Metformin, Prometrium and TTC with PCOS

Angie,
I, too, am on Metformin for PCOS. However, I have never been on it w/Prometrium (I have been on it w/clomid, and the BCP, though). I have been pretty lucky w/metformin and have not had any side effects. The doc started me on 500 mg, then a week later I went to 1000mg, then the following week to 1500, each time I take it w/a meal.

Talking with other people who are or have been on Metformin, they experienced fewer side effects if they avoided greasy and sugary foods. But, I dont know if that affects the mood swings.

Sorry I cant be of any more help. If its making life miserable, maybe there are other options rather than all the drugs???
Best of luck!

I was on both of those, but it's been a few years. Yes, prometrium was awful for my moods. I don't remember the Metformin causing mood swings, but I remember I didn't feel well at ALL for the first few weeks. I think I was really nauseated and had other "stomach issues". Once my body adjusted, I felt MUCH better... like even better than I did before I started taking it. I tend to get nauseated and really really crabby if I don't eat, and while I was on Metformin that didn't happen. I'm actually considering talking to my dr. about going back on it; not for conception purposes but to combat some issues I think are related to PCOS.

But, I KNOW being on all the medication isn't fun... I remember all too clearly! Good luck, and hang in there!

I have not taken prometrium but I have taken metformin (for PCOS). I did not have mood swings with metformin but I did while on clomid. The side effect I had where irritable stomach. So if I ate something too sweet or geasy I would be in the bathroom (I know TMI).
I did get pg after 3 months of metformin, letrozole, and IUI.
Good luck I know just how stressful all this can be. I am not longer TTC but if you need someone to talk to that has been through it feel free to e-mail me.
K.

i have pcos and am on metformin and i have been having problems with irritability. so bad that i scream at the kids then feel horrible for doing so. Sometimes when the kids are fighting or just being noisy ( i have 3, ages 4 3 and 1) i just wanna curl up in a corner and cry. this has only been going on since taking this medicine. it does not help that the medicine also give me stomach cramps and headaches. Plus doc put me on a diet (nutrisystem) and that does not help either. some of the food is just nasty. sorry for venting, wasnt my intention lol. just wanted u to know ur not alone. others with pcos are going through the same thing. its sometimes hard for husbands to understand. My husband didnt even ask me til last night exactly what pcos is and how it makes me feel. anyways...laters
my prayers are with you.

I'm not on Prometrium, but am on Metformin for PCOS. How much is your Dr having you take? I take 3 pills a day and when I tried taking all 3 at the same time I got really sick to my stomach. I didn't have mood swings, but lots of stomach cramping, so my Dr. is having me stair step them and slowly work up to 3 a day instead. So for the first few weeks I took 1 pill a day. The second week I was supposed to take 2 pills a day at the same time, but I started having the stomach cramping again so instead he had me take one pill in the morning with breakfast and one pill at night with dinner. The side effects went away. I did that for several weeks and now I'm adding 1/2 a pill at lunch. Eventually he'd like me to work up to a whole pill at lunch. If you're taking more than 1 pill a day, I would highly suggest spreading out when you take them over the day. It's completely gotten rid of the side effects for me. Now I feel great while taking the medication. I love my OB/GYN so if you're not happy with yours, give mine a call. He specializes in PCOS and fertility. His name is Dr. Heegaard. He has practices in Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. Hope that helps!

Hi Angie,

My dr. prescribed progesterone for me with my last pregnancy because of a history of miscarriages. I started with prometrium, which made me *really* nauseous, so he switched me to a progesterone suppository (in case you're wondering: it's a vaginal suppository!). It's not the loveliest thing, but it did not cause side effects! I don't know a lot about PCOS, but since you're ttc, I would think the progesterone is to help support a possible pregnancy, so the suppositories should do the same thing, right?

Good luck!
A.

Well I've never taken the Prometrium but I have been on Metformin for a few years now. At first, the side effects are extremely hard to get used to but over time, especially if you are slowing increasing your dosage, you will adapt to it and the side effects go away. I've also found it helpful to take my medication before bed which limits my awake time to experience the side effects.

It's a long road, but totally worth it. I have known I have PCOS for almost a decade and have been ttc for almost a year. I finally got pg in March but miscarried - but my docs and I are thrilled that I got preg and know that it can happen again. Good luck to you!!

I don't know if the doctor has talked to you at all about your diet, but that too can play a BIG factor into all this. I started the same meds last June, and I noticed that if I didn't stick to a low glycemic diet that my moods were pretty terrible, especially round progesterone taking time. Seems like having too much/little sugar can be a bad combo for me personally. Once I added in the progesterone I would turn into a monster. :)

I completely understand and empathize with you!!! I took prometrium also for a while during the post-ovulatory phase of my cycle. I had horrible mood swings and water retention. I called my docs office and they had me come in to look over my charts and discuss it with my doctor. He believed that it was because of the fact that I was taking it orally and so the progesterone was either high in my system or already out and so I would have a low which would cause the moodiness. Honestly, I felt crazy!!!

About a year ago he switched me to a natural progesterone cream. I use 50mg twice daily during the post ovulation phase. It has helped me a great deal and my husband is so greatful for it!!! It's a compound progesterone that I get at Kubat's pharmacy. I don't get any of the side effects that I got with the prometrium. I feel much calmer too.

I suspect that if you're starting your period before day 25 of your cycle then you're likely ovulating eariler than the typical day 14. Which in your case would mean that you need to start the progesterone much sooner than day 16. Do you chart your cycles? Do you have any idea when you might be ovulating? If you are ovulating on day 14 and you start your period by day 23 to day 25 then you would be infertile. Your Lutuel phase could be insufficient which can prevent a successful implantation of a fertilized egg.
The reason your doctor is having you start the progesterone on day 16 is because he's baseing it on a "typical" 28 day cycle in which the woman ovulates around day 14.

You need to do 2 things. You need to talk to your doctor about switching the type and route of progesterone you're taking and you need to start charting your cycles to know when you're ovulating. Unfortuneatly most physicians don't know or trust natural family planning, which so many women have learned to use and become pregnant with. By learning your fertility cycles you will learn so much about your own body which will empower you!

I know this is a lot to digest. I'm a registered nurse AND I taught natural family planning for 8 years. I taught the sympto-thermal method, which is charting mucus and temperatures. I've since learned the Creighton method, which is mucus only and I like this method now for me. I think both methods are equally wonderful. Just telling you my own experiences.

If you're interested I can give you some great resources for learning more about charting.

I take metformin for pre-diabetes to control sugar levels. I'd look up each of your prescriptions online and read the side affects, but also find message boards devoted to those specific drugs. You may find that taking them at different times of the day or with certain things will help. Definitely read the fine print that came with your prescriptions, and it's okay to let the doctor know of your irritability - he may have something different to try. Keep a journal - when you take the pills, what happens when.