How long did it take for you to lose those 80lbs?

That gives me hope. It did jump-start my period. I don't think that I would have gotten it without being put on it. I was already two months in without one.

What dosage are you on?

I'm in my third week of taking it, and the nausea seems to have decreased. But I haven't seen any weight loss yet, even though I work out everyday. I've noticed my appetite has decreased, and I'm not enjoying food as much.

I started taking metformin at the end of last summer. I am on 2000mg/ day. My doctor had me take 500 mg the first week, 1000 the second week, 1500 the third week and finally 2000 the forth week so that my body could gradually get used to it. It did take my stomach a while to get used to it. In fact, if I eat rich or heavy food even now, my stomach usually bothers me and I end up in the bathroom. That probably sounds bad, but it really isn't so bad.
When I started taking metformin, I had been getting periods anyway. That has not always been the case, but at that particular time, it was. It does seem like my PMS isn't quite as bad as it used to be. I still get it, but my cramps used to be so bad that I would end up curled up on my bed hardly able to move. Ibuprofen helps tremendously, but if I took it before I went to bed, it would ware off and my cramps would wake me up. I still have them, but not like that.
My boyfriend noticed before I did that my cravings decreased. He used to always buy me m and m's because I craved them so badly. One month he bought them for me and then a couple weeks later pointed out that they were still in the cabinet. That never used to happen.
Around Thanksgiving, someone said that I looked like I lost a little weight. I told her there was no way because I had been out to eat so many times, had a big thanksgiving dinner, etc. I weighed myself when I got home and was 15 pounds lighter than the last time I had weighed myself. I couldn't believe it. I hardly weighed myself because it seemed like there was no way to make the number go down and now all of a sudden I had done nothing (except take my medicine) and lost 15 pounds. When I went to the doctor, he said that the medicine may have affected my appetite so that I just don't eat as much.
Out of curiosity, I had taken my fasting blood sugar levels a couple times to see if they were any lower. They weren't. When I asked my doctor (who is a PCOS specialist) about it, he said that in my case it isn't being used for my sugar levels, but rather to decrease production of testosterone.
Anyway, since I had lost weight without trying, I thought I would try. So, I joined weight watchers in the beginning of January. In fact, my doctor recommended it. He said that he wouldn't bother with the books out there about PCOS diets. Since then, I am down 24 pounds. I was down barely over 25, but then spring break happened...oops! I am back on track now.

Sorry this is so long-winded. I am down almost 40 pounds since starting metformin at the end of last summer.


Good luck!!!

WWgirl, that's great! What a wonderful story about how Metformin can help.

Thanks for your story. I really like longer replies. It gives me more details.

I just started Metformin about 3-4 weeks, and haven't noticed much of my difference. I see a little bit of weight loss (maybe?) but don't know if that's just psychosomatic. I'm hoping to see more of a difference in the following weeks.

I work out almost every day (5-6 days/week - P90X and running) and ate 1500cal/day. But I was still gaining. Then I missed my period twice and I wasn't pregnant, so I went to my doctor, and got diagnosed with PCOS. So hopefully the medicine will help!

I hope you have good luck with it! I didn't notice weight loss right away, but in my case someone else pointed it out to me. I can't really say how long it took until I got tangible results. I guess you will see!!!

I'm starting Metformin tomorrow. I'm a little worried about the stomach problems that seem to happen when you first start taking it, but the weight loss aspect is balancing that worry out. Hopefully everything will be fine.

I just wanted to jump in and thank everyone for sharing their stories I was diagnosed at 16 (12 years ago) with PCOS and put on BC which I have been on ever since. I got married last April and am looking at going off BC to try to get pregnant soon (possibly another month and a half). I had an appointment with the Endo. today and she put me on the metformin. My Dad's on it for Diabetes and I can only hope to have gotten the right genes from him, since he lost 25 lbs in the first month and never had the first side effect from it! I took my first 500 mg pill tonight. Will increase to 1000 next week, and if my body does well can go to 2000 the following week, or 1500 if I feel the need to not jump so quickly. By the time I get to the 2000 a day I hope to be off the BC. I do have a few questions if anyone wants to try to help....
1) how long was it before you felt any side effects. Like, immediately (the same day as the first pill?) or after a few days?

2) Did anyone else start the metformin while still on BC? I'm working if my body will attempt to "take over" a normal 28 day cycle when I cut the BC or if it'll take a while to adjust? I'm guessing this could be different for each person.....I'm just wondering if there's a way to know that we have the all clear for a period free vacation in August lol If I stayed on my BC I know it would be fine but.....

The only side effects I ever felt were occasional upset stomach. Basically, if I ate at certain restaurants it would have a laxative type effect...sometimes within an hour of eating. I read somewhere it was fatty foods that caused it. But, it seemed in my case to be more like overindulgence. I tend to eat well at home and if I am going to overdo it, it would be at a restaurant or on a holiday. Those seemed to be the main times I would have the side effects. HTH.

My doctor told me to expect a weight gain with it. I lost 10 lbs right off the bat, but I have diarrhea quite a bit. It is not bad but there. It seems that that stuff usually puts weight on someone. If you dad is taking it for diabetes, he probably lost weight because he changed his diet because of the disease and that contributed to his loss.

Good luck and I hope things work out well for you.

I started taking it 3 weeks ago. The first week took only 500mg. I got stomach aches and head aches. Week after that I started taking 1000mg. My stomach problems started going away but headaches still there.

Now 3rd week. My headaches are less and my sugar cravings have gone down.

I had nausea right away, but I learned how to manage that. I usually have to take itright after a meal. I wonder if taking if before a meal will help, and make the weight loss go faster.

I've been taking it now for 4 days (500 mg until Thursday when I up to 1000 mg). No side effects! Yay for that I take it around dinner time before eating or with a little snack just to have something in my stomach when I take it. Not sure if it's coincidence or what...but I've lost at least a pound since I started taking it.....yes in only 4 days. Again...maybe complete coincidence....But as I also stated above, my dad lost 25 pounds in the first month of taking his and didn't change his diet at the time.

I'm not taking it any more. After five weeks, starting at 500 mg and up to 1000 mg for two weeks now, I am experiencing a lot of vertigo with it. Makes me avoid exercise. I haven't lost any weight while on it. Desire to eat still exists. So my doctor is switching me to only Januvia. We'll see how that works.

I have upped my dosage to 2000mg, and I find that as long as I remember to take it with food that coats my stomach, I can keep nausea at bay.

I haven't seen any weight loss yet. It's been about a little bit over a month.