I was put on Glucophage before I became pregnant last year. My OB doctor took me off during pregnancy and breast feeding. Now I am supposed to be back on. But I haven't taken it since I started LCing. I thought it would be too much to do both. Should I still be taking it? The only symptom I have is obesity and too much testosterone in my blood. My blood sugar levels are always in the normal range, I don't have a problem with hair, no visible (through ultra sound) cysts on my ovaries ect.

My doctor is very lax about it, and only put me back on because I asked him too. I am only on 500 (1500 before pregnancy), and I have a refill for 6 months. He doesn't plan on upping it, and I don't have a follow up appointment. Don't get me wrong, he is not a bad doctor. I work with him in the O.R. and he talks to me at work when ever I need to (saves me an office visit).

Will it help me in my weight loss strugles to continue taking it, even if I am eating LC? That is my major question. Thanks!

Good Question..I will tell you what I am doing...I am no medical expert but maybe it will help.

I have been on Glucophage for about a year. I do not have any cysts apparent through transvaginal ultrasound, I do have light facial hair growth beginning, and hair on other parts of the body - my testerone levels flucuate a bit wildly, I have in the last 8 years just packed on the weight despite low-fat and lots of exercise, I have not been pregnant, but, I take 1500 of Glucophage XR a day to help even out periods blood sugar reactions...my levels are usually in the normal range. From what I have been reading this is somewhat typical in PCOS patients and then bang suddenly they are in diabetic land.. ( I think the book So Your Doctor Says You Have PCOS explains this bit -- it is not at my house currently but I will check it out, I left it at my folks for them to read). My doctor has me on it to prevent diabetes from developing...however, I have recently have begun the Schwarzbein Prinicple wol and am hopeful to get off the medication. My doctor is in complete support of that happening if I can get the weight down and the other internal numbers shift (Schwarzbein works on healing metabolisim and insulin/hormonal issues) so my ultimate goal would be to get off it. Some people lose weight on this medication-- I am not one of them. I am only now seeing the beginnings of scale movement in a downward trend since starting this eating plan. I tried other low glycemic options in hopes that it would work but it did not....sounds a bit rambley but I hope it helps. I will also look in the book again because I think that is the book that explains this and I was surprised by that bit of information.

Not really an answer but, at least some information on another person and their current plan. I guess if the low carbing is working for you and you are not worried about the other issues maybe it is not necessary for you...did you go on it to help with fertility issues? Maybe it helps you regulate your cycles or perhaps it is being used to prevent possible diabetes?

Good Luck and I will look up that other information for you.

Drama

I have all the PCOS books, but have never seen that book "So Your Doctor Says You Have PCOS". Where did you get it? Its not available on Amazon.

DramaDame~
Thank you for sharing your experience. Yes, I was put on it to help become pregnant. I only found out I had PCOS due to fertility issues. I am VERY worried about becoming diabetic. My blood sugar has always been in the normal range, even while I was pregnant Thank God. I think I will see if my library has that book you are talking about.

It is a new book this year but, I actually found it at my local Half Price books...surprise...I will look at the authors and email them to you...do the other books mention the glucose level thing...normal range and then suddenly it is in diabetic range?

My doctor is scheduling an appointment with an endo who specializes in gyno issues...do you have an option like that at your disposal? Everything I have read indicates a endo is needed so I am excited about getting this referral.
DramaDame

I was wondering, how long were you on glucophage before your cycles became some what regular?! and how long before you were pregnant.
I was recently put on metformin (generic glucophage) for fertility problems, and I am hopeful that it will work for me!
I am really happy to hear success stories!! and keep up the good LC success too!!

Also remember that blood glucose levels are not a good indicator of insulin resistance. What you need is an insulin test, particularly a glucose tolerance test.

I have very good blood sugar (in fact I'm low a lot of the time) but my insulin is WAY up there. It's the high insulin that causes trouble with IR, not so much the glucose (unless you're type 2 diabetic). The metformin will help with the insulin levels.

....when you quit glucophage, anyway?

Erin

I am finding this ever so interesting. I am grossly obese and not through lack of will to diet, although I do think my current doctor thought that , BUT she did try all sorts of things before I enlightened her into my complete life history. She has agreed it certainly sounds as though I had classic POC before I had Gynae work performed to stop some symptoms and placed on steroids to cease others.
Like some of you peope on here, my BSL's always seem normal, but I have the other symptoms, sleepiness after meals and upto the toilet 3-4 times a night.
Honestly I have just returned, with much determination to LC'ing, and have lost 11 Kg's as at this morning. LC'ing by itself had slowed and I had started to put weight back on, however, the other day I returned to the Metformin the Doctor had prescribed and weight loss is again happening.
Anyway, the long and the short of this post is to say THANK YOU you have answered the insulin issues question for me. This does leave me wondering if others have issues of weight Yo-Yoing whilst on Metformin or if this should now be a steady weight loss??

...I'll repeat it. Mostly because the reproductive endocrinologist said it, too...

Tests don't always show everything. I went to at least three GPs before I referred myself to an endocrinologist. *I* knew something was wrong. And I *KNEW* something was wrong. Despite what The Tests Said.

It is very hard to be persistant and very easy to be demoralized. Doctors are impatient people, and I suspect insurance companies really lean on them to keep costs down.

If it helps, this is what I did... first, a lot of research on the internet. Lots of bad info out there, to be sure, but plenty of good stuff, too. Especially on this forum. Then I wrote a letter, took it to my GP, who ordered some blood tests and an ultrasound, then ordered some more blood tests (that I did not have done). Then told me that there was something abnormal, but nothing to worry about unless I had pain, in which case she would refer me to a GYN.

So back to the research. I started entering search text into google.com to learn about the various body systems that affect or can be affected by insulin and testosterone. This is how I learned more about the specialty of endocrinology. I already knew about PCOS, had been tested for it and told I didn't have it, then subsequently had two kids, which reinforced that notion, since most people treat their PCOS to solve infertility problems.

However, the other symptoms persisted and worsened, so I searched the web again for endocrinologists in my area and came across an office of reproductive endocrinology at umich. This is where my location is also my good fortune: to have such a large and respected university hospital nearby. This new doctor performed many of the same tests, plus a few new ones to rule out adrenal problems, and didn't come up with anything new.

The difference? He knows that The Tests don't always tell everything. All of the outward signs are there, and you read the writing on the wall. So after an hour long interview with him, I went back to the internet, where I discovered the link between PCOS and low carb diet. I put myself on this diet and lost 17lbs before my next visit with the endocrinologist.

THe man was overjoyed. He said, "You are very smart." I think he must see a lot of people who expect him to solve their problems without dictating a change in lifestyle. We all know it doesn't work that way, but sometimes it takes a pointer in the right direction to get started.

I see skinny women everywhere, since Ann Arbor is a college town. I see them chowing down on dim sum, ice cream, donuts and it's hard not to get upset at how "unfair" this is. Then I remind myself fairness has nothing to do with it. Some people's genes are programmed to "conserve" -- in times of lean resources, it was our ancestors who survived while all those skinny people and their high metabolisms burned up (metaphorically speaking). In our modern society, those genes are less necessary but no less robust, pun intended.

So now the best part of my low carb diet is not feeling guilty when i feel like eating half a package of bacon, even if I can't have the potatoes or the toast.

Erin

I remember when I started this search, for me it was nearly 23 years ago. The Endocrinologist I saw at that time said "yes your hormones are not normal BUT I will not treat you" I then asked how unwell and abnormal I had to feel? How hairy I had to get before he would treat me?, to which he replied " alot worse than you are now. Listen girlie, (and don't think I didn't see red and felt patronised) go, and have some electrolysis, that helps and be happy." Girlie I was not at age 27 but I felt there was nothing to be done. So biting my tongue and fighting back tears I left his rooms.
Over the years I have felt unlistened to and dismissed as neurotic. It was not until I started my own searches, just like Erin, that I got anything done and that was by a local G.P. who also was not a big fan of laboratory results. When faced with the evidence her attitude was you seem to have this, lets treat and see what difference it makes. AND it did for a while, then I hit a brick wall and she felt unable to help anymore and my weight crept back on dispite LCing. At that stage I gave up when, I was told by a very different list then, to stop tomatoes as it was probably those which was causing my plateau and gains, now it seems it was the IR after all.
Six years later and weighing more and being depressed as well, BUT ever so determined, I again searched and armed with the available liturature paid my local G.P. a visit. Best thing i ever did, I got what I needed, just the wrong diet to go with it. MY own stoopidity.
Hey that was the past, today is today and the medical profession has become more enlightened, wether it be by research or patients who research for them, it does not matter. What matters is treatment and our weight loss success ensures that those who follow us through their doors maybe listened to and understood, treated with respect and adequately medicated.

Gosh, I am sorry to hear that so many of you have had trouble getting your dr. to listen to you.

The second time I saw my new dr. I told him that I could not stay wake in the afternoon, had been having screwed up periods and my acne was getting worse. Then, after hearing that I had elevated blood sugar during my last pregnancy and that it took us 3 1/2 yrs. to get pregnant, the first thing out of his mouth was POCS.

I take 500 mg. glucophage. I feel better but it hasn't helped my loose weight. I started LC-ing 5 days ago and have lost 4 1/2 lbs. and have not had a nap in 5 days. I generally nap everyday.

Maybe there is hope of feeling better!

Rhonda