My Struggle with PCOS: My Experience with Metformin (so far)

I wanted to write a little about how Metformin has worked (so far) for me.  First off, Metformin is a drug that is used to help control Type 2 Diabetes, but it has shown to be helpful to help regulate women with PCOS’s cycles and to help them to ovulate.  It is also known to help with weight loss in some women.  In my case, I have been on it for about 3 months and I may finally be seeing some results.  When I first started it I had a very, VERY light, short period.  I almost wasn’t sure that it was a period.  Then I waited 81 days for another one to start.    I had cramps for a week and then I finally started an actual period (although it still wasn’t a normal one for me).  The cramps got really bad for the first 3 ½ days and then they just went away.  My doctor said that the Metformin could take a while to actually start regulating my periods; I have met a few women where it has taken 6 months to a year to do the job.   I was getting discouraged because I was getting the awful side effects and none of the supposed benefits.  I stuck it out though because I was hopeful that eventually something would happen.

Speaking of side effects, they are awful!  I have had to decide if the potential outcome is worth the suffering I am going through now.  For me, it is, for others it may not be.  Some of the side effects include:

• muscle      pain or weakness;
• numb or      cold feeling in your arms and legs;
• trouble      breathing;
• feeling      dizzy, light-headed, tired, or very weak;
• stomach      pain, nausea with vomiting; or
• slow or      uneven heart rate.

Call your doctor at once if you have any other serious side effect such as:

• feeling      short of breath, even with mild exertion;
• swelling      or rapid weight gain; or
• fever,      chills, body aches, flu symptoms.

Less serious side effects of metformin may include:

• headache      or muscle pain;
• weakness;      or
• mild      nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, gas, stomach pain

All this is from http://www.drugs.com/sfx/metformin-side-effects.html

I am also not sure, but hair loss might be a side effect of Metformin as well. But I can’t find any conclusive data saying that yes it does or that it doesn’t.  Some places says that if you have PCOS and take Metformin then a side effect might be hair loss others just say that it is the PCOS causing it.  Either way my hair has been falling out like crazy for a while now.  With my new haircut, I can’t tell as much, but when I was washing my hair this morning, my hands were covered in my hair.

I know this may be TMI for some, but it might help others.  I struggle with the stomach issues, the nausea, diarrhea and stomach pain.  Most of the time it isn’t bad enough to effect my normal day to day life, it is just enough to make me miserable.  I have also noticed some shortness of breath while I am just sitting and headaches (but those are nothing new, I have had them ever since I can remember), also I get dizzy a lot, but that could be from the Meniere’s disease, not the medicine.  Fortunately I do not suffer everyday with the side effects, most days, but not all.  Some days, I think that my body is getting used to the Metformin and then the next day they will hit me full force.  I notice that if I take them with food at the same time every day that they are not as bad as if I take it on an empty stomach or I forget to take it at the right time.

My advice to you, if you are on the fence about taking Metformin is to try it and see if you can live with the side effects, or who knows, you may be lucky and not have any side effects.  If the side effects are too much, talk to your doctor, and maybe they can put you on the Extended Release formula or can find another option for you.  I hope this can help someone.  I just wanted to tell about my experience with it so far.  Hopefully, I can start seeing more results soon. 🙂