RE Rec's in Chicago

amor_eterno

Hi everyone!  I hope everyone had a great day! 

My OB is located out Northwestern Hospital, and I had considered seeing any one of their RE's but I'm just wondering if anyone has any experiences with RE's in Skokie, Schaumburg, and maybe Oak Brook.  I really like how Northwestern's depts are connected and share patient testing, diagnostic info, but I don't know if there's "better" options. Any experience?  TIA!

ChicagoWeded2007

Hi, I chose Fertility Centers of Illinois.  they have an office near downtown and also in OakBrook Terrace.  I only chose them because my insurance specialist said they are easy to work with.  So far, no problem with them.  My calls get returned the same day.  But I have reall nothing to compare it with.  We go to Dr. Sipe.  He's a younger guy and seems nice and listens to all our concerns.

Bread09

I am also with Fertility Centers of Illinois.  My "home" office is Hoffman estates, but I will some of my lab work done at their Oak Brook office since that office is closer to work.  The HE office is closer for DH and close to our house!  I see Dr. Nani.  i was really impressed with her!

amor_eterno

I was actually looking at their FCI website yesterday just to look at their locations. 

Did you guys do the initial testing (SA, HSG, b/w) with them?  NMPG does their testing separate (ordered by OB) before you can even make an appointment with their RE's.  So if FCI does everything in-house it might be more convenient and/or easier to get started.

Bread09

I did all my inital testing with my OB.  She sent DH for an SA through FCI the same day that she did an HSG for me and saw both tubes were blocked.  She pretty much gave me the referral to FCI that same day!  My OB did a saline sono (which led to a hysterscopy and D&C to remove a polyp), CD 3 and 7DPO for 2 cycles, and the HSG prior to being referred out.  Let me know if you have more questions!

Liz629

I also go to FCI.  I go to Dr.Rapisarda out of the Buffalo Grove office.  So far, the experience has been great, they are very easy to work with.  My HSG was done through my OB before hand, but I know that FCI will do them as well.

magnolia_femme

First off, thanks to your husband for keeping Chicago safe, and to you for supporting him 

My OB referred me to Dr. Confino at Northwestern.   We had an initial meeting with him, and then he ordered all the testing.  I love him.  Love him love him love him.  For simplicity's sake, here's a pros and cons list.

Pros: 

Dr. Confino is an IVF pioneer and has decades of experience.  He is an amazing diagnostician and makes it his personal mission to get you KU.  He never makes me feel like he's too busy to talk and he calls me back within the hour if I call him.

The nurses are very sweet, and it's easy to get an appointment after the initial consult.  If you have an 8:15 appt, you'll get in at 8:20 at the latest.

Billing is very easy, we've never had any problems.

Despite the volume of patients, it doesn't have the "factory feel" bigger clinics often do.

Cons:

You won't see your doc for u/s, b/w or IUIs. 

I had to wait 3 months to see Dr. Confino

The four REs in the practice do ERs, ETs, HSGs, etc, on specific days, so you might not get your RE.  I was very upset when I found out an RE I had never met was doing my ER.

The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with your doctor and you trust that s/he is taking good care of you.  If you feel like they're not making decisions with your best interests in mind, it will add a lot of stress to an already tense experience.

Good luck!  Please feel free to PM me with any other questions. 

ChicagoWeded2007

amor_eterno:

I was actually looking at their FCI website yesterday just to look at their locations. 

Did you guys do the initial testing (SA, HSG, b/w) with them?  NMPG does their testing separate (ordered by OB) before you can even make an appointment with their RE's.  So if FCI does everything in-house it might be more convenient and/or easier to get started.

You can do all your testing with them.  We had already done some testing before we went to FCI, but I wish we had just started there.  It would have been easier.

amor_eterno

magnolia_femme:

First off, thanks to your husband for keeping Chicago safe, and to you for supporting him 

My OB referred me to Dr. Confino at Northwestern.   We had an initial meeting with him, and then he ordered all the testing.  I love him.  Love him love him love him.  For simplicity's sake, here's a pros and cons list.

Pros: 

Dr. Confino is an IVF pioneer and has decades of experience.  He is an amazing diagnostician and makes it his personal mission to get you KU.  He never makes me feel like he's too busy to talk and he calls me back within the hour if I call him.

The nurses are very sweet, and it's easy to get an appointment after the initial consult.  If you have an 8:15 appt, you'll get in at 8:20 at the latest.

Billing is very easy, we've never had any problems.

Despite the volume of patients, it doesn't have the "factory feel" bigger clinics often do.

Cons:

You won't see your doc for u/s, b/w or IUIs. 

I had to wait 3 months to see Dr. Confino

The four REs in the practice do ERs, ETs, HSGs, etc, on specific days, so you might not get your RE.  I was very upset when I found out an RE I had never met was doing my ER.

The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with your doctor and you trust that s/he is taking good care of you.  If you feel like they're not making decisions with your best interests in mind, it will add a lot of stress to an already tense experience.

Good luck!  Please feel free to PM me with any other questions. 

Thanks so much, magnolia! I'm very proud of my hon. :-)
The info on NMPG helps a lot! I guess I have to look at a few other things before I decide.