I'm not entirely sure how much it has helped me lose weight. My gyno told me that if I take it 3 times a day with each meal (totalling 1500 milligrams) it will help the weight loss process start, but i've been bad about taking my evening pill and i haven't monitored my weight and i've been eating a lot of fast food.
the thing about metformin is that it's different with everyone as far as side effects go, but don't be too scared of it, because it just takes some getting used to. MAKE SURE you get the extended release version, because it will be a TON less harsh! the regular version was havoc. it will take about a week for your body to get used to each dosage, and you might end up with the upset stomach and diarrhea, but it passes as your body gets used to it.
what it will do is help your body metabolize the sugars and carbs you eat. so it is not bad to take if you have problems with this. but if you don't watch what you eat and keep a steady, healthy weight loss diet of some sort with it, you're definitely not gonna get anywhere... it's not a drug that will just BAM make you lose weight. if it were, everyone would be on it, and that isn't the case. it's a medicine, not a miracle.
i am personally going to begin trying to watch what i eat more closely and be more aware... it's my pre-new year's resolution
i'm also going to try to figure out how to work out, too. so i will DEFINITELY keep you (and everyone else) posted on how well this works for me.
so don't get freaked out. just make sure you give it time and patience. and yes, the acids/high-fats/nice greasy fried foods/sugars will definitely wreak havoc when taken with the metformin until your body gets used to it (or atleast that's how it's worked for me.)
goodluck! ((: