I cannot recommend CCRM Minneapolis or Dr. Kohlmier based on my experience…read more
After two IVF retrieval cycles, I was left feeling that my care was poorly managed from beginning to end. Throughout my treatment, I experienced repeated mismanagement, inconsistent communication, and recommendations that, in hindsight, should never have been made.
On two separate occasions, I was encouraged to proceed with treatment despite test results that should have prompted a serious discussion about canceling the cycle rather than moving forward. Instead of providing thoughtful, individualized medical guidance, I felt pressured to continue treatment, resulting in significant emotional, physical, and financial costs with extremely poor outcomes.
My first retrieval resulted in four mature eggs, but none developed beyond fertilization. After that disappointing outcome, I was told my treatment protocol would be revised to improve my chances during a second cycle.
However, during my second retrieval cycle, my treatment plan was changed at the last minute from what had been discussed with my physician. The change appeared to be made to avoid delaying treatment another month, despite the fact that postponing the cycle would have been the more appropriate course of action. I was not given the opportunity to make a fully informed decision regarding the revised plan, and I believe that decision negatively impacted my outcome.
Before my retrieval, I was repeatedly told to expect two eggs. When I was instructed to administer my trigger shot, the nurse assured me that I would have two eggs and explained that the trigger would slow the maturation of the larger follicle so it could still be retrieved. Instead, only one egg was retrieved, and it did not fertilize. I was later told that one follicle had become overmature and that the other egg was difficult to retrieve. This was especially upsetting because I had specifically relied on the guidance that proceeding with the trigger and retrieval would still result in two retrievable eggs.
After investing so much hope, time, money, and trust into this process, it was devastating to experience another unsuccessful cycle under circumstances that I believe could have been handled differently. I wish the clinic had recommended canceling or postponing the cycle rather than encouraging me to proceed simply to avoid losing another month.
Communication throughout my care was consistently inadequate. Information provided by nurses often conflicted with discussions I had with my physician, leaving me uncertain about my treatment plan and without confidence that my care team was aligned. As a patient navigating an already stressful process, clear and consistent communication is essential, and unfortunately, that was not my experience.
Following my unsuccessful cycles, I submitted a formal complaint in hopes that my concerns would be taken seriously. Instead, my concerns were escalated to administration but ultimately ignored. My attempts to continue the conversation went unanswered, and I was even prevented from replying to one of their messages through the patient portal. Rather than acknowledging what had occurred, addressing my concerns, or making any meaningful effort to rectify the situation, they chose to end the conversation without accountability.
Fertility treatment requires an extraordinary amount of trust. Patients deserve individualized medical judgment, transparent communication, and a clinic that is willing to take responsibility when concerns are raised. Unfortunately, my experience with CCRM Minneapolis fell far short of those expectations. Looking back, I wish I had sought care elsewhere much sooner.