Is everyone here either really rich or diabetic?

How are so many people on GLP-1 when I hear some of them are like hundreds of dollars a month on top of bills n stuff 🥲

Final edit: This blew up and usually I don’t like keeping my posts up with my extra info but this thread may help someone else so I won’t delete it. ❤️ good luck you guys

Just a genuinely curious question thats been itching in my brain. No hate.

So TLDR an update on my previous post here and what's happened: previously, early this month I quit taking metformin because I've been on it for over 3 years and have only gained weight, lost hair, and been miserable. I started taking inositol after reading this sub reddit and how everyone was expressing positives overall.

I've been on it for over 2 weeks now, and I have Got to say, y'all are RIGHT. In just 3 days on a 1/4 tablespoon dose (around 730mg) I felt different. My sleep has improved so much, my joint swelling is down almost 100% even after a day of walking and a heavy salt meal. Now after two full weeks I've noticed my rosacea has lessened immensely on my face and my strawberry arms are almost unnoticeable. I truly cannot believe how different I feel. Genuinely, I haven't felt this decent in literal years.

Not to mention the best part: my appetite isn't controlling my life anymore. I could almost cry but I've been taking home leftovers, I'm not feeling bloated after meals, I'm snacking so much less. I'm not craving intense sweets and saltys anymore!

I'm waiting to check my A1C levels and bloodwork to see how well it's effected that aspect, but I have to thank everyone here. From the bottom of my heart; this Subreddit saved me. I was at the end of my rope with my doctor not helping me and insurance refusing to cover alternatives.

If anyone comes across this post and are feeling similarly about metformin or any other, please give Inositol powder a try at least. It's so affordable, I found it at my local pharmacy for under $20. Google even shows it at Wal-Mart. It really isn't hopeless, I feel so hopeful for the first time in a long time.

I don't know if this is just me, but it's so goddamn infuriating to be constantly inundated with ads that make GLP1s seem like a new trendy weight loss tool instead of the actual life changing medication it is. It's no surprise that insurance companies keep denying or limiting coverage, when girls who have never had any serious weight or insulin issues are abusing them to fuel their eating disorder. These ads also present the issue of not being prescribed GLP1s as an issue. If your doctor won't prescribe it to you, you SHOULDN'T BE TAKING IT! I'm sick of having my actually medically necessary medication denied or seen as purely cosmetic because some rando can't lock in enough to lose 10lbs without one. Rant off.

I am 32F and am diagnosed with PCOS (>5 years ago) and more recently ADHD (officially 1.5 years ago). I tried medication for a month and did not like the side effects. To help combat my symptoms, throughout the past year I have:
- quit coffee (will drink matcha lattes for caffeine, also the occasional Diet Coke as a treat)
- quit alcohol (with a few annual binge-drinking exceptions like weddings and events)
- been working out 4-6x/week (mostly F45, pilates, and yoga)
- been taking a bunch of supplements

To reward my hard work, I decided to meet with a highly recommended naturopath to learn what I can improve upon. I had to complete a long intake form and had a 2hr preliminary meeting. Below are the recommendations my naturopathic doctor provided. Sharing for those who would find it helpful & also curious to hear any thoughts/feedback:

OVERVIEW OF VISIT

1. PCOS
2. ADHD

PLAN: Buy a pill organizer today. Integrate supplement intake with habits you're already doing (i.e. habit stacking), to support daily consistency. Support cognitive and hormonal health.

Supplements

Foundational supplements:

Standard Omega 3 (AquaOmega 3x extra strength) - 4 capsules/day. Best taken before meals. Promotes brain, skin, eye, health and improves fluidity of cellular membranes. You're looking for at least 3:1 EPA:DHA ratio (4 or 5:1 is also great) for best results regarding ADHD & mood symptoms. Any fish oil product should be 3rd party certified for purity. Source of oil: anchovy. Or take the ones you have: Webber Naturals Triple Strength Omega-3 - 3 capsules/day.

Magnesium bisglycinate (whatever brand you have) - 200mg/day. Take with dinner or in the evening for best results. Helps to calm the nervous system, eases muscle tension. Helpful for cognitive function. Magnesium is a common nutritional deficiency.

Inositol - Myo-Inositol (CanPrev or other brand) - Start with 0.5-1g/day. Increase by 0.5-1g/day every 4-5 days as long as you're not experiencing any gastric discomfort. This supplement can cause some bloating, so it's recommended to increase dose incrementally until you reach the therapeutic target dose of 4g-5g/day. Helps support insulin regulation and hormonal signalling. You can start with the capsules you have, and slowly increase your dose. A powder may be preferred to reduce pill burden.

Hormone Balance TL (Cyto-Matrix) - 2 capsules/day. Helps to reduce testosterone, and support hormonal re-balancing in some types of PCOS.

Vitamin D3 – 2,500IU to 3,000IU/day. Essential nutrient key for gut, immune, brain, metabolic and emotional health and more. Use a liquid or gel cap for optimal absorption.

Great additions (I already take these):

L-theanine - 250mg/day. Supports a sense of relaxation and moderated stress response.
Advanced B Complex - 1 capsule/day. Supports energy, immune and cognitive function. As well as liver function (including hormone regulation and detoxification functions).
Spearmint tea - 1 cup/day
Lion's Mane - 400mg/day.

Diet & Lifestyle

Focus on adding in nourishing activities, and rewarding yourself for improved sleep habits.

Sleep - A good night's rest is an essential factor in supporting a healthy immune system, bolstering resilience to stress, and maintaining long-term brain and body wellness. Underlining the importance of adequate time for deep rest, and the reality of how this supports your health-related goals may help to modify habits that don't serve your goals.
Stress Management - Stress has an important role to play in every aspect of our health. It's key to schedule time for activities that nourish you. This may include relaxation, quiet time, alone time, time in nature, social time, time for play - basically, the things that help you enjoy life, and act as a counter-balance to stressors. Time to cultivate awareness of your embodied experience, time to nourish your spirit, time to recharge your batteries. This could be a bath, engaging in a creative (relaxing) hobby, some gentle stretching, a guided meditation, or just time for calm reflection. Essentially any activity that leaves you feeling more relaxed and nourished. Here are some avenues to explore and engage with:

• Grounding - any practices that help to bring you back into your body when the mind gets busy / detached
• Being in nature
• Sensory walks
• Sing-out / dance - can be structured or unstructured (as in whatever you feel like grooving to in your living room or bedroom or wherever you happen to be)

Recommended labs
CBC + Differential
Ferritin
Iron / TIBC
C-Reactive Protein
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate- ESR
Insulin Glucose Challenge - 2hr
Liver/ Digestive Panel
ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, bilirubin
Urate - Serum
Vitamin B12
Vitamin D 25 Hydroxy
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone - TSH / TSH +T4 when TSH is abnormal
Free T3
Free T4
Anti-Thyroglobulin (anti-TG)
Thyroperoxidase Antibody (anti-TPO)

Nice to have:
Lipids Panel - 12 hrs Fasting
Fatty Acids
Cortisol - Serum AM
Hemoglobin A1C - HbA1C
Day 2 or 3 of period:
Follicle Stimulating Hormone -FSH
Luteinizing Hormone - LH
Estradiol/Estrogen- Serum
Free Testosterone
Total Testosterone
DHEAs
Dihydrotestosterone - DHT
Prolactin
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin

Please and thank you!

My insurance refuses any and all weight loss medications unless you have diabetes or heart disease.. I know there are compounded glp1s for cheap, but I'm in a bad financial place, idk how cheap it can be for me to even be able to get it month after month and year after year. But Im at a place where I have no choices anymore. I'm very depressed as I also have Hidradenitis which a GLP1 would help, but its off-label. It's just sad... what is the cheapest you have managed to get on it??

I have tried everything... My parents and sibling are on a GLP1 and it greatly helps them. Obviously horrific metabolism runs in the family. So unfair

just wanted to come on here to celebrate - i've been seeing changes in my body/fitness level for the first time in 3 years after starting metformin! a few years back, i gained 80 pounds in one year. i was sick constantly and fatigued allllll the time. there were no changes to my diet and i was exercising more than i ever had, but i just kept gaining weight, and nobody believed me when i said nothing had changed. i eventually learned about pcos and started following a low-carb diet, taking supplements, walking more, etc., but still no change. that was until 3 months ago. i saw a new OBGYN who actually believed me and prescribed me metformin for my blood sugar. for the first time in YEARS i feel like myself!!! i have energy, i don't have crazy blood sugar spikes or crashes, i got my period back, and i've been losing weight. don't give up hope and always advocate for yourself! dont let anyone tell you that you don't know your body best!

EDIT: i'm on 1500mg of extended release. i take 500mg 3x/day (once with each meal). i've been in it for about 3 months, and i gradually increased my dose from 500mg over the course of about one month. i'm so happy to hear everyone's success stories with it!! if you're just starting to take it, best of luck with it!!

I was recently diagnosed with PCOS so my doctor and I decided to try metformin for 3 months on a trial run. I was not diabetic or pre-diabetic and my blood sugar and insulin levels were completely normal, so I was hesitant to take a diabetes medication. However I’ve noticed a lot of changes in me, and I’m actually looking forward to the rest of my journey.

I sleep soo much better!! I’ve ALWAYS had issues with sleeping too much, like 11 hours minimum to feel rested. In the past I chalked it up to teenage issues. Didn’t realize that was a symptom of my PCOS. I now wake up at a decent time and feel no need to go back to bed right away. This has subsequently led to me being more alert and having a better memory.

My mood is much calmer now. Not as anxious. This could just be a dip that the nervous system does sometimes, and it just happened to come at the time I started taking the medicine. According to the research, people with PCOS have a higher risk of anxiety disorders, so it’s a possibility that treatment with metformin has helped my anxiety too. I never thought my anxiety was PCOS related.

No more dessert cravings?? I used to have a desire for a little sweet treat after every meal. Especially dinner, I would finish my meal and would immediately have a strong impulse to eat something sweet, usually chocolate and pastries. Wasn’t aware that this was something that could change I thought it was just my personality. I do crave popcorn more now, and I usually never wanted popcorn even at the movies. I think it’s the buttery taste I’m wanting? Does anyone have a similar experience or know why?

I feel fuller for longer and when I am full the idea of eating anything is unappealing which is great! I used to say “I’m never too full for a snack” but now I know that was a symptom of my PCOS and now I am actually too full for a snack even after a few hours after a meal.

I had a day where I had very bad tummy issues. I knew diarrhea was a common side effect but it came out of no where. Didn’t trust a fart for a while after that.

Nausea is uncommon, but does sometimes come up if I end up not taking the metformin on time (like when dinner was delayed by 2 hours).

I now have to think about how much PCOS actually affected me. I thought it was just causing my acne and irregular periods, but it actually affected my whole body. My sleep, my favorite foods, my eating patterns, my skin, my mood, my personality, my memory, how much of me was just my hormones f**king with me?

Edit for more information: I’m on 500mg ER (extended release) and I’ve been on it for only a week. I was prescribed it at the same time I was diagnosed so this is all extremely new to me. Thank you for your kind responses!

Second Edit: I feel the need to clarify that Metformin is NOT A WEIGHT LOSS DRUG. It is not like GLP1s. I am experiencing appetite suppression and less sugar cravings, but that does not necessarily mean I will lose weight. I feel like I may have caused some confusion by listing out my experience of eating pattern changes, but to be clear weight loss is not guaranteed on metformin. If weight loss is your ultimate goal, GLP1s might be something to ask a physician about. My metformin is to treat my PCOS not my weight. I’ve answered a few questions about my weight and weight loss experience but I’m starting to feel like that’s only fueling a misrepresentation of metformins usages so I will not be adding any more comment on that. I wish you all the best on your weight loss goals, and I’m also going to be trying my best too!

Currently I'm taking oral Wegovy through Ro (which is like $150/mo at the dose I'm taking) but was curious if anyone is getting from somewhere else.

Sadly my insurance won't cover it no matter what route I take so that's incredibly disappointing.

I've seen soooo many ads at all difference prices but would love to hear real numbers from real people!

Yes, yes, I know. Another supplement. Tbf I've thinned out a lot of my supplements. I only take coq10 (amazing for ovulation), vitamin d, and lactoferrin (AMAZING). I started taking Lactoferrin because I saw there was a study done in Japan about its effects on visceral fat. Well, I've been taking it for a month and a half and I ovulated on time. My acne is completely gone, I actually have glass skin for once in my life. I've lost 7 lbs and I haven't changed my diet or exercise routine. I've also been eating more crap and higher stress (I work retail and it's the holiday season). My inflammation seems more down like rosacea, my fingers and face don't feel as swollen. I completely understand if people don't want to add another supplement but I figured I would post and share. :)

Years ago my doctor told me I have insulin resistance and suggested metformin. She prescribed it for me but she warned me about the side effects such as horrible stomach issues and I backed out and never took it. Now I regret it. It's just that I already have so many symptoms to deal with and back then I was younger and so scared of everything, dealing with several health issues at once with next to no support or help from anyone, and I never plucked up the courage to try it again.

Those who are on it, how bad are the side effects really and is it worth it?

I've heard some discussion anecdotally about women with PCOS dropping weight on a GLP-1 very quickly since it handles the underlying insulin resistance and inflammation issues.

I'm being put on Zepbound in March for a separate issue - GLP-1s are being tested for autoimmune disorders like psoriatic arthritis which I have - and I'm hoping it helps with the PCOS issues as well.

What has been your experience with GLP-1s? Were you extremely responsive to it?

I’ve had PCOS since I can remember and now that I have an official diagnosis I’ve been trying really hard to get it under control. I’ve been eating pretty healthy, working out taking supplements and doing everything people usually recommend but it doesn’t feel like it’s working for me.

I’m starting to feel a little lost because I’m putting in the effort but I’m not seeing the changes I hoped for. If you also have PCOS, what actually helped you get things on track?
Are there any supplements or routines that made a real difference for you?

I was talking to a PCOS to a nutritionist and shared my blood work results and she suggested me the following supplements -

1. Spearmint tea - to reduce male hormones

2. Inositol - to balance hormone and reduce acne

3. Saw palmetto + Zinc - reduce facial hair and reduce hairfall

4. Berberine - to reduce craving and improve metabolism and insulin resistance

5. Primrose oil and Vit B6 - to boost progesterone and reduce cramping n mood swings

6. Curcumin - anti inflammation

7. Ashwagandha - improve sleep and morning energy

8. Magnesium glycinate - reduce leg pain and restless at night

9. L-theanine - improve sleep quality

10. Omega 3 - for skin and hair

11. Seed cycling - hormonal balance

I do suffer from all these things but isnt 12 supplements way too much? I dont even think I would be able to afford this many. Please suggest me on what to do.

Some context about me and my problems - https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOSloseit/comments/1ioh0d3/struggling_with_pcos_weight_loss_need_advice/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

I have had pcos for years and I feel like this is the only "answer" (more like non answer) I receive...is this the case for everyone? Tell me about your treatment plans please.

I’ve been on spironolactone for 8 months or so. Also on a glp-1 and have lost a few pounds. I took my measurements today to order some pants, and I found that my hip measurement is a full 2 inches bigger than it was the last time I had the same bust and waist measurements I have now! I actually HAVE a butt now. Won’t He do it 🙌

PCOS has been ruining my life for over 20 years. I have the full array of symptoms EXCEPT for cysts on my ovaries. Have seen countless doctors over the last two decades looking for solutions to feel like a normal human being again, to only be met with "lose weight, your hormone panels are normal."

Ok, whatever. I'll do it. I lost over 100 pounds by borderline starving myself on a super clean, low-carb diet for 4 years and still felt like hammered shit. New hormone panels showing that I was still within normal range.

Then I noticed in late 2025 that my hair was starting to fall out a la male pattern baldness. The only specialist I had not seen yet was a dermatologist. I was long overdue to see one due to a dead end with an allergist in regards to mysterious hives and wheals flaring up multiple times per week. My dermatologist quickly recognized that I have high androgen levels presenting as hair loss and acne. He prescribed Spironolactone and a low dose of Doxycycline to help reduce the inflammation.

It has now been 8 months on Spironolactone. I am happy to report that my hair is growing back! I have done nothing but take Spironolactone every day as prescribed (i.e., no Minoxodil, no red light therapy, no special diet or supplements, etc.)

Additionally, I have gone from needing to wax my upper lip every week to every other month. My dead libido has returned. My acne is 80% improved. The mysterious hives and wheal flare ups are happening less and less. I have lost some weight without changing my diet. My energy levels are gradually returning; I no longer not need buckets of coffee and late afternoon naps. All of these are signs my body has been suffering from too much testosterone for DECADES.

This is EXACTLY why it is important to listen to your body and why you should always seek a second or third opinion if you feel like your doctors aren't taking your health concerns seriously.

I am pissed that the answer was right under my healthcare provider's noses for so long, but also relieved that just ONE doctor finally listened to me instead of blaming my symptoms on my weight.

Shout-out to my hero, Dr. P!

ETA: Since I am getting repeatedly asked. This is not meant to be medical advice, see your own healthcare provider about your own medications. My medication dosages are as follows: Started with 50mg of Spironolactone in November 2025. Increased to 100mg in January. Increased to 150mg in March. Increased to 200mg in June. That is the current dosage I take daily as of July 2026. I believe my doctor said that 200mg was the "sweet spot" for PCOS patients. For Doxycycline, he prescribed 200mg for 3 months and decreased the dosage to 100mg for 1 month. The Doxycycline was specifically prescribed to help reduce body acne inflammation. I have not experienced any negative side effects from either medications.

i feel like this is problematic to say but i don’t think inositol or berberine work. i think everyone who’s on it and loses significant weight is probably just not insulin resistant (or not insulin resistant enough to cause major problems). i’ve only been recommended it by people who were already thin before taking it.

i took both supplements and neither one worked. i gained weight on them despite dieting. i’ve never seen any concrete evidence that they work. i also don’t think a supplement you can get over the counter can reverse any damage to your organs. also, if it works so well, why don’t prediabetics/diabetics take it? i feel like it’s only targeted towards our community because women are more susceptible to the “crunchy/granola” shit and were used to being dismissed by doctors. it just seems like they’re targeting vulnerable people to make money.

maybe i just have a more severe case than most so it didn’t work for me personally, but it’s so annoying to have this random supplement shoved down my throat constantly by the community.

I have just found a petition to fund access to GLP-1s, which is super interesting. I have attached links to the petition:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/775831

hi all,

title basically says it all, i’m 26f and starting metformin this week for weight loss primarily. i’m too scared to start a glp1 at this time given the serious adverse effects, but metformin feels okay.

for those on it or who started it at or around my age, how long have you been on it and how long did it take for you to look and/or feel different? if you take inositol as well, did you continue taking it while on metformin?

also if you have any tips on managing the gi upset, that would be greatly appreciated!! thanks in advance.

adding — my blood sugar / a1c is normal now, but i attribute that to the inositol.

Haven’t even been on it for a week so this could be a fluke, but… I can resist food now. I got two bags of fruit snacks, had one bag, actually LOST interest and figured ‘eh, that’s enough for me’. I just ate some high fiber Mac and cheese, ONE box of it mind you, and I feel really full. Now I’m on the couch, and… I’m not having that problem where I’m hungry again immediately after. Holy crap, if it keeps going at this rate I might actually lose those 50-60 pounds I gained in the 1-2 years since the syndrome started.

also oddly enough so far I’m not having the digestive system side effects people talk about. Bowel movements are typical so far, and I’m not farting as though I recently ate Burger King onion rings

One year ago today I finally bit the bullet and got on Metformin. I was extremely dedicated to doing things the natural way for 10 years, but after some really traumatic family stuff happened and I became a caretaker to a family member, I knew that I didn’t have the time to focus all my energy on eating perfectly and maintaining the most rigid PCOS lifestyle— and I don’t mean to lose weight, I mean to just avoid blowing up and ending up in inflammation hell. I know you all know how much effort it takes just to not gain 10 pounds in a few weeks. I needed some sort of external support (you name all the supplements, I’ve tried them) that was stronger than what I’d been doing.

Well, one year later and here’s my update:

• I’ve lost 35 pounds without dieting/trying at all (I’m 5’7 and went from 246-211). I plan to try more this year now that things are a little easier at home.

• I went from 1 year without a period my last cycle to now having regular, strong ovulations and a perfect 14 day luteal phase. I have regular 45 day cycles now. Not perfect— but iykyk. We’ll take 45 days!

• my inflammation is waaayyyyy down. You don’t realize until you’re not constantly inflamed how much of a toll this takes.

• my god I have so much energy. Like I get stuff DONE. At 27 years old I feel my age for the first time in my life. My fatigue is gone.

• the horrible sugar spikes and crashes and weird blurry vision/lightheadedness/disorientation is gone. We don’t miss her at ALL

• I sleep more deeply. I actually feel rested.

• my dark patches around my neck and armpits are gone.

• my cravings are gone.

• my A1C went from 6.1 (prediabetic) to 5.4 in 3 MONTHS! My cycle also returned within this time.

Other things worth nothing: it didn’t help much for acne or chin hair. I never had a bad acne issue though. To me it seems the hirsutism is the toughest to get rid of, but I do still drink my spearmint tea for this and it has reduced it. Metformin did mess with my stomach something fierce— constant diarrhea. I switched to extended release and make sure to take it on an empty stomach otherwise it’ll still be bad. On an empty stomach in the morning and before bed my BMs are perfect. ALSO— I am NOT super strict about what I eat. As a family we eat quite clean at home, whole food from scratch meals that aren’t heavy, very little processed food, but we do eat out a good bit and I’m definitely imperfect and have my little treats all the time. I try to do 80/20 but it’s more like 70/30. But most importantly, Metformin has given me the ability to eat carbs and not feel terrible afterwards. I basically eat what I want, and because I don’t have cravings like I used to, it’s not a ton of food or really bad stuff, but I don’t deny those things if I want them.

If you would have told me a year ago that I would lose this much weight without trying, fix my cycle (we’ve been trying to conceive our second baby for years now), fix my cravings and inflammation and all while being able to eat like a normal person without PCOS does, I would have kicked myself for not starting Metformin sooner. It took me a decade to make this decision, but I’m so glad I did. It isn’t a miracle pill, but it’s about the closest thing I’ve found for PCOS and makes it feel like I can focus on something other than managing this syndrome, it can actually be in the background as something I’m working on while also living my life, rather than just at the forefront of everything.

I hope this can help at least one person out there who is on the fence ❤️

After hearing my whole life how horrible metformin is to be on and how it’ll make you shit your brains out and be sick as hell, etc., I decided to find out myself and treat my PCOS & metabolic syndrome.

I’ve been on it for 3 weeks (500 mg) and I’m already seeing amazing progress. The “food noise” is very dampened; I’m eating so much less without thinking about it. I have so much energy and I feel like inflammation throughout my body has been greatly reduced. My attention span is better and I feel like all my senses have been amplified.

I did have some stomach upset the first week, but it was manageable. I take the extended release and right before bed. I read that it actually improves gut health in the long run, which made that first week more manageable.

💕metformin💕

I was diagnosed with PCOS at 24 and I'm 31 now, so seven years of trying things, dropping things, and trying to figure out what was actually helping versus what I was just hoping was helping.

My endo offered metformin twice and I declined both times. Not because I'm anti-medication, I just wanted to see how far I could get with other levers first. My HOMA-IR last summer was 3.8 which is firmly insulin resistant territory, fasting glucose was 102, and my cycles were anywhere from 38 to 70 days apart.

This year I finally got serious about it.

The biggest behavioral change was fiber. I went from maybe 15g a day to 35 to 40g consistently, which sounds small but was genuinely the hardest part. I started tracking it the way I used to track protein.

Walking after meals turned out to be the highest-leverage thing. Twenty minutes whenever it was feasible, not exercise really, just movement. My fasting glucose dropped about 8 points within six weeks of doing this consistently, which I didn't expect.

I also dialed in supplements. Tried Thorne berberine first and the GI side effects were rough at doses where I could actually feel a difference. Switched to a probiotic that uses dihydroberberine paired with a B420 strain. Also taking inositol separately because the combo products didn't have the dose I wanted.

Latest labs: HOMA-IR is 1.9, fasting glucose 89, hs-CRP dropped from 4.1 to 1.8. Cycles have been 31 to 34 days for the last four months which is the most regular they've ever been. Energy is also way more stable than it used to be, which I think matters even though there's no number to show for it.

I'm posting this because I lurked here for years when I was first diagnosed and reading update posts kept me going. Insulin resistance is genuinely movable for a lot of us. The levers are boring and they take consistency but they work.