Metformin Question

hapiii

My Dr prescribed me Metformin to improve egg quality for IVF #3. I began taking it today in hopes to ramp up before I start BCP's next cycle. Woundering if any of you have experience with Metformin? How long do the side effects last? What foods worked well to minimize side effects? What foods triggered the side effects?

ellephunt

I have been taking Met since November and am just now feeling no side effects from it. I took a break here and there. Junk food wasn't good, alcohol almost always triggered a reaction. I would take Tums and drink Sprite on my bad days.

ETA: drink lots of water. That really seems to help. 

katib77

I've been taking Met for two years now.  The first six months are the worst, as your body gets used to it.  Get some Immodium (for if you are like me and get diarrhea several times a day in reaction to it.)  Your body will get used to it! (But I joke it's weight loss through $h!tting).   It really seems like each person is different with what food triggers a reaction.  I get a worse reaction off greasy food; like McDonalds or Sausage, fries, etc.  Alcohol did not/does not seem to effect it for me.  Some people complain carbs do - but I didn't notice that.  And finally some people claim salads were bad for them.  Really, you'll just have to watch and see what triggers it for you.  Sorry there's not one perfect answer.   

Jezebell26

I have been on met since January and the s/e are manageable. For me at least. I worked my way up to 2000mgs a day. Keeping low carb and low sugar has helped. Eating anything greasy, oily, or friend or too much junk will trigger a reaction. Some days my stomach is a mess and I dont even know why. I am following the south beach diet and it seems to be working. I havent drank much alcohol so im not sure about the reaction to that. Even when I am in the bathroom a few times a day I hear Katib's voice in my head that I am "$hitting myself skinny" lol so I dont mind, especially since I have seen results.

I am interested in the fact that you were put on it for egg quality. I am hoping it will help me for that among other things. GL

ungraceful13

I have been on it for about 2 months and rarely have side effects. I eat fairly low carb though so I think that helps.

Durham1008

I just started taking it recently. I was completely surprised that I had a horrible reaction to eating a salad. Not something I would've expected problems from. I haven't been on it that long so I can't say how long the side effects last. Good luck!

BabyDreams711

I've been taking it for a year and like pp said, there is no one thing to avoid. Coca cola, cheese and carbs were bad for me. S/E seem to last a few weeks, and if you are on awhile and they up your dose, you have to start all over it seems...  I basically ate wheat crackers and drank water or Gatorade until it passed. GL!!

hapiii

All thank you for the feedback!

Jezebell26: The studies on Met and egg quality are inconclusive however some RE's find that it helps. Therefore recomended by my RE. I have not been diagnosed with PCOS but my DR thinks my reactions to some drugs are similar to those with PCOS. For example, my first IVF produced 10 to 15 eggs and most fertilized but did not progress very well and  I showed signs of mild OHSS. My second IVF antagon protocol 3 eggss and still not great quality embryos.

This will be our last IVF attempt so I am going to do everything the DR prescribes to the T. Although maybe I should wait a week until after my anniversary.

 

FirefightersBride

Whatever the dose you are on, start small and work up to the Rx dose. That helped minimize the side effects for me. I started with 500mg/day for a week or so then moved to the 1000mg/day as I felt ok.

hapiii

FirefightersBride:

Whatever the dose you are on, start small and work up to the Rx dose. That helped minimize the side effects for me. I started with 500mg/day for a week or so then moved to the 1000mg/day as I felt ok.

Thanks - I started with 500 yesterday evening and it wasn't good this morning so was reaching out for hope that it will get better.

Do you take it all at the sametime or throughout the day?

BabyDreams711

When I added another 500 I spaced them at first, but really you are gonna have the same outcome either way. I ended up just doing them together, get the bad stuff out at once instead of prolonging it and getting a double whammy. I also would take them after I ate... even if it was just a handful of crackers, it seemed to help a little. 

ShannonTX

It was suggested I take it with my dinner, but for me, I've learned to take it right before I go lay in bed. Usually my s/e are minimized (if any, now). Good luck!

Svenny1011

I just started Met in the beginning of February. I started out with the prescribed dosage - didn't work up. I think I was one of the lucky ones, as I didn't have any side effects really. Maybe one case of the runs within the first few days, but that was after eating some greasy food. I honestly believe diet helps a lot - don't eat a lot of fatty/greasy foods, limit (or exclude) refined carbs, and eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Make sure to take it with food too, and in the end, just do what your body says is right - if you need to work up to it, then do that. It gets better, I promise!