Did Metformin work for anyone without IR?

praying4baby#1 · 02-20-2009, 10:39 AM

I was recently diagnosed with PCOS based on cysts in ovaries and my lh:fsh ratio and having irregular periods. They did a slew of tests and everything else came back fine, including my fasting insulin test which was only 3.2. My doctor said that 10-12 would be considred borderline IR (insulin resistant) and anything over 13 is IR. So I am nowhere near IR. He said he would prescribe me metformin if I want it, but since I am not IR he wasn't quite sure it would help. Just wondering if anyone out there who is not IR benefited from taking metformin. Any advice would be truley appreciated. Thanks.

TrishainAZ · 02-20-2009, 02:16 PM

Well, not sure if this helps, but my doctor doesn't even test for IR as he says the results can be unreliable and he just prescribes it regardless. It has worked very well for me (although not sure if I'm IR or not) and I'm pregnant with my 4th child (met only for all 4 pregnancies)

yodasmistress · 02-20-2009, 03:31 PM

Hey praying4baby#1, as you can see, I am in a very similar boat to yourself. I have always wondered this same thing. However, after TTC for 3+ years without Met, I'm now getting ready to go on it, for no reason other than I figure it can't hurt and it may help. I'm going to keep checking this thread in the hopes that there are other thin cysters who can offer us insight on this!

6busymom · 02-20-2009, 03:51 PM

I did try Met for weight loss/control but not TTC. I did not like it. Made me very negative. Not like suicidal but negative (nothing was right. DH could not do right).

If you try I hope it works!

taina, l like your blog. good luck on the IVF---here's to a healthy pregnancy and baby.
(that's a toast with water--not wine or coffee as you have given them up!)

yodasmistress · 02-21-2009, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6busymom

taina, l like your blog. good luck on the IVF---here's to a healthy pregnancy and baby.
(that's a toast with water--not wine or coffee as you have given them up!)

LOL! Thank you! *blush*

Kizmin · 02-21-2009, 03:01 PM

I am not IR, and have been taking Met for only 4 months (1500/day), still haven't O'ed, but I hear it takes time. My doc wasn't really concerned about IR, he just prescribed Met anyway.

Hope this adds to the discussion!

eimi · 02-21-2009, 04:11 PM

I just started taking Met a few weeks ago. My doc. didn't want to give it for me at first because I was not IR, but I insisted. I just read in several articles that the insuling resistance test is not reliable, because PCOS is associated with insulin resistant at a cellular level - and there's no test for that. Studies have shown that Met helps in reducing the adrogen level over time (it may take 3-6 months), also and even more so in thin pcos. My doc tried to intimidate me with Met side effects, but I didn't experience much of it. It took me less than a week to get used to each increment in dose. I also cut on simple carbs and reduced sugar consumptions (no more coke..). I try to take Met regularly, with food.
Overall, this is a pretty safe drug -- more than bcp, say. so, I think it is worth trying.

praying4baby#1 · 02-21-2009, 05:20 PM

Eimi, we are in a very similar situation. I have a 3:1 LH/FSH ratio and my testosterone is 81. I also just went off prometrium to start a period so we can start injectables, but I have not gotten a period. The doctor said that it was probably because my lining was only 3 mm and that I had low estrogen so they are starting me on injectables next week without AF first. Good luck to you...I really hope it works for you because that will give me renewed hope! Please keep me posted!

eimi · 02-22-2009, 02:26 AM

Hey there,
Yes, it's really nice (and rare) to find someone who is very similar :-) (although, I would exchange my 114 T with your 81

. I hope the Met is helping with that..) I will keep you posted. I hope for good news of course but I am also happy that I responded to the medication well, and actually got to ovulate and do the iui. our plan is to try gonal for three cycles and then move to ivf. I have a friend (she's an IR type of PCOS) who didn't respond in the first cycle, over-stim in the second, got a cyst and sat back for a month, then got preg. but miscarried and finally (5th round) got preg and gave birth -- all with injections. For her second pregnancy, her RE gave her the same dose that got her preg and it worked the first time.
So, fingers crossed. and I wish us success!!!

praying4baby#1 · 02-22-2009, 11:46 AM

Well I started the metformin last night so hopefully all goes well. How long have you been on it? Did you have bad side effects? I am going in on tuesday to get my baseline and instructions on how to use the injections. We will be doing follistim (same stuff as gonal-f just different brand) and my doctor said he was going to start me out at a low dose to prevent over stimming. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this works out for both of us. Just curious, what were your actual LH:FSH numbers if you remember? Mine was something like 25:8.

Goose00 · 02-22-2009, 11:08 PM

praying4baby#1, I was in your shoes a few months ago, so I just had to respond. I am not IR either, and my blood sugar is excellent, and I've always been thin and had no trouble maintaining a healthy weight. The only diagnostic test that indicated PCOS was my testosterone of 78 (and of course the absent periods!).

When my dr. wanted to prescribe Met, I thought she was crazy and told her so. She said the IR test doesn't matter. Well I've been on it now for four months and have so far had two periods. AND on this last cycle, my dr. suspects that I may have ovulated! Unfortunately I got a BFN, but still, even suspected ovulation is a huge victory for me! So my answer is - yes, it has benefited me, a non-IR thin cyster.

eimi · 02-23-2009, 02:53 AM

Dear praying4baby#1,
Last time I tested it my FSH was 3.4 and LH was 14.4. The exact values probably vary between labs. Now that I look at it, my LH/FSH ratio is bigger than 4! how nice..
Good luck with follistim!! it's good to start slow. If you look at my sig carefully you'll see that I had one folly growing at some point - that was in one ovary; and then after only a couple of days two mature bigger follicles appeared out of nowhere in the other ovary!
I do hope that things turn out well for me (and you!) in the first try. However, somehow I convinced myself that my eggs are bad because they are swimming in so much Testosterone. I think that if I get a BFP I will be happy of course, but will be also afraid to miscarry because of egg quality. So, my 'plan' is to have normal hormones running in my body for a few months with these treatments, and lower T level with Met. Then, in 2-3 months from now, my body may be more normal (by that time, the pool of developing eggs in the ovaries is completely changed). Of course, I am just speculating and trying to feel that I'm in control. Who knows?!?!
ANYWAY - to answer your question. The Met was not too bad for me. I increased the dose twich, in one week increments to 1500mg. I had nausea in the first couple of days each time, I think. I still get it sometimes actually, maybe this happens when I take it between meals (because I sometimes forget to take it on time). You should increase the dose when you are comfortable with it. and it's important to remember that even if you feel somewhat bad, it may be a matter of only a few days to feel better again. Overall, my experience with it is very reasonable.
The injections -- that's no biggie, you'll do great.
After the IUI I started having cramps and all kinds of CM that come and go, pretty weird. and I also had a sharp pain where my left ovary is, I think - I read on the web that it may be a cyst rupturing. oh well. Other than that I am fine.
One last thing - I saw that many girls get Progesterone supplements right after ovulation. I have no idea what my P levels are - I was not tested at all after IUI. The extra Progesterone can help avoid miscarrying if a pregnancy develops that is ok in all respects, except for low Progesterone production. So, I think it's worth asking your RE's opionion about it when it's relevant.

Sorry for the very long post! I was just waiting for an opportunity to spill all the details

good luck!!! keep us posted. I will too.

praying4baby#1 · 02-23-2009, 10:23 AM

Thanks Goose00. I had a feeling that I should be on the drug even though my insulin levels were fine. My doctor gave me the choice and I struggled with it for about a week because I had heard such bad things about the side effects that I was afraid to do it, but ultimately after doing some research it seams as though it benefits people without IR because it also helps lower testosterone and LH levels (from what I have read). Goose, did you have your testosterone rechecked after being on it for four months? Just curious how it effected it.

Eimi, I totally agree, I am also worried about my egg quality and paranoid that once I finally do get pregnant that I will miscarry. I was also thinking that I would ask for the progesterone suppositories for after ovulation just in case. Then I will have my P4 checked and if it shows it isn't needed, then I will discontinue. Also, how many total days did you stim for, it looks like 9 from your siggy, but wasn't sure on that.

Have you guys changed your diet at all? I used to eat carbs like there was no tomorrow, but I have definately cut back because although I am not IR, I think it might help. I also heard that while on metformin it is best to eat less carbs to lessen the side effects.

So far so good on the metformin. I have not had side effects yet, excpet for tiredness (which I don't mind at all), but I am only on 500 mg so far. I am going up in 500mg doses until I get to 1500mg.

Good luck to both of you! It is so nice to have people to talk to that are in a similar situation.

eimi · 02-23-2009, 07:22 PM

I had 7 days of gonal 75iu and then 5 more days of 37.5iu and a trigger. I didn't get a period, so I just counted stim days actually... 12 days of stims may be relatively short for pcos.
Reg. Met - I read that it actually doesn't affect LH. Does LH actually matter in getting preg., especially with treatments? donno...
good luck with the Met and stims.

praying4baby#1 · 02-23-2009, 07:54 PM

Wow, 12 days of stimming. I hate needles, so this out to be fun. Not sure about the LH exactly, i have just read from others who were on metformin that when they had their LH:FSH ratio tested after being on it for awhile that it was more towards the normal 1:1.

Are you on metformin extended release or the regular?