Metformin experiences?

[silentbunny]

Hi there -- I started Metformin last week for what my doctor is calling "mild PCOS". She warned me that it can cause gastrointestinal issues as a side effect (diarrhea was what she specifically mentioned) but I have been battling low-grade nausea for days. Is this normal? I am also worried because I am supposed to double my dose starting Wednesday, once my body has had a week to get used to this dose. I'm not sure I'm doing so great at getting used to it. :( God, I hate feeling like I need to hurl, but of course I want to get pregnant (badly!) and I am thinking -- "What if I wind up one of those women who are ill for 9 months?!?"

Anyway -- if you have been (or are) on Metformin, what have your experiences been?

TIA!

[jennylou]

I have gastro problems while on it. Did your Dr. warn you about any foods to stay away from? I try to stay away from greasy foods and sweet foods. Most of them will be a real trigger for me, especially when I just start on the Met. Cocunut Cream pie I found to be a no-no, even after being on Met for months.

Don't worry about being sick for nine months, it doesn't happen to everyone.

[Bernie]

I had a similar experience - the metformin made me very nauseous at first. I think I started on 500 mg and had to increase my dosage each week until I hit 1500 mg. The good news is that the side effects definitely wore off after awhile. Not sure how long it took my body to get adjusted - but after a couple of weeks, the nausea definitely went away. My doctor told me to stay away from carbs until my body adjusted - I think that also helped a lot.

Good luck!

[karlatta]

I started Metformin a few days before I started this crazy diet my RE's dietician put me on. For those three or four days, I was miserable. Nauseated, light-headed, everything. It was terrible.

Then I started the diet given to me by the RE, and everything was wonderful. No more nausea, no more upset stomach. I won't go into the details of my diet, but I didn't eat any sugar, and I only ate selective carbs. (No bread, lots of veggies, selective fruits, only a particular kind of oatmeal, etc.)

I'm not on that diet anymore (thank goodness!), but it made the Met so much better. I've been on Met 10 months now, and I don't have any problems at all, no matter what I eat.

I hope it gets better!

[Heather719]

Hi silentbunny-

I've been on Met for a year and half now. If I don't take the Met with my meals, then I have some not-so-fun gastro issues too. I'm on 1500 mg, so I take one pill with each meal. Like Jenny, I have to avoid lots of greasy food, otherwise I'm in trouble. I'm ok if I have an order of frenchfries during a meal- but if I eat foods like that too often my tummy acts up.

I'm sure once your body adjusts to the meds, you'll feel much better!

[Sinclair319]

I'm on 1500 mg and I take all 3 pills with dinner--all are extended release. I'm a rare exception--the only food that's caused me problems is lettuce. Now I'm okay with it, but when I began Met, I couldn't eat salad very often.

Just FYI--my body has resisted the Met, I've only ovulated twice in the last year. Maybe because my body is resisting it I don't have the GI issues?

[silentbunny]

Interesting!

Okay, good to know. I hadn't been given any kind of specific food list to avoid, so it's good to know that there may be specific triggers out there. And yes, I decided to bake chocolate chip cookies this weekend, which led to EATING the cookies, which led to -- yup, nausea.

I eat way too many carbs as it is, so maybe I will cut back for a few days and see how my body respinds. I am on 500 mg now, going up to 1000 tomorrow and then 1500 a week after...haven't seen any kind of response yet besides the nausea, and I'm on CD 24...No ovulation yet...last cycle I didn't O until CD 66! I am really hoping this shortens my cycles, which is the goal!

[Heather719]

Just an FYI, but I have never O'd on Met alone. Met helps me to 1) maintain my weight, 2) keep unslight hairy growth under control and 3) regulate my cycles a bit more (when I'm on Met my cycles are typically only 30-something days even when I don't O). Everyone is different- I just wanted to make sure you knew that Met doesn't always equal O'ing.

[myshel]

I was diagnosed with "mild PCOS" too and given Met to jump start ovulation. I very gradually moved up the amount (under dr supervision). I had the biggest gastro issue with the 500 to 1000 mg jump. Since I have IBS, it didn't make me feel too different anyway.

I know others have said that taking Met doesn't always equal an O BUT I did manage, somehow, to get pg on the first and only time I O'd on Met. Fast forward months later and I'm waiting on my little guy... still.

ETA: I only O'd on Met once I reached 1500 mg.

[silentbunny]

Thanks. I am pretty sure I was O-ing before Metformin, but I just had very, very very long and unpredictable cycles. The hope is that the Metformin will regulate them and hopefully shorten them to something considerably more manageable. I suppose the thinking is that if I O'd off Met, I should also while I am on it...if not, Clomid it is.

[islandgirlsj]

I began taking Metformin almost 3 months ago... and believe it or not... I still battle with the nausea! :eek:
I absolutely HATE this drug.
I am in the process of IVF, and they found out I have stage one Diabates, so they said I had to take it.
I was to start slow, then week by week add another one til I was up to 3 a day.
Uhhh.... I never got there. It took me over a month to move on to two a day, and after another month of that, I dropped back to one. I just could not handle it. Well, that and when I did take two, in the afternoons I was becoming shaky, and my blood sugar would just drop out.
I personally think a good amount of time for your body to adjust to this drug, and even then, you should stop when you feel your body has enough. I don't believe in the "TAKE 3 a day" because I tell you.

I wish you luck in adjusting. Give it time.. it happens.. but slowly.

(oh, and on the gastro end... I did have issue to begin with, but those went away long before the nausea did)

[angelgirl8]

i was started on metformin for my second IVF cycle.

i was also really nauseated when i first started the meds (first 2 weeks or so) and then nauseated for a couple of weeks when i doubled my dosage but after that the nausea went away.

a couple of tips (you might have gotten these already):

definitely eat a low-carb diet while taking the meds. high protein/low carb really helps the side effects.

i took the metformin at night (around 9:30ish) with a high protein meal.

i was told to avoid eating a salad/vegetable meal with the pill. eating that the rest of the day was fine for me.

the seaband wristbands that they sell at pharmacies really helped with my nausea for the first few weeks.

[JennH]

I find that limiting carbs, like the South Beach Diet, works really well. Not only do I get diarrhea, but I have no warning sometimes and have to RUN to the bathroom. That never happened before!!! Taking it with food and a full glass of water will help, too.

This really is an awesome drug, for what it does to help you, if you have PCOS. It helped to regulate my cycles, slow the hair growth/loss, and curb my appetite which helps in weight loss. You get used to it.

[Twylla]

Bumping with a question...

DH and I are sort of worried about metformin at this point. My RE had me on metformin, 1500mg a day, but wanted me to stop taking it after a BFP, based on a lack of significant studies done of the effects of metformin on a growing fetus. My family doc simply wanted me to stop taking ANYTHING other than my vitamins and extra folic acid, and slow release iron.

But. My dietician isn't a fan of going off the metformin. In her experience, this can cause a lot of problems, allowing the insulin levels to get out of whack again.

Upon a few searches online, I've found quite a few women who've stayed on metformin into pregnancy, based on RE's orders.

I feel confused, and somewhat like I should just follow doctor's orders... but at the same time, I know how much of a difference Met has made for me. I was put on it for PCOS treatment, and my cycles became regular right away, and eventually if helped us become pregnant (the same cycle as an HSG). I also lost a good ten pounds over about 8 months of taking metformin, and I'm a littler nervous about putting on that much relatively early in this pregnancy.

Any thoughts? Ideas? Links? Thanks so much in advance!

[sea74]

All I know is that my RE said that if I got PG while on it he would WANT me to take it until 12 weeks. I've heard this is the norm. Hope that's helpful.

I think if I were in your shoes I'd keep taking it. Good luck and congratulations!

[karlatta]

My RE advises taking Metformin through the first trimester as well.

[polarama]

My RE had me on met through my 12th week (lowers miscarriage risk). My OB has since told me that there is research that supports being on it through the entire pregnancy, to help lower the risk for GD, and possibly combat any potential milk supply issues that PCOSers sometimes can have.

[Twylla]

Gosh, you girls are quick! lol. THANK YOU! It's so great to hear that from so many. For now, I'm staying on it. I feel like I've bloated quite a bit since stopping, and while I realise there's weight gain involved in all this, it shouldn't start at 4 weeks. ;)

Thanks again!

[EJH]

DP was on metformin (pcos) for 7 years before trying to get pg, then stayed on it through the first trimester of pg (against her REs preference, she wanted her off after getting pg).

But, DP felt her best shot to make the pg stick and DD arrived 9 months later and is fine.

[Twylla]

EJH Thanks for sharing your story... that's what we're doing right now, and I feel soooo guilty about omitting that info from my doc. He wanted me off everything, but the more I read and hear, the more comfortable I am with continuing to take metformin against his orders. What a miracle drug though!

[EJH]

EJH Thanks for sharing your story... that's what we're doing right now, and I feel soooo guilty about omitting that info from my doc. He wanted me off everything, but the more I read and hear, the more comfortable I am with continuing to take metformin against his orders. What a miracle drug though!

It really is. It totally preserved my DP's fertility. Her primary care put her on it YEARS ago, when she was 23, to manage the PCOS which at that time (8 years ago now) was not at all well-known. I don't think we talked about it with the docs, we just made the decision to keep her on it through the first trimester and I'm so glad we did.

The RE did up her a LOT when we were TTC...umm....2000 mg/day I think. I can't remember what level she stayed at after she got pg...I'll ask.

She's been off it for wow, almost 3 years I guess since DD is still nursing and the disease has progressed. Her cycles are weird, her insulin is way off etc. She's managing the insulin part of it by eating a very regimented diet, she's figured out specified times of eating and what she's eating that help keep her okay.

I'm really encouraging weaning (dd is 2.5) because i want her back on the Met, I think it makes a big difference in HER overall health, you know?

Erin

[Twylla]

Erin I've read that metformin is okay for nursing mothers... I wish I could remember where, and I'll try searching later tonight if I can get a longer break at work, but it might be worth looking into.

I'd love to know how much she was on during pregnancy... I was on 1500mg/day and I'm still there, lol. I've considered dropping down from three pills to two though.

And thanks again, you've been so helpful on this thread!

[Bee]

I'm on 1500mg/day and both my RE & OB have said to stay on it... I think through the entire pg. I'll double check when I go back tomorrow. Cutting down to 1000mg is something I'll ask about also.

Another (much less important) question: I've been on metformin for about a year now... just so happens to coincide with my hair getting real yucky (i.e. no body, lots of unexplained split ends despite regular trims). I never put it together & even switched hair stylists b/c I thought it was my first girl's scissors! The new girl asked if I was on any meds... and that sometimes hormone affecting meds can affect your hair. Anyone else noticed? Any suggestions on what can help?

[Twylla]

Bee My hair has been falling out in clumps for several months now, since before starting metformin. It's probably not much help for you, but FWIW, my doctor attribute my hairloss to PCOS and the stress of TTC and some other crazy life things. HTH!

ETA: Erin, here are a few articles I could find for you, they might be worth reading over with DP and talking to your doc... it might make a difference!
http://breastfeedingpcos.blogspot.com/2007/03/metformin-is-it-safe-for-breastfeeding.html
http://www.nelm.nhs.uk/record%20viewing/viewRecord.aspx?id=566890

This one suggests otherwise...
http://www.medicinenet.com/metformin/article.htm

[jh124]

I began taking Metformin in August 2004. Got a BFP in Jan 05, and stayed on metformin for the first trimester. DS arrived in October, as planned.

I began taking it again, post partum, though I wasn't TTC. My PCOS needed to be managed.

I am now almost 10 weeks pregnant, and will take metformin for another four weeks, discontinuing in my second trimester.

Erin - I took metformin while nursing. I had to. I need it to manage my disease, just as if I were a diabetic or had a heart condition. Please urge your DP to talk to her dr.

[Bee]

Update - I checked with the doctor today & she confirmed that I will stay on Metformin through the 1st trimester. After that point, the pregnancy hormones will be kicking full force & no need to regulate. After baby, it's either back on met or bcp - not sure how soon though.

Twylla - thx for the info on hair - sorry yours has been worse. I'm hoping mine will improve now that I'm pg.

[Twylla]

Twylla - thx for the info on hair - sorry yours has been worse. I'm hoping mine will improve now that I'm pg.

Me too Bee!!! ;)

[LauraPerg]

Another (much less important) question: I've been on metformin for about a year now... just so happens to coincide with my hair getting real yucky (i.e. no body, lots of unexplained split ends despite regular trims). I never put it together & even switched hair stylists b/c I thought it was my first girl's scissors! The new girl asked if I was on any meds... and that sometimes hormone affecting meds can affect your hair. Anyone else noticed? Any suggestions on what can help?

I'm coming in late here, but I've been on metformin for about 2.5 years and a little over a year on 2000mg/day. During that time my hair has done the same thing, split ends, somewhat dull even though I use clarifying shampoo, and it has lightenend up in color, going from dark brown to light brown with blonde highlights. I don't mind the color thing, but it's all so bizarre! On a good note, it has regulated my cycles, gotten me from no O to an O every cycle, so it's definitely worth it!!