Metformin

dawnmoreno1house
dawnmoreno1house Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My doctor offered Trulicity for weight loss this week, and I opted for the safer Metformin, to prevent diabetes. So far my appetite has decreased greatly, but at this early stage I'm not sure what to expect. Anyone have any experience with Metformin? For the first time since having gestational diabetes, 10 years ago, I'm able to stay within 1200 calories comfortably. Yay!!!

Replies

  • dawnmoreno1house
    dawnmoreno1house Posts: 2 Member
    That's awesome! Sounds like getting your blood sugar controlled gave you a good head start. I hope to say the same!
  • LadyLilion
    LadyLilion Posts: 276 Member
    My doctor put me on Metformin when my a1c was 6.5. After 4 months it was 6. I haven't been back yet for the next test. She also told me it might help me lose weight. I actually gained a few pounds at first. It's done NOTHING for my appetite. But, that's not what it's for...it's to lower your a1c. 1200 calories is pretty low unless you're petite. Good luck.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    My doctor threatened to put me on metformin about the same time I started my journey. My A1C was around 6-6.5 as I recall. She held off because I had just started this process. Within a couple of months I'd lost enough weight and improved my fitness enough that I never heard any more about it!
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    I've taken metformin for several years and it seems to have no effect on my weight.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    Metformin is not a weightloss drug.
  • WendyLeigh1119
    WendyLeigh1119 Posts: 495 Member
    edited July 2017
    I'm on Metformin + Spironolactone (2x daily) for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. As far as weight loss, it has neither helped nor hindered my loss. I was on it prior to dieting and it didn't change my weight either way.

    Outside of that... it can definitely cause dizziness and sudden fatigue shortly after you take it and usually passes within an hour or two. So I try to plan around those times. It's best taken right before meals if you can manage it.

    Others have a lot of general nausea from it that can be anywhere from mild to severe, but it usually goes away after your body adjusts (thankfully, I've not had that particular side effect).

    But do be careful of dizziness because Metformin can also lower blood pressure as well as B12 (and blood sugar, of course). So keep a snack bar in your purse just in case. And drink plenty of fluids.

    On the brighter side, studies are finding Metformin can help to manage certain cancers by lowering the cellular resistance to treatment. Reoccurring Cancer risk is lowered in people who take Metformin.
  • arrghmatey1
    arrghmatey1 Posts: 91 Member
    If your not careful Metformin will put you into a cycle where you eat to support the medication. As you lose weight and do some exercise your A1C will improve but the Metformin will over compensate at that point and you will start having low blood sugar eating cues. Get some glucose tabs and keep them handy.

    If you answer those cues your weight loss will stall. Once your on it it is extremely difficult to get off. Your doctor only sees you every three months at best and is going to be unwilling to reduce it.

    I am finally off of it after many years but I had to do my own carefully monitored reduction reducing it a little at a time.

    The Metformin pill is safe to cut.

    My advice is to get really observant about your blood sugar and control it by diet. Test every day sometimes more than once and bring it down.

    Replace all volatile carbs with more complex friendly carbs. Bread, Rice and some Pastas need to be replaced with Squash, Broccoli and Oatmeal.

    Now that I am returning to safe levels ( my fasting sugar in the morning is about 100) I have reintroduced small amounts of pasta but with in meals never alone.

    My last A1C was 6.1 down from 7.2. Last bit of advice, A1C is an average of the last 3 months. That's every hour of every day! If you eat three moderate meals a day it takes about two hours for your blood sugar to normalize.

    That means about 25% (6 hr in 24 hr) of your daily average is at elevated levels.

    Even small friendly carb snacks will screw up your average. Celery can elevate your blood sugar for at least an hour.

    Stop snacking! If you have to make sure it is carb free or use a glucose tab.

    I have lost 68.2 lbs in 190 days (28 weeks) simply by carefully maintaining what I call a flat line blood sugar.

    I am no longer taking nor do I have to take Metformin or Glucophage.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/arrghmatey1

    Good Luck
  • FreyasRebirth
    FreyasRebirth Posts: 514 Member
    I was prescribed it to hopefully straighten out my PCOS. Didn't help, made me kind of nauseated in the mornings.
  • Raegold
    Raegold Posts: 191 Member
    I was prescribed Metformin for PCOS when trying to get pregnant. It actually had the opposite effect for me, it made me hungry ALL THE TIME. I guess everyone is different, but it definitely didn't help me lose weight.
  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
    I was told I need to start it and gave myself 30 days of hard work to see where it would take me. I kicked that whole process to the curb. Eight months later, 90lbs down. I ate right, exercised hard, got good sleep and drank plenty of water....no meds...not even suggested now. In fact I said bye bye to 20 years of blood pressure meds too! Not sure if you're doing that already but it worked for me...might be worth a try?

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