What have been people's experience with Metformin/Glucopage?

[Anonymous]

I have been really sick and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions to help ease the side effects. My doctor switched me to the extended release version. Is this better?

[Anonymous]

Have you just started taking it? I know that I had to slowly increase the dosage to reduce the side effects. I think it took about 3 weeks to get to the full dosage. I was doing the extended release. It took about 4 months for the side effects to wear off.

[Anonymous]

Same experience as PP. Amp up from low dosage to the maximum your doc wants you to take to ease side effects and ER tabs definitely made a difference for me. Gastro side effects were brutal but subsided after a few months. And I started O-ing regularly and eventually got pregnant. Hang in there!

[Anonymous]

I had the same experience and almost gave up on it, but we stayed on the lowest ER dose for a couple of weeks then eventually I was able to tolerate the full dose after about 4-5 weeks. Also, I followed an "insulin resistant" or "low glycemic index" diet and lost 25 lbs, and now my ovaries are working on their own, and we are hopeful about getting pregnant without clomid or injectables, but we'll move on to that if it doesn't happen in 6 months. Hang in there

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I had been on the regular kind for about 4 weeks. I started out for a week at the lower dose and then started taking the full dose. However, the side effects were so bad that all I could stomach was dry toast and some soup. I spoke to the doctor and they switched me to a ER version. I am on the lower dose of that now. I will have to work up to the full dose. I do feel better already with the ER version. I am going to check out the insulin resistant diets. Did anyone have trouble with dairy or having olive oil on your salad? I found that made my side effects worse. But it could have just been the side effects and there was no relation. I was wondering if anyone had the same experience. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Oh, OP, it was unkind of your endo or RE (or whoever prescribed it) not to have given you the ER to begin with. My endo gave me ER and I started with 1 pill/day, made it up to 3, then switched to the regular. The rest is history--it has made a huge difference in my life. Weight loss, ovulation...and I took it through my first trimester of pregnancy per the insistence of my endo who believes that it is essential in reducing the risk of miscarriage in women with PCOS to that of an average woman.

[Anonymous]

Hello,
I went and saw an OBGYN and she prescribed me 500ml of metformin, and I've been shitting like crazy! I only take one pill in the afternoon and one pill in the evening. I've been on it for a good week and a half, and next week I'm upping my doseage. Already, my skin hasn't broken out but one or two pimples but this is within the last two or three days. I'm loving my skin, but I haven't lost any weight. If you have any questions about my symptoms and what I'm going through, just let me know. My email is [e-mail]. I also ordered a lubrication that doesn't harm sperm! Its call Pre' Seed or something like that! Its a five star lube and it feels so natural! You can get it on drugstore.com or amazon. We're hoping for conception by April! Good luck to you all!