Lining shrinking during FET

[Hoop123]

Well it looks like I'm playing IVF bingo. I went for my third scan this morning for my FET, after being called back in, and instead of my lining increasing, it has shrunk and is less triple lined than it was on Monday (!!!). So 99.9% sure this round is cancelled.

They will call me with the plan for our next steps after their review but I'm pretty gutted and can't believe my fear actually came true.

I don't know if we've somehow missed the window to start progesterone (if that's a thing) or if my lining was always heading this way. But if anyone has any past experience of this and what might happen next that would be great to hear.

The nurse suggested there might be a way we can start again after this coming bleed, which would be pretty great. But at this stage I am not super hopeful about anything.

[Millbanks]

Hi lovely, so sorry to hear this - it's so frustrating when your body doesn't play ball.At this stage it's much better to cancel as if your lining is getting thinner now it definitely won't be optimum for the embryo to implant.

The good news is that just because this has happened this month, does not mean it will happen again. Each cycle is different - I've had months where my lining is way too thin and just not good and the next month super thick and triple lined.

So when you start your next bleed, you'll do the same protocol again (very likely) and they might increase your oestrogen tablets straight away - this tended to help me get to minimum thickness required.

In terms of progesterone, they will only start you once your lining is ready, so you don't "miss the window" as such - it just moves back slightly.

Best of luck xx

[Hoop123 in reply to Millbanks]

Thanks Millbanks. It's so frustrating, isn't it?! But I agree, clearly this month is not ideal for transfer and I am grateful I know now rather than on the day itself. Or going ahead blindly. I don't even know what I did wrong or right, sigh. The lack of control is horrid.

Thank you for the comfort that it doesn't mean it will happen again. It's weirdly comforting to hear that it does fluctuate for people month to month and it doesn't mean I'm stuck in a bad lining rut.

When you say "next bleed" do you mean my withdrawal bleed or the one after that? I'd love if it was this upcoming one. Unfortunately, I'm already pretty much maxed out on estrogen but there must be something they can tweak - I am on 4 x progynova a day (orally) plus 2 x patches (changed every two days). On my last FET that's the dose I ended up on after my day 10 scan so we started with it right away this time. No issues that round and we hit 7mm! I wonder if I need to be monitored a bit more but fingers crossed they come back with a plan.

Is there anything in particular you changed for your thicker round after a thin one? I know it's largely a matter of trial and error but any ideas would be fab.

But phew to the "window" not being a thing... xx

[Millbanks in reply to Hoop123]

Aww you absolutely didn't do anything wrong - and you're right - the lack of control is awful!I have done a new FET cycle on a withdrawal bleed, but I had to push my clinic to let me - they preferred me to have a month in between - but you can definitely ask them.

For my last (successful) FET I was on 12mg progynova a day! They started me on 12mg a day after my previous FET was delayed due to thin lining, I stayed on that dose to 12 weeks so they can definitely increase it if needs be!

There's lots of old wives tales about raspberry leaf tea helping to thicken the lining, but I wasn't a fan of the tea so took raspberry left tablets instead (1 a day). I also took vitamin E which is supposed to help.... who knows if it did?? The clinic also put me on aspirin which is supposed to help with blood flow to the uterus so in theory should help with thickening too.

Fingers crossed for you!! xx

[Hoop123 in reply to Millbanks]

Thanks Millbanks 💕😊 I also hope your haematoma is going okay/clearing and isn't too stressful for you. xx

[Ranchu90]

I had a similar situation, my lining also shrank but difference it is that it shrank after I started to take progesterone not before that. I had few scans before taking progesteron all looked good, on transfer day my lining was only 7mm - minimum required. We went ahead with the transfer but unfortunately it didn't work. On next transfer my doctor decided to increase proginova/estrogen to 10mg and I had to take them vaginally. It helped a lot, on transfer day my lining was 10mm and was a successful transfer. They explained me that if once happened this doesn't mean will happen all the time but your doctor needs to keep a very close eye next time and adjust the medications accordingly.

I am really sorry that your have to go through this, take care of yourself 🤗❤️

[Hoop123 in reply to Ranchu90]

Thanks Ranchu - I read the stories of lining shrinking and had this weird gut feeling it would happen to me this time. And it did! It's really comforting to hear it doesn't mean it will happen again.

I am on 8mg progynova orally plus 2x patches (changed every second day) so I'm going to be interested to see what they suggest next. On another FET I also tried 8mg progynova increased to 12mg (all still orally) and no patches but it didn't have a great effect. 10mm is an amazing result!

I think there will be a lot more tears once I can finally log off from work but hopefully I'll feel better once I know the plan from the clinic. Thank you for the kind words ❤️ xx

[JA-fnuk Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Thinking of you Janet

[Hoop123 in reply to JA-fnuk]

Thanks Janet ❤️