[MarinePrincess]

Hey all. I've been lurking a bit on this forum, but haven't yet posted here...so hi everyone!

I was diagnosed with PCOS last year and they prescribed Metformin for me. My doctor also told me to try and lose some weight. I started taking the Metformin and didn't make any effort to lose weight. I actually ended up gaining weight! I had NO results after two months of taking Metformin (no monthly cycles, no weight loss, etc.). I got discouraged and quit taking the medicine.

Now I've decided to make the lifestyle change and have lost 7 pounds so far. I'm considering starting to take the Metformin again. My hopes are that the combination of my new lifestyle and Metformin I may be able to have monthly cycles again and ultimately may become pregnant.

I'm curious as to side effects people have had? I know I had troubles in the bathroom area (trying to be tactful when I say this) if I had a lot of sugar and fatty foods. Does more veggies/fruits/breads help with this? And the weight-loss? Does it make a bigg difference or just a little bit?

Also, since I've been off the pills for so long, should I see my doctor before starting again or would it be ok to just start taking them again at a lower dose and working my way back up to what I was taking before I quit?

My ultimate goal is to become pregnant; I've wanted to be a mommy since I was sixteen and cannot wait for that day to come.

[Lifeguard]

I personally didn't have any difficulties with side effects with the metformin. I also didn't experience any real weight loss from it either. I wonder if I'm on a high enough dose - but I'm going to continue on like this for a little while longer.

You should definitely check in with your doc again before starting.

[ishygal]

always check with your doctor before you start taking a prescribed medicine. they need to redo some blood work to see if your insulin needs have changed. you may need a higher dose, or you may need a lower does. in either case damage could be done to your pancreas. see your doctor, perferably an endocronologist, since they will know best whcih meds would work for you.
i would also suggest getting a referall to a dietician, after a month or so, or when you have the following appt. with your doctor, AFTER you start the metformin. Give your body a while to get used to the new medication, and then go see what your body is demanding in nutrition.
if you don't want to see a dietician, then weight watchers always works well too. a lot of people scoff at weightwatchers, but it does work, however it's not for everyone. A friend of mine has lost over 40 lbs in the last 8 months with weightwatchers, while another has only lost 10. :-/

good luck hon, but make sure you do go see your doctor before you take any other action. including exercise. you don't want to get hurt, and get discouraged again.

[Laura G]

Hi - I absolutely agree with ishygirl - go see your doctor again. I've been on Metformin for a long time and I am at the maximum dose - 2.5g. I have terrible belly gas, but that's it.
Metformin does not help with your monthly or to lose weight (directly). It is simply to help with IR - insulin resistance - to help your cells receive and use the insulin your pancreas puts out. By lowering IR, your pancreas has to send out less insulin - which is the fat storage horomone- therefore you store less fat. Your ovaries are less likely to become insulin resistant - so all this extra that the pancreas has put out, and your cells haven't been able to receive and use floats through your blood to find somewhere they can go - the ovaries. When your ovaries have too much insulin, they start to put out other hormones like testosterone and such. This increases your PCOS problem. By the way, did you know that extra fat secretes estrogen? Nature's own birth control.

Hope this helps. The best way I find to help lower IR is a low carb diet. Once your IR goes down, and you lose some weight, you should have no problem getting pregnant, provided nothing else is wrong.

All the best to you.

[MarinePrincess]

Thank you ladies very mcuh for your replies! You explained things in a way I can actually understand for once. My husband's a Marine so we're stuck with overworked Navy docs who usually don't take the time to make sure I understand what they're saying.

*hugs to you all*