Results of medication for PCOS

hey guys!

i know there's many posts on pcos on this board, but i had a bit of a specific question that i'm not finding the answers too.

i just started medication about two and a half weeks ago. i'm on avandamet (metformin) and spironolactone. 500mg each, twice a day.

i've noticed i'm losing weight, which is an amazing relief after a decade of feeling hopeless. but, i've also noticed i'm very nauseous all day long, everyday for about a week now.

i know that i have to be careful to not let my blood sugar levels drop too low during the day, but i'm having trouble eating anything with how ill i'm feeling.

my doctor told me this would happen, but didn't go into much detail.

i was just wondering if any other ladies out there noticed this side-effect and if there was anything they were expected to do about it. did you have to change your dose? did it go away after your hormone/insulin levels balanced out a bit?

i really don't want to have to change my dose because i'm honestly enjoying losing some weight for once, but i understand that if i'm feeling ill for an extended period of time it probably means my body's trying to tell me something.

My dr put me on Glucophage a few years ago to regulate my blood sugar, which can be directly related to PCOS, and it made me SOOOO nauseous I couldn't stand it! Took it for a few weeks and then gave up. I have since been regulating my blood sugar thru my diet, and it seems to be working just fine. I personally think that if a medication makes you feel THAT ill every day, something's not right....

Have you changed your eating habits at all? One of the things that my doctor told me was that metformin would be a "policing" medicine. That too much of anything like carbs, sugars etc would upset my stomach and she was correct. Once I learned the correct balance for me the symptoms went away. Having lost almost 40lbs I'm looking forward to not having to take it anymore.

wow! 40 pounds! congratulations! that's so wonderful.

and i wasn't told anything about my eating habits, but they have changed dramatically. i never really took that into consideration, as odd as it sounds. i'll have to start plotting out my meals.

thanks very much for the insight ladies. it is much appreciated :o)

OMG are you sure you are on 500mg of spironolactone?! or is it 50mg?!

I am on 100mg, but trialled 200mg for a short period of time which left me with a load of side effects, particularly extreme dehydration as spirotone is a diuretic. 

I've never been on metformin so i cant comment there, but your dose of spirotone seems exceptionally high.

you know, i've never really considered whether the dosages were high or not because i haven't been able to talk to others on the medication.

i have noticed that i'm exceptionally thirsty these days. and just for water. i can't stand anything else. i think i expected that, though, because it is a diuretic.

where do you think the line falls between too much water, and just enough?

thanks singing_girl!

I do not have PCOS, nor any experience with these meds.  But 2.5 weeks seems long enough to me for your body have gotten over the initials 'shock' of these meds.  Please talk to your doctor and/or pharmacists.  The solution could be changing the doses, or it could be eating something with the meds, or it could be changing the meds all together.  But, whatever it is, you'll need to work with your doctor to solve this.

{{{Hugs}}}  PCOS is no fun!  I hope you get it undercontrol!!

Original Post by coffee_cake:

you know, i've never really considered whether the dosages were high or not because i haven't been able to talk to others on the medication.

i have noticed that i'm exceptionally thirsty these days. and just for water. i can't stand anything else. i think i expected that, though, because it is a diuretic.

where do you think the line falls between too much water, and just enough?

thanks singing_girl!

Hi coffee_cake, i will PM you this!

my doc just put me on metformin for my pcos, i been taking it for about a week though  but he told me about all the side effects and i was aware that metformin was a diabetic medication so i knew all the side effects, so he recommended that i  take a half a pill once a day (from 500mg) for the first week,  2nd week half a pill for breakfast, half pill for lunch, then so on  till it builds up to 3 full pills of 500mg a day, i  havent felt any side effects except fir the first few days a lil lightheaded from the drop in blood sugars, but i  learded to eat a nice meal before i take them  , ill keep you updated on how it gos with the increase of doses over time.

hi.  i thought i'd revive this old thread

does spironolactone help with hair loss in women?