P.C.O.S and Metformin (glucophage)

Jeni 85 · 06-13-2008, 07:14 PM

I was just wondering if any of you ladies have pcos and how your dr. is helping you manage it..

My Dr. so far has me on Birth Control and he wants to put me on Metformin....

I was just hoping to get so feedback on those on the metformin ...

**Does it help regulate your cycle?

**Have you noticed if it has helped with taking off weight?

**Any bad side effects that you are expiriencing??? (i know which side effects it can have but more wanted to see if anyone has them and how bad are they??)

Anyalee · 06-13-2008, 07:20 PM

I'm going to the dr on the 20th. I have PCOS and hadn't had a period on my own until I got the surgery. Now I have a period about every two months on my own. I will NOT take birth control pills to control it. I'm wondering if they might put me on glucophage because I want to get more regular so I can get pregnant soon. I'll keep you posted. Have you had kids already?

LV my LABS · 06-13-2008, 07:24 PM

the metformin didn't do anything for me. before surgery i had high blood pressure and birth control pills made my blood pressure sky rocket so i couldn't take those because they then have a greater risk for strokes i guess. my body seems to be working since having the surgery and losing weight...i got my period twice...and i don't have high blood pressure so i'm back on birth control...seems to be going ok

LV my LABS · 06-13-2008, 07:25 PM

oh and thinking back...the metformin made me soooo gassy! it was quite embarrassing.

Jeni 85 · 06-13-2008, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anyalee

I'm going to the dr on the 20th. I have PCOS and hadn't had a period on my own until I got the surgery. Now I have a period about every two months on my own. I will NOT take birth control pills to control it. I'm wondering if they might put me on glucophage because I want to get more regular so I can get pregnant soon. I'll keep you posted. Have you had kids already?

Actually, i'm only 23, so no kids yet for me... (i have enough kids at work

i work in pediatrics!!) But do plan on eventually having my own one day...

I was hoping that losing the weight would help me with periods but i actually went 8mths after surgery w/o one... thats when i decided to go to the dr's and was officially diagnosed with the pcos...

You think losing weight would help with the health issue .. but i find myself at the dr's often more often now then i did before surgery.

Im very frustrated, with my health lately and am sick and tired of being sick... not to mention the damn scale is driving me crazy!!!

sjcharly · 06-13-2008, 08:11 PM

I also was diagnosed with PCOS about 7 years ago. I went on birth control to regulate my periods and started seeing an endocronologist. The endo Dr. put me on metaformin because she said I was pre-diabetic and it would help me lose weight. It didn't. I stopped taking it and just recently had the band put in. I think it is individual if it will help or not. Just losing some of the excess weight can help with the symptoms of PCOS. It really depends on which symptoms you have and what you can and can't deal with. Both of my sisters also have PCOS and we all have different symptoms that bother us more than others.

brandyII · 06-13-2008, 08:20 PM

My primary doc took me off my metformin prior to surgery as he thought my diabetes type II would disappear. I was his only lap band patient so he had no clue as to the difference between lap banding and RNY. Anyway my diabetes was worse after surgery than before but I take it only for that. I have PCOS but am past the child bearing phase of my life and to control my heavy periods I had an uterine ablation which I don't think is an option for women who still want to have children. But I was a heavy period person and not a no-period person.

Jeni 85 · 06-13-2008, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandyII

My primary doc took me off my metformin prior to surgery as he thought my diabetes type II would disappear. I was his only lap band patient so he had no clue as to the difference between lap banding and RNY. Anyway my diabetes was worse after surgery than before but I take it only for that. I have PCOS but am past the child bearing phase of my life and to control my heavy periods I had an uterine ablation which I don't think is an option for women who still want to have children. But I was a heavy period person and not a no-period person.

Actually, when i went 8mths w/o the periods when i did get it, it was the period from hell... and even now getting it regularly i find it is very heavy and the crampin really sux...

im bleeding through a tampon and a pad within 1hr

brandyII · 06-13-2008, 08:41 PM

I was a "two" tampon, super plus plus one or two pad every hour, my sister was the same way, I suppose it's in the genes, my mom had very bad periods too and ended up with a hysterectomy. Both my sister and I had the ablations and I guess for some women it can stop your period completely which would have been fine by us as we're both done with that part of our life but I guess having a "normal" period is better than a really heavy one! good luck to you brandyII.

Lunabeane · 06-13-2008, 10:10 PM

I have pcos. I was diagnosed 6 years ago. I've tried every form and dosage of gloucophage and can't function on it at all. I've taken 500mg and 2000mg, liquid, extended release, generic, with a full meal and on an empty stomach. I had such awful stomach cramps and diarrhea that i was incapable of leaving my house or teaching. I would sweat as if I was dying. It was awful. However, it was the only thing that worked for me in regard to my insulin levels and it was the only time that I could lose weight. I hate it! LOL.

brandyII · 06-13-2008, 10:16 PM

I'm starting to notice now that I've been on the Metformin for a few weeks that I'm not as constipated as I was prior to banding so to me it helps because that was a real problem. But not as bad as you've had it, that would not be good!

ebinsc · 06-13-2008, 10:32 PM

I was diagnosed with PCOS and insulin resistance 4 years ago and have been on Metformin and birth control pills since then. I have had regular and very light periods since that time. For the first year I was on the Met it made me lose weight, about 40 lbs. I had constant diarrhea and headaches and not much appetite. Then I suddenly stopped having all the side effects and stopped losing weight. And slowly I started gaining it back. My doc switched me to extended release and I haven't had any side effects from it, including weight loss.

My gyno tells me to be very diligent about taking the birth control because the met regulates your hormones very well and makes it much easier to get pregnant.

Changeisgood · 06-13-2008, 10:41 PM

I was Diagnosed with PCOS in 2001 when I was only 18. Ive taken almost every birth-control out on the market and taken Metformin with it. It regulated my periods but I gained and gained and gained more and more weight. If I would have just lost weight instead of taking all those pills I would have been much better off. I dont have any kids yet but hopefully when I lose the weight I will be able to have kids

mphsmommy · 06-14-2008, 10:03 AM

I was on Glucophage for about two years for PCOS. It did NOTHING for me (except make me sick to my stomach everyday). I also had a problem with my bloodsugar dropping quickly while I was on it. I came of it cause I hated it and haven't had that happen since.

Zach's Mom · 06-14-2008, 11:31 AM

I was on Glucophage for about a year while trying to get pregnant. It was hard at first for about 6 weeks(diarrhea) but after that I liked being on it. It lowered my blood pressure and made my eyesight better. I did not however lose any weight while on it.

P.C.O.S and Metformin (glucophage)

Dont take the meds!