If you have PCOS and have taken Metformin and got Pregnant... did they take you off?

GretchenLC · 08-24-2009, 12:52 PM

Okay... I was diagnosed with PCOS years ago and have been taking Metformin for at least 5 years. I JUST found out I was pregnant and the doctor is taking me off the Metformin!

I've read studies that say staying ON the Metformin reduces the risk of miscarriage. So of course the thought of going off of it scares me. But when I brought this up to the nurse practitioner she was like... "Were you reading medical journals?" DUR

It was the internet! But still!

I don't want to go against my doctors recommendation... but I need to know if this is something I should find a new doctor over? Or is it not that big of a deal either way? Or if there is some sort of literature I could show her and have her keep me on it?

Please share your experiences. I'm totally SHOCKED at the fact that I'm pregnant since I've never EVER had it happen! I just want to do everything right.

AsmallerME · 08-24-2009, 01:26 PM

Hey girl. I was googling this for you and it seems like some doctors have their patients stop immediately, some stop at the end of first tri, and some continue the whole pregnancy. It doesn't seem to be consistent and there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of data to support stopping or continuing.

My thought is to go with your gut. If you think this is something you want to continue with the first tri then talk to your doctor about doing that or look for another doctor. I was not on this med but another and my doctor wanted me to stop at a certain time and I sought a second opinion.

brittone2 · 08-29-2009, 05:23 PM

I have PCOS. 6+ years ago I was ttc my DS, and was working w/ an RE. At that time staying on met was a pretty new idea. My RE had me stay on my first trimester and then wean off of it.

When DS was 2, I was still BFing and started taking metformin again (different docs, different state...working w/ an endo, not an RE, and then a practice of midwives and their supervising doc) to see if a higher dose would bring on my cycles. After 3 months of Met I was frustrated I didn't have my cycle return...was about to induce w/ prometrium and got a BFP on a pregnancy test.

I remained on met my entire pregnancy that time (with my DD) and the entire time I was/(still am) BFing her, with my midwives' and their OB backup's agreement. I was comfortable w/ Thomas Hale's work on lactation that showed even less Metformin got into the bloodstream w/ BFing than during pregnancy.

I'm relatively newly pregnant with #3 now (11 weeks tomorrrow) and the plan is to continue met through my whole pg'cy. I"m very comfortable with this based on my own research.

I'm not overweight but do have PCOS. I don't technically test positive for IR but know as a result of my PCOS I am inherently insulin resistant.

HTH.

GretchenLC · 08-31-2009, 06:30 AM

Thanks for the feedback. Based on what I've read and heard from other PCOS women on another message board... I feel very strongly about staying on. I get to talk to the doctor at my 8 week visit and I'm going to bring it up. If she still insists I should come off of it... I'm probably going to get a second opinion.

I've read that it reduces the chances of miscarriage early on in the pregnancy and later on it reduces the chances of developing gestational diabetes. I'd like to stay on through the entire pregnancy because of those reasons.

PLUS getting your body accustomed to it takes SO LONG I hate to stop it and then go through the awful side affects when I re-start. I mean... of course that wouldn't be reason enough to continue. I would do whatever it takes if I felt it were a danger to the baby... but I really don't feel like it is.

The problem is in my area... I'm not sure there are ANY doctors familiar enough with PCOS to really know what to do.

My OB basically just kept me on it these past few years because I told her my doctor in TX had me on it and why. I have 4 refills now... so if I can't come to an agreement with my OB or find a different doctor before I run out of those... at least I will have made it through the first trimester.

brittone2 · 09-03-2009, 02:32 PM

are you on soulcysters? There are often good recommendations for docs on there.

if you can't find someone good who will support you remaining on metformin, I'd head over to pubmed.com and start printing studies on metformin in pregnancy and the reduction in m/c rate and GD.

When I was ttc my DS 6+ years ago it was a pretty new concept to have patients remain on met. I went into my RE armed w/ studies. Back then it was also hard to find docs to RX met in the first place for women who were not overweight but had PCOS. Like I said, w/ that pregnancy I only stayed on for my first tri and never got GD, but w/ my pgcy with my DD I remained on it the whole time.

Go in with studies and arm yourself w/ good information. Head to pubmed and plug in terms like metformin safety pregnancy, metformin miscarriage PCOS, etc. and print some abstracts to take in w/ you.

GretchenLC · 09-04-2009, 07:39 AM

Yes... I'm over on that website. That's how I learned that most women with PCOS stay on the met for at least the first trimester.

Thanks for the website suggestion. I decided to change doctors. I have an appointment with someone today that came highly recommended by our anatomy teacher who is a former OB nurse who also worked labor and delivery. She said her daughter has PCOS and he diagnosed and treats her so hopefully he will be good!

I have enough refills for 3 more months. If after our talk today... he still doesn't want me on it... I will either come back with articles or I will just stay on it for 3 more months and at least that will get me through the first trimester!

brittone2 · 09-04-2009, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GretchenLC

Yes... I'm over on that website. That's how I learned that most women with PCOS stay on the met for at least the first trimester.

Thanks for the website suggestion. I decided to change doctors. I have an appointment with someone today that came highly recommended by our anatomy teacher who is a former OB nurse who also worked labor and delivery. She said her daughter has PCOS and he diagnosed and treats her so hopefully he will be good!

I have enough refills for 3 more months. If after our talk today... he still doesn't want me on it... I will either come back with articles or I will just stay on it for 3 more months and at least that will get me through the first trimester!

I hope this doc ends up being a better experience. I think it is great you should be able to at least get through the first tri with meds

What are you taking anatomy for (if you don't mind my asking

). I ask because I worked as a physical therapist pre-kids (now a SAHM).

GretchenLC · 09-08-2009, 07:24 AM

Okay... update!!! The Anatomy teacher works with me... I work at a school in Information Technology! THANK GOD I'm not taking Anatomy!!!

The new doctor was WONDERFUL I love him! He spent SO MUCH time with us in his office before the exam... he completely understood me being a nervous, high maintenance, first timer. He knew the exact reasons for me wanting to stay on the metformin and agreed that it was a good idea. He did an ultrasound and we got to hear the heartbeat! Just WONDERFUL! The best day EVER! I'm SO GLAD I changed!!!

brittone2 · 09-08-2009, 09:31 AM

I'm sooooooooo happy for you and can totally understand what a relief it is to have a supportive, up-to-date care provider who is on the same page as you

Congrats on being an incredible advocate for yourself

Wooohooo!!!

08-24-2009, 12:52 PM	#1
GretchenLC Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 217 Gallery: GretchenLC Stats: 231.7/197.4/140 Start Date: 1/21/09	If you have PCOS and have taken Metformin and got Pregnant... did they take you off? Okay... I was diagnosed with PCOS years ago and have been taking Metformin for at least 5 years. I JUST found out I was pregnant and the doctor is taking me off the Metformin! I've read studies that say staying ON the Metformin reduces the risk of miscarriage. So of course the thought of going off of it scares me. But when I brought this up to the nurse practitioner she was like... "Were you reading medical journals?" DUR It was the internet! But still! I don't want to go against my doctors recommendation... but I need to know if this is something I should find a new doctor over? Or is it not that big of a deal either way? Or if there is some sort of literature I could show her and have her keep me on it? Please share your experiences. I'm totally SHOCKED at the fact that I'm pregnant since I've never EVER had it happen! I just want to do everything right. __________________ Gretchen's Gonna Make It! (My Weightloss Journal) Proud Member of... 10 Pound Club! 2/4/09 20 Pound Club! 3/1/0930 Pound Club! 4/26/09 40 Pound Club! 7/12/09 Goals Achieved: ~Less than 202 pound lowpoint/~Onederland/~Shop in "normal" section

08-24-2009, 01:26 PM	#2
AsmallerME MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 2,782 Gallery: AsmallerME Stats: 286/pregnant/199 WOE: Atkins again Start Date: too many times	Hey girl. I was googling this for you and it seems like some doctors have their patients stop immediately, some stop at the end of first tri, and some continue the whole pregnancy. It doesn't seem to be consistent and there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of data to support stopping or continuing. My thought is to go with your gut. If you think this is something you want to continue with the first tri then talk to your doctor about doing that or look for another doctor. I was not on this med but another and my doctor wanted me to stop at a certain time and I sought a second opinion. __________________ Amber

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08-29-2009, 05:23 PM	#3
brittone2 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 403 Gallery: brittone2	I have PCOS. 6+ years ago I was ttc my DS, and was working w/ an RE. At that time staying on met was a pretty new idea. My RE had me stay on my first trimester and then wean off of it. When DS was 2, I was still BFing and started taking metformin again (different docs, different state...working w/ an endo, not an RE, and then a practice of midwives and their supervising doc) to see if a higher dose would bring on my cycles. After 3 months of Met I was frustrated I didn't have my cycle return...was about to induce w/ prometrium and got a BFP on a pregnancy test. I remained on met my entire pregnancy that time (with my DD) and the entire time I was/(still am) BFing her, with my midwives' and their OB backup's agreement. I was comfortable w/ Thomas Hale's work on lactation that showed even less Metformin got into the bloodstream w/ BFing than during pregnancy. I'm relatively newly pregnant with #3 now (11 weeks tomorrrow) and the plan is to continue met through my whole pg'cy. I"m very comfortable with this based on my own research. I'm not overweight but do have PCOS. I don't technically test positive for IR but know as a result of my PCOS I am inherently insulin resistant. HTH.

08-31-2009, 06:30 AM	#4
GretchenLC Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 217 Gallery: GretchenLC Stats: 231.7/197.4/140 Start Date: 1/21/09	Thanks for the feedback. Based on what I've read and heard from other PCOS women on another message board... I feel very strongly about staying on. I get to talk to the doctor at my 8 week visit and I'm going to bring it up. If she still insists I should come off of it... I'm probably going to get a second opinion. I've read that it reduces the chances of miscarriage early on in the pregnancy and later on it reduces the chances of developing gestational diabetes. I'd like to stay on through the entire pregnancy because of those reasons. PLUS getting your body accustomed to it takes SO LONG I hate to stop it and then go through the awful side affects when I re-start. I mean... of course that wouldn't be reason enough to continue. I would do whatever it takes if I felt it were a danger to the baby... but I really don't feel like it is. The problem is in my area... I'm not sure there are ANY doctors familiar enough with PCOS to really know what to do. My OB basically just kept me on it these past few years because I told her my doctor in TX had me on it and why. I have 4 refills now... so if I can't come to an agreement with my OB or find a different doctor before I run out of those... at least I will have made it through the first trimester.

09-03-2009, 02:32 PM	#5
brittone2 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 403 Gallery: brittone2	are you on soulcysters? There are often good recommendations for docs on there. if you can't find someone good who will support you remaining on metformin, I'd head over to pubmed.com and start printing studies on metformin in pregnancy and the reduction in m/c rate and GD. When I was ttc my DS 6+ years ago it was a pretty new concept to have patients remain on met. I went into my RE armed w/ studies. Back then it was also hard to find docs to RX met in the first place for women who were not overweight but had PCOS. Like I said, w/ that pregnancy I only stayed on for my first tri and never got GD, but w/ my pgcy with my DD I remained on it the whole time. Go in with studies and arm yourself w/ good information. Head to pubmed and plug in terms like metformin safety pregnancy, metformin miscarriage PCOS, etc. and print some abstracts to take in w/ you.

09-04-2009, 07:39 AM	#6
GretchenLC Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 217 Gallery: GretchenLC Stats: 231.7/197.4/140 Start Date: 1/21/09	Yes... I'm over on that website. That's how I learned that most women with PCOS stay on the met for at least the first trimester. Thanks for the website suggestion. I decided to change doctors. I have an appointment with someone today that came highly recommended by our anatomy teacher who is a former OB nurse who also worked labor and delivery. She said her daughter has PCOS and he diagnosed and treats her so hopefully he will be good! I have enough refills for 3 more months. If after our talk today... he still doesn't want me on it... I will either come back with articles or I will just stay on it for 3 more months and at least that will get me through the first trimester!

09-08-2009, 07:24 AM	#8
GretchenLC Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 217 Gallery: GretchenLC Stats: 231.7/197.4/140 Start Date: 1/21/09	Okay... update!!! The Anatomy teacher works with me... I work at a school in Information Technology! THANK GOD I'm not taking Anatomy!!! The new doctor was WONDERFUL I love him! He spent SO MUCH time with us in his office before the exam... he completely understood me being a nervous, high maintenance, first timer. He knew the exact reasons for me wanting to stay on the metformin and agreed that it was a good idea. He did an ultrasound and we got to hear the heartbeat! Just WONDERFUL! The best day EVER! I'm SO GLAD I changed!!!

09-08-2009, 09:31 AM	#9
brittone2 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 403 Gallery: brittone2	I'm sooooooooo happy for you and can totally understand what a relief it is to have a supportive, up-to-date care provider who is on the same page as you Congrats on being an incredible advocate for yourself Wooohooo!!!