post your tips on dealing with gluc/met side effects - Page 7

jewels12345 · 08-19-2003, 12:26 AM

Thanks for the advice. I did cut my dose in half and the side effects have all but disappeared. I'll be going back up to the full dose in a week or so.

ctinaflores · 09-01-2003, 12:43 AM

I just started glucophage XR tonight. I ate a good meal with it. I do not feel sick yet. I hope it stays that way! Doc told me to take it at night with food. I am only on 500mg one time a day. We will see how I wake up tomorrow!

linnie1 · 09-05-2003, 07:01 PM

hello fellow cysters!

I'm normally in the TTC forum but saw this one and thought my experiences may help some of you just starting out on Met as the help I've had from cysters in the TTC forum has been invaluable.

I've never had periods naturally and have been desperate for a baby for some time. In order to start my periods again the doc prescribed 3 X 500mg per day. It was awful. I was glued to the toilet, nausous and generally miserable. The doc never mentioned possible side effects and I just gave up. I then got some advice from other cysters and decided that if I could cope the the SE then the benefits would be worth it. I decided to try 500mg for two weeks, then 1000mg for another two weeks and then finally 1500mg. I live in the UK and MetXR isn't available here so I have to take reg Met.

For the first 4 weeks I was fine and only when I reached the full dose did the toilet trips start again but you learn to cope and now 4 months on I'm happy to say I've had 2 visits from AF and O'd!

I still get diarrhea occasionally which can be embarrassing when at work but it's all worth it if I manage to get pregnant. I've also read that women with PCOS are more likely to MC and the Met dramatically decreases the odds of MC which has to be good.

Stick with it guys. Great postings, I'm going to try to yoghurt!

Linnie

christyz · 09-05-2003, 07:23 PM

Thanks for sharing! I was given 1500 mg right from the start and I know I suffered for months as a result. I wish my Dr had known about dosing up slowly!

All the best in ttc and I'm so happy met is helping.

Kassidy · 09-25-2003, 05:19 PM

I was diagnosed a year and a half ago. Took Met and worked up to 2000mg with little problems, but got kidney stones and had to quit the met while in the hospital. When I tried to go back on it, it gave me terrible stomach upset, including diarrhea and vomiting. I have been off it for some time now and having luck with Depo Provera to eliminate the physical symptoms such as cysts, backache, cramps, etc. My periods completely stopped, which is a relief becuase I now know why I'm not having one. Before I never knew why...However, I am heading back to the doc. tomorrow to see about getting back on Met. Have any of you taken Avandia? Duke University prefers it over Met. Also, I see many of you are only taking 100mg of Spironolactone...my doc has me on 300mg. Currently I am doing laser treatments for the facial hair, so I have to shave each morning. Has anyone had luck with laser?

klicitat · 09-26-2003, 01:26 AM

I just started Met today, and I have been sicker than a dog!!!! I hope it gets better. I also am on birth control for 2 months before I go on Clomid to see if I get pregnant. The BC pills are making me sick as well.....But, if I get pregnant it will be well worth it!!! Thank you for this site. I didnt know so many women had PCOS. It took me 10 long years to finally find a Dr. that would listen. Love and health to all!!!!

AmericanWoman · 09-27-2003, 03:09 AM

It is now 09/26 and I experiencing "dumping". It happened 09/24 but not very much yesterday 09/25. Then today, I just experienced it for the 3rd time. I did eat some greasy food and some chocolate raisins though. Now, I know...I will lay off!

I never eat much of those foods...but today...I WANTED TO LIVE A LITTLE! I wanted to be one of those women in Weight Watchers who says loudly "I went off my diet this week but lost 3 lbs!" there are many of them in my class!

I am feeling so blessed (outside the dumping [diarrhea]) since I acutally have better energy so far and I am sleeping deeper. This is funky and I told nobody but I will share with you all...I was having nightmares for months. Maybe cuz my grandma died and then my mom was in a car accident (mom is doing much better). It may have just been stress...but last night, no nightmare...just slept like a baby. Weird huh? I feel a bit more peaceful, not as "on edge".

I also am forgetting sometimes to eat until somebody says "it's lunch time!" My stomach is not even growling! The first night I took met, I had to get up out of bed and eat 2 string cheeses before my stomach stopped growling. I have to eat enough or my stomach demands more. My sister has been on met for awhile and told me the dumping should stop...I really hope so. Since we have related chemistry, I have hope.

I am glad I read this thread, lots of great information!

YOU ALL ROCK MY WORLD.

AmericanWoman · 09-27-2003, 03:53 PM

another nightmare last night, I spoke too soon. Well at least I know it wasn't any med I ever took.

I keep DUMPING! gone 3 times this morning!

I did lose 3 lbs this week on WW! And I ate MORE than I have in weeks! I did get a good work out at the Duran Duran concert (walking) in San Francisco however I think it is the met...I have to eat more ... I am used to limiting myself to very small portions.

I have had weeks on WW where i walked a lot, ate perfectly and STAYED THE SAME (like last week) so I think the meds are making me NORMAL.

christyz · 09-27-2003, 09:13 PM

Kassidy: Here is an article on Met and all the alternatives for anti-oral diabetes meds. I think it also lists studies on their effectiveness. Hope it helps.

http://www.soulcysters.net/showthre...&threadid=54315

I looked up the Duke info, and they do reccommend Avandia due to it's tolerance GI-wise (no bathroom trips..whoopee! LOL). Other medical professionals prefer met since it isn't usually accompanied by weight gain (as Avandia can be). It's so frustrating with all the conflicting information.

You asked about laser for hair..I just had my first Tx, I go for my 2nd on Tues. One of the regulars here asked how it had gone and so we talked about it here: ChristyZ? How'd the laser treatment go??

I'll keep updating it as I go so others can read up on how it is going. Definetly post in that thread if you have any specific questions on laser...I'd be happy to help.

peppermint tea · 09-30-2003, 06:12 PM

bump. who keeps taking the sticky off this post??

christyz · 09-30-2003, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Quote from Peppermint Tea:
bump. who keeps taking the sticky off this post

That would be me.

I had a few complaints via PM the last few weeks that this thread was too long to scroll through for info and not on topic anymore. The tough thing about being a Mod is trying to please everybody all at once.

How would it be if I try and get a more concise version going on THE FAQ thread in the next few days? Hope that will be ok. I will definetly use this thread as a resource and I will add a link to it (I'm pretty sure there is one already, but I'll add it if there isn't one).

Hope that helps!

peppermint tea · 09-30-2003, 06:32 PM

perhaps you can leave this thread up as a sticky and just delete the posts that doesn't contain tips. it's more visible this way for the cysters looking for tips to deal with symptoms.

peppermint tea · 09-30-2003, 09:46 PM

Kassidy · 10-01-2003, 03:53 PM

Well, I went back on Met Friday. This time, XR. So far so good. My guts haven't been talking to me yet.
As for laser, I'm concerned about your reaction. I have had 2 treatments and only been a little pink for a half hour or so after. Much like the irritation from waxing, in fact waxing usually makes me more red. The tech uses a gel on me also, and ices my upper lip as it really smarts. The 2nd time she turned up the juice on the laser because I didn't see much results on my face. My underarms on the other hand, are now "half as hairy" as they were 8 weeks ago. That leaves hope. The tech said the dark wirey hairs on the jawbone are difficult to kill off, so they may be stubborn and take some multiple treatments. Of course, I"ll have to stay on the Spironolactone to prevent further hairs from forming. Do you take Spiro...? If so, does it smell like bad peppermint? This makes me want to gag.
My endo. prefers Met over Avandia or Actos because of the weight gain the latter 2 cause and the potential damage they can cause on the kidneys and liver. However, they do not have the bad stomach effects.
Thanks for your insight. I will try to check back soon.
Kassidy
Diagnosed 02/01
Amenorhea/Hair growth/Insulin resistant since 1990
Met XR 500mg and slowly working up to 1000mg daily
Spironolactone 150 mg daily

christyz · 10-01-2003, 05:37 PM

Kass: If you read the update on my laser, i talk about the use of the cooling gel. I think that will help a lot when it's time for #2.

I don't take spiro b/c it plays with my periods, and my whole goal in going on met was getting my periods regularly. the less drugs for me, the better.