PCOS Metformin & IVF

[krisnjer]

Hey ladies quick question... (I also posted this in the Nov & Fall threads)

I have PCOS and have been on 1000mg of Metformin during this whole IVF process (and before) and Dr wants to keep me on it for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy if I am actually pregnant (in 2ww). I have found a couple of articles stating that Metformin decreases the miscarriage rate from about the 50% range to about the 10% range and that it is not found to cause any birth defects. I haven't really found a lot of research on it so I am just curious.

So my question for all the PCOS ladies is are you also on Metformin and if you are pg or have ever been pg were still using Metformin during the first 12 weeks?

Thanks Kris

[karenthescorpio]

Hi there. I am on Metformin just for my IVF cycle b/c I'm slightly PCOS. I don't have any fertility issues b/c of it (we do ivf due to male factor) but my ovaries acted pcos during my first cycle. It was awful. I used it with my 2nd cycle (last cycle) and I got preggers. My doc had me stop it when I got a positive beta. I'm doing it this cycle too. And he plans to have me stop when I get pregnant again. I asked him why and he said he doesn't think it is a good idea to stay on it unless it is needed to control blood sugar i.e. diabetes. Which isn't my case. Wishing you the best!

[PA_FA]

Kris- I have PCOS as well and am on Metformin. This is my first pregnancy and my Dr has kept me on 2000mg per day throughout my pregnancy. I'll probably be on this drug for the rest of my life. They kept me on it because with people with PCOS is is shown to decrease the chances of getting gestational diabetes. Not that taking metformin is a pass to eat crappy. The perinatal center I go to for my sonograms also said that metformin is shown to decrease miscarriages up to 16w pregnant. I have a girlfriend in TX who suffered 4 losses. Her Dr put her on Metformin and she was able to carry her baby (actually twins) to term. She says she owes it all to Metformin.

So I guess take it for what you will. I think the drug is great! I have sonograms every month and so far (knock on wood) there has been nothing wrong. The perinatal center said I was their lowest risk "high risk" patient. I'm only high risk because I did IVM.

Best of luck to you. I hope you end up with your BFP!!!!!!!!!

[gi]

Hi

We changed clinics on our 7th attempt and they discovered i had pcos, i went on metformin (cant remember dosage) in Dec 09, got my bfp March 2010 and stayed on it for the 1st 12 wks of pregnancy as you can see i am now (Please God) 38 weeks pregnant. I was also on heperin and clexane injections till 12 wks and progesterone till 17 wks and baby aspirin till 37 wks but these were all due to recurrent m/c and high elevated natural killer cells. Best of luck, i hope you too get your little miracle xxxx

gi xxx

[krisnjer]

Thanks ladies for all the info! I found out I am pg and I am still on Metformin so hopefully it will help. My u/s is the 23 of Nov.

[krisnjer]

Getting ready to start 2nd round of IVF and still on the same 1000mg of metformin per day.

Anyone else taking any other meds for PCOS?

[HopeIsAllIHave]

I am also on 1000mg of Metformin for my PCOS. My RE recommended 1500mg, but I'm already having pretty bad side effects from my current dosage, so she kept me at 1000mg. I'll start my first IVF in late Jan/beginning of February.

[krisnjer]

do you take the dosage all at once or split it during the day? I don't know if it matters or not. My stomach handles it better when I take it all at once late in the evening.

[HopeIsAllIHave]

I was told to take it twice daily. Even when I take 500mg before bedtime, I wake up with an upset stomach. I doubt I'd be able to handle 1000 mg all at once.

[sorcet]

although we use it for PCOS metformin can and will cause low blood sugars. so unless you take an extended release version it should almost always be taken multiple times a day. I seem to be the odd ball when it comes to this my RE allowed me to stay on it through the IVF but once i transferred i was to stop. I never took it during my pregnancy and i have a healthy 8 week old girl now.

[HopeIsAllIHave]

Sorcet, that's what I'd recommend - to take it multiple times a day. It is primarily a medication for diabetes, and though FDA has not approved of it for PCOS, studies have shown that it does help. I asked my RE about putting me on extended release (ER) tablets because of the awful side effects that I get from it, but she said that she stopped putting her patients on ER because most of her patients reported it not being absorbed and seeing the entire pill in their excrement. Furthermore, I've read that metformin is approved for the first trimester of pregnancy. It's not safe to take after that.

[PA_FA]

Kris- TO answer your question, I am on metformin and synthroid. I had responded when you first posted back in Oct. I'm so sorry about your m/c. I do split up my meds and I worked up to 2000mg a day. When I was on 1000 mg, I took one in the am and one in the pm. I did that for a week. THen upped the dose to 1500. I took 2 in the am and 1 at night. Now I'm on 2000mg. I have stayed on that through my entire pregnancy. So far my baby is measuring perfect. The thing with metformin is that if you continue to eat crap that upsets your stomach it will tear you up. You have to change how you eat so that it does not bother you.
Best of luck with your next cycle.

[wannabeamum]

Hi all, I have also got pcos and am starting my first ivf in january 2011!!!!
Im 25yrs old and can do with a few people to talk too also some advise please!!! x
Best of luck to us all xxx

[Liessionly]

I am on Metformin - 1500mg daily. I just finished up my stims, Started with 75iu Menopur and 75iu of Bravelle, the doc upped my meds to 150iu of each + dexamethasone . I also did 2 shots of Ganarelix at the end with the trigger of HCG shot last night. ER is tomorrow on the 4th.