Metformin

[DreamLife36 6]

My Dr. wants me on 500mg of Metformin (sp) to help with my weight loss. Has anyone ever heard of this?

[favoredone 590]

I haven't been sleeved yet, but my WL doctor prescribed it for me last month.. I'm doing (supposed to be at least) 250mg daily.. It supposedly reduces hunger, carb cravings and help control excess insulin production... It makes me a little nauseous, so, I don't take it like I should.. hence very slow pre-sleeve weight loss..

My Dr. wants me on 500mg of Metformin (sp) to help with my weight loss. Has anyone ever heard of this?

[SmokyMtnGal2011 10]

TRY TAKING IT WITH food IT DOES HELP WITH THE NAUSEA FEELING. PRE OP WEIGHT LOSS IS VERY IMPORTANT SO DO YOUR BEST. GOOD LUCK

[mythreechildren2001 7]

I took it for a few years before surgery for insulin resistance. My bariatric surgeon took me off of it a couple of days before surgery and told me not to take it again. I don't know why you would need it post op??

[meggspeggs 0]

Dreamlife have you been sleeved get?

[Soon2BMiniMommy 92]

I also have been on Metformin for years for insulin resistance/prediabetes secondary to severe PCOS. Both my surgeon AND my PCP say I can go off of it as soon as I have surgery as my body will be in a catabolic state (weight loss) and my body will naturally lower my insulin levels while losing weight, even more so over time. They both say it's almost immediate.

Note that I am on 1000 mg, twice a day, the maximum dose as there have been many, many studies done that state the maximum dose it's what's needed for PCOS/insulin resistance and anything lower than that really doesn't do much of anything. Metformin isn't really for weight loss....that's a huge misconception and most don't lose weight while on it, but it does help your body utilize the insulin it produces better, and therefore can minimize some of the side effects of hyperinsulemia (high insulin and insulin resistance). Metformin also allowed me to get pregnant after many years of infertility due to PCOS. But, honestly, if you have had the sleeve, you will lose much more weight from that than from taking Metformin....that would be like winning a million dollar lottery, then someone giving you a monthly allowance of $100 dollars - not enough to even make an impact in my opinion.

And yes, it will make you feel nauseous and often causes diarrhea....takes your body a while to get used to that.....but it will get better if you decide to take it.

Disclaimer here - I am NOT a doctor but have worked in health care for many, many years, specifically in endocrine disorders, so this is just my educated opinion. Many people think Metformin is a magic bullet to help them lose weight, but just as many are disappointed because they don't. Metformin does many things 'behind the scenes" that are beneficial to your body, but weight loss is really not one of them, and if it is, it's very minimal. For many, though, it does prevent them from gaining weight if their insulin resistance is severe. The sleeve will allow you to really lose weight.

Hope that helps some....

[Raine 170]

I was on 2000mg a day for years and years pre op for my diabeties. This is now in remission, so not sure why they would prescribe it for weight loss, also if you are sleeved and eating correctly, I can't see how you would need it, but I am no MD. You may want to ask your doc some more in depth questions on the subject.

[DreamLife36 6]

ok... Im confused.

Yes; I was sleeved on 8-31-11

I've lost 26.5 lbs (15.5 since surgery). But more inches than anything.

I've gone from a size 18/20 to a 14/16

Dr. says my weightloss "sucks" and wants to me take metformin, it's supposed to help some how. Any one know how?

[KellyL 173]

Well, I don't agree with your Dr on either thing. You're weight loss doesn't suck, it's actually pretty phenomenal in a short amount of time. Secondly, I don't agree with prescribing you metformin, unless your blood work shows you to be diabetic or insulin resistant or some other reason. The reason a lot of us have this surgery is so we can get OFF this kind of medication. I would ask more detailed questions to see if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic. I am sure you have probably lost inches too. But you are doing great, and may want to get a second opinion or a diff Dr. Congrats on your weight loss!! You're doing fabulous!!

[Soon2BMiniMommy 92]

That, my dear, is a LONG explanation on how it's supposed to help lose weight. First, your doctor must think you're insulin resistant, or he wouldn't want to prescribe it. If you have not been diagnosed as insulin resistant, or prediabetic and he simply wants to have you take it for weight loss, he is an idiot....sorry.

If you are insulin resistant, that means your body has high level of insulin all the time and doesn't use insulin like it should. To make a very long complicated story short, if you have high levels of insulin in your system all the time, your body wants to store fat, not lose it. It's much more complicated than that, but that's the Cliff notes on how it works. So, by taking Metformin, your body is better able to use the insulin it produces, thereby theoretically not wanting to store fat all the time.

Now this sounds good, but in practice, like I said before, almost no one loses weight by just taking Metformin - if they did, EVERYONE would be on it and it would all over the news as the magic bullet/pill everyone is looking for and none of us would need surgery!! Your sleeve has put your body in a catabolic (losing) state already, which has already forced your body to produce less insulin and use it more wisely - that's why I can't see how on earth at this point, you taking Metformin would produce any sort of weight loss.

So, all that being said....you have lost almost 16 pounds since surgery on 8/31. That's 16 pounds in 5 weeks.....sure it's not as much as some lose, but we are all different. I also noticed that you were on the 'smaller side' when you started and in my experience on these boards, those that don't have a large amount to lose, tend to lose slower. You also lost weight prior to your surgery, and that's fantastic, but that also could mean that you wouldn't drop weight so dramatically after your surgery as your body wasn't 'shocked' like those that didn't lose weight beforehand (like those that didn't have to do preop liquid diets, etc - they tend to lose more right after surgery).

I honestly think you need to look at your calorie intake and the makeup of foods you are eating (carbs, Protein, fats). If you are not eating ENOUGH calories, that will definitely slow down weight loss, as well as they wrong type of calories.

You can certainly try the Metformin, it won't hurt....I just don't want to see you disappointed when you don't lose weight on it.

And, any doctor that tells you that your weight loss to date 'sucks' needs a quick swift kick right up the ass, in my opinion. What a horrible, horrible thing to say to your patient! You have lost an average of over 3 pounds per week! Which is amazing compared to all other types of weight loss plans. As long as you are losing, and the slope is downward, keep your chin up, honey. Don't get discourage...you just may be one of the 'slow' losers. But it will come off!!

[Deevah 3]

DreamLife,

We were both sleeved on the same day. I have only lost 20lbs since surgery. I see my surgeon next week and I am sure he will not like my results. During my pre-op stage, and before I crossed into diabetic numbers, my regular doctor put me on Metformin as a weight loss method and to help keep my pre-diabetic numbers down. I haven't lost a pound since week 4, so I'm wondering if Metformin will be something my doctor tries to reintroduce. Before surgery, I was on 1400mg/day. I haven't taken it since 4 days before my surgery. After my surgery, my glucose readings have been coming in between 90-100 before meals, so I wonder if that will even be an option for me. I am very concerned, though, because I have not seen the scale move. I have noticed the inches are coming off and I am regaining a shape, but I wish the pounds would start to fall again.

Anyway, as to your original question (sorry for the rant), if your glucose numbers are normal, I would get a second opinion. Talk to your regular doctor and see what he/she thinks. Ask your surgeon to order blood work. If you are insulin resistant, your A1C number will be higher than normal. That could be the reason for the Metformin suggestion. Good luck to you.

[DreamLife36 6]

When I woke up this AM I realized that I lost another lb.

That makes 28lb's in all.

I will ask my Dr. about the Metformin, maybe I will start taking it this weekend to allow my system to get adjusted to it.

I will be cutting out carbs, only getting them from vegies. And I will up my Water and exercise starting today.

Thanks to all of you for your help. This has really been bothering me to the point of tears. I wasn't expecting my weight loss to be so slow or to feel like this on the inside. I truly feel defeated. If this sleeve doesn't work....

I have 61 more lbs to loose, I have to do this.