oliver_london said:

HbA1c reflects roughly three months of average glycaemia weighted toward the most recent weeks, which is why repeating it at six weeks tells you very…

Glycemic variability as the key metric for glycaemic control success: my coefficient of variation (CV) on CGM dropped from 35% to 22%. Target is <36%, with <30% being ideal.

Why this matters more than average glucose: large glucose swings cause oxidative stress, endothelial damage, and promote advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). A flat glucose line at 95 mg/dL is metabolically healthier than oscillating between 60 and 160, even if the average is the same.

Following on from Dr.MetabolicMD — and this may be the naive question:

How long did you give it before you decided it was working?

kate.chem said:

Glycemic variability as the key metric for glycaemic control success: my coefficient of variation (CV) on CGM dropped from 35% to 22%.

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: 27 → 15 → 5 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.

kate.chem said:

Glycemic variability as the key metric for glycaemic control success: my coefficient of variation (CV) on CGM dropped from 35% to 22%.

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

After 7 months: periods became regular for the first time in years, testosterone levels normalized, acne cleared significantly, and — unexpectedly — I got pregnant naturally after 4 years of trying.

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.

GenomicsKate said:

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

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.