Question about Metformin in pregnancy

JaneB · 04-10-2006, 04:14 PM

I am 19 weeks pregnant and, prior to becoming pregnant, I was prescribed Metformin. I became pregnant following one course of Clomid, still continuing to take Metformin as advised by my consultant.
In the early weeks of my pregnancy, my GP advised me to continue with the Metformin. However, during my 12 week antenatal check-up, I was advised to discontinue it by the hospital consultant. I am now 19 weeks pregnant and since I stopped taking Metformin, I have suffered with constant headaches, tearfulness and acne. I now feel terrible, despite having so far "sailed through" this pregnancy.
I have recently seen my GP again to discuss further, and initially, he told me to continue with the Metformin as it will cause no direct harm to the baby. However, when I asked him to sign on my pregnancy notes to this effect, he began to look something up in a book and quickly told me not to take Metformin as it IS harmful to the baby.
I am now so worried that I have done the wrong thing by taking the Metformin in the first trimester, and am really worried that this could have harmed the baby. However, research I have read in the USA advises pregnant women with PCOS to continue with Metformin during the whole of their pregnancy stating that it can prevent against gaining too much weight, gestatational diabetes, etc.
What am I to believe? Are my headaches, etc anything to be concerned about? Do I need specialist care in my pregnancy to monitor the PCOS? Please help, I'm confused and at the end of my tether.
Are there any other UK Cysters been through the same thing?

naomi123 · 04-10-2006, 09:45 PM

Hi
I had headaches all throughout my pregnancy. They can be caused by high blood pressure (have you had it checked??) or they can jsut be hormonal. My headaches didnt start until about 16weeks so it could just be that you are getting headaches anyway and its nothing to do with the met. Ive never heard of there being a link.
I took metformin up until I was about 17 weeks pregnant. I would have carried on with it if I could but my doctor wouldnt prescribe it. British doctors (I think) are much more cautious than American doctors and wont prescribe it because they will try to give you a pregnancy that is drug free as possible. All the American ladies on these boards take it all the way through and their babies are fine. I ended up getting gestational diabetes which I believe I wouldnt have got if I had been allowed to carry on with the metformin.
You are quite lucky that you have a doctor that is open minded enough to prescribe you metformin during pregnancy.
At the end of the day whether you take the metformin or not is your choice entirely but if it was me I would have taken it the whole way through!
Lola was born at 38 weeks and weighed 9lbs (a big baby especially for 2 weeks early!). I am now just under 3 stone heavier than my pre preg weight. Whether this would have happened if I was on metformin I dont know but at least you can hear my experiences of it!!

ali101 · 04-11-2006, 02:50 PM

Hi,
I took met for the first tri for both of my pregnancies, and discontinued on the advice of my specialist. But he always points out that in the US they carry on, and he thinks that is the way things will go from here. If you take met you don't need any special monitoring and as the previous lady said hormones can do lots of strange things, including headaches, change in skin condition and lots of ladies have hair loss during pregnancy which some of us would put down to PCOS.
You have to do what you feel right doing.

Are you planning on breastfeeding as this could influence your decision?
Ali

paddy · 04-15-2006, 10:50 PM

I wouldn't worry that you have done the wrong thing by taking it up until now. I took it until I was 16 weeks pregnant and was nervous coming off it. I didn't develop GD but I did gain 4 stone! I kid you not.... If your GP will let you continue it I would do so.

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

celticrose · 05-15-2006, 01:50 PM

Hi

I am ttc and am insulin dependant diabetic, i take 2000mg met and my specialist has told me that when i get pregnant that i am to continue with the met. They used to stop it when women got pregnant but new research now shows that it is beneficial and safe to continue to use !

Lin

*Shellie_Star* · 05-16-2006, 08:57 PM

I've recently stopped through choice and research at 11wks. I weened myself off it since about 9wks until I was just taking 1 x 500 every other day.

My doctor recommened to definately come off after the 1st trimester, only because it was not licensed or studied in depth about long term effects. All the Americans seem to have no problems!

x

JaneB · 05-17-2006, 03:10 PM

Thanks for all your replies. I was VERY worried about coming off it at the time (esp. as my Dr didn't seem to know what the **** he was talking about!) - but I'm now at 24 weeks and baby and I are both doing fine. I think I was worried about stopping and then something bad happening to the baby, and of course if anything could have been prevented by continuing with met.....

Anyway, all's well at the moment - I just wish that we had the same information as the USA and less conflicting advice!

Jane
x

deblynnc · 05-17-2006, 03:19 PM

I hope you don't mind a cyster from the US sticking her nose in your conversation

There is no general consensus here in the US, either. The thinking about if/how long to take Met during pregnancy changes on a regular basis. Some doctors still want a pregnant woman to stop taking it as soon as she gets a positive pregnancy test; some recommend it for the first trimester only; still others say it's OK to continue until just a few weeks before delivery.

According to my obstetrician, the most current thinking here has changed back from taking it the entire pregnancy to only during the first trimester, unless the mother is at risk for gestational diabetes.

I stopped Met after the first trimester with my daughter and with this pregnancy, also, and both of them are fine. I haven't heard anything to suggest it's dangerous to the baby to continue taking it; the worst they can say about it is they don't know because they haven't done enough studies.

In your shoes, Jane, I think I would continue until 34-35 weeks, then wean off of it over the course of a week or two, so it's out of your system by the time you're ready to deliver.

Best wishes to you all!

Debbie