Metformin for weightloss?!

mags080611
mags080611 Posts: 126 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So the Dr. recently put me on this medication to help with weightloss. Im not diabetic and do not of PCOS but I haven't noticed anything. The reasoning of putting me on it was because my hormone levels were higher then what they should be. Anyone on this?
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Replies

  • phoenixegmh
    phoenixegmh Posts: 1
    I'm on it for Type 2 Diabetes and have been given the three possible pieces of advice from 3 different doctors! My father was told you'll gain weight with it, I was initially told you'll gain weight, then that I'll lose it and the latest is that it has no discernible impact on weight.

    Whether that's the UK NHS being indecisive or people just learning more about it, who knows. I have to say, my experience of it is that it is far from a "miracle" drug that will miraculously cause you to lose (or gain!) weight!

    Alec
  • jagar07
    jagar07 Posts: 266 Member
    I was for PCOS, but honestly, I didn't see a difference as far as weight loss, sorry
  • castadiva
    castadiva Posts: 2,016 Member
    I used Metformin for six months and recently came off it, with a similar medical background. I lost 40lbs whilst on the Metformin, but remain unconvinced that the medication had much to do with that, as I have previously had similar results without medication. What I did notice is that my sugar-cravings were reduced by the Metformin, allowing my body to 're-set' a little, I think, as my intake of/desire for refined sugars has remained lower than pre-medication since coming off it. Good luck!
  • sweetybird09
    sweetybird09 Posts: 70 Member
    Yes I am on it, have been for about 2 months now, as far as weight loss in my case it has not helped me, I am on a low dose though (500 mg 2 x a day)

    What dose are you on, maybe that makes a difference, I am diabetic and that is why I was put on it, but as I lose weight I am going to be getting off it, since I have been managing my sugars with diet and exercise all along (8years)

    I have never heard of the whole hormone thing for this medication, unless losing weight will help with that...hope this helps somewhat...
  • mluntz
    mluntz Posts: 5 Member
    I do have PCOS and have taken Metformin. I didn't feel like it was helpful at all, with weight loss and it made me awful sick. I also found it really hard to eat my calorie allotment of 1200 calories while on this medication because my blood sugar would drop down.
  • nortiekeeks
    nortiekeeks Posts: 59 Member
    my doctor wanted to put me on this as well, to help "boost" my weigh-loss, but i never filled the prescription... i just don't like the idea of taking anything, even ibuprofen or some vitamins, unless there is a definite reason for it.

    yes, i'm a big scaredy cat!! :noway:

    would love to know if you see different results while being on the metformin though... just curious to see if it does boost your weight loss or not... (i hope it does!! :happy: )
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    I was on it, until I realized that a) it was not working very well b) it's like putting gravel in your body and c) controlling PCOS symptoms through diet and exercise while much more frustrating in terms of how slow weight loss has been, is a much more sustainable way of doing it. Also, I feel so much better now that I'm off it.
  • mags080611
    mags080611 Posts: 126 Member
    Well I have been on it for almost a month and I do notice that my moods are 10x better go figure though with my hormones being out of wack im sure this would help it. Weightloss wasn't the major thing for me to get out of it as it was leveling my hormones. The reason they thought that it would help with weighloss was because having high hormone levels can make you gain or maintain
  • jella74
    jella74 Posts: 106 Member
    I'm on metformin and yes it does regulate hormones even though you do not have PCOS or a diabetic. The first time I was on it I lost 25 pounds. I do have PCOS along with Insulin Resistance so this medication is helping me with the weight by keeping my hormones regulated and preventing me from developing type 2 diabetes. My Dr gave this medication to me to help get pregnant cause it helped regulate my cycles since I have infertility problems due to PCOS.

    PLEASE BE AWARE:::
    There may or will be bathroom issues BUT this drug is a multi-tasking drug. If you have excess androgens, testosterone and extra insulin it'll flush all that out and being them to a lower and safer level. It'll also regulate the good hormones in your body. No matter how bad the side effects are do not stop taking it, this is because it's working to get rid of the excessive hormones. Usually when the side effects stops the hormones have been regulated.

    GOOD LUCK! :)
  • kaydensmom12
    kaydensmom12 Posts: 338
    Metformin is the first choice of drugs for diabetics b/c it can aid in weight loss. From what I have learned those with hormonal problems often have insulin resistance also, which is where the weight gain can come from. Metformin decreases liver glucose production and also decreases GI glucose absorption, leading to a more steady glucose level which is why it will level out appetites.
  • Psychoanalytic
    Psychoanalytic Posts: 261
    If by weightloss you mean that if you don't find out your sweet-spot for taking Metformin you'll be running to the bathroom for hours...then sure.

    Otherwise, no, I noticed no weight loss from it. I hated Metformin, even the XR. It personally made me feel horrible all the time. Luckily for me though, I just started eating a clean diet and was taken off of it rapidly. With that being said, be careful with Metformin and changing your eating habits. I feel like many people are put on it with the assumption that they're not going to change their habits like most of the people in this country. For me, Metformin in addition to healthier eating made my sugar shoot too low.

    Everyone is different with how they react to it though.
  • kristina509
    kristina509 Posts: 43 Member
    I have been taking it for the last 3 years, and I have noticed that it helps with weight loss and my appetite. I take it because I have PCOS and insulin resistance and it helps to regulate my period. The big plus is that this medication reigns in my hormones and testosterone....so I have less acne, oily skin and my hair excess hair grows in thinner (on my face & body). I am on 1500mg a day and I take them at night to lessen the stomach problems it gives me...I find it is more manageable and less disruptive to your life.
  • valeriedent2
    valeriedent2 Posts: 154
    I'm a type 1 diabetic (insulin dependent), and I had an Endo put me on Metformin for weight loss. Made me feel like crap. I felt so awful on it, I never took it the way I was supposed to. So, never saw any benefit from it.
  • jpmcbride
    jpmcbride Posts: 7 Member
    I'm on it for PCOS and Insulin Resistance....diagnosed in 1996 and just recently stopped taking it in May 2012 ~ didn't appear to have helped me to lose the weight but took the medicine to show my Dr's I was doing everything I could to see if the symptoms would improve....and they didn't. I resulted in a more extreme measure to help with the weight loss. Best wishes!
  • mawray2
    mawray2 Posts: 13
    Interesting, My husband is a type 2 diabetic and on metformin. He is way underweight and can't seem to gain! I've told him I want him to meet with his doctor to work on gaining some weight because I am worried about him breaking a bone or something like that. Maybe I should have him discuss other medication options while he is there!
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
    I use to take metformin for my diabetes but don't take it anymore. I don't really get how it helps your hormone levels as it controls your insulin levels.(sugar in your blood ) I think it gets known for weight loss cause ppl who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are normally prescribed Metformin and as a result they stop having as much sugar and **** foods due to finding out they are diabetic and lose weight.

    The only thing I can think of regarding it controlling mood swings is if you are diabetic and your sugar gets low ... you get kind of pissed off and don't really know it.(at least in my case) Cause Metformin controls sugar levels it would stop your blood sugar levels from dropping to that point of turning you into a *kitten*.

    Personally I couldn't weight to get off all my medications and don't take any at all anymore. If you want to lose weight dedicate yourself to it, join a gym and work hard for it, don't expect a miracle pill to take it away for you.(not saying you are just saying in general)
  • kristalael
    kristalael Posts: 69 Member
    I'm on Metformin for PCOS and it has had no effect on my weight loss. If anything, I gained weight since I was put on it, definitely didn't lose weight.

    I wouldn't rely on any medication to help you lose weight because once you're no longer taking that medication, you'll end up gaining the weight back. Just stick to counting calories, eating healthy and exercising and you'll lose the weight the slow and steady way!

    Best of luck to you with your weight loss! :flowerforyou:
  • swest222
    swest222 Posts: 455 Member
    I was on Metformin for PCOS and it helped me lose weight. When I became pregnant I went off the med and havent been back on since ....
  • bigjax1
    bigjax1 Posts: 56 Member
    was on it for 5 years for PCOS and it had no effect on my weight..as I am now in the moenopause I have been taken off it.. small gain initially but only 6lb
  • carld256
    carld256 Posts: 855 Member
    I found metformin acted like an appetite suppressant for me. I just wasn't interested in food for a long time after I started taking it. Eventually that effect wore off and my appetite came back. I'm assuming my body got used to it.

    I haven't taken it in a few years now. Hopefully I won't have to again.
  • younghope4
    younghope4 Posts: 1
    I started Metformin two weeks ago and lost 6 lbs so far! It suppress my hunger for sure and gives me more energy!
    I have also heard recent reports that it helps lower cholesterol and may suppress the growth of cancer. I am all about this pill..
  • stripeyhead
    stripeyhead Posts: 1
    I've been on Met for 5 days (primarily prescribed for weight loss to trigger an increase in testosterone) but I just feel fatigued (even more than usual) and have probably gained weight if anything. I'm not up to the full dose yet, so maybe something magical will happen over time!
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    I'm not on it, but I do have PCOS and understand the hormonal reasoning behind it for women. Having too much testosterone for women screws up the menstrual hormone feedback mechanism, and estrogen gets increased. I don't recall whether it's the estrogen itself, but something about having high estrogen and high testosterone screws up the insulin release/response in women. If you metabolize carbs abnormally because of abnormal insulin levels (or sensitivity), you do put on more weight.

    Women with PCOS vary in their hormonal profile, mainly because the diagnosis isn't as well-defined as it could be. Women with high androgens may have something else going on. Usually you'll also get high estrogen, though, because the high androgens mess up the feedback and more estrogen is pumped out than needed.

    Metformin fixes insulin problems and those particular female hormone problems both, as it turns out. Dunno about in men.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
    My parents take it for diabetes but don't follow the diet they should, and they have lost nothing. A friend is on it for diabetes and does follow the right diet and has lost 30 lbs. I'm pretty sure the weight loss has nothing to do with metformin but with diet. I have no idea about metformin and hormone levels? I thought it was specific to glucose levels.
  • Storm_Wolf
    Storm_Wolf Posts: 24
    I have PCOS and was taking metformin to help regulate hormones, menstruation and help me conceive a baby. I noticed it helped me a great deal with a boost in weight loss.

    Before with my first real attempt at weight loss I did curves almost everyday (2x around the circuit) for about 7 months and only saw maybe 15lbs. I was discouraged and quit.

    This time within a month I dropped like 15 and ultimately lost 50lbs in about 6 months while on it! I feel it really did help. It must be different for every person because every body is different. I do hope it gives you a boost!
  • laurengrice14
    laurengrice14 Posts: 2 Member
    I just recently started taking metformin for PCOS. I don't have diabetes. I have very low iron so I will also be starting an iron supplement because I can't take BC pills on account of wanting to get prego soon. I haven't noticed a weight loss yet but I have noticed my appetite decrease as well as little to no cravings for sweets and carbs. So fingers crossed!
  • omsmom12
    omsmom12 Posts: 31 Member
    I have PCOS and slightly elevated blood sugar (but not high enough to qualify as diabetic). My testosterone levels were in the high end of normal and I couldn't seem to lose weight no matter what I did so my endocrinologist put me on Metformin. Because of the higher blood sugar levels, I adopted a low carb diet. I don't know if it was the Metformin or the low carb diet but I've dropped 45 pounds in 12 months. (Before that, I had been averaging the exact same number of calories on a high-carb, low fat diet and couldn't lose a pound.)

    I stopped taking Metformin in August after hearing lots of anecdotal evidence that it can lower libido. (Makes sense if it lowers testosterone.) I don't need any help lowering libido with one-year-old twins and a full time job :) It seems to be coming back but perhaps it's just a placebo effect. Either way, I'm still losing weight steadily on a fairly low-carb diet without the Metformin.

    Best of luck with your goals!
  • gwwarner
    gwwarner Posts: 1
    :smile: In May 2013, my A1C was 8.1 (I was not officially diabetic, but too close for comfort) so my doctor put me on Metformin. He also insisted that I be intentional about exercise and weight loss. Well, I am not sure if it was the help of the Metformin or not, but in October 2013 my A1C was down to 6.3, and my weight is down 33 pounds since May. I believe it was a combination of the Metformin and my faithful use of MyFitnessPal web site to track my food and exercise! I have not had any AEs (aka Side Effects) from the use of Metformin. I am on 500 MG twice a day with meals.
  • joannliebgott
    joannliebgott Posts: 1
    I started metformin in June of 2013. I had just been diagnoised as insulin resistant. My A1C was 6.2, and my testosterone level was very high, which explains the hair loss. My weight was 208 when I started and I'm 5'4". I have lost 30 lbs as of today Nov. 21, 2013. I haven't had any side effects from the metformin and I have gone to a low carb diet. I also make sure to consume more protein than carbs each day. I am currently taking 1000mg twice a day. I also take a low dose of levothyroxine for thyroid.
  • jade2112
    jade2112 Posts: 272 Member
    I took it a few years back for weight loss. It did nothing and gave me horrible diarrhea.

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