Complete metabolic panel guide — what each value means during GLP-1 therapy

PharmHunterJen said:

A defensible baseline is short: HbA1c and fasting glucose, a lipid panel with ApoB if you can get it, ALT and AST, creatinine with eGFR, TSH, ferritin…

Bookmarking. The distinction being drawn above is the one nobody else makes.

From the other side of the consultation, briefly.

Shot day Monday report relevant to baseline bloodwork:

Week 39. Currently on 2.4mg. Down 35 lbs from starting weight of 247 lbs.

This week's observations: Appetite very well controlled, no cravings.

Labs due next week — looking forward to seeing the metabolic panel. I'll post results in the Lab Results section when they come in.

Dr.Martinez said:

Quarterly for the first year is convention rather than evidence, and it is defensible for a simple reason: it is roughly the interval over which HbA1c…

This is where I part company with the consensus forming above. I would be careful about how confidently the flatness reports get attributed. Rapid weight loss, a large deficit and disrupted sleep produce low mood on their own, and separating that from a drug effect is genuinely hard.

JennaRN said:

Complete metabolic panel guide — what each value means during GLP-1 therapy Pinned because it affects plans people have already made, not because it…

PSA: get baseline labs BEFORE starting baseline bloodwork therapy. You need a "before" picture to measure progress. My recommended pre-treatment panel:

1. CMP + A1C + fasting insulin
2. Complete lipid panel with particle count if possible
3. hsCRP, ferritin, B12, vitamin D
4. Thyroid panel (TSH + free T4)
5. CBC with differential
6. Liver panel (ALT, AST, GGT)
7. DEXA scan or body composition

Total cost at Quest without insurance: ~$200. Worth every penny for the data.

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