This is a long shot, and I realize there are a lot of medical considerations other than weight loss, but has anyone here ever done egg donation? I'm considering it (not for the money - for personal reasons), and have a LOT to research before I can make a decision, but I feel very comfortable with the 3FC community and thought I would see if anyone else here has donated, and how it affected your diet/exercise routine.
I haven't Laura, but I am so proud of you for considering it - it gives even more hope to those of us struggling with infertility. Good luck with your research!
I have two friends who did IVF, so it starts out the same way. The doctor gives you hormone injections over a few months time to get your ovaries to release more than one egg. (Because it is an expensive procedure, it's kind of a waste of time/money to just get one egg per cycle). Then the eggs are "harvested" - that is, they gotta go in and get them. Not comfortable by any means, but bearable. Then, in my GFs cases, they are fertilized and then placed back in.
I think the hormone shots do mess you up a bit, but after you stop you go back to the way you were. No effects on an excersize routine. Both told me it is VERY expensive, so presumably if you were to do it, the woman/couple who gets your eggs would pay for the treatment, because your own insurance would not.
I have not but I did apply with a couple of different places near my area that do this. Like you, I thought about it seriously for quite awhile and did my research. I made the decision to try and I went through all the necessary paperkwork. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about my father (he left when I was too young to even remember) and so I have no medical information from his side of the family which is of course important to potential parents to see what kinds of genetics I have. I was told that people will sometimes still use someone like me, but it's pretty rare that anyone would want to risk not knowing about half the medical history. I'm still hoping someday I'll be able to help someone! Good luck to you, it's a wonderful thing to do for someone.
Hi, I donated about six years ago. I was inspired to do it after reading a book called Woman, an Intimate Geography, an absolutely awesome book by the way. Overall, it was an interesting experience, but it is pretty grueling. First, I had to go on birth control pills to get my cycle in sync. Then I started the injections, first it's one a day and then after a couple of weeks I was up to three a day for a week or so. I administered the injections myself of course and there were times when I would just have to sit there and really psych myself up to give myself yet another shot. As far as lifestyle changes, eventually my ovaries become very large because they were overstimulated by the hormones, and for a few weeks (my memory is a little fuzzy on this point) I wasn't to do any vigorous exercise at all to avoid bumping the nest so to speak. I gained about five pounds during the whole process, but lost it fairly quickly thereafter. The main thing is that I had to be, and wanted to be, really fastidious about my diet and staying away from alcohol or any other problematic substance. I also had to make multiple doctor's visits (one a week and then one every day during the last week to check on my eggs' progress). The procedure to "harvest" the eggs took an afternoon, I was completely out during the whole thing and was a little woozy from the anaesthesia.
During the experience I thought alot about the eggs' mother. I prayed for her and for my little eggs and wished the mother the very best in her efforts to conceive. I felt throughout the entire process as if this stranger and I were leading these parallel lives with the same goal in mind. The whole experience really opened my eyes to fertility issues and after that, I basically have told everyone I know who is thinking about it to go ahead and try just to avoid the stress of infertility. I have to say the biggest outcome was that I felt compelled to have my own kids after that (I was almost thirty) and did.
Good luck whatever you decide!
Hi, I donated about six years ago. I was inspired to do it after reading a book called Woman, an Intimate Geography, an absolutely awesome book by the way. Overall, it was an interesting experience, but it is pretty grueling. First, I had to go on birth control pills to get your cycle in sync. Then I started the injections, first it's one a day and then after a couple of weeks I was up to three a day for a week or so. I administered the injections myself of course and there were times when I would just have to sit there and really psych myself up to give myself yet another shot. As far as lifestyle changes, eventually my ovaries become very large because they were overstimulated by the hormones, and for a few weeks (my memory is a little fuzzy on this point) I wasn't to do any vigorous exercise at all to avoid bumping the nest so to speak. I gained about five pounds during the whole process, but lost it fairly quickly thereafter. The main thing is that I had to be, and wanted to be, really fastidious about my diet and staying away from alcohol or any other problematic substance. I also had to make multiple doctor's visits (one a week and then one every day during the last week to check on my eggs' progress).
During the experience I thought alot about the eggs' mother. I prayed for her and for my little eggs and wished the mother the very best in her efforts to conceive. I felt throughout the entire process as if this stranger and I were leading these parallel lives with the same goal in mind. The whole experience really opened my eyes to fertility issues and after that, I basically have told everyone I know who is thinking about it to go ahead and try just to avoid the stress of infertility. I have to say the biggest outcome was that I felt compelled to have my own kids after that (I was almost thirty) and did.
Good luck whatever you decide!
Egg Donation
Good luck with your research!
