Metformin - Loss of appetite pre-surgery

[lizonaplane 1,613]

I am still preparing for surgery and I'm on metformin not for diabetes but because it's thought to help in weight loss from certain medications. I had stopped it for a while because the mail order pharmacy got it messed up but then it got straightened out and I started again last week. I'm not hungry now but when I look up the side effects for metformin it doesn't list lack of appetite. I notice I've been a lot less hungry the whole time I've been preparing for surgery (5 months) because I've been eating high Protein low carb, but the last week it's been ridiculous.

Anyone else have this issue? Might not be the metformin. Might be just anxious/frustration from not getting surgery scheduled, could be just a virus.

[Elahnen 183]

I took metformin for PCOS and I didn’t have an appetite either! It definitely helped me to lose weight bc if no appetite.

[catwoman7 11,212]

I'm not diabetic or on metformin, but I have a friend who has Type 2 and she also says her appetite was significantly decreased when she went on metformin.

[SummerTimeGirl 582]

I was initially put on Metformin like 10 years ago for PCOS and Insulin Resistance. The endocrinologist told me it would help me lose weight. Well initially it did. And when I say initially I mean it helped me lose about 35 lbs the first year. THAT WAS IT!! It has NOT helped me in any other way since. NOT with appetite, not with anything. In fact, I'm guessing it didn't even help with the insulin (or eventually stopped working as well for it) because I eventually did become Type 2 Diabetic. Or I at least reached that status ONCE during my pre testing for surgery back in like April. First and only time I ever hit numbers OVER the borderline with my A1C.

Anyway, neither my surgeon or my family doc officially called me diabetic. I guess instead they were just waiting to see what surgery did/does for me plus it was only once that my number went over the borderline. I will have a full panel of blood work done again at the end of Aug/beginning of Sept at which time my doc will see about reducing or taking me off of Metformin. He also will tell me if he's gonna knock my BP meds down again or cut them out all together.

For years I have had issues with having to run to the bathroom often after eating and I'm wondering if the Metformin hasn't been responsible for that? It seems to have happened more often when eating things heavier in carbs. Who knows. My surgeon said my gallbladder looked good and healthy during surgery so I'm guessing it's not that.

[PolkSDA 116]

Huh. This is the first I've heard of Metformin helping you lose weight. Then again, it does explain some things...

I was diagnosed with early stages of Type II diabetes in June of 2019. I was prescribed a low dosage of Metformin. It was as a result of that doctor's visit that I started looking into weight loss surgery and then went "into the program" being required to showing some persistent weight loss before the surgery was approved.

Despite my being morbidly obese my entire adult life and never being able to lose weight, I was actually able to lose the prescribed weight leading up to my surgery without too many trials and tribulations... in retrospect, I wonder whether Metformin aided in that weight loss effort without my realizing it.

Not that it makes a difference now. I've not taken it since my surgery in July of 2020.

[ShoppGirl 4,807]

Dr Weiner mentioned metformin for weight loss in his videos and I did a bit of research and it has been used to offset a lot of psychiatric medications with side effects of weight gain. Never tried it but another thing he said about weight loss medications is you have to stay on them long term or you may gain the weight back. This shouldn’t be an issue for you though since you will be having surgery I assume.

Edited June 25, 2021 by ShoppGirl

[lizonaplane 1,613]

On 6/25/2021 at 4:31 PM, ShoppGirl said:

Dr Weiner mentioned metformin for weight loss in his videos and I did a bit of research and it has been used to offset a lot of psychiatric medications with side effects of weight gain. Never tried it but another thing he said about weight loss medications is you have to stay on them long term or you may gain the weight back. This shouldn’t be an issue for you though since you will be having surgery I assume.

Yes, this is exactly why I was prescribed it. I was at a healthy weight until I was prescribed meds for bipolar disorder at age 14 and gained 100 lbs in 2 years, and my weight just went up from there. I've been able to lose 50, 80, 100 lbs at various points but I always gain it back. I am having surgery, but I have to wait for my psychopharmacologist to speak to the surgery center's psychologist to confirm my bipolar disorder is stable, and they have not connected - this "trying to connect" started in MARCH!!! After that, I can schedule my surgery. I will probably have to go back on the metformin as I will still be on the bipolar meds.

[Soon2bFit21 109]

I had been prescribed Metformin mutiple times over a 10 year period and it made me so ill it was hard to get out of bed. Severe nausea, lethargy, chills, and acid refux. If you do not have blood sugar issues, it can cause hypoglycemia which is why I was so sick. It’s well documented to cause diarrhea too. I’ll never forget an endocrinologist I went to years ago that had told me she lost 30lbs because she was in the bathroom all day long. No thank you!

[lizonaplane 1,613]

2 minutes ago, Soon2bFit21 said:

I had been prescribed Metformin mutiple times over a 10 year period and it made me so ill it was hard to get out of bed. Severe nausea, lethargy, chills, and acid refux. If you do not have blood sugar issues, it can cause hypoglycemia which is why I was so sick. It’s well documented to cause diarrhea too. I’ll never forget an endocrinologist I went to years ago that had told me she lost 30lbs because she was in the bathroom all day long. No thank you!

It has not caused me hypogylcemia, diarrhea, or any other issues. I didn't have any blood sugar issues when I was prescribed it and I still don't. It is well tolerated by most people.

[Soon2bFit21 109]

4 minutes ago, lizonaplane said:

It has not caused me hypogylcemia, diarrhea, or any other issues. I didn't have any blood sugar issues when I was prescribed it and I still don't. It is well tolerated by most people.

Obviously not everyone has severe sides, but I am not the only person that had. Just sharing my experience. I’m glad it was helpful for you.

[ShoppGirl 4,807]

1 hour ago, lizonaplane said:

Yes, this is exactly why I was prescribed it. I was at a healthy weight until I was prescribed meds for bipolar disorder at age 14 and gained 100 lbs in 2 years, and my weight just went up from there. I've been able to lose 50, 80, 100 lbs at various points but I always gain it back. I am having surgery, but I have to wait for my psychopharmacologist to speak to the surgery center's psychologist to confirm my bipolar disorder is stable, and they have not connected - this "trying to connect" started in MARCH!!! After that, I can schedule my surgery. I will probably have to go back on the metformin as I will still be on the bipolar meds.

Wow. How frustrating. I had a similar issue with doctors that played phone tag for months and it drove me crazy. I get that they are both busy doctors but it seems like once the office staff realizes it’s another doctor they could take an extra step or two to help them connect. I really hope they figure it out soon.

[lizonaplane 1,613]

8 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

Wow. How frustrating. I had a similar issue with doctors that played phone tag for months and it drove me crazy. I get that they are both busy doctors but it seems like once the office staff realizes it’s another doctor they could take an extra step or two to help them connect. I really hope they figure it out soon.

Thanks. I hope so too!