pcos and metformin???

Hey hey, I also have PCOS and have been on Metformin for several years now. Haven't really had any negative side effects. The only thing I experienced was some mild stomach pain when I first started taking them, and because of this, my doctor had me ease into it - the first week, she had me taking 1 pill/day and then the 2nd week bump up to 2 pills/day, which has been my prescription this whole time. The stomach pain went away after the first couple weeks, and honestly wasn't really that bad. Just mildly uncomfortable. As for its effectiveness, I've actually never tried losing weight while NOT on Metformin, so I'm not sure how it compares, but I know that when I do eat right and exercise, I lose weight at a normal pace, so I'm taking that as meaning that it is helping. From what I understand, without Metformin, women with PCOS can have extra difficulty losing weight, which I've never had as long as I do what I'm supposed to do. My problem is always willpower lol Feel free to add me if you want

Your Dr should have also told you in conjunction with the Metformin you need to be eating a low to moderate carb way of eating and it needs to become a way of life.

PCOS means your hormones (female, insulin, thyroid, etc) are all off balance. The more carbs you eat (especially processed carbs....yes this means pasta and breads) the more off balance your hormones will stay.


Moderate to high fat, moderate protein and lowish carbs (from vegetables first and fruit occasionally) will make your body much, much healthier.

I have taken Metformin in the past and it wreaks havoc on my digestive system with frequent trips to the bathroom with explosive diarrhea. I no longer take it and just control my carb intake.

This ^^^ - I've also heard that the lowish carb/high fat/moderate protein is the best eating plan to manage PCOS symptoms. I've only recently started trying to incorporate that way of thinking into my eating, so it's still a work in progress. I have noticed I lose weight a little faster when I cut down on carbs, but it's just HARD - I'm a carb junkie for sure lol

I will "third" this. Cutting back on simple carbs ("white" carbs and sugar) is an important place to start. I was on Metformin for over a decade and it would make me feel nauseous once in a while. I stopped taking it 7 years ago and was pretty glad about that. The dietary change (more recent, within the past year) helped more than the Metformin did, I think.

My mom is on metformin to help control her diabetes so a low carb lifestyle does make sense. Her only negative side affects have already been mentioned (a bit of tummy trouble). I also did a low carb/diabetic diet while pregnant with both babies and turns out its a great and healthy way to eat most of the time.

My understanding is that metformin isn't for PCOS per se, but for insulin resistance which is often seen with PCOS (as well as other issues). I don't have PCOS, but I do have insulin resistance, which my doctor thinks is a secondary effect of a long untreated thyroid condition.

So, when I started metformin, I also started thyroid meds. I can say that I'm finally losing like a "normal" person. Before the metformin and thyroid meds, I was eating at a 700+ daily caloric deficit and lost a whopping 2.2 lbs over 3 months! It was infuriating.

I was already eating a low-ish carb diet (Primal, a more permissive version of Paleo while keeping the carbs 50-80 g/day) and my exercise regime was the exact same (I lift heavy -- 3x5 program -- twice a week, do sprint sessions twice a week and walk/hike 18-25 miles per week). But, when I added in the meds, I finally started to take off weight. In the first month, I took off 7.4 lbs, which was right in line with my deficits.

It's my understanding that metformin doesn't help you lose weight on its own. You still have to do the diet and exercise part. It helps you metabolize glucose correctly and reduces the insulin resistance, so if you're eating and exercising correctly, you'll lose weight like a normal person will (if it works for you). As I also had the thryoid issue, it's hard to say how much of this is metformin and how much is thyroid meds -- I imagine it's a little of both.

As for side effects, I had some stomach discomfort, but it was relatively mild. I also had the runs for the first two days after upping a dosage (I did 500 the first week, 1000, second, 1500 third and 2000 the fourth -- which is my full dosage now). But, overall, it was pretty manageable. I feel lucky that I didn't have worse stomach issues as I've heard from others. I plan to keep up the metformin until I take the weight off -- my doctor is hopeful that at that point I'll have reversed the insulin resistance (possible but not guaranteed) and so I won't need it anymore as my thyroid will be treated properly going forward.

I've been on it for 14 years, at first it might give you a stomach ache and bathroom issues for about 2 weeks then you adjust and feel normal.

:happy: