Metformin & PCOS

[KLMenke]

My Dr. just diagnosed me with PCOS Friday. Since we were technically NTNP, she wants me to be back on BCP to regulate my cycles & once we are ready to TTC, stop taking the pills & i should ovulate within the first couple months. I'm terrified of back-tracking & would hate to waste another 5 months of our time trying to see if the BC method will work for me. I will be calling another Dr. for a second opinion tomorrow. Did they have you do a glucose fast test first to see if Metformin was necessary? I work in a pharmacy so I'm very familiar with how metformin works. If they did do the test, was it terrible? I guess I'm just terrified of the unknown!!

 

[MamaMac123]

Yes there are soy pills they're called soy isoflavones and they're an herbal supplement. Got mine at a local health store. They were about $15 a bottle. I didn't really have any side effects. I've heard they can cause hot flashes but I didn't notice any. I took mine at night which was a recommendation from someone here on a soy thread that way if you get the flashes you're asleep and may not notice.

 

[MamaMac123]

They didn't do a test for me but doc started me very low dose and had me mind my symptoms very closely in case it caused an issue with my blood glucose levels. So far so good.

 

[babyjla]

KLM, I didnt have any glucose test. My doc started me on 500mg and moved me up to 1000mg. Like Mac, I was just told to moniter my symptoms and if they were too unbareable to let him know.

 

[JL1363]

Hi KLMenke - my doc did check my glucose levels (fasting glucose), as well as my cholesterol, iron, tsh (thyroid), and creatinine (kidney function) - all of which can be affected by metformin. Everything in my bloodwork was normal except that my LH level was double my FSH level - which was the initial factor that led to the PCOS diagnosis and related insulin resistance.

When I originally discussed all this with my doc, she did talk about bcp being a treatment option that is effective for women who are NOT ttc. I agree it would be a shame for you to waste time on the bcp when there are other maybe just as effective options that would still allow you to get a bfp.

Like the other ladies, I started on 500mg, then moved up to 1000mg, then moved up to 1500mg, all slowly and while monitoring my side effects.

hope this helps

 

[krissie328]

Hey- I took a glucose test before I was dx with PCOS. At that point it was suspected but not confirmed. I switched doctors the next year and it was confirmed and I was put on PCOS. At that time I was insulin resistant. I started on 2000 mg metformin right away. I had horrible side effects and after researching backed off to 500 and worked my way up. I always had some symptoms, so this past august I finally switched to 1000 mg ER metformin which has been great.

I have been on bcp, however, my doctor told me it was to reduce the cysts in my ovaries. I have never ovulated after coming off bcp. I was told a long time ago they might help regulate my cycles after coming off them, but after two years on them as a teenager, my cycles went back to their wacky cycles.

 

[hippiekinz]

Hello Ladies!

I'm home from Syracuse and super tired. I updated my temps and I have no clue what's going on! The temps went up in the past 2 days and I have watery CM for the past days and when I checked my cervix tonight it was soft and I believe open? DH & I will BD tonight since we didn't get to the past 2 days since he was tired and all. The 2 times he actually doesn't want to BD and I needed him to, lol Oh well if it was meant to be, it's meant to be.

baby, sooo sorry to hear you're outI hope next cycle you get your bfp

Hello to everyone else, I will read through all the posts tomorrow. Time for a quick then hehe

 

[babyjla]

Thanks hippie, good to see you back

So the spotting still has not returned. My back still hurts, and I had the same pinching last night on the right side of my lower abdomen below the belly button. It was in the exact same spot. I'm not sure what exactly it is, but I was a little conscerned about possibly a cist thats trying to rupture? It comes and goes though...? I've also had a wet feeling (maybe tmi, sorry?!) For the last two days. There's no noticeable amount of extra cm when I wipe, but it definitely feels like there should be. My cervix has remained higher and closed so thats 4 days now that I've noticed it like that. I never really did check my cervix after ovulating, so idk if that may be normal for me or what. Time will tell I guess!

 

[ready2Bmum]

Hi ladies,

KLmentke - I wasnt tested before being put on met, but I was tested shortly after i was diagnosed with PCOS to make sure i didnt have diabeties aswell. I didnt thankfully, and my met was only started over a week ago now. I had some heartburn and rubbly tummy the first few days but all thats gone now. Im on 500mg once a day. (I think thats the lowest dose) I was on cd42 when i started, and got my period on the second day of taking it!!

To all the other ladies, I have a quick question. My cycles are so all over the place, I cant remember what day I "should" ovulate, as in, if i just had plain old regular cycles?? Im on CD10 today and my CBFM read me as "high" this morning. I wasnt expecting that for another few days at least. normally "high" indicates that I'm within the 5 days leading up to ovulation. (Last month it read me high for 10 days and never peaked so not always exact with pcos!)

Im just wondering- if the met is working would this timeline be correct?? It would mean that technically i will ovulate on cd15? does this sound right??

 

[laurac1988]

I would grab some OPks as well just in case xx

 

[sugarpi24]

Well doctor is putting me on femera instead of metformin. Anyone else get put on this? Now I have to wait til af shows before I can get it started

 

[hippiekinz]

baby - hmmmmmm I've heard from other ladies that a little bleeding is ok, but when you get the cramps then AF is on here way? I'm hoping maybe your not out!!!

As for me I O'd and I didn't BD on the day! I BD the day before and then 2 days of no BD! I feel so effin crushed! I hope the 2 days before were enough and I BD last night when we got home. I feel like i'm really out before I even started

 

[babyjla]

Mum, I've always heard the average for a woman with a 28 day cycle is to O on CD14, so that may very well be right! Sounds good

Sugarpi, why wouldn't your doc start you on Met? I'm not sure what femera is? Sorry hun maybe it'll work for you!

Hippie, I had one day of cramping like af & that was last wednesday. They lasted maybe 2-3hrs? And they weren't as intense as af cramps. The only other thing I've had cramp wise is a pinching on the right side of my uterus. But I have had a lot of bloating and back pain like af is coming. I'm just waiting for af to show up, and if I get a bfp then I'll be pleasantly surprised haha. This cycle has just sent me for so many loops, I wouldn't be surprised no matter what happens. And don't be down about not getting to dtd on the day you O'd!! Since you got to the day before you definitely are still in!! His little swimmers were in there ready and waiting for the release of your eggy and I've heard thats even better because sperm lives 5-7 days. So I think your bases are covered! Dont count yourself out!!! FX'd for you!

 

[hippiekinz]

You think baby? I really hope there's a chance! I was soo happy to see I O'd! My cycle has gotten a lot shorter (at least when it comes to O'ing)! Last time I didn't O until CD26 and this time it was CD14! Hope the 1000mg is helping me It says to test Nov 8 (when AF should show up) Let's see if I can hold out that long, LOLS!

Still have high hopes for you Hoping the evil witch stays away!!

 

[babyjla]

Yes ma'am! I've always heard if you dtd before it gives the sperm time to get further up into the uterus so when you O you have a better chance I can't wait to see what happens! I really think it may be the 1000mg helping, because I O'd on CD15. Last year when I took clomid I didnt O until CD25 atleast! And I took clomid CD2-6 last year, this time it was CD5-9. So I really think the Met helped me O more when I should be.

 

[sugarpi24]

He thinks ill do better on femera...I guess they get a better chance of ovulation with it...but no clue...he said we can try metformin down the road if we get there...but he has high hopes ill get pregnant soon...as long as dh is okay.

 

[babyjla]

Well FX'd that he's right!!!!

I checked my cervix today, and its higher than its ever been...?!?! I couldn't even hardly find it, but it did feel like it may be open.. So maybe my cervix just moves CRAZY high before af for me??? I'm going to recheck it in a few hours to be sure. There was a lot of white/creamy cm too, which isn't abnormal for me to get randomly throughout a cycle.

 

[krissie328]

Fermera is more like Clomid then metformin. It is used to induce O after taking it early in your cycle. Even similar days as Clomid. My understanding is it has fewer side effects and a lower chance for multiples.

Baby- things are looking promising for you. That is great your spotting stopped. Fx'd that these are positive signs.

Hubby has his SA tomorrow. I am excited to get the results back from that. I go in and see my doctor on 8th. I have been kinda crampy the last few days, almost like right before af. And my bbs are sore, but not like they were last cycle. I haven't O'd this cycle but my opks have been getting a little darker. I am currently on CD 22. So I am not sure what my body is doing. I am going to keep watching it and see if anything changes. I do think the metformin is really helping so that has me positive.

 

[AonTaistealai]

Hi! I just wanted to second asking about Metformin. My dr was iffy about me starting it since she really didn't think it would do much. However, she said ok since it wouldn't do much harm, either. She said it would take about 6 months to regularize my cycles; it took closer to a year. During that time, my cycles became very regular and 90% of the cramping badness from before went away. Yay!

I'd def at least discuss it as an option. Also, I am non-IR, "thin" PCOS.

 

[krissie328]

Hi Aon.. Where in Idaho are you?

I see that you are expecting a ninja baby, do you think that had something to do with the metformin?