Metformin

[Mrs. M]

I am a bit confused about the purpose of Met. What is the main purpose for it? It is only to lower insulin levels or also testostrone. Can you get the same total effect from taking cinnomon or is that only for insulin levels. Can you work hard at diet and exercise alone and not need Met at all?As you can see this is all new to me and I want a better understanding before I go back to the doctor.

Thanks,
Sandi

[slong007]

It can all be very confusing and it never hurts to ask. Met works to resensitize your body to insulin. It's my understanding that if you are insulin resistant as you eat your body doesn't recognize that it has produced enough insulin and just keeps making it, which causes your body to store fat...like your body is preparing for a famine that never comes! Met doesn't directly lower your testostrone, however, the more control you have over your insulin may help with other hormones.

Diet and exercise should be combined with the Met. The less you weigh the better your body responds to insulin. Most women with PCOS who are IR have a lot of trouble losing weight without the Met...I'm one of them. For years I worked out really hard and ate healthy and would lose only a few lbs if any in a month. In comparison when I started the Met and only eliminating sugar from my diet, but not changing my exercise at all I lost several lbs a week. If you are IR, then you should be avoiding sugar and refined carbs...eating much like a diabetic.

Cinnamon is sort of a natural form of Met. It also helps resensitize your body to insulin. I'm not aware of any medication to lower your testostrone. I take BCPs to help combat that side effect.

[Mrs. M]

Thanks for your response. What are BCP's?
What I find interesting is my blood glucose test was in a normal range but I have all the other symptoms. Hair growth, difficult weight lose, irregular cycles and hormones indicative of PCOS.
I don't really want to take drugs unless absolutely needed.

Sandi

[Gen224]

Sandi--

if you search my user name (gen224), you'll find a post that explains the ins and outs of insulin and testosterone production. I know it's in the forum somewhere, but can't remember which one (I post in diet and medication only). Anyhow, it's really long and involved, but it's all accurate information that I've learned over the years. It will help you understand the connection between the symptoms of PCOS and at the same time I'm pretty sure I talked about the medications that can control the problems and mitigate the symptoms.

HTH