MikeNYC_runner said:

Fasting glucose improved within weeks and my HbA1c barely moved for three months, which I now understand and did not at the time.

Patient selection optimization for glycaemic control: emerging predictive biomarkers for GLP-1 agonist response include:

The 4-week early responder criterion is the most clinically actionable: if you haven't lost ≥3% by week 4 at a therapeutic dose, discuss optimization strategies with your provider.

LibrarianMeg said:

Patient selection optimization for glycaemic control: emerging predictive biomarkers for GLP-1 agonist response include: Biomarker Association…

Fasting insulin is the lab my functional medicine doctor cares about most for glycaemic control: it's a much earlier marker of metabolic dysfunction than glucose or A1C.

My fasting insulin: 30 → 12 → 6 uIU/mL over 9 months. Target is <7. By the time your fasting glucose is elevated, your insulin has been elevated for YEARS trying to compensate.

Ask your doctor to include fasting insulin in your bloodwork panel. It's cheap (~$20) and incredibly informative.

MikeNYC_runner said:

Fasting glucose improved within weeks and my HbA1c barely moved for three months, which I now understand and did not at the time.

Can confirm. Same sequence, different timescale.

From the other side of the consultation, briefly.

PCOS success story with glycaemic control: as someone with polycystic ovary syndrome, this medication has been transformative beyond weight loss.

After 11 months: periods became regular for the first time in a decade, testosterone levels normalized, acne cleared significantly, and — unexpectedly — my fertility specialist is optimistic about future conception.

GLP-1 agonists address the insulin resistance at the root of PCOS. For PCOS patients, this isn't "just" a weight loss drug — it's treating our underlying metabolic dysfunction.