Working with a nutritionist. He says to try metformin. I am petrified - honestly. I was on bc before my diagnosis and it made everything worse - that was about six years ago now. Been trying to stay away from drugs because I am so scared that it will get worse... but I want to lose weight and have a normal cycle and I’ve heard it helps.
Posted Feb 1, 2022, 3:21 AM UTC
Just because one drug didn't help you doesn't mean all drugs are bad. Metformin is a legitimate treatment for pcos and worth trying. However! I would try inositol first, because it similarly addresses insulin resistance and has fewer side effects. It is a supplement that you can get over the counter.
I never said they were all bad. I’m just stating that I’m afraid of pills due to having had issues with them in the past.
Ok, well my point was that you are generalizing.
Hey, so I'm the same as you. I came off the pill and instantly vowed to never, EVER go back on it. It changed everything about me, every brand. It even totally changed my personality.
My endocrinologist is also certified in function medicine, which means he believes in treating the root cause of an issue, not just the side effects. He is very against the pill for PCOS because all it does is help mask the side effects. We worked together on everything diet and lifestyle related first, and only then did we consider medication, since he prefers to use as little medication as possible.
He told me that metformin is as good of a drug as it comes, and that he would be happy with his own family taking it. There are a lot of great studies about how metformin not only helps your insulin resistance, but also decreases your risk of various cancers. If your PCOS is because of insulin resistance, metformin can be really helpful, and it is treating the actual CAUSE of your PCOS, which is good.
Personally, I had no major side effects from it at all. I did have the stomach issues when I was on instant release, but switched to extended release and these went away after a few weeks. My periods became more regular on it, I had more energy, and it also stopped me gaining weight so quickly the second I eat one bad thing, so a lot of positives for me personally.
Thank you. This is very comforting. I trust those in functional medicine... so I appreciate this.
Studies show it helps, but whether it helps for you is another story. Metformin isn't going to make your pcos worse, if anything... it just won't help. I have heard that people get a few weeks of digestion upset, but then it eases off. It's up to you if you want to try it or not, but you don't have to be on it if you don't want. You can give it a shot, and if it isn't for you, try something else.