PCOS -- METFORMIN- WEIGHT LOSS

My doc has put me on metformin because i have PCOS. She has refered me to a OBGYN to get looked at better. I am in the weight wise program here in canada and since i started .. i have lost 14 pounds... in 2 months. I have made some suttle changes to what i eat .. at my dietians request.. and im just wondering... is the weight loss ... from METFORMIN.. or from the little bit i have changed... changing from 2 % to 1% milk.. Started Eating breakfast,  no more pop, food journaling, recording my steps.

Sarah

I was on Metformin and from what I know, is it kind of curbs your appetite. Or makes you feel a little sick so you aren't hungry. And that's why you lose weight. Thats what I noticed it did for me. I was basically sick or just not hungry. I can't say I lost weight from it, but it made me feel sick in the beginning of taking it.

I agree with Julia. You either feel sick or simply not hungry.

It was only temporary for me. After I got use to the Metformin, I was back to feeling hungry all the time again.

Metformin does help with weight loss. It does this through several mechanisms but the primary one is that it increases muscle cells sensitivity to insulin. The insulin resistance you had was contributing to weight gain and the metformin helps to reverse that. Metformin works best when you are on a low carb diet. I am sure your eating better and being mindful of your health is a major contributing factor to your weight loss as well. Generally the weight loss with the metformin will happen during the first 3 months, after that your body somewhat regulates.

Met. worked the opposite for me! I was put on met. by a fertility specialist in Mexico that had helped to get 3  of my husbands family members pregnant. Since we only got once a year (twice if I'm lucky)  we went ahead and bought a years worth of the Met. and folic acid that he put me on. Down in Mexico you can buy your meds from the pharmacy or straight from the dr.(for those that may not know, the meds are all packed in sealed bubble packs or sealed  bottles) Anyhow, I bought the pills from the Dr. I took them just as he told me, and in the next 4 months I gained 60lbs! I continued to take them but when I really started seeing the weight on me I quit taking  them both. I couldn't figure out what else was causing such a drastic weight gain. By the time we went back to Mexico the next year I had gain a total of 100 lbs! Mind you- I was heavy for all my life and weighed within 20 lbs of 275lbs from when I was about 15 to 25-26 years old, when I started taking the Met. I'm assuming it may have been where I got it or something cause I know not ALL med are safe in Mex. you could get a bad batch or something. Needless to say, I DO NOT take any more meds from down there,(except Tylenol and cold meds- the got the best stuff)

Oh yeah and the whole time I was taking the meds I never once got my period! Then last year my coworker was talking about how she was taking Met for PCOS and after I told her my story she said I should take some of hers. I know its a no no but I did it and in just 2 days I got my period!! I couldn't believe they would work that fast. But after not having it for almost 15 months(not since the Mexican Dr. gave me a shot to force me to have a cycle) I though that would be one crazy coincidence!

Anyways- its kinda OT but I always like to warn people when they talk about Met. because to this day IDK if it was the pills or my body didn't agree with, that form of treatment.

 I have only been on Metformin for almost a week.  500mg/day (start taking that dsg twice a day starting tomorrow).   Digestion seems ok...just ...ahem...going more often.   But I can definitely say that my appetite has been "curbed" in a sense.  No real cravings for "crap" food.  I have wanted more water though, which is a good thing.  But I cannot attribute the water desire to the Metformin or possibly the fact that it is very humid hot outside right now.   SO I guess I will see what happens.  But has anyone experienced weight loss on Metformin?  If so, how long did it take to notice it and did it stay consistant or stall out after a time?

You don't mention how much pop you were drinking, but, if it was a lot, then I'd wager that played a big part in your weight loss.  At least, it did in mine.  I have a similar story where, in a couple of months of not doing anything else other than restricting my formerly heavy consumption of coca-cola, I lost 11 pounds.