Metformin

IsabeausRose
IsabeausRose Posts: 129 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone who is taking Metformin noticed an easier time losing weight or less hunger? I take it for metabolic disorder but it is mainly used for diabetes and PCOS. I haven’t been on it for awhile but am refilling my prescription this morning. I can’t remember the effects but was having severe sugar cravings which would cause me to overeat back then and I’m not sure if it was the medication or my diet.

Replies

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Metformin comes with a little nausea and ummmm, “digestive problems”.
  • sweatin4me
    sweatin4me Posts: 17 Member
    For me it was easier to lose weight because I knew what would happen if I did consume mass amounts of sugar. If I had anything more than a can of soda the Metformin would cause me to be very sick, so I learned to avoid high sugar content. It is not an appetite suppressant though.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Metformin is not going to cause you to lose weight. I took it for many years for PCOS and I did not lose weight until I intentionally and consistently stayed in a calorie deficit.

    If you have sugar cravings, then there are several ways to address those, like eating smaller amounts of sweets or eating lower-calorie sweet things. You can buy small individually wrapped candies and have one or two of them. You might also try low calorie ice creams like Halo Top, or maybe a piece of fruit. If you don't have the calories for any of those things, try drinking flavored teas, which can give you the feeling of having had a treat. You can use a small amount of sweetener, and some teas are made with low calorie sweeteners like monk fruit.
  • sanjida
    sanjida Posts: 2 Member
    I think it might just depend? I have PCOS too (only 3 years diagnosed) and have been on metformin since. As soon as I got on it I dropped about 10 pounds in 3 months without changing anything in my diet. I found I had less sugar cravings after eating a carby meal.

    Fast forward a few years and after a lot of reading through research papers online for pcos, I am trying a low carb diet fiber (i stopped eating things with a lot of refined sugar). I'm trying to move more and definitely the weight loss is phnomenal with metformin than without. So in my experience I've found that metformin sort of evens the playing field for you so its not so freaking tough to lose weight when you have pcos!! Its not magic but if you have ever tried losing weight without it, this feels pretty awesome! :)
  • tbright1965
    tbright1965 Posts: 852 Member
    I believe metformin blocks the absorption of some sugar in the foods you eat, but it’s less than 5 percent, IIRC.

    So it may help a bit, but it’s more about what you eat with respect to weight loss.

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