Metformin..

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rochel1989
rochel1989 Posts: 4
in Introduce Yourself
Hi, I am 23 yrs. old and currently weigh 135 three ago I weighed 230. I tried dieting and dieting but the scale didn't budge!! I was so stressed about it. Finally I went to a nutritionist who recommended I go on metformin. Being on metformin and being on 1200 calorie diet and exercising every day, the pounds began to shed! I have been maintaining for year and half plus kept it off through pregnancy! I really want to stop the metformin, the doc don't want to prescribe it anymore. Anyone out there in similar situation who lost weight being on metformin and dieting and once reached their goal went off?? I am still on very very strict diet, but do I need those pills?
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  • fish2find
    fish2find Posts: 221 Member
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    95 pounds, super awesome!
    I wish I had input but I just started this medication. I am losing weight faster than any diet in my life, Im also walking more than I ever have. (Minimal 2 miles a day). I hope to shake this new diagnosis and one day kick the med too. Thanks for starting this thread, Ill be watching it.
  • Ms_Enzo1313
    Ms_Enzo1313 Posts: 65 Member
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    Yes thank you for this thread, I am in the same boat. Pushing myself to one day have no meds!!! in my life :)
  • rlwilson1967
    rlwilson1967 Posts: 40 Member
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    I lost a lot of weight (15 lbs) in almost a month being on metformin. Since I went off the medication I have stalled...BUT I also have not been watching my eating as strictly as I was either, so I don't know if I have stalled because I quit the metformin, stalled because I have been over eating my calorie goals, or a combo of both. I am working on getting back on track with my calorie goals. I do NOT want to go back on the medication. I'll keep watching this thread to see what others have to say.
  • primboo
    primboo Posts: 6 Member
    edited January 2015
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    .
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
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    What the hell? Taking a diabetic medication to lose weight? Crazy stuff.
  • rlwilson1967
    rlwilson1967 Posts: 40 Member
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    I didn't take it to loose weight. I didn't even know it was a contributing factor until now.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
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    Why would a nutritionist recommend a medication? As far as I know they don't have their medical degree. Just wondering. Are you a diabetic--you didn't make that clear in your original post.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Metformin is practically a miracle drug for diabetics. Great stuff. It also helps signal fullness. How are your blood sugars? Are they rock-solid in the normal range? Then you may want to wean yourself off them.

    I asked to go of Metformin when I began experiencing low blood sugar.
  • rochel1989
    rochel1989 Posts: 4
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    She recommended but a doc prescribed it. and I am not diabetic, just pcos... But now my blood does x show any sign that I have sugar problem or pcos anymore...
  • fish2find
    fish2find Posts: 221 Member
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    kbmnurse wrote: »
    What the hell? Taking a diabetic medication to lose weight? Crazy stuff.
    My Doc said "This medication will help control your blood sugar and many have noted it helps shed some weight". Didn't sound real crazy to this nurse, but then again I am mental health. LOL

  • musicandarts
    musicandarts Posts: 187 Member
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    Metformin is a prescription medication. Why not let your physician make the decision?
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    For chronic conditions, deciding whether to be on the medication or not is a joint decision between the health provider and the patient. From what I understand, the GP wants the OP to go off it.
  • rochel1989
    rochel1989 Posts: 4
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    He wants me off, but im scared to gain back weight.
  • alsw
    alsw Posts: 23 Member
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    i too was on it for PCOS, but i had to stop due to gastrointestinal side effects. i just found out about the extended release version that does not have this effect. Has anyone switched form the regular version to the extended release version? if so, are you seeing any difference between the two?
  • jacuspator
    jacuspator Posts: 7 Member
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    ALSW I switched from regular to extended release. there was a HUGE difference. I no longer got sick. I no longer got sick if I waited too long to eat. However, it doesn't make you loose weight like normal metformin. It just helps you regulate your blood sugar and insulin. I can take 2000 mg all at one time and it's completely fine, when taking 1000mg of regular used to make me vomit.
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
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    I lost weight on Metformin, but the Metformin had nothing to do with it. My diet and exercise was the key. I quit taking it probably three or four years ago because it was screwing with my blood sugar.
  • greek_italy13
    greek_italy13 Posts: 11 Member
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    I am a diabetic and have taken metformin for years. The only true weight loss that I have experienced has been through diet and exercise. I haven't been lucky enough to have had your experience. I can understand your dilemma, keep us posted.
  • airmedic8
    airmedic8 Posts: 24 Member
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    As someone with an understanding of that drug...as in I work in EMS and deal with type 1 and 2 diabetics everyday. Metformin is a specific type of drug that does specific things with your blood sugar and when taken improperly can cause a multitude of problems. Take advice from your MD....not from my fitness pal. No offense to anyone who was answering but that is the honest truth.
  • SatchTango
    SatchTango Posts: 7 Member
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    Metformin works by artificially increasing your cells ability to use insulin, which means it can better take the glucose out of your blood stream. The impaired ability called "insulin resistance" and is what happens to Type 2 diabetics, but it's not limited to them.

    It's not really a weight-loss drug, and it's not as simple as the metformin caused you to lose the weight, and/or not taking it will cause you to gain it. Very frequently, losing the weight is enough to overcome the insulin resistance, and the two factors influence each other.

    The cycle can be worsening - as in: gain weight, insulin resistance gets worse, need more metformin, gain more weight, need more metformin, and so on.

    Or, it can get better. Take some metformin, lose a bit of weight, insulin sensitivity improves, need less metformin, lose more weight, and so on.

    So, you can think of the metformin as something that stops a vicious cycle.

    If your body is working properly on its own, and you have a good a1c, then it's a good idea to not use the drug. Many Type 2's are able to go off metformin when they do lose the weight, and this is a good thing.
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
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    I took Metformin for PCOS while trying to get pregnant and noticed no effect on my weight, but then again, I wasn't eating in a calorie deficit. I got pregnant and went off of it and never went back on. I was able to lose 28 lbs (and I still have PCOS) and lean down to sub 20% body fat. While still not taking Metformin, I have put 20 lbs back on.....because I was eating in a calorie surplus. Now I'm once again losing.

    Metformin can effect weight loss, I'm not arguing that. What I will say is that it wasn't just the metformin that made you lose the 95 lbs and keep it off. You maintained a calorie deficit and then did not go back into a surplus when you lost the weight. You may need to adjust the amount you eat once again if you do go off the med, but it isn't going to cause you to gain the weight back. Just track your calories and adjust up or down based on the scale and discuss any new PCOS related symptoms with your doc if they pop back up.

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