PCOS-MEDICATION Messages for October, 2001: Re: HELP!!!!

Re: HELP!!!!

From: Sonnet (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 23 Oct 2001 02:05:26 -0500 (CDT)

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Previous message: anonymous@obgyn.net: "no subject received Mon, 22 Oct 2001 21:59:02 -0500"
In reply to: Samantha: "Re: HELP!!!!"

Hey Tara (and everyone else!) Sorry for responding to an old message ~

The diarrhea with Met can be really awful!! It doesn't happen to everybody, but if you get it, it's a nightmare. There are some things you can do though.

Purely anecdotely, I know some women on various PCOS lists who have discovered that Metformin made them slightly lactose intolerant. I found myself that removing milk from my breakfast (or switching to soy milk) helped a great deal with the diarrhea. It might be worth trying.

Immodium of course, if you don't mind taking one more medication. Some weeks I eat those things like candy.

Make sure you're not taking the Met on an empty stomach. If you always take it after you eat and still have problems, try switching it to before you eat. Try cutting down on carbs and see if it makes a difference - I know this seems to work well with nausea at least, and some women say it makes a difference in the diarrhea as well.

Make sure you're getting enough fiber and water, just to stay healthy in spite of the side effects.

If none of this works, and the symptoms don't improve within a few months (or you simply aren't going to last that long) you do have some options. Metformin now comes in an extended release version which you only have to take once a day. Since the medication is released slowly it isn'tsuch a shock to the system, and is much gentler. Also there are other types of insulin sensitizers, like Avandia and Actos.

I would urge you not to give up on treating your PCOS because of this! PCOS is a serious illness, increasing your risk of everything from infertility to heart disease to diabetes to certain cancers. You will feel much better if your hormones, including insulin, are more controlled. Keep trying things and keep talking to your doctor. I hope you can find a solution soon!

At Mon, 22 Oct 2001, Samantha wrote: >
>At Fri, 7 Sep 2001, Tara wrote:
>>
>>Hi Everybody!
>>
>>I was diagnosed with PCOS a couple years ago. It makes me miserable. I
>>feel like a fat cow. I hate myself. I feel like everyone can see my
>>"beard". All of my friends and relatives say they can't see it, but I
>>can. I don't know if they say it to be nice or what. I shave, and I am
>>so embarrassed by this. My acne used to be a problem, but I started
>>taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen. It really worked, and it didn't make me ill. I
>>have a period every month because of them. I highly recomend them. I
>>also take Glucophage(Metformin) 500mg x 3 a day. It makes me so sick! I
>>was looking over other people's concerns about the medication, but no
>>one mentions the gut-wrenching diahrea. I can't go grocery shopping
>>without having to run to the bathroom. Does anyone else have this
>>problem? Or maybe someone has a solution. I feel like I should take
>>Immodium every day. I am also on blood pressure medication, so I don't
>>want to over-medicate myself. Can anyone help me, or at least
>>sympathize?
>>
>>--
>>Tara
>>
> Hi Tara,
>
>I was diagnoses with PCOS just little over a year ago. I have taken so
>many medications. Glucophage is one. my doasage was 500mgx2/day I have
>never felt so sick. The stomach cramps, diarhea was horrible. There
>would be days that I couldn't even go to work. But, my Dr. told me to
>keep taking it, that it would all go away after 3-4 months. It didn't
>go away. So I took myself off of it. Isn't doing its job anyways. Only
>bad thing is that, that drug is the only one out there of it's kind. So
>I decided to have the ovarian drilling done. I had it done and they
>said that in three months I should start to ovulate, and if I didn't I
>would have to start taking clomid again. It didn't work. i started
>takign the clomid, and the first month that I took it, it worked.
>But, I do know how you feel about that medicine, you should talk toy our
>Dr. and let her/him know what it is doing to you and see if there is
>another route of meds that you can take.
>
>I hope everything works out for you.

--
Sonnet Fitzgerald, PCOS Association, Online Community Liason. Email: sonnet@pcosupport.org

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Previous message: anonymous@obgyn.net: "no subject received Mon, 22 Oct 2001 21:59:02 -0500"
In reply to: Samantha: "Re: HELP!!!!"

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