Medichecks Fasting Insulin

Brunneria

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Well, I want to thank @zand for reminding me that I had a set of Thriva tests sitting on my bookshelf waiting for me to do the blood draw. Including fasting insulin. I suspect that my results will be in a similar range.

Should have done it weeks ago, but delayed because at the time I was away from home and eating atypically.
Then promptly forgot all about it. :hilarious:

Have sent them off this morning, but I don't think I will be factoring my FBG into things - it was 8.8mmo/l this morning after a disturbed night and more activity this morning than usual.
Get your minds out of the (Valentines) gutter, folks (it is 14th Feb today). It was a dog tummy upset, with trips up and down stairs.
Fasting is usually in the early to mid 6s, and has been for years. Usually the highest point of the day.

Anyway, I expect an interesting result on the fasting insulin, which will still be useful for future comparison.
No point in just testing good days, is there? Life is full of hiccups.

Oh, and the blood draw was astonishingly easy. Filled two vials from a single stab, and then had trouble staunching the flow. Brilliant!
 
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Tophat1900

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Bit late to the party at Jim's house, but well done @Jim Lahey . You're a great example of what can be done when you do what works and not what decades of failed dietary advice from so called experts recommends. Not that you don't already know that.... so I'll shut up.

Those are awesome results. You must be beaming like search light..... You're probably still dancing around the house like Fred Astaire.
 
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Bit late to the party at Jim's house, but well done @Jim Lahey . You're a great example of what can be done when you do what works and not what decades of failed dietary advice from so called experts recommends. Not that you don't already know that.... so I'll shut up.

Those are awesome results. You must be beaming like search light..... You're probably still dancing around the house like Fred Astaire.

Thank you. Yes I’m very pleased with the results. I think I probably already knew it would be fine, but I didn’t realise it would be quite that low. In conjunction with my glucose trends, it indicates that my pancreas is cruising with one hand on the wheel. Coupled with no dawn phenomenon I can reasonably conclude that I have little or no hepatic or pancreatic fat deposition. I’m very happy, but I am also fully aware that should I start slipping, diabetes will likely return in short order. My resolve is stronger than ever, rather than relaxed :)
 

Tophat1900

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Thank you. Yes I’m very pleased with the results. I think I probably already knew it would be fine, but I didn’t realise it would be quite that low. In conjunction with my glucose trends, it indicates that my pancreas is cruising with one hand on the wheel. Coupled with no dawn phenomenon I can reasonably conclude that I have little or no hepatic or pancreatic fat deposition. I’m very happy, but I am also fully aware that should I start slipping, diabetes will likely return in short order. My resolve is stronger than ever, rather than relaxed :)

Yeah, maintain the status Quo and keep learning. :)

If you feel a sudden sensation in your mid section, it's probably your liver and pancreas doing the high five. :D
 
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Yeah, maintain the status Quo and keep learning. :)

I definitely intend to keep learning. I’m fascinated by the mesmerising complexity of it all, and how it all came to be. It’s a deep rabbit hole though. The more you learn the more you realise you still don’t know :hilarious:
 
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Brunneria

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View attachment 31388 View attachment 31389

Hi All,

Got my Thriva results through this morning.
Of course, they used different units from most of the test results on this thread, so I have tried to translate using an online translation tool https://www.thebloodcode.com/calculators/

Basically, the results were good and bad (as expected).

Firstly, my B12, folate and vit D levels are not nearly as deficient as they were. Triumph! Even though it has taken some heavy duty supplementation to lift the 3 of them out of deficency. Due to malabsorption, I need to eat v high levels to get low-normal results. But I am still pleased.

HbA1c has jumped from 36 to 42. Not so happy about that, for obvious reasons. Especially since the only consistent diet change I have made is to munch my way through 3 glorious boxes of very dark chocolate that were given to me at Xmas. That is 2-3 chocs spread throughout each day. Probably 10-15 g carbs a day. Seems a little unfair that they have shifted my HbA1c that much. They were probably 10-15 g carbs total, a day and likely to lift me out of ketosis like a stone skimming a pond. I need to be under 10g carbs a day to ensure ketosis.

But hey, you get the hand you are dealt. I just won't be dealing myself any more Godiva, G&B and Hotel Choc chocs.
til next Xmas
Anyone hear the violins?

Cholesterol test is static, and comfortably where I like it. Excellent ratios, which is what I am interested in.

Fasting Insulin (the star of the show) is
Insulin 16.7
FBG waas 8.8
giving an HOMA-IR of 6.5

Which is the bad score I was expecting
(what else can you expect when you have PCOS, a prolactinoma, reactive hypoglycaemia, and are obese?)
With those, even uber low carb can only do so much.

BUT

The morning of the test I had a FBG of 8.8 which was significantly higher than usual due to bad sleep and dog tummy upsets.

If I run the calculation with my normal FBG of around 6.5, then I get a lower HOMA-IR of around 4.5
Which is still too high, but actually lower than expected.
In addition, with a lower bg, the morning insulin level would also be lower, which would bump it down a tad more.

So, all in all, a very useful set of tests.
Very informative, though they will be much MORE informative when I have built up a set of results over time.
And next time, I will take the test on typical and non-stressed day.
I would also like to take a test after exercise (which lowers insulin resistance)
and late afternoon, when my insulin resistance levels are naturally much lower than when dawn phenomenon drives them high.

But... you know what? Thriva count a fasting insulin level of 16 uIU/ml (116 pmol/L) as being a normal insulin level.
I find that astonishing.
That may be normal, but it isn't healthily low. It is a clear sign of insulin resistance.
No wonder that we have a T2 epidemic on our hands, if high levels like this are classed as being in the green zone.

I LOVE the comment they make that 'high insulin levels can lead to diabetes'.
No **** Sherlock.
But then I should appreciate the fact that they say this, rather than 'high blood glucose can lead to diabetes'.
:hilarious:

(tried to attach some screenshots, but the forum software only accepted them as inch square thumbnails.
May try again later)

2nd attempt at the pics

upload_2019-2-18_16-38-7.png


upload_2019-2-18_16-38-36.png
 
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DCUKMod

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View attachment 31388 View attachment 31389 Hi All,

Got my Thriva results through this morning.
Of course, they used different units from most of the test results on this thread, so I have tried to translate using an online translation tool https://www.thebloodcode.com/calculators/

Basically, the results were good and bad (as expected).

Firstly, my B12, folate and vit D levels are not nearly as deficient as they were. Triumph! Even though it has taken some heavy duty supplementation to lift the 3 of them out of deficency. Due to malabsorption, I need to eat v high levels to get low-normal results. But I am still pleased.

HbA1c has jumped from 36 to 42. Not so happy about that, for obvious reasons. Especially since the only consistent diet change I have made is to munch my way through 3 glorious boxes of very dark chocolate that were given to me at Xmas. That is 2-3 chocs spread throughout each day. Probably 10-15 g carbs a day. Seems a little unfair that they have shifted my HbA1c that much. They were probably 10-15 g carbs total, a day and likely to lift me out of ketosis like a stone skimming a pond. I need to be under 10g carbs a day to ensure ketosis.

But hey, you get the hand you are dealt. I just won't be dealing myself any more Godiva, G&B and Hotel Choc chocs.
til next Xmas
Anyone hear the violins?

Cholesterol test is static, and comfortably where I like it. Excellent ratios, which is what I am interested in.

Fasting Insulin (the star of the show) is
View attachment 31388

Which is the bad score I was expecting
(what else can you expect when you have PCOS, a prolactinoma, reactive hypoglycaemia, and are obese?)
With those, even uber low carb can only do so much.

BUT

The morning of the test I had a FBG of 8.8 which was significantly higher than usual due to bad sleep and dog tummy upsets.

If I run the calculation with my normal FBG of around 6.5, then I get a lower HOMA-IR of around 4.5
Which is still too high, but actually lower than expected.
In addition, with a lower bg, the morning insulin level would also be lower, which would bump it down a tad more.

So, all in all, a very useful set of tests.
Very informative, though they will be much MORE informative when I have built up a set of results over time.
And next time, I will take the test on typical and non-stressed day.
I would also like to take a test after exercise (which lowers insulin resistance)
and late afternoon, when my insulin resistance levels are naturally much lower than when dawn phenomenon drives them high.

But... you know what? Thriva count a fasting insulin level of 16 uIU/ml as being a normal insulin level.
I find that astonishing.
That may be normal, but it isn't healthily low. It is a clear sign of insulin resistance.
No wonder that we have a T2 epidemic on our hands, if high levels like this are classed as being in the green zone.
View attachment 31389

I LOVE the comment they make that 'high insulin levels can lead to diabetes'.
No **** Sherlock.
But then I should appreciate the fact that they say this, rather than 'high blood glucose can lead to diabetes'.
:hilarious:

Interesting results. My only comment, for now anyway, would be that I can't read your thUmbnails? I am on my iPad at the moment, but that doesn't usually impact viewing. :(
 

Brunneria

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Retired Moderator
Messages
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Yeah. The thumbnails are playing up.
When I have more time I will do the Picture Dance. Saving them to postimage and then using the forum links.
But it will have to wait til this evening.

Aha! think I have sussed the pics, and inserted them above ^^^ at a decent size, now.
 
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DCUKMod

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Yeah. The thumbnails are playing up.
When I have more time I will do the Picture Dance. Saving them to postimage and then using the forum links.
But it will have to wait til this evening.

Aha! think I have sussed the pics, and inserted them above ^^^ at a decent size, now.
They're very readable for me now. Thanks.
 

Goonergal

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Messages
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View attachment 31388 View attachment 31389

Hi All,

Got my Thriva results through this morning.
Of course, they used different units from most of the test results on this thread, so I have tried to translate using an online translation tool https://www.thebloodcode.com/calculators/

Basically, the results were good and bad (as expected).

Firstly, my B12, folate and vit D levels are not nearly as deficient as they were. Triumph! Even though it has taken some heavy duty supplementation to lift the 3 of them out of deficency. Due to malabsorption, I need to eat v high levels to get low-normal results. But I am still pleased.

HbA1c has jumped from 36 to 42. Not so happy about that, for obvious reasons. Especially since the only consistent diet change I have made is to munch my way through 3 glorious boxes of very dark chocolate that were given to me at Xmas. That is 2-3 chocs spread throughout each day. Probably 10-15 g carbs a day. Seems a little unfair that they have shifted my HbA1c that much. They were probably 10-15 g carbs total, a day and likely to lift me out of ketosis like a stone skimming a pond. I need to be under 10g carbs a day to ensure ketosis.

But hey, you get the hand you are dealt. I just won't be dealing myself any more Godiva, G&B and Hotel Choc chocs.
til next Xmas
Anyone hear the violins?

Cholesterol test is static, and comfortably where I like it. Excellent ratios, which is what I am interested in.

Fasting Insulin (the star of the show) is
Insulin 16.7
FBG waas 8.8
giving an HOMA-IR of 6.5

Which is the bad score I was expecting
(what else can you expect when you have PCOS, a prolactinoma, reactive hypoglycaemia, and are obese?)
With those, even uber low carb can only do so much.

BUT

The morning of the test I had a FBG of 8.8 which was significantly higher than usual due to bad sleep and dog tummy upsets.

If I run the calculation with my normal FBG of around 6.5, then I get a lower HOMA-IR of around 4.5
Which is still too high, but actually lower than expected.
In addition, with a lower bg, the morning insulin level would also be lower, which would bump it down a tad more.

So, all in all, a very useful set of tests.
Very informative, though they will be much MORE informative when I have built up a set of results over time.
And next time, I will take the test on typical and non-stressed day.
I would also like to take a test after exercise (which lowers insulin resistance)
and late afternoon, when my insulin resistance levels are naturally much lower than when dawn phenomenon drives them high.

But... you know what? Thriva count a fasting insulin level of 16 uIU/ml (116 pmol/L) as being a normal insulin level.
I find that astonishing.
That may be normal, but it isn't healthily low. It is a clear sign of insulin resistance.
No wonder that we have a T2 epidemic on our hands, if high levels like this are classed as being in the green zone.

I LOVE the comment they make that 'high insulin levels can lead to diabetes'.
No **** Sherlock.
But then I should appreciate the fact that they say this, rather than 'high blood glucose can lead to diabetes'.
:hilarious:

(tried to attach some screenshots, but the forum software only accepted them as inch square thumbnails.
May try again later)

2nd attempt at the pics

View attachment 31390

View attachment 31391

Very interesting @Brunneria thanks for posting. Think taking the tests on a more typical day is a good idea.
 

Brunneria

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Messages
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Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Very interesting @Brunneria thanks for posting. Think taking the tests on a more typical day is a good idea.

Yes, I agree. Sort of.
But... if I had done that, I might have thought 'ah, that's OK then...' and not realised what happens to my IR and HOMO-IR when my bg goes up to nearly 9mmol/l
Which is REALLY useful info as a deterrent. :)

I suppose I subscribe to the idea that info is info, it is what you do with it that matters.
And in this case, I can do a typical day next time, and have an excellent comparison. :D
 
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