Ashermans syndrome, endometrium 2.5mm, poor responder, trying ICSI one last time for surrogacy

Hi everyone, I’ve started a short protocol this week 450 Ovaleap to combine with Menopur from day 8 to try and get a blastocyst to freeze for potential surrogacy

After many years of having a Mirena coil for heavy periods, my then partner and I decided to start to try for a baby. I thought it was strange that when I had the coil out my periods remained just as light as when I had it in. I decided to do some hormone tests, and discovered I had a high prolactin and a low AMH (4). We wanted to be proactive so saw a fertility clinic, and they recommended we proceed with icsi (low sperm morphology) for our best chance. Did 1 long protocol, 8 follicles initially which dropped to 5 and on egg collection only 2 eggs were collected. Both failed to fertilise. My lining also never thickened past 3.5mm. I did a HRT challenge for 60 days after this to see if I could thicken the lining, but it didn’t change despite 8mg oestrogen orally a day.

Waiting for my next cycle my partner and I were having increasing difficulties and he left the relationship saying he did not want to be in any relationship wanting to go it alone. I then found out I was pregnant naturally the week after he left, but began bleeding 3 days after finding out. After an agonising month or so of bed rest and seeing an ever growing subchorionic heamatoma on scans it was unfortunately diagnosed as a missed miscarriage at 7w4d, measuring 6w4d. I had surgical management as they were concerned how large the heamatoma was, and at 3 weeks post-op my hcg was still positive. I went back to EPAU and they re-scanned, to discover they had left the baby and sac behind. I was listed for another EVAC. I then had a long-awaited hysteroscopy the following month to look at my lining issues, and the surgeon found scarring obliterating my cavity. He thinks this was due to the 2 miscarriage surgeries. I had the adhesions divided and was started on 6 weeks of HRT.

However, my period never came back afterwards, and I underwent another hysteroscopy which showed some reformation of the scars but a very thin lining, and ultrasound has confirmed my lining is now just 2.5mm on oestrogen and viagra combined. The thinking is that a curettage I had ages 17 for heavy periods in the same procedure my first Mirena was inserted may have damaged my endometrium irreversibly. In better news my AMH had improved to 8 when last checked, and AFC to 10 (I think due to DHEA and the effect of the hcg from pregnancy). I consulted with a couple of fertility clinics and essentially I’ve been told I will probably never be able to carry a baby and my only chance is to try one more round of ivf/icsi on the hope of getting a blast to freeze and then purse a surrogate. I started my short protocol this week and will be using donor sperm. It’s been such an emotional year, I feel like I need to know I’ve tried everything. Please reach out if anything resonates, wishing you all the best on your journey.

NB. I’ve been taking DHEA, coq10, vitamin E, l-arginine, Maca, aspirin, NAC, magnesium, choline, theanine, vitamin d, vitamin c, folic acid, pregnacare, omega 3, flaxseeds. Raspberry leaf tea. I’ve also tried testosterone gel and Norethisterone priming for this cycle, the latter necessary as I don’t have periods now so they’ve started my stims the day after stopping Norethisterone.

[katiehopeful81]

I just wanted to reach out and say I think you are super brave. I’m so sorry to hear about all the difficulties you’ve had. You’ve had such a rough journey. I really hope this cycle goes well and you get some blastocysts. Can I ask, which sperm bank did you use? Was this an easy process? A friend recently suggested to me why that if my cycles don’t work to consider surrogacy. How have you managed to navigate this?Sending hugs and good luck vibes xxx

[Hidden in reply to katiehopeful81]

Thank you so much for your reply and for taking the time to reach out. It means so much. It’s such a daunting time, actually starting the cycle has made me feel even more emotional and anxious than I anticipated, I think it’s the finality and gravity of it all. I know my chances are so low yet I have to do this to know I’ve given it my all, but I am suddenly panicking about whether I’ve not done/done anything that might lower my chances. What is your story? I used California Cryobank, they were very helpful, and they ship to the clinic once the clinic has authorised the sperm following their HFEA checks. It took about 8 weeks from me ordering for it to arrive. Will you potentially do a donor cycle with surrogacy in mind too? Wishing you all the very best, keep me posted xxx

[katiehopeful81 in reply to Hidden]

So I’m just about to do a FET with my partner but I have autoimmune issues and a demanding job so I worry that the blastocysts may not stick. I’m also 41, 42 next month so the chances of my embryos being normal are really low. I have 5 blastocysts and we were told roughly 20-25% are normal at our age. I want to get excited but the last few years have been so awful that I just can’t see anything positive happening. I hope this isn’t the case obviously. I guess I’m always thinking about what next. Have you managed to find a surrogate? I heard you can’t pay for a surrogate but you pay ‘expenses’? Xx big hugs

[Hidden in reply to katiehopeful81]

I completely understand what you mean about not being able to imagine a positive turn of events/outcome after nothing but blow after blow. I have my first scan today and can’t help but play through in my head the fact that I am sure there will be barely any follicles and they’ll suggest cancelling. I don’t mean to sound pessimistic, it’s just the way the whole thing has been start to finish you know? It sounds like things have been so taxing for you. When is your FET? I am wishing you all the best I am so rooting for you! Will you keep me posted? I hope this is where it all turns round for you. In terms of surrogacy you join agencies when the clinic confirm you can’t carry I don’t think you can just sign up so to speak. I haven’t got to this point yet as I’m trying not to get ahead of myself. And yes you can’t pay them but pay expenses, I’ve been told to expect it to cost £20000-250000 all in all. And you have to adopt the child as the surrogate/her husband if she has one are the legal parents at birth. Surrogacy agreements are done but a bit like a prenup in this country, they aren’t legally binding. However very few cases of problems with this have been encountered. Does that help at all?x

[katiehopeful81 in reply to Hidden]

Yes that does help. Wow. It’s expensive isn’t it?! I didn’t realise you ‘had’To be declared unable to carry the baby. I thought that if there were risks to your Heath tho or you had multiple implantation failures then maybe you could… I have my scan on 28 sept and then will hopefully take oestrogen for 10’days and then transfer 5 days later. Fingers crossed my lining behaves and it all goes according to plan. I’ve just had to have Prostrap injections for 3 months as I have mild endometriosis and adenomyosis.. so I’ve been in artificial menopause. My last egg collection was also traumatic and I ended up having an mild internal bleed which caused me a lot of pain. I hope this all works out… as you say it’s hard to imagine when things have been so tough. Good luck with your scan tomorrow xxx

[Hidden in reply to katiehopeful81]

Looking into it a bit more this week I think there’s some sort of report your GP and/or fertility clinic have to provide, but things like recurrent implantation failures etc are the set of reasons that would go on there. Let me know how your research goes? I’ve got 4 follicles in the running and a few small ones that they don’t think will do much now. Praying for steady growth for scan Friday and hopefully trigger Saturday for EC Monday xxx

[katiehopeful81 in reply to Hidden]

Hope everything has been going ok. Good luck for your EC on Monday xxx

[RecipIVF]

Just wanted to say you are such a trooper and I wish you all the best 💕💕xx

[Hidden in reply to RecipIVF]

Thank you, this made me cry, means so much and I am so grateful for you reaching out and the words of support xxx

[josephnsn]

Oh my goodness you have been through so much. Your determination to keep going is amazing. I have had 2 successful Icsi but my only issue was been older. Last baby at 45.

Keep going and I hope that your perseverance will be rewarded.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you. Miracles do happen