Metformin

I have to be honest, outside of this website, I have never read or heard anything about prescribing Metformin for weight loss. H is on it for diabetes, and has lost some weight, but nothing outside of what he would normally lose on his current diet (except for the first week, when he had a lot of bowel issues).

Personally, there is no way I would let a doctor put me on a medication that affects endocrine functions just for the sake of weightloss. But that's me. What was the basis for your "insulin resistant" diagnosis if all of your blood work came back in normal levels? Even when used to treat PCOS, there is usually signs of insulin problems in the bloodwork before prescription (again, just based on everything I've read on the drug, which is a lot). I think I would at least ask some more questions about why your doctor wants you on this drug.

How is 5lbs a month not a good rate of loss?! Sounds good to me.

People with insulin resistance generally do better on low carb diets.

Are these your blood sugars now that are all normal, with the Metformin? Or were you checking your levels regularly before the medication? Of course you will have normal to normal low readings with the Metformin, it is designed to assist your body in utilizing the insulin it creates and lowering your blood sugar. You maybe want to keep some juice handy for those workouts, exercise does lower your blood sugar. I was on Metformin for a while myself, you will adjust.

I take 1000 mg of that daily for T2 diabetes it has not caused ANY weight gain, amaryl for diabetes on the other hand makes it near impossible for me to lose any weight at all. Metformin for the first week or two can give you bathroom issues but that will level off and return to normal. While it is used for diabetes, I don't really see it being used for weight loss. I know a friend of mine said her GYN gives it to her to help with fertility (it has caused high instances of twins or multiples). I don't know that its worth taking if you seeking a weight loss benefit and not a medical one. If you are insulin resistant and need to lose more weight that will be the key, lower carb or just eating healthy carbs stay away from the junk, for people with insulin resistant issues its not long till that does turn into diabetes. Avoid cereal, bread, rice, pasta, potatoes (yes even fries). Fruits are sugar so avoid those as the vitamin benefit wont out weight the damage the sugar is doing inside your body. Berries are best, it doesn't mean you cant ever have them just limit them to a treat as you would cake or cookies. Stick with protein and veggies. I don't know if your number is 75 why there is a need for medication as that is a great number, had you been running much higher?

When my doctor first prescribed metformin for me she said that it is commonly prescribed to people not for blood sugar but for weight loss.

See, I keep seeing people on here saying that, but none of the literature I could find from the drug company, medical offices, or official studies/sources that recommend prescribing it for weight loss. I'm not saying it won't work for weight loss, just that I would question a prescription for that purpose unless the patient was suffering from adverse health effects of the obesity and unable to lose weight on their own. OP is losing just over a pound a week, so the prescription seems pretty drastic to me.

I was reading an article recently that talked about how diabetics should make sure that their blood sugar level is at 100 or more before doing strenuous exercises. (OK, it was 5.5 mmol/l as it was a Canadian article.) As was suggested by another person, you may need to fuel up before exercising as your blood sugar is dropping too low. Suck back some carbs before the exercise.

As for metformin, my doctor didn't like my blood sugar level (182 mg/dl or 10.1 mmol/l) so she started me on a small dose (250mg twice per day) but I was supposed to max out at 2000 mg per day at the end of 90 days. Through a complete lifestyle change and a close eye on the carbs I am averaging around 104 mg/dl or 5.5 mmol/l so she took me off the metformin completely. While you may be insulin resistant I think that there are plenty of opportunities for you to get off the metformin and not worry about it.

I'm surprised to hear so much negativity about metformin on here. Personally, I've been on metformin for 11 months now, and it's made my weight loss rate something just short of mind-blowing.

I was diagnosed with insulin resistance in January, as well as pre-diabetes, and low testosterone. My doctor prescribed metformin to suppress my insulin resistance, which he assured me was the culprit behind my nearly constant weight gain and the difficulty I had losing it. Testosterone injections took care of one problem, while reducing the insulin resistance quickly removed pre-diabetes from the equation. He gave me simple guidelines for my diet: No more than 1800 calories daily. No carbohydrates except what come naturally in non-starchy fruits and veggies (i.e. no potatoes, rice, bread, beans, etc.). And no less than 80g of protein a day - so essentially it was a high protein-low carb diet. I tried high protein-low carb diets before - Atkins; South Beach - but those never had lasting results. I'd lose a little weight, slow down, plateau, and all progress would stop. (Thanks IR!)

So I stuck faithfully to my guidelines, took the metformin (500mg three times a day), and the weight loss was incredible! Cravings went away in about three weeks, and I found myself eating between 1250 and 1350 calories a day, while feeling completely satisfied, with no hunger pangs. Obviously food journaling with MFP was a great help to maintaining my guidelines.

My doctor was routinely flummoxed (but happy) at weigh-in time, and as of my weigh-in last month, I'd lost 190# over a 10 month period. I have another weigh-in this Friday and expect my weight loss total to take another jump up.

I wish I could say why metformin has worked so well for me, when others here have met only with frustration. But I'm certain it's what is making all the difference in my current wellness plan, and look forward to finally getting to a normal weight finally, after a lifetime of failed diets.