Ladies,
I have never poster here because I have never been diagnosed with PCOS but I have a question about metformin..... I am now finishing my first round of clomid (100 mg, currently on CD31). I had a drs appointment today and confirmed with a blood test that I am not preggos (I knew because I never ovulated or got a postive OPK, Day 21 = .8). The dr is keeping me at 100 mg clomid, gave me more provera to bring on my cycle, but added metformin. Now, I have no indication of NEEDING metformin (no diabetes, no weight issues, no PCOS).... Does anyone have any experience with this drug? I have read that it is EXCELLENT for people with PCOS; however, I have also read it can actually surpress follicle growth in general, so I'm worried that it might actually hurt more than help.
Also, does anyone have experience of a clomid dose not working and then doing the same level and having it work??
Thanks!!!
Laura

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Laura (28)
DH (30)
DS born 7 August 2004!
DS born 06 June 2006

Last u/s shows TWO GIRLS!!

Interesting-I've never heard of Metformin used with people who don't have PCOS (or diabetes etc). I do have PCOS and take Metformin even if I'm not TTC. Honestly-I don't think it's a good idea for you to take it if you don't have PCOS. Is this a RE or just an OB/GYN? If it's a RE-maybe it's something new. If it's your OB/GYN-IMO-I would think twice. I've learned the hard way that they get little training with infertility and TTC meds. I wasted many cycles TTC with clomid (prescribed by my OB) and turns out she wasn't doing a simple progesterone level to see if I ovulated. In addition, if you don't ovulate on 100mg, I've always heard that the dose should be increase.

Hope this helps and good luck!

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Metformin is not used just to help women with PCOS or diabetes. Through studies it is known to help regulate a womens menstral cycle. If you are NOT ovulating on your own then you are NOT having normal cycles, which is why you need to take provera to bring on your period. Your doctor prescribed clomid to help you ovulate, but it seems it is not working alone, so he/she is adding metformin. The combination of the two have been known to work better together for some people than the two medications alone.

I have PCOS, but I am not diabetic. I took clomid alone for three cycles, all different levels, and never ovulated. I took metformin alone, for 3 months, and never had a cycle in that time. I was prescribed 50mg clomid and 200mg metformin and started ovulating and having normal cycles. By my fourth cycle I got pregnant.

This is not always true, some doctors want to keep you on the same dosage to give your body a chance to respond. With the fact that Laura's doctor is keeping her on 100mg and adding metformin, this will allow her body to react to a lower dosage before trying a higher dosage.

As a word of caution, if your doctor is giving you metformin make sure he/she also gives you a kidney and liver function blood test before starting the metformin and throughout the time of taking metformin. There are chances of the metformin causing liver and kidney function problems, so it is best to keep an eye on them. If your levels are too high before you start taking the metformin, you shouldn't start it. If your levels begin to rise while taking it, you should stop. Before I started taking it, my levels were a bit high, not much over but enough that they wanted to retest me 30 days later. Come to find out it was that I was drinking pepsi. I stopped drinking as much pepsi (because of the extra sugar) in that 30 days and my next test came back a lot lower.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks so much for the replies.... I am being seen by a family practice doctor, so I really am not getting the monitoring I should, but there is a four month wait to get into our infertility clinic.... I will call and ask though about being monitored; the dr made it seem like metformin wouldn't hurt anyone-- she said it could only help, but she doesn't specialize in RE or even OB/GYN. I have an appointment for a specility clinic and I guess I'll keep that even though I will have to pay out of pocket for all the treatment!!!

Thanks again though for all the information!!!
Laura