How Fast Does Metformin Work? (PCOS Ladies)

I'm posting this here for lack of a better place. I was on met while cycling from March 2010 throughout my pregnancy. I stopped taking it in May 2011 and Dr. B said not to start it up again until I was done nursing. While I was taking it I only had 1 or 2 natural cycles, the rest were medicated or pregnancy. The cycles were similar to my normal PCOS cycle, long, erratic, with ovulation somewhere between CD30-40, if at all.

I've been tracking my cycles charting only OPK and CM. Since I have high LH I basically use the OPK just as a guide to see if my LH is high, and when it's combined with good quality CM in a specific pattern, I can usually assume ovulation (although I never 100% assume until I get AF 10 days later). We are not TTC, but only using PNP, figuring if a miracle happened, so be it. Since I got AF back post-partum, I've had two full cycles, one lasting 48 days and one lasting 44 days. I was happy with this, I'm all for any sign of consistency.

So on April 20th I went back on met. It was CD3ish when I went back on. Around CD20 I started getting EWCM so I started taking OPKs. I figured it was prob just high LH since I generally don't O until into the CD30s but sometimes I get EWCM and +OPKs earlier. Anyway I got a few days of the darkest true +OPKs I've had in a long time and consistent EWCM throughout. Then they went negative around CD25 and the EWCM went away. After tracking and knowing what my messed up body does...it was following the pattern for post-ovulation. I didn't have many of my normal PCOS symptoms. I'm CD30 now and feeling very PMS-y. I took an OPK last night for the hell of it and there was barely even a shadow of a line, which almost never ever happens since my LH is typically always higher than normal.

Anyway all of this long confusing info is just to ask whether people think met could work that quickly or if this "normal" cycle is just a fluke. I was always told met took like 3 months to really be effective. But I see no real reason why I suddenly would ovulate around CD24 when I normally don't O until CD34-38. I know with PCOS there is no normal, and it will take more cycles to see if this is a positive change or just a fluke. So basically I'm just curious for the PCOS ladies if metformin alone regulated your cycle, and how long it took to do so.

Thanks for reading this long, TIA!

Re: How Fast Does Metformin Work? (PCOS Ladies)

i am no expert and no doc and it def took around 3 months for me for the metformin to kick in

i just wanted to say my sister,and keep in mind no fertility issues and has 4 kids almost back to back with all of them..but her cycles changed after each kid and she says now they r the complete opposite since she had kids

Re: How Fast Does Metformin Work? (PCOS Ladies)

Re: How Fast Does Metformin Work? (PCOS Ladies)

After 1.5 years off bcp I went on Met to conceive my ds. It took 3 months to start o'ing and 6 months to get pregnant. I went back on it when ds was a year old to ttc#2. After less then 2 weeks on it I got a bfp while still nursing my ds. My ob said either pregnancy/nursing could have helped with the pcos or Met has been known to cause spontaneous ovulation. I didn't care what the answer was because I was pregnant with my dd. When I got af back after dd my cycles got worse and worse. I went back on Met and got pregnant my 3rd month on it.

Re: How Fast Does Metformin Work? (PCOS Ladies)

I have pretty severe PCOS and metformin pretty much cured my infertility. Prior to taking it , it took me 3 years to have my 1st child. I started taking Metformin Sept. 2006 and I got pregnant on my 1st attempt of TTC in Dec 2006 ( m/c due to blighted ovum) then i TTC again July 2007 and was preg 1st try and had my daughter. I TTC in past Nov and again 1st try but m/c at 8 weeks. I plan on TTC again soon and thanks to metformin im not too worried. It's kept me completely clear of cysts and helped my fertility but i still have increasingly horrific physical side effects of PCOS but im grateful it's healed my ovaries and made me go from infertile to fertile myrtle. Just wanted to give you some hope that with some women it REALLY works and it worked pretty fast with me so i hope it does with you too- good luck!

Re: How Fast Does Metformin Work? (PCOS Ladies)

Re: How Fast Does Metformin Work? (PCOS Ladies)

I just wanted to say I love you just the way you are ... PCOS and all..

Re: How Fast Does Metformin Work? (PCOS Ladies)

i am curious about this as well. I am still BF a bit, but weaning off and "looking forward" to going back to my non-existent cycles. will probably get on met as well. What dose are you taking? 750 mg x 2 times a day?

Message edited 5/17/2012 12:21:27 PM.