PCOS

MartiJ521
MartiJ521 Posts: 434
edited December 25 in Introduce Yourself
Women that have PCOS, do you take Metformin? and if you do, does it make you feel sick to your stomach? :(

Replies

  • uhlu
    uhlu Posts: 3
    Hey, I do have PCOS and I take 1000mg of Metformin per day and have been for a year now. It made me feel a little sick for the first month then it went away. I know a lot of people say to make sure you take it on a full stomach. I take it about 3/4 of the way through my meal.... not sure why I even tried it that way, but it works for me. I also lost about 15lbs in 3 months after starting Met... with no real changes to my diet.
  • kcormany
    kcormany Posts: 4
    I have PCOS and was trying to get pregnant with my 2nd child but it had been a year with no luck. My doctor put me on Metformin at that point. It bothered my tummy a little in the beginning and it still does if I eat terrible. My Dr. recommended I take it 30 minutes before a meal. I'm still on it since I'm pre-diabetic due to family history and two pregnancies with gestational diabetes. My family doctor says it a good med all around and helps women be stable if you're having mood issues, sometimes lose weight, it can regulate your cycle etc. I'm a fan. Stick with it.
  • pamperedlinny
    pamperedlinny Posts: 1,688 Member
    I have PCOS and take Metformin too. In the beginning it gave me the runs and if I eat really badly it still does. But mostly after a month or so that evened out and stopped bothering my stomach.
  • SA_80_2012
    SA_80_2012 Posts: 45 Member
    I was told when i was 19 that I have PCOS and was put on the Pill, but I've never had medication.

    I wonder if I should be on something? :-\

    Losing weight it SO hard for me, but i try not to use the PCOS as an excuse. It's tough going though
  • kcormany
    kcormany Posts: 4
    I could be wrong, but my understanding is someone should take metformin if your periods are irregular (common with PCOS, though mine were regular) or if you are trying to get pregnant because it can help you ovulate, or if your blood sugars are borderline, or if you're diabetic. I don't think though that PCOS makes losing weight any more difficult.... although it appears to me that PCOS is more common in overweight women. But I'm not a doctor!!! Just my understanding from reading, experience and my doctors.
  • MartiJ521
    MartiJ521 Posts: 434
    I was told when i was 19 that I have PCOS and was put on the Pill, but I've never had medication.

    I wonder if I should be on something? :-\

    Losing weight it SO hard for me, but i try not to use the PCOS as an excuse. It's tough going though

    I found out 3 weeks after my 19th birthday and it is hard losing weight. :/ your doctor didn't put you on Metformin?
  • bethfartman
    bethfartman Posts: 363 Member
    PCOS and insulin resistance often go hand-in-hand and being insulin resistant makes it difficult to lose weight. You can become insulin resistant if you are overweight or there may be other genetic factors contributing to your being insulin resistant and you may have been so even when you were at a normal weight and has largely contributed to your weight gain. The excess weight creates excess estrogen, which further fuels PCOS. If you have been diagnosed with PCOS but have not had any sort of blood glucose levels tested, you should ask your doctor to do so. It will point toward whether or not you're insulin resistant and if you are you should likely be on Metformin. Once you get to a healthy weight or if you are losing a good amount of weight, you should get tested again and if you’re glucose levels are in a healthy range, they will often take you off of it. Metformin helps your body to process sugars (carbs and the like) easier, which is why it makes it easier to lose weight. It’s a ridiculous ‘what came first, the chicken or the egg?’ type cycle.
  • bethfartman
    bethfartman Posts: 363 Member
    Oh, and it made me sick for a couple weeks or so, so just push through it. The less carbs and sugars you eat, the better you digestive system will handle the metformin.
  • tconklin
    tconklin Posts: 14
    A month ago I was diagnosed with Insulin Resistance (thanks to genetics) and I just recently got bumped up to 1500ml of Metaformin. My stomach hasn't been bothered by it but I always take it mid-meal. I've been seeing a dietitican for the last 3 months, who helped me diagnose it, and she's confirmed my diet is right so now we're hoping the meds will start making an impact.

    For those who have been on it for awhile, how soon did you start seeing weight loss? My weight hasn't budged but I'm seeing more muscle definition now though even though I'm exercising just as much as I ever was (6x a week)
  • anberlingasm
    anberlingasm Posts: 177
    I was told when i was 19 that I have PCOS and was put on the Pill, but I've never had medication.

    I wonder if I should be on something? :-\

    Losing weight it SO hard for me, but i try not to use the PCOS as an excuse. It's tough going though

    I have PCOS and was diagnosed when I was 19 (I'm 26 now) but have never taken any medication for it either.
  • ArmyVet92
    ArmyVet92 Posts: 35 Member
    I was on 2000mg of Metformin for a while right after I was diagnosed with PCOS back in 2008. Unfortunately I had horrible, horrible side effects from it no matter how long or how much I took or even how I ate. I never saw any extra weight loss from it while I was on it. I ended up having to have a hysterectomy last year, and my doctor said it was fine if I stopped taking it even though my PCOS would still be there. =)
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    Women that have PCOS, do you take Metformin? and if you do, does it make you feel sick to your stomach? :(

    I do, and a pretty high dose at that. At first, it did cause some problems, but after about a week the issues slowed and then pretty much stopped altogether. It helps if you take food with it, and eat small meals regularly throughout the day.
  • danielleduplantis
    danielleduplantis Posts: 20
    Well I just found out I have PCOS however should have known my period have always been off just older i get the worse it gets my dr said Birth control was only option and i refuse to accept that as an answer esp since i DON'T want a band aid fix i want lifestyle change i workout 3-4 times a week and eat very healthy if you saw my diet you'd be shocked on how big i am because i really eat well. So i went see a different dr he practices Quantum Neurology from a referral of a family member I figured it worth a shot well he def said they are natural ways to deal with PCOS i have apt Monday I will update on info but don't settle for drugs if you think there is a natural way look. If he can't help me then metforin is my next thought but i really don't want birth control! Good luck
  • SA_80_2012
    SA_80_2012 Posts: 45 Member
    I was told when i was 19 that I have PCOS and was put on the Pill, but I've never had medication.

    I wonder if I should be on something? :-\

    Losing weight it SO hard for me, but i try not to use the PCOS as an excuse. It's tough going though

    I found out 3 weeks after my 19th birthday and it is hard losing weight. :/ your doctor didn't put you on Metformin?

    ...Nope :-\

    In fact, my Dc at the time only prescribed me the Pill, so that I could start getting a "period"... Being a naive and uneducated girl in regards to PCOS at that stage, i went with it.

    In time, i armed myself with all the medical knowledge and got myself a good Gyno. She was good, but didn't put me on anything.

    Fast forward to now... I'm now 32 and have regular periods. I'm still not on anything, but i have realised that just by controling my weight and keeping it under a certain number, I ovulate regularly. It's amazing just how weight affects our hormones.. At least that's true for me.

    I hope that in time, and provided I find someone willing to give me kids, I will have them.
  • Retiredmom72
    Retiredmom72 Posts: 538 Member
    I don't have PCOS but my doctor did prescribe Metaformin for my diabetes. I tried so hard to take it. I got the time released and even cut the pill in half. I got sick continously. I ate before, during, and after taking it. Sometimes I fould be sick for hours. I had to work and going to the bathroom slowed me down. I gave up on the Metaformin and now I am on Lantus. I hate needles even the pen. I am so hoping that if I get enough weight off, I can get off the Lantus.
  • LORELLI
    LORELLI Posts: 24
    I have PCOS as well, diet and exercise definitely helps but I'm afraid to go on Metformin because I really don't want to get pregnant until next year. However, I do take Chaste Tree Berry my Dr. told me to try this as the natural route. So far I've been on it almost 2 months and my periods are definitely getting more towards regular. Hopefully in another month or 2 it will be ideal, cuz it's not any fun to have your period everyday!
  • timon111
    timon111 Posts: 1
    Hi everyone,

    In the past I was diagnosed with PCOS and well just frustrated! I'm recently on metformin for pre-diabetic and only lost a few pounds. My husband and I have been trying to have a baby and its frustrating. I'm starting to think its me and blaming myself. Hopefully, i can stay on track but its just frustrating. ugh.......
  • SA_80_2012
    SA_80_2012 Posts: 45 Member
    Well I just found out I have PCOS however should have known my period have always been off just older i get the worse it gets my dr said Birth control was only option and i refuse to accept that as an answer esp since i DON'T want a band aid fix i want lifestyle change i workout 3-4 times a week and eat very healthy if you saw my diet you'd be shocked on how big i am because i really eat well. So i went see a different dr he practices Quantum Neurology from a referral of a family member I figured it worth a shot well he def said they are natural ways to deal with PCOS i have apt Monday I will update on info but don't settle for drugs if you think there is a natural way look. If he can't help me then metforin is my next thought but i really don't want birth control! Good luck

    ...Yup, i got the "BAND-AID" fix from the start, and i took it, as i was so young and really wanting to feel "normal" by having a period every month.

    For me at least, as i've gotten older, my periods have become a lot more regular.... I am now 32 and thanks to an intense and consistent exercise regime (and to an extent diligent "diet", which i call lifestyle choice), i've managed to keep my weight under-control and consequently stabilise my hormones.

    The band-aid fix is not a great long-term solution and Dcs shouldn't even regard it as the first option to discuss with women of reproductive age.

    I know that I was told at age 19 that I may never have kids.
    I hope to prove that Dc wrong one day.
  • charmingbirch
    charmingbirch Posts: 2
    I have PCOS and am on a few meds. Metformin, Spironolactone and Medroxyprogesterone, to be specific. I wasn't too surprised when I was diagnosed with it but I can't say I didn't have success losing weight before I found out, it was just really slow coming.
  • SA_80_2012
    SA_80_2012 Posts: 45 Member
    Hi everyone,

    In the past I was diagnosed with PCOS and well just frustrated! I'm recently on metformin for pre-diabetic and only lost a few pounds. My husband and I have been trying to have a baby and its frustrating. I'm starting to think its me and blaming myself. Hopefully, i can stay on track but its just frustrating. ugh.......

    Whatever you do, DON"T GIVE UP :-)

    Stay consistent, persistent and positive. Make it your mantra if you have to.

    I wish you only good luck in your journey to motherhood xox
  • ShaeShae777
    ShaeShae777 Posts: 3
    I have the metabolic syndrome which is everything under the sun, this includes PCOS. I take metformin but you can ask your doctor to prescribe you Glumetza which is the same as metformin yet easier on the stomach. Before my galbladder was removed Glumetza really helped with stomach issues than metformin which really hurt. Now without my galbladder I've found it doesn't matter which pill I take. So in this case I get the Metformin b/c it's a generic brand and cheaper with ins where as Glumetza doesn't have a generic brand and cost more with my ins. So try Glumetza for a month and see if you see a difference. Good Luck!
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