Metformin for insulin resistance

[Bearfam]

I have insulin resistance. I'm constantly hungry no matter what I eat. I'm overweight and on the pathway for bariatric surgery. To get the surgery I need to lose some weight mainly to demonstrate I'm committed. It's almost impossible to loose weight while feeling this hungry. I get shakey and struggle to concentrate, it's not that I just fancy eating.

I have an underactive thyroid and take an ssri so I think these things don't help with weight management for me.

I previously took metformin and it helped lots. I moved house and had to change GP and unfortunately they will not give me metformin. I've looked at the nice guidelines and they do say if a patient is unable to address their insulin resistance with diet and exercise. (which I'm not) metformin can be used.

So I feel like my GP is being needlessly difficult on this and not supporting me with what I know has worked. Especially as I'm not looking to take this for life I want to take it because I know it can help me lose weight (as I'll not be starving). I just wondered if anyone else had experience of taking metformin for insulin resistance or their GP being reluctant to prescribe it.

Thanks

[Hidden]

Do you have diabetes?

[Bearfam in reply to Hidden]

No I have insulin resistance which I've been told make me at risk of developing diabetes and means I'm prediabetic.

[nyonyo]

insulin resistance can be calculated by knowing your fasting insulin and fasting blood sugar (glucose), what are your numbers?

(fasting insulin x fasting glucose)/405 => us standard = mg/dL

(fasting insulin x fasting glucose)/22.5 => european mmolL/l

thebloodcode.com/homa-ir-ca...

If you think metformin helped a lot, why don't you just buy some, you don't need a doctor's prescription to get them

[Bearfam in reply to nyonyo]

Actually that's what I've just done! In the UK (I'm not sure where this site is based?) it is a prescription drug but you can buy from a website that uses a loophole.

[nyonyo in reply to Bearfam]

Metformin is the first line oral drug for type 2 diabetes/insulin resistance, it is very cheap and save as long as you don't have kidney failure (eGFR>30), i wonder you need a prescription to get it, even if it is a prescription drug you have every right to get it, because you have been diagnosed wih insulin resistance, tell your new GP that your old GP used to prescribe it, you deserve it, and millions of people around the world take it for their insulin resistance

[Bearfam]

I was also interested to know of others experience. As I wonder if my GP was being really difficult.

[Helsbells68]

Are you on a low carb or ketogenic diet as this can help with the hunger and insulin resistance? The shakiness and struggling to concentrate could be low blood sugar but without a blood glucose meter you cannot confirm this. My OH did the Newcastle Diet for a few weeks to kick start weight loss and we have been following a low card diet since. Take a look at dietdoctor.com/ it is a gold mine of information and recipes even if you are not yet diabetic.

[kayyak]

I know it's been two years since you commented about "insulin resistance" , I too had the same eat eat eat problem. I did some studying about it as I had this eating problem for more than 10 years and it was difficult to eat all the time.

In studying my problem I found it was, "Leptin resistance" that was the problem. I also found that a Metformin study on rats helped them to stop eating constantly. I asked my Dr. to allow me to try Met and VOILA it worked. I can now eat regular scheduled meals and don't feel the need to eat all the time. LEPTN RESTISTANCE. A Metformin Miracle for sure. I have my life back.

[Bearfam in reply to kayyak]

I know my post was years ago and your post several months ago. I just wanted to reply and update as I know sometimes these forums pop up when people are looking for answers.

So to update I had bariatric surgery 4 months ago (sleeve) I've lost around 50lb or 22 kg from a starting weight of 120kg. I'm full from less food but and this is a huge but. I still feel something isn't right regarding my hunger. I'm getting hungry after a few hours and feel hungry even after eating when I don't have any room for food. I'm very well hydrated and eating plenty of protein and it's not head hunger. So although I was told my insulin resistance would be solved by weight loss and surgery honestly I think it hasn't been.

In addition my surgeon said I had very little fat around my liver stomach etc. This was observed from the surgery when he was in there. I know that fat around the organs is often blamed for insulin resistance and diabetes.

I'm really in dispair as this surgery was supposed to fix this. So for 2 days now I've taken my old metformin tablets I had from prior to surgery. It early days and they do cause some gastric issues when you start but I'm noticeably less hungry. So I'll see how it goes...