PCOS/Insulin Resistance Support - Metformin and Blood Sugar

I was just curious for those on metformin if you happen to remember what your fasting blood sugar was when you started?

I had my fasting blood sugar done and it was 79mg/dl. I also had my a1g test done and the result was good, I believe it was 5.3 and anything under 5.7 was good.

Well my endocrinologist insisted I go on metformin. I told her everytime I tried it in the past it made me ill. She gave me slow release- told me to start on 500mg/day and then after a few weeks increase to 1000mg/day.

I had actually been at her office because she'd put me on spironolactone and I was having complications with my blood pressure being low (100/60). She lowered my dosage from 200mg to 100mg/day and I've been okay since. She says I need to get back up to 200mg but I'm not in a hurry right now.

So Wednesday I started the second pill, long story short I woke up in the morning with chest pain and by the end of the day my right hand and tongue were tingling. I googled tongue and chest pain and the fourth link said metformin! I read into it and it said that chest pain was a severe side effect and seek medical attention.

So then I was like okay I thought metformin lowered insulin resistance so I read up on it and I noticed some link saying that it lowered blood sugar levels. THEN I looked up hypoglycemia and had ALL the symptoms yesterday.

So now I'm like why would my doctor tell me to take this medication if my blood sugars are okay? Am I missing something? I'm trying to figure out who takes metformin and if anyone who had a good BFS was given metformin?

My BFS was fine when they put me on it. He didn't even have my blood tests back. He said it would help with IR and side effects of PCOS. That seemed to be the standard at the time - automatic pills, but I quit taking them because they made me very sick, and I constantly thought I had lactic acidosis every time I had sore muscles! I weighed the benefits versus the risk/loss of quality of life, and tossed them.

From what I understand, metformin's primary action is decreasing the amount of glucose the liver produces and decreasing the amount of sugar absorbed from the GI tract, which in theory could lead to hypoglycemia. Personally my FBS were normal and so was my AIC, but I had increased circulating insulin levels due to IR/PCOS, which the metformin helps. I have had better success with the 500mg XR, take with EVENING meal for sure! Just my 2 cents, but if you are having a severe side effect like chest pain maybe u and ur doc can find another effective med... hope you feel better! :)

It doesn't sound like you need it at that level or at all?

I'd have to dig up my labs at the start when I was on 2000 mg of Glucophage Xr, but my recent A1C was 5.7 and my fasting was 80... and I cannot take it any more even if I wanted to. I've been without IR (free or dormant or whatever) for 2 years now and manage it via diet.

When I start feeling weird like you did, my endoc. said it was optional at this point. I didn't NEED it for IR management, but if I wanted to try it to help with appetite/weight loss I could try just a 500 dose. But I felt sick and gave it up.

Was she going for lowering IR - lowering androgens or something? Best that you talk to doc about it.

You might want to review the inciid faq (http://www.inciid.org/faq.php?cat=complementarymed&id=2) in the labs section and Mary's FAQ (http://pcosfaq.com/) too. Sometimes its hard to keep up with all this stuff in plain English.

HTH!
A.

My blood sugar wasn't tested prior to going on the Met, by either my OB/GYN who made the initial diagosis or my reproductive endocrinologist. I know on the RE side of it, the theory is that Metformin helps with the blood sugars, but also sensitizes the ovaries to insulin, which helps with their output of bad hormones. It's a reallllly complicated feedback mechanism, but that's why a lot of doctors will put you on Met regardless of your actual blood sugar stuff. But if you're having side effects like that, it's time to find a new med.

I noticed that many of you have or are taking metformin. Has anyone noticed a substantial ( I mean greater that 10lb loss) of weight? If so, how long and what dose were you taking?

I was recently diagnosed with PCOS, although judging from the forums and the research I have been doing, I have had it for years. Recently my nurse practitioner prescribed a "beginning dose" of metformin of 1500 mg in the evening. I had very small drop in the scale, but nothing to write home about. At my last visit she suggested that we increase it to 2000mg. I have had very little of the side effects, other than nausea if I dont eat immediately upon waking. I am trying to follow a low glycemic diet and walk about an hour a day. The really weird thing is that I am losing the weight in my hips and thighs, but GAINING around my waist. In my early teens, I was a pear, but since my mid to late twenties, up to now, I am carrying all my weight around the middle. Has anyone else experienced this and did metformin help?