Has anyone lost weight on metformin?

littlemsfattie

My doctor prescribed me metformin and I've been taking it for going on three weeks. She I would lose 3-10kg but haven't lost any weight, was wondering if it'll take a longer time to drop a few lbs (I know its not a miracle weight loss drug). Maybe it just doesn't work the same way for me? By the way, I'm not diabetic. I'm just really overweight and have PCOS.

zaellany

Yeah...a lot of doctors who aren't endocrinologists (and some who do) think Metformin is a wonder drug for PCOS.
It really depends on:
- Your dosage
- Whether or not you get side effects (I had one endo tell me "Metformin side effects are great for weight loss" :-/
- What you're eating now, and how you change your diet once you're on Metformin
Generally, what happens is the Metformin makes you crazy sick to your stomach for awhile and you drop weight from not feeling like eating anything. This doesn't happen to everyone, though, and if you were already not eating lots of carbs, the sickness effect won't be as strong (or won't happen at all).
I've been on Metformin for 11 years. I lost when I was first on it, but I gained on it after awhile, after my body adjusted.
The good news is, even if it doesn't help you lose weight, Metformin drops your overall lifetime risk for heart disease, endometrial cancer, and some other bad stuff you're prone to as a PCOS'er.
What REALLY helped my PCOS symptoms, all the way around (including weight maintenance) was Spironolactone, but you can't be on it if you're trying to conceive or not on a really effective form of birth control, like an IUD.
Are you seeing an actual endocrinologist who has experience treating PCOS? It's worth seeking one out, because they tend to give you better treatment than, say, a general practitioner who's spitballing it.

MysteriousMerlin

I've been on it twice. The first time for about 2 years, lost 50lbs along with diet changes and exercise. Switched to insulin, gained 38lbs back. Back on Metformin (along with insulin) and have lost 20lbs since October.

It took a lot longer to adjust to the medication the first time...though I didn't have vomiting the first time either. Fortunately that only lasted about 3 weeks.

rosebette

My husband went on Metformin a few years back when he was diagnosed as diabetic. He gained a bit and was told that was normal on Metformin. He was already overweight and weight has always been a struggle for him. He was also put on Actos, but went off it because of literature about links to heart attack (similar to Avandia) and because it was very expensive. His sugar was controlled by the Metformin so he didn't need the Actos. His doctor recommended something called Byetta which I think is an injectable for weight loss. He got samples and used it for a week, but insurance wouldn't pay because he wasn't considered overweight enough. He never got sick on the Metformin or lost weight. He loses the same 18-20 lbs. every year during baseball season (he coachesand umpires).