loobydoo

hi laura, i have been taking net for about 2 yrs now, b4 i started taking them i used to go out and have fun, clubbing and pubbing going out places with my kids, then after taking the met for a few wks gosh did my life change, my symptoms are endless the family have seen a change of character i panic about the way i feel all the time, feel giddy scared im gonna pass out, the heat affects me so i no longer enjoy the summer i can go on , but i don't want to bore you, it's only recenlty that i put 2 and 2 together and realised that it's since i started taking met, but i bet my doc won't agree i want to come off it so need to make an appt to see gp.
i did suffer with anixety as a child, and i think met has def triggered it off again! my quality of life is not good at the mo i can't even enjoy going into town shopping because i aslways feel strange in busy places, and am afriad i'm not in control , i only feel safe at home and going out with family and staying local.... i never used to be like this and it's ruining my life to be honest... i hope and pray that when i come off the met, i can go back to enjoying a full sociel life. i will report back when i habe seen gp, hope i have been of some help. it certainly sounds like met is def linked to setting off some form of panic / anxiety. take care
louise.

Allsmiles

I haven't read everyone's responses, but I went to my doctor last week to be put back on Metformin after a few years. I explained that I am suffering from some work anxiety attacks, and she said that blood sugar surges can cause a panic feeling. She said that the Metformin should actually help that. Sounds crazy, but I have not ever been the type to have social anxiety attacks, so I am hoping that she's correct. My husband says that my moods are all over the place when I am not on Met or eating every few hours.

Good luck! I think you are on the right track by seeking help. I know that we all have different side effects from this medicine.

Blessings,
Allsmiles

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phone_girl

Hmmmm. When I moved, I did have an almighty anxiety episode but I think that was stress induced, but since being on Met XR the anxiety has definitely been worse, but it doesn't give me the stomach cramps. Strange that the xr version causes worse anxiety.

JenJen80

The only time it causes anxiety for me is when I drink alcohol. Something mild like a single glass of wine doesn't bother me, but a mixed drink - or a shot, anything with liquor - really makes my heart race.

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meridith21

this is really interesting and helpful. i was diagnosed with pcos in the spring of 2008 and have been taking metformin and synthroid since. in july of 2008 i had a panic attack at work and wound up in the ER. i have always been a "worrier" but nothing like this, i've had to talk myself down in situations that i've been in all my life and enjoyed with no anxiety (roller coasters and flying in a plane). i just spoke to a counselor this week who reccomended finding out if these meds have anxiety as a side effect. i had never read anything about that in any of the paperwork before, did a google search and it lead me here. it's good to know that there is a reason for this and that i am not alone. i do feel MUCH better when i remember to take my prenatal vitamins which have b vitamins in them and have experienced other symptoms of b12 deficiency so it's all making sense now. from now i will be faithful to take my vitamins and also try to take the met with protein, didn't even realize that could help as well. thanks to all who posted here.

desp4him

About a year ago I suffered from anxiety symptoms. I went to my natropath, he checked all kinds of things. long story short - I was low in magnesium which can cause panicky type episodes. I highly recommend PCOS sufferers to get their magnesium levels checked. I haven't had any problems since taking magnesium on a daily basis.

misseymoo75

i started taking metformin early august, to regulate my periods and hopefully fall pregnant.. i have had PCO for yrs.. well that was the worst thing I could of done.. I ended up at the emergency department.....one reason was my periods had been irregular so when i did get one it wouldnt stop and i was at the point where i could barely drag myself out of bed.. i had to practically live on the loo.. cramps little sleep... then I had side effects due to metformin like palpatations and anxiety, which i didnt have before i started taking.. headaches, dizzyness,cramps in legs which could be related to blood loss... really spaced out, nausea, sore back ,temp goes up..pulse races and feelings of dread.. thought i was going in sane......diarrea... u name it.... i wish i was told this could happen... and it didnt really do anything for my weight....it has just made my situation worse not better... also i was having trouble sleeping due to my pulse racing... still having bouts of temp rising and heart racing even though i stopped taking it 5 days ago.....the hospital put me on a drip due to lose of so much blood from my period that lasted 3 weeks, only stopped when i stopped metformin...then they gave me meds for nausea and cramps.. and headache and dizzyness.. had a ecg all was good with my heart thankfully and ct scan of my head was great.... i was really happy that i didnt have any problems with my heart and brain.. but it did make me feel like I was going insane... i thought maybe it was all in my head.....i thought maybe it was foods that i had allergys to foods but I really think now it was the metformin... To be honest i would prefer to have the PCO symptoms any day... i have an app with a gyny next month and i dont care if she isnt happy that i stopped taking metformin.... at the moment my priority is to get back to some normatlity as i have 3 kids and a husband to contend with.....I cant see a solution in sight.. and after many years of issues i cant see that I will ever have another child....and i will have to carry on till they put me in for a hysterectomy, which i dont really want.....anyway mainly i wrote this to help other women... maybe they are having issues and not sure why... I am down the track .. so thought i could help others who are only at the starting gate so to speak......thankx

JenJen80

Misseymoo, that sounds horrible! I'm sorry you had such a bad experience on Metformin. Have you tried any herbal remedies? If you haven't and it sounds like something you'd like to try, I suggest checking out the Alternative Remedies board. Many ladies, myself included, are having success with d-chiro-inositol (and some of us are supplementing that [or even substituting, if cost is an issue] with "regular" inositol [myo-inositol] because DCI is a little pricey). Some have also had success with Hyponidd, which is ordered from India. Cinnamon also has blood sugar lowering properties. Good luck with whatever you decided to do!

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fma

hello,

i have been on met xr for over a month now, started at 500, bumped up to 2000. I have always been prone to anxiety, but now i feel like i am losing my mind, can't sleep, heart issues, racing mind, etc.

i never thought it could be the met, but from what i read, it sounds like it could be.

my question is - is the met er worse for anxiety? or does it depend on the person? i am trying to figure out if i should stay on met er and cut to 1500, or switch to regular met.

any advice is greatly appreciated.
thanks!

paulaB

my experience with metformin er was of great anxiety, depression, near constant diarrhea, no appetite... felt like an emaciated looney tune. i was taking 1500 mg daily and eating sugar to manage the side effects of low blood sugar dips. now i take 1500 mg non er, still eat more sugar than i should, and do not suffer from the anxiety like before, only on the increasingly rare occasion. i do try to watch what i eat, and it seems the more "whole" and "made from scratch" foods i eat the better my symptoms. i am also at present, seeing an alternative medicine doctor and am having smashing results hormonally! please be good to yourself and listen to your body. this is a challenging situation and keep speaking up, when i was suffering the worst of it's effects i felt like a nuisance and it fed my anxiety to call in to my doctor for help. keep speaking up ladies and blessings of health to you all.