Super thin lining - is all hope lost?

[Anon9899]

Hi all. Feeling pretty down after just having my CD11 scan (I'm on letrozole cycle 2) and being told my lining is only 1.7mm.

Last cycle it was 3.4mm on CD14 so still very thin hence why they wanted to monitor again this time round. I ovulated on CD21 last month I think so hopefully I have another 10 days for it to thicken up.

Just feeling like it's all a bit hopeless at the moment. I'm being scanned again in a week which will be CD19 so just hoping for a miraculous amount of thickening by then because I know these numbers are just totally not viable.

Does anyone have any nice success stories or tips to share?

The consultant seemed to think IVF would still be an option because they can use oestrogen then to thicken it up and do frozen transfer but oestrogen isnt an option at the moment because it will impact ovulation.

Hi. How big were your follicles? I've done 3 cycles with letrozole and it does make my lining thin. My clinic uses progynova (Estrogen) to thicken my lining. I take it when I stop letrozole and then have a scan around cd11. Last time I tried it my follicles were 20mm so I used a trigger that evening.

If your follicles were still on the small side there's a chance your lining will thicken. But if they're over 18mm, you're close to ovulation so not enough time to get to a good triple layer thickness.

Ask your doctor for Estrogen, it's not just for ivf. I surged on my own last month despite the estrogen and the trigger injection just boosted it to make me ovulate all the follicles but I think I would've ovulated on my own x

@VenusStarr thanks for taking the time to reply! Hope it all works for you 💖

I think I had one follicle of 13 point something but clearly am not about to ovulate any time soon so hopefully still time to build. Last cycle I was scanned a week before ovulation and I had a 19mm follicle then.

I did ask about oestrogen but they said they dont offer that because it would stop me ovulating (I haven't been offered trigger shot either or any mention of one so not sure it's something they do at my NHS clinic.)

Just have to hope my lining goes wild over the next week and see where we're at next Friday when I get rescanned!

@Anon9899 yes, sounds like you're a bit away. Try and grt moving everyday for a brisk walk, vitamin E is good (but stop after ovulation). I've also drank pomegranate juice and eaten beetroot - not sure if they definitely help but worth a try. Good luck for your follow up scan 🤞

Hi @Anon9899 how did you get on? I feel I’m in a very similar situation. Very light periods since stopping the pill over a year ago and a stubborn thin lining on monitoring scans. I’m on my first cycle of letrozole, but my CD11 scan only showed a 4mm lining despite my follicle being 19mm.

Starting to feel like this will never happen, so on the look out for some positivity!!

@JadeCat - @Anon9899

How are you both getting on? I'm in a similar boat - had a CD10 scan yesterday and my lining was 4mm.

I have no idea where to go next - i'm back in for a scan tomorrow as they think the letrozole may make me ovulate tomorrow/ or give trigger.

@Optimistic66 I tried letrozole for one month but it didn’t help with my lining. I only got up to 5mm at ovulation. This month I tried FSH injections with estrogen patches I got up to 7.1mm at trigger. I was super worried about trying injections but they were fine!

Because the lining increased with extra estrogen my doctor thinks my thin lining is hormone related which has made me feel more confident that there are solutions out there (I’m convinced it’s being on the pill for so long!)

I’m going to keep going with the injections for the next few months and then consider IVF.

It’s tough going isn’t it. Hope you’re doing okay.

Thanks for responding @JadeCat - did you have to have a break between your letrozole cycle to your next?

It feels like such a journey to get here and then it feels like another roadblock.

How thick does your lining need to be? Was your consultant happy?

Hoping there is some improvement tomorrow but really not holding my breath.

Fingers crossed for you xx

@Optimistic66 i know all of the appointments can be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. Don’t be too disheartened if it doesn’t thicken this month. I was so upset when the letrozole didn’t work but I went straight on to injections after the letrozole.

My doctor said there wasn’t any point carrying on with it. He wanted to see the lining to be between 7 - 8mm. I’ve only been able to get up to 6mm on my own, been trying for 15 months, periods have been very very light and not had a hint of a bfp :(

Do they think your lining is why you’ve not been able to conceive?

@Optimistic66 Just to add - he was really happy with the injections. He said it looked like a different uterus so that made me feel better, and it did look slightly bigger on one side. Normally it’s just a flat line (hopefully you know what I mean 😂)

Honestly I actually felt so disheartened - like it always feels one thing after another. So they think im anovulatory but could quite work out why which is why they started me on letrozole - which worked and produced a follicle however the lining is still thin (3.8mm) was 4.2mm last time at CD12 (but without letrozole).

Hopefully they can now sort the lining issue to give a good stab. Its nice to hear that you've had such a improvement - I couldnt seem to find many positive stories on here/google which in itself felt disappointing.

Are you in the 2ww? How do you feel? Are you private or the NHS?

It’s so disappointing isn’t it. I’ve trawled google and every forum for thin lining success stories and it made me so stressed and down as there isn’t much on it.

Maybe ask to try FSH injections? It’s just another type of ovulation induction. When I spoke to my consultant he said lining issues are often either hormonal or a problem with the lining itself, so he wanted to try letrozole first then injections. As the injections worked he’s confident it’s hormonal which has given me hope.

I’m doing the fsh injections privately. Just finished the TWW. This cycle didn’t work. Had an emotional breakdown on Sunday 😂 but starting feel more positive about the road ahead!

Are you NHS or private?

@Optimistic66 I forgot to tag you in my last post. How are you getting on?

Hey @JadeCat sorry didn't see your last post!

Sorry to hear your cycle didnt work! Honestly it so devestating - Have you started injections again?

I had a scan saturday - my lining got to 6.5mm and I was told to trigger but doctor still thought it was thin so not holding out much hope. We DTD sat, sun, mon and will do tonight and then officially in 2WW.

You cant help but get your hopes up can you.

Next cycle there will be a baseline scan CD2 - and then go from there in terms of how to get lining thick or do more tests.

How are you feeling now? What CD are you?

@Optimistic66 I know I was so upset. I wasn’t expecting it to work after just one month but was still gutted, as you feel like you’re doing ‘everything’ and it’s still not enough!

I can’t do the injections this month as I have a HSG test on the NHS which is booked for this week (part of pre IVF investigations). My private doctor said it would be best to take a month off as they could interfere with the test and then re start in May. I’m currently on CD7 actually looking forward to a scan free month!

Really pleased to hear your lining has got up to 6.5mm. I think that’s a good sign, as it’s got thicker. Good going on the DTD - it’s bloody hard going after the trigger, there’s so much pressure! Fingers crossed for you xx

I know it so disheartening - like in my heart of hearts i know it wont work this cycle but will know i will be so upset too.

Fingers crossed that it goes well - is that where they have a look with a camera? The hycosy was more painful - i found the camera relatively ok.

Yeah i still felt disappointed with 6.5mm - it so sad like why cant my body just do what its meant to??

What day did your doctor say to DTD after trigger? i've done every night since trigger (sat) and think i'll do today for good measure.

Do you do BBT? my BBT has not risen yet.

@JadeCat - sorry didnt tag you above.

I know it’s really really shit, i’m convinced my thin lining is caused from 10 years on the pill. I wish I’d stopped it sooner. A couple of my friends are pregnant who have never taken the pill which has made me feel worse.

It’s the one with the dye - not looking forward to it.

I stopped doing my BBT as it made me go a bit obsessive about temp spikes etc. It became another thing to worry about.

My doctor just said do it as much as possible we did it day before trigger, day of, 2 x the day after and day after that. Then we were exhausted so stopped! To be honest I don’t think it matters that much, next month I might just do 24 hours after trigger - 36 hours and then every other day.

How long have you been TTC for?

@Optimistic66 forgot to tag!

@Optimistic66 - how did you get on after the trigger?

I think I’m out for this month.

@JadeCat how many DPO are you?

I'm on CD9 - unfortunately cycle one for me was a BFN.

I definitely ovulated cycle one, which is good news. I've got my first scan for the cycle on Thursday so hoping i have thicker lining this cycle. Added in all the beetroot, socks etc.

How was your lining?

@Optimistic66 - sorry to hear last months cycle didn’t work. It’s so disappointing isn’t it.

I came on yesterday - feeling a bit sad about it even though I knew it wouldn’t have worked. We have also been approved for IVF on the NHS. The wait time is around 2-3 months. Feel daunted by it in case my lining doesn’t play ball.

I’m going to do the injections again this month to try and thicken things up.

Best of luck for your scan on Thursday.

Hi @JadeCat

Ahh that's good to know you have IVF in the plans. Sorry to hear you've just come on! i know how devastating it is. This process is just shit.

I think IVF works better as they can give you estrogen medicine to support it whereas in letrozole cycle it works by suppressing. I'm CD10 - so will see what my scan says tomorrow- nervous my lining will still be poor.

@Optimistic66 thank you. Feel better about things today and more optimistic.

If it isn’t where you want it tomorrow, just remember day 10 is still early and it can still increase from day 10 to day 14/15/16.

Do you think they will offer you alternatives if the letrozole doesn’t thicken the lining to where they want it this cycle?

@JadeCat Thank you!

I've gone for daily walks, acupuncture, beetroot juice, broccoli etc. and vitamin e.

Genuinely couldn't do any more than what I am doing.

I will definitely discuss what's next if lining isn't where I want it to be.

How was yours last cycle? What vitamins etc do you take? xx

Sounds like you’re doing everything you can! I really enjoyed going to acupuncture I think it does help to improve the lining and some people have really good results. I’ve taken a break from it to help with costs.

Last ovulation induction cycle I got up to 7.2mm using FSH injections and estrogen patches. I’m hoping I can do the same or better this month.

Ive been taking Nutri Advanced pregnancy multi vitamins, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Coq10 and an omega 3 fish oil. It all adds up!! Not sure they’ve done too much to help the lining it makes you feel like you’re doing something.

I just wish I hadn’t stayed on the pill for so long. I feel like it’s the main culprit behind thin linings!