You have just been chosen to be an egg donor and are about to embark on a journey to give someone the gift of parenthood! The process includes taking medications for about ten days that will grow your follicles and prime the eggs inside them. As with all medications, there can be some side effects including bloating and irritability. Below are a few tips and tricks to help ease the side effects, keep you on track, and expedite your recovery!

1. Be Very Mindful of Your Diet/Nutrition Intake

The medications can cause some water retention. Some fertility clinics suggest drinking about a liter of fluids a day. It is also better to drink fluids with electrolytes (think Pedialyte, Gatorade, or coconut water) instead of straight water. Eating more lean protein and less carbohydrates will also help aid in your recovery. We recommend increasing your protein diet as soon as you start stimulation medications. Lastly, because water intake is limited and protein consumption is increasing, it is important to eat more fibrous vegetables to help things move along smoothly. Be sure to ask your doctor if you have any questions.

In this video, a Donor Nexus egg donor shares her advice for first-time egg donors, which is to follow the recommended diet plan! As shared by Donor D,

"I have been a donor twice, and one thing I have found that would be a great piece of advice for a first-time egg donor is to follow the diet plan that they give you. Drinking lots of Gatorade, lots of protein, and lots of salt. I have really found that that helps with the recovery process. I feel way less bloated. The first time, I should have drank more protein drinks and Gatorade. The second time, I really followed it as best closely as I could and it really helped. I have a friend who is a donor too, and she found the same thing. I just think that is some great advice. It's kind of funny, you read about diet and think, "I don't know if this would actually make a difference." But it seems to really make a difference, so that would be my advice to you."

2. Limit Exercise Once You've Began Taking Medications

Think about your follicles as little, delicate water balloons. It is important to be gentle and protect your growing follicles against traumatic activities. These sorts of activities include anything that can result in an injury or a fall (ball sports, surfing, rock climbing, and even running). Once the injectable medications start, it is possible that your doctor may limit your exercise to light walking to none at all. The great rule of thumb is not to engage in any activity that would cause your ponytail to bounce. When in doubt, always ask!

3. Give Your Body Adequate Sleep Every Night

We all know how important getting a good nights sleep is BUT it is even more important while you are in cycle. We give our bodies the ability to repair, rebuild, and rest when we sleep. You body needs this time to respond adequately to the injectable hormones. Make sure you are getting at least 8 hours of sleep. Your body and mind will thank you!

4. Set Medication Reminders

Many of the medications you will be taking are on a schedule, and it is important that they are taken at the same time everyday. Most donors set reminders on their phone! There are also several apps in the App Store that can make remembering to take your medications easier.

1. Due: It is available for $7.99 in the App Store. I love this app because you can set snooze reminders down to the minute. If you are the type of person, like me, who hits the “okay, I got it” button, but then forgets about it, this is the app for you.

2. Medisafe: It is free and available for both iPhone (with Apple Watch compatibility) and Android. This app allows you to list your medication names, doses, and what days you need to take them. It also is able to track prescriptions and remind you to refill them if needed.