PCOS/Insulin Resistance SupportSupport for us with any of the following: Insulin Resistance, Syndrome X, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or other endocrine disorders.
Hi all, I'm relatively new to this site. I'm 23 and have been on birth control since I was 15 after initially being considered sorta-maybe-couldbe-PCOS. Doctors/obgyns ignored it until I recently switched to a really great one, the chief of the OB dept. She confirmed that yes, I do have PCOS based on bloodwork from several months ago. She wanted to run a few more blood tests to check my insulin/glucose/metabolic levels, and prescribed me Metformin. This was the first I ever heard anything about the pancreas-ovary connection - I had no idea! Makes sense though; it's always been hard for me to lose weight.
Ok now here's the thing. I waited to get these most recent blood results back before starting Metformin...but all of my blood sugar levels and everything are within the "normal" range! My doc had told me when she prescribed the drug that even if I'm NOT technically insulin resistant, the metformin would still do me good. So, I'm supposed to start taking it now that I've got the blood results back (which don't necessarily tell me that I'm IR or not...all she wrote at the bottom was "all is well!") and I'm kinda wondering how I'm gonna notice if it's doing anything for me! If it helps my ovulation I won't be able to tell since I'm on birth control. If I'm not (supposedly) insulin resistant, will it even help me lose weight? I don't have very much facial hair at all or acne, but should I be monitoring that for improvements on metformin? What is this drug supposed to do for me?? Obviously my doc thinks it's the right thing to do but I'm just wondering how I'm supposed to tell if it is doing anything.
I'm also really really nervous about the side effects and I would love to hear from someone who's had success beating the initial GI yuckiness about specifically what you ate. I'm cool with the low-carb stuff but I've also heard that you have to eat SOME carbs in order to not feel sick, and also that fatty/greasy stuff makes you sick too...how fat/greasy? Does cheese count, or are we talking french fries?
Last edited by snoozlebug; 07-12-2008 at 10:21 PM.
People with PCOs and insulin resistance have more difficulties losing weight that other women. Similarly to your case my Insulin Resistance is not that high to need treatment but my GP prescribed it. And I must say it worked for me. It is much easier losing weight now than when I was on the pill only. I used to take 500 mg 3 times a week. Now for the next 2 months I am only taking 1 500 mg pill a day as I develop stomach sensitivity during stressful periods and I am writing my dissertation and my GP said it would be wise to lower the dosage for awhile.
Myself, I had not much of the bad side-effects of the glucophage (mostly the urgent need to go to the toilet). I was a little gassy though. My diet does have carbohydrates my stomach simply cannot tolerate anymore since I started. I cannot eat potatoes and wholegrain pasta. I can eat rice, bread and cereals though without any problems (I eat a sandwich made of wholegrain bread or a cup of cereals for breakfast and add around half-a-cup of rice or normal pasta for lunch, which is my main meal). I feel fried food does make me gassy as well so I avoid eating my food deep fried (using a little oil in cooking does not affect me at all, just deep fried meals).
The one thing you should avoid having is alcohol. Alcohol in quantities, in connection to Glucophage can cause you, in some cases, a dangerous condition called Lactic Acidosis that needs medical treatment. I, myself, avoid alcohol since I started taking Glucophage as even one drink makes me spent the next 3 days nauseous and in pain.
I hope this helped. Do conduct me if you need anything. ^.^
Last edited by preetyladyserenity; 07-13-2008 at 06:04 AM.
Usually any 'problems' attributed to Metformin calm down in a few days or a few weeks at maximum. I've taken it for many years (Type II Diabetes) and have never had a problem with it. Not everyone suffers the 'runny tummy' syndrome.
Just be careful. PCOS is treatable (and then, reversable) without any drugs. The pill contains 35 estrogens, while our bodies only have 3, so those extra 32 are floating around as toxins. Also, is Met really going to fix the problem, or just mask it? For extreme cases it may be beneficial- I'm not a doctor. But doctors are so quick to prescribe just about anything. You really need to do the research and decide what substances you are comfortable putting in your body.
I was watching Mystery Diagnosis last night on TLC, and doctors thought she had PCOS, and she was trying to conceive. She was huge. And all they talked about was drug after drug after drug, and injections, and I kept thinking "my God, just get her to a gym, get her to a farmer's market, tell her to change her lifestyle, stop pumping her with chemicals." Turns out she had an adrenal disease that released testosterone but had the same symptoms of PCOS. So they put her on diabetes meds and hoped she'd get pregnant. The end of the show was supposed to be happy, since she finally knows what was ailing her. She was still immensly overweight, and there was never any mention of her eating clean and working out like a fiend. I was shocked. I don't know why the medical community doesn't suggest severe lifestyle changes first. It's like it's not 'politically correct' in the medical environment.
Just be careful, and weight all the options you have, especially since you are within a normal range.
Thanks Michelle. Good point. But now I'm freakin out even more!! Ugh. I have another question that's not too related so I'll go start a different thread...
I saw that show too , Michelle! It was really interesting. I have this eczemea like rash on my limbs . I look like i have measles! They talked about a rash on the knees/elbows and back of neck. Wonder if my rash is just a different version of that? hmmmm......more things to ponder........
Another Metformin/Glucophage question...
