Me and my fiance' have been trying to concieve a second child for 3 years now. I was diagnosed with PCOS and insulin resistance. the Doc put me on metformin. But insulin resistance dosent actually mean i have diabetes does it? I read that it just puts you at a risk for type 2 by the time your forty. Could someone help me understand exactly what an insulin resistance actually is? diabetes or no? and what a good diet is for PCOS with insulin resistance? It seems rather strange to be put on a diabetic medication for someone who dosent have diabetes. If its diabeties why didnt he just say i have diabetes. It seems though most people with PCOS are put on Metformin to help ovulation because of the insulin resistance so im very confused.

i dont think you have diabetes. it just means your body is resisting the insulin your making. i have diabetes and i havent had insulin resistance yet, but ive only had it 8 years.

Ok. There are two types of diabetes. Type one and type two. I can't remember which is which, but I think type one is the one that is the worst (your pancreas shuts down and you need insulin shots for life). When they put you on metformin you have type 2, also known as insulin resistance. Type 2 can lead up to type one, but can also be reversed with proper diet and exercise. All metformin is doing is regulating your blood sugar levels so you don't end up getting full blown diabetes. What happens is your blood sugar levels get too high, your pancreas pumps out too much insulin, and your body starts to get "immune" to it. Your pancreas gets overworked and will eventually shut down and then thats how you could end up on insulin shots. So you need metformin to level it all off. Hope this makes sense.


I had PCOS, was put on metformin, and couldn't take it because it gave me severe stomach problems. Going to the gym daily has helped me tremendously. I no longer get sharp pains in my ovaries and my skin has cleared up. All it takes is a half hour on the treamill. I walk for 20 minutes and run for 10. It also helps to get more protein in your diet to level off your blood sugar. I eat lean beef or chicken breast daily and snack on cottage cheese. Egg whites for breakfast. Switch to whole grain noodles and breads, eat protein with your carbs and say no to soda altogether. Aloe vera juice (health food stores) is also good for lowering blood sugar, as well as rotating between taking cinnamon and ginseng supplements. Hope this all helps, best of luck!

Hi, about metformin and insulin resistance; the previous post is 100% correct about there being type I and II diabetes. However, metformin is normally used in type II diabetes. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the cells that form the insulin are destroyed by your body. Type II is usally due to the cells in your body not being able to use insulin - but production is usually preserved. If you have type II diabetes, it does not mean you will get type I diabetes...it just means with time the cells that produce the insulin in your body may also decrease and therefore lead you to taking insulin injections.

PCOS is often assoicated with insulin resistance and therefore metformin is given to improve this. Diabetes is only diagnosed when you have high glucose levels in your bloody when measured randomally or 2 hours after eating - you may have some degree of insulin resistance without being diagnosed with diabetes. but insulin resistance is usually progressive, which may lead to substantial increase is glucose - leading to diabetes.

So just because you are on metformin, it doesnt mean you are diabetic. Also often PCOS and insulin resistance is often linked to increased weight; in which metformin when given can help to lose weight. So it could work that way.

Hope this helps!

I was just also diagnosed with PCOS and they believe I have insulin resistance and therefore put me on Metformin. My doctor said my test results showed that I wasn't even close to pre-diabetic. So don't worry about being diabetic. They should have done a blood work up on you and if they would have found out you were diabetic they would have told you so. Google Insulin Resistance and PCOS. You will find TONS of stuff on it. Also google metformin for PCOS and it will explain things to you as well.