TThin cysters treating with ins. sens. meds.?

Chrissy · 09-23-2005, 12:02 PM

How many of you ladies out there are treating primarily with ins. sens. drugs? I have read so much about those ttc using these but how many of you are using them to treat PCOS and symptoms?

I am interested because it seems most thin women who don't present as IR are still told to regulate with bc pills. The main exception is those ttc or planning a preg. soon. I have had several doctors tell me we don't fit into the category that benefit completely from ins. sens. drugs. Those women who are overweight and test IR should use them but we need to be most concerned about regulating AF and cosmetic symptom control. What have you heard and who out there is using ins. sens. meds. successfully? Thanks for all input. I know we are few on these boards and don't get as many posts. Maybe someone has had an experience they can share.

ERICKA77 · 09-23-2005, 01:27 PM

Hello,
Yea I wish there was more of us to post. So I can relate more.
I've been on Metformin for about a year and a half. I mainly take it to regualte my hormones and regualate my AF. I tested negative for IR and I'm also on it TTC. My doc wants to take me off since I haven't gotten pregnant yet, but I want to stay on it because I feel wonderful while on Metformin. Just to get AF each month is a blessing for me. And to not have my hormones all out of wack is wonderful..!!!!!!!..
I refuse to take BCP. My doc also tried to put me on them, I said, "No, I want Met." He hesitated until I insisted. I hate BCP for so many reasons.
I want to get pregnant, and I'm not ready for fertility. So I take Met. But the main reason I'm on met is to actually regualte my AF. The reason my doc puts me on it is to TTC. Since he too feels Met isn't for thin women without IR. I disagree with him, and told him so. I told him I was on it in the past and loved it. I started taking Met the first time after my BCP nightmare. I've also tried the alternative route, which works wonders as well. But I do like what Metformin has done for me.
Are you thinking about going on an ins. synth. drug?

ej44 · 09-23-2005, 01:34 PM

I started metformin about a month ago. Took 500mg/day for about 3 weeks and just recently moved up to 100 mg/day, so it's a little early to judge whether or not it will prove useful. So far, side effects have not been too awful. But I would also like to know what other thin cysters experiences are with these types of drugs.

I tried various bcps for a few years, but they actually seemed to make my symptoms (or at least the symptoms that bother me the most) worse. I admit that issues with acne were improved, but that was about the only positive for me. The rest was all bad... I had pretty much maintained my weight for the last 10 years or so, but once on bcps, I started to gain a lot of weight and very quickly. I also just felt generally crappy on the pills (tired, depressed, headaches...)... and I didn't even get regular AF. I decided to quit bcps and thought I would not treat the pcos at all - since I felt far better before my diagnosis than I ever did on the bcps. But the fact is, my pcos has progressed (I actually think the bcps may have played a role in that). Weight control is much, much harder than it ever was (and it was never easy) I'm still a "thin" cyster, but I've gained about 8lbs the past year - almost all in my belly area. I have what others have referred to as a pregnant belly. You can see my ribcage, but then it's a huge belly. And regardless of diet and exercise, it doesn't go away.... just continues to climb.

After reading more recent studies showing that thin women were seeing positive results with metformin, I asked my doctor to let me try it and he agreed. So here I am. I am not ttc (and consider fertility a low priority). My primary concern is the weight gain and lack of AF.

Are you taking any insulin sens. drugs?

lissadell · 09-23-2005, 04:09 PM

I'm pregnant now, but was on metformin (2,000 mg / day) for a year (doc advised me to stop when I got my BFP). Before TTCing I was on BCPs. My plan (assuming doc agrees, which I expect he will) is to use both met and BCPs to manage my PCOS in the future. I'm thin (well, was

) and not IR.

My cycles didn't regulate on met, but my testosterone levels did normalize. The only way I've ever had normal cycles is to take BCPs; and personally, I had no issues taking them at all. I have a strong family history of endometrial hyperplasia and uterine cancer, so want to take BCPs to regulate my cycles and help prevent those conditions. I also have a strong family history of diabetes, so want to take met to mitigate that risk (plus, my experience shows it can help manage my hormones).

I too have seen studies suggesting that met is very helpful to all cysters with PCOS - even those of us who are thin and IR. One theory I've seen is that while we may not be generally IR, our ovaries may be IR and that's why we respond to insulin meds too (though don't think this has been fully confirmed).

flower_s7 · 09-23-2005, 07:41 PM

I'm thin and not IR. My RE put me on met about 6 months ago but I had to switch to Avandia this month because I just could not tolerate the side-effects of met - they never went away for me. From what I've read, the insulin sensitizing medications seem to work in most groups of women with PCOS, whether they are thin or not, insulin resistant or not. I'm not sure what the mechanism is or the reason. My RE wanted me on it because I am TTC and had to stop the bcp to accomplish that. The met certainly made my symptoms much better. I'm not sure if the Avandia will work...we'll see. The met worked to regulate my cycles for sure. I have noticed that since I've been taking either of these medications it seems much harder to keep my weight at what it's always been (103)...I seem to be creeping upwards pound by pound...lol.

I'm not sure what I'll do if the Avandia doesn't work to get me pregnant. My other half is NOT going to do the fertility stuff...he wants adoption.

AnnaMay · 09-23-2005, 07:56 PM

This is my first time posting, but I've been reading these posts since I was diagnosed with PCOS in the Spring. I'm not IR but I've been taking met since the middle of June. After 6 weeks at 2,150 mg/day, I just found out that my testosterone level (which was elevated) is within the normal range. So far, I haven't seen much of a change with my cycles, but my RE said to wait at least 6 mos. before trying Clomid.

Chrissy · 09-24-2005, 06:56 PM

Thanks so much for everyone's responses-way to go ladies! I think this will help many of us as we consider out medication options.

About two years ago I took Avandia to try and regulate my cycle using an ins. sens. med. (My doctor does not like to use Met. with women who are thin and not ttc.)I got AF on day 30 just like magic. I never, and I mean never get AF without bc pills, provera or clomid. I began to have some swelling in my hands and feet and after reading some scary articles I panicked and went back to bc pills. Since then, I believe the Avandia to be safer than I originally thought. The trial of Avandia showed that insulin does play a role even though I don't test for IR and am still somewhat thin, at least in the normal range. I am almost 40 years old (wear a size 8-10 but have the tummy thing going on)and have had two children with the wonderful help of Clomid ( I love that stuff!). My weight has risen a few pounds over the years but following the IR diet and South Beach (second and third phases) has helped to maintain it as of late. I gained tons of weight without changing my eating during pregnancy. Interestingly enough I never tested gest. diabetic either but felt diabetic and would have benefitted from the IR diet during pregnancy had I known about it.

I am considering met. but am very affected by medications in the tummy areas, so my RE is unsure of this. Avandia definately helped me cycle and ovulate I think, although I am done having kids. It did not help my skin in the short 4 months I took it though, another concern for me.

Best of luck to you ladies trying to conceive. Baby dust to you, express mail!!! Thanks for sharing your stories with us!

Chris

guineapig · 11-01-2005, 01:52 AM

Huh. I tried met, and it made me gain about 5 pounds, plus hair started shedding worse. Went off it, lost hte weight, still shedding. They wanted to put me on Avandia, but I said no, because met did nothing the whole time I was on it. Perhaps I should re-think it, if it really might make me cycle (nothing else helps).

*DesertRose* · 11-12-2005, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lissadell

I too have seen studies suggesting that met is very helpful to all cysters with PCOS - even those of us who are thin and IR. One theory I've seen is that while we may not be generally IR, our ovaries may be IR and that's why we respond to insulin meds too (though don't think this has been fully confirmed).

that is really interesting! do you have a link to that study? or can you explain more about it please?

thank you ~