[PluffyPants]

I am currently seeing my "lady doc" roughly every 6 months to keep an eye on a dermoid cyst on one of my ovaries. The other ovary has been continually covered in little cysts (it looks like I'm smuggling marbles...) My Dr won't come out and say it, but let's be honest...I've pretty much had PCOS symptoms since I was 13ish when Nature came a'knocking. I've been on BC to regulate since I was 14. My Dr was prepared to give me Clomid whenever I said "OK" (I haven't said OK yet) so that would help the little buggers come on down and play. I've been doing some research on Metformin for PCOS. For those who are on it now, did your doctor just suggest it or did you have to ask for it? And if you had to ask, was it a struggle or was your doctor open to the idea?
I have 3 months before I go back and I am planning on having some serious weight loss by then to prove my dedication, but I just want an idea of the kind of struggle I may be up against. Thanks in advance.

[Natalie42]

I've been on Metformin for 2 weeks. And no, there was no issue with getting it prescribed. My doctor just suggested it. To my knowledge, it's a standard of care for PCOS--not something new or undocumented. It's no cake walk, the side effects are rough. But, I got my first regular period after a week and weight is coming off...sooo, I will stay on it.

[Hotaruchan]

I'm not on it now, but I was on it for a few months. I lost absolutely no weight, but I had headaches, stomach pain, and my liver function completely crashed because of it. When the doctor looked at the test results (which had the people at the lab freaking out), he hardly blinked and said "Yeah, that can happen...Maybe a different dose?" No thank you. I stopped taking it and felt much better off of it.

In any case, though, the endocrinologist prescribed it. I don't know if OBGYNs can give out prescriptions for it, so if you're looking for it you may need to go to an endocrine doctor. My personal experience with it was awful, but others seem to have had success.

[drake3272004]

My OB prescribed metformin. I was on it for a year. Was the worst year of my life! I was sick to my stomach ALL THE TIME and had terrible bouts of diarrhea. I didn't lose weight, it didn't regulate my periods and I didn't get pregnant.

But I hear lots of people do well on it.

[mccull83]

I don't know much about PCOS/crazy periods/etc, but I work in a hospital and give Metformin to patients every day. I also ask every one of my patient's about nausea, BM's, etc. and have never in my 7 years of doing this had someone say anything that seemed to link these problems to metformin (this could be because they had previously tried metformin and was taken off and put on a different med before I met them). Anyways, all this to say that if your MD does prescribe Metformin, don't be afraid to atleast try it. I've seen a lot of posts of side effects people have from that medication on this site, but I just want you to know that although some people do have those problems, a lot of people don't. You never know how your own body is going to respond. Maybe it will be something that works wonderful for you, if not, atleast you'll know you tried.
P.S. It's a pretty common medication and I'm guessing most MD's won't have a problem prescribing it
Good luck! I hope you find something that works for you!