Metformin & PCOS

[JL1363]

Astrid - I've actually had something very similar happen to me before and it turned out to be estrogen breakthough bleeding (which is basically caused by high estrogen for too long during a cycle - which is common if you have pcos and anovulatory cycles). Basically what happens is you have an anovulatory cycle (like you may have had in January seeing as you had no af in February), so your estrogen levels just kept rising (which makes your uterine lining continue to build over an extended period of time) and then you finally have breakthrough bleeding, (because your lining thickens too much until your uterus can't support it and eventually begins to "leak"). This leaking may stop on it's on, or you may have to take something like provera to trick your body into thinking there's been a rise in progesterone (which should stop your bleeding while you're on the pills) and then a subsequent drop in progesterone once you're done the pills (which will cause more bleeding, but like a regular af where your lining is actually shedding). When it happened to me it was AWFUL. It was like af on steroids - about 30 times heavier with lots of large clots (sorry tmi) and it lasted 20 days until I finally took provera to stop the bleeding and then kick start a real af. After 15 days in, my doc sent me for an ultrasound to see what the heck was going on and the scan showed that (even with 15 days of heavy bleeding), my lining was STILL too thick (cuz my estrogen levels were off the charts). I'm not sure if this is what you're experiencing, but it definitely sounds like it could be and maybe is something you should ask your doc about. As unpleasant as it was to go through, it was a relief to find out that it wasn't something more serious. Hopefully you get some answers soon

 

[Astridastrid]

Astrid- I am so sorry you are going through this. I don't have much advise. I do know before I took the Metformin my periods were very heavy and lasted for a long time. Usually 9-21 days. They would occur at random from just a couple weeks inbetween to nearly a year. I hope someone else can give you more information.

The last time I menstruated for that long. I was in high school and was admitted in the hospital where they examined me. Said I was fine they saw no anemia or anything wrong with me. Gave me contraceptives to stop the bleeding and released me. Did that 9-21 period result in anemia? Was it connected to anything at all? Because as far as I can tell that shouldn't be normal for either of us.

 

[Astridastrid]

Astrid - I've actually had something very similar happen to me before and it turned out to be estrogen breakthough bleeding (which is basically caused by high estrogen for too long during a cycle - which is common if you have pcos and anovulatory cycles). Basically what happens is you have an anovulatory cycle (like you may have had in January seeing as you had no af in February), so your estrogen levels just kept rising (which makes your uterine lining continue to build over an extended period of time) and then you finally have breakthrough bleeding, (because your lining thickens too much until your uterus can't support it and eventually begins to "leak"). This leaking may stop on it's on, or you may have to take something like provera to trick your body into thinking there's been a rise in progesterone (which should stop your bleeding while you're on the pills) and then a subsequent drop in progesterone once you're done the pills (which will cause more bleeding, but like a regular af where your lining is actually shedding). When it happened to me it was AWFUL. It was like af on steroids - about 30 times heavier with lots of large clots (sorry tmi) and it lasted 20 days until I finally took provera to stop the bleeding and then kick start a real af. After 15 days in, my doc sent me for an ultrasound to see what the heck was going on and the scan showed that (even with 15 days of heavy bleeding), my lining was STILL too thick (cuz my estrogen levels were off the charts). I'm not sure if this is what you're experiencing, but it definitely sounds like it could be and maybe is something you should ask your doc about. As unpleasant as it was to go through, it was a relief to find out that it wasn't something more serious. Hopefully you get some answers soon

Thank you JL this definitely sounds like a possibility to me but I want to be sure. I have a prescription for provera that I could take but I would be afraid to since you said even after you stopped bleeding your lining was still too thick. How is this affecting my ability to become pregnant ? I spent so much money last year alone while I was pregnant and after the miscarriage. I am a student and have no health coverage. At this point I feel like I don't know what to do next. Before I go broke I want to make sure that when I spend any more money I will actually get some answers and some help.

Should I just let it do its course then. If it sheds everything wouldn't this make it better for me to have a baby?

 

[JL1363]

Astrid - if you can afford it, I would see your doc and request an ultrasound to check the thickness of your lining (I'm not sure if this is covered by your government health plan or not - if you're in the states I'm told that this isn't always covered). If you are able to do a scan and your lining is still thick (even after bleeding for 11 days) and shows no other abnormalities then I think you could be pretty confident that it's breakthrough bleeding. Also, with regards to the provera, I may have not explained it properly - once you start taking the provera, your bleeding should stop during the time when you are taking the pills (for 5-10 days or however many your prescription is for). At this point, your lining will still be too thick. Once you finish the provera though, it should cause regular af bleeding to start (within 2 weeks - the way provera normally works to kick start af). Once you start this second round of bleeding, your lining should shed properly and the thickness will go back to normal (the way it would with a natural af) and then you can begin a new cycle. Once you begin this new cycle, you should have no problems with the thickness of your lining and it shouldn't have any effect on ttc. If you don't take the provera and just let the bleeding take it's course then it may not shed everything properly, and this could be bad for having a baby. Your body needs the simulated drop in progesterone (which is what happens when you take provera for 5 days and then stop taking it) in order to properly shed the lining.

Honestly, if it were up to me and I couldn't afford to go to the doc then I would just take the provera, especially because you already have the prescription for it. It really sounds like what you're experincing is breakthorugh bleeding, especially because it's been so long since you've had a true af before this current round of bleeding.

I'm sorry if this sounds confusing - I know it can be a lot to wrap your head around. Feel free to ask any questions or msg me if you need to GL!

 

[JL1363]

Also, just as a sidenote - when this happened to me in the past I always had blood work done to check for anemia and my levels were always normal (because I was shedding extra blood build up and not depleting regular stores).

 

[Astridastrid]

Also, just as a sidenote - when this happened to me in the past I always had blood work done to check for anemia and my levels were always normal (because I was shedding extra blood build up and not depleting regular stores).

Thank you JL you were very helpful and I understand everything you said. I'm going to watch it for a few more days and then decide what to do from there. Wouldn't it be awful if I chose to go to the hospital spend the money and they prescribed the provera and told me exactly what you just said? I would be hopping mad! Ugh!

That aside you have been a huge help to me.

By the way can that build up cause your tummy to look bigger?

 

[krissie328]

My longest period of bleeding lasted for six weeks!!! I had no insurance but as soon as I did I went to the doctor which was a week after it stopped. He didn't offer any advise, just told me next time to come in to get something to stop.

Even on my others my bloods always showed up normal.

 

[babyjla]

Astrid, I too experienced break through bleeding that lasted 21 days with huge clots. I do however have iron dificiency anemia if I dont take my iron suppliments. hopefully it'll stop soon.

 

[SweetMel]

Welcome optimistic.

Baby, have fun with the preseed.

JL, Thanks for the luck. I don’t think it is anything I am doing wrong. I stick to my diet without cheating. I gave up diet soda entirely. I’ve been soda free for three days! I felt sleepy a few times without my caffeine, but I made it through. Now I won’t have to worry that the caffeine is doing something to my blood sugar levels. I also won’t have to worry about the artificial sweetener doing something to hurt me either. I still use a bit of Splenda and Stevia in the low carb recipes I try, but it can’t be that much. I have noticed some changes, and I do feel better. The changes have been gradual. My PCOS acne is much better. My blood sugar levels feel like they are on a more even pattern. My hunger is under control. It has changed my cycles some, but nothing drastic.

Aein, sounds like the meds have given you a lighter AF. I hope you figure out how to get some preseed. Have the cramps let up?

Astridastrid, oh wow. I hope you are okay. I have heard bad things about raspberry ketones. Maybe you shouldn’t take them anymore. Weird AF is common in PCOSers. It sounds like your hormones are out of balance. I know how you feel. I also have great animosity for doctors. They don’t care like they should. I’ve been through several. They will want to put you on bcp but that is not a good option. Your signature says you are taking aspirin, so maybe you should not take it for a few day until you stop AF. I hope you have better news for us tomorrow.

 

[betsyb]

Hi there!

I'm new to metformin and PCOS, so I thought I would ask you guys for your advice/knowledge!

I don't have all of the typical symptoms of PCOS, but after an ultrasound, my doctor considered me 'borderline' and put me on 2000 mg of metformin. I started about 3 weeks ago and am working my way up as she told me to. Currently, I'm at 1,500 mg.

The past four months (the only months we've ttc), I've had cycles that are around 33 days long. For three of the months, I got a positive OPK on day 19 or 20.

This moth, I started taking metformin on CD 7. Got a positive OPK on CD 19 AND 20 (never happened before!). Typically my LP has been about 12 days long. However, yesterday and today--7 and 8 DPO--I've had spotting. Definite red/orange spotting, with a few clots. Yesterday, none got on my underwear...it was just when I wiped. This morning, I put a tampon in just to be safe, but I haven't checked it yet. Obviously, this is really early for my period. If anything, my cycles are much longer than 33 days.

Did you guys notice your metformin working that quickly? In just three weeks...not even being on a full dose...it cut my period by 7 or 8 days??!! I was under the impression that it would be a few months before I would notice a change...and I didn't think it would be so drastic?!

Also, my concern is that instead of chaging my O date, it's cutting my LP short....7 days doesn't seem like enough time to implant!

Or, is it just spotting? I don't have any of the cramping I normally do during AF, and my boobs aren't sore at all....and they ALWAYS are during AF! Did you guys have any spotting during your LP while taking metformin?

Sorry for the longgg story, but thank you for reading! I look forward to talking with all of you and supporting each other.

 

[babyjla]

Hey betsy, welcome. My first two months on Metformin I had mid-cycle spotting, but it has gone away as I continued taking the Met. Some people notice the effects of Metformin a lot sooner than others, so being that you are only borderline, I dont think it would take very long to notive changes. I noticed changes in the first few weeks, but my cycles didnt change until the 3rd month on Met. The end of this month will mark 6months on the Metformin for me. Up until January my periods still werent coming on their own & I dont know if I was O'ing or not. From January til now my cycles have been averagely 34 days, where I used to not get AF for up to 6 months. As for the opk's, I dont use them. I have never gotten a clear reading from them so I quit using them.

 

[babyjla]

Hey ladies, I got a question for anyone who uses preseed... How much do you use? On the box it says the average is 2g-3g. I just dont want to use too much or too little. I have a lot of cm throughout my cycle, but its really thick. Which is why I think that maybe the preseed is the missing link. just curious what other people use

 

[krissie328]

baby- I use between 1 and 2 depending on how dry I am. Anything more and it feels gross and very distracting to me.

 

[SweetMel]

Betsy, I agree with baby. She answered your question perfectly. I think you are just experiencing a bit of breakthrough bleeding.

Baby, The first time I used preseed I only used a little as I already had some ewcm. Later on in my cycle closer to AF I used more and that was a mistake. I didn't like it at all. Since then I have learned to use very little and that works best.

 

[Bunny_Boo]

Hi ladies! Sorry I went missing for so long! have been stressed and not well still not feeling great. Will need to catch up on the posts I've missed soon, at work just now though hope everyone is okay!!

 

[Aein]

Nice to see you Bunny, i hope you feel better soon

 

[Bunny_Boo]

Thanks Aein missed talking to you ladies! And also welcome to the new ladies

Been feeling awful the past week completely lost my appetite and everything makes me feel sick and I don't want to eat, even if my tummy is rumbling and I am hungry I can't bring myself to eat. And that's not like me! I love food!

 

[babyjla]

Thank you ladies

Bunny, glad to hear from you. hope you feel better soon.

Afm, I'm on CD13 currently. Me & hubby have been dtd every night with the preseed... So we'll see. So far I'm sure I havent O'd, so these past few days have just been for fun. I'm guessing I'll O around Saturday, since thats around the CD I O'd last month. I've been using about 1g of the preseed, but I think when I start to notice an increase in cm I'm going to increase the preseed too. That way there's plenty there to help hubby's swimmers. I've also been extremely lazy this week! I havent been to the gym at all BUT, I am down 2lbs more, so I guess I wont beat myself up about it. I absolutely AM making myself go all next week no matter what! Ahhhggg. I hate getting myself motivated to go back. Once I'm in it & motivated there's no stopping me...but getting to that point is a killer! I have 10lbs to lose this month, & I've lost two...hmmm, we'll see if I can make it lol.

 

[Aein]

Bunny, how much time left for your Dr apoointment, i think you must need a visit asap... praying for you to feel better dear

Baby, aww so good you couple active for this timester happy Oing and fx'd for you....

 

[Bunny_Boo]

Good luck baby! How are you finding preseed?

Aein, got an appt letter through yesterday, it's the 18 of April Quite nervous!