PCOS and metformin help please

[1234user5678]

I've been prescribed metformin for my PCOS. My family is complete, I have regular periods though the GP suspects I'm not ovulating, but I do need to lose about 3 stone.

I had a rushed GP appointment last week and they asked me to try metformin for 3 months due to future concerns such as diabetes, fatty liver etc.

I'm not on any other medication and would like to keep it that way!

I don't know whether to ask for a second opinion, or try and lose some more weight by myself, I've already lost 18lb.

I've read mixed things online about metformin, not much info out there for someone not trying to conceive.

I'm just not sure what to do. Does anyone have any experience?

Interesting... I had metformin to help me conceive with pcos but I'm sure I read somewhere it can cause liver issues?

I found it to be OK to be honest.... It winter hurt giving it a try. Google Micheal moseley and metformin.

I'm just not sure of the purpose of it, the appointment was so rushed, I now have questions I didn't have at the time.

To help with weight it helps to balance your insulin reaction?

I take it for PCOS, it balances your insulin levels which helps to lose weight in the long term but you won’t loose lots of weight in 3 months.

But am I not better continuing to lose weight naturally?

These are the sort of questions I'd be asking in a second opinion but appointments are like gold dust!

DD was prescribed metformin for PCOS - her symptoms were weight gain despite a massive amount of exercise and tiny amounts of food. It has helped her to lose weight and she is a lot better generally. She does have annual blood tests to monitor the impact of the drug.

Metformin is NOT a weightloss drug. It is also not technically licenced for PCOS but is given because doctors are clueless about tthe condition and there arent many other options

The idea is it improves insulin resistance which often comes with PCOS. it won't help you lose weight alone. You need diet and exercise alongside. Which it sounds like you're doing. It's not a bad drug but can cause issues with digestion. I personally hated it. It did nothing for weightloss, nothing for ovulation and juat made me feel sick. After some research i tried myo innistol. Cheap and cheerful. It basically gave me periods back and a regular cycle within weeks and i got pregnant easily. I continue to take it now even post baby. I find it helps with hormonal balance and mood swings with pcos but also does reduce my appetitie. Anecdotally its amazing for PCOS. I just wish more doctors actually knew about it.

I was prescribed Metformin for my PCOS to aid conception years ago. It made me feel so ill with my stomach that I took myself off it-I was in so much pain.

This is one of my concerns too because I just can't be off my feet, it's the worse time for me to be under the weather.

I have been prescribed the slow release sort though and only 500mg dose which I think is quite low.

@Antsinmypantsneedtodance what is nyo innistol.

Is it prescribed or something you get from the Holland and Barrett?

@1234user5678 you are right in wanting to ask questions about any new treatments being prescribed.
Does the PCOS give you any symptoms? I wonder how the GP came to know that Metformin might be helpful for you. Was it the weight gain discussion that triggered the GP to prescribe it?
Metformin is one of those "marmite" drugs that either really suits you or it doesn't. It can be strong on the tummy & it can cause GI upset (gripes, wind & diarrhoea) but only in some people, not all. It is best taken with or after food, so that you are not taking it on an empty stomach (this can cause the GI symptoms). You have been prescribed the slow release version which is great as this will reduce the risk of those side effects. Metformin can be classed as weight neutral or it can cause a little weight loss.
Metformin has been around for many years and it has been used to treat diabetes. Interestingly, there has been some research done on the drug & they have found that it has many benefits aside from its use with PCOS & diabetes. It has found to reduce breast cancer in women, it is cardioprotective (reduces risk of cardiac events) & it's currently being talked about as a possible longevity drug, in that it reduces ageing within cells!
It might be worth giving it a go for 3 months to see if it has any benefits for you. I wonder if the GP is thinking it might reduce the risk of you developing pre-diabetes.

I’ve been on it for over 15 years. Prescribed by endocrinologist. I felt nauseous for the first 3 weeks but was better after that. If you’re getting stomach side effects you can ask for the slow release version which may help. Also some brands are better than others for side effects.

Thanks for this reply!

I think the decision to prescribe was based on there being a risk of diabetes and fatty liver in the future. My family has history of T2 diabetes and my triglycerides are slightly raised - but have been for years, but overall cholesterol is OK. My HBA1c is normal.

I've always found losing weight difficult. I haven't been a healthy weight for all my adult life - I'm 40 now. I've yo-yo'd from a BMI of 37 to 31, never below 31, currently 33.

I've basically had symptoms which made me think I was peri-menopausal or had some sort of thyroid problem. My bloods showed my testosterone and androgen index was high and my SHBG was low = PCOS.

It's a supplement. Doesn't need to be prescribed. You can buy it online. I get it from natures best but few other places sell it. 4g a day in water/juice.

There's some research on it if you do a pub med search. Lot related to ivf and egg quality but growing for PCOS. As there's no money to be made from it and PCOS is quite a poorly funded research area, i can't see any research on it being huge ever. But anecdotal evidence suggests it works for some. I also suffer from quite severe anxiety and have found it inproves that slightly too.

@Whatliesbeneath707 exactly. With PCOS you can be at greater risk of cardiac events (iirc due to increased testosterone levels with the condition) so I guess it has some protection against that. Back when we were struggling to conceive I did loads of research into the condition and was dismayed at the issues it was associated with tbh…