Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Metformin dosage

Question:

What about Avandia, Actos, what kind of carbs do you eat and how much exercise do you get? The ovaries being removed may help with not producing male pattern hair, irregular periods, but it is the action on the extra insulin on the ovary that is causing the problem. Cutting down on that production may help, but as for lowering your risk of diabetes, that is up in the air. Victoria – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -"Katz Heitmann" <katz…@mindspring.com> wrote in message > I am taking met and I get dizzy very dizzy.  Is there another way to > treat this? Birth control pills didn’t work either.  I’d like to know > if having one or both of my ovaries removed would take care of this > disorder more perminantly and lower my risk for diabetes.  So I > wouldn’t have to remember to take a stupid pill.  I’d like to know if > someone had this done and did it work?

Response:

Sagittaria wrote: > Thanks. Can you address my concerns as to why my doctor didn’t say > anything about this after seeing my test results? Is this new research > that some doctors accept but not all are aware of yet, or is it a > theory that most doctors don’t accept? Thanks again for all of your > help.

I’d say for one, the AACE just barely published guidelines saying a TSH should be no higher than 3, and a lot of doctors just haven’t educated themselves. For another, thyroid disease is an old, old disorder we’ve known about for a long time. You’ll find doctors in varying degrees of awareness. There is a lot of misinformation out there. Also, a lot of doctors don’t think it’s necessary to treat unless you are very, very ill. There are also drug companies lining the pockets of a lot of people pushing specific drugs despite those drugs not being the best therapy for many individuals. It’s kind of complicated. Doctors used to treat based on symptoms and how you felt, and responded to treatment. Then we got better and better at doing lab tests and doctors decided to use those instead. That was the big mistake, that they’d use those "instead" of listening to how the patient is responding. Everyone works on an individual level; what numbers may be good for one person are not going to be good for the next, period. It is all very personal and doctors tend to forget that.

Response:

Shena Delian O’Brien <sh…@darklock.com> wrote in news:3D4D8852.80407@darklock.com: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Sagittaria wrote: >> Thanks. Can you address my concerns as to why my doctor didn’t >> say anything about this after seeing my test results? Is this new >> research that some doctors accept but not all are aware of yet, >> or is it a theory that most doctors don’t accept? Thanks again >> for all of your help. > I’d say for one, the AACE just barely published guidelines saying > a TSH should be no higher than 3, and a lot of doctors just > haven’t educated themselves. For another, thyroid disease is an > old, old disorder we’ve known about for a long time. You’ll find > doctors in varying degrees of awareness. There is a lot of > misinformation out there. Also, a lot of doctors don’t think it’s > necessary to treat unless you are very, very ill. There are also > drug companies lining the pockets of a lot of people pushing > specific drugs despite those drugs not being the best therapy for > many individuals. > It’s kind of complicated. Doctors used to treat based on symptoms > and how you felt, and responded to treatment. Then we got better > and better at doing lab tests and doctors decided to use those > instead. That was the big mistake, that they’d use those "instead" > of listening to how the patient is responding. Everyone works on > an individual level; what numbers may be good for one person are > not going to be good for the next, period. It is all very personal > and doctors tend to forget that.

Thanks! The AACE guidelines look most promising for getting some results – I will look them up. — —->Sagittaria<—- I am a .sig virus. Please put me in your .sig so I can continue to replicate.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Sagittaria <sagitta…@softhome.net> wrote in message <news:Xns926068C3E9E7Csagittaria@127.0.0.1>… > Sagittaria <sagitta…@softhome.net> wrote in > news:Xns925ED0BC77386sagittaria@127.0.0.1: > > ssivak…@rsi.ramco.com (Sivakami S) wrote in > > news:f03d2d9d.0208020421.2d919f8d@posting.google.com: > >> Methinks (and I could be wrong!) it could be more to do with the > >> fact that for the first few months the side-effects are so bad, > >> that one loses more weight than ascribable to the increased > >> insulin- sensitising alone. Obviously if you’re having nausea and > >> stomach upsets all the time, you will lose weight, > > Yes, I think that is also a possibility. > Sorry to reply to my own post. As I think about this more, I don’t > think it fully explains the situation.  For some time on the metformin, > I was actually less hungry than usual, and not able to eat as much. Not > because of nausea or any GI side effect, just … felt full. I’ve seen > this same phenomena in my daughter who has just recently started taking > met. Trust me, it feels weird to feel full after maybe 2 oz. of chicken > and a couple spoonfuls of rice. Now my appetite is back to what it used > to be. I think this relates to insulin sensitivity and points to the > metformin not having as much (or any?) effect on me after taking it for > 3 years.

Like I said, I’m no expert on this matter, and you may very well be right …. but it seems to me that this wearing off effect ought to have been mentioned it at least 1-2 of the research studies/articles. – S.

Response:

"Tatjana Farkin" <tatj…@germanmail.com> wrote in message news:<ajh0g5$ll7$03> > IIRC, the dosage that was used in most studies was about 1,500mg. > Somebody correct me if I’m wrong, please. > So it does look like your dosage might be on the low side. I’m taking > 2,550mg pre-O and 1,700mg post-O now, I’ll see how that goes.

Good news ! My prolactin levels turned out to be normal. I also then showed my gyn a couple of recent articles (including the one about how Met was useful for thin cysters as well). And … she read them carefully … and increased my dosage to 1000 mg per day. She’s also taken me off the XR version and given me Met non-XR tablets! Its been a couple of days now, but except for some mild nausea … no side effects !! – S.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->> IIRC, the dosage that was used in most studies was about 1,500mg. >> Somebody correct me if I’m wrong, please. >> So it does look like your dosage might be on the low side. I’m taking >> 2,550mg pre-O and 1,700mg post-O now, I’ll see how that goes. >Good news ! >My prolactin levels turned out to be normal. >I also then showed my gyn a couple of recent articles (including the >one about how Met was useful for thin cysters as well). And … she >read them carefully … and increased my dosage to 1000 mg per day. >She’s also taken me off the XR version and given me Met non-XR >tablets! >Its been a couple of days now, but except for some mild nausea … no >side effects !!

I’m now on the Met XR – which has given my *much* better results than the regular Met, which gave me incredible intestinal upsets. I was taking Avandia, but gained weight with it, and still didn’t get my periods. Now that I am on the Met XR my appetite has gone to almost zip… I have to remind myself to eat, and I am losing weight. The trick, I was told in a chat session by Dr. Glueck, is to take the Met – no matter what formulation – with a *full* glass of water, in the fifteen minutes before a meal. I’ve been doing this for about a month, and have had very minimal intestinal distress…. just food for thought. Laura

Response:

lawpe…@aol.comnojunk (LAWPerry) wrote in message > I’m now on the Met XR – which has given my *much* better results than the > regular Met, which gave me incredible intestinal upsets. I was taking Avandia, > but gained weight with it, and still didn’t get my periods. Now that I am on > the Met XR my appetite has gone to almost zip… I have to remind myself to > eat, and I am losing weight.

Good for you. I never had any side effects, either with XR or with non-XR. > The trick, I was told in a chat session by Dr. Glueck, is to take the Met – no > matter what formulation – with a *full* glass of water, in the fifteen minutes > before a meal. I’ve been doing this for about a month, and have had very > minimal intestinal distress…. just food for thought. > Laura

Sounds good. Maybe I should try it. I take it just after my meals. – S.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -ssivak…@rsi.ramco.com (Sivakami S) wrote in message <news:f03d2d9d.0208202215.7d6699b8@posting.google.com>… > lawpe…@aol.comnojunk (LAWPerry) wrote in message > > I’m now on the Met XR – which has given my *much* better results than the > > regular Met, which gave me incredible intestinal upsets. I was taking Avandia, > > but gained weight with it, and still didn’t get my periods. Now that I am on > > the Met XR my appetite has gone to almost zip… I have to remind myself to > > eat, and I am losing weight. > Good for you. I never had any side effects, either with XR or with non-XR. > > The trick, I was told in a chat session by Dr. Glueck, is to take the Met – no > > matter what formulation – with a *full* glass of water, in the fifteen minutes > > before a meal. I’ve been doing this for about a month, and have had very > > minimal intestinal distress…. just food for thought. > > Laura > Sounds good. Maybe I should try it. I take it just after my meals. > – S.

I am taking met and I get dizzy very dizzy.  Is there another way to treat this? Birth control pills didn’t work either.  I’d like to know if having one or both of my ovaries removed would take care of this disorder more perminantly and lower my risk for diabetes.  So I wouldn’t have to remember to take a stupid pill.  I’d like to know if someone had this done and did it work?

Response:

I’ve been diagnosed with PCOS and hypothyroidism since end 2000. I suspect I’ve had these conditions for much longer … but they were diagnosed only in end 2000 ! I’ve been on 100 mg thyroxin daily since. I had no idea that there was a drug called Metformin. My gynaec would prescribe me with BCPs and then the next few cycles would be fine … and then I would consult her again and the same thing would repeat. 4-5 months back she prescribed Metformin for the first time. 250 mg, twice a day. But she prescribed it just for a month. And, after 2-3 weeks I felt better, lost a couple of pounds (I am not overweight … my BMI is about 23)and the next 3 cycles were regular. I went back to her and this time she prescribed Met XR 500 mg once in the morning … and she has asked me, reluctantly, to continue this for a while. Its been more than 3 months now and although my cycles are pretty long (40+ days), my periods have regularised. I have lost a couple more pounds and do feel much better. And I have absolutely none of the side effects (not surprising, considering the low dosage!) Lately, I’ve been reading up a lot re: PCOS and Metformin on the web and realised that the avg Met dosage is about 1000-2000 mg per day. Some studies even mention 1500 mg as the dosage that best gets results etc. Does that mean that my dosage is really low ? How does one know what the right dosage is ? My gynaec was reluctant even to prescribe this 500 mg XR daily. She kept claiming that I was not overweight, so it wasn’t really needed etc. Would it help if I got back to her with some articles and stuff to show her what the right dosage is or will it only antagonise her (after all, I’ll need her for a while!)? Or should I keep shut as long as my periods continue to be regular ? Another thing I’ve attempted is to take 1000 mg pills once in a while (maybe once in 2 weeks or so!). Is this a bad thing to do ? Can it do any harm ? –  Shobha.

Response:

"Tatjana Farkin" <tatj…@germanmail.com> wrote in message <news:aj3s66$ep3$03$1@news.t-online.com>… > I’ve heard that it works for some women to take a higher dosage > AF-ovulation and back down ovulation-AF. That way, you can "increase" > every cycle, and the body mightn’t get used to it. I’m trying this as of > tomorrow because my cycles started becoming more erratic after > responding beautifully for a while.

Hi Tatjana. My periods got a little delayed again, and so I visited my gynaec. I took along a few articles which mentioned typical dosages of Metformin for PCOS. She seemed quite eager to read them and was open to the suggestion of increasing dosage. However, she did ask me to take some tests first … serum prolactin and fasting blood sugar. I’ve had mildly elevated levels of prolactin earlier and she gave me B-Long (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) to control them. Since I am also hypothyroid, she says that elevation of prolactin levels is likely. She also given me Provera to start my periods. Am waiting for the test results. But I would like her to increase dosage to at least 850 mg per day. What do you all think ? Should I fight for it or leave it to her discretion – after all she is the gynaec ! –  Shobha.

Response:

Shena Delian O’Brien <sh…@darklock.com> wrote in news:3D4D7BBB.4020002@darklock.com: > Sagittaria wrote: >> I can do that! Sorry, I just don’t know enough about how this >> works. For ex I don’t understand how lab 1 can say glucose levels >> of 75-115 are normal, lab 2 says 65-115, and lab 3 says 65-109, >> when they are all using the same units (mg/dL). > A lab will calibrate its equipment differently and thus get > slightly different readings. The lab ranges lets us work within > the same range. > Everything I said still stands. T4 should be in upper-third, t3 at > least >   at halfway point or higher. TSH between 0.5-1.5 optimally.

Thanks. Can you address my concerns as to why my doctor didn’t say anything about this after seeing my test results? Is this new research that some doctors accept but not all are aware of yet, or is it a theory that most doctors don’t accept? Thanks again for all of your help. — —->Sagittaria<—- I am a .sig virus. Please put me in your .sig so I can continue to replicate.

Response:

Sagittaria <sagitta…@softhome.net> wrote in news:Xns925ED0BC77386sagittaria@127.0.0.1: > ssivak…@rsi.ramco.com (Sivakami S) wrote in > news:f03d2d9d.0208020421.2d919f8d@posting.google.com: >> Methinks (and I could be wrong!) it could be more to do with the >> fact that for the first few months the side-effects are so bad, >> that one loses more weight than ascribable to the increased >> insulin- sensitising alone. Obviously if you’re having nausea and >> stomach upsets all the time, you will lose weight, > Yes, I think that is also a possibility.

Sorry to reply to my own post. As I think about this more, I don’t think it fully explains the situation.  For some time on the metformin, I was actually less hungry than usual, and not able to eat as much. Not because of nausea or any GI side effect, just … felt full. I’ve seen this same phenomena in my daughter who has just recently started taking met. Trust me, it feels weird to feel full after maybe 2 oz. of chicken and a couple spoonfuls of rice. Now my appetite is back to what it used to be. I think this relates to insulin sensitivity and points to the metformin not having as much (or any?) effect on me after taking it for 3 years. — —->Sagittaria<—- I am a .sig virus. Please put me in your .sig so I can continue to replicate.

Response:

Shena Delian O’Brien <sh…@darklock.com> wrote in news:3D4D5973.7010407@darklock.com: > Also next time post the lab ranges along with the numbers and I > could be more specific.

I can do that! Sorry, I just don’t know enough about how this works. For ex I don’t understand how lab 1 can say glucose levels of 75-115 are normal, lab 2 says 65-115, and lab 3 says 65-109, when they are all using the same units (mg/dL). Sept. 1999 results: Free T4: 0.91 ng/dL. Ref range: 0.70-1.53 TSH: 3.15 uIU/mL. Ref range: 0.35-5.50 2000 results (different lab): Free Thyroxine: 1.07 ng/dL in Feb. Ref range: 0.70-1.70 TSH: 3.15 uIU/mL in Feb, and 3.69 uIU/mL in Oct. Ref range: 0.30-5.0 If this changes anything you said please let me know! I would appreciate any information you can provide. — —->Sagittaria<—- I am a .sig virus. Please put me in your .sig so I can continue to replicate.

Response:

Shena Delian O’Brien <sh…@darklock.com> wrote in news:3D4B55EE.1040908@darklock.com: > Sagittaria wrote: >> My endocrinologist checked it twice- she said she couldn’t >> believe my skin was so dry when my thyroid results were coming >> back normal. > What testing did she do? TSH, T3, T4 levels? What were the > results? #1 rule in this disease, get copies of all lab results

I do keep copies of them, but unfortunately I haven’t taken the time to try to make much sense of them myself – I just see if they are in the lab’s normal reference range. Let’s see, looks like it’s been tested 3 times: In Sep 1999: Free T4: 0.91 ng/dL TSH: 3.15 uIU/mL In Feb 2000: Free Thyroxine (is this T4?): 1.07 ng/dL TSH: 3.15 uIU/mL In Oct 2000: TSH: 3.69 uIU/mL (T4 not tested) These were well within normal limits for the lab reference, but may be slightly low from what you explained. I find it odd that my endocrinologist would say she suspected I had low thyroid, and then see those numbers and concede she must have been wrong. I could see a GP being clueless, but wouldn’t an endo know the right way to interpret them? I do think it’s interesting that the TSH rose slightly. I will ask to have it tested again at my next appt, especially since it hasn’t been checked for 2 years. I’m not seeing the endo anymore, but my GP will do whatever tests I ask and is very open to any research I bring her.   Thanks for the info. — —->Sagittaria<—- I am a .sig virus. Please put me in your .sig so I can continue to replicate.

Response:

Sagittaria wrote: > I do think it’s interesting that the TSH rose slightly. I will ask to > have it tested again at my next appt, especially since it hasn’t been > checked for 2 years. I’m not seeing the endo anymore, but my GP will do > whatever tests I ask and is very open to any research I bring her.   > Thanks for the info.

Ok well, your TSH is a little high. High enough that it warranted testing T3 and T4, along with antibodies, and then if it still looked good to at least watch you closely over the next few years. I would definitely go in and get new tests run. This time make sure to get both t3 and t4 tested along with TSH. Also, if your TSH has risen since Oct. 2000 I would beg for a trial on some medication because that is plain and obvious evidence of developing hypothyroidism. Ask for more indepth testing such as for antibodies. Also next time post the lab ranges along with the numbers and I could be more specific. As for what medication to ask for ask for Armour thyroid, it is a natural form of thyroid made from pig thyroids, and contains all the thyroid hormones in it and not just t4 which most synthetics contain. This is important for a) quicker recovery from years of not being treated; b) some people just don’t convert t4 to t3 well and never feel quite right until they get a little boost of t3 in their day. (Armour is also hypoallergenic.)

Response:

Sagittaria wrote: > I can do that! Sorry, I just don’t know enough about how this works. > For ex I don’t understand how lab 1 can say glucose levels of 75-115 > are normal, lab 2 says 65-115, and lab 3 says 65-109, when they are all > using the same units (mg/dL).

A lab will calibrate its equipment differently and thus get slightly different readings. The lab ranges lets us work within the same range. Everything I said still stands. T4 should be in upper-third, t3 at least   at halfway point or higher. TSH between 0.5-1.5 optimally.

Response:

ssivak…@rsi.ramco.com (Sivakami S) wrote in news:f03d2d9d.0207310413.6d2e1c21@posting.google.com: > Lately, I’ve been reading up a lot re: PCOS and Metformin on the > web and realised that the avg Met dosage is about 1000-2000 mg per > day. Some studies even mention 1500 mg as the dosage that best > gets results etc. > Does that mean that my dosage is really low ? How does one know > what the right dosage is ?

Hi Shobha, My endo had me quickly go up to 2550 mg per day, which I guess is the max dose approved in the USA. It worked great for about 2 yrs but then the effects wore off, so now I am gaining weight again and can’t increase the dose. So my advice would be to continue with the lowest dose that works for you, and then if it stops working in the future you will be able to gradually increase to maintain the effects for longer.   Your doctor might also be right that if you aren’t overweight, you don’t need as much metformin.  Good luck! — —->Sagittaria<—- I am a .sig virus. Please put me in your .sig so I can continue to replicate.

Response:

Sagittaria <sagitta…@softhome.net> wrote in message news > > My endo had me quickly go up to 2550 mg per day, which I guess is the > max dose approved in the USA. It worked great for about 2 yrs but then > the effects wore off, so now I am gaining weight again and can’t > increase the dose. So my advice would be to continue with the lowest > dose that works for you, and then if it stops working in the future you > will be able to gradually increase to maintain the effects for longer.   > Your doctor might also be right that if you aren’t overweight, you > don’t need as much metformin.  Good luck!

Thank you. BTW this is the first I’m hearing of the effect "wearing off". I’m not sure such a thing happens. Maybe there’s some other reason for your recent weight gain ? –  Sivakami.

Response:

ssivak…@rsi.ramco.com (Sivakami S) wrote in news:f03d2d9d.0207312304.5b1a0aec@posting.google.com: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Sagittaria <sagitta…@softhome.net> wrote in message news > >> My endo had me quickly go up to 2550 mg per day, which I guess is >> the max dose approved in the USA. It worked great for about 2 yrs >> but then the effects wore off, so now I am gaining weight again >> and can’t increase the dose. So my advice would be to continue >> with the lowest dose that works for you, and then if it stops >> working in the future you will be able to gradually increase to >> maintain the effects for longer.  Your doctor might also be right >> that if you aren’t overweight, you don’t need as much metformin. >> Good luck! > Thank you. > BTW this is the first I’m hearing of the effect "wearing off". I’m > not sure such a thing happens. Maybe there’s some other reason for > your recent weight gain ? > –  Sivakami.

I guess it doesn’t happen for everyone, but when I first posted here about it, others said it had happened to them too. I could tell the difference as it began to wore off. Lack of the nasty side effects, for one thing, and also I was able to eat more (while it was working I could hardly tolerate some foods). This was while still on the brand name, btw, not the generic. — —->Sagittaria<—- I am a .sig virus. Please put me in your .sig so I can continue to replicate.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Sagittaria <sagitta…@softhome.net> wrote in message <news:Xns925DC606B172Dsagittaria@127.0.0.1>… > ssivak…@rsi.ramco.com (Sivakami S) wrote in > > Thank you. > > BTW this is the first I’m hearing of the effect "wearing off". I’m > > not sure such a thing happens. Maybe there’s some other reason for > > your recent weight gain ? > > –  Sivakami. > I guess it doesn’t happen for everyone, but when I first posted here > about it, others said it had happened to them too. I could tell the > difference as it began to wore off. Lack of the nasty side effects, for > one thing, and also I was able to eat more (while it was working I > could hardly tolerate some foods). This was while still on the brand > name, btw, not the generic.

Hey, I believe you . I’m just wondering how come all those scientific studies dont reveal this ? They do say that the side-effects wear off with time as you get used to the drug. But nothing about how the effect wears off. Methinks (and I could be wrong!) it could be more to do with the fact that for the first few months the side-effects are so bad, that one loses more weight than ascribable to the increased insulin- sensitising alone. Obviously if you’re having nausea and stomach upsets all the time, you will lose weight, insulin-sensitivity or no insulin-sensitivity. But then as you get used to the drug the side-effects vanish (or reduce considerably) and so your weight goes back to what it would have been with increased insulin sensitivity alone (which is what Met is supposed to do!). Met is not a weight loss drug. It does help you lose weight if all your excess weight is due to insulin resistance alone, but thats about it. Have you checked your thyroid function ? –  S.

Response:

ssivak…@rsi.ramco.com (Sivakami S) wrote in news:f03d2d9d.0208020421.2d919f8d@posting.google.com: > Methinks (and I could be wrong!) it could be more to do with the > fact that for the first few months the side-effects are so bad, > that one loses more weight than ascribable to the increased > insulin- sensitising alone. Obviously if you’re having nausea and > stomach upsets all the time, you will lose weight,

Yes, I think that is also a possibility. > Have you checked your thyroid function?

My endocrinologist checked it twice- she said she couldn’t believe my skin was so dry when my thyroid results were coming back normal. — —->Sagittaria<—- I am a .sig virus. Please put me in your .sig so I can continue to replicate.

Response:

Sagittaria wrote: > My endocrinologist checked it twice- she said she couldn’t believe my > skin was so dry when my thyroid results were coming back normal.

What testing did she do? TSH, T3, T4 levels? What were the results? #1 rule in this disease, get copies of all lab results TSH should be under 3, period. AACE (american association of clinical endocrinology) says this. Ideally, between 0.5 – 1.5 for the majority of the healthy population. The mail signs are T3 and T4 levels. IF the t4 level is not in the upper third of the lab range, you may be low. IF the t3 is not in the middle to upper third of the lab range, you may be low. TSH is just your body’s way of telling itself to produce more t4. Sometimes lines get crossed and your body doesn’t produce enough TSH and then it will appear fine, when it is really not. In that case, t4 will tell the sign. T4 must be converted to t3, which is the active hormone. Sometimes our bodies do not do well at conversion, and this is why we must measure levels of t3 as well as t4. Sometimes, our body converts what is known as "reverse t3" which is completely useless to us. That is why it is important to measure for that in the instance that you have symptoms but everything looks "fine" in the numbers. Also, sometimes there is autoimmune hashimoto’s thyroiditis, when your body is attacking its own thyroid. The numbers may be fine currently when you are checked, but there are thyroid antibodies to tell the tale. In the presence of antibodies, it is important to treat to try and take the pressure off the thyroid so you’ll stop producing antibodies (and thus stop killing your thyroid). Many people have chronic thyroiditis. It comes and goes. Many of these people will call the doctor in the middle of a case of thyroiditis, and get an appt. far enough in the future that they are actually fine when they get blood drawn so no signs are present. I happened to be lucky and get my blood drawn as part of routine testing at the beginning of a three-month case of thyroiditis. My doctors saw the progression of thyroiditis clearly in me first becomming very hyper (too much thyroid hormone) to very hypo (not enough). In any case, it is worth pursuing diligently and making sure you get the proper testing to rule it out in case you have one of the "hidden" cases. http://www.healthcheckusa.com/ has some great testing in VIP PRofile II Plus, which they offer for $100 or less and you can have it done at a local lab. This is in case your doctor doesn’t want to do this testing for you. Good luck

Response:

Eric Pilcher wrote: > > I had no results on 1500.  Not even weightloss help.  I’ve met Dr. > > Perloe and Dr. Glueck at a PCO conference.  Both stated that 2550 seems > > to the standard.  I needed 2550! > I’m hoping to transfer soon to Dr. Perloe… had a quick question though – > anyone have any idea what the *max* dosage of Met is? > Jodi

2550 mg according to the maker.  Dr. Glueck said that he goes up to 3000 if he has to, and if the patient can handle it.  This is seldomly needed. — Katharina dav…@german-usa.com 35/5.9/C0-nt/met2550 262(March 15,99)/218

Response:

> I had no results on 1500.  Not even weightloss help.  I’ve met Dr. > Perloe and Dr. Glueck at a PCO conference.  Both stated that 2550 seems > to the standard.  I needed 2550!

I’m hoping to transfer soon to Dr. Perloe… had a quick question though – anyone have any idea what the *max* dosage of Met is? Jodi

Response:

My 15yr daughter sees Dr.Gleuck and she has been on 850mg 3 time per day for over a year.. It does seem to be working but it has been a very slow process. Best of luck

Response:

I don’t really have any advise for you, but you are not alone!  I’ve been on met for 4 months and also have my daily bout of diareah.  I also haven’t really seen any positive side effects either.  I got af 40 days after starting met, but haven’t seen her since.  I’ve lost no weight (have about 40# to lose) even though I’ve been low carbing & doing occassional exercise (VERY occassional).  My endo says I can switch to Avandia if I want to, so I’m going to as soon as I get the chance to talk to him.  Maybe that is an option for you too?? Jill Everett-Young <mayb…@muskoka.com> wrote in message

news:01bf5bec$1a574680$e2afd4c7@jillever… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello all; > Horror of horrors, but I still cannot get the symptoms of metformin under > control.  I’ve been on Met for 6 months, and I kept having to reduce the > dosage until now even 250 mg twice a day is too much because of the > incessant rushing to the bathroom.  I simply can’t afford to continually > take Imodium. Has anyone got any advice or back-patting to offer?  : ) > Jill, who figures she will have to start sleeping in the john

Response:

The studies that I have listed on my website seem to say metformin helps in the ranges of 80 to 90% of the women. So not everyone is helped (its not a 100% study). There are 2 studies that have said metformin made no difference. There is a theory floating around out there that there are 2 different strains or types of PCO. One that is insulin based, another with a defect, honestly, where I can’t remember … maybe genetic, maybe a cellular reaction. So it is possible any # of things if met doesn’t help: 1) taking enough 2) taking too much 3) too many or few carbs 4) another problem is wrong that happens to exacerbate the diarreah (IBS?) 5) there is truth to the theory that there’s 2 types/strains of PCO and we just haven’t found it yet and others I didn’t mention Victoria

Response:

Hi Jill, I had the same problem you’re having. What worked for me, was to stop Met for two weeks, and then start again at 250 mg 1x daily, with my biggest meal, for a week. Then the 2nd week, 250 mg 2x daily(breakfast & dinner); the 3rd week, 250 mg 3x daily(breakfast, lunch, dinner); the 4th week, 250 4x daily(breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner). This is where I’m at now. I plan on adding another 250 mg daily next week, then another 250 mg the week after. Good luck! Laura H.

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I was on Metformin for over a year, and had the runs the whole time.  I stopped taking it yesterday and the side effects stopped immediately (today). Although the Metformin lowered my insulin somewhat, I did not see any of the good effects of taking it (weight loss, periods, etc.)  The doctor told me to stay as low carb as possible, and that it would keep my insulin level under control. I have heard that taking something like Fibercon everyday can help relieve some of the "running."  I don’t know if that’s true. One of the things that did help a bit was keeping the carbs to a minimum.  It did seem that the side effects got worse on days where I didn’t eat well. Good luck, >Subject: Re: Metformin dosage >From: "Jill Everett-Young" mayb…@muskoka.com >Date: Mon, 10 January 2000 11:36 PM EST >Message-id: <01bf5bec$1a574680$e2afd4c7@jillever> >Hello all; >Horror of horrors, but I still cannot get the symptoms of metformin under >control.  I’ve been on Met for 6 months, and I kept having to reduce the >dosage until now even 250 mg twice a day is too much because of the >incessant rushing to the bathroom.  I simply can’t afford to continually >take Imodium. Has anyone got any advice or back-patting to offer?  : ) >Jill, who figures she will have to start sleeping in the john

~Wendy ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us worthy evidence of the fact." –George Eliot

Response:

On Monday my RE put me on 500 mg 3 times a day.  I take the pills after breakfast, lunch and supper.  I have had no nausea at all.  I have had only a little diarhea but nothing too bad.  I am not diabetic but I do have high insulin levels.  I don’t know the numbers because I just had the tests done right before xmas and haven’t seen the report.  The doc just told me I had some high insulin levels but not too bad.  I am curious.  I know there are people out there who are diabetic and some who are not and some who have pcos and some who do not.  Is there any kind of pattern on who gets sick or who doesn’t?  I had the 5 hours glucose, insulin testing done and didn’t get sick at all so I figured I didn’t have it.  Well I did.  A friend of mine got sicker than a dog taking the test and she didn’t have it.  Just curious. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Bolted1 wrote in message <20000106160510.25713.00000…@ng-fw1.aol.com>… >Hi, >Well, my 2+ years of being a pest have paid off.  I have finally been >prescribed a six month trial period on Met.  Here is my question.  The Dr. has >serious misgivings, and has never put a PCOer on Met, but I have finally worn >her down.  She has prescribed 250mg twice a day.  My question to all of you is: >has anyone had any positive results on such a low dose?  She says that she >wants to take it really slow, but I am afraid that is just toooo slow.  I will >be going off of my birth control pills tomorrow, and starting the med in 2 >weeks.  What dosage do most of you find it took to get results?  By the way, I >am not TTC, just want to protect my health, get off BCP, and maybe lose a few >pounds.  My fasting insulin is 37 and my glucose is 86, so I am definately IR. >Teresa

Response:

Hi, I am 1500 mg daily.  I am diabetic on top of having PCOS.  My dr. started off slow.  In May I was on 500 mg a day, then in June, he moved it up to 1000 a day (I started to spot on my own at that time).  Now I am on 1500 a day and my periods are getting closer all the time though not at the 28 cycle that many women have. I don’t worry as long as I get it pretty often.  My dr. had me movely slowly on met to lessen side effects so I did not have a rough time with stomach upset, etc.  My health is the best it has been in well over 5 years.  ^—^ Cathy { ‘ . ‘ }       `  "Those who play with cats must expect to be scratched." Hope for Cysters: http://pages.ivillage.com/bh/cystercat My web page:   http://peaceonearth.faithweb.com Visit Little C:    http://littlec.faithweb.com

Response:

Hello all; Horror of horrors, but I still cannot get the symptoms of metformin under control.  I’ve been on Met for 6 months, and I kept having to reduce the dosage until now even 250 mg twice a day is too much because of the incessant rushing to the bathroom.  I simply can’t afford to continually take Imodium. Has anyone got any advice or back-patting to offer?  : ) Jill, who figures she will have to start sleeping in the john

Response:

I know what you mean about sleeping in the bathroom.  I started taking Met in October and most times still have to run, although it has lessend slightly.  I don’t mind it too much though, because I feel better than I did and I’ve lost about 15 lbs from the Met.  I don’t excercise, even though I’d really like to

Response:

I started at 1 x 500 mg pill per day for two weeks and now I’m on 2 x 500 mg pills per day – one with breakfast and one with dinner.  I finally get a "feel full" feeling before I have eaten too much and have begun losing weight.  I’ve has mild nausea, gas, and diarreha.  I find that sometimes the nausea is caused because I haven’t had enough water and generally passes soon after drinking. The gas and diarreha are better if my fats and carbs are kept on the low side. I have more pep and felt better after taking my first pill.  I go back next week to have blood tests done.  I’ve been on Met for 6 weeks now.   I hope I’m now on the right track after having symptoms when I was 15 and am now 48.   The newsgroup has been great to learn about new treatments and for the support.  I wish I’d had this opportunity with I was 15. Good luck

Response:

> Horror of horrors, but I still cannot get the symptoms of metformin under > control.  I’ve been on Met for 6 months, and I kept having to reduce the > dosage until now even 250 mg twice a day is too much because of the > incessant rushing to the bathroom.  I simply can’t afford to continually > take Imodium. Has anyone got any advice or back-patting to offer?  : )

Are you low-carbing?  I was fortunate that most of my met side-effects subsided (for the most part) after about 6 weeks.  But I understand that for some people, eating too many carbohydrates can make the diarrhea worse.  You may need to go very low carb for a while until the diarrhea is under control, then gradually reintroduce carbs back into your diet. If that doesn’t help, you could try eating "constipating" foods (which, ironically enough, are very high in carbohydrates) like bread, rice, and ripe bananas. Hopefully one of those will work for you, or at least make the diarrhea infrequent enough as to be tolerable.  I still get it to this day (at least a few times a week), but I can manage it.  I consider it a small sacrifice for the benefits I’ve gotten from met. As a last resort, you might try going off met for a while to let your system rest.  Low-carb while you aren’t taking the met.  See if your digestive system gets back under control (just in case there is something *other than* the met which is causing your diarrhea), then very gradually reintroduce it; maybe just taking it every other day at first. Good luck! Reb TTC 10 yrs+ PCOS diagnosed 7/99 Started metformin 8/99 – 2500mg/day Fertility restored 9/99 Normal labs 10/99 Conceived first baby 11/99 EDD 8/11/00

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Bolted1 wrote: > Hi, > Well, my 2+ years of being a pest have paid off.  I have finally been > prescribed a six month trial period on Met.  Here is my question.  The Dr. has > serious misgivings, and has never put a PCOer on Met, but I have finally worn > her down.  She has prescribed 250mg twice a day.  My question to all of you is: > has anyone had any positive results on such a low dose?  She says that she > wants to take it really slow, but I am afraid that is just toooo slow.  I will > be going off of my birth control pills tomorrow, and starting the med in 2 > weeks.  What dosage do most of you find it took to get results?  By the way, I > am not TTC, just want to protect my health, get off BCP, and maybe lose a few > pounds.  My fasting insulin is 37 and my glucose is 86, so I am definately IR. > Teresa

I had no results on 1500.  Not even weightloss help.  I’ve met Dr. Perloe and Dr. Glueck at a PCO conference.  Both stated that 2550 seems to the standard.  I needed 2550! Katharin — Katharina dav…@german-usa.com 35/5.9/C0-nt/met2550 262(March 15,99)/218

Response:

> prescribed a six month trial period on Met.  Here is my question.  The Dr. has > serious misgivings, and has never put a PCOer on Met, but I have finally worn > her down.  She has prescribed 250mg twice a day.  My question to all of you is: > has anyone had any positive results on such a low dose?  She says that she

I didn’t even know they *made* such a low dose pill!  I thought 500mg was the smallest. In my opinion, that probably won’t help you much, but it’s good to *start* low and work your way up.  I started at 500mg/day, then added 500mg each week until I was 2000mg/day.  I stayed there a couple of months, then went to 2500mg/day. Since I was not having my blood tested regularly during that time (didn’t have a very good doctor yet at that point), I don’t know how the different dosages affected my hormones, insulin, lipids, etc.  The only thing I can base the effectiveness on is my appetite and weight loss. At 500mg/day, there was no effect.  At 1000-1500mg/day, I had a slight decrease in appetite, and lost a couple of pounds.  At 2000mg/day, I suddenly had a dramatic decrease in appetite, and quickly lost nearly 20 pounds (and my period came by itself).  At that point I had switched doctors, so he did the blood work I needed.  All of my levels (insulin, triglycerides, testosterone, estrogen) had become normal except for my cholesterol, which was lower, but still just a tad high (220).  Based on that, my doctor upped me to 2500mg/day.  Haven’t retested yet. I had side-effects for just a few weeks after starting metformin.  After that, I had absolutely no problem with it. Taking the lowest effective dosage of metformin is a good idea, because it is not without its risks.  But then again, there is no point in taking it at all if it is not *doing* anything for you.  Insist on lab tests to see how you are progressing. Good luck, and way to go on wearing that doctor down! Reb TTC 10 yrs+ PCOS diagnosed 7/99 Started metformin 8/99 – 2500mg/day Fertility restored 9/99 Normal labs 10/99 Conceived first baby 11/99 EDD 8/11/00

Response:

Hi, Well, my 2+ years of being a pest have paid off.  I have finally been prescribed a six month trial period on Met.  Here is my question.  The Dr. has serious misgivings, and has never put a PCOer on Met, but I have finally worn her down.  She has prescribed 250mg twice a day.  My question to all of you is: has anyone had any positive results on such a low dose?  She says that she wants to take it really slow, but I am afraid that is just toooo slow.  I will be going off of my birth control pills tomorrow, and starting the med in 2 weeks.  What dosage do most of you find it took to get results?  By the way, I am not TTC, just want to protect my health, get off BCP, and maybe lose a few pounds.  My fasting insulin is 37 and my glucose is 86, so I am definately IR. Teresa

Response:

>She has prescribed 250mg twice a day.  My question to all of you is: >has anyone had any positive results on such a low dose?  She says that she >wants to take it really slow, but I am afraid that is just toooo slow.

My doctor started me on 1 500 mg. pill once a day.  I saw good results with that little.  6 months later, he put me on 2 500 mg pills a day. and still more results…. Now, a year later I started 3 500 mg. pills a day and for the first time I am having real side effects.  Whoa I have not been this nauseous in a long time…… On 500 mg, I had a little gassy crampy feeling.  On 1000 mg, I had some cramping and diarrhea.  On 1500 it is nausea.  No vomiting, just queasiness after eating.   I say go with the least dose and keep with it until you hit a plateau then raise it, and keep going.  That is what we have done and it is working well for me.   Tracy

Response:

I haven’t. Most that I’ve heard got relief started at 1500 a day, to 2000 to 2250 a day. Again the hearing is 500 first week (or two if the effects are bad), 1000 the 2nd, 1500 the third. Or substitute the equivalent 850 mg. pill in. Best of luck and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Victoria – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Bolted1 wrote: > Hi, > Well, my 2+ years of being a pest have paid off.  I have finally been > prescribed a six month trial period on Met.  Here is my question.  The Dr. has > serious misgivings, and has never put a PCOer on Met, but I have finally worn > her down.  She has prescribed 250mg twice a day.  My question to all of you is: > has anyone had any positive results on such a low dose?  She says that she > wants to take it really slow, but I am afraid that is just toooo slow.  I will > be going off of my birth control pills tomorrow, and starting the med in 2 > weeks.  What dosage do most of you find it took to get results?  By the way, I > am not TTC, just want to protect my health, get off BCP, and maybe lose a few > pounds.  My fasting insulin is 37 and my glucose is 86, so I am definately IR. > Teresa

Response:

Dear Tracy, Hi. I really hope u can help me. I need an answer. My doctor don’t want to prescribe me Metformin cuz she said I am not diabetic. Can I take Metformin if I’m not diabetic? How much I should take for a start without doctor prescription? My symptoms are getting so worse since I stop taking Diane-35 6 months ago. The AN is getting darker and rougher and the hair growth drives me crazy. Thanks Monica – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Tracyarts wrote: > >She has prescribed 250mg twice a day.  My question to all of you is: > >has anyone had any positive results on such a low dose?  She says that she > >wants to take it really slow, but I am afraid that is just toooo slow. > My doctor started me on 1 500 mg. pill once a day.  I saw good results with > that little.  6 months later, he put me on 2 500 mg pills a day. and still more > results…. Now, a year later I started 3 500 mg. pills a day and for the first > time I am having real side effects.  Whoa I have not been this nauseous in a > long time…… > On 500 mg, I had a little gassy crampy feeling.  On 1000 mg, I had some > cramping and diarrhea.  On 1500 it is nausea.  No vomiting, just queasiness > after eating. > I say go with the least dose and keep with it until you hit a plateau then > raise it, and keep going.  That is what we have done and it is working well for > me. > Tracy

Response:

Filed under: PCOS Diet

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