# Waiting to start egg sharing... a multitude of questions????



## eggsharer (Oct 22, 2007)

Hi I am really new to this. Been trying naturally for 4 years but hubby got low(ish) 11million count with some motility etc issues . I've had a natural pregnancy with ex 7 years ago - fell after 2 months trying and have beautiful daughter . We are going to do egg sharing as can't get IVF on NHS coz daughter so egg sharing (with ICSI) as cheaper plus can only imagine how hard it must be to need donor eggs so glad i can hopefully help , especially after reading these boards hearing people have to wait 2 years on a list for a donor - unbearable - don't consider the child will be mine at all its just cells - well you don't give blood or organs and think people are part of you so whats the difference. Anyway my daughter doesn't hardly look like me, or her dad either as she blond and we both dark so don't think it would be like a mini-me anyway. The manerisms and character you learn from who brings you up - thats where my daughter is like me!

Waiting for my FSH results later this week. Hoping that because i didn't have too many problems last time that it will be *relatively straight forward or is this just being really nieve*?  Obviously i am older now (32), stressful job (Senior management), like a glass of wine to relax but not a binge drinker or anything - oh and used to smoke til fairly recently (except when preg last time obviously).

*What should i do to make sure it works?* Got the marilyn glenville book and going to get her tablets but clinic say if FSH ok i could have it done before xmas so will the fertility plus vits help if cycle could be so soon. Also hubby only just starting on the fertility plus vitamins (even though i bought them a year ago! he said they made him feel sick) - oh and he hates cabbage and all the nice veggie things like beans etc which i think are probably good for fertility.

*Clinic say I can give any fertilized eggs away which i don't transfer* (or freeze obviously). Not sure how i feel about that as then its mine and hubbys cells so would maybe look like us/our kid? Maybe i would think more about that child than i will if its just my cells? But keep thinking of the people that could help where they have double fertility problems and i would love to help. Has anyone else done this?

Oh and i have *reflexology* monthly (coz i used to get panic attacks and it really helps) but apparently its good for IVF too. Is there a particular point in the cycle its best to have it? Any other advice gratefully received.

Oh and i am not too good with *injections* so if they really easy then thats good tell me but if they bad best keep that to yourselves or my panic attacks might start again ha ha

*Also what about putting 1 or 2 eggs back dilemma*? TWins would be great but really tough. Am still paying back debts from having daughter as childcare costs so high (plus ended up a single mum after 6years together - he thought grass was greener  but its cool as met DH 6 months later ), can't afford to give up work so twins would cripple us financially so thinking maybe just one egg back but am i really reducing chances. Thought maybe i could ask doc when they fertilised how good they really are if he thinks one or two? Any advice? 

S


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## Martha Moo (Jan 30, 2004)

Hi Eggsharer

Welcome to Fertility Friends and the egg share board 

What a great thing to do for another couple

Congrats on your daughter btw

I cant help on all counts but i will try and answer as much as i can!

 for the FSH results this week, theres nothing wrong with a drink or two to relax so you shouldnt have any probs there, many people do still have a drink or 3 during down regulation, but its advised not to during the stimulation stage and beyond

well done on stopping smoking i havent smoked myself but watched my parents quit, and my sister has tired numerous times so well done

Its hard to say what you should do to make sure it works, I didnt take the marilyn glenville vits, i just took the pregnacare and my dh took the wellman vits. During my cycle i had a diet high in protein, drank at least a pint of organic semi skimmed milk, ate a few brazil nuts (especially after ET) and drank several glasses of pineapple juice up to egg transfer day, i did give up my job at start of stimming though, this was a personal choice and due to us moving over 100 miles away wasnt practical to keep it as was only part time.

As for giving away embryos thats a difficult and a very personal choice, i think personally i would wait to see the outcome of my cycle, although, you may wish to freeze them for yourself for future use whilst you decide what you wish to do with them

I cant help with the reflexology although there is a complementary therapies board which may be helpful
heres a link for you

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=390.0

Re the injections, i was a needle phobic was  as heck, for my down regulation i had a monthly down regulation injection this was administered by my GP, altho there are other options many sniff a drug and others give daily injections if you are concerned discuss this with your clinic, the stimulation i had a pen where i just dialled up the amount i needed and it was like a pen similar to what diabetics use, i got myself into a tizz and had a whole sleepless night which i felt silly for after the event as it was so easy again if you have any concerns discuss them with your clinic

The decision about whether to put one or two back is once again a personal one
I chose to put 2 back purely because i didnt think i would get another chance to have another cycle so needed to give it my all
I have one baby on board

depending on what clinic you are sharing with, they may do a blastocyst transfer this is where they grow the embryo in the lab up to day 5, this will give a better indication of the best embryos, if you can go to blasts, many clinics will suggest only putting one back, your clinic will discuss what they think will be best for you

I hope that i have been able to help with some of your questions i am sure others will be able to answer some areas i havent been able to cover

Emxx


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## eggsharer (Oct 22, 2007)

Hi em,
thanks thats really helpful.  One small problem from that lot i HATE milk!   Haven't drank it since i was about 7, don't even drink tea or coffee - gross!  In fact the only calcium i get is from cheese as hate yoghurt etc - when i was preg last time i had to drink that OJ with the calcium in and eat diarylea triangles to up my intake and take pro-natal vits.  Also don't like nuts but could probably force a few of them down but not the milk - urghh.  Pineapple is cool i can live with that.

Yeah i worry with only putting one back it won't work and i have a friend who did IVF and said she couldn't go through it again so guess it will depend on how hard it is.  Just the money really worries me.  

Good luck with the baby on board   - when is it due?  I dream of being pregnant - odd really as looked like a whale last time and its not always the best of times and tough at the end, really tiring but i soooo want a baby and daughter has been on at me for a brother or sister for years!!!!  

S x


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## Martha Moo (Jan 30, 2004)

Hiya S

How about ice cream as an alternative to milk just a thought

I also hated the brazil nuts and really had to force them down but all for a good cause 

Baby is due on 8th May it still seems  bit surreal having waited 16 yrs but worth every moment

Wishing you lots of luck
Em


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## honneybee (Feb 21, 2007)

Hi S

Em has pretty much answered a lot of your questions and reflexology can be a good thing to do in tx. I did acupunctur for a while and that felt good for me.

What about coating the brazil nuts in chocolate or there is a suppliment called selinium which is the same. this is definitely a good thing to take and I started mine whilst stimming.

As for milk yoghurts, cheese and plenty of chicken and eggs its because you need the protein source and I really upped mine. Ice cream is a ggod source to as that is rich in the milk intake.

Like em said whether one or two put back is personal choice. I had two put back, I was an egg sharer at Lister. if it goes to blast then I would of only put one back, as there is a higher chance of it working.


And yes the injections are easy (or were for me)   I did it myself although a lot of girls get their partners to do it. 

Make sure though that you drink like a water fountain. One reason is so you do not get OHSS and two it really does help I think.

good luck

mitch
xx


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## Leicesterlou (Oct 9, 2007)

Sorry to jump into the conversation but I am also in the first stages of IVF and will be eggsharing, waiting for my period to have my final tests done....  Thanks for all the information I have found it very helpful and I am sure it will continue to help me in my journey going forwards.

Louise x


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## honneybee (Feb 21, 2007)

Good luck Louise and any questions please pm me and i will try to answer then as best I can.

It is such a nervous thing to go through and it is nice to do it with support fro others, have you found the egg share thread?

I don't know how to put it on here as I am coputer illiturate   but go to the idex and scroll down. the girls are lovely.

mitch
xxx


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## Martha Moo (Jan 30, 2004)

Hi

here is a link to the egg share chat board
http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=101331.255

as mitch said the ladies are friendly and will help in any way they can

Em


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## honneybee (Feb 21, 2007)

Em good lass, I am a bit rubbish at this linking thing  

hope you are alright girl   great news about mira heh!

mitch
xx


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## eggsharer (Oct 22, 2007)

wow thanks for all your replies thats really helpfull i can live with eating ice cream and the 7 year old won't mind that being in the house in abundance either!

So its just about protien rather than being milk is that right?  And i think that selenium stuff is one of the ingredients in the marilyn glenville tablets too as i remember its definatly in hubbys ones coz its good for sperm too isn't it so maybe that will help if i am getting it there.

I must say i don't totally get teh whole process or some of the little acronyms people use on here.

When i saw the clinic i had just started my period that day so i did the day 3 FSH 2 days later then went straight on the pill that night (thats weird after 4 years being off it having to remember to take a contraceptive each day again! but got them in front of TV so i can't miss them).  Expecting my FSH result on thurs then clinic shoudl accept me if ok but according to hospital my FSH was ok last year so i am presuming it will be fine.

So how will it work from here if i am going to get done before xmas.  Doc says take pill straight through no break now so will he just pull me off at some point and start injections?  He said 10-12 days i think for injections?  then in for egg collection and 3 days later put them back so does it just take 2 weeks from start to finish?  What is tx?  Is stims the 3 day period when eggs are out and downreg is the 10-12 days of injections?  Sorry as i say acronyms beating me at the mo!

And its the 10-12 days bit where i got to eat protien like its going out of fashion?  

Its so nice to have people to talk to who have been/are going through this too - i find these boards really helpful.

Going for my smear in an hour to do the reminder of my tests - check i don't have chlamidia and karyotype etc

Em - can't beleive you were trying for 16 years!  Thats really hard so glad its worked out for you.  Thats why i actually feel realy honored to be doing egg sharing as there are people who try literaly forever aren't there and if your eggs are no good like the recipients are i guess then it must just be so painful with waiting for a donor to be the only option.  I just really hope it works out for me and the recipient be nice to know the process ends the pain for both of us.

Mitch - i've read some of your responses elsewhere i think you are the lady who wants to give eggs for a sibling too aren't you - thats nice i think if it works for me/my recipient i'd like to try that too coz even if you have one child it doesn't end the pain if you then want another.  Beleive me i know unless you go into it just wanting one otherwise the longing returns.  I love my daughter to bits but i still want another one and its frustrating when all around me people are dropping pregnant like flies with wanted/unwanted babies and you feel like .... urgghhhh I WANT ONE!

S x


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## honneybee (Feb 21, 2007)

Hi S

I will try and write the length of process for you,   you have a head start already chick  

Normally 1st Hiv test and other tests            3 months
day 3 blods to check fsh and Lh.                          
                  
repeat Hiv test 
start pill whilkst waiting for results.            2-6 wks depending on match

day 21 (not always) sniff down/regging      around 1 wk to shed lining
2-5 days af comes                                        (you have scan)

baseline scan no linng left.                                  
start stims                                            1-2wks (some need  longer)
                                                                      (scan 2 -3 times)                

last injection to ripen follies                        36 hours before ( I think? )

EC                                                        2-5 days dep if you go to blast 
                                                                      
ET                                                        then test 14 days from there 
                                                            or 10 days if you went to blast

I hope that helps. Not sure where you are having tx, so it may vary a little bit, but you have already got to the pill stage and that tends to be the longest waiting time or if matched quickly time really flies from there  all in all it is about 4 wks 1 wk for d/r, 2 wks for stim and the rest is the ec and et.

The protein is a big thing when it comes to stimms and 2ww. the selenium for us helps the womb lining to be healthy which make implantation easier. I also read a lot of red veg and fruit helps the womb so I ate lots of berries too. 

You can go over board taking so many different things, then it becomes stressful. Try and keep things simple for yourself thou.   

I did

co 10 enzyme
good again for implantation.

I took pregnacare
great all rounder

ate plenty of eggs (yuk) and chicken. I drank at least 1-2 pints of milk ( but thats o.k for me )

I drank atleast 3 ltrs of water to flush thru the meds.

4 sessions of acupuncture too.  

I also had the hypnosis cd for IVF and think it is fantastic to help you relax, I found my tx quite stressfree with using the cd. I played it everyday and really visulised those embies settling in. It gave me a lot of positive mental attitude PMA.

there........  I think I have covered everything. I know others have done similar and it is down to luck at the end of the day but when you feel you are doing something positive to help yourself, you feel more in control.

mitch
xx


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## Leicesterlou (Oct 9, 2007)

Thanks for all the support, I have been reading the postings and they contain great information.  Really excited to get started now but appointment not until end of November (seems like forevere away)....

Good luck to all and spread the


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## eggsharer (Oct 22, 2007)

Got my FSH result - 6.9 which from what i've read on here means its good yeah?  plus the other tests all looking ok as got four back already and they good so have contacted the clinic to find out what next now.  Had the high swab this morning - horrible still uncomfortable i am not good with being poked about down there so sometimes wonder how i will cope with the IVF but its nice to chat with people going through the same thing, get tips and read the nice success stories.  Big love to everyone going through this        

S x


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## Leicesterlou (Oct 9, 2007)

Excellent news eggsharer, I am following your posts carefully as I will be going down that road soon.  Must say not looking for the the sawb you mention xxx


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## Martha Moo (Jan 30, 2004)

Hiya 

eggsharer the fsh results sound fab hun

brilliant news

The only thing i took supplement wise was Pregnacare and my dh took the wellman vits

 to all

Emxx


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