Re: Initiating Metformin
From: click (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu, 28 Aug 2003 19:54:09 -0500 (CDT)
No, perhaps I was unclear. My insulin levels were high, my testosterone
levels were slightly elevated, but i did not show 100% of the effects
yet- my anatomy had not abnormally grown due to the testosterone, and i
was lucky e nough not to have acne & hair problems. I was diagnosed
with insulin resistance by the endocronologist, and the GP & my gyno
suspected it.
So, I'm being treated for insulin resistance with 1000mg/day of
glucophage XR, and for the female problems (to prevent more cysts
forming) with birth control--I never got a chance to see if the
treatment for the insulin resistance alone would help my menses, but i
have a normal birth control period now.. I don't want to try it without
the birth control for two reasons: 1. i dont want more cysts to develop
and 2. i am using it as birth control with my boyfriend of 1 1/2
years..
so.. hope that helps!
(but in short, no, i wasn't put on medication without having chemical
agreements in my blood work to be put on them)
At Thu, 28 Aug 2003, anonymous wrote:
>
>So if I understand correctly all blood work related to insulin and sugar
>as well as your ultrasound were normal but you still were put on the
>medication and it helped w/ your weight. Did it help w/ normal phasing
>of periods?
>Thank you very much for taking the time to respond.
>At Wed, 27 Aug 2003, click wrote:
>>
>>I went to my new general practitioner because of my rapid weight gain
>>(unexplained; ate very little), my low energy, missed period for mroe
>>than a year, etc.. I was 16 years old, 5'7, 240 lbs, blood pressure was
>>170/100.
>>
>>The Dr ordered blood work checking a couple types of testosterone
>>levels, sugar levels, lipid levels, and some other items.. after that,
>>my GP suspected PCOS--she sent me to a gynocologist & an
>>endocronologist. I got into the gyno first. The gyno did an exam as
>>I'd never had one before--to check for abnormalities because of my high
>>testosterone, and then sent me to have an ultrasound of my ovaries done
>>(non vaginal as I was a virgin) to rule out any large cysts or abnormal
>>sizing. All that came back OK, but I still haddn't had a period, so my
>>gyno put me on high doses of progesterone for 5 days and I had a 30 day
>>long period. About two weeks into that, I demanded to start the insulin
>>resistance treatment I'd been suspected of having since I haddn't been
>>able to get into the endocronologist yet and my weight was getting
>>worse, so my gyno perscribed me enough for a month to hold me over. The
>>endocronologist had ultrasounds of my kidneys done, a CAT of my adrenal
>>glands, etc to rule out any other causes of my symptoms and things that
>>would be problems with the medication. Also, my blood pressure after a
>>few weeks of the metformin had dropped to 150/90--a large improvement.
>>All of the tests came back normal and he continued my glucophage
>>treatment and continued communicating with my gynecologist.
>>
>>Two months later I had realized that the medication's side effect that
>>were only to last the adjustment period were still plaguing me and
>>really crippling my life (in bed after 5pm because of stomach
>>pain/cramps, cold sweats, up and down blood sugar & moods) and so my
>>endocronologist switched me to glucophage XR (time release) and it was
>>magic. Two months later I'd lost 12 pounds or so, by 6 or 7 months I
>>had lost 40 pounds--all without effort--eating the same as I had before
>>I was diagnosed (which was not bad, btw, except for soda which was not
>>in excess)
>>
>>... anyway, That's the summed up version of events.
>>
>>At Wed, 27 Aug 2003, anonymous@obgyn.net wrote:
>>>
>>>A doctor should take blood to run the following; FSH (Follicle
>>>Stimulating Hormone), will be normal or low with PCOS,LH (Lutenizing
>>>Hormone), will be elevated with PCOS,LH/FSH greater than 2:1 or 3:1 may
>>>be considered diagnostic of PCOS, Prolactin can be normal or low with
>>>PCOS ,Testosterone, total and/or free usually elevated with PCOS,DHEAS,
>>>frequently mildly elevated with PCOS , Estrogens, may be normal or
>>>elevated with PCOS , Lipid profile (low HDL, high LDL, and cholesterol,
>>>elevated triglycerides) Glucose, may be elevated, Insulin, often
>>>elevated with PCOS ,TSH (Thyroid stimulating hormone) some who have PCOS
>>>are also hypothyroid
>>>
>>>I had the initial blood test that checked most of the above and then I
>>>had the glucose tolerance test to rule out diabetes.
>>>
>>>Also, they did a vaginal Ultrasound to evaluate cysts/enlarged ovaries.
>>>
>>>Hope this helps.
>>>
>>>At Tue, 26 Aug 2003, anonymous wrote:
>>>>
>>>>I'd like to hear from anyone about how their doctor came to place them
>>>>on Metformin/glucophase. Was it the results of blood tests, if so which
>>>>ones?
>>>>Thanks
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