FAQ About Metformin

[christyz]

Glad it helped! All the best, Rebecca!

[richelle]

can i take metformin on an empy stomach...that is if i am not having a meal at the time since the directions are to take with food.
plus i am also on yasmin with met(now about to start actually)
can these two go together?

[christyz]

Some people can tolerate met on an empty stomach, but many can't..it helps with side effects generally to buffer the tummy with food. You could try it and see if you like, but I reccommend food..especially when you're starting out.

Many women take BCP and Met, but keep in mind that there are some BCP that make IR worse and met is trying to make it better. So talk to your Dr to see if your dose of met needs to be adjusted due to this.

[alaskaflygirl]

I know the answer to this question differs based on pharmacy, brand (Glucophage vs. Metformin), and locale, but...

How much is a month's worth of this stuff?

[becbanner]

My Met is acutally free at my pharmacy, but i think it depends on your insurance (I have Aetna)

[thegoLdendoLL]

wow bec,

What pharmacy do YOU use? I have Aetna :O

[indian_beauty]

Originally posted by christyz

Many women take BCP and Met, but keep in mind that there are some BCP that make IR worse and met is trying to make it better. So talk to your Dr to see if your dose of met needs to be adjusted due to this.

I keep hearing this and know that BCPs mask the pcos symptoms...but how do I know which BCPs do not cancel the effect of metformin....I'm supposed to start on bcps for 3 months to suppress my FSH....and am afraid of the very same thing...I don't want the met to lose it potency...plus I'm going on a low dose combined BCP.- (Ovral-L)......meaning it has estrogen and progesterone in low doses....and this one suits me in the sense that the weight gain and mood swings r not much and I can control it by my diet and exercise.....I really coudn't find any info which states which BCP interacts negatively with Met...but I do know some do..

and as for masking the symptoms of PCOS...since I already know I have pcos and am wokring towards controlling it I think this masking shd not make much of a difference....or will it??

[becbanner]

Goldendoll- I use Duane Reade, why how much do you pay for MET?

[christyz]

I_B: The link listed in this thread talks about how low dose BCP's have the least effect on BG and IR, so you're best to go that route. You'll only know if BCP's are countering your met if your blood sugar starts to be affected or if your labs show things are starting to move back in the old direction. Trial and error is really the only way to know, if it will affect you or not.

Low dosage BCP's have less effect on IR and Blood Glucose levels:
http://www.tinman.com/diabetes/diabsex/birthcon.htm

as for masking the symptoms of PCOS...since I already know I have pcos and am wokring towards controlling it I think this masking shd not make much of a difference....or will it??

It doesn't make a difference when you're on the pill, it's when you go *off* (especially if you hope to concieve one day) that your body can sometimes give you grief. In my own case, they did a fine job of controlling my hormones when I was on them, but when I went off them after 18 months, my PCOS, which had been pretty mild up until that point (the odd irregular period) was totally full-blown. I had years of infertility after the pill because my hormonally whacked body was used to the pill to give it directions. Some women don't have trouble, but the more I read around here, the more I see that my case was not unusual, because we PCOS'ers have such insane hormones.

Nobody can decide for you what it best, but being on the pill isn't usually the tough part, it's what you body does or doesn't do when you go off that can be the issue for some of us. Some ladies have no problems, so you never know. If you're only going on them for 3 months, I probably wouldn't panic too much.

Hope it helps.

[richelle]

will i loose weight while on this metformin? i mean yes i know i have to watch what i eat and excercise but WILL i, am i ,guaranteed some weight loss?

[richelle]

hey cristy... when they say low carb diet does that mean to eat only meat and veg?

[christyz]

Unfortunately nobody can guarantee anything, since met isn't a weight loss drug per se. If your weight issues are a result of insulin resistance, this can help, and it has helped a lot of us. But it's one factor in a very individual and complicated balance of hormones. Some ladies require different drugs or methods..met isn't the best treatment for everyone, so it's kind of a trial and error thing. Hopefully it'll be a ctalyst in helping you.

To answer your 2nd question, 'Low carbing' has a different definition for everyone. Some ladies do a stricter carb limit, others don't require as restrictive a diet to lose and regulate insulin. I ate between 65-100 g carb daily during my own weight loss phase. My diet included meat and veggies as a protein source, but I had other sources too...things like milk products, whole grains, fruits. I followed the IR diet which paired carbs with protien to keep insulin controlled and it really worked for me. Nothing was off limits, it just needed to be balanced and a specific portion in order to keep my insulin at bay. It takes trial and error to find our what kind of diet you'll require to keep your insulin controlled and to manage your hormones. I kept a food journal several times to help me find where I needed to be...maybe you could try the same kind of thing.

Hope it helps....

[christyz]

Just wanted to let everyone know that in an effort to keep the thread up to date I'm always editing and adding new articles, so check in if you need information.

In recent days I have added on info on maximim doses for Gluc XR vs Regular Gluc (see FAQ #11), and the FDA Metformin label revision involving Lactic Acidosis (FAQ #14)...Thanks for those, Linda!

If you have any other suggestions for topics on the thread, or questions you'd like to see answered, post and let me know. I love an excuse to research.

[butterflykisses]

Thanks so much for all your info!!!

I really was feeling lost with Pcos. I found this site and it is great. You really did a great thing and have helped many with this information. I am going to find out if these meds will work for me. Your weight loss is fabulous!! May God bless you and yours!!

Emily

[christyz]

Thank you! I just know how many Questions I had that Didn't get answered by my Dr when I started met. After that, research was my friend.

All the best Emily!