[Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and I am not offering medical advice in regards to Metformin. This is simply my own personal experience with the drug.]
Well, I lasted about a year on Metformin. In the end, the benefits may have outweighed the side effects, but in practice, the side effects were too much for me to handle - physically and mentally.
The benefits were clear: I lowered my Total Daily Dose by about 10 units/day. I also found that my sugars were much more responsive to dosing while I was on Metformin, which led to fewer corrections. Within the first month or two, I was down about 10 pounds, but this was mostly do to the gastro-intestinal discomfort it was causing. Eventually, I figured out how to keep things mostly in check. I was down to only once weekly feeling like I couldn't eat without knowing I was within a quick, unobstructed sprint to the bathroom. Of course, that was the best-case scenario: if I ate within 2 hours of taking the pills, I knew what was coming and if I missed a pill, the next one would have me going!
Maybe this is odd to say, and perhaps TMI, but I've always been very proud of my digestive system (pancreas excepted...) to the point that any change/problem in the bowl was an indicator that I needed to pay better attention to diet, life, etc. In that sense, this year on Metformin was somewhat depressing; based on my porcelain barometer, I felt like I was constantly under the weather.
After those first few months, my TDD and weight stayed even. I had originally intended to use the power of Metformin to lose weight and increase the power of my diet and workout regime... Who was I kidding?!?
A month or so ago, I missed two doses of Metformin in a row. Knowing the discomfort I would face with the next pill, I said, 'screw it!' and haven't looked back! Well, technically, I have looked 'back', but now I see a much happier, healthier future!
It turns out that the transition back, mixed with stress and holidays, was not ideal for timing: my time in Winnipeg for the holidays added a solid 20 units/day to my TDD, so I'm pretty much back to that starting weight too, haha! Now that I'm back in Vancouver and getting back to my schedule and habits, I'm on the right track. I've also been much better at dosing before 20 minutes before I eat, which has helped immensely.
In conclusion, I feel much better! I really can't stress that enough.
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