Anyone have experience with CHR in NYC?

Melbabyfever · August 2011

I just started seeing Dr. Gleicher and was wondering if anyone has had experiences with this office, good or bad. Thanks!

kangaroo35 · August 2011

Sorry if this is a little long. Yes, DH and I went to see Dr. Gleicher about a year ago, on my gyn's recommendation, as we had been trying to get pg for about 6 mos. with no success. I was 41 at the time. We did not like him for several reasons. First and foremost, I felt he exaggerated my supposed infertility. He said that I likely had advanced endometriosis (altho I never had any symptoms and always had regular periods - he said I was asymptomatic) and that my ovarian reserve was low even for a 41 y.o. He also said I should not bother with anything other than IVF. He made it sound like my situation was critical and if I did not act immediately, I could forget about having a child. Secondly, he is a big proponent of DHEA (which I think is still considered an experimental treatment for infertility) and I felt he pushed it on me with little discussion. After our first meeting he gave me a 3-mo. prescription for the drug and scheduled me for an IVF cycle at the end of the 3-mo. period. I went on the DHEA (which turned my face into an oily mess and made me irritable and cranky) and promptly sought a second opinion. On a friend's recommendation, we saw Dr. Grunfeld at RMA of NY. He was much more laid back, did not have a DHEA agenda and said we could consider a few options before we go to IVF. So I went off the DHEA and we switched to RMA. Before we could try anything at RMA I conceived naturally and had a m/c at 7.5 weeks. Dr. Grunfeld suggested I have a D&C so we could determine the cause of the m/c, which I did. It was trisomy 18, which is not uncommon for women my age. He encouraged me to keep trying. After the m/c, we did a round of Clomid (which didn't work) and then a cycle of IVF, which was cancelled b/c I didn't produce enough follicles. Grunfeld said we should try again when we were ready. I decided to take a few months off to try naturally and conceived about 2 mos. later. I am now in my 23rd week. Altho I conceived naturally, I think the whole attitude at RMA was better and more patient-centric. The office is also much more organized, which is important if you're working a demanding job, which I was. An IVF cycle requires a lot of doctor visits and you'll appreciate being able to get in and out of the there quickly. Altho the staff at CHR was really nice, they were very disorganized and I always had a long wait when I was there. Also, when my DH went in to give a semen sample one morning, they forget to tell him to refrain from sex for a few days, so he had to go back a few days later, taking off more time from work. CHR might be good as a clinic of last resort since they're very aggressive, but if you're just starting out you might be better off going elsewhere. Good luck with whatever you choose!

arligirl · August 2011

I am also seeing Dr. Gleicher. My first appt was last week. So far I have not had the experience of the previous poster. Everyone was nice and professional, I have not had to wait long during appts and everything was explained in detail. How has your experience been so far?

Melbabyfever · August 2011

Thanks for responding ladies! I am just seeing these now. So far I am unsure about my experience at CHR. I haven?t started any treatment other tan 75mg?s of DHEA, however Dr. Gleicher did recommend going straight to IVF and started me on the DHEA as well without much conversation about it. After much research, it seems a bit aggressive as I am only 31 (32 this month), although my AMH is on the lower end. He never mentioned any other options which I found strange because it seems most people at least give IUI a few tries before moving on to IVF, right?

I am actually thinking about going to RMA for a second opinion as I?ve heard good things.

ChicNotGeek · August 2011

I just started seeing him a few weeks ago. So far, I'm OK with everything. Considering that I'm in Chicago and we're coordinating treatment over email and telephone, I think that they are amazingly organized.

I went through 2 REs in Chicago before ending up there. My first RE took the 'straight to IVF' route ... but he said that before I even had the HSG, but he also wasn't interested in finding out what was causing the IF. It was too aggressive for me at the time; I wasn't ready for it. And my instincts were right ... I had an adhesion in my uterus, so straight to IVF was too aggressive at the time.

A 3rd RE in Chicago through whom I am coordinating some care described Dr. G as "about 20 years ahead of his time. A real out-of-the-box thinker". He had a lot of professional respect for him, but if he's an 'out of the box' thinker, then I could see how some may perceive him as a bit eccentric. He is very direct, doesn't sugar coat much, but that doesn't bother me. I want him to get me pregnant, not be my best friend.

Given that I had read all of his published journal articles before even making an appointment, I already knew that he was somewhat unconventional, but it was nice to have confirmation from one of his peers at a 'storied, and well-respected academic institution'.

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Anyone have experience with CHR in NYC?

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