PCOS and metformin

StacieJones0385
StacieJones0385 Posts: 8 Member
in Motivation and Support
I was just diagnosed with PCOS and the doctor put me on metformin. Anyone else have PCOS and take metformin? What can I expect?

Replies

  • kahays
    kahays Posts: 17 Member
    I was diagnosed with PCOS in college. Late, a specialist put me on metformin and I had a rough time with it. I was sick , a lot. I felt nauseated and had diarrhea, a l ot. This particular doctor was a reproductive endocrinologist and most of his patients were being treated to improve their chances of pregnancy - I was not. I have heard from several people that their metformin experience was much better! Good luck. There are lots of great books out there on PCOS. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions of your doctor and keep pushing until you find something that works for you!
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    Expect diarrhea for a couple of weeks. It helps if you take it right after you've eaten. I would NOT recommend taking it on an empty stomach. Metformin itself won't likely cause low blood sugar, but if you're limiting carbs/calories, keep an eye out for signs of sudden weakness/shakiness. Report these to your physician of course, but keep candy (not sugar-free) handy, or have a few drinks of non-diet soda or orange juice to counter-act the instances of low blood sugar.

    You can expect a small boost in weight loss as well.
  • ItsSlimpossible12
    ItsSlimpossible12 Posts: 127 Member
    I was sick. Constantly. For months. I had the diarrhea and nausea nonstop and decided to stop taking it. I was convinced the reason I was losing weight was because everything was immediately coming out of me and it was not pleasant or worth it to me. But I hear really good things from others so hopefully you will have a MUCH better experience!
  • KerryITD
    KerryITD Posts: 94 Member
    Start at lower doses and take it on a full stomach. I started at 500 mg, split in 2 doses, and worked up to 1500 also taken morning and evening. It helps if you balance your carbs and protein (which is good anyway for PCOS/insulin resistance). The only times it can still make me feel nauseated is if I take it having eaten nothing but carbs.

    On the plus side, it was the only thing that stopped my constant hunger! Finally I felt full and would stop eating, instead of just knowing I better stop but never feeling full.

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