Reviews & Ratings for Early Options

I wish all of my medical care were of this caliber!

by Laura LaShan11 at Citysearch

Early Options is a model of how all medical care should be—not just abortion, and not just women’s health. Doctor F is a visionary, with a commitment to treating women’s reproductive decisions with privacy, dignity, and respect. I would imagine that for many people, as was the case for me, making the decision to have an abortion is something that may be painful and fraught. I can honestly say that the emotional suffering I endured throughout the course of my unplanned pregnancy began to dissipate the minute I walked through the door. The clinic is clean and discrete, the staff is attentive and kind, and the doctor is gentle, caring, and patient. I would recommend Early Options to absolutely anyone facing a similar situation.

Apart from the soothing setting and the remarkably caring professionalism of the staff (it’s true that the assistant will offer to hold your hand during the procedure!), what was most surprising to me was how absolutely simple the aspiration procedure is. Done with only local anesthesia and a plastic syringe, the procedure is no more complicated or painful that a slightly prolonged pap smear. Indeed, the abortion itself was so quick, painless, and fast that once it was over, I was back on my feet in minutes and feeling great. Not quite believing in advance how simple the procedure would be, I had arranged to take the afternoon off from work, but it turned out that I could have gone back immediately had I chosen to. Once the abortion was over, I could not believe all the political and moral hoopla that surrounds this procedure! Anti-abortionists (and even many supposedly pro-choice people) describe abortion as a trauma to the body, but it was so minor and insignificant compared to the physical ills that accompany pregnancy! I had almost no cramping, very little bleeding, and the nausea from my pregnancy that I had been feeling all month began to dissipate right away.

I also learned from talking to the doctor (and from some follow-up research that I did on my own) that the procedure she uses is, unfortunately, not widely employed anymore in the United States. But it is used through much of the world in places where abortion is hard to obtain and is called menstrual extraction. Because the procedure is so simple, it is one that women can administer to one another in basic clinics, and elaborate medical technologies are not required.

Early Options is an actually existing instance of how abortion would be administered in an ideal world. I feel lucky to live in New York and to have had the opportunity to meet Dr. F!

Comfortable, Safe , Clean, and very Friendly

by Hope112 at Citysearch

I was faced with a difficult situation. I didnt want to have an abortion but right now in my life Im not able to to care of a child. I jus started school and it wasn't good timinfg for a child right now. I want to be able to give my child the world and I cant right now. It was definetly a very hard decision. Who ever said this was easy lied. I had the aspiration procedure a week ago. This was my first abortion and hopefully my last. I found early option through the internet. I read about 30 reviews before calling them. I called them at least 5 different times before setting an appointment with them. The were very friendly over the phone and in person. I love the fact that someone can be with you through the whole procedure. My boyfriend came with me .When I got to the office it was clean and inviting. it was everything the described on there website. Dr. Washington was the best. She is a very soft spoken lady and makes you feel very comfortable and you dont feel judged on what you choose to do. First they had a consultation . Then they took blood .then an ultra sound. After I lay on the exam Chair she put a warm heating pad on my stomach. And began the Procedure. I broke done crying and they were very comforting to me and gave me time to get myself together and contiuned with the procedure. It is like a pap smear.I t did hurt alot for me. The pain is really just very bad cramps.My boyfriend and The assistant held my hand through the whole thing and also They all talked and comforted me through it. The procedure is like they said no longer then 10 min if that. After the procedure I did throw up but after I threw up I felt much better. She said sometimes this happens.They aloud me to lay down for about 15 min then she told me to walk around the room to see if I felt any better. Which I did. She gave me medicine and I was on my way. I am sad that I had to go through this but I am happy with my decision. DONT FEEL LIKE YOU DONT HAVE ANY CHOICES. EARLY OPTIONS IS A GOOD PLACE TO GO IF YOU CHOOSE THAT ROUTE. after the procedure I thought I would be fine emotional NOT. everyday for me is a working process because this isnt easy for any woman to go through. I hoped I helped whoever reads this because all the 30 reviews I read helped me be comfortable with my decision on chooseing early option and chooseing to do the procedure. And I see that im not the only woman in the world that went through this. SO thank you Early Option for giving me a second chance and thank you to the women hwo wrote a review on here. : )

Private, Dignified & Safe!

by Nuna19 at Citysearch

I had the aspiration procedure about 3 weeks ago and words are not enough to describe how glad I am to have chosen Early Options. Having to make the decision to terminate a pregnancy is hard enough... I was familiar with the clinic surgical method and knew I did not want to go that route. When i discovered Early Options on line I'm not going to lie it sounded too good to be true bc in my mind I thought how can a procedure described so safe, effective and fast not be offered in clinics. I decided to make the call and find out for myself and it was the best decision I made.

From the person that took my call to the nurses and the Doctor everyone was AMAZING!!! I loved the privacy not a packed waiting room, the doctors office has a very calm spa feel to it which put me at ease before I even saw the doctor. The nurses are amazing they took the time to talk to me answer all my questions and really made me feel comfortable.

The procedure it self was so fast and the nurse held my hand through it all. It felt like a long paps smear and there was some cramping during but it lasted maybe 5 minutes the doctor talks you through everything so there are no surprises. I had very little bleeding after or the days to follow more like a regular period. I felt fine after and went out to lunch with a girlfriend. I felt dignfied and at ease about my decision all bc of the Early Options staff.

I urge any woman reading this review that if your faced with this difficult decision please give yourself the chance to experience a safe, fast and dignified method of abortion DO NOT! go to the surgical abortion clinics where women are treated like an assembly line.

I would recommend Early Options to anyone facing the hard decision of terminating a pregnancy.

Helpful, Caring, Informative, Private Service

by FriendlyAdvice00 at Citysearch

As a young woman who is usually not at a loss for words, I must say that I cannot say enough good things about Early Options.

An abortion is not an easy experience for any woman to go through, and thus when confronted with such a situation, it is extremely important to feel secure, well informed, safe, and well cared for. Early options provided me with this environment from the moment I walked into their inviting lobby. Early options makes a point of having no more than one client at a time in their waiting room and devotes their entire staff and attention to you during your visit. From the receptionist, to the nurses, and most importantly Dr. Fleischman, I felt fully supported, and from start to finish was provided with the full spectrum of information of each and every procedure. I chose aspiration, and would advocate the same to any other woman considering abortion. My visit lasted about an hour - the procedure itself took less than five minutes, and was no more painful than having a strong menstrual cramp. Before the procedure both the nurse and the doctor individually discussed all my options and set me at ease, making sure to leave no stone unturned while answering my questions. During the procedure itself they placed a warm heating pad on my tummy and the nurse held my hand while the doctor very gently went about the procedure. Within a few minutes it was over and they made sure to keep my heating pad toasty warm, offered me water and a snack, and within just a few minutes I felt better than new (yes I know this is hard to believe) but literally, the pain subsided very quickly and I was able to dress myself and go home. Now, only an hour later - I feel wonderful - yes - wonderful. More women need to know about this office, and if you or someone you know is faced with an abortion please encourage them to see Dr. Fleischman and CHOOSE ASPIRATION. Do the research for yourself - this is an uncommon procedure that is neither traumatic nor painful and I encourage all women to educate themselves in this regard.

Unfortunately, this was not my first experience with abortion, and the last time I visited ParkMed which is a cattle-call clinic located in a midtown office building. Don't even consider anonymity in this place - the waiting room alone has about 60 chairs for the wide-eyed uninformed women (like I once was) as well as their family, friends, brothers, etc. When you are called into the next waiting area - over an intercom - there is yet another waiting room filled with more very scared young women. The waiting time is anywhere from 1 - 3 hours, and literally you are just another name on another list to the staff, who themselves look overtired and angry. For the simple fact that I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, I chose to take the pill which was the most horrifying traumatic experience. Within an hour of taking it, my entire body was writhing and shaking on the floor, while I clawed the walls and begged my boyfriend to call an ambulance. I ended up in the emergency room on Morphine with absolutely no follow up from any "Doctor" I had previously seen.

Please learn from my mistakes and choose Early Options, Dr. Fleischman, and ASPIRATION. You will not regret it and you will be back to your normal self within just a few hours, if not a few minutes. Do your homework, and at least give them a call, I personally guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Big hugs

I

I am BEYOND GRATEFUL to Early Options..

by PenneyLane at Citysearch

First, let me assure you that I am a REAL person who had an appt. at Early Options in Brooklyn in July, 2011. It started off as one of the worst days of my life. I couldn't have dreamed this place could be so wonderful. I am an EXTREMELY scared patient, and was already very sick from the pregnancy, and I immediately felt comforted as soon as I walked in. The Dr. and assistant were reassuring, kind, very thorough, did not rush me through all my questions and were completely NON-judgmental. They provided me with immense relief from my anxiety and fear. Everything on their website is accurate...I thought it seemed too good to be true, but it's not. The aspiration procedure itself is very quick..about 10 minutes and I had some cramping, but very bearable. The assistant held my hand and told me what to expect throughout..very comforting. The doctor even held my hand afterwards. You are also allowed to have a friend or family member with you throughout the ENTIRE time you are there. Other places do NOT allow this. They do a sonogram before and after which offers reassurance that everything went well. I was given as much time as I needed afterwards until I felt ready to leave. The written instructions about what to expect over the next 6 weeks were clear and detailed. My recovery went smoothly.. only a little cramping and spotting for a couple of days, and then back to normal. Also, the office IS private and clean! Appts. run on time and I saw only 1 other patient on their way out the door my entire 2 hours there. They helped me through a very negative experience with kindness, compassion and professionalism. I have never been treated that well by anyone in the medical profession before. I have no doubt that anyone who goes here will NOT be sorry and will be as grateful as I am for having found this option. SO much simpler and safer than a D&C and general anesthesia. Five stars without reservation.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

by Phyre at Citysearch

Honestly, they are just the best. I would never dare to go anywhere else. They are CLEAN, courteous, caring, understanding, patient, and above all, SAFE! This is the only place I would ever choose to go to for ending a pregnancy. I would be terrified if I had to go else where.

I highly recommend Early Options

by 1982Girl at Citysearch

My experience:

I found out I was pregnant on a Thursday night. I called Early Options on Monday. They got me in for an appointment the next day.

I was so early in the pregnancy that the ultrasound didn't show anything. I asked for the abortion pill, but the doctor said it was better to do an Aspiration procedure in my case since they couldn't see the pregnancy in the ultrasound. She said it's best not to mess with hormone levels when there's any chance the pregnancy could be outside the womb. She suspected the pregnancy was normal, just very early, but better to be safe in case it was ectopic.

Luckily, I was able to come back the same day and get my procedure done! This was such good news because I was scheduled to leave the country for work for 3 months on Friday and I would be stationed in a country where abortion is illegal. Literally, I had just 1 week to deal with my situation. It was very stressful. NONE of the other 6 offices I called beforehand would work with me & my unique situation, including various Planned Parenthood offices, Eastside Gynecology, and two other private OBGYN's.

I came in later that day for the procedure and they drew blood to test my hormone levels. I was probably in the office for a total of 2 1/2 hours, but the actual Aspiration procedure took only 10 minutes. Yes, it hurt very much, but supposedly it hurts more when the woman is earlier than 6 weeks along because there is less tissue. I was probably 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 weeks along. If I had to do it over, I would've asked for strong pain killers in addition to the 800mg of Ibuprofen & local anesthetic they gave me. Definitely.

I was thankful that the nurse and the doctor were both female. I'm not sure why, I think maybe it made a stressful, personal situation less stressful. The nurse held my hand and talked me through the entire procedure. I'd recommend having a close friend or boyfriend come in the room during the procedure. I think it really would have helped me to have someone close there.

The total cost was $740 cash. There were no hidden costs. I barely had any bleeding afterwards, but some minor cramping. I went in for a follow-up two days later to get my blood drawn to make sure my hormone levels had gone down. On Friday, the doctor personally called me to tell me the good news that my hormone levels had gone way down and the procedure was successful. I was able to leave for my new job on Friday as planned! Early Options really saved my life in so many ways.

Yes, this place is WORTHY of its 5 stars!!! It's not BS!!

by SecondChances at Citysearch

I had both procedures done about 3/2 years ago, but felt compelled to write about the experience since one of my close friends is in the same predicament I was once in right now. She would be the 2nd person I direct to Early Options.

To make a long story short, I got pregnant twice: The first time 3 years ago, the second time, 2 years ago. Needless to say, I was dating someone who was horribly wrong for me and I knew deep down that I didn't want him being the father of my children.

I did my research (as one should when making such a major decision in one's life) and saw EO coming up again and again in the search engines. I was impressed with the website and liked the idea of not having to cut my body up with surgery. I called the number provided. The person on the phone (I don't remember who it was) was very kind, knowledgeable, and non-judgemental of my situation. I called on a Wednesday, went in on a Thursday for a check up (to see how many weeks along I was and to discuss options) and went that Saturday for my procedure. For pregnancy number 1, I chose the "Pill" method. The doctor and her assistant took their time in education me about how I would feel after taking it. They knew their stuff! I felt so completely relaxed being in the office. I agree with some reviews on here that state that being in the office felt more like being in a spa. It is THAT calming. Anyways, lets get to the effects of the Pill: About 35 minutes after ingesting it, I started getting horrible cramps. My body temperature rose to 103 and I started shivering and getting cold sweats. Every person reacts differently, but this was my reaction. About an hour and a half into it, I start bleeding very heavily. Long story short, my pregnancy is terminated. I continued to bleed for about 4 weeks.

The 2nd time I went to visit EO I chose the aspiration method. The procedure itself didnt last more than 7 minutes. I have a very low tolerance to pain, so I was given some painkillers, even though originally the doctor was going to inject me with a more potent painkiller but couldn't bc my veins were VERY hard to find. The aspiration itself still hurt very much (it's like having very intense menstrual cramps), but I felt fine after wards. I didn't even spot. All in all, this is THE place any woman should come to if she ever is faced with the unfortunate decision of having to terminate. I forgot to mention that after each procedure, I left with a 6 month supply of Nuva Ring, free!

I couldn't have asked for a more pleasant experience. One of my biggest fears was having actual surgery and being in crowded place where I would be another number, waiting in line to be served.

At Early Options, I felt like a human being. That's why I had no problem telling my close friend to chose Early Options.

I will be forever grateful to the staff and doctor at Early Options. They saved my life.

excellent place

by eli9117 at Citysearch

I had an abortion two months ago. It was a quite difficult decision. My mother accompanied me and she was overwhelm by how nice the staff were and the cleanest of the place. Everyone was nice. Thank you Early Abortion options.

They Really Are That Great! Thank You To The Staff

by Complexbliss at Citysearch

Went yesterday. Found them on web after making a decision I never before thought was mine to make.I read through their entire website and all the comments here prior to making my appointment. Driving to my appointment I was skeptical as the naysayers had me thinking this place was too good to be true. I decided that I would go but would high tail it out of there at the first sign of anything being amiss. I drove up, the building looked ok from the outside so I parked and walked in. The office was bright, clean, professional, looked like a doctor's office, smelt like a spa, so I sat down. I spoke with the doctor (Dr. W) and the clinician (E), they were superb. They seemed to have everything in order, nothing kitchy or chintzy about the place. So I stayed.

People in these industries sometimes get burnt out and become cold-no sign of that here, everyone was warm, welcoming, comforting, understanding. I went to the appointment by myself and was very nervous and tense, both the doctor and the clinician went out of their way to try to ease my mind and make me feel comfortable. Dr. W & E made small talk throughout the appointment in attempt to take my mind off the situation.It didn't work but I appreciated it. I am grateful to have found this place. Everything was as described. The procedure was quick & virtually painless (I didn't even feel the needle which was my biggest fear). I even went to work later on in the day without incident (and I work on my feet). I am experiencing minimal spotting & some cramping (but that goes away as soon as I take their recommended dosage of advil). I am making peace with my decision and I know that finding a place like this that treats you with dignity, respect and without judgment is pivotal to making peace. All the good that has been said here is true and they are deserving of their 5 star ratings. Ignore the naysayers.

Cons:

Traffic. Parking sucks ( expensive garage is few doors down however $25/2 hours). Two other people in waiting room so not completely private, but wait was quick, under 10 mins

Issues brought up before:

1. The building is not run down at all. It's a nice, guarded, elevator building.

2. The waiting area is similar to the one pictured or perhaps is actually the one pictured. Cozy

3. I didn't see any "medical waste" outside. They do have lab boxes as is common with medical offices

4. The bathroom is outside the office and you do need a key. It is literally steps away from the office door however. I don't like the whole restroom key concept (very germy to me) but the bathroom itself was bright, big and clean. There are only two other offices on the floor. I didn't have to wait for the restroom nor did anyone see me going to or from the bathroom.

5. I have never commented on citysearch before and if I ever do in the future I will not be using this screen name so am not surprised if others do the same.

6. Someone suggested that the staff is suddenly mean once payment is made. I find it hard to believe. It's not as though payment is taken as soon as you walk in. They don't even take an appointment deposit. Payment wasn't taken till right before the procedure. This was after both the doctor and clinician going over the procedure and answering questions, checking vitals (blood pressure, temperature, iron level), signing consent forms etc...all in all about an hour into the appointment. For those who asked, cost $600 flat.

Also I must say, although not to suggest you do this, I missed my first appointment as I was stuck in God awful traffic (they are in a heavily trafficked area) and they were very accomodating. Didn't make a huge deal, just rescheduled me. I anticipated being charged some kind of missed appointment fee, I wasn't.

Hope this helps. If nothing else, go in with the mindset that I did. No one is holding you hostage. If you get there and you don't like it leave. I highly doubt that you will though, they really are that great!