[PREMIUM] Full metabolic panel comparison — looking for input

PharmacoVig_BOS said:

The single most useful discipline is bringing the whole panel to a clinician rather than one flagged value.

Saving this. It is the first explanation that did not require me to already understand it.

From the other side of the consultation, briefly.

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.

NurseKim_ATL said:

baseline bloodwork + this community = winning.

Pushing back on NurseKim_ATL here. The counter-case has not been addressed. Somebody upthread described the situation that does not fit, and the thread moved on rather than engaging with it, which is the failure mode this board is supposed to avoid.

Adding the numbers, since they settle part of this. Practical: whatever you change, write down the date and the reason. In three months the reason is what you will have forgotten, and the reason is what makes the record worth having.

Moderator note: the sourcing question belongs in the vendor section and has been split out. Report rather than reply if it drifts again.