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Donor conception

For anyone with experience of sperm or egg donation to share support and advice. Please remember this board isn’t for debate about donor conception.

Original poster

Anyone starting egg donation July/August?

734 replies

Leala20 · 28/06/2020 08:48

We maybe starting our egg donation treatment (first time) July/August and I thought maybe there’s anyone here that would like to join me. Ive found this forum very useful and supportive and thought I would reach out as I cannot believe it is so soon and getting a bit nervous. We had a year of rollercoaster of trying for many years to being finally told my amh is too low and I wouldn’t qualify for IVF. We did our research and found DCN very useful and are really excited about it.

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Original poster
Leala20 · 07/09/2020 09:23

@twinklestar2 I am sorry for the late reply.
I used LEB as well. I contacted them and the ladies there are very helpful. We have narrowed down the criteria that were important for us as there was so much info available so we decided to to start by excel sheet: similar height, colour of eyes, weight I think and then we revised things and looked at other items. The extra bits about the donor like the hobbies added more difficulty ( the more you know the harder) but then we decided not to look at this. We had 5 donors and then we contacted LEB and they can tell you how many eggs they really have and if they have proven fertility. They were very helpful. I also send them my photo and they gave their feedback. In the end we chose a donor with similar physical built but different eye colour as we realised this is not as important.

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twinklestar2 · 07/09/2020 09:41

Thank you for all your replies and @Cleozeta keeping my fingers crossed for you. I lurk on the over 40s thread so I know your story and wishing you all the best.

Apologies for jumping into your thread like this! But it's been super useful.

Will contact LWC again today.

Cleozeta · 07/09/2020 10:22

Thanks @twinklestar2 it's certainly been a 'journey'.

Good luck to you too, keep us updated!

@Pingupp I was not calm yesterday, far from it!! 🤣 Hope you get a donor soon. Once you get going it's all pretty quick.

twinklestar2 · 09/09/2020 09:26

How are you Cleo?

Cleozeta · 09/09/2020 09:51

OK thank you. Plodding on! Nothing new to report, have my scan on 24th so just hoping nothing goes wrong before then.
How are you doing?

greendress789 · 09/09/2020 17:09

Hi I have name changed as no one knows about this and don't want to be linked to my other account.

I am good Cleo, kicking off the process but it all seems so weird! Im thinking silly things like what if my child ends up with a big nose? Mad I know.

Pingupp · 09/09/2020 18:02

@greendress789 not mad at all. I like nice teeth and want a donor with decent teeth. We can't ask! But there are some positives - fingers crossed if we have a baby- the baby hopefully won't inherit my side of the family psoriasis or my under active thyroid! X

ksusha20 · 09/09/2020 18:45

@ greendress789 you are not mad at all. I have been thinking a lot and we couldn’t decide on the donor. It’s not like we were given many choices. Our clinic gave us only one donor option (that’s all they had at the moment). And after month of thinking we decided to proceed with this donor as didn’t want to wait for a better choice which might never come. The only matching characteristics she had are the hair color and more or less the same hight. I really wanted a donor with naturally good skin and slim build (my husband and myself are both slim) and university degree. But instead our donor is tall curvy girl with no university degree. And when we came to sign the papers , I asked what actress the donor has resemblance to. And the actress she named is completely opposite to my face features. So I’m really trying not to think whether we made the right choice or not. At the end of the day the healthy happy human being that what matters. There is always a chance that the baby will look completely like my husband :)

Cleozeta · 09/09/2020 22:57

@greendress789 that actually made me lol. Mainly because I have been worrying about exactly the same thing!!! I have no idea what my donor looks like, only hair & eye colour. My DH has been joking as we got our egg from Manchester that the baby will be born with a square head and a monobrow 😂 (think Oasis)
But yeah they could have many interesting facial feature quirks. Goofy, big nose, pointy chin. Who knows!!!

Anyway, trying not to worry, and hoping baby looks like DH....

greendress789 · 09/09/2020 23:01

Thank you everyone, I was worried you would all think I was a superficial bitch and throw me off your thread Grin

greendress789 · 09/09/2020 23:02

Oasis GrinGrin

Cleozeta · 09/09/2020 23:03

@ksusha20 I wouldn't worry too much about exact matches as they may not carry those traits. They may pick up a lot from your husband, and as for personality they will likely pick up traits that they grow up with.

We matched on hair & eyes, not on height or weight, and kind of matched on education and personality trait. But there are so many things we know nothing about, and it would be impossible to match on everything.

greendress789 · 09/09/2020 23:39

Wise words @Cleozeta

Cleozeta · 12/09/2020 09:37

Hope everyone is doing well?
I am really worried about this pregnancy. My symptoms are nowhere near as bad as my last pregnancy, I feel like all the meds are just propping it up but it's not really progressing.
Another week and a half until scan, I'm just not convinced.

Original poster
Leala20 · 12/09/2020 10:25

@Cleozeta I have no experience but heard each pregnancy is different but I know it’s hard not to compare. You just need to stay positive.
I had my first scan on this cycle and lining fine but my follicles were larger so had to to an estrogen tests had came three times higher than it should be so need to wait for next cycle. Not sure what I can really do to lower it so much in a month. Has anyone have any knowledge as google doesn’t seem to be helpful either. The nurses said normally they do nothing just ask to wait but I don’t want to be in the same situation next month.

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Cleozeta · 12/09/2020 10:43

Can they not just lower your oestrogen meds? The meds are there to raise your oestrogen but if its too high then you don't need it? No idea how it all works but just a guess!

Original poster
Leala20 · 12/09/2020 11:22

@Cleozeta that’s what I thought too! But not what they told me. I put a message on the fertility board as well just to see if maybe someone was in this situation as really confused by this all. This journey is not easy for any of us. Sorry for my lower mood today! Hope you have a relaxing weekend and treat yourself well.

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ksusha20 · 12/09/2020 20:48

@Cleozeta I think I had something similar at one of my FET in the past.
My FET was canceled a couple of days before transfer. I noticed some spotting and went for a scan. My blood inflow index dropped so they suggested to stop medication and cancel that cycle. They said I could start again with my bleeding. I had a breakthrough bleed several days after. I went for a first scan and it was similar story to yours: lining was thin and nice but there was one larger follicle. So they told me to start with another cycle.
I dont know if my situation is similar to yours but I dont think they can do anything at this point. With all the hormones that we are throwing into our body , sometimes it gets confused. but maybe they will have you on less estrogen next time. What have you taking?

Original poster
Leala20 · 13/09/2020 20:15

@ksusha20 I started getting really short and weak AF over the last few months and fear this and higher estrogen is to do with peri menopause. I was meant to start taking Proganova which is estrogen. I hope it will go down next cycle but not sure it can go down so much as mine is three times higher than the max expected in this time. I can only hope as I don’t seem to be able to find anything I can do to help it.

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Original poster
Leala20 · 13/09/2020 20:15

How are you guys doing?

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Cleozeta · 13/09/2020 21:40

You might also want to try and avoid food containing oestrogens, like processed chicken, soya & green tea's.
There is also apparently oestrogen in our tap water, but that's a bit harder to avoid.
I still find it a bit odd that you will still be required to take oestrogen boosting medication....
But maybe there is some other medical reason for it

ksusha20 · 13/09/2020 21:57

@ Leala20 Did you have your hormone blood test done before last transfer ? Because the fact your hormones out of balance could be the reason for failed fertilization.
Did you clinic give you any explanation on your high estrogen and maybe some other tests needed?

ksusha20 · 13/09/2020 21:57

Also try acupuncture

Original poster
Leala20 · 13/09/2020 23:12

@Cleozeta thanks I do humorous as sandwich spread so will avoid it this month. Hopefully will speak with the consultant tomorrow.
@ksusha20 l wasn’t tested last time the nurse said that the scan last time didn’t show larger follicles and all look good so no need for a blood test. Now I think what if it was on the top of the high side already but not as high as mine now and the extra estrogen I took didn’t help probably!

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Original poster
Leala20 · 13/09/2020 23:14

That’s humorous hummus Grin

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