Hello all – I need some help please. I am having issues with trying to get my uterine lining thickened enough to go through with our first FET. Here is my story and everything we have tried so far:
Got pregnant naturally in March 2016, had miscarriage at 6-7 weeks and a D&C first week May 2016. I was told my uterus tilts backwards. We decided to see a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) in June 2016. I have a history of longer cycles, usually ovulated around days 23-27.
RE wanted to try IUI first, so in August I took Femara to help me ovulate but it did not work so RE cancelled the IUI. During multiple appts with the RE he had mentioned I had a thin lining.
We then decided to go straight to IVF. I had a hysteroscopy in September 2016 and the results were fine. I had the HSG dye test and my tubes were fine.
RE tried an estrogen priming protocol in November 2016 for IVF but I did not respond so he cancelled the cycle before I even started stim medications. In December, I went on birth control pills for 3 weeks. I got the green light to begin IVF in January 2017. I was on 2 vials of menopur and started on 300u of Gonal-F but after 3 days it was increased to 450u. I stimmed for a total of 11 days before triggering and retrieval. At time of retrieval in January, my lining was 6.9 – RE said this is the thickest he had seen me have. My estrogen was 2975. We did not do a fresh transfer b/c we were doing genetic testing, from which we have 2 normal embryos (results rec’d Feb).
When I got my March period I contacted the office. In April they put me on oral estrace (3mg twice a day) to try and thicken my lining. I was on that for a few weeks before he added ½ tab estrace vaginally twice a day, for about a week or longer. My lining never went above 3.8. At this time I was also taking trental twice a day, vitamin e twice a day, and baby aspirin at night. I had been doing acupuncture since November 2016.
In June, we tried low dose stims to increase my lining – 150u of Gonal-F. I was also taking the trental, vitamin e, and baby aspirin, and having acupuncture. My lining went to 5.9, estrogen was 4,000 and we had to stop b/c my follicles were huge.
In July my RE put me on 40mg of Tamoxifen for 5 days. I went for an US & blood work a week later, lining was 5. He brought me back another week later, follicle was only 7mm and lining 4.9. RE increased Tamoxifen to 80mg for 5 days. Went for blood work and US 4 days later – showed no follicles and thin lining. He brought me back 5 days later, lining 3.8, follicle only 11mm, estrogen was 77. So he wants me to go back on this coming Monday, 8/21 for blood & US.
- Does anyone have any ideas of what else could be tried to thicken my lining?
- Has anyone does a transfer with high estrogen levels and lining of 5-6?
- RE had mentioned estrogen patches with vaginal estrace but would that even work if the oral and vaginal didn’t work the first time?
The only good thing is that every US I have had showed that I have a good triple layer with my lining. It is just very upsetting that we have these 2 embryos and can’t go ahead with a transfer b/c of my thin lining. Thank you for any ideas.
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