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Old 02-25-2012, 10:15 PM   #1  
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Default Metformin for weight loss (non-diabetic)

I talked to a friend who told me this was an option then talked to my doctor and she willingly prescribed me the Metformin that I asked for. I am not diabetic and will be taking it purely to assist with weight loss. Has anyone else ever done this? Experience? Did it help your Weight loss? I am a binge eater and my doctor told me that Metformin may make me nauseated so I am hoping that will deter me from eating like crazy

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Old 03-04-2012, 12:12 AM   #2  
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My doctor put me on Metformin to help lower my bloodsugar and promote weightloss. It will make you feel sick if you take it on an empty stomach or if your carb intake is too low.

However, I really don't see it helping with binge eating....in fact, it could make it worse by resulting in your binging should you feel nauseated.
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Old 03-08-2012, 02:50 PM   #3  
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Originally Posted by TiffNeedsChange View Post
I talked to a friend who told me this was an option then talked to my doctor and she willingly prescribed me the Metformin that I asked for. I am not diabetic and will be taking it purely to assist with weight loss. Has anyone else ever done this? Experience? Did it help your Weight loss? I am a binge eater and my doctor told me that Metformin may make me nauseated so I am hoping that will deter me from eating like crazy
This really doesn't make sense.

She might think you have a blood sugar issue, even if the tests are coming out normal.

But Metformin is NOT an appetite suppressant nor is it going to help you lose weight.

Metformin attempts to stabilize your blood sugar levels so that your insulin production isn't over or under for what you're eating. If you don't watch what you eat, I suspect you'll be spending a lot of time in the bathroom feeling sick and nauseated.

This won't help your binge eating either. Binge eating disorders should probably be addressed with therapy, rather than through this type of medication.
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Old 03-11-2012, 01:35 AM   #4  
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That is good to know. Thank you both for your input. I am pretty sure I have a blood sugar issue when I eat a lot of carbs because I get *high* feeling. She did not do any bloodwork though. Last time I was checked a few years ago my blood sugar was fine. My doctor said it will help me not store as much fat (the metformin that is). I have reduced my Carb intake for the most part but still have some with every meal.
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Old 03-11-2012, 01:38 AM   #5  
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My doctor put me on Metformin to help lower my bloodsugar and promote weightloss. It will make you feel sick if you take it on an empty stomach or if your carb intake is too low.

However, I really don't see it helping with binge eating....in fact, it could make it worse by resulting in your binging should you feel nauseated.
Did the metformin speed your weightless? Lately I have been eating around 1500-1800the calories but haven't lost a thing. I haven't started taking the metformin because I wanted to lose what I could on my own but I am thinking maybe I do have a blood sugar issue since I am not losing despite the deficit.
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Old 03-11-2012, 11:50 AM   #6  
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Did the metformin speed your weightless? Lately I have been eating around 1500-1800the calories but haven't lost a thing. I haven't started taking the metformin because I wanted to lose what I could on my own but I am thinking maybe I do have a blood sugar issue since I am not losing despite the deficit.
Metformin won't help you lose weight faster.

If you do have a blood sugar issue, then you have to reduce the carbohydrates that go quickly into your blood -- these things like bagels, pizza, pasta, cookies/cakes, candy bars, etc.

When your blood sugar rises, IF your pancreas isn't working right, then whatever your pancreas sends out to fix the huge levels of sugar, will probably turn that glucose (the "sugar") into fat storage. As long as you keep throwing in that kind of stuff into your body, your body will take it and convert it to fat.

If you exercise a lot, you can burn some of that off -- that's why diabetics and others with IR are told to watch their diet and exercise.

My father, diabetic, lost a lot of weight not by exercising three hours a day, but by taking a walk after every meal -- the walk was 20 minutes. That walk helped burn off any excess his body couldn't handle after the meal. But he watched what he ate as well.

I exercise a lot and after every class/session, my blood sugar is stable and low. Just this morning, after riding my bike, my blood sugar was at 86, which is in the normal range. I burned off the excess glucose from my high carb breakfast (which I eat when I know I'm going to go bike riding). I ate oatmeal with dried cherries and a granola bar.
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Old 03-12-2012, 01:53 AM   #7  
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Awesome tips Rana I cannot really walk for exercise because I have some feet issues but I am trying to find some alternate exercises that may be similarly beneficial/easy to do on a whim and non-weight bearing (I really need to get a bike). I have definitely cut down on the carbs ALOT but maybe I am still taking in too many. I don't really know how many carbs is a good number to shoot for. I am calorie counting usually between 1500-1800 but I don't count carbs. I just try to eat whole wheat etc and a much smaller portion than I used to.
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Old 03-12-2012, 10:20 AM   #8  
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I think the best advice I can give you is to focus less on the carbs right now and focus on eating healthy. I started off that way and I didn't feel deprived.

So, instead of saying you're going to stick to 1600 calories and not a calorie more, you say you MUST eat your 5 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit every day. (A banana for example is considered 2 servings of fruit.)

That cuts down on the cravings for "bad" carbs, I find and gives you the fiber you need to help you balance out your blood sugar.

Personally, I've given up eating pasta except in special occasions. I think I ate pasta 4 times last year. I used to NEVER eat bread -- I gave up sandwiches and pizza and toast and stuff like that -- but I added it back in because my nutritionist wanted me to eat more carbs (I am now telling her she was wrong about that, so I am going to eliminate it again).

Eating carbs from fruits and vegetables is really the best way to do it. Have treats, so you don't go crazy, once a week or on special events like birthdays or anniversaries.

Yogurt and other dairy will still give you carbs, as well as nuts and brown rice, legumes, and other foods like that.

Get yourself a bike if you can! I find it's the easiest way to burn calories and have it feel easy! I can't run because of a knee surgery.
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Old 03-12-2012, 10:33 AM   #9  
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You have to get to the bottom of WHY you binge before you can know if Metformin will help you or not.

In some Insulin Resistant people it DOES help with weight loss because it helps bring their blood sugar into better balance and then this clears up some of their hunger crazy.

When I took Metformin before to deal with my IR, it didn't do much for me weight loss wise. It just stopped more weight GAIN. The "creep" you get with PCOS/IR sometimes from IR related crazy hunger.

I was glad not to gain more! But I still had to work off what I put on. It wasn't going to magically do it for me.

If you don't have IR issues to resolve and your binges stem from emotional eating or something else, I don't see how it's going to work out for you though to take Metformin to balance blood sugar that is ALREADY balanced. You may end up feeling nasty because it drops you in the other direction -- too LOW in blood sugar. Then you end up munching to fix THAT.

I also don't think feeling pukey is the way you want to lose weight!

Has doc talked to you more about the binges? Did you get labs run before getting the Metformin? I'd feel weird about a doc who just hands out prescriptions willy nilly.

If you need non weight bearing exercise -- maybe swim or water aerobics? That's a good place to start AND you don't have to feel "sweaty" because you are in water!

My 2 cents.
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Old 03-12-2012, 11:33 AM   #10  
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Metformin is used for women with Insulin Resistance and/or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
I take 500mg of Metformin HCl daily - But this is to increase my sensitivity to my own insulin, and to reduce the amount of sugar that my liver makes.

My advice is to talk to your doctor, or a nutitionist. Get tested for metabolic conditions and blood sugar conditions. Also, discuss with your doctor what would be the best method for YOU to drop the pounds you want.

For exercise, I recommend:
-Turbo Jam
-Turbo Fire
-P90X
-any other beachbody product... They're awesome!

Good luck!!!
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Old 02-26-2019, 12:37 PM   #11  
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I know the thread is old but I didn't think it was necessary to create a new thread about this. I think metformin may slow digestion down in the intestines. It does lead to weight loss in a lot of people which may be the factor for treating non diabetics who are overweight.
If anyone's interested I've ordered Metformin online few times from http://www.reliablerxwebs24.com/go/Metformin 10% off discount code “SALE10”. As far as I know this code can be used as many times as you want.

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Old 04-02-2020, 03:11 PM   #12  
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Default Metformin for weight loss

I really think Metformin is effective. My mother has been in a good shape since she started taking this medication a few years back. I'm not sure though what would be the side effects to non-diabetics.
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