Hello! I just wanted to add my story.

I actually lost weight on my own (well, with Weight Watchers) back in 2003/2004 - dropping 60 pounds. But I eventually gained back 40 of those pounds and last summer (2007) - I tried to get back on track - hitting the gym 4 times a week - eating right - walking during my lunch break - I gave up soda pop - and I couldn't lose literally 1 OUNCE! From April until October (7 months) - I exercised, ate right - did all the right things and weighed exactly 197.5. NOTHING I did worked...So I went to the doc and that's when I found out I have Insulin Resistance (but NOT pcos)...

Well, she put me on Metformin in November and I lost about 4 pounds initally - but the holidays weren't a great time to start...lol. But I went back to Weight watchers with a friend of mine - and decided to do their "core plan" - which is mainly centered around whole foods. I also upped my gym time from 30 minutes of cardio to 60 minutes of cardio & 20 minutes resistance training 3x/week plus kickboxing and muscle conditioning. You'd THINK with all this exercise and eating right my weight would fall off...well, I HAVE lost 12 pounds Since Christmas - and I'm absolutely EXSTATIC about that - but I do wish it were more - since everyhwere on the net that i read about metformin - others claim they didn't change anything and the weight 'melted off'...
No. not so much. HOWEVER - I do totally credit metformin (i'm only on 2 pills/day) - I DO credit the medication with helping me drop the weight.

So I am very thankful my doc put me on metformin, as I believe it HAS helped - but it's NOT a 'miracle diet drug'. I still have to work at it. I've had a few weeks where I worked out maybe 1 time that week and didn't follow my eating plan - and I gained a few ounces (at least it wasn't pounds! lol) but yeah - in doing that I know that to keep consistant and if I do want this weight off - I totally have to do MY part and work hard in the gym and eat right.

Since joining this site I began South Beach, which I've been told is similar to WW'ers Core. I was through Phase 1 about 2/3's of the way and had a weigh-in at my gym and had lost 6lbs!!! This is the most I'd lost within that period of time in I don't know how long. Today I weigh-in at the gym again (I've been on Phase 2 nearly a week) and will be curious about my progress. Being insulin resistant has given me "years" of frustration. Eating right and even exercising with it...my weight was stubbornly wanting to stay. About the most I could get off and it took months, was approx. 25lbs. When you have as many lbs as I do to get off that isn't much.
So far, I've been really happy with SB and think it's something that will be liveable.
I don't see my endocronologist until May...but I'll be curious on how my fasting blood work will look at that time. I'm hoping for good numbers!!!
I've been on Metformin once for a very short time but was taken off from it due to some side-effects at that time (dizziness, light-headedness, racing heart and clammy skin). I was taking it though with another drug and it could have been the other drug mostly OR a combination. My doctor now would say that the Met wouldn't do that...and "if" she puts me on it maybe it will also help with the weight. We'll have to see.

Are you reading my mind, or living my life? You sound exactly like me. I'm frustrated and confused. I lost 40 lbs in 06 gained it back in 07 and I'm back again. I lost with South Beach at first, plateaued with phase 2 of SB, after the first 40 that was it and I need to lose 100. I'm back in the saddle again cause I gaind that 40 plus 10 back. I'm in early stages of diabetes which I was trying to avoid with the 40lb weight loss and I now have high blood pressure. I've reached the trifecta diabetes, high blood pressure, and high chloesterol, I'm only 39. I'm confused, one plan says low fat, low/slow carb ( SB) one says high fat, low carb( atkins) one says this the other one that. I'm just going according to how I feel. I'm pretty much following Atkins, the fat keeps me full and I don't get the sugar swings. I'm taking Metformin and I'm working out 4-5 days a week again. Soon to get back to 6 day. Taking Lotrel for hypertension and Metformin to control my blood sugar. My endo suggested SBD for me and I loosly follow that. I have to really watch my carb intake though there are some "legal" items that give me the drowsies. For the most part metformin has taken away my sugar/carb cravings and that has been a relief.

I started Metaformin in 06 and didn't think i had to change my diet. I was wrong. I still ate all the crap i normally did; pizza, pasta, burgers, etc. I had the awful side effect of all those foods ran right through me!! I would have to run to the bathroom, it really sucked. I know that if i changed my diet it wouldn't have been so bad. I also didn't really exercise so i didn't see that much weight loss. I went off of it not too long after starting and im about to start it again. Good luck to you all.

Aside from the all the more popular side effects of metformin (stomach pains, indigestion, the runs, etc) has anyone experienced any other side effects not listed on any websites or publications?

I've been taking metformin for about 4 weeks and i had some stomach issues the first few days - nothing major though. What i have found is that in the entire 4 weeks so far, i've had virtually no interest in "getting physical" with my fiance... the few times i've mustered up the drive to go at it, its been really hard to complete the task...(if you know what i mean ladies!)

So i'm just wondering if this is a totally rare case or if anyone else has had a similar experience... I'm not on any other meds, and it only started when i started the metformin...

Thoughts?

Dina1979, making any progress in the libido department?

I think I may want to go on Met. I am making an appointment with my endo. I am doing everything right, cutting lots of calories, eating whole foods and minimal carbs, working out 4-7 days/week. But my excess hair growth is out of control. It's so ridiculous. I am plucking my chin every morning now. It's all because I stopped birth control pills 3 months ago. But I was getting weird side effects on the BC pills.

I am just so frustrated and starting to blame myself for it. I'm not working out hard enough, I'm not eating good enough, I'm not strong enough... I'm tired of blaming myself. I AM doing it, but not seeing results. Something's gotta give.

Just found this article at http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/gl...rmin-pcos.html and here is an excerpt...

BOTTOM LINE: There are several important reasons why a more "holistic" approach using physical activity, healthy diet, stress management, and special nutrients should be considered.

A healthy diet and lifestyle is more effective than metformin (Glucophage) alone.
You may be able to reduce your dosage or eliminate it altogether.
A healthy diet and lifestyle is less expensive than metformin (Glucophage).
A holistic approach builds your health whereas metformin (Glucophage) does not.
A holistic approach does not have drug side effects and is safer than metformin (Glucophage).

I'm all for not using drugs. But I feel like the holistic thing just isn't working!!!

I have been taking metformin for 1 month. I take 500 mg 3 times a day. I think it helped a lot. I have the same diet since I started (1500 calories a day) and 1 hour in the gym as before. Whereas before I would struggle to lose 1.5 kg a month, this month I lost 3 kg. Same exercises, same eating plan but it is double the progress.

Hi all,

I was diagnosed with PCOS about 5 years ago. The Doc put my on metformin and it interacted VERY VERY badly with my IBS (irritable bowel syndrom). So I stopped taking it after pushing through a few months to see if I could get used to it.

Since than I have found that the best way for me to lose weight it regular exercise and cutting out as much processed food as I can. Many of the chemicals in the food hinder my weight loss.

I started a diet journal of everything I ate and with the help of my doctor discovered what works for me and what doesn't. I also figured out I am allergic to unprocessed soy... who knew!

I would highly suggest a diet journal. While I do not feel tracking everything I eat everyday for the rest of my life is feasible it helps me get a better track on how many calories, protein, carbs and fat are in the things I eat. The more I know the easier it is to make the right choices. I dropped 30 pounds about 2 years ago in just 3.5 months and so I know I can do it. I just have to put my mind to it.

So is Metaformin a drug that keeps you from absorbing fats? My doctor suggested "Meridia" i think it is. Is Metaformin to help with the polycystic problem as well?

You all sound so much like me with the problem of trying to drop any pounds. x

Hey all, I really need to ask something about metmorfin.

At the beginning I got a bit gas-y but so far I had no tummy pains or great urges to go to the toilet (if you know what I mean). Anyways it so far helps with the weight loss a lot but lately I noticed three things.

1. I feel very easily satisfied when eating (sometimes I feel so bloated in the mid of my plate that I have to stop). I know I am not eating more during that days as I have the habit to always measure my food. On other days I feel completely and utterly hungry.

2. I have noticed that my cravings for sweets went down. I don't feel I need sweets anymore (and this comes from an ex-chocoholic).

3. Sometimes after eating I have this feeling of burn as if I have overeaten and I need something to cool my stomach down. Doesn't last very long (usually 20-25 minutes).

Anyone had this or is it because of my diet combination?

I take Metformin (500mg) twice a day for PCOS. I haven't noticed any weight loss, but I'm also on Prednisone for arthritis and it is said to make you gain. So, I'm kinda stuck. That's why I've decided to go on a diet and start exercising on a regular basis! Thanks!

Just got the results of my labwork today and it looks like I have PCOS. I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow and will be starting Metformin.

The past two to three weeks, I was being more carb conscious and restricting calories and was losing weight so I hope the Metformin will kick in. I'm off to do more research about PCOS and how I should be eating and how much I should be exercising. Now that I know the reason for this nasty weight gain over the years, I feel ready to kick this thing in the butt.

Well, I went off the met for about a month and things went back to normal, but I just recently went back on it and my mojo has left the building... it sucks.

Alright...so I'm about to start Metformin (500mg for now) tomorrow, and I'm a little nervous about the side-effects. I hope I'm not going to have to go running to the bathroom while I'm at work!!

Does anyone actually know the science behind metformin? I mean I know it stabilizes pancreatic function, but I'm kind of curious if the reason it's supposed to help you lose weight is that the side-effects make you so nauseous, etc., that you don't want to eat, or if it just makes you feel full, or if there is something that the drug does to actually improve metabolism and make it easier for the pounds to come off. In other words, is the weight coming off because the drug just makes you want to eat less and eat healthier, or does it come off faster regardless because of some metabolic change?

Just curious. I'm gonna take it and hope it works, either way!