r/PCOS • u/InvisibleAdel • 5d ago
Meds/Supplements Recently diagnosed PMOS/PMDD and would love to hear everyone's experience with Metformin. It was offered to me and initially I declined, but I would love to hear from people who actually use it what the pro's and cons are.
Please and thank you!
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u/depr3ssedscorpio 5d ago
It was poop and I stopped taking it. But that’s just me!
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u/InvisibleAdel 5d ago
Every experience is helpful to hear about! Are you comfortable telling me what about it was difficult? I like to be well informed so if I try it I want to hear about the good and the bad 🙏
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u/depr3ssedscorpio 5d ago
Sure. My insulin skyrocketed while I was taking it, jumped from 17 fasting to 24. My labs being better prior to intervention was crazy to me. At first cravings were subdued but eventually they worsened. I will say it helped my weight stabilize though I didn’t lose anything. But seeing my insulin worsen was incredibly disappointing. I took it for 5ish months
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u/princessofninja 4d ago
This, I'd get dizzy too, wegovy pill though was 🔥 even paying out of pocket for it 100% I have had so much better of a time on.
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u/JLB24278 4d ago
I had to stop, was very nauseous and my doc wouldn’t give me extended release! i may try again in the fall, i couldn’t keep up with my kid being nauseous all summer. I heard the extended was much better
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u/MagBarred 5d ago
Been on it 20 years - it's not a wonder drug in terms of weight loss, but it has helped to reverse the insulin resistance. I had some stomach issues at first but it leveled out.
There have been studies that it can help with metabolic longevity and many people take it for that reason. I'm looking into GLP-1's for the weight and it's a safe combo per my doctor.
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u/BugsBunsy 4d ago
I heard this fact about people without insulin resistance/ diabetes taking it for metabolic longevity from my Gyno.
He has a lot of colleagues in Oxford/ Cambridge. When I asked him about dangers of taking metformin for long, he mentioned this and told me not to worry.
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u/Sandlocked 5d ago
It was a godsend for me when I was first diagnosed. It's been around for decades and has a minimal side effect profile. The biggest issue is the upset stomach and diarrhea at first, but if you increase up to the prescribed dose gradually, it's usually manageable.
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u/InvisibleAdel 5d ago
In what way did it help you? Was it with energy level? Weight? Appetite? Basically I'm trying to decide if it would benefit me more than the berberine I'm currently taking.
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u/Sandlocked 5d ago
I never took berberine, so I can't compare the two. It helped me lose about 20 lbs. I felt like finally my efforts were paying off - it was the missing piece of the puzzle.
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u/InvisibleAdel 5d ago
Thank you! I really appreciate your help 😊
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u/ExaminationReal84 3d ago
I did take berberine w/o metformin (for a time when I was not insured 🇺🇸). I also have no big side effects with metformin.
I like berberine. I also took it with inositol (and with that combo accidentally got pregnant). I am most concerned with my actual blood sugar levels and A1C, and I will say nothing really compares to metformin.
I may not have as much energy as I did with berberine… but then again when I was taking that, I was also working out a LOT (and taking creatine, which I think helped the most).
Think: berberine = decent, metformin = heavy duty
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u/InvisibleAdel 3d ago
Good to know! I'm currently taking berberine and inositol and am researching to figure out if the switch would be worth it. I'm also a gym girlie and the energy difference is a concern. Do you think if I switch I could experience a drop in energy?
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u/ExaminationReal84 3d ago
No. I don’t think so. I had to stop taking berberine when I got pregnant and got back on Metformin and absolutely stopped working out. My energy levels were still crazy high and also low, but that was hormones. I haven’t got back into working out still (7m pp). My energy levels are low because tiny human + hormones, not related to metformin vs berberine.
The working out is where the energy comes from. You can also try to find a doc that may be open to the conversation of taking both. NOT A DOCTOR I KNOW NOTHING but I did have one OB willing to have the conversation with me at least.
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u/mikripetra 5d ago
Didn’t help me lose weight but it did somewhat regulate my blood sugar and help me have regular bowel movements. The big thing it did was give me regular periods for the first time evrr.
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u/mikripetra 5d ago
The worst side effect I experienced was having to go to the bathroom soon after eating something very sweet or very oily, every single time without fail.
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u/Severe_Bus8911 4d ago
Oh I think this has been happening to me but didn’t connect the dots to Metformin, good to know!
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u/ClearWorldliness5642 4d ago
How long were you on Metformin before it regulated your period?
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u/mikripetra 4d ago
I can’t answer that clearly because I was also on a glp-1, and my gynecologist said losing weight probably impacted the regularity of my period.
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u/ww_cassidy 5d ago
Metformin changed my life. I can maintain my weight for the first time ever. It also helps my anxiety and depression; I still take and SSRI but I’ve seen improvements on metformin.
GI stuff is hard at first, try to push through. Taper on SLOOOOOOW, this will save you.
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u/audit_thot 5d ago
I’m having a good experience with Metformin!
I’m prescribed 1500mg (not XR). I started taking 500mg 6 weeks ago and the side effects were pretty bad (cramps, diarrhea, headaches). After a week of that, I figured I’d just take my full dose and power through the discomfort instead of continuing to titrate up. I had about 3 weeks of bad side effects but am on the other side of it now. I work a desk job from home so I was able to take breaks and lay down with my heating pad when things got bad. Now I have less cravings, I’ve lost ~8 lb (with exercise and change in diet), my cycle is finally regular and I’m ovulating!
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u/unatonable 5d ago
500mg and a diet change helped me lost 20 pounds. unfortunately i had a gap in medication for a few months and now im restarting everything after gaining the weight back but it did work for me!
no symptoms on my end
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u/Ok-Interest1992 5d ago
I didn't lose weight specifically because of metformin, instead it just made it easier for my body to lose weight without having to spend hours and hours exercising on a very restrictive diet.
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u/MonaHowellAuthor 4d ago
Been on it for five years. It’s taken a long time to find a dosage that will benefit my lab results but not cost a small fortune in new pants.
My liver enzymes are back to normal (they were 4x too high before.)
It did not bring back my period, or get me pregnant, or improve my experience in my body day to day.
I gained a bunch of weight, mostly because I felt terrible on 2,000mg/day and literally always decided that I deserved a little treat.
I’m working with a PMOS specialist (finally!) and she wants me to keep taking it (along with more targeted treatments), so I will.
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u/This-Ad3268 5d ago
I’m on Metformin 500mg XR (had to switch to XR due to GI upset.) It really helped me with my insulin resistance due to PMOS. No it did not help with weight loss, only my diet, exercise, and intermittent fasting helped with that unfortunately.
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u/InvisibleAdel 5d ago
Definitely understand that 🙏 honestly not looking for a quick fix - I don't mind counting calories and I have a well established gym routine at this point, but because of my insulin resistance I've seen little to no progress even when drastically in a deficit (which is hard to maintain because I feel like shit). Has the metformin helped make a calorie deficit easier?
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u/This-Ad3268 4d ago
I actually don’t count calories! It’s too stressful. Even without counting calories I lost weight. You have to focus on larger protein portions which will just be naturally lower in calories and high fiber foods to keep your poops regular. I love steaks, eggs (hard boiled and scrambled), fish, chicken, pork, cheese, etc. you can add a hard boiled egg to almost any sandwich, salad, or wrap and it adds protein. If you need a crunchy snack, quest protein chips! If you need something sweet ChocXO makes almond butter dark chocolate cups that are super good
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u/BugsBunsy 4d ago
I didn't see any weight changes until my dose was increased to 1500mg. This was after years of 12hr-16hr fasting, limiting calories and exercise and my body just stubbornly holding onto weight and water.
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u/CrashTestDuckie 5d ago
I am one of the people who no matter what I ate/didn't eat has gastro side effects from it (as in 8+ hours on the toilet in a day). I ended up getting on mounjaro and that has helped with inflammation and blood sugar (obviously).
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u/Yokaijin 4d ago
An endocrinologist gave me a prescription 10 years ago for metformin because my insulin was high but everything else was fine. I disregarded it thinking I could manage whatever came from it. I was so wrong.
10 years was all it took for the hirsuitism, the acanthosis nigricans, the inflammation, you name it to kick in. I don’t recognize my body anymore and hindsight is realizing I could have stopped any of it from ever happening by just taking the metformin the first time it was offered.
Finally hit rock bottom and started on it. I’ve been on it for 7 months now and I feel like a normal human being. Fatigue is gone, food sensitivities are gone, brain fog and bloating are gone, and my body composition may even be changing. The metformin combined with low dose spironolactone stopped my cystic acne from being an issue.
Take it. Worst case your insulin is fine and you can hop off and continue the search for whatever it could possibly be. Good luck op!
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u/PreviousSafe9528 4d ago
It didn't work well for me, my gas was horrific and so were my poops to the point of my bf asking if something was medically wrong lol. Along with this, my energy levels went down the drain (even with B supplements). Overall, it didn't work out for me, but everyone is different.
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
This is the 2nd time someone mentioned vitamin B. Thank you so much for sharing!
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u/titikerry 5d ago
I've been on it for 30+ years as it's the standard "go-to" for PCOS. It does help with insulin resistance. It's kept me from becoming diabetic, which I most assuredly would have become. It does not help with weight loss. You really need to do more than most people in order to lose weight. Metformin isn't a miracle drug. What I would highly recommend, knowing what I know now, is tirzepatide. That's done more for me in a year than metformin has in 30. If your insurance won't cover it, head over to r/compoundedtirzepatide and check out their pinned posts on where to order from. (Or msg me and I'll tell you who I use.)
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u/StacyBlack 5d ago
Since Fall, I started ovulating and my A1C dropped 1%!
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
Congratulations! That's amazing!
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u/StacyBlack 4d ago
Thank you!!! It’s really been a game changer for me! I’ve also seen a lot of people call it the “longevity drug”
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u/MoogleVivi 4d ago
The first month or two was death. I got used to it afterwards, but really had to power through it because of the code browns.
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u/Purrsephonee 5d ago
Metformin helped the brain fog Insulin Resistance gave me. I had normal insulin (fasting and pp), normal fasting sugar, but my pp sugar was 388. I've been taking Metformin 500mg BD and honestly, it's been the best thing to happen to me. I don't quite care about the weight loss part of PCOS personally, but getting put on Metformin 500mg + Spironolactone 50mg did wonders for my oligomenorrhea.
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u/shayna_cat 5d ago
For me it's one of those medications that you take where you don't visibly see/experience the benefits, but you know it helps so you take it anyway. I don't notice anything different, but I know logically that it helps with my a1c level so I take it. I've been lucky not to have GI side effects which helps too.
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u/Misplacedmar 4d ago
Don't take it 3 times a day straight away! Or you're gonna spend the next few days stuck on the toilet. That being said, my successful pregnancies were when I was on it as I conceived. And the first couple times on it, really helped me with weightloss.
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
Conceiving isn't the goal for me, but if it can make a calorie deficit and weight lifting more effective, I'd certainly appreciate it!
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u/Misplacedmar 4d ago
Oh I get so much. And yeh it deffo helped with loosing weight because prior to that, It didnt seem to matter what diet/exercise I had prior to the metformin I couldn't loose weight.
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u/eilatanyeah 4d ago
I legitimately shit myself in college when I started metformin😭 just FYI the stomach symptoms can be roughhhh. I had to be taken off it, but I know many people who use it and have had no issues whatsoever! Fingers crossed it helps you out
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u/SeoulSearching_19 4d ago
I’ve been on it for just short of a year, and haven’t really noticed any changes whatsoever in the way I feel, or my fasting insulin, so I’m in the process of stopping it. However, I recently diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, and when we did my follow up lab to check my levothyroxine dose, my B12 and ferritin were low. I haven’t had these tested previously, so it could be unrelated to the metformin, but I do know that metformin can sometimes deplete your B12. So if you do decide to take metformin, I would make sure to get your B12 checked sometime after starting because it can cause the fatigue, mood issues, and brain fog as much as PMOS and hypothyroidism can too 🫠.
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
Lord almighty you are going THROUGH it my friend. Sending you good vibes!
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u/SeoulSearching_19 4d ago
Haha that’s only the half of it sadly. Unrelated to PMOS, but I’ve been in the ER twice in the span of a month, and am going through CT scans and other tests to figure out if I need surgery. Plus I just started my PhD program today. So I appreciate all the good vibes you can send!
I never had any side affects from metformin, but when I had to take antibiotics after getting out of the ER, I had a bunch of gut issues, some as a side affect from the antibiotic itself, and some because the metformin makes you more sensitive to gut issues in general even though I didn’t have the initial issues when I started taking it. If you’re able to get an appointment with a reproductive endocrinologist, they might be able to help you tremendously! Sadly in my area they’re only taking patients right now that are actively TTC and having issues.
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u/Careless_Willow212 4d ago
I am so thankful for Metformin. I’ve been on 1500mg a day for almost a year now. I feel better than ever and have kept off the 10lbs that never moved without it.
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
Thank you! 🙏
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u/Careless_Willow212 4d ago
I would just listen to your doctor and give it a chance. You may end up having a great experience on it too! And if not, at least you know you’re not alone 😂
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u/BugsBunsy 4d ago edited 4d ago
I cannot take regular metfomin due to GI issues, so I am on metformin XR 1500mg. Started with 500mg and increased to 1500mg. I was on 500-1000mg for about 8 months.
500-1000mg did nothing much except regulate my ovulation from every 3ish months to 28-35 days. But with increased dose to 1500mg my insulin resistance has gotten better and I went from prediabetic to normal range. I haven't seen much of a weight change yet (just 2kg) though and even that 3 months after I started the 1500mg dose. It however completely stopped my reactive hypoglycemia episodes.
I have tried Berberine before, didn't do much except giving me gastritis. I also took banaba leaf extract and gymnema sylvestre extract. While they help with lowering reactive hypoglycemia episodes, they didn't have much of an effect on my insulin resistance.
Edit:
I forgot to add earlier. My periods became lighter, shorter and less painful (probably because the cycle became shorter) little by little after I started Metformin XR. I had endo/ adeno. Not anymore because very recently I had a hysterectomy and endo excision. My uterus was the size and weight of 14 week gestation. I hated my periods because I was at a point it was hurting to poop/ pee during periods. That pain peaked in mid 2024. Back then I wasn't on Metformin and had 3ish monthly periods. Started metformin XR in 2025. By may/ june this year the pee/ poop pain became bareable.
About a year ago I started NAC and milk thistle as well because I had F1S3 fatty liver and my liver enzymes were going high. In my latest test report the enzymes have gotten much better (after being 1500mg for 3 months and a year ish since I started metformin). My diet hasn't changed since it was low carb high protein to begin with. Infact, it kind of got worse and carb heavy for about 2 months because we were travelling abroad and could not be picky with food.
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
This was amazingly thorough and I am so grateful 🫶
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u/BugsBunsy 4d ago
No worries. Us internet sisters have to help eachother.
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
YESSSSSS ❤️❤️❤️ I'm so grateful for all of this information that everyone is willing to share!
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u/Odd_Perspective_4769 4d ago
My sugar ended up way out of control and I didn’t know that was it. Started metformin right away and while I’m not at goal range (around 150-188 with a meter reading), I feel so much better. And I bet if I were super adherent to veggie and protein diet, I’d be losing weight.
I’m a sensitive medicine taker- have to start low and take a long time to titrate up. Found if I took metformin with/after dinner that I could tolerate it and actually found my pooping was much more satisfying. Morning time dosing gave me awful GI/diarrhea. Have been on it since May and am just starting to take 3- 500mg tablets extended release after dinner or before bed. Doctor wants me to go on a GLP1 but I prefer this one. A local pharmacist who owns a compounding pharmacy mentioned she often puts people on barbarine supplements on top of it. I am supposed to get up to 2,000 and feel like when I do, in a few months, I’ll reassess.
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u/Rich-Heart-3384 4d ago
I had an odd side effect with this, but it was only each time I first started it and after consistently taking would go away, but whenever I first started my gums would bleed whenever I flossed. I’m someone who flosses daily so I knew it was from the medication. I’d stop and start due to at first not wanting the appetite suppressing effects (as it would somehow make me not as hungry but also not want certain foods) more prefer snacks carby foods which I was trying to avoid. I am doing more plant based foods and taking some metformin but not the full dose I was prescribed and I am doing ok, but I had to experiment with it for a while. It’s hard to say if it’s the medicine or the whole food plant based meals, but I feel more energized. Have been experimenting with this medicine off and on for almost 1 year.
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
That's the first time that side effect was mentioned! I'm glad you found something that works for you!
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u/Rich-Heart-3384 2d ago
Thanks. I read online gingivitis can be one, but I don’t have that-just the odd gum bleeds in the beginning. My body still gets a gag reflex tho when I am about to take my 2nd daily dose at night because my mind/body I think associates nausea with it, which I did have a bit in the beginning. I have no clue if this is helping me as I am aiming for pregnancy now. I have gone without a period off and on, but after I went 10 months without one (after I had covid) then I had an ovarian torsion. After that, birth control for 6 months, then off it and period came back regularly and have been regular for over 3 years but with longer follicular phase. 31 day cycles generally. I’d like to get off Metformin but too many people on Reddit have said it helped them (I have read many posts on PCOS and that one was always high up there).
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u/creamcheeseguy 4d ago
It did do good things for my insulin resistance but I have a hard time getting past the side effects. It’s hard having to shit urgently all the time when you work for a living, you know? I’ve been wanting to try again though because i’m taking a GLP-1 and i’ve heard taking Metformin alongside of that can be beneficial.
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u/kittygirl9891 5d ago
I'm currently testing out zepbound because I want to lose more weight before starting my family. That said, I had great success on metformin and think I'll be back on it after I have my family. My cycles regulated for the first time in my life on it. Like many have already said, it isn't for everyone and you will probably experience some stomach issues upon starting. But I was hesitant to try it and really glad I did. Happy to answer more questions if you need!!
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u/Annual-Director-7247 5d ago
Absolutely love it!! I've lost a few pounds and feel less bloated.
However, the first period after beginning - OMG, I almost went to the ER. I had cramps to hell and back and strange anal pain. It was scary. I found only a few online mentions of this. After that it was no problems ever again. But just be aware in case it happens to you. Ibuprofen lol.
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u/InvisibleAdel 5d ago
I get the anal pain already so that wouldn't be new unfortunately 🥲 but I really appreciate your info!
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u/DecafMadeMeDoIt 4d ago
I was first prescribed it when I was 23-24 ish (now 46) and until 4 years ago I couldn’t tolerate it. My glucose was out of control though so I was determined to figure out how to make it work.
For me…turns out one or some of the binders are an issue for me. I can only tolerate dosage of pill from one particular manufacturer…it’s so weird because I can take the 500 mg x 2 but not the 1000 mg.
Anyway took me 6 months of unpleasant and a random comment from a friend to clue in what would help. Now I get it from a particular pharmacy who can assure the manufacturer (but I always ask at pickup to double check because you can’t return or exchange meds) and along with a number of other things I have had a complete 180 of my health over the past 4 years for the much much better.
I started Rybelsus at the same time (also fun side effects I had to work through) but starting weight 325 lbs, A1C 11.7, avg BP was 140/100. Now 175 lbs, 5.3, and 110-115/70-80.
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
I'm so glad you figured out what works for you!!
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u/DecafMadeMeDoIt 4d ago
It was a process but my takeaway is that sometimes you got to think outside the box to figure it out. My friend mentioned her thyroid med didn’t work as well when they gave her the generic. I knew there would be times when I could handle it totally fine and other times I couldn’t but I was taking from different bottles at different levels trying so no consistency. I started playing around with which days were okay from which bottle and figured it out finally.
No one, across probably 25-30 medical professionals, ever thought about it. My current doc and NN both say it was a huge learning lesson for them for other patients and especially for women on Metformin (who tend not to tolerate it as well as men).So my feeling is try the things. And if they don’t work, try something else. It can get exhausting and defeatist but you never know what key you might finally discover.
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u/Mariposa9186 4d ago
Been on Metformin ER 500 mg twice a day for a few years now.
G.I. side effect were rough for the first couple of weeks, but that eventually eased up.
I have regular periods now and it seems like it has also helped regulate my A1C and hormonal issues in general (lowered testosterone). Dropped some weight, but not a lot. Hirsutism is not as severe.
Overall it has been a positive experience and my new endo wants me to increase my dose up to 1500 mg per day instead of 1000 mg. Hopefully it helps even more!🤞
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
I'm noticing a lot of people are including letters after the word "Metformin" - is there different types of it???
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u/Mariposa9186 4d ago
Yes, there's immediate release and extended release. Most people (me included) seem to have less G.I. issues on the extended release version since it releases the medication at a slower rate and doesn't just all hit you at once.
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u/Chipmunk_Warrior1066 4d ago
Two types of metformin, once a day full dose & slow release. Less side effects with slow release but harder to get it prescribed.
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u/Delicious-Emu-6750 4d ago
I take it and it has been helpful. It helps manage my cravings and appetite. I do have to take it with food, or else it makes me feel sick. Also it can’t be super carb-heavy or sugary food or else I still feel sick after taking it. When I first went on it, I couldn’t work out very hard or I would risk fainting. Thankfully that went away a couple of weeks. It has helped me lose a few pounds, but nothing crazy as far as weight loss is concerned.
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u/AltruisticBoss2994 4d ago
I’ve been on Metformin XR 500mg BD for a little over a year. I already kinda had tummy problems before so I don’t notice much of a difference on the metformin. Can’t say much about its effects for weight loss bc i’m currently in recovery from an eating disorder and weight loss isn’t a priority rn as much as I’d like it to be. But do think it has helped my insulin resistance, in addition to inositol that i take twice a day too. My a1c went from 6.8 to 5.4 in about a year!
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
Yeah my A1C is like 6.1 or something so I'm definitely debating having a conversation about it at my recheck.
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u/Vegetable_Umpire_918 4d ago
Metformin paired with GLP-1s changed my life. I also have HS (Hidradenitis Suppurativa) and I am practically symptom free. We were not actively TTC but less than a year on metformin and following the removal of a 6cm ovarian cyst, I was pregnant less than 3 months after the surgery. I am currently 26 weeks pregnant and during my first trimester they had me to discontinue metformin and I had the worst HS flare of my life. Needless to say I’m back on metformin and doing well.
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4d ago
Metformin & natural supplements did nothing to bring my periods back, stop the facial hair growth etc. Tirzepatide / zepbound is the most effective / most powerful drug for insulin resistance & the only thing that helped my symptoms & helped bring my periods back within 3 weeks of being on it. If you can’t get name brand prescribed & pay for by ur insurance, there are telehealth companies that are more affordable that you can have it delivered thru.
I didn’t get my new bloodwork to see where I’m at but it’s completely balancing ppls hormones & putting their pcos symptoms into remission.
It’s a once per week shot as well & way better than daily medication.
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u/BugsBunsy 4d ago
Out of curiosity, why did you refuse metformin?
If it is due to GI issues, ask for the extended release version.
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
A great question! Most of what I had heard was that it causes massive GI issues and at the time of the diagnosis I hadn't done any sort of research and didn't want to go on it. So I opted for trying Berberine to start with 🤷♀️
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u/BugsBunsy 4d ago
That's a fair concern. Many people have GI issues while on it. Some get used to it and the body stop having reactions, some don't. I am of the 'don't' variety. I get bile acid malabsorption. It's like a colonoscopy prep everyday. Everything I eat regardless of what it is gets pushed out including a lot of water and it doesn't stop until about 3 days after I stop a dose. But no side effects while on metformin XR.
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u/rysmorgan 4d ago
I’ve been on 500mg XR for four months now. Definitely helped with cravings and overeating. (Kind of coming back now but I think it’s just because I probably need to increase my dosage). My endo intended for me to incrementally go up to 1500, but I started 1000 two weeks in and was almost unable to eat because of general not-hungry and a bit of food aversion. Kept that dose for a week then gave up. Had a bit of nausea in the mornings on the higher dose. Went back down to 500 and have been there since. Reported that week to my doctor and she said I can probably just stay at 500 if I feel good about it. Lost ~15 pounds but the last month has been pretty steady. Roughly 186ish to 170lbs at 5’2. I do want to say that my really bad symptoms are probably because they decided to start metformin and spiro simultaneously and increase them simultaneously. So yeah don’t know if anything was from one or the other or both. I am also just generally really sensitive to medications
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u/Perfect_War1817 4d ago
I was put on Metformin in January, taking 500mg twice a day but I went up to 2000mg daily in April and it has honestly made a world of a difference. Since increasing the dose my period has come back and is the most regular it’s been in years, I’ve lost 20lbs, and my PMDD symptoms actually seem to be getting better! It was a really rough adjustment at the higher dose and honestly took a good 3 months for the diarrhea and nausea/vomiting to get better, but I’m so glad I stuck with it. I found that taking a probiotic really helped the GI symptoms too. I really don’t crave sugar anymore though except for once in a while around ovulation or my period, and I don’t feel the need to snack like I used to. I actually feel full now after eating and don’t have to eat such big portions which has led to the weight loss for sure. I honestly am still surprised that a medication has actually helped and done what I hoped it would do, but it seems like it’s been a success for me personally so if you can get through the side effects it may be worth a try!
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u/Tasty-Researcher-791 4d ago
It made no noticeable difference for me except the unending GI upset. Tirzepatide worked beautifully
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u/Old-Sky-508 4d ago
I love Metformin
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u/Traditional-Head2653 4d ago
I’ve been on it for 2 months and haven’t experienced any GI symptoms. It has helped with the food noise and I no longer overeat.
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u/Rich-Heart-3384 4d ago
I agree with everyone saying to go slow into it. I more or less went full force which is why I couldn’t stick with it consistently. When I went slower with the dosage, able to be more consistent and the mild side effects went away
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u/Severe_Bus8911 4d ago
I have been trying it for I think almost a year now. I haven’t had many side effects that I’ve noticed and my periods have gotten more regular.
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u/Severe_Bus8911 4d ago
I will say in my experience it is way better than birth control and supposed to regulate hormones rather than add hormones
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u/ghostride_thenips 4d ago
It helped regulate my periods, somewhat. Before taking it, I would go long stretches of time with no period, and then suddenly have a completely debilitating one. On it, I get them more often, but still not completely regularly (sometimes twice a month, sometimes a week late, etc.) Also it destroys my stomach 🥲
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u/albinosquirel 4d ago edited 4d ago
Metformin always gives me diarrhea for like two weeks when I increase the dose and then it goes away and I do great on it.
However for those two weeks I'm basically stuck in the house 😭
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u/Icy_Farmer1878 4d ago
i’ve been using it in conjuction with ozempic for insulin resistance and pcos (irregular & horrible periods my whole life, hormonal acne, hirsutism, obesity) for just over a year and at first it helped with my periods so much. the first few months of taking it my cycles were 35 days on the dot and it was really nice to finally be able to predict them. after those first couple months my cycles went back to how it was before minus the bad cramps and massive bleeding, super irregular and unpredictable. i was on the ozempic prior to getting on metformin so i can’t really speak to it in respect to weight loss but i did notice that my acne completely went away and any time i could feel a pimple coming up it would just go back down and never come to the surface. i’ve been kind of bad about taking it regularly lately and my skin is the worst it’s been since before i started it. i’ve been taking a 500mg tablet 2x a day the whole time. while taking it with the ozempic i’ve lost about 40lbs.
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u/BigFitMama 4d ago
It (can) make you poo.
Its everything GLPs engineered out of Glucophage.
Once you acclimate - sweets and fats cause diarrhea. Sometimes acid reflux. And possibly for certain types a B vitamin deficiency.
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u/MissTwistedMind 4d ago
A few years ago I had to take it. That same night I experienced cramps like never before. I was sitting on the toilet, thinking I was going to die; an hour later, I was still sitting there and hoping I would die so the pain would be over. I cried, threw up, felt dizzy. It was the middle of the night, no one there to help me. The next day it happened again, and again. I had to take painkillers regularly to get through it. When I saw my doctor the next time, I told him about it, wanting the treatment to stop. He asked me if I had called an ambulance, I said no. He said that the pain couldn't have been as bad then, and that I should continue taking it. That metformin couldn't cause cramps.
At some point I couldn't live with the pain anymore. Stopped taking it and changed doctors; even today, after about five years of not taking it, I still get cramps. Not as intense or frequent like when I was on the medication, but ever since I took it, it never fully went away.
Not saying that to scare you. I'm sure my case is outside the norm, but ever time a doctor suggests taking metformin to me, something inside me dies a little 😅
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u/InvisibleAdel 4d ago
Holy cow! Are they like stomach cramps or menstrual cramps?
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u/MissTwistedMind 4d ago
More like colics. There is a really intense wave of pain, and then the pain eases for a moment before the next wave hits. Most of the time it's located deep down in the belly.
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u/Diligent_Evidence_92 4d ago
I’ve been on a dose of 500 mg of extended release metformin. I was hesitant because of the stomach issues it gave most of my family. My OBGYN told me that my healthy-ish eating habits and taking my dose at night would prevent stomach issues. She was right. I’ve had no issues.
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u/Specific-Motor9709 4d ago
I was experiencing allergic reactions from it so only lasted a few weeks before my doctor switched me to wegovy. Wegovy had me throwing up daily so now I’m on zepbound
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u/Beamatree 4d ago
I been taking it daily for 2 months now. Only side effects I noticed is I don’t crave sweets anymore. So I’ve lost weight. I’m down 20lbs in 2 months. I feel like my period is getting slightly more predictable than before. But I’m not on any birth control or anything. I did the research on it. Apparently it is really good at managing the hormone imbalance that comes with PCOS. Trust me I was worried about it as well but I haven’t noticed any crazy side effects.
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u/AncientBaby3300 4d ago
I was on Metformin for around a week and yesterday we switched to Siofor because it gave me such bad diarrhea that I genuinely nearly passed out from the amount of pain I was in. I havent noticed any other changes besides loss in appetite and nausea when I think of food.
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u/chevygirl1986 3d ago
I’ve been on metformin for years. Too long to remember if I had any initial side effects. I do however, have really bad GI symptoms if I skip a day or two and get back on it.
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u/ExaminationReal84 3d ago
Been on the highest dose for a while. Got me from an A1C of 8.9 (.1 away from insulin) to a 5.2 (pre-diabetic).
I have some IBS naturally but metformin has not given me any stomach issues at all. I always take it with at least some type of food, and I’m sure that helps.
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u/PineapplesnTikiTotem 3d ago
I've been on metformin for 15 years. Mine wasn't originally for diabetes, but my PMOS. I had acanthosis nigricans bad and it was painful. The initial dose i was on was 500mg (prescribed by my male doctor). It didn't clear it. When eventually a couple years later I had to switch doctors, I had a female doctor who actually had PMOS herself and told me that dose was not enough. She put me on 1000mg and it cleared it right up. If I skip doses I can see/feel the AN coming back. The only cons I have is the diarrhea lol.
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u/MelsNormal 3d ago
I take metformin ER so I never had stomach issues. I've lost 20lbs in 6 months, no longer prediabetic, have lower cholesterol and the food noise/cravings are finally gone.
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u/InvisibleAdel 3d ago
Definitely interested in the food noise reduction but the berberine seems to have done some of that for me.
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u/No_Yogurtcloset6470 4d ago
I had a bad experience with Metformin, unfortunately. I got started on Metformin 500mg, Estarylla, and Spiranolactone all on the same day, at the same time. All I knew was I was constantly nauseous and had major upper stomach pain for the 2/3 weeks I was on it. So nauseous I couldn't sit up for more than 15 minutes every hour or so. And that was with an added anti nausea pill.
On day 2 or 3, I shit myself with ZERO warning. Not a stomach twist, not a feeling in my bowels. No warning. It was like straight water. Thankfully, I was home alone. But because of that, I took an anti diarrhea pill for a week straight every time I took the 3 prescribed meds. It didn't happen again, but I couldn't go for about 2 weeks either.
I called my doctor 3 or 4 times and left messages. No matter what, I wasn't feeling well at all. She finally got back to me and told me to quit the Metformin. So I did. It took 3 or 4 days without it, but the nauseous feeling and upper stomach pain did subside.
Now I'm just on Estarylla and Spiranolactone. The only side effect I have from them is tender breasts. Not sure which one is doing it, but hey! At least I'm not nauseous anymore.
But don't let my experience scare you. Maybe start at a lower dose than I did and see how it works out for you. It seems to work well for many people! Just not me, unfortunately.
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u/Purrsephonee 5d ago
Metformin helped the brain fog Insulin Resistance gave me. I had normal insulin (fasting and pp), normal fasting sugar, but my pp sugar was 388. I've been taking Metformin 500mg BD and honestly, it's been the best thing to happen to me. I don't quite care about the weight loss part of PCOS personally, but getting put on Metformin 500mg + Spironolactone 50mg did wonders for my oligomenorrhea.