Metformin Success Stories

[MorganMarie]

Here's my update as well......BFP!!!!! On the second cycle of MET at 2000mg! I've been on Met since September 06 but did not ovulate on it until December of 06 when they bumped up my dose to 2000. I ovulated again on 1/13/07 and here I am PG but also scared and nervous as heck!

Good luck to everyone. If your doctor is hesitating or won't put you on Met because they think it 'probably' won't help you....Get a 2nd opinion! I'd never have my BFP if I hadn't done just that!

[Bethwyn]

Before Met I had very irregular cycles. Sometimes I wouldn't get AF for 6 months at a time. Not very helpful when trying to TTC. I had put on a lot of weight (about 80lbs), had thinning hair, skin problems, life long depression that I needed medication to control, and life just sucked. I'd also had three chemical pregnancies/early miscarriages, and I was pretty sure that it was from not being medicated for the PCOS.

I was finally diagnosed, after about 8 months of harrassing several different Dr's, in Dec 2005. I stated on 500mg and moved up to 1700mg (850mg twice a day). I was lucky and didn't really get that many side effects, the main one I had was extreme fatigue that lasted a few days after every doseage increase. I did have to watch what I ate though, otherwise I would end up with diahrrea or constipation, bloating and nausea, but it was stuff that I shouldn't be eating anyway.

I started the Metformin at the very end of a 6 month cycle. I literally got AF the day after I started it (not from the Met, just excellent timing), and the change in my cycles was immediately evident. I went from anovulatory and long, to showing ovulation and having the "perfect" 28 day cycle. It was amazing to see the changes in my cycle. I had never been so regular off BCP and I loved the way my charts started looking and that I was no longer sitting around waiting and wondering if/when AF would show. I got renewed hope for TTC after that. I also noticed a change with my body and weight too. In three months, with the help of Weight Watchers and doing moderate exercise, I lost 33lbs without really feeling like I was doing that much. It was the first time I had lost weight in many years. I got discouraged after a while though and got slack with the WW and exercise, but I didn't put on weight again, which totally amazed me.

The biggest thing about Metformin for me was that after 22 months of TTC and three early losses I got pregnant, and to my surprise, stayed pregnant. I used Soy to help and OTC progesterone cream as well. I stayed on the Met until I was around 13 weeks, by which time I was dying to get off it as it was really making me sick. Something about being pregnant really increased the side-effects, and I was forever sick with stomach upsets. Once I stopped the Met I felt a lot better. I'm due to have a c-section in about 11 days and I really cannot wait to meet my little guy. I don't have plans yet for starting it again after being pregnant, I plan on breastfeeding, so I guess it will depend on my Dr, but I will definatly go back on it again before we start TTC#2.

So that's my story, I hope it gives someone a little bit of hope.

[MorganMarie]

Thanks Bethwyn! It gives me hope that I can carry this little bean all the way. I am disagreeing w/ my doctors advice and staying on the Met for the first Trimester then slowly weaning off. They wanted me to quit as soon as I got my BFP and I told them I had been reading everything I can get my hands on about Met and Miscarriages and they were crazy if they thought I would risk that in the first 13 weeks. They then pretty much said it was up to me because there is no proof that Met causes any birth defects, they just say to stop because it really hasn't even been 'fully approved and researched' for treating PCOS. I feel comfortable with my decision and I'm sticking with it.

[Rosebudlife]

I'm only on 1000 mg/ day and have not had any results. I'm wondering if 1500-2000 are the magic numbers?

My situation is that I have delayed ovulation, so my luteal phase is too short and thus not too conducive to pregnancy. We're still praying though! I'm also on prometrium, but have no idea how it works or at what point of the month I should start. My. DR says from Peak +4 days, but I ovulate so late (day 17-19). This is not normal for me. For 2 mos. now, nothing has resulted from using prometruim.

I have gotten pregnant on day 14ish and had a beautiful daughter who is now in heaven due to a car accident. In any case, I know I can get pregnant!!!! I'll just keep praying!!!

I guess I'll need to lose about 30 lbs. to get to my prime fertility weight, maybe then only 1000 mg will work.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[brener]

many congrats to morganmarie and Beth.
Its really brill to read your success stories.

I am finding it hard to get to 3 tabs per day... I mostly take 2, the odd day 3... I feel unwell with all 3...

as you can see by my signature I have started more fertility treatment.. I havent been on metforim too long but docs feel injections etc might work quicker.. I aint so sure....

Rose - sorry to hear of the loss of your daughter. I hope met works soon for you. I believe 3 tabs seems to be the magic number but I have ovulated 3 times now on 2 tabs per day. however I got to normal weight before this.. hope it works out soon

[PBLayzod]

Brener ~ I rarely remembered to take my 3rd pill of the day. The 1000mgs seemed to be enough for me. I found that taking 1 1/2 pills 2x a day was a little easier than trying for 3 doses.

[LookingForHope16]

I've been on Met for one week and I just wanted to let you girls know that this thread gives me a lot of hope!
!

[jaime13]

I have been on Met for two months now and I lost an amazing 17 lbs (along with WW) since December 4th! I am feeling great. I didnt have that bad side effects. In fact, the only side effect I got was Diarhhea. But it resolved the third week.

I thank god my OB/GYN put me on this medicine!

[Jes317]

I've been on met 2000mg for about 6 weeks now. Just in the past week, I've noticed my appetite has been significantly reduced!! I used to want to eat all the time, now I eat much less amounts at meals and snacks and I don't eat all evening like I used to. It's not that I'm trying not to, I just don't even think about food anymore.

[PBLayzod]

I'm also on prometrium, but have no idea how it works or at what point of the month I should start. My. DR says from Peak +4 days, but I ovulate so late (day 17-19). This is not normal for me. For 2 mos. now, nothing has resulted from using prometruim.

Rosebud~
You might want to ask about this in another thread. The only time I used prometrium (progesterone) was during injectable cycles. I was told to start after I triggered and to stop when AF came or I got a negative blood pregnancy test. If I had become pregnant, I would have continued through the 1st trimester. If you are starting the prometrium before you O it could be causing a problem instead of solving it. Again, I'm not the prometrium expert, but I'd certainly ask around about this.

I've also taken prometrium to end an annovulatory cycle, but I don't think that's what you are talking about.

[Lisa25]

After nine years of ttc and the first month of met and Tamoxifen I'm pleased to tell you we are pregnant (just 5 weeks) I was on 1000mg a day.

So it does work.

[americantjej]

so glad to read these stories.
keep them coming

i am on day 2 (500mg) and was scared to death to start, but this thread makes it much easier

[brown092901]

Since I started this thread, I thought maybe I should post my own success with Metformin.

I mean this from the bottom of my heart when I say that Metformin gave me my life back.

Before Met, I was barely getting through the days. I was exhausted all the time, and living in a brain fog. I couldn't concentrate, was totally unmotivated, seriously overweight, and had periods maybe once or twice a year. I had horrible episodes of anxiety/panic and terrible migraine headaches. I had no energy to play with my small kids and unrelenting cravings for fat and carbohydrate.

In short, I felt like a failure as a woman, wife and mother.

I've now been on 1500mg of Metformin since October 2006. Since that time, I've lost 33 pounds with virtually no effort. My food cravings are gone and I can think clearly and concentrate on tasks. My anxiety has all but disappeared, as have my migraine headaches, and I enjoy running and playing with my kids.

I also now have 28 day cycles. I haven't had 28 days cycles since, well, EVER.

I wanted to start this thread to give some hope to women who are nervous about starting Met. I did have some GI side effects when I first started, but that was nothing in comparision to what Met has given back to me (and those side effects were nothing compared to what I imagined them to be...)

I'll never give up my Met.

Amanda

[mpatch]

I thank god that I found this board, sometimes you can feel so alone when no one in your family or none of your friends has ever had to go through stuff like this. I start my Met tomorrow, I am actually excited! I am 25 y/o now and I have had irregular periods since I was 18, I also have hair growth and darkening of skin in some places so that is when my doctor tested me, sure enough I have PCOS and my glucose levels are elevated. My husband and I are wanting to get pregnant but have had no success as of yet because I ovulate off and on, its not constant every month. The doctor started me on Met 500mg for the first week then 1000 mg the second week then 1500 mg the third week and to top it with 2000 mg starting the 4th week, after im up to 2000mg that is what I will be taking daily. Im overweight and would love to lose some pounds before conceiving since it is said that I might have a better pregnancy. Well I just wanted to say I am so happy to find this board and there are a lot of others out there with the same situations as me and that I am not alone! thanks for all these wonderful stories, I teared up for a few of them!!!

[heatherflower]

I needed to read these today thanks