Thin endometrial lining treatment - viagra gel & PRP??

[a million dreams]

I can relate! I have been down a google rabbit hole looking for thin lining treatments and success stories and scouring journal articles. Thank you so much, I am hoping that the fact that I have had the implantations is a good sign too.

Oh I definitely understand your thinking around saving the embryos if you had gotten to that point. I feel like I would want do that too. It sounds like your FS has been so supportive during your treatment and really helped you and your partner explore options and persist. I am wanting to persist and keep trying for as long as we can.

That is really interesting about the PGT-A testing, I just looked up Dr Norbert Gleicher and his opinion on it. I guess people would then make decisions about transfer based on the results around the least likelihood that an embryo would have a major chromosomal problem is that right? I having been considering discussing with my FS about getting our frozen embryos thawed and tested though was concerned about if they would get damaged in the process. Did you get yours tested following a fresh cycle? We did do karyotype testing following the MC and the results came back normal. It seems that the PGT-A testing is more comprehensive though testing for more genetic/chromosonal problems, have I got that right?

I have an appointment coming up soon with my FS so I am going to mention all the treatment options that you and @Hopeful137 have shared with me. My FS is a CREI too. I will definitely hold it in mind what you said about a second opinion. I am open to exploring all options and trying everything that I can!

Really appreciate your help!

I'm so sorry I haven't replied sooner - somehow I'm not getting notifications 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think PGT-A is pretty similar to the testing they do following a miscarriage. We eventually did PGT-A to see if it was likely that chromosomal issues were the cause of most of our failed transfers, given we'd had so many (even though the test came back normal after our miscarriage). It seems unlikely to have been the reason for us, but this pregnancy is a PGT-A tested embryo, and knowing it tested euploid is reassuring (assuming you put faith in the statistical significance of the results). Our Dr seems to only be supportive of PGT-A for women who have had a number of miscarriages (3+) or many failed transfers, particularly if they're older.

Our Dr does NOT recommend thawing frozen embryos to test them. It sounded like a hard no for him. The freezing and thawing process often results in some embryos being lost, and if you test previously frozen embryos you're putting them through it twice. I have a friend who did this, and 5 of her 7 embryos didn't make it through the first thaw (granted, they probably wouldn't have made it to a FET, either). We've only ever tested fresh embryos, which are then frozen while you wait for the results. If you create embryos reasonably easily and want to do PGT-A, it's probably worth doing another collection cycle. You can always keep your existing frosties for later, particularly if your PGT-A results are good.

As an aside: PGT-A looks at the number and composition of chromosomes, but doesn't look at individual genes. If there was a specific genetic condition that needed to be tested for, you'd do PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis). My clinic unhelpfully labels it all as PGD on invoices etc., but that's the distinction

Good luck with your FS appointment - let me know how you go!

[McSFeno]

I'm so sorry I haven't replied sooner - somehow I'm not getting notifications 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think PGT-A is pretty similar to the testing they do following a miscarriage. We eventually did PGT-A to see if it was likely that chromosomal issues were the cause of most of our failed transfers, given we'd had so many (even though the test came back normal after our miscarriage). It seems unlikely to have been the reason for us, but this pregnancy is a PGT-A tested embryo, and knowing it tested euploid is reassuring (assuming you put faith in the statistical significance of the results). Our Dr seems to only be supportive of PGT-A for women who have had a number of miscarriages (3+) or many failed transfers, particularly if they're older.

Our Dr does NOT recommend thawing frozen embryos to test them. It sounded like a hard no for him. The freezing and thawing process often results in some embryos being lost, and if you test previously frozen embryos you're putting them through it twice. I have a friend who did this, and 5 of her 7 embryos didn't make it through the first thaw (granted, they probably wouldn't have made it to a FET, either). We've only ever tested fresh embryos, which are then frozen while you wait for the results. If you create embryos reasonably easily and want to do PGT-A, it's probably worth doing another collection cycle. You can always keep your existing frosties for later, particularly if your PGT-A results are good.

As an aside: PGT-A looks at the number and composition of chromosomes, but doesn't look at individual genes. If there was a specific genetic condition that needed to be tested for, you'd do PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis). My clinic unhelpfully labels it all as PGD on invoices etc., but that's the distinction

Good luck with your FS appointment - let me know how you go!

No worries at all! Thank you for explaining the PGT-A testing and the rationale behind when to do the testing as well. Oh that makes sense that a fresh cycle would be needed to do the testing so the embryos aren’t getting exposed to the thaw twice.

Appointment went fairly well and we seem to have a plan going forward we are going to go down the immune route for the next transfer as well as trying the additional treatment for the lining too. Feeling a bit more hopeful 😌

How did you find taking the steroids as part of your immune protocol? Where there any side effects that bothered you?

Hope you’ve been feeling well and things are progressing well with your pregnancy 😌

[a million dreams]

No worries at all! Thank you for explaining the PGT-A testing and the rationale behind when to do the testing as well. Oh that makes sense that a fresh cycle would be needed to do the testing so the embryos aren’t getting exposed to the thaw twice.

Appointment went fairly well and we seem to have a plan going forward we are going to go down the immune route for the next transfer as well as trying the additional treatment for the lining too. Feeling a bit more hopeful

How did you find taking the steroids as part of your immune protocol? Where there any side effects that bothered you?

Hope you’ve been feeling well and things are progressing well with your pregnancy

Glad to hear you're happy with your plan If you're doing intralipids and you have good private hospital cover, see if you can get the intralipids done at an infusion clinic in a hospital (with you being admitted as a day patient) - I was pleasantly surprised to discover my insurance covered 100% of the cost because technically I was admitted and the intralipids were being administered to treat immune issues (not that we really know if I have said issues...). I saw the hospital paperwork, and my insurer was paying them $683 per infusion!

Steroid side effects - yes. First, be prepared to feel hungry, and want to eat more, so also be prepared with healthy food if you're not a fan of hungry. I was not particularly good about this (bad habits developed in lockdown), and put on 5kgs over a number of months. Starting my pregnancy 5kg heavier means less weight I'm allowed to gain during the pregnancy

If you don't put on weight, you may still develop 'moon face' (a rounder face), which is a charming expression. Nothing you can do about it, and it's worth it knowing you're working on getting your baby. I already had a fairly round face and full cheeks, so...

When I was on 20mg/day (my highest dose), I got the extra energy kick, and felt great during the day. However, I also had insomnia - waking up in the early hours of the morning and struggling to go back to sleep. This was partly because I split my dose into 10mg morning and night, as recommended by my FS. I ended up taking Restavit before bed, which helped a bit - perhaps check with your Dr if your sleep's affected.

I take my last dose of steroids tomorrow morning you have to wean off gradually, so I'm down to 1/4 of a tablet.

The pregnancy is going well - haven't had a scan since the 29th, so really looking forward to our nuchal scan on Friday to know that everything's still ok

Good luck with your next cycle!

[McSFeno]

Glad to hear you're happy with your plan If you're doing intralipids and you have good private hospital cover, see if you can get the intralipids done at an infusion clinic in a hospital (with you being admitted as a day patient) - I was pleasantly surprised to discover my insurance covered 100% of the cost because technically I was admitted and the intralipids were being administered to treat immune issues (not that we really know if I have said issues...). I saw the hospital paperwork, and my insurer was paying them $683 per infusion!

Steroid side effects - yes. First, be prepared to feel hungry, and want to eat more, so also be prepared with healthy food if you're not a fan of hungry. I was not particularly good about this (bad habits developed in lockdown), and put on 5kgs over a number of months. Starting my pregnancy 5kg heavier means less weight I'm allowed to gain during the pregnancy

If you don't put on weight, you may still develop 'moon face' (a rounder face), which is a charming expression. Nothing you can do about it, and it's worth it knowing you're working on getting your baby. I already had a fairly round face and full cheeks, so...

When I was on 20mg/day (my highest dose), I got the extra energy kick, and felt great during the day. However, I also had insomnia - waking up in the early hours of the morning and struggling to go back to sleep. This was partly because I split my dose into 10mg morning and night, as recommended by my FS. I ended up taking Restavit before bed, which helped a bit - perhaps check with your Dr if your sleep's affected.

I take my last dose of steroids tomorrow morning you have to wean off gradually, so I'm down to 1/4 of a tablet.

The pregnancy is going well - haven't had a scan since the 29th, so really looking forward to our nuchal scan on Friday to know that everything's still ok

Good luck with your next cycle!

Thanks for the tip about the intralipids. They are so expensive! Glad that insurance can cover them through a hospital day admission. IVF is such an expensive process huh! 😣

Thanks heaps for sharing your experience of taking the steroids. I will definitely speak to my doctor about how to manage insomnia - I tend to struggle with sleeping anyway so can bet they I get this side effect! Though having some extra energy in the day could be handy! 😂

I hope everything went okay with your scan 🤞🏼🙏🏻 Will be great to have that milestone of the nuchal over & done with.

[a million dreams]

Thanks for the tip about the intralipids. They are so expensive! Glad that insurance can cover them through a hospital day admission. IVF is such an expensive process huh!

Thanks heaps for sharing your experience of taking the steroids. I will definitely speak to my doctor about how to manage insomnia - I tend to struggle with sleeping anyway so can bet they I get this side effect! Though having some extra energy in the day could be handy!

I hope everything went okay with your scan 🤞🏼 Will be great to have that milestone of the nuchal over & done with.

Thanks Everything went well with the nuchal scan, feeling good!