Metformin and Weight Loss with PCOS?
back in 2008, I was about 137 lbs, 5 ft 4.
I started feeling so horrible, I never had acne but my face was covered in acne some how, I tried acne free, proactive, every face wash in the markets. and worst of all, I was never a hairy person but I started getting feet, and stomach hair! one week I gained 10lbs, I was shocked, I was eating no more, 3 months laters I gained another 30 lbs and so on! by 2010 I was over 180lbs I was so scared, I was like if I’m gaining weight like this monthly, imagine how I’d look in a few years!
I went to the doctors and had a blood test, he said I had an underactive thyroid, I took another one a month later, I had high testosterone levels, and 2 scans, I finally knew I had PCOS.
so thankfully I caught my pcos quite quickly before I got any more symptoms.
he gave me METFORMIN, 1000mg a day.I’ve been on it for 2 weeks, my face is clear!!! No acne, I feel AMAZING, I’ve been told I look like I’ve lost a lot of weight, I feel like my old self! I have lost 8lbs in 2 weeks, and I’ve not been dieting actually I’ve been eating so much candy… minus the symptoms of dirreareah (sp), sweating, dizziness… before the doctor gave me the pills he said I would have drastic rapid weight loss… did anyone loose weight on them also with PCOS?
I’m 18 years old, female if that matters!
thanks SO much for answers. very appreciated!
August 10th, 2011 at 8:25 am
Sounds like my story. I am 5ft 4 and was 130. I went up to 180 and wasnt eating terribly, I was so confused till I got Diagnosed with PCOS.
It takes 1500mg-2000mg over a period of 3-6 months to start seeing improvements and to loose weight. Metformin helps with insulin resistance and weight loss BIG time. In about a year your symptoms should be under control. 30% ovulate with weight loss and Metformin alone. You should go on birthcontrol pills. This will lower your male hormones, give your ovaries a break and help make the unwanted hair go away. It is important you have a regular cycle too. Prevents cancer and also the BCP prevents more cysts on your ovaries. When you are ready for kids you will go off the birth control pill and try for them. 70% of PCOS women need clomid. Most ovulate the third cycle BUT have been on Met for about 6 months or more and their BMI is under 25%. Dont worry you can have kids with a Drs help. 🙂
I also took a 1 credit weight training course at the college. It showed me how to excercise effectivly. All the stuff I learned was like recieving the holy grail for weight loss. LOL It also didnt cost much.
Heres the food to look for. Lean meats, veggies, fruit, wheat or whole grain bread and pasta products (you need carbs, whole grain is good carbs, they slowly release glucose), skim milk, low fat yogurt and for your sweet tooth, low surgar products, like jelly or surgar free wafers and dried fruit helps. Try also getting low fat not non fat products. (higher sodium in non fat products, ya need a little fat it helps fight cravings) You can get diet frozen meals that have no pasta in them for meals at work or on the go. The whole grain bread products will help fill you up too. Buy a multi vitamin, B complex, calcuim and fish oil. If pills make you sick, I take flintstones, fish gummys for brain health, and oscal for calcium. Folic acid , b complex and Metformin are the only pills I need to take. This will reduce cravings, and might as well, they are good for ya, couldnt hurt. 🙂
Try to cut down on white. Like surgar, bleached flour, mayonaise, ranch dressing, cheese sauce white bread and pastas. Parsnips are high on the glysemic index. Also try to cook with olive oil and different blends of spices. I have a blend for each type of meat for example. You can also season with veggies too. I say this so you have variety. 🙂
For breakfast I have wheat toast with low surgar jelly, a little bit of butter or a wheat begal with low fat cream cheese (warmed) and or a peice of fruit or yogurt. I make a lot of salads. I love advacados so I put them in my sandwiches and salads or a topping on meat and eggs. I also add tomatoes since I hate dry sandwiches. Dinner is lean seasoned meat cooked with an onion, little olive oil and water, with a veggie and whole grain. I try to make 50% of my portions veggies or fruits. The 50% dairy meat and grain.
The South beach diet and the Glysemic index diet is good for you. I mean that the types of foods in the diet are the ones you should aim for. Foods that dont release a bunch of glucose quickly. More like a slow release.