LGBTQ+
LGBTQ+
Verified
Verified
This patient has provided documentation of treatment at this clinic.
2021 - 2022, Unknown Success
My doctors [Dr. Sundaram's] strengths were that she was very informative and knowledgeable. Her weaknesses were that she wasn’t very compassionate during the motions of the “next steps” talks...the only encouraging moments were when I was being told to consider IVF even though my doctors knew that wasn’t an option for my wife and I...I felt like they went the more cautious route than exploring other avenues with someone with low AMH or unexplained infertility....
The nursing staff [at Kaiser Permanente NorCal] was all over the place. I would be scheduled with a specific nurse for my monthly ultrasounds and every month I had a different nurse than the nurse I expected to have so it never felt like it was a homey environment...They did very well with coordinating with our sperm donor...they gave parking vouchers for the reduction in parking fees in San Francisco...
How was your experience with Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
My doctors strengths were that she was very informative and knowledgeable. Her weaknesses were that she wasn’t very compassionate during the motions of the “next steps” talks, nor that she was willing to go the extra mile. She didn’t decide to want to go the extra mile until nearing my 2nd to last IUI cycle. And the only encouraging moments were when I was being told to consider IVF even though my doctors knew that wasn’t an option for my wife and I.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
To be vigilant and aware of your own personal feeling and motions through the process and to feel confident to voice out when you don’t agree with something because the doctors there that see women for IUI’s specialize in egg retrieval and or IVF and that’s why it’s pushed heavily after cycle 3 or 5. So please be aware of that and maybe requests doctors that specialize in your needs or care because I didn’t really have much of a choice, I had my doctor that I started with and after 2-3 months my doctor left and I got a new doctor and was only informed at the start of a following cycle.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
I felt in a way like I was treated like a human and a woman going through a difficult time but also at points after the “expected time frames of when a woman should be pregnant” during treatment cycles of 3 or 5 because I wasn’t successfully getting pregnant I felt like my doctor kept pushing that IVF was a better route for me because after cycle 3 or 5 of IUI I was told that its less likely for me to get pregnant after the 3rd or 5th cycle round, so it was a daunting moment especially when I was entitled to 9 whole cycles but I was being pressured into IVF cycles instead of my doctor wanting me to take advantage of everything I’ve had available at the time because she knew my wife and I can’t afford IVF cycles since the get go.
Describe the protocols Viji Sundaram used in your cycles at Kaiser Permanente NorCal and their degree of success.
The doctors only proceeded with letrozole to clomid on top of the HCG injection because of my age of 26 and being so young and then looking at statistics for success rates of women in my age group which also didn’t consider my low AMH count meaning diminished ovarian reserve. Which I felt like they went the more cautious route than exploring other avenues with someone with low AMH or unexplained infertility.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
The nursing staff was all over the place. I would be scheduled with a specific nurse for my monthly ultrasounds and every month I had a different nurse than the nurse I expected to have so it never felt like it was a homey environment.
Describe your experience with Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
The clinic was clean and staff were friendly. The receptionist was also very friendly and welcoming. The scheduling staff was also very friendly and informative. And the nice thing was that they gave parking vouchers for the reduction in parking fees in San Francisco because the parking fees are ridiculous.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Viji Sundaram at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
50% of the cost of every procedure was covered
Describe Viji Sundaram's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
N/a.
How competent was Kaiser Permanente NorCal at LGBTQ+ care?
Welcoming.
Describe your experience using 3rd party reproduction (donor eggs, donor sperm, or gestational carrier) at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
We brought in our own donor so we always had fresh specimen donations. They did very well with coordinating with our sperm donor.
What specific things went wrong at Kaiser Permanente NorCal?
- Provided conflicting information
Describe the specific things that went wrong at Kaiser Permanente NorCal.
Long story short I feel like the clinic could’ve gone above and beyond for my care and my age in trying to expand our family. I’m only 26 years old!!! And I feel like I was treated like someone who was in their mid to late 30’s or 40’s of how cautious they were with my case. I am a 26 year old woman with diminished ovarian reserve and my fertility team never went above and beyond to make my rate of success in getting pregnant higher.