Anyone starting egg donation July/August?

[Leala20]

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.

Thank you @Cleozeta and @ksusha20 !

We did PGS because I had three miscarriages and my dr believed this was due to egg quality. However, PGS is not 100% conclusive since they aren’t testing all cells. It’s a controversial procedure: we just wanted to narrow the odds because I didn’t want to go through another loss.

I started with my treatment on cd4 actually. I think anytime between 2-4 days is ok but different clinics are different and also depends on the treatment protocol

@sharpster1 welcome. I tested as well on FRER on 5dp5dt and negative.. so you are not the only.. Know can happen later but useful to have the data, and also would be useful to know for work purposes..

How is everyone today? I just finished moving and now preparing for being at work in two days..

Hello ladies!

Welcome @ksusha20. So sorry for your loss. What a terrible thing to happen. I’m also 44 and this failed cycled was my first. I went straight for DE due to age. Regarding the donor, I’m using a Spanish clinic so they chose the donor for us, we didn’t have the chance to give preferred characteristics.They told us age, height, hair colour and blood group and we could either accept or not.

@Cleozeta Did the clinic get back to you about starting your meds? I’m not sure what cycle day it was when I started mine as I had been on birth control for over a month to synchronise with the donor. You’ll be starting any day though - how exciting!

@sharpster1 welcome and good luck! I also think it was very early to test. Fingers crossed for your beta🤞

@Leala20 Don’t lose faith! Those 3 embryos might be enough for a sibling. All the unknowns make this process so stressful but one step at a time.

@tikha congratulations on the move!

As for me, I got my AF today so I called the clinic. My doctor is going to call tomorrow morning to discuss the next steps so I guess I’ll know more then. I think it’ll probably be in September.

@Cafeambllet that’s food news on the AF! I officially took the blood test today just to have the records and stopped all meds today so hope mine comes soon too and then counting to my next appointment and hopefully we are in for September together:)
@tikha well done on packing! Don’t worry it’s still early but good you started with frer earlier I will do the same next time.
@sharpster1 welcome! Good to see the group expanding and I find this support super useful. After the bfn on my first cycle I thought also if testing as I couldn’t understand why such a good quality embryo would result with just pure bfn. The nurse told me they they wouldn’t advise it so early as one bfn can be common and the donor has young eggs that previously resulted in pregnancy so I shouldn’t worry and they would only do it on my own embryo if anything. At the same time I am still thinking about it as you never know and better to know maybe than wait? My DH is also a few years older than me and we only used a normal sperm test that looked fine but we never did fragmentation etc.

I have decided to go back to my morning meditation/reflection to help me keep calm. I was super excited to be doing the first cycle and I thought I didn’t need anything else as kept so positive and now I think I need more time for positive thinking and getting myself ready for September.

Morning everyone
@Cleozeta how is it going? have you had a scan yet?

@ksusha20 how is the donor search coming along
@Cafeambllet great to hear that AF is here. atleast now you have a timeline of when you start next.
@Leala20 i really liked your reminder to stay positive.
@sharpster1 how is it going?
I tested again today and it is still negative. Its useful information as it might show implantation issues rather than a chemical I might miss. I am using FRER. If I were to go again, I am thinking whether to PGS test the remaining blasts so as to reduce time but am worried it could be an implantation thing even though i have had successfull implantations previously. My partner has MFI and am thinking whether this could impact it..
Today for me is a getting read to go back to work. Its actually at a new place (I already worked there before and just returning after 10 years)

Hi
I hope you don't mind me asking but I what clinic in Spain are you using. I'm in the process of researching clinics and looking for recommendations as to what one would be good and also what the experience has been like?

@tikha when is your official testing day? I'm guessing you are still testing early so not a definite BFN yet? I haven't decided weather to test early or not yet.

I started on the oestrogen patches yesterday evening. Anyone else been on patches? How did you get them to stay stuck? Mine are peeling off already and they need to stay put until Thursday!

Hi @tikha, couldn't resist testing again today (day 9), and of course, disappointment yet again. We have 2 embryos left (one didn't survive defrosting) so I guess we will try again, but right now I don't feel like it. It's been six years, and I'm tired.

@Cleozeta, I am on Climara patches (may be a different name in the UK, I'm a Brit living abroad) and I think they've improved over the last few years - mine used to drop off ALL THE TIME and this time round they've hung in there despite swimming, and intense heatwaves.

@Cleozeta
How often you change the patch? Where do you stick them. I was on the oestrogen patches (for 12 weeks) with my only IVF pregnancy. I had them on front thigh. Never had any issues with them peeling off. Only if I sweat too much when exercised.

Are you applying them on a dry skin? Maybe wear loose clothes.
They put you on patches for better response or it is your clinic usual protocol patches instead of/in addition to pills?

@tikha
So far (2 moths since we started) we were given only one donor option.
But she does not really match most of our characteristics. The only similarity is the hair color. The rest different from me: body shape, eyes, height. So we are really lost and dont know what to do. To wait for a better match or go with this one because she has her own healthy kids and other donor recipients got pregnant with her egg and we receive 12 eggs.
I know that the most important thing is a healthy baby. And also we decided to tell the baby how she/he came to existence. But I still have this silly desire within me that the baby at least have some resemblance with me (body type, hair and eyes color)
So... we are still thinking. But i guess we need to approach it with our hearts rather than analytical thinking :)

@ksusha20 it’s difficult and I must say when searching though london egg bank we got so hooked on the info and then decided to review as the more you know doesn’t really help either but makes your mind wander more. We were also of the same idea as you we just want a healthy baby but as they have a lot of info available we did select a few features that were key for us and we later compromised on eye colour in the end. Blue or green didn’t matter to me at all and we will be open about donation with the baby.
@Cleozeta I used the pills that you insert twice a day and there was a lot of discharge from them and I was told not to worry as what’s needed will absorb. I haven’t had progesterone tests to see what my levels were in the end but the second day of not taking them gave me some energy back. I was extremely tired and going to bed super early when taking them but would still be happy to continue if I was pregnant:)
@sharpster1 and @tikha we are rooting for you.

@sharpster1. 9 still might be too early. they say to test 12 days post transfer if it is home test
When you least expect things will come. We had 4 IVF attempts. 3 times we put in 3 good quality embryos at 3 days and 5 days. None successful . We were left with 1 which was the worse quality then the previous ones and we had no hopes at all. And i got pregnant. Even though it tragically end up in still birth but we still had a chance to love our baby girl.
I think we just need to trust our life. It is easier said than done. And I have been telling myself not to lose belief but at the same time not to be obsessed. Any time I desperately wanted something and when found the piece with not having it and let it go, I always received it. I am trying to apply the same attitude now but it is sooo hard

meant to say each of 3 IVF attempts we put in back 2 embryos

I'm so sorry for the loss of Vivienne, @ksusha20. I think you are very brave to try again after experiencing that pain. I agree with you that it's important to find a way to accept that this may not work out as we wanted, but I think it's hard to channel acceptance and the fight needed to keep trying at the same time. We had a break of a year between the failed IVF with my own eggs and deciding to use a donor, and in that time I was ok, but when you start a cycle you let the hope inside again and that is the hardest thing for me to deal with. It has been such a big part of my life for six years, that I know I will need to find some other focus to replace it when/if the time comes.

@BellaFigura40 My clinic is Dexeus in Barcelona. Apart from the fact that it didn’t work, I’m pretty happy with my choice of clinic. They respond to emails very quickly, the doctor phones you if you request it and they are based in a hospital so everything is in the same place.

How is everyone doing? @sharpster1 My clinic told me that if it was a hpt to do it on day 11 so you might be too early still. I have my fingers crossed for you and @tikha!

I spoke to my doctor yesterday and I have to have thrombophilia tests before starting again. Has anyone had these tests?

Hi everyone, I have been following this thread as I am due to do FET in two weeks. I started the first round of medication last Friday and am taking three tablets a day. I was wondering if anyone has noticed side effects? My mood has changed drastically today feeling really angry and down😭 Also can barely keep my eyes open so tired.

Wishing everyone the best of luck. X

Hi all hope you are doing well

First day back at work after a month. Just a virtual induction which was yawn inducing as I am already half asleep from all the progesterone.. Decided not to test today will wait till tomorrow or day after probably. My actual test day is this upcoming Monday as I transferred last Wednesday

@ksusha20 sorry about your loss.. its must be very hard. I am still amazed at wowen's resilience and how despite our grief we are willing to move forward

@Parisinthesummer welcome. you get all sorts of symptoms. am already moody but my DH has informed me that it is worse since I started this cycle.. The oestogen can make you moody.. and progesterone can you feel low or give you PMS symptoms. You can also get very hungry and thirsty with the progesterone.. Everyone has different side effects. If you read the list on BNF its really long

@Cafeambllet I haven’t heard about it. Let us know when you find out more.
@tikha progesterone put me to sleep at 9 almost every evening and my DH said I was in super deep sleep till am! Are you in a new role in the same job or induction as a post break one? When I moved from wfh to wfw it took me two weeks to get used to commute and all! Take it easy and you know it better when to stop and do it again but it’s still early indeed.
@Parisinthesummer welcome! I was fine apart from tiredness and no energy end of the day but now having stopped after bfn I have ups and downs and worst pms ever cannot wait for it to come!

So we have to decide by this Friday whether we would like to proceed with proposed donor or not. So the clinic can release eggs to another couple who might be interested.
I never thought i will have to chose my baby's genetic material , very sad.
But on the other side I am grateful that we are blessed (thanks to donors and modern reproductive medicine) to have this opportunity these days of becoming a parent regardless of age or fertility challenges.

@Cafeambllet i have not heard about that test. But i know that one of the reasons of failed implantation with chromosomally balanced embryo could be blood clotting. So very often clinic can suggest you to take baby aspirin or/and any other blood thinners.

@ksusha20 thanks, not tried thighs yet, will give that a go next time! I've gone for hips and a butt cheek. (I need 3 at a time). I think that is just what the clinic use. No pills for oestrogen it seems. Currently medication is quite light really! Not sure when the rest of the massive box kicks off!

As for donor selection, I didn't worry too much as there is no guanantee that even an own egg child would carry any of your characteristics. My daughter for example is a spitting image of her dad, nothing really of me that I can see, she even has brown eyes and I'm blue and DH is green, so no idea where that came from! (she is own egg), so my theory is we could spend forever trying to find someone who looks like me for the child to not then even carry those traits. I think as long as the chosen donor is not wildly different, I'm not worried.

@Parisinthesummer you are just a few days ahead of me! I started meds on Monday. I've not noticed any major changes yet, although a bit grumpy and headachey yesterday, back to fine today though. Will see how the next few days go!

Hope everyone is doing ok

We booked our train tickets and hotel for the week of 17th Aug for treatment. Things are getting real!

@Cafeambllet I had trombophilia tests last year as one of many tests to find out about my losses and what I could prevent any MCs before starting DE process. Results came back as normal. Another test I had was for prolactin levels. And it was through the roof. High levels prevent pregnancy from developing/passing 6-8 weeks. So I was on meds for that. And usually high prolactin is due to stress.

@Cleozeta it's getting very close! And rooting for you!
And everyone else! 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

@Cleozeta wow this is so soon! Exciting!
@Russkispy that’s interesting thank you. It’s s pity we just cannot take one smart test that could show us all. I am looking forward to my appointment next week to review and even though this is my first failed one I will ask for these tests. I kind they are not willing normally to explore this but will press if needed.