^ This is true about the triggers. Sometimes I would be fine and other times I wouldn't. My issues were never very severe though and they did get better with time. (I was on it for about a year and four months - went off of it at the end of my first trimester, in August).

I am one of the lucky ones I guess. I started just a couple of weeks ago and I really haven't had any serious issues. Just a truly heinous metallic taste in my mouth for a few days. Like the other ladies I would really recommend watching your carb intake, although I would add watching the amount of fats that you eat is another helpful hint. Consistency is the key though. I noticed that you mentioned you take it off and on. Since the medicine takes a couple of months to really work you need to be sure to take it every time you are supposed too.

I agree with the white sugar triggers, though for me it was anything with carbs or sugar in it. I had to go low carb to control the symptoms. But that helped me even more because eating low carb helped me lose weight also. It is different for everyone though. Also, after I had been on it for a long time, the reactions were not nearly as sever as the first few months. Also, though most people seem to do better with the time release metformin, I do better with the regular tablets but taking them throughout the day. I hope you feel better!

I am on Metformin for good five years now. Initially I used to take 1000mcg tablet and it made me sick all day long. But there are a few things I have done over hese five years and now it doesn't make me sick, in fact, makes me feel fuller for long. The only problem being: sugar cravings: I mean serious sugar cravings

A few things that I did try:

1. Talking to my doctor and taking slow-release metformin..
2. Go back to smaller dosage and ask your doctor to increase the strength gradually as you adjust.
3. Trust me: Stop eating fried food, metformin is at its worse when I eat junk/fried foods.
4. Sugar: If I eat a lot of sugary stuff, I feel really tight in my tummy, idk how to explain but I am very uncomfortable.
5. Last but the most important point: Exercise: As I strated working out, I have had really less to no pain. You will feel the change in your body, workout also helps relax your muscles which in turn makes pain a lot more bearable.

All body typs are different, experiment with different things and keep a track of changes you observe. Soon, you'll know what works for you and what doesn't. It's a tough life with PCOS, but manageable. And it helps you lose weight too, if I am under my calorie limit and maintain a deficit, no cheat days whatsoever, it aids in weight loss.
Hope you adjust to it soon and feel better. :flowerforyou:

Cheers!

I am super sensitive to Metformin and the extended release did not help me either.
What I had to do was cut one 500mg pill into 4 pieces (pill cutter from Rite Aid helped). I started take a quarter with breakfast, lunch, dinner. After a week I went up to half a pill with breakfast lunch dinner. I am in week three and still cannot do a whole pill at one time. Puts my belly into a big knot. So what I am doing is a half with the major meals and a quarter with the smaller snacks. That is getting me to 1000mg and the doctor is happy with that.

Hope this helps!!

I have found through being on metformin for years, that when you take your medication, if you take it with a glass of milk it helps the side effects. When I first started taking it I was having the same issues as you, then I started taking it with a glass of milk and my side effects went away. I've taken it with water == horrible poops and gas and stomach cramps, as soon as I've taken it with milk, i don't have the issues as bad