Insulin sensitivity results- JMB?

Hello T-Folk, John Berardi, i hope you’re out there. I went to the doctors on Tuesday, hoping they could shed some light on my insulin sensitivity. i actually went two weeks ago but the bastards pricked me four times w/o gettin any blood…anyway. I told them i wanted a fasted glucose -insulin test and they said that it would all come back in the blood work. I received a copy today and i see nothing about insulin! could it be under another name…I mean i’m pretty pissed. My glucose is 96 Mg/DL , not sure what that means…also just out of curiousity my thyroid stimulating hormone is 3.82 Micro IU/ML anyone know if that means i have a good functioning thyroid. Thank you very much in advance,yours in massive eatin’ Mike

I was just about to post about this. Here’s the story: I went to the ‘girl dr’ today. She told me to drop the ECA stack, go to weight watchers to lose weight, stop lifting weights, and run for an hour once a week. oh yeah, and here’s some prozac, don’t take st. john’s wort anymore. i was going to ask her about blood tests but after that speach I decided against it. So I get back to work and call my regualr Doc. the receptionist gives me shit about wanting blood tests and I have to argue with her to get them scheduled. My Doc just called and is willing to do what I want, but isn’t sure what I’m talking about when I ask for an ‘insulin sensitivity test’ and asked where I got the idea and why I think it’s necessary. So, any idea what to tell him? I need something by way of ‘documentation’ to show him so we can ‘discuss it’

without insulin…results are useless for insulin sensitivity. it sounds like your doc did a standard blood panel and didnt give you what you wanted. you need a free insulin and glucose reading on the same morning. id stomp back in there and demand one!

I get blood tests done regularly. And here’s my advice to anyone who wants to get blood
tests done and don’t mind paying for it themselves (as opposed to having insurance
pay for it). First of all, unless a doctor
deems a medical “need”, insurance companies
won’t pay for it anyhow. If you’re getting
blood tests done for what is considered some
“non-medical” reason (eg insulin sensitivity,
hormone levels etc.) then FUCK the doctors.
Don’t even bother going. Just find a blood
lab close to you. Call em up, ask if they
have a phlebotomist on staff/location. If they
say yes, then just go there in person and ask
for the blood test(s) you want. They’ll ask if
you have a script. Tell them no, but that you
will pay ca$h, and - this is important - tell
them you know exactly what you want, and
explain why you want it.
Blood labs are
supposed to require a script, but you can
often find MDs or lab techs who are sypathetic
and will help you out. But you have to know
exactly what you want and sound like you know
what you’re doing or else they’ll tell you to
go to an MD first. And if the first lab won’t
help you, then try another until you suceed.

There is a way to get blood tests without a prescription. A place on the web called life extension foundation (use search engine for web site) has a number of blood tests which they will do for you. Fasting insulin in not listed on the web site, but call them it is available.

The insulin sensitivity test is on life extention’s web site under order blood tests - $265 for members though!!

Yup, I’m aware of Life Extension … I’m a
member. And I have used their blood test
services before. But it wasn’t convenient
because you had to mail your blood to Ft.
Laud, or travel there. However, I just read
in the most recent issue of their mag that
they have cut a deal with a big (US nationwide) blood lab co. I think it might be
Labcor (sp?). If you are a LE member you will
be able to walk into any of their (the lab cos) offices and get tests done w/o a script -
and you get the discounted rates. That is
too cool. Now I won’t have to bribe lab techs
anymore. :slight_smile:

Steve,

The web site is misleading. I think the $265 is for a glucose tolerance test. The fasting insulin (not listed on the web page-call them)is under $100 (I forget the exact amount)

Thanks for the replies guys. Free thanks for the info and John, but i don’t think i can afford getting those tests right now unless i could convince my doctor to write one up. Do you guys have any idea about what the thyroid stimulating hormone readout means? Thanks Mike

Mike, your thyroid’s good-to-go, buddy. Normals range from .2 to 4.7 mcU/mL.

Different labs vary as to the exact normal ranges, but the paper should say, or you should be able to ask the doc if it is in the normal range or not.

J.B.

Is that FREE or TOTAL insulin that you use in your calculation? THANKS!