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One for the women on here

L

loopy3112

Member
Messages
11
Hi

Sorry for constantly posting questions!!
I am on 4 x 500 Metformin a day and am also on the contraceptive injection. I've been on the injection for years and have never had a period.
I've been on the Metformin for about 2 months now and all of a sudden I'm bleeding and have been for over a week and its showing no signs of stopping.

Do any of you know if Metformin can have an affect on your periods as my diabetic nurse didnt know. I've looked online and seen that it used to be used for women with PCOS to regulate their periods so i'm wondering if this is why I'm having one and if my injection is actually covering me against pregnancy!!

Many Thanks

Louise
 
Isn't it great we can talk about anything on this forum? That's what makes it a winner

Anyway..Hi Louise from a fellow depo user. Same situation for me, been on it close to twenty years with no periods. Was diagnosed last year, refused meds but decided to go on Metformin recently.
I have had a lot of cramping and small amounts of spotting which seems a bit of a coincidence, it's interesting to hear that you are experiencing some strange effects. I have decided to stop the Depo, I'm now forty eight and due to the lack of periods, haven't got a clue what is going on with my body..would like to know for sure if I'm approaching/going through the menopause.

I would definitely get this checked out though Louise..make an appt with your GP and let us know how you get on please.
 
Thank you so much for replying. My diabetic nurse did make me laugh, she said that because I'm only 31 she doesnt normally deal with women of my age that are on both depo and metformin so obviously I must be a rarity!!!
I'm hoping that it stops again soon because I also have the depo because my periods are normally really heavy so I dont really want to have to stop it.

I will let you know what she says, as she was going to look into it for me

Louise
 
Ladybird. you GP can order a hormone test which will show whether you still need contraception. Babies born to 50+ mothers are not THAT rare.
Hana
 
As we are discussing periods, can you tell me if my blood sugars will fluctuate during my period and ovulation please? I have read of this happening, but no experience yet as it has only been 3 weeks since my diagnosis.
 
hanadr said:
Ladybird. you GP can order a hormone test which will show whether you still need contraception. Babies born to 50+ mothers are not THAT rare.
Hana
Click to expand...

Thanks Hana. I have already had that test but it was inconclusive and doc said it would be affected by the levels of hormone in the Depo-Provera jab and could cause a false reading. :roll:
This is why I am stopping the jab, I need to know what's waht and will only get a proper result without the Depo.
 
An alternative method of contraception, and very good if you have heavy periods, is the progesterone-impregnated Mirena coil (at least that's what I think it's called - my brain is not working today :lol: ).

I had dysmenorrhoea for about 10 years before I discovered that coil, and my periods were horrendous - 18 night-time towels soaked in 12 hours, was the worst :shock: . The Mirena was the best thing that ever happened to me.

I wasn't diabetic at the time, but I doubt it would react with Metformin.

Viv 8)
 
hi... I was diagnosed with diabetes and pcos at the same time... it came as a shock. I was on metformin for years and also on contraceptive pill to treat pcos (stops cysts from forming). I did notice though like you are saying that occasionally I had spotting when I shouldn't have had it. But then again metformin for me was a horrible drug all round and my body didn't tolerate it well at all. I was wondering whether the diarrhea and nausea it constantly gave me impacted on other hormone meds? I don't think enough research has actually been done on the side effects of metformin... I've tried to find stuff on the net and there isn't a lot of info about side effects of it really.
 
I have the mirena coil and they last 5 years at a time and you dont get periods with them. I dont have it for contraception purposes as i have been sterelised. I have it for other gyne problems as it is a slow release hormone coil and i think is widely used for a number of things including heavy periods. I have been on metformin for 6 months and haven't had any bleeding.
There is something i have to warn you about though....
I am into my 8th year using it. My second coil. The first one was fitted when i was have an exploritory op which was great but had to go to my Docs to have it taken out 5 years later and to have it replaced. THE PAIN WAS HERRENDOUS. :cry: All day the pain lasted dispite different painkillers and i bled while it was taken out. I have 4 kids so not really a stranger to pain but when its time for it to come out i will not have another.
 
Sorry to hear that, Mistee71, when mine was removed it didn't hurt at all and hardly any bleeding. Had it done in the surgery just as a normal appointment.

Viv 8)
 
to answer does periods make your bs go up. my daughters go absolutely mad. it may be due to her cramming the carbs in at this time as well. unfortunately she has a period every 3 weeks.she started at 9 and now 12 1/2. its a family trait!! and periods really heavy. thinking of what meds ahe could take. i.ve had a marino for years. helped my depression too x
 
With regards to the fluctuating blood glucose levels during your cycle; I was diagnosed with diabetes about 18 months ago, and once I'd got settled onto metaformin and Glimepiride, couldn't work out why my glucose levels were going quite low some mid-mornings, generally about 3 or 4 days in a row, then back to normal, with no apparent pattern. I have a contraceptive implant (implanon) which can stop your periods, or make them more frequent or irregular, and at the time of diagnosis I hadn't had any periods for over a year. They've now started to come back at random intervals, and over the past few months I've discovered that they coincide with the low mid-morning blood sugar days! I guess there must be something hormonal that triggers it. Having said that, everyone's different of course. I find it's been a good idea to keep a diary of what's going on (food, exercise, periods, stress etc) to help figure out what's causing any highs and lows in blood glucose to help learn how to control it best.
 
im not diabetic but i have friends who are im actualy a epileptic and i was just wandering if 1.4 blood sugar is bad after eating because i had a fit and got taken to hospital on monday and when they checked everything thats what they told me along with me having high blood pressure ?
 
A blood glucose reading of 1.4 is very low, and is in hypoglycaemic range. When you go this low it can make you quite ill, 'out of it', and lead to unconsciousness. I don't know whether it might be related to your fit. I think you should see your epilepsy specialist and talk it through; also your high BP. There is probably no need to be frightened - you had the right care this time - but you need to hear from the experts so you know what to expect and what to do about it.

Let us know how you get on! You're probably not the only epileptic on here, and your experience could help others - even us non-epileptics who would like to know more about it so we can help if necessary

Viv 8)
 
hi loopy, i know that metformin is a drug used for women who suffer with polycictic overies, so working on that theory, metformin has an effect on hormone levels, presumably lowering them, so that the tissues within the body cavity dont become engourged with blood, and so lowering them to the level that are present at the period of menstration. guess you need to have blood tests done.
i was on high doses of metformin (before finally resorting to insulin) but as i had a hysterectomy many years ago due to fibroids so i cant say how my hormones were affected by metformin.
 
Hi loopy,
I was diagnosed T1 last November. I've never been particularly regularly with my period. But have had 2 three weeks apart. My levels for the first one went at high as 19 then as low as 2.7. This was a couple of days before actually getting my period. I had no idea what was going on as I hadn't thought it was lady things. Once I got my period I put two and two together. My most recent period however, came along with no increase/decrease in levels. Just incredibly moody (which is not like me at all!).

Guess we are all very different and there is so much that can influence our conditions. Just got to keep an open mind about it all.

k
 
thanx viv my mum is taking me to the doctors soon any way so i can get checked out i think it may of caused my fit because usaly i have drop attack fits but this time it was a full shaking /jerking one i will post on here to let you know once i have seen my specialist at QE2
 
new to the site, just diagnosed T2 4 weeks ago. needless to say the side effects of the metformin have made themselves known 3-4 times a day at least. Doe anyone know if metformin or its side effects prevent the contraceptive implant from doing its job? from reading this blog hadn't thought of it all effecting hormone levels etc.
 
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