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Would Metformin work for me? Why won’t my doctor prescribe it?

I’m a 24 year old female. I had a blood test done recently and my insulin level was higher than normal. My LDL cholesterol and sodium levels were also borderline high. I love food especially carbs. Sometimes I will eat a whole tub of ice cream or a whole pizza. I also eat at least 10-15 candy bars a week. I also get no exercise whatsoever. My weight is normal though, I’m 5’0 & 102 lbs. My doctor says I’m insulin resistant and pre diabetic. I have a strong family history of diabetes. Both my parents have it even though they’re in great shape and skinny but like me, they have a bad diet, and are physically sedentary. I know the treatment for insulin resistance is Metformin but my doctor will not prescribe it to me because my BMI is normal. My blood sugar levels are normal too. But I’m worried about getting early diabetes and thats whats going to happen to me if I don’t do anything about it. Would Metformin work for me?

The simple answer is this – yes, it might do *something* for you, but the doctor probably isn’t prescribing it because in your particular case, he/she feels that the risks outweigh the potential benefits. Metformin is not a benign drug; it has side effects, and one of its well known complications, lactic acidosis, can be potentially fatal. Also, metformin is not a magic drug – it won’t cure the underlying problem (diabetes) or even prevent you from getting it – it only treats some of the symptoms (insulin resistance). It’s analagous to trying to keep the reservoir behind a leaky dam full by adding more water instead of fixing the leak: it might remain full, for a while, but as the leak gets worse, you’ll have to add more and more water (i.e., more medications, many of which are much more dangerous than metformin), and the whole system may one day just collapse.
So, this will suck for you to hear, but, as your doctor probably told you, the best way for you to not develop diabetes is to change your lifestyle; especially in the pre-diabetic stages, research has consistently shown that a proper diet and moderate exercise is much, much more effective than any medication at preventing the development of diabetes. In diabetics (either type 1 or 2), proper diet and exercise have again been consistently shown to both maximize the efficacy of medications (including injected insulin), as well as to control the host of very unpleasant complications associated with the damage that poorly controlled diabetes can wreak on the body. You have been very fortunate to have physiology that has allowed you to at least maintain a fairly healthy weight, but that only goes so far – don’t waste this luck, or this opportunity to prevent this condition from occurring, or you might greatly regret it down the line (picture yourself at age 50 with your feet amputated due to complications from nerve damage, on your 2nd heart attack, and half-blind all because you didn’t keep your glucose under control).

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Can Insulin resistance be cured? Will my insulin levels go back to normal with treatment?

my insulin levels are really high. mine is 31 (normal is 5-13). im a normal weight (5’3" & 110 lbs) but my diet isn’t the best. i have a major sweet tooth and some days i only eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. my doctor said i need to star eating better and exercising.. if i do that.. will my insulin levels go back to normal eventually? or are they always going to be high?

Insulin resistance is the basis for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Now to answer your question, no your resistance will not be cured, but managed. Exercise will improve your insulin response so it is a very good thing to do, and watch your weight as an increased weight is a risk factor for type 2. Eating sugar will not cause diabetes but the weight gain can. I believe you should watch yourself very carefully from now on and listen to your doctors.

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just checked and i have a polisystic ovary…need some tips..?

im on medication of metformin and my obgyne wanted me to low my carbs intake though im not really fatty but she said there is a resistance of insulin so i need to cut down my sugar n carbs or i should be on strict diet, i just started for a week now but still confused on what are the right foods for me i mean those foods best alternate the carbs coz i really fell so empty giddy and so hungry..pls help me..also my dr. required me to have at least 30 mins of cardiovascular exercise thats 1 thing make me so hungry also..for the sake of havin an angel im willing to do alll this but want some tips from u all and also share to me if u had some experiences like this to know how effective are my treatments now…im taking metformin and folic acid only…what are the healthy foods for me since im ttc, foods that low in carbs…your suggestions guys are very much appreciated…thank u….

If you are confused about what foods are low carb try reading some of the low carb diet books like: "Atkins" "The South Beach Diet" "The Sonoma Diet" (I think). Most of these books have a companion book that details low carb foods.

I did the low carb diet for almost two years and was very happy with "The South Beach Diet" They focus on low carb and heart healthy foods. It was an easy diet for me to follow and stay with. The book recommended eating protein like yogurt and nuts for your mid-day snacks cause they take longer to digest. Also lots of green vegetables, the fibers in them keep you satisfied longer.

I also found the exercise to help the most with those few extra pounds.

Hope this helps a little, and good luck.

My big secret and most can not deal with it, was always having fresh cut celery handy. If I had the munchies I just ate two or three stalks and I was good, but I could also eat five or six and it didn't hurt. It does get old eating it all the time, but it worked for me.

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Could I have PCOS?

I've been looking up some symptoms online and I may have PCOS? I've never had regular periods, I gain weight no matter what I do (exercise, diet,etc) and have been overweight my whole life, I have acne (even though I'm almost 20), and seem to have PMS symptoms all the time, my husband and I have also been TTC #1 for 17 months with no luck (he is also 20 and has healthy sperm). I'm not insulin resistance (I had it checked because of family history of diabetes) Could I have PCOS?, if so what are the treatment options, any success stories, espically naturally conceiving?
I have some excess hair growth, but nothing serious.
Didn't bother me Jess.

Yes you most definitely could. Go to your GP for blood work. You will also need a pelvic ultrasound so they can visualize the ovaries and see if there are old follicles hanging around. A lot of doctors prescribe Metformin, a drug usually used for type2 diabetics. Aside from helping with insulin resistance it can be very effective at regulating cycles and can help with ovulation.

I was diagnosed in the fall with PCOS and have been actively ttc since Jan 08. I'm on Metformin and am also receiving acupuncture and Chinese herbs as a complementary therapy from a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine Doc). Acupuncture is very helpful in the treatment of PCOS and management of symptoms. My cycles are beautifully regular now!

I recommend getting a hold of a book called 'The PCOS Diet Book'. Its got a lot of useful info re: PCOS and also explains why a woman with PCOS needs to eat certain foods in certain combinations to control her symptoms. It sounds like a lot of work…but really its totally doable. Its mostly about combining carbs and proteins and eating frequent small meals.

Best of luck…and if it is PCOS, don't despair, there are a lot of us fellow PCOSers out there who are coping with it everyday…and having babies naturally too!

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