Anyone on Metformin?

[ceejie]

I have PCOS and after TTC for a while my specialist prescribed me Metformin. It was difficult to start taking it, but on my 2nd cycle (60 day artificial cycles) I actually conceived. Due to my long cycles I didn't find out until I was about 6 weeks along, and I had been taking the Metformin the entire time. My doctor told me to stop the Metformin immediately, so of course I listened. My baby stopped growing at 7w4d. I had a D&C at 10w.

Now, the reason I'm asking is because I started reading some studies that suggest if you conceive on Metformin that you should STAY on it to reduce chance of mc.

"Metformin reduces the risk of miscarriage. Women with PCOS are at a high risk of repeated miscarriages. However, in a study of women who took Metformin while pregnant only 8.8% of them suffered miscarriages while the non-Metformin group suffered miscarriages at a rate of 41.9%. In the same study, 11.1% of the Metformin group who suffered miscarriages had miscarried before while 58.3% of the non-Metformin group who suffered miscarriages had miscarried before."

I'm really wondering why my doctor would have told me to stop taking it, and it seems a little odd to me that the baby stopped developing a week later. I know it could be pure coincidence, but I was wondering if anyone else had any experience with this?

I definitely don't want to go through this again if it is something that can be avoided.

 

[LadyKate1980]

I am so sorry for your loss. :'( The information you provided arouses my suspicions as well as its an awfully big coincidence. Then again, its very common for women to have early miscarriages before 8 weeks.
Through my losses, I have learned something very important...it is a GOOD thing to do your own research, and any practitioner worth their salt will LISTEN to you when you bring up your findings at your appointments.
YOU are the advocate for your body and your unborn baby and anything you can do to help is fabulous.
At your next appointment, bring this information with you and make sure you receive a thorough and educated answer to this question! If they can't provide you with any concrete evidence that continuing the medication would actually HARM the baby, then I would press for them to continue it throughout your next pregnancy.
Good luck on your TTC journey!!!!

 

[ceejie]

Thank you.

I've done some more research and found actual copies of the study findings, which I will be printing out and taking to my next appointment.

 

[blueclo]

I was put on metformin last year for pcos and I too conceived on my second cycle. I continued taking it for a while then the doctor and midwife also told me to stop so I did and I had a missed miscarriage at 10+5 (baby had stopped growing around 6-7 weeks) I then also did some research and read much about the increased risk of mc from stopping taking it. I've taken the metformin ever since but am still waiting for my next bfp

 

[ceejie]

blueclo - do you mind me asking how long you've been ttc since your mmc? And do you find the metformin regulates cycles or anything like that? Personally it hasn't had any noticeable effects for me, other than conceiving on my second cycle...which of course I am happy with as well, but was wondering if anyone else reaped any of the other supposed benefits.

The more research I do on it the more they seem to be related. I will talk to my doc about it, but I'm worried what if she just says no and won't refill my rx once I get pg again? She will only write me an rx for 3 months at a time...

 

[NGRidley]

I was taking metformin.
I wasnt taking it regularly so when I got pregnant, my doctor said that I didnt have to take it anymore as I wasnt taking it regularly the month I conceived.

I just had a MMC, was told that the baby was about 8.5 weeks in size, I was 10+5 when I found out

 

[sarlar]

I just started metformin but was told by my doctor that if I conceive, at minimum I need to take the metformin until 14 weeks and maybe until the baby is born!!

 

[blueclo]

blueclo - do you mind me asking how long you've been ttc since your mmc? And do you find the metformin regulates cycles or anything like that? Personally it hasn't had any noticeable effects for me, other than conceiving on my second cycle...which of course I am happy with as well, but was wondering if anyone else reaped any of the other supposed benefits.

The more research I do on it the more they seem to be related. I will talk to my doc about it, but I'm worried what if she just says no and won't refill my rx once I get pg again? She will only write me an rx for 3 months at a time...

I found out about my mmc at a scan on 28 July and I mc on 2nd August (2010). So nine months since then I have found it exceptionally hard, especially since my due date came and went and it's coming up to the time of year when I first got that bfp (last June). I try to take away from this experience that I CAN concieve as I has spent months prior to my pcos diagnosis believing i was infertile. I don't know what is taking so long this time round but I haven't fully committed to a diet or excercise regime which I think would really help.

I always had regular cycles and haven't noticed any difference since taking the met. I haven't seen any other benefits either, since I'm underweight not overweight and don't have any other 'typical' pcos symtoms and hence went so long undiagnosed. I have had blood tests to show i ovulate and opks seem to highlight this too. Thinking of trying soy now. Good luck, if I can answer anything else let me know

 

[ceejie]

blueclo - I have to say, although I am a generally active person, in the couple months around the time I conceived I was literally hitting the gym 5x a week for 2 hours at a time plus running in a group, and taking yoga classes. Although I didnt really lose any weight, I think this might have something to do with why I was able to conceive. I was told at 19 I probably wouldnt be able to conceive naturally, so 7 years later, I am glad to know I actually did. I just dont kniw how I am going to get back to that level of activity. All I want to do now is go straight home and curl up on the couch.

As for the soy, is it okay to take for people with pcos? I remember someone telling me a while back that with pcos you should really avoid soy. I dont know if its true, but its always been in the back of my mind and ive kind of avoided soy ever since.

 

[Dollface]

Oh ladies, how terrible! I took Meformin for my diabetes, and it regulated my cycles. i became pregnant on my first cycle ttc, and when I saw my doctor at 7 weeks, he put me on insulin instead of the pills. I had no idea that if you stop taking the pills it could be dangerous to the baby. I would definitely go in guns blazing with ANY information about it next time. Why would a doctor tell you to stop taking it if it could be bad? I guess they are not all that smart. According to my research,it is safe to take the pills during pregnancy. Oh what a terrible loss due to the doctor's stupidity. I am so sorry.

 

[wanting_1]

ive been on metformin since about march.. im at 2000mg right now.. ive had a little bit of light bleeding here and there but nothing big.. when i 1st started spotting i was really worried and called my obgyn but she said not to worry so i try not too.. i really want a baby.. and im judt wondering if anyone has any special tips to help with my mood and just in general.. im thinkin about getting an ovulation test because since i dont feel any different.. i havent had any stomach problems and no period.. im getting really frustrated.. i really want to get on clomid.. any suggestions?

 

[pinkflamingo]

I started met last Oct and got a BFP in Nov. I was told by my fs to stop taking it. We found out at a 7+3 scan that baby had stopped growing at 5+6.

There seems to be some question out there on whether you should take it or not whilst pregnant. I guess in our situations we have lost babies and are looking for reasons, of which this is an easy one to pin it on. I don't know what I would do next time I get a BFP, but equally I wouldn't want to have to go through a MC again and question if I caused it by carrying on taking the met.

From the research you have done does it make any difference as to the severity of the woman's PCOS? I have it very mildly and do ovulate but just not every month. I did think at the time that the met was given to me to help me ovulate, and that once I was pregnant I wasn't sure what it could do to assist as i thought my 'pregnancy body' should kick in then. maybe you could answer that for me?

We have taken a bit of a break and so I am just about to start taking it again after complications from the mmc etc.

I am sorry for all our losses

xx

 

[ceejie]

I started met last Oct and got a BFP in Nov. I was told by my fs to stop taking it. We found out at a 7+3 scan that baby had stopped growing at 5+6.

There seems to be some question out there on whether you should take it or not whilst pregnant. I guess in our situations we have lost babies and are looking for reasons, of which this is an easy one to pin it on. I don't know what I would do next time I get a BFP, but equally I wouldn't want to have to go through a MC again and question if I caused it by carrying on taking the met.

From the research you have done does it make any difference as to the severity of the woman's PCOS? I have it very mildly and do ovulate but just not every month. I did think at the time that the met was given to me to help me ovulate, and that once I was pregnant I wasn't sure what it could do to assist as i thought my 'pregnancy body' should kick in then. maybe you could answer that for me?

We have taken a bit of a break and so I am just about to start taking it again after complications from the mmc etc.

I am sorry for all our losses

xx

I don't know if the severity of the PCOS matters...I don't think that as far as PCOS goes mine is all that bad. I have a lot of the symptoms, but I know it could be far worse.

I was thinking about it, and I know when I got pg my GP told me not to cut caffeine out completely, because I am (was) a heavy coffee drinker and if I cut it out entirely it would be a shock to my body, so she said stick to 1 or 2 cups a day. If something like coffee would be a shock to you I don't understand why a prescription medication wouldn't.

If I am lucky enough to get another BFP I might ask my FS if I can wean off of the metformin rather than stop it all at once? Even if it really doesn't do anything, it will at least put my mind at ease about that one aspect of the pregnancy.

 

[kiki04]

I just searched around online and find mixed results.. alot of dr's say stay on it to PREVENT m/c and other dr's suggest stopping it immediately

 

[ceejie]

I just searched around online and find mixed results.. alot of dr's say stay on it to PREVENT m/c and other dr's suggest stopping it immediately

That's what makes it so confusing! How can there be such conflicting results?

I would understand if there was evidence that Metformin cause problems during pregnancy, but I've searched for any evidence of that and can't find it...so if it doesn't hurt, why would doctors tell you to stop immediately? I read one article that basically said the issue is that there have never been any clinical trials proving that it is "safe" for pregnancy, but that is basically because no woman wants to sign up for a drug to test it's safety while they are pregnant.

I know I probably can't blame my mc on this, but I just feel like if there ANYTHING I can do next time around to put my mind at ease and possibly decrease the chances of any problems, I want to know!!