tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25839024667567915892011-11-16T12:27:19.481-07:00My personal story behind my experience of being an egg donor. My goal is to answer all the questions that runs through a new donor's mind and bring awareness to issues that they might not have thought of otherwise. Comments and questions are welcome.Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.comBlogger391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-40750784423927774932011-01-29T22:16:00.000-07:002011-01-29T22:16:47.742-07:00

I am not unlike half of the Asian donors in AED who prefer not to tell their family that they donated their eggs. You can read in one of my early posts my reasons that I didn't want to tell my Korean mother especially, so therefore I kept it from the rest of my family too. My support came from my husband and a couple of select friends I trusted to keep this secret.  I was worried my mother

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-14793196330942455762011-01-29T20:15:00.000-07:002011-01-29T20:15:28.350-07:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted anything on here. Anyway, I have a few new things to add here. I still work with AED and while consulting with new donors who are considering to donate with us, many of them have read up on my blog to familiarize themselves with the process. I now get a question from both new and current donors considering if they should donate more about why I stopped

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-3580858679206556052009-11-25T11:01:00.010-07:002009-11-30T22:28:46.066-07:00

A fail anywhere in your donor screening is truly a good thing to know, simply because it makes you aware of an issue that you may have otherwise never known. You can start dealing with it early on and in some cases, reverse it, or at least prevent bad situations from occurring in the future.Some donors may fail during the psychological screening - perhaps you need to take a closer look at your

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-11750838688304882092009-11-18T21:14:00.008-07:002011-01-29T18:38:55.236-07:00

Disclaimer: Blog post is written based on personal experience. It is for your reference only. The process and clinical procedure may vary from clinic to clinic. Please consult your fertility doctor for more detailed information. The egg retrieval procedure is considered in the medical field to be low-risk. It is described as a minimally invasive surgery. The actual retrieval process only takes

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-40085691341325446522009-11-02T13:56:00.006-07:002009-11-27T16:05:51.241-07:00

At AED, we allow for the donor to choose their own compensation. Most agencies will set the rate for you, so AED is quite generous in this decision. For the most part, many donors are very fair in selecting their own compensation rate, and these donors get matched. However, there are some donors who have a goal set in mind. We realize that some donors go through the process to help themselves

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-16387319536893618782009-08-19T21:05:00.015-06:002010-04-01T12:24:02.257-06:00

Many clinics may require their donors to undergo the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory). From Wikipedia... "The MMPI is one of the most frequently used personality tests in mental health. The test is used by trained professionals to assist in identifying personality structure and psychopathology." It's testing to see whether you have any mental issues with phobias, getting along

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-15119442342670347432009-08-19T16:00:00.003-06:002011-01-29T18:36:58.054-07:00

Disclaimer: The comments expressed in this post are from personal experience and advice from personal research and discussions. I do not consider myself a medical expert on this subject and if experiencing OHSS, you should consult with your fertility doctor. OHSS is the #1 risk a new donor has to face when donating. The other two risks are pregnancy (in multiples) and infection from surgery -

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-58957713348528646082009-03-10T14:57:00.006-06:002009-11-27T16:06:53.747-07:00

I have gotten this question enough times that I thought I should post an official statement about whether I would recommend being an egg donor.I had such a positive experience and felt so good about my first donation that I did choose to do it two more times. Even though my first donation resulted in the biggest risk you could face going through this procedure, OHSS, the emotional gratification

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-81262461170836352432009-03-10T14:47:00.011-06:002009-11-27T16:07:32.086-07:00

Now that I know so much about this process, I have agreed to be a Donor Manager where I council the newly registered donors and share with them my experience so they don't feel so nervous to become a donor. This is a serious decision for them, and it is very comforting to talk with someone who already knows and has been through the process. From this, I am noticing a list of commonly asked

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-22866527082598646872009-03-01T15:26:00.004-07:002009-11-27T16:07:50.871-07:00

Sorry I didn't report what happened after the 3rd donation. Everything went smoothly as expected. We stayed in a very comfortable hotel and I read all four Twilight books that week! I only brought the first one with me thinking we would be too busy taking in more sites, but we pretty much did everything we wanted with the first two trips that there wasn't much else for us to see. So, I had to go

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-70361239391746393392009-01-02T11:53:00.006-07:002010-03-03T01:11:42.550-07:00

Since I have done two donations before, I already know how much injection medication I will probably need for this 3rd cycle. The way that a donor at Boston IVF receives their medication if they are out-of-state is through the mail from the clinic's preferred pharmacy. The pharmacy calls me to confirm my address and that someone will be there to receive it from FedEx the next day - they have to

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-30126255284206642792008-12-03T21:50:00.008-07:002011-01-29T19:47:32.153-07:00

Things have been a little quiet on my blog. But I do have a report that I chose to do one more donation for a total of 3 cycles. I want this one to be my last because I do want to have my own children eventually. I don't know though, I might be open to another one. I'll just make that decision later as I'm ready. I told the director at Asian Egg Donation (my agency) that I am willing to travel

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-39373041396254778792008-09-24T11:02:00.006-06:002010-03-03T01:02:21.489-07:00

It has almost been a full week since my last egg retrieval, and I'm glad to report that I did not have any problems this time. Other than the assumed soreness of my ovaries, life went on as normal. After today, I'll also be good enough to start exercising again.I said before that I would try the Sudafed tip to make sure I didn't get OHSS. Well, I decided that I better not try it unless I'm for

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-47791592690637763472008-09-19T18:23:00.007-06:002011-01-29T19:43:11.846-07:00

I had my second retrieval done yesterday. It was even easier this time. I noticed the pre-procedure events went much faster this time - I guess since it's my 2nd time here. After I layed myself down on the operating table, they put a nice warm blanket over me from getting cold, they inserted the IV tube into my arm, secured an oxygen mask on my face, then started asking me questions about where

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-18963090670408490602008-09-16T19:34:00.013-06:002011-01-29T19:38:17.631-07:00

I didn't want to rewrite every detail about this 2nd retrieval since I feel I was pretty detailed about the first one. Just go back to the months of May-July '08 to read all my posts about the first donation. I'm just going to recap in this one how things have gone so far. I started taking my injections last week. Since I had stimulated so quickly to the hormones at the last donation, they

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-3082174220598427182008-08-19T11:03:00.012-06:002011-01-29T19:33:23.178-07:00

Ok, I heard back from my nurse and have been given my schedule for the next month. I stopped taking my pills last week to get my period, and then started back on the pills so I'm now in sync with the Intended Mother. I have to stop my pills again in a couple weeks to get my period once more. Then on my period, I start the stimulation injections. Most donors will begin Lupron injections before

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-35819622803002672272008-08-11T12:29:00.011-06:002011-01-29T19:26:34.479-07:00

My 2nd donation cycle is underway. Luckily for me, my 2nd recipient couple is from the exact same clinic as my first couple in Waltham, MA. That was pure coincidence. And it's certainly made everything much easier this time around. I didn't have to go back for a screening trip since nothing should have changed since my first one. They just told me to rest for a full menstrual cycle after my

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-26525691651671551752008-07-29T14:36:00.009-06:002010-03-03T00:41:31.191-07:00

I just had an interesting conversation with a woman who was an egg donor and later was diagnosed with DOR (diminished ovarian reserve). Now, don't let what I'm about to say scare you, because I'm trying to give a point that egg donation should not hurt your future fertility.This woman told me how she was an egg donor when she was young, and donated twice. The recipient couples were both

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-84214087861700991612008-07-14T09:18:00.013-06:002011-01-29T18:29:14.628-07:00

During my time contemplating egg donation and asking myself all the questions, one of the biggest in my mind was, "By donating my eggs, will I be giving away my future eggs and hurt my fertility?" I'll bet if you are considering egg donation, the same question is running through your head. First off, the official answer I got from my clinic was something along the lines that egg donation has been

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-39219185102693662962008-07-10T22:55:00.012-06:002011-01-29T19:22:24.800-07:00

I feel completely back to normal already. This morning, my lungs felt like I had gotten over a cold and tonight they feel great. I weighed myself at the peak of my OHSS and I had gained 8 lbs of water weight. I'm already back to my original weight now that it's all gone. I decided to look up the plain facts on OHSS and share what I've learned with you: Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome can

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-25331292736055019522008-07-09T10:43:00.005-06:002011-01-29T19:14:09.694-07:00

In my last post, I was having some major bloating issues. But that evening I took a laxative to help with the constipation (possibly caused from pain-reliever/anesthesia meds) and yesterday my waistline decreased slightly after my first bowel movement, enough to allow me to move again without feeling like I would pop. It was still hard to breathe yesterday - anytime I bend over or turn I felt

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-90738081867214271842008-07-07T11:30:00.010-06:002011-01-29T19:11:16.309-07:00

I've already returned home from Boston with an ever-increasing bloated feeling. I'm not supposed to still have this bloated feeling 5 days after the retrieval. This doesn't feel right. I've been letting it slide without reporting it because I have been stuffing myself in the amazing Boston restaurants and figured I would gain a little vacation weight. Also, I haven't had one bowel movement since

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-62670004416023482272008-07-03T21:07:00.010-06:002011-01-29T19:06:06.491-07:00

Since yesterday, things didn't quite get better overnight. On top of that, my husband already purchased non-refundable tickets to go whale watching for today. Nausea on top of riding out to sea is not a good mix, and spent the majority of the time near the toilet on the boat. However, I can say that I did run outside when we spotted whales and saw humpback whales swimming right next to us! They

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-17268623646869089502008-07-02T19:43:00.009-06:002011-01-29T18:59:32.158-07:00

Today was it. Last night after midnight, I was not allowed to eat or drink one drop of anything. I took a shower yesterday since in the morning I wouldn't be allowed to use any cosmetic products or put on makeup. I also removed all piercings/jewelry and fingernail polish. The one thing I was allowed to do when I woke up was to brush my teeth. The reason you can't even wash your face or do your

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-53457721993565315212008-07-01T17:21:00.010-06:002010-03-02T23:53:44.668-07:00

When I first scheduled the trip out here for the egg retrieval with the nurse, she told me that my retrieval date could be Day 12 or on Day 14 if it was taking longer for me to stimulate. Also, if you've followed all the past posts, you'll have read that my estrodial level was running very high.So, yesterday they did another follical count. Yesterday afternoon, I received the call and instead of

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-61421022646110709922008-06-30T16:57:00.003-06:002010-03-02T23:46:22.546-07:00

I apologize I haven't been posting daily like I had wanted. My husband and I have been busy exploring Boston for the first time. I'll just summarize days 7 & 8 in the same post.Coming to the recipient's clinic yesterday, I continued getting blood work done every morning and started ultrasound testing. The ultrasound is a vaginal probe that looks at your ovaries from the inside. It's just like

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-86100264397507564962008-06-28T23:08:00.006-06:002010-03-02T23:42:37.691-07:00

Even though the airports are very strict about those 3-1-1 rules, I was surprised how relaxed they were about the injections. I guess I can just say that I'm certainly not the first person to come through their line who has medicinal needs to carry injections with them. I had the doctor even fax a note just in case I needed to make sure the TSA officers wouldn't give me any trouble for the

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-31244002042028225452008-06-27T19:48:00.012-06:002010-03-02T23:35:45.519-07:00

The nurse called me a second time today because she forgot to tell me to also take the Ganirelix injection today and tomorrow. Jeez... I'm going to have to mix 3 shots on my flight tomorrow. Anyway, it only comes in one amount in its own syringe, and she said I can mix it into the Luveris vial with the other medications so I only have to give myself one shot. ...they're so considerate. :)By the

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-30203528813127702172008-06-27T14:50:00.004-06:002010-03-02T23:30:52.892-07:00

Current symptoms: I could feel just a miniscule amount of cramping. It came for just a few seconds a couple times today, but it was nothing that made me stop my current activities at work. It was barely noticeable. No other symptoms to report.My hormones must have been raging according to the blood work results the last few days. Yesterday, Boston IVF called again to let me know that my hormones

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-66387942243429512692008-06-25T22:26:00.010-06:002010-03-02T23:26:11.837-07:00

I'm gradually getting better at this. Yesterday, I still had to have my husband give me my injection, but this time I watched the needle go in. Surprisingly, the pinch wasn't as noticeable when I watched. I guess because I know when to expect it. As far as symptoms, I don't notice anything. This morning, I had my first monitoring appointment. We had to find a local clinic convenient to my home/

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-25419578616413122902008-06-23T21:26:00.014-06:002010-03-02T23:18:24.903-07:00

Welp, today was the day; I took my first injection. It's a little scary doing all of it for the first time. I'm not quite confident in the procedure, though I understood exactly how to mix it all together. Here's how it works... Since it was the first time to use the pen, I had to prime it first. It has a dial (the white end on the right in the pictures) with measurements on it. You line up your

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-70116531279709268162008-06-21T18:00:00.005-06:002010-03-02T23:13:25.050-07:00

I've been taking birth control pills for over three years now, and I never knew this trick. I have always gone by the regimen of starting my BCPs on a Sunday, taking my last active pill 21 days later on a Saturday, and my period always arrive on Wednesday.The IVF clinic nurse instructed me that I should take my last pill on Tuesday the 17th - even if I didn't finish the pack. She also told me

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-85351945749632936432008-06-14T20:11:00.009-06:002011-01-29T18:43:19.635-07:00

Ahhh... I can relax. On Monday this week, just at the end of the business day, I received a call from my nurse at the Boston clinic. They wanted me to come in for the retrieval on a certain date, but thankfully they are flexible by a couple of days by manipulating my ovulation. It all depends on the injections really, so we were able to work it out perfectly with my work schedule. I am arriving

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-24626989742406977362008-06-09T13:48:00.011-06:002010-03-02T22:56:47.647-07:00

I just received a letter from the 2nd couple I'm going to help as soon as I finish this cycle. These letters are always so exciting to read! This is the couple who is also from Boston but were not available to start yet because the wife was not yet clinically ready. In this letter the wife told me how they have a very strong religious background and had considered adoption after first failing 4

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-6492602173237002742008-06-07T10:36:00.009-06:002010-03-02T22:53:36.247-07:00

Two weeks after my screening, I heard from my agency that I passed all the tests and could continue with the donation. That's when I received my legal agreement between myself and the recipient couple, including how I would be reimbursed for travel and how my compensation would be distributed. I will receive $800 as a deposit once I start the injections, and the remainder of my compensation

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-67425538971355509342008-05-02T11:00:00.012-06:002010-03-02T22:49:45.980-07:00

From all the stories of other egg donors, I realized that anonymous donations seemed to be the most popular. You won't have to worry about meeting the parents, or having the possible child look you up in the future. It's the easiest way to stay safe so that there are no surprises. Even though that seems to make the most sense for most donors, I just couldn't quite make that decision to keep my

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-1442465490925819642008-05-02T08:00:00.013-06:002010-03-02T22:36:27.556-07:00

I was matched! 3 times to be exact. I had to wait a couple months before I found out, but my first match was actually in my home state, but they could not continue for personal reasons. My 2nd match was going to be in Boston, but the recipient was not clinically ready for me yet -- the recipient women also have to prepare themselves to be ready to receive the eggs immediately. Luckily, my 3rd

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-27466728365389545492008-04-01T19:51:00.004-06:002009-06-30T15:42:15.544-06:00

I'll just first write a disclaimer that these first few posts have not been posted in real time. This process of applying to be an egg donor took several months before I was matched and started my first cycle. I'm just putting April as my "introductory" month for my blog to keep each post in its right timeline. I think I applied in Jan or Feb.Now, to the next question I'm sure is going through

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583902466756791589.post-83449363095450412342008-04-01T19:01:00.007-06:002009-06-30T15:41:16.399-06:00

Welcome to my blog documenting my first cycle of being an egg donor! If you decided to read my blog, the first thing you're probably wondering is how I made my decision to become an egg donor. I heard a discussion on talk radio about the subject, discussing whether egg donors should receive such a high compensation in the thousands of dollars. I had never heard of it before. Many women called

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039846240727285255noreply@blogger.com1