Tiggamoo is starting Met, how can I help w/ side effects?

tiggasguy · 12-10-2006, 03:59 PM

I'm not sure if this is the best place for this thread since its related to a specific drug, so any moderators reading this should feel free to move it as needed.
Tiggamoo's doc has prescribed glucophage/metformin to help with her insulin resistance as we are TTC. Thanks to the wonderful ladies and all the great resources on the board I'm pretty up to speed on how the drug works and its side effects. I'm looking for advice on what I can do to help ease the gastrointestinal related problems that are so common.
I do practically all the cooking in our house (which works out well since she hates to cook but doesn't mind helping with the cleanup

). I know generally I need to cut back on the fat and carbs and I'm pretty good at balancing the meals to help keep her blood sugar on an even plane, but are there any other things I should avoid or add to the menu that can help. Outside of the kitchen, is there anything the ladies or the other soul misters wish they had known before they started on this med.
Thanks in advance for the help and to all the members of the board thanks for creating such a supportive place for Tiggamoo and everyone else dealing with PCOS. I know it's made a real difference in our lives.

devildoll · 12-10-2006, 05:33 PM

Hi

I know a lot of cysters I have spoken to have said that by taking their met in the middle of their meal has stopped the side affects altogether ... whereas previously they were taking it at the start of their meal or at the end and suffering side affects for some reason it seems to be better right in the middle.

I wish I had known that as when I was taking my met I had no idea and did suffer the horrid side affects but I no longer take it and my doc wont prescribe me with it at the moment. But I do hope you find this helps your DW.

Good luck to you both with TTC.

SOME BABY DUSTING BLOWING IN YOUR DIRECTION!!!! {{{###~~~###}}}

Neechogan · 12-11-2006, 06:46 PM

Hi Tiggasguy,

I had a heck of a time convincing my wife to take her meds shortly after being perscribed them. The primary problem was the stomach discomfort.

One piece of advice I was given by one of the soulcycters was to suggest to her to start small and build up to her perscribed dose. I'm no doctor and I can't tell you what to do but my wife tried that and it seemed to lessen discomfort.

Good luck ttc!

Chas1975 · 12-26-2006, 09:21 PM

I would suggest you avoid making things that cause gas as the met makes enough of that itself. Also, if she drinks soda you may want to help her avoid that. Just being supportive and get out of the bathroom when she tells you to should be enough.

Corvidae · 12-27-2006, 08:29 AM

What I wouldn't give for a man who could cook. My ex was useless in the kitchen... kept trying to put pineapple and banana in everything. Frightening memories of ham paprika and banana lasagne still haunt me... Yech!!!

As you're the one cooking it would be a good idea to limit salads for a while. It seems like many people, myself included, have found lettuce and cucumber to be very bad with metformin. Best to stick to well cooked veggies and bring back raw veg gradually. Whole grains and fibre seem to help regulate things. I found that potato and rice with a meal also helped to slow down things that were moving too fast. Cut back on carbs slowly and avoid fried foods.

Taking met with meals seems to be best. I take mine immediately before or during the meal. Try to ensure that meals are at regular times because more than an hour earlier or later can make a big difference.

Good luck to both of you, metformin can be difficult to take the first few weeks but it's worth the bother.

manoloblanikgrl · 01-24-2007, 04:56 AM

Metaformin was evil. I had really bad side effects with it. I couldn't eat anything at all. When I forced myself to eat something, i would throw up. THen I started feeling really woozy (either from my inability to eat of metaformin itself) I had to stop taking it, and I refuse to take it again. I'm not trying to have a baby just yet......I just wanna feel like my old self. And Seriously, the best thing for PCOS is losing weight. But, for advice on metaformin.....have her take a couple days of from work if she's feeling crummy and have some sugary stuff availible.... It's awful if your insulin resistant, but having a candy bar or even getting her her favorite starbucks drink if she's feeling woozy helps SOOOO much it's unbelieveable.

roxyvet · 01-31-2007, 12:42 AM

Hi Tiggasguy,
Not all of us can work with Metformin so be warned. I had taken it once before and it had to be stopped because of how upset it made my stomach. This was a couple of years ago. This past October I started again. I was only able to take it for about 9 months and had to stop again. It made my gastritis worse and ended up pushing me into chronic gastritis. I would start heaving every morning and throughout the day.
Metformin is good with weight loss (it stopped me from actually gaining weigh and i started losing weight) in the 9 weeks that I took it. It can be horrible on her stomach. Just be sure to expect anything. If she starts the heaving and throwing up, then you should see a doctor.
Right now I am not on any IR drugs since my gyno is waiting for my stomach to heal a bit.
More than anything, what is important right now is your support of her. I am blessed to have a great husband who holds my hand throughout all the heaving. It is obvious that you are a great one too!

Hold on to each other in all difficult times and please please please try to understand what she is going through.
Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love2Stitch · 01-31-2007, 03:02 AM

First off, Bless You, for being so supportive, sensitive and caring. Sometimes I think through all this we forget that the guys that stand with us need thanks for all they do.

I've been on Met twice, TTC. Wouldn't have either of my beautiful sons without it.

The stomach stuff is definately not fun. Luckily I was able to stay on it to get through most of the side effects. I started off at a lower dose and then worked up, increasing, I think it was on a weekly basis, til I hit my final dosage. I found after about 2 weeks at a dosage most of the stomach stuff would ease up...then come back if I had to increase again.

I didnt' find much relief in changing my diet, just eating healthy anyway. Found I was best to keep my social schedule quiet when increasing dosages...so that I wasn't out 'n about town when I had to find a restroom in a hurry. Had to be sure to keep hydrated, for that gas and the runs, and also kept reading material handy for those extended visits.

Best of luck.

mlinn · 03-01-2007, 12:24 AM

Gracias for being such a supportive husband first of all. how lucky that your wife has you by her side. Second of all..good luck with the met. I tried it and it was awful. I was sick all the time. The bathroom was my second home. I was embarrased to go out with friends or my boyfriend afraid I would have an accident. For me the n/v/d was uncontrollable! When I talked to my new doctor about this he said that he thought we could try a new form of met which is a daily release kind that doesn't have such horrible side effects since it is let out in the bloodstream slowly. Be willing to offer this as a a suggestion if after a month or so the medicine is intolerable for your wifey. The new doctor just took me off after I got my hemoglobin A1C and my sugar level came back within range! YEAH!

Just be considerate and try to help her through the extra time she will be spending in the bathroom getting accustomed to the new med.

em6 · 03-30-2007, 01:28 PM

The First Rule of Metformin is:

NEVER POSITION YOURSELF OR ANY OBJECT OR OBSTACLE BETWEEN HER AND THE NEAREST TOILET.

The Second Rule of Metformin is:

See Rule 1.

Follow that and you should be fine.

Other than that, avoid raw fruit or veg, undercooked veg and all milk products. pulses should be avoided too, for obvious reasons!

PBLayzod · 03-31-2007, 01:07 AM

I found that keeping Tums, Gas-x, and Immodium around helped with the initial side-effects. Those are good things to have in the house anyway, so go on and invest in them.