How has Met worked for you, specifically weight loss?

a*full*heart · 07-01-2008, 08:47 PM

I'm really interested in hearing how various women have responded to the Metformin while trying to lose weight. I have several questions so I thought it would help if I just list them below.

I will preface this by saying I was dx in 2000 with PCOS and eventually went on to have 4 pgs (1 loss). I wasn't overweight at the time (was 125 and 5' 5") but with the various pgs and my increasing insulin levels, I've tried for 6 1/2 years to lose with little success back then and currently (and for 2 years since) cannot seem to lose at ALL. I was 190 at my highest after my 3rd baby was born and managed to get down to 153 before conceiving my last baby but it took me 2 1/2 years to do so. I'm currently 195, having gained 60 lbs my last pg. I never gained that much (my 1st pg was 42 lbs, 2nd pg 28, 3rd pg 32...) but I was also dx with Hashimotos Disease 1 year after our last was born. I was put on meds for that and it has been improving but still cannot lose weight. I really need to get back down to 120-130 to be healthy so I have a good 65-75 lbs to lose.

I was FINALLY put on Fortamet (Metformin/Glucophage) last Friday and am taking 1,000 mgs at night and Friday will begin taking it twice a day. I'm doing OK on it. Not too much nausea if I eat it with food and only minimal dizziness and loose stools. I feel less intense cravings for sugary foods so I'm glad about that.

I've been seeing a Dr for my thyroid disease and he has me on quite a lot of vitamin and mineral supplements that we know I am severely deficient in. I've felt better physically than I have in a LONG time because of them.

I know everyone responds differently to the meds, I just thought it might give me a better perspective to see how others who have been on it awhile have been doing on it. I REALLY don't want to get my hopes up too much but I've exhausted all other resources and feel like this IS my last hope. :/

I want to stress that I'm definitely NOT looking for a miracle weight loss drug and I don't expect to lose some incredible amount of weight simply because of the Met, but would be SOOOO happy with 1-2 lbs a week of steady loss if this helps me achieve that. I try very hard to workout 5 times a week (not always easy with 4 kids) but I do have to be careful not to overdo it and stress my body out. I've done that before and it really worked against me.

I usually walk 20-30 minutes twice a day or 45 min - 1 hour once a day and 20 -30 minutes of weights Mon - Fri, alternating areas for recovery time.

So - here are my questions. I appreciate all who share and wish you well in your journey.

How much weight did you/do you need/want to lose?

How much weight did you/do you find you lost/lose on the Metformin per week?

When did you start taking Metformin?

How much total weight have you lost while taking the Metformin?

What other health issues do you have besides PCOS (IR, Diabetes, thyroid disease, etc.)?

How active were/are you?
What excercise did/do you do?
For how long?
How many times a week?

Did you use a specific eating plan (South Beach, WW, etc.)?

Is there anything about your situation or in general that you think I should know or think I would find helpful about losing weight on Metformin?

Thanks so much again! I am really looking forward to hearing your responses.

SPCnut · 07-01-2008, 11:34 PM

How much weight did you/do you need/want to lose?
I have lost 20lbs. I was 205 and down to 185. I am also 5'8". I feel great! I have hit a plateau loosing weight, but I am not too worried.

How much weight did you/do you find you lost/lose on the Metformin per week?
I am not really sure. I wasn't paying too much attention.

When did you start taking Metformin?
February 15, 2008

How much total weight have you lost while taking the Metformin?
20lbs.

What other health issues do you have besides PCOS (IR, Diabetes, thyroid disease, etc.)?
None

How active were/are you? Very; I have 1 small girls
What excercise did/do you do? I was doing the treadmill or elliptical a few times a week until I had surgery last week; now I am healing and will start back up soon.
For how long? 30 minutes a day
How many times a week? 3-5

Did you use a specific eating plan (South Beach, WW, etc.)?
Nope; I will eat whatever Met will let me.

Is there anything about your situation or in general that you think I should know or think I would find helpful about losing weight on Metformin? Not that I can think of. I went on Met to feel better with my glucose levels lowered. It never crossed my mind that I'd loose weight on it - I guess I forgot about that part. When I was shedding the pounds like crazy and everyone was noticing I was jazzed! Don't think too much about loosing the weight!

jenn24291 · 07-02-2008, 12:06 AM

Good questions ,I new here myself but I will answer what I can .

How much weight did you/do you need/want to lose?
I'm 5'5" and when I started taking MET I weighed 193 I would Like to get to 135 so I guess about 60lbs .

How much weight did you/do you find you lost/lose on the Metformin per week?
I'm losing anywhere for 3 lbs to 1.5 lbs a week
When did you start taking Metformin?
3 weeks ago .

How much total weight have you lost while taking the Metformin?
7 lbs this is the most that I have ever lost in this short of time .

What other health issues do you have besides PCOS (IR, Diabetes, thyroid disease, etc.)?
Depending on which doctor I'm talking to I may have hypothyroidism my tsh is always between 4 -6 I guess my endo does not treat it till it is 10 ??????????

How active were/are you?average
What excercise did/do you do?walk and some weights
For how long?walk 1 hour 7 days a week 30 min of weight 4 to 5 times a week
How many times a week?

Did you use a specific eating plan (South Beach, WW, etc.)?
WW

Is there anything about your situation or in general that you think I should know or think I would find helpful about losing weight on Metformin?

RLAFFOON123 · 07-02-2008, 01:09 AM

Hi Jeannie,

WOW!! It sounds like we have a lot in common. I have four children also (ages 3-13), PCOS, Hashimotos, and other pituitary issues to boot. I would refer you to my post from a few days ago "stopping and restarting metformin to aid in weight-loss". Just scroll down on the main Metformin board and you should be able to click on it. It got kind of negative at one point, but I answered a lot of your question in my lengthy replies to both Tina_d and Happily Content. (You'll know what I mean when you read through it!) Just let me know if you have any questions after that. I'll check back here at your post.

On a side note regarding thyroid. I was diagnosed almost 17 years ago when I was 22. Make sure you are getting your actual TSH results. Don't just let the doctor or nurse tell you that your results were normal - ask them what was the actual TSH number. The typical "normal" range for TSH is usually something like .35 to 5.0 for most labs. But, I can tell you that I definitely do not feel at my best unless my TSH is somewhere between 1.0 and 2.0 at the highest. I also had an endocrinologist tell me that most of his patients do better if they are between 1.0 - 2.5 too.

I found this out the hard way. I had a nurse call to tell me my results were normal and that my dosage of Synthroid was fine. But, my hair was falling out, my hands and feet were freezing, and I was still so tired. When I asked her to tell me the actual number - it was 4.95! So, technically she was right - my lab result was "normal" as far as the official range, but it wasn't normal for me! From that point forward I just got in the habit of telling any doctor who took care of my thyroid that my first endocrinologist said I do better if my TSH is closer to 1.0, and they then increase my synthroid even if my TSH is technically in range.

Over the years, I have become much more sensitive in that if my TSH is at 1.25 I can still have hypo symptoms and if it is below .50 I can hyperthyroid symptoms from too much Synthroid. So, I have become very good at "fine tuning" my dosage and my doctor knows that I am familar enough with my symptoms to know if I am on too much or not enough. Also, don't let any doctor tell you that your thyroid only needs to be checked once a year after you find the right dosage. I had to change my dosage three times during my pregnancies because of the other fluctuating hormones that were affecting my thyroid output. If you start having whatever your hypothyroid symptoms are for you - go get your TSH checked again. Then remember you have to be on your new dosage for 4-6 weeks before you can get an accurate reading to make sure it is truly the right dosage. And, if it's still not the right dosage, you have to be on the next dosage for 4-6 weeks then get re-checked again, and so on.

I hope this helps and does not just discourage you. Hang in there!!
Robin :-)

prettychickpea · 07-02-2008, 07:48 AM

Hi I have IR as my main problem ... and diabetes is something that find everyone in my family

my PCOS and infertility issues, bad gut, hormonal problems all stem from the insulin imbalance. I managed to make my insulin problem possible to manage by having Met (built up slowly ... very very slowly) and then had to add clomid to ovulate and get Pg

Met made it possible to eat carefully for my IR. Until I had Met I was always craving food, hunger like a drug-induced thing, not like real hunger. Since I got used to the Met I was able to switch to a better way of eating, (low GI, high fire, plenty of Veg, some fruit, less chemicals and junk). Before MET I was always so hungry, I only know normal hunger now, now that I eat normally. Before, that feeling I had wasn't hunger! I was some kind of hormonal thing, you know?

Met has made a hue difference for me, and my RE said it probably would, but its not a magic pill. It does not cure anything, fix anything - I have to eat right and exercise every day, at least a little. You know? It's a tool, an essential one.

FlowerChica · 07-02-2008, 08:34 PM

How much weight did you/do you need/want to lose?

I need to lose about 40 pounds to get back to normal.
How much weight did you/do you find you lost/lose on the Metformin per week?

Right now I seem to be doing between 1 - 3 pounds a week
When did you start taking Metformin?

It's been 3 weeks now - so I'm not a good measure of the long term
How much total weight have you lost while taking the Metformin?

7 lbWhat other health issues do you have besides PCOS (IR, Diabetes, thyroid disease, etc.)?

Just PCOS now... I've had additional tests done - I find out if there's anything else, but glucose tests are all normal.
How active were/are you?
What excercise did/do you do?
For how long?
How many times a week?

I have been very active for most of my life. I run, lift weights, play golf, etc.

At the moment, I have 2 - 1 hr + weight training sessions a week. I try to run on weekends.

I was running 3 days a week before the Met ( anywhere from 5 - 10 miles at a go ), but the sporadic diarrhea has me scared to do my long distance runs on the trails.
Did you use a specific eating plan (South Beach, WW, etc.)?

I don't have an eating plan but I've removed all simple carbohydrates from my diet. I also avoid greasy things whenever possible. And as of today - I've taken lettuce off of my diet as well. I do eat a lot of fruits and fresh vegetables.

Is there anything about your situation or in general that you think I should know or think I would find helpful about losing weight on Metformin?

All I know is what my doctor has told me... and he explained Metformin like this to me :
1 - It's not a weight loss pill
2 - It will help you lose weight
3 - It puts you on level playing field with other women who diet and exercise to lose weight

So he said work out , eat healthy and you will be able to shed pounds.

Before the met, I was slowly and steadily gaining - even when running 15 - 18 miles a week, eating low fat foods, avoiding junk, avoiding sweets, avoiding sweet drinks and eating about 1500 calories a day. Ironically my unexplained weight gain made me push my doctor to find an explanation.

KatCarney · 07-02-2008, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlowerChica

[/b]All I know is what my doctor has told me... and he explained Metformin like this to me :
1 - It's not a weight loss pill
2 - It will help you lose weight
3 - It puts you on level playing field with other women who diet and exercise to lose weight

So he said work out , eat healthy and you will be able to shed pounds.

Your doctor summed it up perfectly.

Jaw4789 · 07-03-2008, 08:22 AM

How much weight did you/do you need/want to lose? I want to lose between 60-80 lbs

How much weight did you/do you find you lost/lose on the Metformin per week? I would say between 2-3 lbs

When did you start taking Metformin? I started it late April

How much total weight have you lost while taking the Metformin? I am down about 20 lbs

What other health issues do you have besides PCOS (IR, Diabetes, thyroid disease, etc.)? I have no other issues

How active were/are you? Now I am working out a 4-5 times a week for about 20-30 minutes a night

What excercise did/do you do? stationary bike, walking and also wii fit

For how long? 20-30 minutes a night
How many times a week? 4-5

Did you use a specific eating plan (South Beach, WW, etc.)?
I use sparkpeople and I bought a book called the calorie king. So basically just counting calories

Is there anything about your situation or in general that you think I should know or think I would find helpful about losing weight on Metformin?

I was on it about 6 years ago and it helped me lose 40 lbs as long as you can deal with the side effects it does help weight loss.

Joyce

Nimue_MB · 07-03-2008, 11:59 AM

How much weight did you/do you need/want to lose? I started at 245lbs when I first went on metformin in 2003. I lost 60lbs in a fairly short amount of time. I'd say 5 or 6 months.

How much weight did you/do you find you lost/lose on the Metformin per week? Not sure how much exactly but it definitely was coming off at a decent rate.

When did you start taking Metformin? March 2003

How much total weight have you lost while taking the Metformin? 60lbs. I plateaued and have been since. I plateaued for so long that I gave up trying and although I didn't gain anything I haven't lost any since either. I'm actually just starting to get back to seriously trying. I also have been on and off the met and not taking it regularly. Bad I know, but it still to this day makes me have unpredicitable bm's which i'm sure we can all relate to. I still have quite a bit left to lose.

What other health issues do you have besides PCOS (IR, Diabetes, thyroid disease, etc.)? PCOS, Slightly elevated insulin.

How active were/are you?I'm a fairly active person. I was working out regularly at a gym for at least an hour almost everyday. I no longer work out the gym but I have two very active dogs who I take walking twice a day for at least an hour each time.

What excercise did/do you do? At the gym I lived on the stair climber. I also did general weight training. Now I walk with the dogs, and play hockey.

For how long? 30 min stair climber cardio, 30-1hr weight training. 2 hours of walking a day, an hour of hockey 2x a week.

How many times a week? Walking everyday, hockey 2x a work.

Did you use a specific eating plan (South Beach, WW, etc.)? I eat whatever met lets me. Met for me does not go very well with sugar, carbs, and lettuce. Eggs will also sometimes upset me.

Is there anything about your situation or in general that you think I should know or think I would find helpful about losing weight on Metformin? Be active, eat small meals many times a day, and drink lots of water. I would also figure out what you can and can't eat on met. If your body is dealing with horrible side effects you are less likely to want to get up and get active. A salad for most people seems like a great healthy choice. For me it will make me feel entirely like crap for many hours afterwards.

lili24 · 07-03-2008, 05:33 PM

Did you use a specific eating plan (South Beach, WW, etc.)?

I don't have an eating plan but I've removed all simple carbohydrates from my diet. I also avoid greasy things whenever possible. And as of today - I've taken lettuce off of my diet as well. I do eat a lot of fruits and fresh vegetables.

Was wondering why you have excluded lettuce from your diet?

lili24 x

ladyishis · 07-03-2008, 07:41 PM

I was taking metformin about 1 month exercising 3-5 times a week ..using the elliptical, treadmill, weights every now and then ...and lost 20lbs.

I went to RE after that, and misunderstood his congratulations as a release from care..and stopped taking Met for a year and during a 2 months unemployment.gained all of it back....

Got a new job with a fitness center..a little determination.new outlook on life...andjust had my 1st re appointment yesterday, and started met today.

FlowerChica · 07-03-2008, 10:32 PM

Welcome back to the fold!

hmcmurren · 07-29-2008, 05:51 AM

How do I get my doctor to increase my metformin from 1000mg to 1500mg a day?

HarleyGirl93 · 07-29-2008, 11:54 AM

Jeannie - Great thread, here's my answers, and I can't wait to finish reading everyone else's!

How much weight did you/do you need/want to lose? Dx PCOS in 2006 (cysts and no AF for a year). Prior to lap surgery & DS, I had lost 28 lbs just with exercise (jogging 20 minutes 3x a week and weight lifting) and keeping a food diary (max at 1500 calories per day). Gained 35 lbs with DS that I have not really lost even though he is 17 mos old and we BFed. I'd like to lose about 30 pounds to get back to pre-DS weight and to enhance our chances for TTC#2.

How much weight did you/do you find you lost/lose on the Metformin per week? So far about a pound a week. Over July 4th, I gained a little back - it was a good weekend

, but a usual week will see a pound off.

When did you start taking Metformin? June 26 (on 1000mg/day for 4 weeks, with a week long introduction to Met to build up the dosage). Also take 3g cinnamon a day to help with IR.

How much total weight have you lost while taking the Metformin? 4 lbs

What other health issues do you have besides PCOS (IR, Diabetes, thyroid disease, etc.)? Self-diagnosed IR (fasting BS around 100, spikes after eating to 150-160). My mom has diabetes, so there's a family history. Borderline hypertension due to excess weight - this is what caused me to lose the 28 lbs pre-DS - I did not want to take HBP meds.

How active were/are you? What excercise did/do you do? For how long?
How many times a week? Prior to Met, post-DS - not very active, maybe 1-2x week, 20-30 mins when not chasing my toddler around. Now walking 10,000 steps 4-5 times per week. 10,000 is about 5 miles, but it's a normal day's activity, plus a concentrated 45 minute brisk walk (4 mph).

Did you use a specific eating plan (South Beach, WW, etc.)? Not really, I've been recording what I eat in a food diary M-F lunch, but haven't yet tried to reign in my calories to no more than 1500. A usual day ends at 2000 calories.

Is there anything about your situation or in general that you think I should know or think I would find helpful about losing weight on Metformin? Not that I can think of - My future diet/exercise plan include incorporating weight lifting back into the mix, getting down to 1500-1600 cal/day consistently, and picking up the jogging again. Good luck with your diet! Cheers, Dianna

prettychickpea · 07-31-2008, 05:22 AM

How much weight did you/do you need/want to lose?
Am pregnant now and expect to be about 85 kg (about 188 lbs) by the time baby comes. I managed to get down to about 68 kg before getting Pg. 9 months before my BFP I was about 82 kg.

What I want is to be about 79 kg a few weeks after baby is born, and then start losing weight steadily a couple of months after he is born. About half a kg a week would suit me fine. I'd like to end up about 65 kg by the Christmas after his first birthday. I want to take it slow.

So I would say I have 15 kg to lose, which is about 33 lbs.

How much weight did you/do you find you lost/lose on the Metformin per week? I would say between 1.5 and 2 lbs

When did you start taking Metformin? I started it July 2007
Have stayed on it throughout pregnancy too.

How much total weight have you lost while taking the Metformin? I lost 31 lbs in 6 months.

What other health issues do you have besides PCOS (IR, Diabetes, thyroid disease, etc.)? IR, had endometriosis in the past, I have a very bad gut - lots of IBS with constipation, terrible Acid in my gut, stomach and oesophegus, and am Lactose intolerant.

How active were/are you? Was always in pain and never active much before Met. Built up steadily once I started treatment as felt better - walked more. When I got pregnant I added yoga, which i used to do before, I walked even more, did some dancing, and swimming.

I plan to build on all that and get very active in the future. Met is not a magic drug, but can have magical effects if I eat right and also exercise with it.

What excercise did/do you do? see above

For how long? at least an hour sometimes 2 solid activity every day.

Did you use a specific eating plan (South Beach, WW, etc.)?
I use this website http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk to count my carbs and check my calorie intake, I follow a low GI nutritious diet. I get advice from my dietician, who works with my RE.

I tried Slimming World diet before, and diet books, they don't work for me. I cook a lot and am very particular ... so I need to work out my own food.

Is there anything about your situation or in general that you think I should know or think I would find helpful about losing weight on Metformin?

What I found is that it REALLY worked for me - but I have to always treat the Met with respect. Eat very well, very carefully, and be active. That's what i have to do.

I also found any side effects were greatly reduced if I took cinnamon capsules as well as Met.

Finally, it's such a lot to do, every single day, taking care of myself and my food and my exercise - I don't do it alone. I ask for help - from doctors, from friends, family - whatever I need : food ideas, someone to make me a snack, someone to hang out with because I am sad and want an Oreo .. moral support, someone to do stuff with ... I ask for help.