Minnesota Babies
Paia OM
member
Options
Infertility clinic/reproductive endocrinologist?
Paia OM
member
Hi all, former local nestie (different screen name) now TTC and... having some issues. Just wondering if anyone can recommend a good infertility clinic or reproductive endocrinologist in the Twin Cities area? I'm googling, but... without any personal recommendations, it's hard to pull the trigger and pick one to call.
Thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions you can provide!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Infertility clinic/reproductive endocrinologist?
We used the Center for Reproductive Medicine and saw Dr. Erickson. We were successful with our 1st IVF cycle.
They have great success rates but are a big clinic so unfortunately at time I did feel like just a number there.
We also used dr erickson at center for reproductive medicine! I cannot say enough good things about her and her clinic and her staff!! I adore them! Can't wait to go back and see them again when we are ready for number 2!
Another Center for Reproductive Medicine graduate. :-) We saw Dr. Campbell and loved him!! All of the staff are wonderful! www.ivfminnesota.com
Good luck making a decision.
Thanks so much for the replies so far! Center for Reproductive Medicine and the Reproductive Medicine Center (UMN - Physicians) were the two that kept coming up in my google searches... glad to have hear some good recommendations for one of them!
Out of curiosity, how did you select CRM vs. another clinic (like RMC-UMN)? Were you referred there?
Thanks again for the help! I've been floundering in indecision about this for a while now, and... it's just really great to hear from some local women with experiences with this.
Another vote for CRM! We used Dr. Campbell based on recs from two friends who had successful pregnancies with him (both used different methods). We were successful on our 1st round of IVF
Good Luck!
We choose CRM based on the fact they have the best success rate in the State. Have you checked out sart.org yet? They give you the success rates of all the clinics in the U.S
We also used Dr. Erickson and did IVF and were successful on first round. They have the best success rates in the twin cities. We didn't really "feel like a number," but would have liked more interaction with our doctor.
My husband and I were seeing an RE at a HealthPartners clinic in St. Paul where we did 3 IUIs. They were all un-monitored and failed. I think the doctor there was just a bit old school and didn't think that monitoring the cycle (or doing any bloodwork monitoring for that matter - he said it wasn't relevant when I asked if we should be checking hormone levels) made a difference.
We moved on to another clinic - OGI (Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Infertility) to try IUI #4. It was completely monitored and they did a ton of bloodwork before and during (and low and behold we found out my progesterone level was low). Our IUI failed, but the clinic doctors and nurses were WONDERFUL and we felt like they were very thorough and wanted to do everything they could to make this happen for us. We will definitely be returning there when we are finally pregnant.
We are now moving on to IVF at CRM with Dr. Campbell. Consult appointment is this week! We've heard wonderful things about him as well and a friend of mine got pregnant successfully with his help. Good luck!
**TTC #1 Sep 2009-Feb 2013** Me: 33 DH: 32 (healthy, SA = normal)
DX (May 2010) = Lap #1 showed Stage I-II endometriosis. HSG normal. Tx with 6 mo Lupron (which did nothing...) Lap #2 June 2011 to remove endo, uterine fibroid, and polyp
IUI #1-#3 (July-Sep 2011): All Clomid 50 mg + unmonitored IUI = All BFN
October 2011 - April 2012: Outta $$$ (no insurance coverage) = back to tryin' on our own
May 2012 - August 2012: Mental break from trying
October 2012: New OB. Bloodwork normal aside from slightly low progesterone
November 2012: IUI #4: Letrozole 2.5 mg + Novarel trigger + monitored IUI + progesterone = BFN
IVF #1: Long Lupron Protocol,Menopur,Follistim, ER = 2/12/13 27R/26M/23F
2/17/13 Transferred 1 perfect Grade 1 blast. 17 frostbabies.
HPT 7dp5dt: BFP!!! Beta #1 9dp5dt: 108 Beta #2 11dp5dt: 368
U/S #1 3/21: Heartbeat and one perfect bean!! DS born 11/6/13 via c-section
TTC #2 March - August 2015 = all BFNs
Prep for FET #1: Aug 2015: found "mass" in uterus on saline sonogram; scheduled a hysteroscopy to remove.
Sept 2015: Hysteroscopy: mass turned out to be scar tissue(?), all removed. Recheck saline sonogram 2 weeks later showed "stuff" still in uterus (more scar tissue? remnants from surgery? Will see if clears with a period). Recheck saline sonogram 1 week later: all clear! Start Lupron and Estrace. Follow up u/s 2 weeks later: uterine lining only 5mm, add in patches. Follow up u/s 1 week later: uterine lining = 4.3mm (argh!), stop estrace and patches and start estradiol injections twice/week. Follow up u/s 2 weeks later: uterine lining = 5mm
Instructed to keep on estradiol injections and recheck in 5 days = lining still at 5mm. Need to make a decision - go for it? Or toss in the towel w/ this cycle and start all over again next year with a new protocol. Decided to go for it as we had 17 frosties; what have we got to lose??
12/2/15 = transferred 1 perfect Grade B blast
12/9/15 = HPT - BFP!!!!
Beta #1 12/11/15: 236 Beta #2 12/14/15: 503 Please stick little one!!!!
U/S scheduled for week of 1/4/16
Thank you all so much for your recommendations and advice--I really appreciate it! And thanks, Jess, for telling me about sart.org -- I wasn't aware of that organization, and the clinic rankings will be helpful for sure.
Thanks again everyone
I think this is more what I meant by "feel like a number" You meet with the Dr once and then all of your monitoring and other appointments are with the nurses until the actual day of retrieval/transfer. I know there are some clinics in the US (none in MN that I know of) that the Dr does all the ultrasounds and monitoring appointments. Since this is a big clinic, this sort of personal attention from the Dr is not possible.
I'm a bit late to the game here, but hopefully you still see this post. I used both CRM and RMC and I definitely have some feedback!
I went to RMC (at UofMN) first. I saw Dr. Damario and he performed a myomectomy last fall, which was the original reason that I went to that clinic. Once I had recovered from that surgery, we started TTC through that clinic and I was pretty unhappy with my experience there. I felt like they didn't listen to my concerns, and had no interest in using the information that I provided to them about my cycle and my body (I had over 3 years of charting data). As it turns out, because they ignored that information, they tested me for hormone levels on completely incorrect days in my cycle setting me up for failure in my IUI's.
Due to my concerns about my care at RMC, and also a nice change in insurance that allowed me to explore other RE's in the area, I went to CRM for a second opinion and saw Dr. Kuneck. He was AWESOME! He sat and talked with me for almost an hour across his desk, gave me great advice, and worked out a protocol for me for my next IUI, understanding that the actual procedure would still need to take place at RMC (they had our last vial of donor sperm held hostage there). With his advice and protocol, we were successful on that last attempt.
Good luck to you! If your insurance coverage allows, I would send you to CRM. If not, please understand that I think the providers are RMC are certainly capable, but you definitely would need to advocate heavily for yourself and be as educated as possible to make sure that you are getting the care you need.
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!
Thank you JGY -- that is really helpful feedback. I'm sorry that you had a poor experience at RMC... It is really sounding like CRM is the place to go, even though the location isn't as convenient.
Thanks again to everyone -- I really appreciate the input!
this
I just wanted to say that I also go to OGI and love it. They don't do IVF
but would be a great place to use for an OB/gyn in the future when you graduate from an RE. All of the staff there is super nice, helpful, and they truly care. I've had the CNPs crying in the ultrasound room with me when a cycle was cancelled or when my ectopic occurred. You are never just another patient or another number.
Thank you!!
I'm really late here, but I wanted to put my plug in for Dr. Kuneck at CRM as well. Full disclosure, I didn't get pregnant while going to CRM, but I still feel like a success story.
I had gone two years without a period and went to countless Dr's who would just scratch their heads, tested my hormone levels and thyroid and tell me there's nothing they could do because everything was "normal". I started at CRM on the recommendations of several women in my RESOLVE support group. Dr. Kuneck met with my husband and I and spent well over an hour asking questions, looking over my charts, and the best was explaining to my husband what he thought would help us (I mean literally drawing him pictures and everything). I finally felt like I was being listened too, and DH was finally understanding what the female reproductive system was all about.
He had me ovulating the next cycle, and because DH's numbers were good, he didn't think we needed to spend the money on IUI, and to just time intercourse. When the next cycle started DH was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and the staff at CRM was incredible in supporting us and helping us muddle through where, when, and how much sperm we should be setting aside if treatments rendered him infertile. I didn't get pregnant the second cycle, and we stopped IF treatments to concentrate on DH's cancer. After leaving CRM, I continued to have regular cycles, and we found out we were pregnant on our own about 9 months later.
If I have trouble in the future, I would not hesitate to go to CRM and see Dr. Kuneck again.
Good luck, @mattmi01! Don't worry, you'll be in good hands.
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!