Metformin is awesome. 1. helps you lose weight. 2. helps with fertility. 3. helps regulate your cycles. 4. helps cut out carb cravings. I just started back, so I am excited about experiencing these again.

I could not stand metformin. I had horrid pains in my abdomen, diarrhea, and other symptoms, so I quit taking it. I know it works for some people, but not for me. I am going to do everything I can to lose weight in order to let my body perhaps regulate itself. Another reason I do not like metformin is what my reproductive endocrinologist told me and that is that he would never put someone on metformin that was not diabetic because that is what the drug was designed for. If I feel the need to have a period, I take prometrium.

By the way, I've been more regular with my periods since stopping metformin than when I was on it. However, like I said before, it seems to work for some people and not for others.

@moin78 metformin didn't work for me either. I was sick all the time and couldn't eat hardly anything at all.

I get a period by being on birth control. I'm going back to the doctor on Friday to discuss some more options because I'm struggling to lose weight.

Being insulin resistant is being insulin resistant. I do not agree with your doctor, I have had too many doctors that are pro metformin....sorry.

insulin resistance has degrees. a lot of doctors are pro-metformin because they want fast results. others are more worried about the fact that once you start, it will be hard to stop. i don't mean addiction, i mean maintenance. also, prolonged use of metformin can suppress your liver's function.
the best way (also the most difficult) to control PCOS is with natural weight loss. but if some people can't do it, then the benefits of metformin outweigh the consequences.
that's why some doctors prescribe it right away and others wait until you really need it. they have different degrees of judging the need for metformin.

Low carb is always the best lifestyle for PCOS with or without meds. Hard for me to stick to, I'd just rather eat what I want and count calories.....I hate PCOS it makes everything so much more difficult

I too was sick with metformin, but did better on the extended release formula.

Those of you who have successfully lost weight with PCOS, what settings worked for you? How many calories, how many carbs, fat, protein, etc?

Some of the chat groups advocate eating the number of calories that MFP gives you, but I've done that for weeks now and have seen no results.

I am new to MFP and this the first group I joined. I was diagnosed with PCOS 4 years ago by a fertitlity doctor. I was taking fertitlity treatments for 10 months...then I got pregnant!! I have a beautiful 2 year old little boy! During my treatments, pregnancy and even now I have been very overweight. My point being is even though it is healthy to lose the weight before pregnancy it is possible to get pregnant and be overweight. I will say in reply to an earlier post concerning an on going period. Six years ago I had lost 60 lbs (which I have since gained most back) and I started my period that lasted for about 5 months. It was never a heavy period, just persistent and irritating.

I am pretty certain I have had PCOS symptoms since I went through puberty (9 yrs old). I would have one period and then not again for months and then have like 3 in a row a week apart. I was diagnosed at age 18 when I started to have digestive problems and wouldn't/couldn't eat due to pain! I lost 30-40 lbs in less than a month and wasn't healthy at all. After going to several doctors it was decided to remove my gall bladder to see if that would help. It didn't do much except keeping me from eating anything with fat. About 6 months later they finally tested my hormone levels. If they hadn't checked then I would have gone through menopause by age 20 they said because my ovaries were shutting down due to extreme excess hormones. Fast forward to present day: I am still struggling with my period even though I am on BC. I have tried losing weight on my own in every possible way. From low fat to low cal to low carb diets to exercising everyday. I have a very active job and burn between 800-1000 cal per day. I have been on Spiro and metformin before and nothing happened. I am just slowly gaining more weight. During my last dr appt they decided to do more blood work and put me back on metformin and I'm trying a high protein/low carb diet now. Has anyone seen success with this combo? I'm growing discouraged after working so hard for so many years.