Metformin

fitthatweddingdress
fitthatweddingdress Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have PCOS, my Doctor wants to put me on metformin, which is diabetic med but says it will help with the weight loss. Has anyone been on it before and seen weird side effects. I work out like crazy but I know I need to be more consistent on my food diary. I would much rather go the clean eating route before getting on meds though. Just looking to see if anyone has had any success taking it. Thanks MFP

Replies

  • AngryCupcakes
    AngryCupcakes Posts: 1
    I have been using Metformin for about 10 years off and on. I first started when I was 16 after being diagnosed with PCOS. At the time I was fit and active yet the pounds just seemed to keep coming (slowly but adding up). My doctor recommended Metformin 1500 mg first but the dosage did a number on my stomach and overall quality of life. I was running to the bathroom every 30 mins, bad nausea, heat flashes and vomiting. Simply put I was miserable, so my doctor decreased the dosage to 500 mg/3x daily, the symptoms remained.

    I decided to stick with it and after 3 weeks the symptoms lightened up a little, yet I still had off and on nausea and bathroom trips. My first go round I did not notice weightless however I did notice that rapid weight gain stopped, again I was still relatively close to my normal weight plus a few pounds. I ended up stopping the medication as I had a problem with a refill and after 3 days I really did not want to go right back to the extreme nausea. So for 3 years it really helped me, I stopped and the started again after 1 year and the symptoms were back however I did lose 20 pounds using the meds mixed with exercise and diet.

    Weight was maintained and then I got pregnant and the doctors told me to stop the meds, now I am back on the medication and the stomach problems are so much worse that they decreased to 1x a day at night. I still wake up feeling nauseous and just nasty, I hope that after a few weeks the symptoms will die down. Weight loss I think happened for me because my stomach was so sensitive, I didn't want to eat anything like candy or breads. My diet consisted of fruits, veggies, water and soup...it can help but I believe a strong dedication to food changes and preparing meals ahead will help without all the nasty side effects. I'm attending a gym and probably will for as long as I can as I think lifestyle changes and staying dedicated to them helps more, Metformin helps with weight loss if like me sometimes the pounds don't budge but it leaves you feeling bad.

    I believe if you choose to try it and you start feeling so bad that you don't even want to smell or look at food or even get out the bed then you may want to consider stopping.
  • LabMonkeySteph85
    LabMonkeySteph85 Posts: 64
    There are some GI symptoms with Metformin, like gas and diarrhea when you first start taking it. This can be decreased with the XR (extended release) version and being started on a lower dose and increasing it over time. I was previously on Metformin for my PCOS with insulin resistance but since I have started eating better and exercising regularly, I no longer need it. If you are really against taking the Met, then I would suggest eating a lower carbohydrate diet and seeing how that works for your weight loss goals.
  • Lulzaroonie
    Lulzaroonie Posts: 222 Member
    I have been on the extended release, and the normal release, it's given me horrible runs, to the point where I've been walking my son back home from school and though I was going to poo myself explosively, it's given me cramps, wind, and for all that trouble? I've not seen any benefits from it.

    I was put on it the same reason as you.
    500mg twice a day, morning and evening.

    It was marketed to me as the miracle that would help with my weight problem due to PCOS, and played up and up and up, and really got my hopes up.
    Now I just have a sore bum from constant pooping, and nothing to show for it.

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