As you may know from my previous posts, I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. And being the aspiring nutrition journalist that I am, I have an unrelenting desire to find the answer to minimising the effects of the disease, or eliminating it altogether. Though I only suffer from the outward side effects such as adult acne, irregular periods, unstable weight and fatigue, it was the inward affect of carb addiction that was really getting me down.
I follow the low-glycemic way of living religiously, in addition to regularly exercising. But it seemed as though my body was unhappy with whatever source of fuel I fed it, and demanded more of anything. And if you are a ‘cyster’, then you would be familiar with the idea that excessive eating/carb consumption can only aggravate the condition.
Medically, I have tried and tested the A-Z of birth-control cures such as Yaz, Valette, LoLoestrin and Nuvaring, but they all gave me horrible side affects, and aggravated my acne, mood-swings, fatigue, and unstable weight. And if that wasn’t bad enough, LoLoestrin gave me several hypoglycemic episodes while I was studying abroad, which was an issue due to the fact that it was my first time living out of home, and I had trouble understanding how to deal with it.
I had always been recommended to try Metformin, but I was very wary of the side effects discussed on various PCOS forums. Having been on the medication for about 2 weeks now, my only thought about this drug was, why hadn’t I tried it sooner.
What is Metformin?
Metformin, or Glucophage is an oral drug, which is primarily used to treat Type II Diabetes, and Insulin resistance. The drug’s three main functions are as follows:
– It prevents the body from absorbing the majority of the glucose found in carb-laden foods
– Reduces the production of glucose by the liver
And most importantly;
– It increases the muscle cells sensitivity to insulin.
How does it help with PCOS?
Though the drug is somewhat controversial, (having been banned and only re-released on to the market in 1995), the majority of ‘cysters’ are prescribed the drug as an alternative to birth control, as BCP are considered to be a ‘Band-Aid’ for the symptoms, rather than a cure.
The theory behind the prescription is that by lowering the amount of insulin in the body, the ovaries are able to reduce its activity in enzyme production, which stimulates excess testosterone made by the ovaries. As a result of the drop in testosterone levels, symptoms such as acne, abdominal obesity, anovulation and menstrual irregularity begin to subside. (Slater, W. 2011)
So in other words, the drug can potentially restore regular menstruation, and make weight-loss easier for obese ‘cysters’. The drug has however been proven to work better in cysters with a healthy BMI. There is ongoing research into why this is.
It is recommended however, that women using the medication must follow a low-glycemic, or low-carb diet combined with exercise, in order for noticeable weight-loss to occur. However some women have reported weight-loss without a change in diet.
What are the side effects of the drug?
Some users have reported little to no side effects at all. But for the majority of people, they find that the experience at least one of the following:
– G.I disturbances such as nausea, diarrhoea, more frequent bowl movements, vomiting, and more frequent bowl movements. However, the majority of women report that these side effects tend to subside after a few weeks.
– Loss of appetite
– Vitamin B12 malabsorption
– Anaemia
– Liver problems
– Hair loss (Although there is no medical evidence that this is caused by the drug itself)
Other things you may need to know about using Metformin/Glucophage
The drug is prescription only, and not for everyone. So make sure to discuss it with your doctor.
Also, if you aren’t willing to give up your sugary, carb-laden foods, be prepared to pay the consequences. ie, frequent visits to the bathroom, terrible abdominal discomfort etc
Why the drug has been my saviour
The drug has more or less eliminated my main concern, which was my carb-addiction. I am able to respond to actual hunger signals from my body, rather than the ones created by my ovaries. In addition to this, I seem to want to eat more proteins, rather than carbs, which disallows for any G.I issues. I have actually lost weight on the drug, due to the subversion in my overconsumption of carbs, and find that my obsessive thoughts about foods have gone, and I am slightly more lenient when it comes to what I put in my body.
As gross as it is, I must mention that as a sufferer from IBS, the G.I side effects have been wonderful. What would normally be diarrhoea for users, has just meant regularity for me, so my abdominal bloating has somewhat improved.
But the best part of all is that the drugs have definitely put my hormones back into balance, which can be a key issue in cysters. My mood swings and afternoon fatigue have significantly diminished, and my strange addiction to nuts has gone away, which is often a cause of hormone imbalance.
Once you get past a couple of side effects in the first few weeks, you may discover that being on the drug is well worth it.
(Metformin friendly) Recipe of the week
Oven-baked chicken tenders
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=404147
Slater, W. (2002-2011). PCOS and Metformin. Available: http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/glucophage-metformin-pcos.html. Last accessed 29th August 2011
Tastes Like Health (TLH) 