. He personally called me multiple times to talk to me about results and such...I could ask him any question and he had a great answer for each and everyone. I was sad to leave when I did, but also so happy that he was able to get me to the point of graduating from his clinic.
I never waited long [at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] to see the doctor. I saw the doctor 99% of the time. There was only 1 IUI that i did not see the doctor and it was on a Sunday and I believe he was off that day. However, the experience with her was fantastic as well. I never felt like another numbered patient walking through the door...The nursing staff was so great! They did a really great job in picking their team. They were all very knowlegable in the procedures, their office, etc. I was thankful for the nurses!
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr Kavoussi was very kind hearted, passionate about his job, but treated me like I was someone he truly cared to help. I was not just another person walking through his door. I could ask him any question and he had a great answer for each and everyone. I was sad to leave when I did, but also so happy that he was able to get me to the point of graduating from his clinic.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Absolutely ask questions. He is extremely knowlegable and he wants you to ask away so you are fully aware of what to expect.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He was very caring and understanding. He was genuinely sad when things did not work out and very happy when I got my positive. He personally called me multiple times to talk to me about results and such.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I tried a few monitored medicated cycles with attempting to get pregnant naturally. With that being unsuccessful, we finally got my husband on board to do a sample test. It turns out that not only my PCOS was causing a hard time, but so was his agglutination. He completed a second test to confirm agglutination. Once we confirmed that, Dr. Kavoussi said that we were a good candidate for IUI. We jumped right in with a medicated cycle of 2.5mg of Femara. We then triggered with Ovidrel when my follicles were 20mm. I had 2 ready to go. Then 24 hours later, we did our IUI. 14 days later, it was negative. The second IUI was the same, except we did not do Ovidrel. I ovulated on my own with 22mm follicles due to my husband being out of town earlier. Thankfully he came home the night before IUI and it turned out that it was great timing! We got our positive pregnancy test 14 days post IUI.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The nursing staff was so great! They did a really great job in picking their team. They were all very knowlegable in the procedures, their office, etc. I was thankful for the nurses!
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
They only do one IUI at a time. I never waited long to see the doctor. I saw the doctor 99% of the time. There was only 1 IUI that i did not see the doctor and it was on a Sunday and I believe he was off that day. However, the experience with her was fantastic as well. I never felt like another numbered patient walking through the door.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Each ultrasound cost around $180. IUI was around $450. Thankfully my insurance covered fertility treatments, so I believe these are prior to insurance.
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
From my very first appointment [with Dr. Kavoussi], I appreciated his warmth, candor, level of detail, and authenticity. I am a "high information" patient, and wanted the nitty gritty scientific details. He never talked down to me, and appreciated/encouraged my frequent research and questions...He always called personally with bad news. He always called personally to congratulate good news. He always called personally to follow up and check in after a loss. He is a truly good man. We ultimately pursued DE overseas, as we could not afford it in the US. Dr. Kavoussi and his practice were still with us every step of the way, supporting our choice and providing local monitoring care.
I love Kate [nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] She is efficient but kind. We got to know each other well over our years in treatment, and she goes out of her way to e-mail, text, or even see you on a weekend if necessary. She is Dr. K's right hand woman, and is extremely well-versed in the details and science behind the treatment...Some of the front desk staff/medical assistants are better than others. The vast majority were great. Comparable or better than most medical offices.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi is the kindest doctor I've ever seen as a patient. He combines compassion and personal attention with extreme attention to detail and as much or as little medical information/explanation as you want--which in our case was a lot. He always took time to listen, answer questions, draw diagrams if need be, and explain risks. We underwent 7 medicated cycles (6 TI, 1 IUI), and achieved two pregnancies from two of them. Unfortunately my DOR and poor egg quality led to two trisomy-related losses. The office could not have been kinder to us during these difficult times. I had two hysteroscopic surgeries along the way, which Dr. K personally performed. Again, his level of care, detail, and bedside manner were unmatched. After our second loss, we went on to IVF with PGS. Our first antagonist cycle produced 6 eggs, all of which fertilized abnormally. Our second Microdose Lupron cycle produced 10 eggs and 2 blastocysts, both of which came back PGS Abnormal. We were not willing to undergo another OE cycle, and we appreciate and respect that the doctor was honest and realistic about our statistical chances. He always called personally with bad news. He always called personally to congratulate good news. He always called personally to follow up and check in after a loss. He is a truly good man. We ultimately pursued DE overseas, as we could not afford it in the US. Dr. Kavoussi and his practice were still with us every step of the way, supporting our choice and providing local monitoring care. When we were successful (currently in 2nd trimester) with our first DE transfer, they were all over the moon overjoyed for us. Even though we never achieved a healthy take-home baby with this practice, we would not change a thing, and are so very grateful for them.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Morning appointments are only at Westlake. Afternoon appointments are only at James Casey. Sometimes there can be a wait, as with many offices. If you have an appointment early in the AM, you'll be seen quickly. Come with questions: they'll answer them.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
We adore Dr. Kavoussi. From my very first appointment, I appreciated his warmth, candor, level of detail, and authenticity. I am a "high information" patient, and wanted the nitty gritty scientific details. He never talked down to me, and appreciated/encouraged my frequent research and questions. We experienced two tragic losses, and always felt that Dr. K, Kate, and the entire practice genuinely grieved with us, hoped the best for us, and prayed/rooted for us. WE LOVE Dr. K. and this practice.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Medicated cycles: 7.5 letrazole with ovridel trigger shot--each time, the plan was three cycles of this before moving on to more aggressive approach, and each time we got pregnant on the 3rd cycle. (The 1st one was a throw-away, as my HSG came back with polyps in the middle of that cycle, requiring surgery before trying again.)
IVF with ICSI #1: 300 gonal-f, 75 menopur, cetrotide antagonist cycle. This was the recommended 1st place to start based on my AMH. (They wouldn't have done a long lupron cycle.) 6 mature eggs. All fertilized abnormally.
IVF with ICSI #2: 300 gonal-f, 150 menopur, microdose lupron -- all in divided doses 2x a day. 10 eggs, 2 mature, both fertilized and made it to blast. Both PGS abnormal.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kate Odenwald)
I love Kate. She is efficient but kind. We got to know each other well over our years in treatment, and she goes out of her way to e-mail, text, or even see you on a weekend if necessary. She is Dr. K's right hand woman, and is extremely well-versed in the details and science behind the treatment.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Some of the front desk staff/medical assistants are better than others. The vast majority were great. Comparable or better than most medical offices.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
It certainly isn't cheap, but this is infertility: It's expensive.
I was very fortunate to have my insurance change and cover infertility coverage part-way through my treatment--which enabled us to do IVF. From my perspective, costs were average for this city. Self-pay costs ARE cheaper than insured/negotiated costs.
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
If we had had embryos of my own eggs to transfer, Dr. K would have supported multiple transfer. However, when we discussed donor eggs, he was very realistic about the chances of multiples, and supported our choice to do eSET.
Kavoussi was present at every appointment in some way. Always remembering intimate details of our life. He took all the time in the world with us and never made us feel rushed or like he wanted to leave.... He took time on his day off to meet with us and go over the cycles. And was available to us when we needed him. He also performed my endometriosis surgery and took such amazing care of me, checking on me himself the next day and then meeting me to go over his findings, something my previous doctor didn’t do.
When we first arrived, compared to our previous clinic, this one [Austin Fertility and Reproductive Med] felt a little bit “bare bones”. It wasn’t flashy or fancy, and felt very bland and plain. But the facility is extremely clean and comfortable, and in a great location. And I’ll trade the quality of care for a fancy office any day!... Kate is amazing! She’s caring and knowledgeable, kind and whip smart. Any time Kavoussi wasn’t available right away, she was competent and helpful in the same way. I never felt like I left without getting the best care. She’s also super sweet!
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
We had previously been with a doctor that couldn’t care less about us. We were just money to him. When we switched clinics we instantly knew we’d made the right choice.
Kavoussi was present at every appointment in some way. Always remembering intimate details of our life. He took all the time in the world with us and never made us feel rushed or like he wanted to leave. He made me feel seen, heard, and understood.
Our first cycle with him gave us our son, and I will always be forever grateful. We have been to him several times in the last 4 years for a sibling, and while it was not in the cards for us (my eggs to a turn), he was incredible during every step. When 2 of our cycles were canceled or didn’t make it to transfer, he called me himself to give me the news. He took time on his day off to meet with us and go over the cycles. And was available to us when we needed him.
He also performed my endometriosis surgery and took such amazing care of me, checking on me himself the next day and then meeting me to go over his findings, something my previous doctor didn’t do.
He truly is a kind kind man, who has our best interest at heart. He will not push for extra treatments and will give you the straight answer every time.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He is the best thing that’s happened for us during this journey. You’ll receive kindness, compassion, and all the information you need.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He is one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. He takes his time explaining everything, he looks at you in the eye, makes calls to your himself, and becomes invested in your journey even after. He is gentle and caring, informative and honest, and a calm presence.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
When we first met with him, he looked over our past records and immediately told me we would no longer be doing surgery for endometriosis. He felt like being aggressive would not help and that going straight to IVF would give us our best chances.
We did a fresh cycle using Gonal F and Lupron. We were very aggressive with medication and I stimmed incredibly well that cycle. We retrieved 17 egg, and transferred 3 beautiful embryos which gave us our son. The other 2 embryos we had left didn’t survive the freezing process.
Since I gave birth to my son, we have gone back for 2 more cycles with a similar protocol. Unfortunately my eggs declined very badly, and after the second cycle ending in not being able to transfer (I didn’t even have 1 healthy egg at retrieval), he told us that egg donation may be our best bet at this point. He advised us that he didn’t want to keep putting me through this, and it wasn’t looking good for my own eggs.
Since then, my endometriosis went from bad to worse and I had to get a large cyst removed. He performed the surgery for me and did a fantastic job of leaving me pain free and almost recovered in a few days. In the past with other doctors, that surgery was incredibly difficult to recover from. I don’t know how he did it, but he was very delicate!
I’m now in the process of an embryo adoption/donation, and he’s handling half of my care. He’s been wonderful and incredibly invested in my journey, even as I work with a clinic out of state.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kate)
Kate is amazing! She’s caring and knowledgeable, kind and whip smart. Any time Kavoussi wasn’t available right away, she was competent and helpful in the same way. I never felt like I left without getting the best care. She’s also super sweet!
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
When we first arrived, compared to our previous clinic, this one felt a little bit “bare bones”. It wasn’t flashy or fancy, and felt very bland and plain. But the facility is extremely clean and comfortable, and in a great location. And I’ll trade the quality of care for a fancy office any day!
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I think after all was said and done, it was 15-17k per cycle including medication. But we did receive discounts after our first cycle for returning.
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
He does this on a case by case basis. When we came in he was a big proponent for only transferring 1 to 2 at the most. But with my history, the endometriosis, and the quality of embryos we had, he changed the course and felt comfortable advising us to use the 3 we had. He informed us of all the risks and had a ton of information that pertained to my individual situation, to help us decide. Ultimately it was up to us to make the choice.
Dr. Kavoussi had great bedside manner, however, after two failed cycles, was reluctant to make any significant changes to protocol in order to hopefully achieve successful results. When inquiring about further testing, he was not open to such and encouraged to continue the same protocol and hope for success....Dr. Kavoussi had great bedside manner, however, the administrative staff and financial staff [at Austin Fertility] were unprofessional.
Financial payment [at Austin Fert] is due in full prior to beginning a cycle( prior to initiation of birth control). Pricing is in the form of "packages" and portions of unused packages will not be refunded under ANY circumstance. If your cycle is cancelled, or converted to an FET, you will not receive a refund or credit for the unused portions of treatment. You will be expected to pay the full amount of both cycles. Debra, the financial coordinator is unorganized, and takes an unacceptable amount of time to respond to concerns, or provide requested information. There is a high turnover rate among clinical support staff. Wait times are often lengthy. Overall, doctors are compassionate in their work, however the practice is lacking...
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi had great bedside manner, however, after two failed cycles, was reluctant to make any significant changes to protocol in order to hopefully achieve successful results. When inquiring about further testing, he was not open to such and encouraged to continue the same protocol and hope for success. If you're lucky to have IVF be successful on a first cycle, you will be in good hands here. However, if you'd like to maximize your chance for success and decrease the amount of money, and emotional and physical stress, I'd suggest to go elsewhere.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Be prepared for a lengthy amount of time and multiple treatment cycles to hopefully achieve a successful pregnancy.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi had great bedside manner, however, the administrative staff and financial staff were unprofessional.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Gonal F and Menopur were the gold standard for stim medications. Standard dosage was 225IU OF Gonal F and 75IU of Menopur.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kate Odenwald )
Clinic was very busy. Kate did most times reply to concerns and emails in a time efficient manner.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Financial payment is due in full prior to beginning a cycle( prior to initiation of birth control). Pricing is in the form of "packages" and portions of unused packages will not be refunded under ANY circumstance. If your cycle is cancelled, or converted to an FET, you will not receive a refund or credit for the unused portions of treatment. You will be expected to pay the full amount of both cycles. Debra, the financial coordinator is unorganized, and takes an unacceptable amount of time to respond to concerns, or provide requested information. There is a high turnover rate among clinical support staff. Wait times are often lengthy. Overall, doctors are compassionate in their work, however the practice is lacking, and a poor rate of success should be noted while researching clinics. I would recommend another facility, and have since obtained a second opinion with another Reproductive Endocrinologist.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Clinical fee: $3,990
IVF Lab fee: $5,850
Total IVF cycle fee: $9,840
Embryo cryopreservation: $775
Additional charges:
ICSI (</=10 eggs): $1,300
ICSI (>10 eggs): $1,800
TESE: $1,600
SIS: $500
Costs due not include medication costs, which can be $3,000-$6,000 depending on protocol.
Blood tests are additional charges, sometimes covered by insurance.
FET Cycle:
Clinical Fee: $1,490
West lake IVF Lab fee: $1,890
Total fees: $3,380
Consults and prenatal sonograms are not included in above costs.
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Dr. Kavoussi recommended transferring 2 blastocysts. We were in agreement with this plan, however neither resulted in a positive pregnancy test.
What specific things went wrong at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr K was not at all interested in diagnostics. I was immediately immersed into treatment with fertility meds and IUI. He didn't see the need to dig deeper. I was just another patient...He also never asked to see my radiology scans of my HSG, if he had, he would have seen that I had a uterine septum that needed to be surgically removed. That is what my current Doctor did during my first consult. She also found a polyp in my uterus as well...
Only two [Austin Fert Repro Med - W'lake] locations - south side of Austin and Westlake. Not convenient locations at all! The south side clinic is very small and run down. The west lake one is fairly newer but still not that impressive. We had to travel to the Westlake office for our IUI procedures...I mostly dealt with [nurse] Kate with my IUI and ultrasounds. She was great up until they denied me a cycle and then she looked at me like I was crazy for asking if we could go ahead with our cycle despite the fact we had 5 follicles. No compassion or understanding...
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Not only was I just another patient, he also denied me an IUI cycle because I produced too many eggs. I understand the risks associated but he sat me down and had the most inauthentic conversation with me. He obviously didn't truly understand what I was feeling and just cared about the risks it posed for him not me. He also never asked to see my radiology scans of my HSG, if he had, he would have seen that I had a uterine septum that needed to be surgically removed. That is what my current Doctor did during my first consult. She also found a polyp in my uterus as well. She believes one if not both of these could be causing our fertility issues. IUI wasn't going to work and IVF probably wouldn't have either with these issues and I would have continued to pay DR K with no chance of conception.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Expect to be treated as a number. Just another patient treated the same way. He won't be interested in digging deeper.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr K was not at all interested in diagnostics. I was immediately immersed into treatment with fertility meds and IUI. He didn't see the need to dig deeper. I was just another patient
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
5 mg of Femara- produced too many eggs 4-5 follicles
Down to half 2.5 mg of Femara- still produced 3 follicles.
Ovidrel with both cycles
No pregnancies
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
I mostly dealt with Kate with my IUI and ultrasounds. She was great up until they denied me a cycle and then she looked at me like I was crazy for asking if we could go ahead with our cycle despite the fact we had 5 follicles. No compassion or understanding.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Only two locations- south side of Austin and Westlake. Not convenient locations at all! The south side clinic is very small and run down. The west lake one is fairly newer but still not that impressive. We had to travel to the Westlake office for our IUI procedures.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
My insurance covered nothing so we paid out of pocket for everything. I believe we paid about $565 for IUI and then $100 for Ovidrel and $5 for Femara. His consult fee was about $150
I did two IUI's with Dr. K [Kavoussi]. I apologize, but do not remember exact protocols. ... He is an expert and knows what he is doing. ... The doctor and his staff [Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] are available for questions and to explain treatment, quick turn around on phone calls/questions, and I know this sounds silly, but Dr. K has kindness in his mannerisms and eyes.
It was clear that this clinic [Austin Fertility & Repro Med] is experts in the fertility field. They are also well-organized and efficient. ... They were prompt, took time to explain things, answered all of our questions, had flexible scheduling. ... Someone always answered my phone calls and was able to answer questions immediatly, or have an answer from the doctor within a few short hours. They take time to discuss everything with you.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I had a really bad experience with my first fertility doctor and moving to this clinic was the best decision I made regarding treatment. Someone always answered my phone calls and was able to answer questions immediatly, or have an answer from the doctor within a few short hours. They take time to discuss everything with you. We becamse so close with the staff that when we graduated to our OB/GYN during the pregnancy, they were crying in celebration alongside with us. They honestly care and it shows.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Don't overthink or second guess, go ahead and schedule a consultation.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
As someone who works in sales, my job for 17 years has been reading people and both verbal and non-verbal communication. You are treated so kindly here. The doctor and his staff are available for questions and to explain treatment, quick turn around on phone calls/questions, and I know this sounds silly, but Dr. K has kindness in his mannerisms and eyes.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I did two IUI's with Dr. K. I apologize, but do not remember exact protocols. We did injections, clomid, and a trigger shot. My son is now two. I 100% followed the protocol that was given to my husband and I by Dr. K. He is an expert and knows what he is doing.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
AMAZING. I will never forget the day we left the clinic and "graduated" to our regular OB/GYN in my firs trimester. It was a big deal to us. We were emotional due to the journey and so appreciative of the care we'd received that my husband and I were both crying. The staff was doing the same thing by our side. We are so thankful for them.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
It was clear that this clinic is experts in the fertility field. They are also well-organized and efficient. This is important as we were traveling 50 minutes one-way to the clinic while working full-time. They were prompt, took time to explain things, answered all of our questions, had flexible scheduling. I have no negative things to say about them.
We felt that Dr. K [Shahryar Kavoussi] was the right choice after our first meeting. His brother Parvis performed the successful sperm retrieval and referred us. He was kind and took our concerns to heart. I was only 26 when we started the process and had no concerns about my fertility but had to perform IVF because of male factor issues. He made us feel confident that we had a great chance to conceive and he did not foresee any problems and that is was up to God. So when the first cycle failed we felt safe continuing to see him to find success. He did not change our cycle much the 2nd round and it also was unsuccessful. He did change the cycle protocol the 3rd round but it also was unsuccessful.
The clinic [Austin Fertility] was well organized like a well oiled machine. The staff was kind and compassionate. The billing coordinator seemed on the fritz but was able to execute her job.... The billing clerk wasn't always clear on our bill because we did quailify for some discounts with additional cycles. She has to email several times to get things clarified before payment. She seemed a little disorganized.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
We felt that Dr. K was the right choice after our first meeting. His brother Parvis performed the successful sperm retrieval and referred us. He was kind and took our concerns to heart. I was only 26 when we started the process and had no concerns about my fertility but had to perform IVF because of male factor issues. He made us feel confident that we had a great chance to conceive and he did not foresee any problems and that is was up to God. So when the first cycle failed we felt safe continuing to see him to find success. He did not change our cycle much the 2nd round and it also was unsuccessful. He did change the cycle protocol the 3rd round but it also was unsuccessful. Looking back, I wish he had done some testing to see if there was an underlying issue for our lack of success. We spent $42K for 3 failed cycles.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
If you have concerns, ask many questions and ask for additional testing if you feel it nescessary.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. K was very kind. He took his time in making sure we understood his game plan and answered all of our questions. He was genuinely disappointed when our cycles did not succeed and he personally called us to let us know the results.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Cycle 1 - 26 years old with healthy eggs. He chose a conservative route to avoid overstimulation of the ovaries due to my age and overall great fertility.
30 days contraceptive pill
11 days 10 IU Lupron
8 days 5 IU Lupron, 75 IU Menopur, 225 IU Follistim
4 Uterine Ultrasounds
10000 IU Pregnyl HCG shot
Egg Retrival for Fresh Transfer (3 eggs, 1 valid embryo at 3 days)
Vivelle .1 mg patch and Pregesterone suppositories for 2 weeks
3 day Embryo Transfer (one embryo)
Negative Test after 2 weeks
Cycle 2 - 27 years old. He felt that the 1st negative cycle was just part of nature and that the protocol was effective for a 2nd cycle.
30 days contraceptive pill
11 days 10 IU Lupron
8 days 5 IU Lupron, 75 IU Menopur, 225 IU Follistim
4 Uterine Ultrasounds
10000 IU Pregnyl HCG shot
Egg Retrival for Fresh Transfer
Vivelle .1 mg patch and Pregesterone suppositories for 2 weeks
3 day Embryo Transfer (2 embryo)
Negative
Cycle 3- 28 years old with some finished egg reserve. He increased my stimulant hormones because of the egg reserve. We transferred 3 embryos to increase chances of pregnancy.
30 days contraceptive pill
8 days 75 IU Menopur and 300 IU Bravelle
4 Uterine Ultrasounds
10000 IU Ganerelix HCG shot
Egg Retrival for Fresh Transfer
Vivelle .1 mg patch and Pregesterone suppositories for 2 weeks
3 day Embryo Transfer (3 embryos)
Negative Test after 2 weeks
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: DeAnna Peterson)
The nurses and coordinator were very helpful, answered all questions and showed much compassion. The billing coordinator was very scatterbrained.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic was well organized like a well oiled machine. The staff was kind and compassionate. The billing coordinator seemed on the fritz but was able to execute her job.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
He gave us statistics for his office on singleton, twins and triplets based on how many embryos transferred. He explained embryo grading. He did not feel it was appropriate in most cases to transfer more than 2 embryos.
What specific things went wrong at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Lost paperwork
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The billing clerk wasn't always clear on our bill because we did quailify for some discounts with additional cycles. She has to email several times to get things clarified before payment. She seemed a little disorganized.
He [Dr. Kavoussi] is wonderful and makes you so comfortable. He takes all the time you need to understand and ask questions. He is very professional and has a great sense of humor...He has called me as late as 8pm from his office to discuss things...started with a hysteroscopy to clear uterine polyps. Then moved to the shots, and then the retrieval and transfer. I used glonal f , cetrotide, menopur, ovidril, estradiol, progesterone I have PCOS and have yet to get pregnant, but I am still on this journey...
This clinic [Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] is very organized, and they get to know you. It is on the small side and it feels like family. Good vibes and great atmosphere. They know me by first name and are familiar with my case, this makes phone calls super easy...Each round I paid two separate payments of $2585 and $7270...these cost did not include my medicine....
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He is wonderful and makes you so comfortable. He takes all the time you need to understand and ask questions. He is very professional and has a great sense of humor. He is extremely knowledgeable and just all around a great guy.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
This is something that takes time. Be patient and know dr. Kavoussi is working hard to help you reach your goals. He has called me as late as 8pm from his office to discuss things. He is a kind soul and a great guy.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He is the best. Nicest man on the planet. I couldn’t say enough good things about him.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
I started with a hysteroscopy to clear uterine polyps. Then moved to the shots, and then the retrieval and transfer. I used glonal f , cetrotide, menopur, ovidril, estradiol, progesterone
I have PCOS and have yet to get pregnant, but I am still on this journey.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
They are wonderful. They know me by first name. Very helpful staff.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
This clinic is very organized, and they get to know you. It is on the small side and it feels like family. Good vibes and great atmosphere. They know me by first name and are familiar with my case, this makes phone calls super easy.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Each round I paid two separate payments of $2585 and $7270. My insurance didn’t cover any of my treatments & these cost did not include my medicine.
He [Dr. Shahryar K Kavoussi] was a kind, comprehensive, well-informed doctor. He went through all the pros and cons, and showed great compassion. The only con I'd say is he was very confident, and unfortunately our journey resulted in being the .01% more often than I'd like. That said I'd say that had to do more with the realities of infertility, not our doctor, and in the end we have our healthy son and a few frozen embryos. I trust him and his practice, and we will return again.
Like an IVF cycles, this is a big time commitment. They [Austin Fertility Reproductive Medicine] have a Westlake and South office which helps, though for folks with jobs up North traffic can get interesting.... Got an easy to understand breakdown of costs, medications, procedures, etc.... He never rushed appointments, answered all my questions, and empathized greatly. He appreciated the intensity and the emotions around this experience, and we felt like he truly cared.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He was a kind, comprehensive, well-informed doctor. He went through all the pros and cons, and showed great compassion. The only con I'd say is he was very confident, and unfortunately our journey resulted in being the .01% more often than I'd like. That said I'd say that had to do more with the realities of infertility, not our doctor, and in the end we have our healthy son and a few frozen embryos. I trust him and his practice, and we will return again.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Don't hesitate to ask questions, he will answer them and wants you to feel as comfortable as possible in this process.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He never rushed appointments, answered all my questions, and empathized greatly. He appreciated the intensity and the emotions around this experience, and we felt like he truly cared.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
My protocol didn't result in any negative side effects for me.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Like an IVF cycles, this is a big time commitment. They have a Westlake and South office which helps, though for folks with jobs up North traffic can get interesting.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Got an easy to understand breakdown of costs, medications, procedures, etc.
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
For our first cycle they had strong feelings for 2 embryos, but respected that I wanted to do a single embryo transfer. In all discussions about future cycles, they have been supportive of doing a single transfer as well.
Dr. Kavoussi is a very caring doctor who spends a lot of time making his patients feel informed and in control of the process. He is always available for calls, even when the clinic is closed. He genuinely wants his patients to be happy and do well...Dr. Kavoussi is very well informed and seems to work hard to keep up with the literature and the latest studies. He is a caring man and takes a great deal of time to help patients understand the process and make decisions regarding their care...
All of the staff [at Austin Fert Repro Med - W'lake] is personable and caring. They seem well trained and well informed and genuinely to enjoy what they are doing...Do not be afraid to ask questions, even if they seem dumb...
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. Kavoussi is very well informed and seems to work hard to keep up with the literature and the latest studies. He is a caring man and takes a great deal of time to help patients understand the process and make decisions regarding their care.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Do not be afraid to ask questions, even if they seem dumb.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr.. Khavoussi is a very caring doctor who spends a lot of time making his patients feel informed and in control of the process. He is always available for calls, even when the clinic is closed. He genuinely wants his patients to be happy and do well.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kate)
All of the staff is personable and caring. They seem well trained and well informed and genuinely to enjoy what they are doing.
What specific things went wrong at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
In one instance the clinic had decided to change the delivery means for one of the drugs. Later, when they provided instructions for administering the drug, the instructions were for the prior delivery means. We noticed it and the issue was quickly explained and corrected, but in that one minor instance, it did appear that communication within the clinic had broken down. They have been so flawless on everything else that this stuck out for me, even though it was a small and understandable error. It's just a reminder not to get too complacent and assume everyone's treatment follows the same pattern.
He [Dr Shahryar Kavoussi] is wonderful. He prays for us! And when things go wrong he is always there to talk and give hugs...Don't know the name of first protocol but second one worked. Micro dose Lupron got me to retrieval! He was unsure we would make it to the end but stuck with us and we did. Had to freeze all but that's because of a fibroid I have.
He [Dr Shahryar Kavoussi] is wonderful. He prays for us! And when things go wrong he is always there to talk and give hugs...Don't know the name of first protocol but second one worked. Micro dose Lupron got me to retrieval! He was unsure we would make it to the end but stuck with us and we did. Had to freeze all but that's because of a fibroid I have.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He is wonderful. He prays for us! And when things go wrong he is always there to talk and give hugs
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Waiting room times are short, staff is amazing, and facility super clean.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I love going into office. All staff is wonderful and I have always felt welcome.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
Don't know the name of first protocol but second one worked. Micro dose Lupron got me to retrieval! He was unsure we would make it to the end but stuck with us and we did. Had to freeze all but that's because of a fibroid I have.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kate)
Love her!! I don't think we could have made it through each step without her. Very friendly and available for hugs too!!
Dr. K was straightforward and took care of all our concerns. He was both realistic but very compassionate... He's quite conservative and aims for positive outcomes but generally will avoid more extreme procedures.
Kate [my nurse] was extremely responsive, positive and friendly. If you needed a pep talk, Kate was there to give it to you. She was almost like a coach.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. K was great from all angles. He's quite conservative and aims for positive outcomes but generally will avoid more extreme procedures.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Know that while very compassionate that he is quite conservative in his treatment.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Dr. K was straightforward and took care of all our concerns. He was both realistic but very compassionate.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kate)
Kate was extremely responsive, positive and friendly. If you needed a pep talk, Kate was there to give it to you. She was almost like a coach.
He [Dr. Kavoussi] goes the extra mile! He has vast knowledge in fertility. He explains in great details and follows up well! I feel well taken care of...With my amh 0.36 and still in my 30’s I would still have viable eggs with ovulation. I was diagnosed with pcos and I just make cyst. Trying metformin helped with the higher doses of clomid...I started with Dr. Kavoussi and ended up remaining after second opinions. Even with 1 ectopic and 1 miscarriage. After exhausting funds I got pregnant naturally, but it resulted in a miscarriage. He called me personally after. He also treated my out of state with an ectopic pregnancy. He calls and text me and truly wants my husband and I to succeed even when we feel hopeless.
11,000 [cost of] bilateral tubal reversal [at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] Other clomid and hcg injections and ultrasounds several thousand...West lake office nice and clean. Lab facility and advanced technology there. He sedated me in the office for a cyst drainage. Billing was also straightforward and cost was known upfront. Medical assistants are kind...Communication [from the nurses] was great. Encouraged us greatly.
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Kind and communication is great with myself and my obgyn. He goes the extra mile! He has vast knowledge in fertility. He explains in great details and follows up well! I feel well taken care of, just frustrated with the financial piece.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Since I’m a nurse, I refer to him all the time. I tell people he is kind and thorough.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
I started with Dr. Kavoussi and ended up remaining after second opinions. Even with 1 ectopic and 1 miscarriage. After exhausting funds I got pregnant naturally, but it resulted in a miscarriage. He called me personally after. He also treated my out of state with an ectopic pregnancy. He calls and text me and truly wants my husband and I to succeed even when we feel hopeless.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
With my amh 0.36 and still in my 30’s I would still have viable eggs with ovulation. I was diagnosed with pcos and I just make cyst. Trying metformin helped with the higher doses of clomid.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Kate)
Communication was great. Encouraged us greatly.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
West lake office nice and clean. Lab facility and advanced technology there. He sedated me in the office for a cyst drainage. Billing was also straightforward and cost was known upfront. Medical assistants are kind .
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
11,000 bilateral tubal reversal
Other clomid and hcg injections and ultrasounds several thousand.
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Doctor Kavoussi Is amazing caring and understanding...goes in to full detail about where to start and the steps to take next to reach the goals..help find what was the matter with me...help me stop being negative about seeing negative test...felt safe and knowing my questions will be answered.
[Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] strength is the nurse's and doctor. I felt safe and comfortable at easy, I always knew my question or concern's would be answered. I was always in the loop and understand the process and produces...Quick on their feet, come prepared. Showed the support system!
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Doctor Kavoussi Is amazing caring and understanding. She goes in to full detail about where to start and the steps to take next to reach the goals. I felt safe and knowing my questions will be answered.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Trust her fully!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
She help find what was the matter with me , UN like my other doctors would tell me I'm healthy or didn't have PCOS. She help me stop being negative about seeing negative test. She still works and is trying to help me reach my goal of starting a family.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Quick on their feet, come prepared. Showed the support system!
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The Clinic strength is the nurse's and doctor. I felt safe and comfortable at easy, I always knew my question or concern's would be answered. I was always in the loop and understand the process and produces.
[Dr. Shahryar Kavoussi] is always very compassionate and explains everything thoroughly. We look forward to continuing out fertility journey with him as our doctor. We know what to expect every step of the way and there’s never a question in our mind if we made the right decision...He was very warm and compassionate
The clinic [at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine] is very organized, energetic, and positive. They have always called back in a timely manner and been very on top of everything. They make sure you feel taken care of. I would recommend this office to everyone...IVF with ICSI is around $18,000...[the nurse] is very warm and gets you excited about your treatment
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He is always very compassionate and explains everything thoroughly. We look forward to continuing out fertility journey with him as our doctor. We know what to expect every step of the way and there’s never a question in our mind if we made the right decision.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Don’t go with any other doctor!
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
He was very warm and compassionate.
Describe the protocols Shahryar K. Kavoussi used in your cycles at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and their degree of success.
We have not started our IVF cycle yet, but we will be doing ICSI with a freeze all cycle for genetic testing.
Describe your experience with your nurse at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine. (Assigned nurse: Amy Esqueda)
She is very warm and gets you excited about your treatment.
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
The clinic is very organized, energetic, and positive. They have always called back in a timely manner and been very on top of everything. They make sure you feel taken care of. I would recommend this office to everyone.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
We had a great experience with Dr. Kavoussi and his staff. He has an extremely optimistic disposition, so that helps to feel confident that we would have a good outcome. He explained things thoroughly and helped us understand why we were doing what we were doing.... Doctor had a preference for single embryo, but was ok with a double embryo transfer which is what we did... Roughly $12k for the cycle without meds, and those were about $4k
Clinic [Austin Fertility & Repro Med-Austin Westlake] moved fast and got us in close to our appointment time. The front desk staff is friendly and helpful. It was a long drive for every appointment, so they were respectful of my time. I did not have any issues with financials or billing... Roughly $12k for the cycle without meds, and those were about $4k... Doctor had a preference for single embryo, but was ok with a double embryo transfer which is what we did
How was your experience with Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
We had a great experience with Dr. Kavoussi and his staff. He has an extremely optimistic disposition, so that helps to feel confident that we would have a good outcome. He explained things thoroughly and helped us understand why we were doing what we were doing.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine?
Don’t be afraid to ask him questions
Describe your experience with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Clinic moved fast and got us in close to our appointment time. The front desk staff is friendly and helpful. It was a long drive for every appointment, so they were respectful of my time. I did not have any issues with financials or billing
Describe the costs associated with your care under Shahryar K. Kavoussi at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Roughly $12k for the cycle without meds, and those were about $4k
Describe Shahryar K. Kavoussi's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine.
Doctor had a preference for single embryo, but was ok with a double embryo transfer which is what we did