Losing hope.. running out of options with my thin lining

[Prayingforafamily]

Firstly... thoughts with all those who have had to postpone their treatment due to the current situation and sending lots of love. I Had my FET cancelled today due to thin lining, it was only 4.8 after 19 days of 14mg of estrogen in patches, oral and virginal pills, viagra and aspirin. I had been on 3 month hrt protocol after having a fee as cancelled fresh cycle last year due to lining and my consultant today said what I was dreading and admitted we are running out of options. My estrogen levels were high so took on the estrogen but my uterus just did not respond. My clinic don’t believe in the G-CEF wash and so I asked about natural cycles which they can try but not expecting much as I didn’t have good linings on my fresh. I have acupuncture, reflexology, lots of vits inc vit E and l’argine and a great diet with exercise and a hysterscopy which didn’t know show any issues except thin pale lining. I have 2 top grade embryos waiting and I’m petrified I will never get chance to transfer them. Obviously due to the virus any treatment is on hold for a while but if any one has any advice whatsoever I would be greatly appreciative xx TIA

[Libsie3103]

I'm so sorry to hear this - sounds like we had similar appointments today... Was about to message you. Have you tried a mild stimulated cycle or will they not do that because of the issues with your fresh transfer? That's what's been suggested to me to try next, that or a natural cycle. Really hope some others may have some advice we can both benefit from xx

[Prayingforafamily in reply to Libsie3103]

Me too. I was positive until today. How was your lining on your fresh? Were you on contraceptive pill at all? Sometimes if in a long time it affects the cells but is quite rare so I may just be unlucky.. although I didn’t use it for long. I did ask if it was end of the road and my consultant said we could try natural and perhaps low stimulation. Just a pain having to wait for who knows when. Did you have a consultation today?

[Libsie3103 in reply to Prayingforafamily]

Yes, I managed to get an appointment with another Consultant hoping I could move forward soon. Clearly that isn't going to happen... Apparently my lining on my fresh transfer was 9mm so they were happy with that. I've never been on the pill as I suffer from blood clots so can't take it. Sounds like you were told the same as me today! I'm inclined towards mild stimulation. They said they could do a freeze all round while we wait but I'm reluctant to have any more frozen as at this moment in time we have no way of transferring them so I'd rather do another fresh. I'm also confused by the message they sent today and what my Consultant told me there would be no FETs... Who knows! xx

[Libsie3103]

That’s so strange - the Consultant said there was a CEO directive just before my appointment that no FETs could go ahead. They’d do mild stimulation freeze all cycles but that’s it. When was your appointment? Apparently he go the email just before 1330. Are you going to join the FB live tomorrow? If not I’ll update you xx

[Prayingforafamily in reply to Libsie3103]

My appointment was 8.30 after my scan so may be was after that. X

[Prayingforafamily in reply to Libsie3103]

Yeah please do as I came off facebook for the time being. X

[Libsie3103 in reply to Prayingforafamily]

Of course, I’ll message later and let you know what they say xx

[articsnowfox]

Hi there, your thin lining might be due to poor blood flow rather than lack of estrogen. This is what I had, and what seemed to work was pentoxifyline (800 mg/day) plus vitamin e (1000 IU/dauy) together. Pentoxifyline is a drug that increases blood to the pelvic area and vitamin e is a vasodilator. This combination seemed to work for me - i went from a patchy lining that was around 5-6mm (from memory - this was a long time ago!) to around 7-8mm and my lining at my last FET was 8.5mm (and was successful). It can take up to 3 months of taking it to see results but with me, it seemed to thicken after a month...

[Cinderella5 in reply to articsnowfox]

Hi articsnowfox, did your clinic give you a presription for this or did you buy it somewhere? Someone recommended this to me a while back but as its prescription only in the UK it wasnt an option.xx

[articsnowfox in reply to Cinderella5]

it was a prescription drug - luckily my doc was open to suggestions (because her suggestions definitely weren't working...)

[Cinderella5 in reply to articsnowfox]

Good to know, thanks! Ive thankfully managed to get my lining to behave recently but will bear this in mind and it might be something Tia can discuss with her consultant.xx

[Louloulovelle in reply to Cinderella5]

Hi - sorry to hear of the struggles with your linings. I just wanted to add that my sister went through similar issues (lining was <2mm) and she tried absolutely everything and in the end it was pentoxyfilline that made a huge difference for her and got her 2 BFP (actually in completely natural non IVF cycles despite her being close to starting IVF the first time). She had had a complicated history due to getting Asherman’s syndrome from a dnc but ultimately the resulting issue was next to no lining. She saw loads of specialists (including an expert in California) but the end result was she came back to the UK and was able to get pentoxyfilline and it was a total game changer for her. She even calls it the magic drug. I think it’s harder but possible to get on the NHS but worth at least asking about? Xx good luck x

[Cinderella5]

Im so sorry this isnt working out for you, massively frustrating! It might be an option to use stims to help your lining. I have seen a few others use this. I also got recommended the pentoxifylline but I think you need this on prescription. When you had your hysteroscopy did they mention scar tissue at all? I had thick white scar tissue and the consultant cut mine away but not sure if this would help you at all? I didnt have mine done here but you can read about the proceedure....I'll PM you as it mentions a clinic that does it. Hugs.xxx

[Prayingforafamily]

Thankyou both for your suggestions, I did mention pentoxifylline to my consultant, he said he could look at adding into my next mock cycle but as viagra and aspirin didn’t do much he wasn’t hopeful as he said they do much the same thing. Cinderella my hysterscopy didn’t find any scarring at all just pale lining. X

[articsnowfox in reply to Prayingforafamily]

aspirin didn't do anything for mine, and i did take viagra orally and it did increase my lining but i think it ended up being a weird lining because even though it was around 8mm, my subsequent period was super thin and watery, so i think the structure of the lining was off. That was also the cycle we put back the best blastocyst of a super good cycle (6 top quality blastocysts) and it was completely negative...it could have been bad luck but it also definitely could have been the weird lining :/ Also, make sure the pentoxifyline is taken in combination with vitamin e...good luck!

[MGM84]

Try stimming almost as if you were going to do a retrieval and PRP washes. I had the same issue as you for two years and never thought I’d get pregnant. I’m now a little over six weeks. Measuring behind and not sure if this is a viable pregnancy, but that’s a whole separate issue. Also, once you’re pregnant your lining (ironically) gets huge. I have a feeling, and my doctor has said the same, that pregnancy resets a thin lining. Good luck!

[Prayingforafamily in reply to MGM84]

Fingers crossed your little bean is ok xxxx thanks for the advice is PRP the G-CEF wash? If so my clinic won’t use it and after contacting other clinics that do I would have to change clinics completely as they only offer it to their own patients

[MGM84 in reply to Prayingforafamily]

Sorry I just saw this for some reason. No, G-CSF doesn’t work. PRP is platelet rich plasma. It’s where they spin down your own blood to extract the platelets, it looks like a gold liquid, then put it in your uterus like a wash. It’s got multiple growth factors that encourage the lining to grow. I hope that helps and really do wish you the best of luck. I know how frustrating this problem is, but I believe you’ll get there.

[Prayingforafamily in reply to MGM84]

Thanks for this. I will mention it to the clinic, never heard of it before.

[Cinderella5 in reply to Prayingforafamily]

Im not sure this is available in the UK. Its still very experimental and some clinics abroad are doing it but as I said its all pretty new and there are only a few studies have been done on this to date.xx

[MGM84 in reply to Prayingforafamily]

I’m in the U.S. so that may be why. A lot of these add ons are experimental insofar as there isn’t a significant body of clinical data supporting their efficacy. But when you are down to no other options it doesn’t hurt to try anything, especially if it won’t hurt you. For me, PRP was a game changer. It’s extremely safe because it’s autologous, meaning it’s your own blood being used. The only risk is the same risk of infection that a catheter poses in any other treatment, i.e. IUI, embryo transfer etc.

[Louloulovelle]

Hi - sorry to hear of the struggles with your linings. I just wanted to add that my sister went through similar issues (lining was <2mm) and she tried absolutely everything and in the end it was pentoxyfilline that made a huge difference for her and got her 2 BFP (actually in completely natural non IVF cycles despite her being close to starting IVF the first time). She had had a complicated history due to getting Asherman’s syndrome from a dnc but ultimately the resulting issue was next to no lining. She saw loads of specialists (including an expert in California) but the end result was she came back to the UK and was able to get pentoxyfilline and it was a total game changer for her. She even calls it the magic drug. I think it’s harder but possible to get on the NHS but worth at least asking about? Xx good luck x

P.s this is a copy of my response to Cinderella as I’ve just re-read the thread and realised I mixed up who was experiencing this issue now x

[Baggit]

Hi dear, when I read your message, it was almost as if I’m reading my own experience. Exactly everything u mentioned u have been going through it. Same number of frozen embryos, same lining, same hacks tried but no response. I’m now on my fourth cycle try, and we first thought of doing mild stimulation but later decided to just give stimulated IUI a shot. If this cycle doesn’t work, we might try mild stimulation.

Due to covid I can’t go back to my home country(where my embryos are frozen) to get the transfer anyways, hence we thought taking IUI route to not waste a cycle, ideally IVF would have been better but dint wanna put that money right away.

I’m on cycle day 12 and yesterday my lining was 6mm. Historically it has been like that but doesn’t go beyond this no matter what I do even TIL day 19 or 20. I will have my scan again in 2 days - I will keep you posted.

We are in this together, and journey is very disappointing and tiring but I’m hopeful we will get through it.

[Prayingforafamily]

That is great news. Mine is usually 5ish and then stops, so hoping if I try natural I may have improvement as estrogen just doesn’t help my lining at all. Keep me updated. Good luck xx

[Facingreality]

Hi, Prayingforafamily. I pray things work out for you 🙏

Did viagra (Sildenafil?) improve your lining some, or not at all?

My doctor has prescribed it, I have never used it before.

Did you experience any side effects from viagra?

I am having acupuncture too, vitamin E, diet and light exercise.

Best wishes

[Prayingforafamily]

Hi, it didn’t actually do anything for me I’m afraid, they couldn’t find anything to improve the thickness of my lining, and could find a reason why it was so thin. As I had a good structure they transferred on 6mm. I have many friends who it has worked for though so certainly worth a shot x