Metformin

1. Generic Metformin Hcl
2. Glucophage XR (brand name)
3. Glocophage (brand name)

Metformin is still undergoing research and studies with regards to the direct effect on women with PCOS as it is a drug prescribe for those with type 2 diabetes. Metformin can help to lower insulin and blood sugar levels, restore your menstrual cycle and may even help to stimulate ovulation. It is prescribed to women with PCOS as we are at risk of developing diabetes and therefore helps to regulate the glucose levels in our blood. With a healthy balanced diet, the affects of Metformin can help with weight loss – but you definitely need to get the diet right!

I have read and still hear about many pregnancy success stories with Metformin and how it has also helped to manage PCOS.  As mentioned in a previous post, the doctors were not in any hurry to recommend or try different things with me to help manage my PCOS, so in 2014, I booked an appointment to see my new GP to discuss this drug called Metformin that seemed to be prescribed to women with PCOS. His first question was “Who told you about it?” Although I thought his question was strange and the fact that the internet is a marvellous thing, I answered anyway and told him that I’d done my research since it seemed my symptoms were not improving and without fail, I had been admitted to hospital at least once a year. He asked no more questions and reluctantly wrote me a prescription for a 2 month trial as he mumbled some nonsense about “why are you in such a hurry, you are still young”.

Rewind to June 2013, when I went for a job interview and was asked to talk about myself. I spoke about my Love for Christ and it being the foundation of who I am, my amazing husband and our love to travel- I went on for longer than expected as I had so many great things to talk about. Once I had finished, one of the interviewers said “I was going to ask you about future plans for children but I’ve just seen how young you are so I’m guessing you and your husband will want to travel more and enjoy yourselves before thinking about that” I was shocked that a National Director would make such a comment but then had to catch myself and remember that our beliefs are so very different. My response to him was that I didn’t think children would stop us from holidaying as we have a great network of family and friends if we decided it would be just the two of us.

Even now, at 31, I still have to brush these types of comments off because it’s so easy for the opinions of others to slip into your conscious and make you second guess whether you are moving too fast or even doing the right thing! You’re confident that you are and that you are waiting on God but, when your mind is fragile, the devil can use anyone and anything to make you doubt.

So, back to the Metformin. I was advised to take x2 500mg tablets per day for the first 2 months and then increase to x3 500mg per day in the third month. I didn’t even get that far as the side effects were so severe. Normally, when I take medication, I do not read the information leaflet inside but since I had read some horror stories on the internet about the drug, I braced myself for the possibilities. It was an instant reaction, I mean, within a few hours I was already feeling light headed and tired. I lost my appetite and just wanted to sleep.Being in full time work, I found it increasingly hard to concentrate but was driven by the possibilities that this could be it. I was willing and prepared to go through any pain…

No one had prepared me for the Metformin pain! I passed out at work and was taken to hospital and again put on Morphine for pain control. That was it, that was my Metformin journey over – it lasted 4 weeks. I went back to see my GP, who was surprised I’d ended up in hospital as he thought that metformin could not have such an affect – I was getting very annoyed with this uncaring GP!

Some of the most common (not all) side effects are listed below

• Abdominal or stomach discomfort
• cough or hoarseness
• decreased appetite
• diarrhea
• fast or shallow breathing
• fever or chills
• general feeling of discomfort
• lower back or side pain
• muscle pain or cramping
• painful or difficult urination
• sleepiness
• Nausea
• Headaches

 

 

How do you get over such an outcome? Honestly, I went into a cave and just didn’t want to speak to anyone – I just thought that I was back a square one. I had literally put all my hope in this one drug that was torturing me. Why wasn’t my Metformin testimony the same as those on mumsnet? It just was not supposed to be the way – that, I now understand. For those who have had success through Metformin, I am genuinely happy for you. I know that God has written our lives out even before we were formed – this Metformin journey just was not part of His plan for me. Sounds pretty simple to write and easy enough to read but coming to that reality is very hard, especially when you’ve heard the news that someone else is expecting their second child. I was like, “God, when is it going to be my turn?”

It’s very hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when there is so much fog. Jesus is the light guiding us through and if we can only just train our spirit man to focus on Him – always. When it comes to the topic of childbearing, it can sometimes feel that your vision all of a sudden becomes cloudy… Why do we allow this? I used to say to my husband that “I can’t help how I feel.” Truth is, we can, we just choose to focus on the what not’s rather than the what haves and will be. God wants us to focus on positive things

Philippians 4:8-9 – Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]

I recently tried Metformin again – just to see whether my body would recognise the drug and somehow allow it to do it’s magic. Nope, same side affects but I stopped before I ended up in hospital again. This time, I started on x1 500mg for a week, then increased to x2 500mg, by the time I had gotten to week three, I  told my manager on the Monday that I was leaving early and would be taking a couple of days off. He obviously was not impressed but I had decided a long time ago that my health comes first and I refuse to be wheeled out on a ambulance stretcher again.

No matter what we are waiting and holding on for, it’s important to do your utmost to remain cheerful and also understand that we do not have to rely on our own strength to do so. Draw on the strength of Christ – that is what He is here for, He wants us to call upon him, to lean on Him because He is always there!

Proverbs 17:22 (NLT) – A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

I know that I need strength for the journey ahead as parenting is not easy. I choose to be happy, I choose to do my best to focus on the future which, is so colourful and exciting. This I know, because God said so!

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