Metformin-Anyone on this trial?

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  • fredntan
    fredntan Member Posts: 1,821
    edited May 2012

    Hey what is the window to get into a trial?

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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited May 2012

    Started my tablets this morning... the adventure begins...

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  • Fighter_34
    Fighter_34 Member Posts: 834
    edited May 2012

    KKs_rd, such a great post, and I feel you on your position.

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  • kks_rd
    kks_rd Member Posts: 363
    edited May 2012

    Farmgal, I just re-read your post and see that you also said something about other ingredients being in the placebo.  Can I ask where you heard that?  My impression is that the placebo must be something relatively harmless, as in the concept of a "sugar pill."  If you were told you had some other kind of inactive ingredient in yours, I can definitely see why you would feel like a lab rat!

    Would love to know more about what you were told... thanks...

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  • Goodie
    Goodie Member Posts: 244
    edited May 2012

    Guess what?  I got approved for the trial.  The clinical nurses went directly to the insurance and got their approval since they use my regular check ups and information from them.  So, they are sending me my big bottle of "pills" for me to start!  My fingers are crossed that I get the metformin but I'm okay if I get the placebo.  I like the idea of being in a clinical trial.  This one seems pretty easy to be a participant. 

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  • Ossa
    Ossa Member Posts: 919
    edited May 2012

    Started back on metformin?? yesterday after being off them for 4 days due to exchange surgery.. Man did I get side effects today.. Super gassy and upset stomach.. More evidence i a getting the real thing  woohoo

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  • jenrio
    jenrio Member Posts: 558
    edited May 2012

    For those not wanting to be on double blind studies, there are studies that's not double blind:

    http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?flds=Xc&flds=a&flds=b&flds=h&flds=j&flds=t&term=metformin+breast+cancer&recr=Open&show_flds=Y

    Best wishes!

    Jen 

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  • luv_gardening
    luv_gardening Member Posts: 1,393
    edited May 2012

    Jen, that search brings up over 1,000 irrelevant results as it truncates Breast Cancer and any other search criteria apart from Metformin.

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  • madpeacock
    madpeacock Member Posts: 369
    edited May 2012
    LOL Ossa - funny that we are pleased to have tummy troubles! Laughing
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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited May 2012
    @ossa... what do you do during non-cancer medical/dental appointments when you are asked what drugs you are on?  I mean, I saw my dentist yesterday and he asked for an undate on my medical/drug information and - even though I don't know if I'm receiving Metformin or placebo - I told him Metformin was one of the drugs I was taking rather than go into a lengthy explanation about my clinical trial participation.
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  • Ossa
    Ossa Member Posts: 919
    edited May 2012

    SelenaWolf

    I always say Metformin/Placebo. Then just explain I am on a trial study for breast cancer reoccurance.. I you tell them you are on Metformin they will assume you are type 2 diabetic.

    It is important your non-cancer medical/dental info includes your breastcancer diagnosis,  Herceptin, Tamoxifen etc. may change what they give you and how they treat you.. There are many strange drug interactions

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  • jenrio
    jenrio Member Posts: 558
    edited May 2012

    @JoyLiesWith,

    thanks for the catch...  The url got truncated.  Just append breast cancer in the search field.   The results will show whether it's randomized, blinded on the search page.

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  • lintrollerderby
    lintrollerderby Member Posts: 483
    edited May 2012

    Hi, everyone. I've been on Metformin for a month and a half now. For anyone interested in my long-winded post about my experience and its use in PCOS, I posted it a few pages back. I've not had any digestive issues, just some persistent nausea in the beginning. Because of PCOS, I've always had a slow-moving digestive system if you get my drift and Metformin didn't upset my stomach at all. I'm now on a total of 1750mg per day and it has certainly helped with the hormones. As I posted in my long post awhile back, I strongly believe the research coming out that SOME breast cancers (especially Triple Negative, but not always) are Androgen Receptor positive (AR+) and Prolactin Receptor positive (PRL+). For those that are AR+, Metformin may indeed help because it limits the circulating androgen and balances the hormones in many women. It's part of the reason that women with PCOS who are trying to conceive are often put on Metformin and it works for many of them. As for me, I know it has helped my PCOS. My cycles are more regular, the 5 extra pounds I posted about are coming off, and the unwanted hair is almost completely gone. I am hoping and praying it has a similar effect on any recurrence that thinks about showing up. There are many medical articles out there if any of you are still struggling to get your doctor to believe you.

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  • madpeacock
    madpeacock Member Posts: 369
    edited May 2012

    Does anyone know if you're supposed to take the metformin on an empty stomach before the meal, or does it matter? Was just taking it with the rest of my regular supplements after breakfast and dinner, but read something recently that said differently. My doctor just said that if it upset my stomach I could take it with food, but wonder what the BEST method is? Thanks for any advice...

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  • LuvRVing
    LuvRVing Member Posts: 4,516
    edited May 2012

    If the metformin doesn't bother your tummy, then it doesn't matter when you take it.  My RX bottle says to take with food, but I've been on it for ten years and I usually take my nighttime dose right before bedtime. 

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  • carolinames
    carolinames Member Posts: 43
    edited May 2012

    Picked up my big bottle of pills today...hoping it's Metformin and not the placebo!

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  • Jomama2
    Jomama2 Member Posts: 96
    edited May 2012

    Hi folks --

    Today's (May 18) front page of www.foodforbreastcancer.com has a study published this month in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on the use of metformin for breast cancer patients.  The caption of the story is "Metformin reduces cancer proliferation, but only in those with insulin resistance". I'm not good with technology, or I would supply a link.  But you can go to the site or Google the title.  I have type II diabetes, so am on metformin already. If you are not insulin resistant, I would read the article.  It seems metformin may actually be harmful with some types of cancers.

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited May 2012

    Hmm. . . very interesting.  Thanks for posting.

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  • kks_rd
    kks_rd Member Posts: 363
    edited May 2012

    How does one know they're AR+ or PRL+? Is it another test that's done at the same time they determine your receptor status for ER, PR, Her2?

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  • kks_rd
    kks_rd Member Posts: 363
    edited May 2012

    Here's the link to the abstract Jomama poosted: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22564993

    Interesting study, although only a 4-week intervention.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2012

    new abstract regarding metformin

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22593441

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  • kathyrnn
    kathyrnn Member Posts: 393
    edited May 2012

    Hi ladies, I popped over from the Triple Neg forum for some info, and wanted to enter the discussion that farmgal, and several others started.



    I am one of those that got Metformin from their PCP. (and found out from here that I didn't have him order a high enough dose, so thank you very much!)



    I believe very much in research. I've been a member of the Harvard Nurse's Research Study for over 22 years. When I was first diagnosed, I was also enrolled in a clinical trial. Luck of the draw put me in the 25% who were in the control group. As SelenaWolf said, I had no problem "paying if forward".



    After treatment I was offered the Metformin trial, and I thought very long and hard about what to do. As KKS-RD said, "I can only control what I can control", but this time i realized I did have a better chance at control than the 50/50 shot the study offered me.



    I went to my PCP with all the information, and he agreed to put me on Metformin. I understand that the results are not proven at this point, but I want a 100% chance at something that may possibly hold TN reoccurrence at bay.

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  • kathyrnn
    kathyrnn Member Posts: 393
    edited May 2012

    Geez. My chemo brain kicked in. I also meant to leave this info, that was not included in the drug info given with my Metformin



    "If you need to have any type of x-ray or CT scan using a dye that is injected into your veins, you will need to temporarily stop taking metformin."

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  • fredntan
    fredntan Member Posts: 1,821
    edited May 2012

    Kathyrn, can you point me in direction of the research, am going to see my MO this week and we are going to talk about this. He will say no. But i have to ask

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  • lintrollerderby
    lintrollerderby Member Posts: 483
    edited May 2012

    Fredntan, I just replied to your PM; I'm sorry that I didnt see it sooner. I don't think that the links came through like they were supposed to. I'll resend from my computer later. I'm on my iPad now and I can't get them pasted in the message as links.

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  • lintrollerderby
    lintrollerderby Member Posts: 483
    edited May 2012

    Kksrd: I believe that some pathology labs are starting to test for Androgen and Prolactin receptor status. I think all should because knowing that many people do have these positive receptors means we are leaving many without the treatment options they need.

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  • kwaters
    kwaters Member Posts: 1
    edited May 2012

    This is my first post.  I'm in the double blind metformin breast cancer study - started April 15 2012.    Just had my first blood test since starting the study........my blood sugar number was the same as it has always been and I'm wondering if anyone knows if this means I'm definitely not taking the actual medicine.  I take 850mg twice a day.  I've had a little nausea and have lost four pounds because of a lack of appetite - but those seem to be the only side affects, if I'm actually taking the drug.  I will stay in the study no matter placebo or drug.  I'm glad to find this website and the discussion boards.   I was diagnosed in April 2011, estrogen positive her2 negative, lymph node involvement.

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  • kathyrnn
    kathyrnn Member Posts: 393
    edited May 2012

    Fredantan, I hope you got the links already, but I went to www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials then put a search in for Metformin. Jot down that the dose is 850 twice a day, because I hard a hard time finding the dose, and would have been on the wrong dose if not for one the nice people who answered my question on here!



    If you do convince your PCP, I recommend that you start with a low dose for a few days, then increase the dose every few days so you can see what reaction you have. I started at only 250 and I did have low blood sugar reactions, but after that my body seemed to figure out what to do with it, and I didn't have any more problems as I increased the dose. (I'm increasing from 1000 mg to 1700 mg right now and doing it gradually)

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  • oaktownmom
    oaktownmom Member Posts: 114
    edited May 2012

    I just started the full trial dosage this weekend.  Had not had any SEs while on the half dose, and had figured I was on the placebo.  But the past several days, around the time I started the full dose, I've been feeling lightheaded and dizzy (no other SEs, no GI issues).  Probably didn't help that I unknowingly was taking both pills together in the morning, rather than splitting them between morning and evening (I quickly figured out that was not wise, and took only 1 pill this morning).  Has anyone else had this kind of response?  Of course anything involved with feeling dizzy makes me go to dark mets-fearing places ....

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  • kathyrnn
    kathyrnn Member Posts: 393
    edited June 2012

    Oaktown, definitely split your pills morning and night. The dizziness sounds like a low blood sugar reaction. If you continue having them you should definitely pick up a blood glucose meter and test your blood sugar when you feel dizzy, lightheaded or shaky. (while Metformin rarely cause low blood sugars in diabetics, I personally think it's irresponsible to put a non-diabetic on it, and not having them test their blood sugars, at least till they are stabilized on the treatment.). Did they go over any SE's that you need to report to them immediately?

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