Metformin after RNY?

Just wondering... I have been told that basically any pill larger than the size of an M&M will have to be broken or crushed to fit through the stoma after RNY. How is everyone taking their Metformin? I have been on it for several years for PCOS and I'm curious as to how I will be able to take it after my surgery. Thanks so much! Chele

Hi Chele! I have been sooooo bad since my surgery with the Metaformin. AT first I was crushing it......it was such a hasstle and too gross to take without mixing with something, I had to cut my dose way down. Now, I swear I haven't taken it in months. I wonder if I should start again. Obviously it's still an issue because my cycles remain few and far between. Oh, and re: your concern about pills...I'm now 8 months out and even that big pill I could take with just biting it in half now. Once the swelling goes down in there (I think that happened for me around the 6th month, when I noticed I was able to eat more than usual) you can be less concerned but still be careful. I've never had anything get stuck, thank God!

I didn't even think about the initial swelling, then having it go down and then being able to take the pills. I guess I'll just have to see how things go. Thanks! Chele

Hi there! An unexpected treat for me was the fact that my RE took me off of metformin when I got back from the hospital. I had been (struggling!) on 2000mg per day, and -- like you -- was worried about how to take the pills after surgery. At first, she switched me to the regular-release form, so it could be crushed. About a week after surgery, when I spoke to her about my post-surgery nausea and how the Met just made it worse, she told me to stop taking it and to check back with her periodically to see how my system's adjusting. So far so good: I've gotten regular, 35-day cycles since the surgery, and have ovulated more often than not. Prior to this, I would go for months without so much as a spot, and never ovulated. HTH and good luck! Tiffany S 328/313/215/??

Tiffany, I'm assuming the weight loss you have experienced has helped your PCOS symptoms greatly, particularly if you are getting regular cycles. That's great! Keep up the good work, and thanks for answering! Chele

how come when my reg doctor;s nurse called me back the other day she said i dont need that metformin. i called her and asked her about it. i do have PCOS. do i have to have blood work to see if i need this pill? she is sending me a paper to do my blood work since i forgot to get my blood work done in oct. all i am on now is birth control.

I haven't taken Metformin since the day before surgery and am doing just fine! I lost my first 100 lbs in 6 months and was at goal at my 1 year. It was then that I went off the patch and started having regular 36 day cycles with ovulation...something that NEVER happened before surgery even with 2000mg of Metformin AND Clomid (never had cycles before surgery...even Provera had little effect on me). After 3 months of seeing what my body would do (and being 16 months post op, at goal and maintaining) we decided to ttc and got pregnant right away. I'm 10 weeks along now and feeling relatively good. My labs are all perfect so no need for Metformin anymore! YEA!!!! My diabetes and IR are both gone. Good luck! Kristy 254/136/140 EDD 8/8/06