Weaning off of Met

scubagirl80 · #1 July 27th, 2009, 08:06 AM

Hi ladies...another question.

It's getting to be about time for me to wean off of met. I'm a little apprehensive, as I've been on it since I was 21. Anyway, the doctor vaguely told me to wean off of it, but gave no details. I am actually on 2,000mg of Glumetza-but it's basically the same thing. So...how do I wean off of it?

Do I bump down to 1500mg for a few days, then down to 1000 mg for a few days, then 500mg for a few days? How many days at each level? Or do I skip taking the it every other day?

Thanks!

Nyzira · #2 July 27th, 2009, 09:38 AM

That's something I'd talk to the doctor about. Give the office a call and leave a message for him/her. They may want you to do it a certain way... MOST of the time you wean down the same way you weaned up.

Carrie429 · #3 July 27th, 2009, 09:48 AM

I was told to drop a pill every week just like when I weaned on - I took my sweet time though

(had a full bottle of pills).

I went from 1500 to 1000 to 500 to done.
Its been about a week with nothing now and baby is currently thumping and bumping me

Going a week at each dose will probably be sufficient, but I'd check with your dr just to make sure. A pill a week will put you at 16wks, so seems like it would work well. Good luck!

DawnN · #4 July 27th, 2009, 09:51 AM

I chose not to go off of Metformin. With the research I found and shared with my doctor (and with speaking to my endocrinologist), it was advisable to stay on the Metformin throughout pregnancy as it not only helps make your uterus more "hospitable" but it also helps prevent gestational diabetes ... and helps with milk production during breastfeeding.

If you are apprehensive about going off of it, I'd talk to your doctor about staying on it.

WoodysWife2005 · #5 July 28th, 2009, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DawnN

I chose not to go off of Metformin. With the research I found and shared with my doctor (and with speaking to my endocrinologist), it was advisable to stay on the Metformin throughout pregnancy as it not only helps make your uterus more "hospitable" but it also helps prevent gestational diabetes ... and helps with milk production during breastfeeding.

If you are apprehensive about going off of it, I'd talk to your doctor about staying on it.

Hey Dawn,

It is SO encouraging to read something from a recent comment (everything I've read online is at least a year or two old), about staying on the Met. I am SO nervous about going off. I am 10 weeks and at 8 wk appt there was a little baby w/a heartbeat sleeping in our ultrasound. The Dr. (and she is new for me as I did not like the last one-she had no experience or knowledge of PCOS). This Dr. is listed as a "specialist" but her thoughts on our first visit is to go off Met at our next meeting which is Aug 12 (appx 12 1/2 weeks). She said then I could just follow a "lowfat/low sugar" diet which sounds absolutely ridiculous to me. I am not diabetic and my sugar levels have always been fine- my hormone levels are what is screwed up and I question, now that I know about PCOS, if my levels were not what caused my miscarriage in '07. Looking at the beginning tests my endo took and the levels 3 months later- WOW! My testosterone was WAY up and my progesterone was like 1.0- total bottom. I guess I don't see how it makes any sense to go off when I open myself up to GD and wacked out hormone levels-?

Without being too personal, why do you want to stay on? Is it similar circumstances? I have 3- yes 3- Dr. appts on Aug 12th- first is the OBGYN, second the Endo and then third the high risk person doing an ultrascreen for checks on the baby. I intend to talk to the endo about her thoughts on this, but I am stressed about this. Thanks, Kelly

DawnN · #6 July 29th, 2009, 06:17 AM

Kelly, I lost a baby within 48 hours of going off of Metformin. I saw his heart beating 45 minutes prior to passing the baby (via u/s). There was nothing "apparently" wrong with the baby. My body was rejecting him. I did go cold turkey off of t he Met. (as my ob had suggested unknowingly)...so that may or may not have made the difference, I don't know. I, personally, couldn't chance it by going off of it again, though I know other women who have and didn't lose the babies...although several tested positive for GD.

After that, I was like a mad woman looking for answers. I took the research I found to my ob and then I spoke to my endo. Both concurred for me to stay on the Met. the next time I got pg. (I basically stay on Metformin all the time, pg. or not). I was pg. within 2-3 months after that m/c and I stayed on it the entire pg. My dd Sarah was the result. She was born 1 1/2 months before my 15th wedding anniversary!! I stayed on Metformin throughout all three of my pg. and am on it now. I've had sugar levels checked ... pricked my finger for several weeks during ds's pg. and even had A1C's done during this last pg. and was not gestational diabetic (which is extremely common for women with pcos to be during pg.).

Without Metformin, my body and hormones are a mess. I don't ovulate (or if I do, not very often). I had never conceived before being on it. I've said it before lol, but I believe that a healthy mom can make a healthy baby. If I'm not healthy, the risks of the baby having problems are greater.

Feel free to pm me if you want.

babyjen · #7 July 31st, 2009, 12:11 PM

I was taking 1000mg and weaned off by dropping to 500mg for 1 week and then stopping after that.

WoodysWife2005 · #8 August 16th, 2009, 10:14 AM

I had my Dr. appt last Monday and I told her I did not feel comfortable going off Met. I explained to her that the reason I was on it to begin with (as I am not diabetic) is because my hormones were all out of whack- met has helped tremendously with keeping me level. They suspect I am insulin resistant as well.

She said she was fine with that, I could stay on it all the way thru or if I decided I wanted to lower it or go off at some point, I could do that also.

The same day I met with my endocronologist and told her about this and she was also fine with it. She said she does have patients that tried to go off as well, but many realized they did not feel right being off it and felt inbalanced. I take mine at the same times approx each day- if I get too far off from either time, I feel the difference.

So, for now, I'm staying on. The NT ultrasound I took later that same day showed our baby actually growing quite well- even ahead of schedule a bit and things look good.

Good luck to you all. I really believe it is a personal decision.

cudabear · #9 September 2nd, 2009, 10:44 PM

I am going to continue met throughout my pregnancy. I have spoken with many RE's and OB's. Some do disagree. But, my RE and perinatologist both think I should stay on it. If I do develop GDM, I will add insulin. But, even then, I will continue to met. Insulin is a growth hormone and will cause me to gain weight unneccessarily and cause the babies to grow to quickly. So far, I haven't gained any weight (13 weeks this Friday) - although in the last few days I've realized I am not eating enough. I am working on that. It's been that nothing sounds good or I wasn't that hungry. Now, I'm hungry. So, I've have to start eating even though nothing sounds good.