PCOS / Metabolic Syndrome / Metformin

better_days_ahead
better_days_ahead Posts: 69 Member
edited October 4 in Food and Nutrition
I know there are other forums out there with these same subjects, but I am looking to check out the diary of someone who has PCOS / Metabolic Syndrome and takes Metformin.

I was diagnosed with this at the beginning of the month and just filled a prescription today to start taking Metformin. Not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous of the side effects.

I was wondering about getting some meal ideas, sample day of yours, things that have worked for you.

Thanks! :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • 623Hernandez
    623Hernandez Posts: 458
    My BFF started taking it and was prego in just a few months. She also dropped a few pounds. My other friend couldn't stomach it. Pun intended.
  • sarahp86
    sarahp86 Posts: 692 Member
    I have PCOS but my GP wont prescribe me any drugs. He just told me to lose weight. So I went to a dietician and since last monday I'm on a diet of 1500 cals a day. the only carbs I'm allowed are a 30g bowl of corn flakes/Rice Krispies / porridge in the morning and if i feel I need it two slices of wholemeal bread with low fat jam. I can have croutons with salad but only about 20g (the odd day) I lost 6lbs last week.
    I'm off chocolate, all sweets, crisps, pasta, rice, potato, white bread. It's only this strict for a month ans she'll start reintroducing carbs in small portions. I'm not hungry and I'm actually eating more and feel more satisfied,

    Feel free to add me and look at my diary.
  • Aprilc227
    Aprilc227 Posts: 1
    Not going to lie...the side effects are pretty bad. But they do lessen. The doctor told me to give it 2-3 weeks and it does in fact lessen as your body gets use to it. You will also notice that certain foods will now make you "sick". I can't handle anything that has too many carbs in it or is too fatty/greasy. So you start to avoid those foods and that also lessens the side effects. But the drug affects everyone differently.
  • shannieboo
    shannieboo Posts: 144 Member
    I have PCOS but my GP wont prescribe me any drugs. He just told me to lose weight. So I went to a dietician and since last monday I'm on a diet of 1500 cals a day. the only carbs I'm allowed are a 30g bowl of corn flakes/Rice Krispies / porridge in the morning and if i feel I need it two slices of wholemeal bread with low fat jam. I can have croutons with salad but only about 20g (the odd day) I lost 6lbs last week.
    I'm off chocolate, all sweets, crisps, pasta, rice, potato, white bread. It's only this strict for a month ans she'll start reintroducing carbs in small portions. I'm not hungry and I'm actually eating more and feel more satisfied,

    Feel free to add me and look at my diary.

    I am diabetic and take metformin, I have no side effects. You know a lot of people bash low carb but my Dr also put me on it and i have dropped weight and my a1c dropped from 13.1 to 6.8. When you are on low carb you are not hungry and to me, I feel great!

    WTG on the 6 lbs
  • atred
    atred Posts: 7
    I'd be happy to share my meal plan. Though you'll have to look back a bit as I took a few weeks off from tracking.

    I was diagnosed with PCOS 2 years ago and have been taking Metformin ever since. I was able to adjust to the side effects by starting with a low dose and ramping up every week or two as tolerated. Hopefully your doctor has you doing that also.

    Also, some of the best advice from my doctor was to take the Metformin in the middle of my meal. I made the mistake of taking it an hour or two after (forgot at home when eating out) and it was terrible. Now if that happens I just skip the dose instead! The same goes for eating a large enough meal, can't have just a small salad for dinner or tummy issues will follow. Takes some experimenting to see what you can tolerate, but for me it was more than worth it.

    Your doctor probably also mentioned that you should make sure to always eat your carbs and protein together. This has been so huge for me and really keeps my energy levels stable and prevents hypoglycemia. My breakfast is an eggwhite omelet AND oatmeal pretty much every day. It works really well for me.

    Hope this helps!
  • krisrpaz
    krisrpaz Posts: 263 Member
    I have PCOS, Metabolic Syndrome and was on Metformin. I am no longer on Metformin because I have gotten my blood sugar under control with a very low carb diet. When I first started Metformin it made me have terrible stomach cramps and I would run to the bathroom every 30 minutes. My body never really got used to it but it helped me lose weight. I lost 20 pounds but then I had to have my gallbladder removed which helped with not being able to eat high fat foods anyway. Then my doctor put me on extended-release Metformin which helped a TON. It greatly reduced the trips to the bathroom and no stomach cramps! Now that my blood sugar, blood pressure and everything else is "normal" I am not on Metformin and am losing weight by diet and exercise alone. My journal is open; however, I am on very low carb and calorie under the supervision of a doctor so I would not suggest following it without consulting yours.
  • sandy2006
    sandy2006 Posts: 483 Member
    I USED to be on Met but came off it and went on a low sugar and carb diet. I also exercise and take fish oil daily. I never felt better than now! The best thing I ever did was just get off all the white stuff! Now my blood sugar is under control, my metabolism is back to normal and I am losing weight! Good luck to ya
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    I know there are other forums out there with these same subjects, but I am looking to check out the diary of someone who has PCOS / Metabolic Syndrome and takes Metformin.

    I was diagnosed with this at the beginning of the month and just filled a prescription today to start taking Metformin. Not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous of the side effects.

    I was wondering about getting some meal ideas, sample day of yours, things that have worked for you.

    Thanks! :flowerforyou:

    I was on Metformin for PCOS and T2 Diabetes................

    I wasn't aware that prolonged use of this drug will make you deficient in both Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D. I got lethargic and suicidal from the dangerously low levels of B12 and D.

    I am 2 years away from taking Met and now with a Doctor working with me to repair this damage and it is very slow going process. In 2009, my vitamin D was at 8 and should have been at least 45. In the past 2 years with tanning bed for light therapy, taking 10,000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day and getting out in the sun every day the sun is shining has raised it from 8 to 22.

    I am still deficient even after 2 years. The doctor I am seeing now said I should have never been left on the Metformin for any extended time. The recommended time to be on it is no more than 6 months.
  • krisrpaz
    krisrpaz Posts: 263 Member
    I know there are other forums out there with these same subjects, but I am looking to check out the diary of someone who has PCOS / Metabolic Syndrome and takes Metformin.

    I was diagnosed with this at the beginning of the month and just filled a prescription today to start taking Metformin. Not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous of the side effects.

    I was wondering about getting some meal ideas, sample day of yours, things that have worked for you.

    Thanks! :flowerforyou:

    I was on Metformin for PCOS and T2 Diabetes................

    I wasn't aware that prolonged use of this drug will make you deficient in both Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D. I got lethargic and suicidal from the dangerously low levels of B12 and D.

    I am 2 years away from taking Met and now with a Doctor working with me to repair this damage and it is very slow going process. In 2009, my vitamin D was at 8 and should have been at least 45. In the past 2 years with tanning bed for light therapy, taking 10,000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day and getting out in the sun every day the sun is shining has raised it from 8 to 22.

    I am still deficient even after 2 years.

    This is another reason I decided to stop Metformin. I read about the B12 deficiency and I had a lot of the symptoms. The doctor I'm seeing now gives me a weekly B12 injection and I feel so much better. The low carb diet has completely done away with the blood sugar roller coaster I used to ride every day.
  • tigeratty
    tigeratty Posts: 75 Member
    I have PCOS and am type 2 following gestational diabetes that did not go away after I delivered. I've been on metformin for 5 years. I did lose some weight when I first started it. I've had no issues with it whatsoever. I often take it on a empty stomach with my other meds, no problems.

    My vitamin D was a bit low, and I do take a supplement for that, but nothing drastic.

    I try to follow a South Beach type of diet. I try not to eat a lot of carbs, and what I do eat are whole grain. The more closely I follow it the better I feel. I also try not to eat many processed foods.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    I know there are other forums out there with these same subjects, but I am looking to check out the diary of someone who has PCOS / Metabolic Syndrome and takes Metformin.

    I was diagnosed with this at the beginning of the month and just filled a prescription today to start taking Metformin. Not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous of the side effects.

    I was wondering about getting some meal ideas, sample day of yours, things that have worked for you.

    Thanks! :flowerforyou:

    I was on Metformin for PCOS and T2 Diabetes................

    I wasn't aware that prolonged use of this drug will make you deficient in both Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D. I got lethargic and suicidal from the dangerously low levels of B12 and D.

    I am 2 years away from taking Met and now with a Doctor working with me to repair this damage and it is very slow going process. In 2009, my vitamin D was at 8 and should have been at least 45. In the past 2 years with tanning bed for light therapy, taking 10,000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day and getting out in the sun every day the sun is shining has raised it from 8 to 22.

    I am still deficient even after 2 years.

    This is another reason I decided to stop Metformin. I read about the B12 deficiency and I had a lot of the symptoms. The doctor I'm seeing now gives me a weekly B12 injection and I feel so much better. The low carb diet has completely done away with the blood sugar roller coaster I used to ride every day.

    Yes, I took B12 injections last year too for 12 weeks and then taking sublingual B12 supplement ever since and my B12 is now normal, but the Vitamin D is still very low.
  • GreenLifeGirl
    GreenLifeGirl Posts: 381 Member
    I was diagnosed with PCOS at age 12. I've been under numerous specialists, have taken several combinations of meds, including metformin in the past, though I am completely off of it now (thankfully!). Ultimately, the MOST important thing you can do is eat correctly and do moderate to high exercise (both cardio AND strength). I eat reduced carbs, no processed foods (bread- even whole wheat, pasta, cereal, most grains), focus on tons of veggies and lean proteins- limited sugar grams (my only source of sugar is limited fruit and what naturally occurs in veggies).

    **Important warning here**

    It is EXTREMELY tempting to eat below your calorie goal. About 4 years ago, while I was still in school, I made the HUGE mistake of just limiting myself to between 950-1200 cals a day when I really should have been getting at least 1400....I was even eating healthy (veggies, green juicing, lean protein), but NOT enough. I lost weight alright, but it was too late when I found out that I had done long term damage to my gallbladder, my beautiful hair got thinner (won't ever go back to how thick it was), weakened my immune system and I lost muscle mass...it is a very false sense of success. If I could go back, I never would have done something that foolish. You might find others doing it (even on MFP), but don't let that keep you from eating the calories that your body needs!

    Think like an athelete - fuel your body the right way, don't eat sugars and simple carbs, and learn to love exercise!!!

    PCOS makes losing more difficult, but it is totally possible! I hope you great success!
  • kellyscomeback
    kellyscomeback Posts: 1,369 Member
    When I took metformin I didn't change anything and lost 30 lbs in 3 months.
  • better_days_ahead
    better_days_ahead Posts: 69 Member
    Thank you so much to everyone for your information and input. I know that everyone has had different experiences with this and that is why I wanted to give it a try (maybe it will be good for my situation, maybe it won't). My doctor suggested it, but didn't encourage nor discourage me what so ever. I discussed it with her and let her know I wanted to research into it more before I went ahead with it.
    Reason I asked about the foods with the medication was because I have been reading some people have had horrible diarehha and have had to stay near the bathroom. I thought maybe it had to do with certain foods... I dont know, we'll see how it goes!

    Thanks again! You guys rock!
  • budgetqueen79
    budgetqueen79 Posts: 310 Member
    I wasn't able to take Metformin it made me so sick. I did find Femaprin it's an herb known as chasteberry/vitex and have felt wonderful! It shorten my long dreadful periods and my PMS and cramps are gone. I made a video going in more detail on it. I got mine at a healthfood store.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuqhYX6hXHw
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