How long DOES this take?

MandyOSS · 09-16-2003, 01:35 PM

I know that it's different for everyone but come on! I have been on met since May 16th. Working up to 1500 mg a day. I still have to run to the toilet 3-6 times a day! Now, I know I am supposed to low carb and on most days I do....I don't eat meat but I do eat cheese and yogurt.

The problem is I am about to start Clomid and either I have to stay on the met or get off now. My Dr. (new Dr.) told me it's up to me, some people can handle it and some people can't. She sees no reason to test my insulin because 'clinically' it doesn't seem to be working. My periods aren't any better and they weren't bad to begin with and she thinks if we retest then we will only raise the mg day and since I can't handle the 1500 yet then she wouldn't recommend it. oh, and we don't get the RX here.

This is ridiculous, I live overseas. Don't have a lot of veggie options but it did stop drinking my soy milk to see if that helped. It doesn't seem to.

I have no idea what to do now, I can't be running to the toilet for the next year! It's a good thing I am not working right now because I would have been fired already.

Any suggestions?

Juliekaboolie · 09-16-2003, 03:01 PM

Hmmm... that is a bummer. I think ChristyZ said she had side effects for the first year but she'll need to confirm that. When I was on 'regular' Glucophage (not the XR) I had side effects for the entire 6 months I was on it. I take GlucXR 1500mg and have no side effects. I think I've run to the bathroom maybe 5 or 6 times the entire time I've been on it which is since May of this year. Maybe you could try the XR ? Low carbing and exercise both help, too. Sorry I can't help more. Good luck!

christyz · 09-16-2003, 04:04 PM

I did have side effects for quite a while, but they were *not* 3-6 times a day, and they were due to my diet and the fact i didn't dose up slowly...i wish my Dr had been enlightened on that.

I'm very sorry that you are frustrated. My first year on Met, I was so disappointed. But when i combined the diet & exercise and gave it time to lower my hormones, it did an absolute miracle for me, and I wouldn't go off it now for anything.

Your Dr is doing the same thing mine did...telling me "if it hasnt worked by now, it won't" I am proof that is a load of total BUNK. You have been on it 4 months and stubborn hormones need time and lots of it. It took a full year for my periods to regulate for my labs to start dropping, and I'm glad I gave it the time. Clomid is a nasty drug, having been on both, I'd be on met long before I'd take another clomid tablet again.

I wish you luck with your decision. I know how frustrating it is..I was in your shoes a year and half ago. Please know your cysters are here to support you no matter what you choose.

christyz · 09-16-2003, 06:13 PM

I should also mention that clomid and met are not neccessarily and EITHER/OR options. Women have some success on both. I don't see why you are being forced to choose, since met affects insulin and clomid attempts to induce O.

I really think you need another opinion. Your Dr seems to have incredibly unrealistic expectations.

Japan · 09-16-2003, 08:00 PM

Sounds like you're dealing with military doctors, ha ha ha. I had to go through the same thing. Is your doc the GP or GYN? I had to go beyond family practice to GYN to find a doc who would believe me and diagnose me and start my treatment. Seems that most of the family practioners, at least on my base, have too much of a military (don't-care-get-back-to-your-job-kinda) attitude, and only the gynos really care about female problems, specifically PCOS. Sad, I know.

Met does take time, and you haven't been on it very long. Your side effects ARE really bad though - are you taking it with food? Did you up your dose very slowly? Maybe you need to lower your dose again and not go so high until the side effects have gone away. Always take it with food and stay away from too many carbs and really greasy food - those aren't good when you already have GI problems.

And if you are TTC, studies have shown that a Met/Clomid combination actually has higher pregnancy success rates than either by itself.

HTH and good luck!

MandyOSS · 09-17-2003, 12:34 AM

HI, Thanks for all the input. I don't have to either/or but I don't want to continue for another year of multiple trips to the bathroon if I get pg. Also, I know Met and Clomid work in conjunction, that's why I am weary about getting off. As for the Dr.-well she is new for me since my last one left but she was actually very helpful. She mostly does infertility patients.

My problem is the bathroom thing, it's ridiculous. I will be moving to Hawaii in Jan. and they have a more extensive program there but I don't see how it can be healthy to have the runs so much.

Seems I am stuck, it's up to me to stay on it but the with the food options minimal and the runs daily I just don't know what to do.

Thanks for all the replies though,