Just was prescribed Metformin yesterday

ravenstar25

Part question asking, part VENTING here, lol
I had a list of things to discuss with my doctor, and one was that my weight loss persistently stalls despite me sticking to a fairly low cal diet and exercising, trying IF (of which she disapproved of course), low carb, almost no added sugar, avoiding HFCS entirely, and so on. My labs came back with low cholesterol and VERY low triglycerides (probably because I eat hardly anything!) yet I still had a borderline high a1c for the second year in a row. And I was about to ask her about Metformin and she went straight to trying to talk me into a lap band or other gastric bypass, which I do not want! And I told her this and she wouldn't shut up about it.
Finally I got her to discuss putting me on Metformin, and she said "Oh... sure, we can try that. But you should still consider a lap band!" Unbelievable - I've lost about 60 pounds without one, maybe she could try treating my condition first?!

But anyway I am nervous, having never been on this before; and I'm not taking it until tonight because we're going to look at a house we want to buy and I don't want any um. AWESOME SIDE EFFECTS to happen while talking to the realtor, haha. So venting aside; I am very good at sticking to a low calorie diet anyway and already keep sugar out of my house and exercise. That being said, have any of you had good results in working with Metformin in combination with diet and exercise? I've read mixed to good reports on it, and I do seem to have some underlying insulin issue in spite of my best efforts.

Dragonwolf

Fire that doctor and find a new one. Remember -- they work for you. Hold them to the standards you need in order to get and keep yourself healthy, and that includes listening to you when you say "no, I don't want a lap band."

Given your A1C numbers being high, you'll likely have good results from it. Most of us end up on Metformin and have to change our diet as a result, but you seem to already be on the diet that supports Metformin (low carb, no sugar). If it doesn't work for you, it'll likely just be because you're one of the small portion of people for whom Metformin doesn't work, and not due to anything you did or didn't do, but odds are pretty good that it will work for you, once you find the right dose for you (hopefully, it's fairly low).

I can relate to the insulin issues that don't respond to lifestyle. Despite being pretty much keto, my insulin is still 33 (well into pre-diabetic range).

mhulgan

I was diagnosed with insulin resistant PCOS, and my weight loss really picked up once I started Metformin (along with low sugar eating and exercising hard 5 days a week). I lost about 30 lbs in three months (which got me to a healthy bmi).

I agree, though, that you should find a new doctor. My favorite doctors, whether GP, OB/GYN, or my kids' pediatricians, have been those who have given me options and then let me make the decision!

WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr

I also agree, find a new doctor! I was put on metformin for the insulin resistance, I still have a high number for my insulin results, I'm on the highest dose of metformin and my endo did forewarn me that the metformin may or may not help with weight loss, so just be cautious and be aware that it may control your insulin issues, but may not help with weight loss for you.

ravenstar25

*nod* I think I will be doctor shopping soon, just in the middle of a few other health crises *sigh* so I want to get those straightened out first.

Well so far so good; I got a blood sugar monitor and my morning blood sugar levels have been slowly dropping and I've lost two pounds of the recent sudden five pound gain I had just had from no where. No stomach issues I've noticed yet. I seem to be less hungry. Jogging was really, really hard, though.