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question about anticonvulsants such as Depakote and PCOS (also new to this list) and metformin alternativesFrom: julie (anonymous@obgyn.net)Fri, 25 Jan 2002 15:21:29 -0600 (CST)
Greetings all! I discovered this list via the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome book which I've had on my shelf for months. I had kinda put the PCOS thing on the back burner because I have no desire to conceive, and had actually been losing weight over the last few years (over 45 lbs) over the last three years w/o dieting or exercise. How'd I do it? I'd not recommend any of the ways!! Lost 10 pounds from having my left ovary removed (low grade cancer), 20 lbs from taking metformin (nausea makes eating so much less desirable), 5 lbs from influenza and the rest froms severe depression. Now I've gained 25 lbs back from taking lithium last summer as the doctors are trying to see if I'm bi-polar or not. A couple of years ago a doc put me on Depakote to see if I was bi-polar or not and i came across a med article stating that under no circumstances should a PCOS woman take it as it makes symptoms far worse and can make one even more hyperinsulinemic. I was pretty angry with the doc but I guess as a psychiatrist he wouldn't know anything about PCOS. Since that time I was involved in a study of women with PCOS at Stanford in which i underwent a complicated test that proved that I am indeed very insulin resistant, have low "good" cholesterol, high bad cholesterol, etc. and am officially pre-diabetic. (I mention this because I was reading a message on this board last night that mentioned that probably no one on this board has had such a test since they are only done in clinical trials. I've had one, and believe me, having your pancreas temporarily shut down ain't a whole lot of fun.) I'm not too concerned with my hairy chin (I shave but if I could I'd grow it just to see what it was like) and the acne is controlled with BCP (tho I wish I could wear contacts again and I suspect the pill is the problem there), but I am gaining weight like crazy again and that really concerns me. The doctor has prescribed Topamax (generic topiramate) on top of my usual smorgasbord of antidepressants and I am wondering if any of you have heard if any other drugs besides Depakote are no no's for women with PCOS? The logic being that if one anticonvulsant is bad, would others be??? Also are there any alternatives to metformin that are as effective (avandia?) because I have vicious side effects to the metformin. Great to have found you and heard your words!
-- Julie
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