I have an appointment with my doctor on Friday. I am going to take an article about PCOS and met. in the hopes that she will feel comfortable prescribing the med for me.

I went to my RE for it 2 years ago, but I had a hard time remembering to take it 3 times a day. Does anyone have any info on the long acting kind?

Any experience with the long acting kind?

Are metformin and Glucophage the same thing (generic form?) or are they totally different meds?

Thanks, I appreciate all input in this area.
Elizabeth2

Hi

Glucophage is met -- same thing.

I have just recently been put on glucophage xr (long lasting) 500 mg -- be sure and take with a full meal. I have had some tummy upsets with it, like in the middle of the night.

From what I am understanding is that the long lasting is slowly released into your body over a 24 hour period and helps in morning sugars being more stable.

I was taking 1/2 500 mg in morning and again with dinner (I had begun with half that dosage) upping my meds after two weeks to adjust. The doctor reminded me I could have stomach upset so I am trying to eat dinner early and eat about half, then take med and eat rest. It also says to drink a full glass of water with the pill -- if you forget to take it I would eat something like chicken thighs to really cushion your stomach as a snack.

Ruth and Doreen have also given lots of good information on this.

I am keeping track of my sugars and am to call the doctor in three weeks with a report to see if we need to do any adjusting and then will go in at 2 months for hba1c.

Keep us posted on how you are doing.

Debi

I had my appointment on Friday, and she prescribed the gluc. xr. She gave me a prescription for 120 days worth (that's how much I need to get due to insurance reasons). Anyway, the dosage amount is 500mg per day.

Is this the usual dosage? I was under the impression that the med was started slowly, however the goal was to increase the dosage amount to ~1500 mg per day over the course of 2 months or so.

If this is the case, 500 mg for 120 days seems a bit slow.

What to my fellow PCOSers think?

Elizabeth2

Hello everyone, this is my first posting, and I don't know if it would make a difference...but when I called to inquire about the laser surgery the drs said they may go away indefinately, but he could not guarantee permanent removal because it was a hormonal problem. Like I've read a few posts before, thanks a lot pcos!!!

Hi Elizabeth,

I think that is like a beginning dosage of the xr. You take it once a day, of an evening, and it is slowly released into your system over 24 hours.

It can be upped, but the lower dosage gives you a chance to adjust to it and see how your body will tolerate it. Watch for stomach upsets and take it with a meal helps. Also drink plenty of water, that also helps.

I'm speaking as a diabetic, so I'm not too sure how it affects PCOS, but I began to take 500 mg xr and have had upset stomach, so that is one reason I feel they might have started you on that dosage, plus that may be the lowest dosage of the xr.

I hope this helps some.

Debi

I have been LCing since 4/2, and I haven't lost ANY weight! In fact, when I began, I actually shot up 4 pounds. I started at 200, went up to 204, and settled to 199, but it is not like I am actually in weight-loss mode. That is basically where I started! I don't understand it because my jeans are fitting better, although I wouldn't say there is much of a difference in my clothes overall. I am feeling good, though.

I am majorly discouraged because I've had very few replies to my journal posts and I don't know what else to do. I don't usually discourage easily, but it's been 21 days, and I think I should be seeing SOMETHING by now. That's why I decided to post here today instead of my journal.

I have been taking my met faitfully after dinner each night. The only time it bothers me, however, is immediately after I eat my first meal of the day...I have to excuse myself right away to the ladies room. (sorry it it's too much detail)

If I am not consuming enough calories, and my body is in starvation mode, how long can it last like that? Won't my perseverance eventually win out?

My journal has a lot better info as to how and what I am doing each day, this is only meant to be a quick summary of my progress, or lack thereof.

Although I'm not hungry or even craving carbs at this time, I feel like grabbing a bag of chips or something bad and saying the heck with it then. I know it will just hurt me in the long run, but as I've said several times, I'm discouraged and frustrated.....

OK, first things first, the scale budged, albeit not much. This morning, I weighed in at 198 or 198.5. I have been 199 for the longest time. That is a step in the right direction.

The second miracle of all miracles is that AF stopped by yesterday. She only stayed for a very brief visit, but she was definately in town!

What makes this so cool is that she hasn't shown her face since DECEMBER 2001! No sign whatsoever. I have been LCing since around 4/2, and on met. since 4/12 (today is the 13th day).

What this shows me is that my insulin is functioning normally, or at least beginning to. I never ever get AF w/o provera, and last year when I began to LC, (after 3 months LCing) I got the first spontaneous one in my adult life. I had 4 more after that, but by then I was really off the LC wagon, and she stopped coming by.

This excites me because I know I'm on the right track. I think it explains the mood I was in for the last few days, as well. As I said in my last post, it was very unlike me to be so down.

And the third thing to be psyched about is that I am wearing my size 18 jeans today. I had been stuck in my size 20's, and they were really sagging and falling down, so I tried these on this morning, and they actually fit and felt comfy. Very cool!

Hi Elizabeth --

You might want to take some measurements because it is very possible you are losing inches and not pounds. You don't usually lose both at the same time.

Your faithfulness to the program will pay off --many lose slower -- especially those of us who are insullin resistant.

Make sure you do eat enough and getting enough fat, water, rest and taking your vitamins.

I've been dealing with some health issues and the scales are the same since January when I began, but I feel better and I've lost inches -- the pounds will eventually move -- I guess for me the feeling better and seeing blood sugar level out is the most encouraging for me.

You take care and keep up the good work and keep us posted on how you are doing.

Debi