Metformin and weight loss

[Telpri]

Most of my family on my mother's side has some kind of health issues usually dealing with some form of diabetes, and I have throughout my life slowly gained weight no matter what (even frequent exercise and healthy diet) and being 5ft 8in and being nearly 280lbs makes life a little difficult.
Whenever I went to my nutritionist, all I normally got was a book with foods that I really only ate, and to stay away from sodas which I never had much of. I finally got some blood work done recently and received a letter stating that all the finished tests turned out at excellent levels, but they had yet to received my insulin levels. Few days latter it turns out that my insulin level was very high for fasting, and well my mother was happy I could place a medical reason to my heavy weight other than me being lazy and eating too much which I never really was or did.
My Dr. has suggested that I start Metformin. Not knowing what it was, I looked it up and found this form. Reading all your stories makes relived and confident enough to agree to talking it. Hopefully it will help reduce my weight as well as my insulin levels.
Thank you for sharing.

[fayegirl]

It is always great to know that there are others out there going through the same thing you are. If you are concerned about your weight, I highly recommend the weight tracker available on this sight. It is extremely helpful and allows you to see whats going on with your body during different events. You can always check mine out to see how its working.

[junebug1962]

Have been on Met for 3 1/2 weeks, for IR and weight loss.  11 lbs. down so far and am becoming convinced that this is going to work!  I'm seeing numbers on the scale I haven't seen in years!  WhoooHooooo!

[tkd4u2]

I've been on Met for about 7 weeks now. I was diagnosed with Diabetes Type II. Had some similar things going on where I couldn't lose any weight and was getting sick more often than not. I also have Hypothyroidism which also makes it wonderfully hard to lose weight. Other weight loss alternatives and diets have never worked. They actually make me gain weight. Even on a 1200 calorie diet.

Any ways, after being diagnosed as type II many of my symptoms began to slowly retreat. A few weeks into taking the regimin the weight started to come off. So far I've dropped 17 lbs in this time frame. It began melting away before I even began working out.

With a good workout 4-5 days a week the weight loss can be even more.
What is even just as good is that with taking Met my blood glucose levels are now in the normal range and most of the issues I was having are gone. This is a lifestyle change that is taking place here with no fast gimicks for sure.

[tammy673]

are you on synthroid and how much metformin are you taking

[Carol5552]

I was just told by my dr. that I needed to try Metformin er to try to lose the weight I've gained slowly over the last yr. and also to lower my glucose levels. I used to be around 100-105 fasting in the morning now I'm at 125-130 in the morning fasting for 12 hrs. I'm so discouraged and scared to go on this medicine that I will never be able to get off of it once I get my weight back down to a normal range somewhat and my numbers come down. Has anybody out there gone on the Metformin and been able to come off of it?? Also my doc said take it with my big meal at lunch cause I take a truckload of vitamins in the morn with breakfast. Have any of you taken it and gotton sick to your stomach. I'm going on the MetforminER. I hope that helps. I hate being nauseated. I'm really quite scared about this whole thing. Even though the dr. hasn't said that I'm diabetic for sure he said that now is the time to get the glucose under control or I'll be for sure having to take shots.. I saw my Mom die a slow death from Diabetes. It's a horrid disease and takes whatever it wants from you. She lost her sight, she lost her healthy heart and she was about to lose her feet when she passed away. Any advice out there would be appreciated as I'm very scared right now and I'm reaching out to find anything that has worked for anybody else. I really want to know if this Metformin is for life or just until I get my weight under control and my exercise routine established.. Thanks for anything you all can provide out there...

[helen014]

during the summer i started taking met. because i was having alot of trouble losing weight. as a teen i would love to have a nice body but the good advantage about me is that im really tall. alot of people get surprise when they know the amount i weight and say that you cant tell that i weigh that much. well exercised alot during the summer tryed my hardest but by the end i didnt lose anything...and i have know idea why. i recently went back to the doctor and was told that while im taking this medication im suppose be going to see him constantly. so im taking met again hoping that i will lose weight this time. i have only lost 3lbs...which is so upsetting:( well some people say im not fat but its just that im not comfortable with myself.....but im crossing my fingers that im going to actually lose at least 10-20 lbs(:

[Carol5552]

Hey Helen... do what you feel you need to do to be healthy.. that's the long and short of it. i have a tall daughter and she too is trying to lose weight however she does exercise every day and watches what she eats. She does not have PCOS or insulin resistance at all. I thank God for that. I sure hope that the Metformin helps me to drop this extra weight that I'm carrying cause I'm not in my teens and i am just not dropping the weight I've gained the past year and 1/2. So the dr. tells me that this should help. I'm not looking forward to it but what will help I must do. I cannot keep this weight on or my sugar this high. I have to do something. So that being said I'll do what ever it takes to get it off. I'm exercising as well. So with all of this I sure hope it helps... you don't need to be skinny Helen. I'm sure you are beautiful just the way you are. You must focus on being healthy whatever weight that is and not focus on anything but being healthy in your weight loss. Good luck to you I"m sure you are going to do great. Keep on posting how things are going for you. I'll be anxious to hear about all of your success and YOU are going to have GREAT SUCCESS!!! take care of yourself and your health while you are young... sending you a hug and praying for your success... You are going to do GREAT!!!!

[benton1]

I have just started taking Metformin.  I am diabetic.  In my mind I am about 40 lbs overweight but my Dr. says 60lbs.  I am 6' 3 with broad sholders, long arms and legs but I have a lot of weight on my belly.  I have been on this medicine a week, I haven't lost any weight yet or seen a much of a reduction in my blood sugar levels yet.  How long does it take to see results?  I wasn't nervous about taking the medicine until I saw some of these postings.  It seems more serious than I originally considered and I am dissapointed with myself for not having better control or being more active. Has anyone had any side effects with this medicine in just 1 week?

Thanks for any tips,
Benton

[Bel1995]

Hello All,
I started taking Metformin at the beginning of last year - combined with healthier eating and exercise i lost about 16kgs. Sadly my sister passed away from a horrific death in September 2008 & since then I ate alot more & drank more champagne (not from being hungry to cope). Really I should have gained at least another 20 to 30kgs with everything I consumed but only gained 5kgs. I believe this was from being on the Metformin medication as it helps pull out the stored fat so in time you don't regain the weight as you once did. My specialist told me when I first started taking it that it reduces your appetite and helps pull out the stored fat resulting in you not gaining the weight. This has proven to be true. I am only now starting to exercise again so hopefully I can come back on here with a update about weight loss. But having only gained 5kgs really showed that you don't regain the weight back in the stored fat cells.

[JBee70]

My Dr. says I am in the stages of early insulin resistance. He recommended low carb (100 grams a day) diet and exercise, and he wants to put me on a low dose (500mg ONCE a day) of Metformin. My PAI-1 levels are elevated as well.
I am a little nervous about beginning a medication that may cause nausea and diarrhea. However, perhaps those symptoms only occur with doses that are higher? Has anyone had bad side effects?
I am determined to do just diet and exercise, because I am not diabetic (yet).. My Dr. believes that the Metformin is key in keeping IR under control over the long term.
Ideas? thanks all!

[grneyedgrl4u]

How long did it take for some of you to start losing weight with met?  I've been on it about 2 months and all of a sudden one day i woke up and was 4 lbs down then the next day another 2.  This is very strange for me.  Of course I'm thinking it's something a little more serious like some sort of cancer or something.  Because it's been years since i've lost any amount of weight.  It's also a week before my cycle and I usually gain 2 or 3 lbs water from that.  So it may be more loss than just 5 lbs or so. Any comments?

[Carol5552]

I did start on the Met a week ago. I too was not told by my dr. that I was diabetic.... YET... however he said if I didn't get it under control I would be diabetic shortly.. Anyways.. in the last week... what I've noticed is that... I seem to be a little more hungry after taking the met... then when I eat.. I quickly get filled up.. Also... a little looseness in the bowels but not horrible. I have maybe lost 1 lb. this week... maybe... I have done exercise pretty much every day.. Basically just walking and tennis twice last week. The dr. told me to start with 500 mg. at a big meal like lunch. Because I was afraid of getting sick I would take it at dinner. I wanted to be home just in case. So far... not really alot of nausea. Just a little. I can't say that I've dropped alot of weight as yet but I hope too. My blood suger fasting was at 126. High too high... however after a week of being on the met... I took my blood sugar levels every day and they have steadily gone down. Yesterday I was at 106.. this morning at 100. I think that I can get this weight off if I remain vilgilent and then I fully intend on getting off of the met.. I really don't want me or my body to get dependent on it. That really scares me. I have too much in the way of meds that I have to take... I just don't want to add something else. Anyways.. I'll keep you posted. A miracle .... not really... just exercise watching what I eat to a t .... and getting proper sleep and taking the met. We'll see what lies ahead. i have been told by a few dr. friends of mine that if I do get this weight off and my blood sugar gets back under 100 consistantly that I can get off Met. We will have to see. time will tell.. Good luck and I'll keep you all posted... You guys keep doing the same... It's all going to be ok. It's just a matter of really watching what I eat and getting a mile of walking in at least a day that I don't play tennis already.

[Sherry1174]

My  doctor said I was prediabetic and about 10 lbs overweight.  I started taking metaformin a week ago and so far have not lost any weight.  I've cut done on my intake of food...........I don't want to get disgusted.  How long before you saw some weight loss?