Anyone know about Dr's or consultants prescribing metformin for endometriosis?

[Escapologygirl]

I recently got access to ALL my medical records from the consultants I had been referred to over the years and saw that in the past I had been prescribed metformin, altavita and amitryptaline at the same time by an endocrinologist. I presumed at the time it was for my underactive Thyroid and wasn't on it for long as I was extremely constipated and bloated. I have never been diabetic and my bloods always seem normal, i don't eat chocolate or sweets. I'm now on just pain meds and am shocked to hear of articles where metformin is being hailed as the new wonder drug for endometriosis. Has anyone ever been prescribed it and how did you get on?

[Purple_Badgers]

Wow! After reading your post, I went to read some of those articles regarding research on metformin for endometriosis. It cannot actually be prescribed for that use at the present time.

It seems that metformin has quite a few useful properties when it comes to endo, eg anti-inflammatory, reduction of lesions, prevention of the growth of new blood vessels supplying lesions, anti-oestrogen (but in a less aggressive way than other medications) etc etc

Sounds marvellous! Unfortunately, most studies so far have been on tissue samples or rats, with the human trials not being large enough to have truly significant results. They have reported that metformin therapy helped to reduce pain and even improved fertility.

I would love to know what more is currently being done to move metformin on to the list of drugs approved for the treatment of endometriosis. It doesn’t seem like safety is too much of an issue, as it is already well-established and widely used for diabetes and PCOS.

Cynical me wonders if endometriosis has been pushed to the back of the queue in terms of potential new applications for this drug, since they are also looking into its uses in the treatment and prevention of cancer and many other diverse conditions…

Maybe someone else on here knows more or has something to add?

[Escapologygirl in reply to Purple_Badgers]

Thank you so much for your reply and its weird reading those articles isn't it? It's like you said endometriosis just doesn't get the gravitas or government awareness it needs.