Metformin experiences for weight control due to meds?

About 9.5 years ago, I had read about some psychiatrists prescribing metformin (a diabetes medication) to aid in weight control/loss for weight gain due to certain antipsychotics/other medications. I asked my psychiatrist about that at that time, and he practically yelled that he would not consider it. Then today, that same psychiatrist said that after attending a major psychopharmaceutical conference that he would consider prescribing it.

Does anyone have any experience taking metformin for weight control/loss due to other medications, such as antipsychotics? What was the experience?

My sister actually has diabetes type 2 and was prescribed metformin for it a long time ago. She did not react well to it at all, but I think her reaction was rare. I do not have diabetes...at least not yet...but my glucose level did test high recently. I have also been struggling with weight gain for a few years, due to my Seroquel XR (an antipsychotic). I told my psychiatrist today that at my current rate of overeating, I might reach my all-time high weight in as little as a few months or so. That would push me from an overweight BMI to almost obese. Right now, I am becoming a little bit unhappy with my physical appearance, but it's my blood work results that I'm particularly concerned about. I do not want to get diabetes. I'm particularly vulnerable because many women in my family developed diabetes type 2.

I also take Seroquel and had the same issues .

I started taking Metformin ER and it has kept my weight the same and prevented any new weight gain. My blood work is all in the normal range as well. Metformin decreases your urges for carbs. So you are not as hungry. it helps prevent any new weight gain.

Seroquel can cause metabolic syndrome and also diabetes. The metformin will help prevent those things along with diet and exercise. It will help your glucose levels and lipid profile.

I am still over weight now by about 40 lbs. But all my blood work is in a good healthy range even though my BMI is obese technically. But I am healthy.

So I would say Metformin helps a lot.

Ask your doctor for Metformin ER because it will have less side effects (food will go right through you)

And be sure to take it right after a meal. Your doctor should probably prescribe 500mg ER twice a day. Once in the morning and once at night.

Thanks so much, pat86! I would love if my carb cravings were reduced. It is really the carbs that are my most serious eating challenge. If my urges and appetite could be reduced, I could then diet. I know that if I diet, even on 550 mg Seroquel XR, I can lose weight. Last year I went from 174 lbs to 167 lbs between April and July. I was very happy with that, but then I had mood issues that made the dieting difficult again. When I have major carb cravings I just can't diet.

9.5 years ago I reached my all-time high of 192 lbs. That was a rough time for me mood-wise and my medication mix was very weight unfriendly. I was then put on a rather weight friendly mix (Lithium was weight friendly) and lost 40 lbs in six months. That took me down to 152 lbs, which is actually a great weight for me. I look pretty trim at that weight, and it's a normal BMI weight. I maintained the weight loss for a good four years before my Seroquel XR dose went up. I stayed within 15 lbs of that low for another two years, then my Seroquel XR went even higher and it became difficult not to gain weight.

My psychiatrist says he might try a new antipsychotic. We'll see if that happens. If it is a weight friendly one, I'll have a good chance of losing weight because of that, too.

My glucose level hasn't been that high, but my cholesterol (especially) and triglycerides have been high for years other than when I lost that 40 lbs I mentioned.

Thanks for the tip about the XR version of Metformin. If my psychiatrist does prescribe it, I'll ask for the XR. I generally always do better on extended release versions of medications.

I've lost 30 pounds while on clozaril thanks in part to metformin (this is all the weight I gained on clozaril and some of the weight from my prior AP Seroquel). My glucose levels have gone from borderline to normal and I no longer have metabolic syndrome. My A1C is really low. My family dr offered to take my off it but I think it is better to stay on it since so much improved. It did take 2 years to reach this point, mostly because the metabolic stuff happened after the weight loss.

That is wonderful, BeyondtheRainbow! I've heard how Clozaril can be a real weight gainer, among the worst even. To lose 30 lbs on it sounds like a major success story using Metformin.

I worry a little bit what my general practitioner and nephrologist will think if my psychiatrist puts me on Metformin. Both have been very reluctant to put me on a statin for my high cholesterol. But I think that if I go to their offices with a nice chunk of weight lost that they won't mind so much. Of the two, I think my general practitioner would be the most annoyed, if he gets annoyed.

I only mention the above because I know that some doctors don't like when other doctors prescribe things THEY think the other doctor knows little about. I have found that doctors often love to criticize other doctors even sometimes when they are not the experts. My gynecologist has made many negative statements about my large psych cocktail. So has a past dietitian. My gp has criticized my nephrologist. A past neurologist has said my psychiatrist was wrong. My psychiatrist has said many doctors "should" or "shouldn't have" done this and that.

I am really fortunate that my family doctor is willing to help with things like letting me try metformin and will cooperate with my pdoc if needed. Back when I started seeing him i was coming off a family dr who prescribed me a med contraindicated with another of my meds, 3 times in a few weeks. I reported him to the medical board and was really pro-active with this doctor. I told him that I needed him to be willing to deal with my pdoc and to know that she had the final say because of interactions and that I needed him to be willing to be overly cautious, running any med he gave me through an interaction checker. He was newly out of residency and I was the first patient he'd had long term exposure to with severe mental illness so he was very willing to work with me. A long time has passed now (14-15 years?) and he still follows this. Metformin wasn't something I discussed with my pdoc much if at all but even if she'd prescribed it he'd be fine. I've been on the edge of needing a statin and he has been cautious but I'm sure if my pdoc was concerned at all he'd start one.

It's hard navigating too many doctors.

I absolutely think metformin is worth a try. It's been really good for me.

my triglycerides also went up really high when I first started seroquel. Everything went up triglycerides, blood pressure, lipid profile etc.

My triglycerides went up to more then 500 at first. So I started dieting and exercise and the Metformin ER and my triglycrides went down to about 200 and everything else went down to a normal range as well.

That's a huge reduction in your triglycerides! That's great!

I don't take metformin myself, but I have a friend who is obese and bipolar and takes it to help with the weight. She says it does upset her stomach sometimes, but sounds like it's worth a try.

I take Abilify, and I have found it to be weight friendly. I did gain 20 lb., but that was not right when the Abilify started. I'm pretty sure it's due to overeating at work (they are always bringing in free food, and I have a hard time saying no to that).

I take topamax and that’s really helped with my weight. It’s also helped with my moods as well.

My insurance company called the other week and wanted me to switch from geodon to seroquel. I said no ****ing way.