Metformin!

[Kej13]

Hello,
Just over a year ago I had an MMC at 12 weeks and we've been TTC ever since. Recently my gp gave me Metformin and I'm up to three a day now but I have been really struggling with the side affects. Looking for some positive pregnancy stories from met or just someone to feel sorry with me about the side affects!!

Hey
I have been on metformin now for 11 months and at first I lost 2 stone on them because they set my ibs off so bad and it was sooooooo painful 😣 but after about 2-3 months everything settled down really well thankfully. I hope that it does the same for you!!

It's been agony! I've been taking for about 3/4 weeks and so far it's regulated my period (before I started taking it I have only had two this year!) But a few weeks on the tablets and I've just had one on time! I've found the diarrhea the main issue, my stomach is constantly sore! I'm just hoping next month we will get a bfp so it can all be worth it. Are you TTC? Xx

I'm so with you in the awful side effects camp. I've been on it three weeks and am on three 500mg a day. I'm planning not to go up an extra 200mg I'm going to see how I go on this.

Every time I upped the dose I felt the effects more strongly. I was really tearful the last few days I felt so sick. Most food doesn't appeal right now but the constant nausea has finally started to go (fingers crossed). I didn't want to reduce the dose because I thought I'd be prolonging the inevitable, it's definitely an unpleasant thing to take. Here's hoping for seeing some results. My periods aren't crazy irregular, and I seem to ovulate, but no joy TTC and an ultrasound showed PCOS.

Fingers crossed for BFPs all round, good that your cycles sound more regular already.

Metformin worked for me. Irregular periods, multiple ovarian cysts (including a couple that stayed for the duration) but despite this and being overweight / over 30 we have ended up with two DC.

I well remember the horror of all the side effects though. I used to have to come home for lunch because I couldn’t risk the work loos. I did find once I got to the right dose things settled a bit- just make sure you’re on top of repeat prescriptions. I once stopped for two days because I ran out of pills and had to wait for GP to reissue. It was genuinely hideous.

Good luck!

I have been on metformin for over a year - i have given up taking it regularly due to the side effects though-
I have PCOS and have been taking it to regulate periods weight loss - still waiting for AF to make an appearance after coming off the pill 18 months ago and not lost any weight so all in all just stuck with the negative side effects!

Oh you're lucky, I live 15 miles from my work so I have to use the work loos, I have invested in v.i.poo 😂 the girls at my work know what I'm taking so it's okay but not ideal! I worry about going out in case I have to go and have to plan eating around where I am as about an hour after food I HAVE to go. We're desperate to have a baby after the MMC last year. I'm hoping that the fact I've just had a period is good, my last one was 40 days before this one, so long but nowhere near as bad as 4 months which it was before!

My cycles were fine before the miscarriage and after they seemed to go back to normal, it's just this year so hopefully it won't take too long to sort out! Urgh, why is TTC so difficult for some of us! Xxx

I take metformin as a t2. Ask for slow release. Its easier on the gut!

Yes kej13 we’ve been trying for a few months now so I’m hopeful we will have a BFP soon 😀 and I remember that problem with having to run to the loo!! A few times I nearly had an accident so I do emphasise with you ladies and I really do hope you get back to normal quickly

Bouncer4me fingers crossed🤞I recently had the side affects and mg DH lovingly shared his gastroenteritis with me, it was not good 🤢 but you know what, it would all be worth it for a bfp 😻 it's so frustrating because when I got pregnant last time I got a bfp in the first month so I know it's possible, my body just hates me 😂.

Xxx

Ooh OWW that sounds painful!! And I really hope it doesn’t take us all too long to get the BFP!!
I just keep looking at baby stuff and melting inside 😌

How annoying is it waiting though! And living with the side affects? Baby clothes don't do that to me anymore, since my MMC they just annoy me when I see them 😂 well all get there I'm sure! Is this your first? Xxx

Ive been on it for 18 months (recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes), was awful at first!

Took a good 2-3 months to settle down and for my tummy not to feel so upset and angry with me all the time...!

And am currently 9 weeks pregnant with my second.

Good luck and hope you all feel better soon! X

Fingers crossed for those BFP ladies :) it will be worth it all in the end!

@moleeye congratulations! I'm so happy to hear that the side affects are normal and it seems like Metformin tends to work for people which is great news! I haven't managed to lose any weight on it yet which is annoying but hey the bfp is the main goal 😍😍 xxxx

How are you doing now @Kej13 ?

I'm really struggling. Thought I was through the worst of it but clearly not. It's nausea more then stomach upsets for me. Feeling constantly sick, and my appetite is very suppressed. Won't hurt me to lose a few lbs but I wasn't overweight to start with. Even drinking liquid makes me feel bloated and awful and now I'm sat in a hot bath fearing a UTI

I'm on leave this week and my whole week has basically been wrecked, had to cancel all my plans so far. Poor DH says he doesn't mind but I would in his shoes.

I forced down a 1/4 tin of baked beans and one piece of toast so far this morning and 600ml of liquid. Hoping that will set me up well for today...

Still not great @OrcinusOrca. I'm having three a day, I'm like you, try to force beans on toast down me in the morning for my first tablet, then have no appetite all day but try and have some fruit to take my lunch one with, and been struggling with dinner but beeen making myself eat something as I do find that food helps with the tablets. I feel fine other than the constant toilet trips, but night time is the worst for me.

I'd love to lose a few lbs, I'm not massively over weight or anything but a few pounds wouldn't hurt! But so far I don't think I've lost anything.

On a positive note, my cycle has gone from 122 days to 40 days so massive improvement already and it's only my first cycle! Fingers crossed for a bfp this month!

How long have you been on met for now? Xxx

@Kej13 that's so good that you've seen an improvement already. When did you start taking it?

I only started three weeks ago. GP said one a day for a week, then two a day for a week, then three. I've been taking one with breakfast and two with dinner then trying to sleep most of it off. How do you split your doses?

My last cycle was 32 days which isn't unheard of. Mine generally aren't crazy irregular, they're usually between 25-34 days but I did have a 42 day and 48 day cycle earlier in the year too. I am worried that I do ovulate but my eggs are just rubbish, I temp and that does suggest I ovulate too. Just hoping the met will make me more regular and encourage top notch eggs. Got a call today for an appt at the fertility clinic next week so hopefully that will be helpful as well.

Horrible having to force food down isn't it! So unlike me I love food. I'm nearly 5'9 and was 152lbs 10 days ago but I'm down to 147.5lbs right now. Trying to drink lots but that makes me feel bloated and sick too. I can't tell what is just a bit of wind versus needing the loo either, I have IBS so am a bit paranoid and instinctively head to the bathroom when I don't seem to need to. The things we do hey

Do not give up! I was given metformin so same reasons, irregular periods, weight and 3 consecutive MMC. It took me 6 months before the side effect subsided. I now have a beautiful 2 year old daughter.

Good luck

@OrcinusOrca I think I've been taking it about 4 weeks now and generally I do feel better than when I first starting taking it but I'm getting sick of constantly going to the loo 😂

I think for me since my MMC my periods have got worse so I'm hoping the MMC just messed my hormones up and they just kinda need to be reset and the met will keep working and we'll both get a bfp soon!

So unfair for some of us isn't it! DH just says things like 'im sure it'll happen this month' like he thinks he's being supportive but it's annoying 😂😂 men!

When I had my blood tests done my hormone levels weren't too out of sync so fingers crossed, for both of us!

Funny you started about the same time as I did with the met! Xxx

Kej13 it is our first and I can understand why that would put you off clothes!

I know that you're not feeling well, but it will help if you can eat a good sized meal before taking the tablet. I take it for type 2 diabetes, but it also sorted out my PCOS quite well as a positive side effect. The bad side effects wore off after a couple of months, but I still get them if I don't eat enough with the tablet, or if I wait too long after a meal to take it. My average sized lunch would be three scrambled eggs and a piece of buttered wholemeal toast or a tin of tuna mayo and salad for instance. If you try to have a combination of protein, carb and fat and then take the Metformin immediately after eating that will work better than fruit which I used to find would leave my stomach too quickly to 'cushion' the effects of the tablet.

Good luck with ttc.

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar that's really helpful thank you. I will experiment in that line of eating. I usually eat quite a bit of fruit but have been completely off it because I felt rotten having a tablet post fruit. Off to raid the cupboards!

OrcinusOrca I would also say that if you take one after breakfast make sure that it's a bit more than a piece of toast or a bowl of cereal. I used to find that after a bowl of porridge was fine as it's very high fibre and slow to digest, but toast or cereal wouldn't be enough as they digest very quickly. You need something that's going to hang around in your stomach for a bit, for instance cheese on toast would be better than toast or sugar-free musli with a mix of natural yoghurt and milk would be better than cereal.

I've been finding that having a big breakfast like beans on toast has done wondered for me. I've been forcing myself to eat but it has made a difference. I'm really not a lunch person so I've been trying to have some crisps and fruit rather than just the fruit so fingers crossed! Xxxx

I started on metformin last Sunday (500mg), upping to 1000mg this Sunday, and 1500mg Sunday after. Week 1 and side effects are atrocious! Just so hoping this will all be worth or and will get a bfp soon!