Coming off Metformin in pregnancy?..

[ChateauMargot]

Do any MNers have experience of this? I was on Met (the first stage in regulating my cycles, which were completely bonkers thanks to PCOS) for six months prior to conceiving in September. My endocrinologist has said that I can come off it now, or stay on it for a few months if I wish to as there are no indications that it will be harmful to the baby (there have been a few tiny studies that have suggested that it lowers the risk of miscarriage in women with PCOS, though I don't know how much credit he gives these).

My plan is to stay on until my 12 week scan at the beginning of December, but I'm not sure how I should come off it after that - gradually, or cold turkey? Would be interested to hear others' experiences! Thanks in advance :)

My consultant told me to take it until 12 weeks and then just stop (in practice I forgot quite a bit, especially after booking MW at 8 weeks said people usually tail it off after getting pregnant). I think he said it might have a slight protective effect against miscarriage, and I had a stash already so thought might as well.

No noticeable symptoms.

Thanks, notcitrus - that pretty much agrees with what I was planning. May I ask how much you were on? I think I'm taking 1500 mg (three pills a day), so had considered going down to two, then one...

I was advised to stay on it until 12 weeks by a fertility consultant on the basis it lowers the miscarriage risk in PCOS women. Originally on 3 a day I then did 2 a day for a few days then 1 a day for a few days before stopping completely.

Thanks, NMW!

I am on my third pregnancy now and have taken metformin up to 36 weeks each time as recommended by my drs. They are all IVF babies so that might make a difference. If you want to breastfeed you need to come off them at 36w, if not you can carry on. I depend on them to feel human so the years I have been off them I gain ridiculous amounts of weight whilst breastfeeding (defying everyones comments....) and when I go back on them the weight drops off!

Hi I was put on metformin to help manage my gestational diabetes. I was told that it's the only GD medication approved for pregnancy ( besides insulin injections ) so I'd say you're ok to continue taking it. I'm 33+4 weeks and haven't been advised to stop at 36 weeks but I'm at clinic tomorrow so will ask

Thanks, Sophie and Petesmum! I wonder if the reasons for taking Met in the first place have any bearing on how it affects the pregnancy?.. Probably overhtinking this!

I am on 2000mg per day for (mild) PCOS. I have been told different things by two different ob/gyn type specialists. The first told me when i get pregnant I may as well stay on it as it does no harm to the baby and greatly reduces the chances of getting gestational diabetes. The second said I should stay on it but gradually reduce down to 1000mg once i get pregnant at the rate of reducing 500mg per week. My last blood tests showed it had pretty much controlled my pcos but they were not in a hurry for me to come off it.

I was on it for PCOS and was told by Gynae that they recommended people came off it. I developed gd at 32 weeks and the diabetic consultant told me I should've stayed on it from the beginning. This was all at the same hospital.
My GP didn't know at all she made me phone the fertility clinic to check.
None of this is of any use to the OP of course.
Sophiemooboo- I'm another that put on loads of weight whilst breastfeeding which would've been fine if I had been eating chips all day but I wasn't.

Saw my GD specialist today and asked whether I needed to come off the tablets if I wanted to breastfeed and the answer was no however I'm also not likely to need the tablets once I've delivered as GD disappears.
They also increased my dose to 1500mg a day and said that I could safely go up to 3000mg if necessary.
Sounds like there are no hard & fast rules to metformin usage.