Metformin for PCO not PCOS - is this right?

[Sunshine92]

Hi lovely ladies,

I had an appt with NHS gynae yesterday r.e infertility. I have been TTC for 14months, all blood tests normal, hysteroscopy normal, ultrasound scan normal apart from polycsistic ovaries. He has put me on the waiting list for a HSG as this is the final piece to the investigation puzzle for now.

I’m 5ft 3, weigh 8st 3lbs, and have not got PCOS as I have regular 30 day cycles, not overweight or hairy etc. From tracking my temps and follicle tracking scans i do know that my ovulation can be a bit sporadic, mostly day 21 but last month day 16 and this month currently day 23 and havent ovulated at all!

Because both my parents have type 2 diabetes, he said i may have ‘the gene’ and metformin has been shown to help women with polycystic ovaries who are trying to concieve by regulating the amount of insulin in the blood, in turn getting the ovaries to work more efficiently and hoping to regulate ovulation in my case. He has not tested my blood sugars.

The more i think about it the more questions i have; as this is a drug used to help diabetes will be presumably normal blood sugar dip lower therefore I need to be mindful of this? Im very slim anyway and I hear the drug can also make you loose weight, is this ok for me?

Dr not concerned thinks its the best thing for me and if this doesnt work we will try clomid. Has anyone got any experience / wisdom? xx

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I was started on metformin as I have PCOS it didn’t help me conceive unfortunately but when I went for IVF and got a BFP my fertility consultant told me to continue this through pregnancy too. It also didn’t cause me to lose weight. My periods were a little irregular so this did help to regulate me xx

[E_05]

I go was started on metformin as I have PCOS, it didn’t help me conceive naturally either but I do think it helped with me ovulating. I’ve recently got a BFP from a natural FET and have been told il stay on it throughout my pregnancy x

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi Sunshine92. I don’t know if you know much about how Metformin works, but I will explain as simply as I can, with apologies if you already know. People who are diabetic (I realise you are not) - are treated in 3 different ways – diet, tablets (Metformin) or insulin injections. Women who are not ovulating properly and/or do not have regular periods and who are overweight, are often prescribed Metformin. The reason being is that they often have an excess of insulin in their body cells. Because of this the glands in the brain that control ovulation, the pituitary and the hypothalamus cannot get their message through to the ovaries to get them to ovulate properly. Metformin “mops up” the excess insulin to allow the messages to get through. Often it can regulate periods, but ovulation still does not occur. This is when a drug called Clomid is often introduced as well to hopefully ensure ovulation occurs. Metformin allows Clomid to do its job more efficiently.

It all sounds very complicated, but the mechanics of the idea work well. Of course this treatment does not work with every woman, and there is always the possibility that IVF or similar treatments may be required.

Diane

[Sunshine92 in reply to DianeArnold]

Thanks Diane! That was really helpful!

I vaguely understand how it might help, im just thrown by the fact I dont have PCOS and i’m only 8stone so definitely dont need to lose weight. Im presuming the effects of the drug will still be helpful in maybe regulating my ovulation? I was just thrown by them offering me metformin as I thought they would suggest clomid x

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK in reply to Sunshine92]

It can work for slim people too. Diane

[Lamb82]

Hi. You could of been describing me as I too had no symtoms and am slim and healthy but still went on metformin and was on it for 3 years!! It took a bit to get used to as did reduce my appetite at first but I was luckythat it settled down. It wint make your blood sugar dip only ibsulin can do this so dont worry on that front. Honestly not sure it made a huge difference to my fertility but after I started it we did keep get pregnant from icsi but had recurrent miscarriage (different issues ). Anyway we did get a little fighter that stuck and I got gestational diabetes and metformin really helped keep this under control. I think pco is a warning sign for GD and type 2 generally.

[Sunshine92 in reply to Lamb82]

Thank you so much for your reply! Really helpful. I’m clinging on to any little hope at the moment and if i set myself another goal of this for 4months in my head im at least working towards something. Nothing else to lose 😊 xx

[Lamb82 in reply to Sunshine92]

I found goal setting helpful as well as keeping trying everything as you never know what will work! Good luck and fingers crossed for you. Like you say nothing to lose and everything to gain. Xx