Egg donor blog

I donated last year and am about to donate again, but have been offered another cycle that would put me back to back, meaning starting medications again a couple weeks after my retrieval. I saw you mention you did donations back to back, were they really back to back or are there too any risks in going back on the stimulating medications soon after a retrieval?

Well, to be honest, when you say you’ll donate and then start meds a couple weeks after that, I get nervous.  Quite nervous.  The standard for back-to-back cycles is that you should have 2 periods before you donate a next time.  I never donated so back to back that I felt like my body was being compromised, or I didn’t have time to FULLY recover.  You’re in charge still at this point, and if they are insistent on using you as a donor, you need to take your health into your own hands and make it very clear that you don’t feel comfortable doing these cycles so closely together.  And there shouldn’t be a doctor in the world who wouldn’t back you up on that.  If they push for it, I would be very, very wary.   As much as you’re helping someone, you ain’t a baby factory, and your health is required for anything to be successful.  I repeat:  If they are pushing for you to start meds two weeks after you have a retrieval, I would strongly object.  At MINIMUM, you should take a solid 4 weeks to breathe, if nothing else.  On the reg, you should be waiting 6 weeks before you even entertain going back on meds.  Good luck, and remember, you’re in control of your stress and anxiety level; don’t allow someone else to take over where these decisions are concerned.