Anyone else NOT on Metformin?

[mara232]

I feel like I am the only one here NOT on metformin. :shock: Usually I can control my PCOS symptoms with diet and excercize (which I have not really gotten into yet..ugh :? ). I have been able to improve my cholesterol levels etc just from diet and excercise. I just hat ehate metformin and I cannot get ER with my insurance. Anyone else just diet and excercise and not bother with metformin?

edited because I spelled metformin incorrectly in subject line.

[tracyrhymer1979]

i took met for about 6 months last year, and quit it. I just hated it. I decided to try it again, and took it this morning, and I feel like crap.

[texasred1]

I took 2000mg of met for a little over a year. My endo put me on it for my pcos. I was not ttc. When I got pregnant last year I quit taking it. The only thing I noticed it did for me was lower my testosterone level (dr. said I'd never get preggo with levels that high) and my cholesterol levels. Weight never changed (for the better). Still not taking met, don't know if I will after done bf.

[Terra]

I only took 1000mg of Met while ttc. I was on 2000 but it made me so sick! I don't feel that I need to be taking it now, but will ask for it again when we start ttc again. But I am one of few pcos girls who does not struggle with my weight (don't hate me) I'm a midget instead :D I have quite a few family members who are overweight--but deep frying every single meal will do that to you. I was extremely active in high school and ate horribly. I'm not as active now (not even close) but I think that gave a jump start into adulthood. I still eat really bad though. I did not like taking Met or Clomid for that matter LOL I was nauseous and having hot flashes all day. If you can control your symptoms without meds, than I would do that instead.

[wantingbabynumber2]

I was on Met for a short time I was able to control the GI issues well with fiber but wasn't doing much for me other than controling AF and making me soooo sleepy. I was borderline on my bloodwork so OB said I could try it if I wanted but I went off it got tired of taking it everyday. I never lost any weight either. I was off about 2 months before I got pregnant. I probably won't restart it after this pregnancy but I am going to try doing just cinnamon since that doesn't have all the issues like the met

[Holly]

I'm not on it now. I was the whole time I was TTC, and it did regulate my periods. I'm not insulin resistant, though, so I don't have the other reasons (weight, etc) for needing to take it. Since I ended up doing injectibles and IVF, it's unclear if the Met helped at all in getting PG, so I'm not sure if they'll put me back on it when I'm TTC again...I hope not!

[kirsten]

I took it for four years and up until 16 weeks prego.
When I'm done BFing I'll go back on it.
I miss it!

[elsie]

I take it but I am pretty textbook ir and was having to pull over and take naps while driving, even after losing weight. One thing to remember is that if you're overweight that makes ir worse. So if you go on it and it jump-starts your metabolism when you exercise, you could go off it when you shed the weight. You can think of it as a means to an end rather than a long-term rx. I on the other hand have such a strong history of non-obese type II diabetes in the family that I'm on it for the long haul :( Last time I stopped met for three weeks to get a baseline on my glucose, it went right back to the elevated range.

[mara232]

Wow - interesting. Met did nothing for me but made me sick. No weightloss, no skin improvements nothing. The only that thing works for me is controlling my symptoms via healthy eating. Interesting.

[tracy]

I second what Red said -- just lowered my testosterone levels. Didn't return AFs, didn't lower my weight, didn't improve skin, etc. I'm taking cinnamon now and am happy with it.

I do need to lose some weight (my belly is still too flabby for my taste!!), and that may help my other issues. But, my pcos is relatively mild. Honestly (this is a terrible attitude), but when not ttc, I don't care too much!! Shame on me, I know :oops:

[cvalentine]

I've never once taken Metformin.

[karenh]

Im not on it, it made me very sick and dr wont put me back on it because i got so sice from it. But I take cinnamon and it does the same as met did with out bad symptoms. It takes away my cravings for carbs helps with af a little and fills me up more, or makes me eat less. But have been slacking on taking it so been eating and craving and have no idea when I will see af again.

[greatOT]

I tried 1000 mgs and 2000 mgs and neither dosage did anything for me: no AF, no help with weight or skin. The only thing it gave me was 2 minutes warning that I needed to poop - so not fun.

I'm not IR, though, so I guess it's not a suprise. SO many people have told me that if you have pcos you are IR, by default, but dozens of bloodwork tests, etc. indicate that I'm not. Does anyone have this going on? Are there maybe several different types of PCOS?

-Sarah

[mara232]

I am not IR either..boderline IR is what my RE said. She also said a healthy diet could do what metformin does for others. I tried the metformin and I was so sick all the time on it. nausea, headaches...almost hypoglycemic is what I felt like on it - even 500mg.

[tracy]

I'm not IR, either. Never have been.

Maybe that's why Met doesn't seem to work for us.

I'm not sure if there are different types of pcos, but I think there are varying degrees of how badly you have symptoms. Mine seem to be relatively mild.

[wife and mommy]

I do not take Met and like Tracy, my PCOS is mild. Then again, I am still at the beginning stages of diagnosis...my gynecologist hasn't exactly initiated further testing of my blood to see whether or not I am IR. I've had to school myself on everything thus far and it sucks. I go on the 16th and he's going to get an earful on what I want done :lol:

Once again, a big thank you to all of you and this board! It's like I've struck the PCOS information jackpot!! I've learned a boatload more on this board alone than any one medical site that tries to explain PCOS and its symptoms or any doctor!

[mara232]

I agree Tracy - there must b other levels. Other than being fat and not ovulating regularily when fat - I don't have any other issues such as the hair, acne, skin tags, darkened pigmented skin or high testosterone levels.

[elsie]

Hi Ladies,

Thought I'd chime in since I've done a lot of rsch on this...It turns out that 75% of women with pcos do have ir, but the typical testing, even the typical pcos tests, doesn't necessarily reveal it. Ideally you should have a glucose tolerance test done at half-hour intervals for 2 hours. That is the only way to get the full picture of how much insulin you produce, and the danger is that over time if your pancreas is in perpetual insulin production overdrive, it will give out. In my own case, my 2-hour number was not very revealing but when I had it done right later on (i.e. in half-hour intervals), my docs realized that I had a 70-point drop in blood glucose in 30 mins. b'c I had such a strong insulin surge. Those numbers are much more telling than a fasting glucose, which is only elevated if your ir is on the more extreme end and you are already considered pre-diabetic. It's a good idea to see if your ins. will pay for the testing to see where you really stand re ir. I'm only mentioning this because I was told all along that I don't fit the profile of a pcos patient. Well, the numbers told otherwise.

The thing to remember with pcos and ir is that difficulty ttc, skin, hair, etc. are only early symptoms, and are early signs that we should be monitored very closely over the years, because over time they relate to our life expectancy and quality of life. I can understand how we lose sight of that when we're so busy with our little ones, but once they get on in years a little and we take stock of the situation, it turns out that we'll have pcos many years after they're gone!

Mind you, I'm not pushing for more people to take met, just for them to have all the available tests performed so they know where they stand. I find it a great motivator to exercise since I saw in a lab setting what a huge difference it makes in my insulin sensitivity!! ....But that's for another post.

[tracy]

Good Info, Elsie!!

I had no idea. I just figured I had a mild case. I've never had the 30-minute interval test. Have an ob-gyn appt coming up -- may mention it.

THANKS

[mara232]

I've had the 1 hr interval test and still found I was only borderline. I have not heard of a 30 min test. But as always everything in Canada is done way differently than in the US.

[mara232]

I have always read about the arguement: Does PCOS make you fat or does being fat give you PCOS? Interesting...

If I go back to my own history. When my thyroid gave out I started gaining weight and that is when I stopped ovulating - after the weight gain. I got my thyroid back in check and lost weight and started ovulating. I was diagnosed PCOS via U/S (pearl necklace) and the fact that I was fat.

[wife and mommy]

Thanks so much, Elsie for all of that great info. I need all of the info I can get so that I am better prepared for my endo appt! :D

The thing to remember with pcos and ir is that difficulty ttc, skin, hair, etc. are only early symptoms, and are early signs that we should be monitored very closely over the years, because over time they relate to our life expectancy and quality of life

Very well put!! I think alot of us lose sight of that being caught up in the symptoms of the condition.

[greatOT]

wow! Elsie, that was great info!
I've never had the 1/2 hour test. May have to look into that after the kidlets are born.

[nut]

I am not on metformin. I did take it when I was TTC. But, my doc recommended that I only take it for TTC to help prevent m/c. I am not IR and I control my weight w/ diet & exercise. So, you are not alone!

[amy j.]

tracy- what do you mean when you say you are taking cinnamon?

[tracy]

I take cinnamon capsules to control pcos-symptoms. I believe there is a whole thread about it under the Diet Discussions...they'd know a whole lot more than I do.

I take 3000 mg per day. It's helped keep my pcos symptoms at bay as much as metformin ever did. And, tastes better :D