Length to use Metformin + how to eventually stop?

[prommyargentum]

Hey everyone!

So, a quick little background on myself before I start: around November last year (2017) I started feeling pretty unwell in general with just regular low moods, constant fatigue, etc etc. At the time I was in Fifth Year in school (Lower Sixth Form for the UK) and figured I was probably just overworked and stressed. However, as time passed I found I was seeing no improvement in spite of resting more and confirming that I wasn't anaemic, and eventually I started looking into hormonal conditions like PCOS, which I displayed numerous symptoms of. To cut a long story short, I was sent on a pretty wild goose chase trying to get to the bottom of what was wrong with me and eventually had to book to see a private endocrinologist because my fatigue was making it difficult to actually attend school most days. She diagnosed me with prediabetes and put me on Metformin in May of this year, and I've been taking it ever since.

Since I started taking Metformin my life has done a complete 180. I have enough energy to actually be able to get up and do things now without feeling utterly drained most of the time. My attendance at school has improved tenfold and I'm even able to take extra classes at the weekends in spite of the fact that it means getting up at 8am every Saturday. I really can't thank my endocrinologist enough for prescribing me this medication.

However, I'm still a little confused as to how prediabetes is managed without Metformin. Is it something that people take for life, or do you eventually come off of it? I saw my doctor in August and we agreed that I'd stay on it until after my Leaving Cert next June, but I'm just wondering if prediabetes is a life long condition or if it's something people grow out of. My endocrinologist told me I'm kind of in the middle ground between PCOS and prediabetes, so I'm not really sure what the future holds regarding my health.

If anyone has any similar experiences I'd love to chat a little about it!

Thanks for taking the time to read!

 

[Mike d]

However, I'm still a little confused as to how prediabetes is managed without Metformin

What's your diet first and foremost ...

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hey everyone!

So, a quick little background on myself before I start: around November last year (2017) I started feeling pretty unwell in general with just regular low moods, constant fatigue, etc etc. At the time I was in Fifth Year in school (Lower Sixth Form for the UK) and figured I was probably just overworked and stressed. However, as time passed I found I was seeing no improvement in spite of resting more and confirming that I wasn't anaemic, and eventually I started looking into hormonal conditions like PCOS, which I displayed numerous symptoms of. To cut a long story short, I was sent on a pretty wild goose chase trying to get to the bottom of what was wrong with me and eventually had to book to see a private endocrinologist because my fatigue was making it difficult to actually attend school most days. She diagnosed me with prediabetes and put me on Metformin in May of this year, and I've been taking it ever since.

Since I started taking Metformin my life has done a complete 180. I have enough energy to actually be able to get up and do things now without feeling utterly drained most of the time. My attendance at school has improved tenfold and I'm even able to take extra classes at the weekends in spite of the fact that it means getting up at 8am every Saturday. I really can't thank my endocrinologist enough for prescribing me this medication.

However, I'm still a little confused as to how prediabetes is managed without Metformin. Is it something that people take for life, or do you eventually come off of it? I saw my doctor in August and we agreed that I'd stay on it until after my Leaving Cert next June, but I'm just wondering if prediabetes is a life long condition or if it's something people grow out of. My endocrinologist told me I'm kind of in the middle ground between PCOS and prediabetes, so I'm not really sure what the future holds regarding my health.

If anyone has any similar experiences I'd love to chat a little about it!

Thanks for taking the time to read!

Another PCOS here, and I didn't get your kind of help, so I ended up with full-fledged T2. As Mike stated, your diet is the way to get rid of the meds, eventually... And avoid becoming diabetic. It should also, if done right, keep your energylevels up. Have a read over at dietdoctor.com about PCOS and prediabetes and what to eat in a low carb, high fat or even ketogenic diet. Cut the carbs, all in all, and up the fats. That should keep your bloodglucose levels from going up and will keep you from feeling fatigue.

PCOS isn't something you grow out of, I'm afraid. When unchecked it can trigger T2, so you really do want to stick with either metformin or a long-term (read: for life) low carb diet. Personally, I'm loving the diet. So do check it out and maybe give it a chance? (Almost all carbs turn to glucose once ingested, and you're already having trouble processing it back out. Lowering carb-intake will give your pancreas a break and keep you healthy.)

Good luck!
Jo

 

[ringi]

First step is to advoid all drinks that contain suger, including natural suger. Fruit joice is just as bad as coke.