Estrogen patches - thin lining and fluid on a FET?

[FlapJackered]

Looking for some experience in this.

In the process of a FET and on CD13 at the moment. A scan on cd10 and 13 today has shown a lining of 5mm and fluid in the uterus. 🙁 I also have a cyst on my ovary which they think is causing these issues.

They thought it was likely my cycle would be cancelled but now they have decided to give me an estrogen patch and rescan on Tuesday.
Has anyone had success with the patches helping the lining enough?

I am a bit worried as I have one decent embryo in storage and that's it so I don't want to risk wasting it. It seems unlikely much is going to change by Tuesday.

When I do a cycle I'm on 12mg of estrogen tablets and two 100mg patches changed every 48 hours, as my lining struggles to thicken. Sometimes it's been started lower then upped. My latest cycle the doctor said he thinks the patches work better than the tablets. My protocols also includes viagra, aspiring
and one or two neupogen inclusions into the uterus, all to help my lining. The neupogen is one of those things that doesn't have much data behind it and is expensive (although my measurement does seem to go up after then, but I sometimes suspect generous measuring!). The viagra gives me a few days of awful headaches when I first start. Personally I don't think the viagra does anything, but I have no clue.

I've had fluid in the lining before and had to cancel. I've also had a cyst and didn't need to cancel (they did a blood test to see if it was releasing hormones I think), although I did eventually have surgery to remove it as it got big.

Good luck!

Thanks @seven201 that's really helpful.
Did your lining ever improve enough with the patches?
I can't imagine mine getting to above 8mm in 2 days of the patches after being at 5mm on day 11 and 13.

@FlapJackered it's hard to know which of the many things I was on actually worked. I got to 7.6mm latest cycle, so that was good enough (as I rarely get to 8) for a transfer for me. It's worth trying the patches. Also, sometimes the lining just has a random growth spurt I think!

@seven201 hope you don’t mind me jumping in but been having similar struggles myself. I’m currently looking at changes clinic. Please can I ask where you were treated? My current clinic will not put me on higher than 10mg estrogen and one patch so I know it’s time to move… thank you!

Hi @Rubyroo1984 I'm with care fertility, but for other reasons I wish I'd gone to a different clinic. Sorry, that's not very helpful!

Hi all,

I’m going to jump in too. Have either of you had your estrogen levels checked? Blood test? Mine were 1600 which is high and I was on 8mg, I’m now going down to 6mg of Progynova and patches every other day with added sildenafil. If they do your bloods and the levels of estrogen are high there is no point in increasing your estrogen. Sorry if I’m pointing out something you already know but I thought it was worth mentioning as my clinic didn’t bother with bloods until I insisted.

Hi @FlapJackered i just came across your post and could have written it myself - I the same situation here and they added patches today due to thin lining and fluid in lining. Can I ask did the patches help you and if you made it to transfer? Thanks so much

@jessttc1990 hi, sorry to hear you're having the same problem. It's so disheartening when you get to that point.
The patches helped a bit but not massively unfortunately, the lining was better (not as good as my unmedicated scan previously) but the fluid was still there.
I had a cyst which at the time they though was a hydrosalpinx that was causing the fluid, but I have just had an operation when they realised it was a cyst therefore didn't cause the fluid!
Having done some research I think my body just didn't respond well to the synthetic estrogen and the fluid was a reaction to it. I don't know yet what the solution is but I think there is a way they can encourage your natural estrogen instead.
Not an expert at all but If I were you I would ask for a blood test to check the estrogen levels as I think that then they can tell if your body is absorbing the estrogen or not.
Good luck!

@FlapJackered thank you so muhc

ive heard doing a low dose stim cycle can help as your body produces oestrogen naturally that way so I might consider that if the patches don’t help

i hope everything works out for you soon
thank you so much for your reply x