Metformin

[annnsandell]

Can we discuss Metformin? Appears to me that many women have higher male hormones (of course) after menopause and there might be a link to Levothyroxine not working as well after menopause. Weight gain or harder to lose weight, thickening etc. and higher sugar levels also appears to come with age and particularly with Thyroid problems or lack of natural Thyroid hormones. Some studies in USA are saying that Metformin has beneficial effects which I can understand given the success in lowing male hormones with Polycystic Ovaries. How say you? Anyone on Metformin?

[Rapunzel]

rxlist.com/consumer_metform...

Side effects of metformin include:

physical weakness (asthenia)

diarrhea.

gas (flatulence)

symptoms of weakness, muscle pain (myalgia)

upper respiratory tract infection.

low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

abdominal pain (GI complaints), lactic acidosis (rare)

low blood levels of vitamin B-12.

More items... I bet there are.

Some studies have found evidence that insulin resistance may be the result of auto immune issues. Ah great. Take metformin for diabetes II and feel even more of the above symptoms - many of them typical hypo symptoms. I will be so disappointed if I become diabetic and it's the one thing I might try a VLC diet to reverse, if ever diabtes II comes calling for my sorry ass. Said with fingers well and truly crossed and a weakness for chocolate only rarely indulged.

Can't ever see a situation where taking more pharma drugs will leave me feeling better, although I note with some rancour that Metformin is being mooted as the new feel good live longer drug, now statins have been kicked overboard.🙄

[annnsandell in reply to Rapunzel]

[G2G2]

I'd stay away from Metformin. Guess Big Pharma doesn't have enough T2 diabetic consumers & needs to increase it's windfall from Metformin. A great article on the risks hormonesmatter.com/metformi....

[annnsandell in reply to G2G2]

Thanks that is interesting, need to see these studies referred to. If only Levothyroxine actually worked properly many other problems might disappear.

[G2G2 in reply to annnsandell]

Yes, if only!

[Treepie]

Metformin is standard prescription for Type 2 diabetes which I have but I am trying to treat by low carb diet to avoid any more meds.

[annnsandell in reply to Treepie]

Unfortunately that doesn't work for me. Even no carbs or sugar but that just makes a mess of my stomach.

[alannalifts]

Just my anecdotal experience: I was on Metformin for about a year for PCOS when I was 17/18 years old (this was several years before I had a lot of trouble with fatigue and was diagnosed with hypothyroidism). At first, it seemed to help with a little weight loss (maybe five pounds - but I was also very active at that time) and regulating my periods. Then I stopped getting my periods again and my weight went back up, and I also started getting extremely tired - I would sleep for 10-12 hours every night, and still be exhausted when I woke up. At the suggestion of a uni doctor, I stopped taking it until I had another appointment with my endocrinologist. He blamed the fatigue on stress, and told me to get back on it (and lose 5 lbs by the next time I saw him...). When I started taking it again, I had an immediate (within a few hours) and extreme drop in energy levels. After a couple times of this, I stopped taking it (and never saw that endocrinologist again) - especially since it wasn't effective at improving my PCOS symptoms.

I'm not sure why I had this reaction to it since my endocrinologist never ran any tests. It is known to lower B vitamin levels (can't remember if it's a specific B vitamin), and it's also possible it dropped my blood sugar too low. These days I do well on a Paleo-ish diet - still getting a reasonable amount of carbs from starchy vegetables - and I also take myo inositol to help with blood sugar and other PCOS symptoms. There are also other supplements that can lower blood sugar with fewer side effects - e.g., cinnamon, chromium, and berberine - although the later can impact gut flora, if I remember correctly. That said, other women with PCOS seem to do well on Metformin.