Estrofem, spotting and late period

[Titawine]

I'm frustrated because I'm supposed to so a FET this cycle , last cycle I was taking progesterone, than I started spotting even with progesterone, so my doctor told me to stop taking it and start taking estrofem 3 times a day , now it's been 7 days and no period , just spotting, brown and dark discharge and some clots. I don't know what to do I really need to have the best circumstances to do a FET but it's starting bad right now, anyone had the same problem? What did you do ?

[Lancal]

Are you hoping to have a full period? Is that the aim?

Estrofem alone is just an estrogen replacement. It is supposed to stop your period while you are taking it by itself, to build up your uterine lining. This is what would happen after ovulation in a regular, non-medicated cycle.

I have taken HRT for years because of a genetic disorder which caused premature menopause. Sometimes I will get breakthrough bleeding when I am only taking estrogen and not supposed to. When this happens, my doctor will sometimes increase the dose of estrogen, or otherwise change the brand/type I am taking. All women absorb and react to HRT differently.

If you are trying to build up your lining right now, I would speak to your doctor, because the bleeding/spotting means you are shedding the lining instead of building it up. If you want to have a full period first, you should also speak to your doctor, because you shouldn't be on estrofem alone for that.

Hope this helps. x

[Titawine in reply to Lancal]

Thank you for your reply.Actually I was hoping for a full period than start to build the lining. The protocol was to take estrofem from day one of my period and do a check 12 days after. I took estrofem in my stimulation cycle but I had my period back then.

I will see my doctor today and hope for good news.

[Lancal in reply to Titawine]

That is the standard protocol - what you have written above.

If you started taking the estrofem straight away (as soon as you stopped the progesterone), though, you never gave your body a chance to get a full period before taking the estrogen.

Your body has to have big drop in estrogen and progesterone to get a period (shed the lining), hence why you need to stop HRT until day 1.

Good luck with the doctor. Hopefully it all gets sorted out.

[Titawine in reply to Lancal]

Exactly thank you, o was my idea and I asked the doctor if I should wait to have a real bleeding before taking the estrofem he told me no you start taking it right away , I don't understand why , I will see what he has to say today if it's a mistakes I will be so pissed because I was really looking for this transfer to work 😭😭😭

[Lancal in reply to Titawine]

Well, I don't know if I should tell you this, but I will because it might help. I didn't get a withdrawal bleed before my first transfer (I was using donor eggs from a 24 year old because of my genetic disorder, so it was all medicated and I was coming off regular HRT). My specialist told me it didn't matter and to just build the lining on top of whatever was already there.

That transfer failed and the embryo was euploid and chromosomally normal. I was so angry and still swear it was because I never allowed my body to start afresh. That was the best chance I have ever had, or will ever likely have, to fall pregnant.

Some doctors do not think the withdrawal bleed matters, but personally, I do. It does not seem right to me at all to not fully shed the old lining. I remember saying it at the time but did what the doctor said. I then regretted it. I shouldn't have gone ahead with it.

[Titawine in reply to Lancal]

Thank you for all the information I think you just saved me from a failed transfer , I went to see my doctor today , he was like OK you're in day 8 your endometrial is good 12 mm , and I was like no I didn't get my period normally the lining should be gone before building it again , he Saud ok if you're not comfortable we can delay the transfer for another cycle

[Lancal in reply to Titawine]

I honestly believe you made the right choice. My lining was thick when this happened to me, too. 12mm. Other times since, after a normal withdrawal bleed, it has been thinner, around 9.5mm.

I just know that if you went ahead and it does fail this cycle, you will always look back and regret it, because you didn’t give it your best shot.

Because it’s medicated, it won’t take you long to get back where you were. Just an extra two weeks.

Wishing you all the best of luck. I’ll be thinking of you. x 🤞🏼

[Titawine in reply to Lancal]

Thank you 😊, should I stop taking estrofem ? He told me to take it for another 10 days and start taking progesterone next week for 10 days

[Lancal]

I am not a doctor - I just need to make that clear. I only know this because I have been taking HRT for years and have done it lots of ways. One of those ways, when I was still in my late 20s early 30s, was to mimic a natural cycle.

If you are taking HRT to mimic a natural cycle, you would take estrogen (estrofem) alone for 12 to 14 days. You would then add in progesterone (so take both estrofem and use utrogestan) for 12 to 14 days, then stop altogether until you get a withdrawal bleed, then on day one of the bleed you start the cycle again.

Now, this is the part I question about what your doctor has told you. You have already been taking estrogen alone for 8 days (am I correct?), so if you wanted to mimic a natural cycle completely, you would only take it alone for 4 more days before adding in the progesterone. This would save you a week of time.

Your lining is nice and thick now. You don't really need to build it anymore before adding in the progesterone, then stopping, to get a full bleed. If you wanted to hurry it along, your doctor could also get you to start the progesterone now. You would still get a full bleed when you stop. You aren't actually mimicking a natural cycle now, anyway, because you have been doing the whole progesterone/estrogen thing a while with no period.

I don't want to recommend anything your doctor hasn't told you, though. The doctor may have asked you to do it for a reason I am unaware of. If you want to change things, I would call the doctor or clinic a call and ask.

Good luck!

[Titawine in reply to Lancal]

Thank you 😊 , I think he want to delay my AF as there will be holidays on my country soon. Thank you for all the informations I really appreciate, wish you all the best 👍❤

[Lancal in reply to Titawine]

You too. I’m crossing my fingers and toes for you! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

[sunset212]

Hi firstly is it a medicated FET whereby they are inducing ovulation with oestrogen or is it a natural FET where you ovulate naturally with the addition of progesterone. This is important because if the first you most definately need progesterone supplements because your own body will not produce progesterone as you have medically induced ovulation and so not progesterone will naturally be produced by the empty follicle ( ie egg sack) and will need it adding. You say you spotted on the first FET try after taking progesterone, which could signify depending on when in the cycle your spotting happened that your progesterone supplement was not high enough to maintain necessary levels if you are suffering low progesterone. There is evidence that all FET cycles can benefit from progesterone added as its not harmful and even if your body produces a sufficient amount ( natural Fet) it will help ensure the right environment is optimum for the embryo to implant successfully. I have done 2 cycles with FET ( natural) and was given cycogest pesseries 400mg each to take once in morning and once in evening ( 12 hours apart at roughly the same time each day) this has been shown to give good theraputic levels. I have a little boy from my first cycle and i am 21 weeks now with my second natural FET using the same protocol. I would go back to your consultant and ask for a progesterone test on a mock cycle on what would be day of transfer to see if your levels are low or normal. Then still ask about adding cyclogest. It sounds like the last FET with the changed medication has confused your body! Good luck hun xxx