)
It isn't a poison. That said, Paracelsus's maxim still holds true: “Everything is poison; nothing is without poison; it is the dose that makes the poison.”Rdg1970 said:
I've been doing some early-stage reading. Are there any additional tests beyond what I listed — things that are nice to have?
The information below comes from an article on the National Library of Medicine site.
Labs That Are Necessary for GLP‑1 Safety
According to the article, these are the labs it explicitly says have to be tracked so that prescribing and continued use of GLP‑1 receptor agonists remain safe.
---
1. Hemoglobin A1c — REQUIRED
What it's for: keeping an eye on long‑term glycemic control and confirming that treatment is working.
“Patients taking GLP‑1 analogs should periodically have their hemoglobin A1c measured…”
For every GLP‑1 user, this is the main lab that is required.
(Isn’t warfarin rat poison
2. INR — REQUIRED only if on warfarin
What it's for: GLP‑1 drugs slow gastric emptying, and that can change how warfarin gets absorbed.
“The clinician should follow the international normalized ratio (INR) in patients prescribed warfarin…”
This lab isn't needed if the patient isn't taking warfarin.
3. Kidney Function Labs — REQUIRED
These consist of:
• Serum creatinine
• eGFR
What they're for: GLP‑1 drugs leave the body through the kidneys, so kidney problems can affect safety.
When a medication is renally eliminated, it means:
• Your kidneys filter the drug out of your blood
• The drug (or its metabolites) is then excreted in urine
• Kidney function directly affects how long the drug stays in your system
• Impaired kidneys = slower clearance, higher drug levels, and higher risk of side effect
“…monitor blood glucose levels, weight, and kidney function.”
Blood tests are always part of kidney function monitoring.
4. Blood Glucose — REQUIRED
What it's for: spotting hypoglycemia (deficiency of glucose in the bloodstream) when GLP‑1 is taken together with insulin or sulfonylureas(organic compounds).
“…monitor blood glucose levels…”
Whether it's a fingerstick or drawn in a lab, it's still a required part of monitoring .
A one-time fasting blood glucose test won't catch a lone instance of low blood sugar.Rdg1970 said:
I've been doing some early-stage reading. Are there any additional tests beyond what I listed — things that are nice to have?
The information below comes from an article on the National Library of Medicine site.
Labs That Are Necessary for GLP‑1 Safety
According to the article, these are the labs it explicitly says have to be tracked so that prescribing and continued use of GLP‑1 receptor agonists remain safe.
---
1. Hemoglobin A1c — REQUIRED
What it's for: keeping an eye on long‑term glycemic control and confirming that treatment is working.
“Patients taking GLP‑1 analogs should periodically have their hemoglobin A1c measured…”
For every GLP‑1 user, this is the main lab that is required.
(Isn’t warfarin rat poison
2. INR — REQUIRED only if on warfarin
What it's for: GLP‑1 drugs slow gastric emptying, and that can change how warfarin gets absorbed.
“The clinician should follow the international normalized ratio (INR) in patients prescribed warfarin…”
This lab isn't needed if the patient isn't taking warfarin.
3. Kidney Function Labs — REQUIRED
These consist of:
• Serum creatinine
• eGFR
What they're for: GLP‑1 drugs leave the body through the kidneys, so kidney problems can affect safety.
When a medication is renally eliminated, it means:
• Your kidneys filter the drug out of your blood
• The drug (or its metabolites) is then excreted in urine
• Kidney function directly affects how long the drug stays in your system
• Impaired kidneys = slower clearance, higher drug levels, and higher risk of side effect
“…monitor blood glucose levels, weight, and kidney function.”
Blood tests are always part of kidney function monitoring.
4. Blood Glucose — REQUIRED
What it's for: spotting hypoglycemia (deficiency of glucose in the bloodstream) when GLP‑1 is taken together with insulin or sulfonylureas(organic compounds).
“…monitor blood glucose levels…”
Whether it's a fingerstick or drawn in a lab, it's still a required part of monitoring .
At first I meant to call this out as something a chatbot wrote, and quite off the mark, but then I noticed its origin, and now I am simply puzzled. The entire section on kidney function looks questionable. According to the manufacturer's official labeling, no dose changes are required for renal or hepatic impairment, and the drug is not eliminated through the kidneys. I ran this past a prompted version of chatgpt in research scholar mode. Even though my source is itself AI generated, at least it contains no glaring factual mistakes, matches how these agents are actually used in clinical practice, and in my view is far more trustworthy.Rdg1970 said:
I've been doing some early-stage reading. Are there any additional tests beyond what I listed — things that are nice to have?
The information below comes from an article on the National Library of Medicine site.
Labs That Are Necessary for GLP‑1 Safety
According to the article, these are the labs it explicitly says have to be tracked so that prescribing and continued use of GLP‑1 receptor agonists remain safe.
---
1. Hemoglobin A1c — REQUIRED
What it's for: keeping an eye on long‑term glycemic control and confirming that treatment is working.
“Patients taking GLP‑1 analogs should periodically have their hemoglobin A1c measured…”
For every GLP‑1 user, this is the main lab that is required.
(Isn’t warfarin rat poison
2. INR — REQUIRED only if on warfarin
What it's for: GLP‑1 drugs slow gastric emptying, and that can change how warfarin gets absorbed.
“The clinician should follow the international normalized ratio (INR) in patients prescribed warfarin…”
This lab isn't needed if the patient isn't taking warfarin.
3. Kidney Function Labs — REQUIRED
These consist of:
• Serum creatinine
• eGFR
What they're for: GLP‑1 drugs leave the body through the kidneys, so kidney problems can affect safety.
When a medication is renally eliminated, it means:
• Your kidneys filter the drug out of your blood
• The drug (or its metabolites) is then excreted in urine
• Kidney function directly affects how long the drug stays in your system
• Impaired kidneys = slower clearance, higher drug levels, and higher risk of side effect
“…monitor blood glucose levels, weight, and kidney function.”
Blood tests are always part of kidney function monitoring.
4. Blood Glucose — REQUIRED
What it's for: spotting hypoglycemia (deficiency of glucose in the bloodstream) when GLP‑1 is taken together with insulin or sulfonylureas(organic compounds).
“…monitor blood glucose levels…”
Whether it's a fingerstick or drawn in a lab, it's still a required part of monitoring .
Did the GLP-1s give you jaundice?
Nope, that wasn't me.
Dropping 30+ pounds over only a couple of months wrecked my gallbladder. The hida scan showed it functioning at a 4% EF, so they scheduled surgery right away. I genuinely needed that operation, yet roughly 4 months after it, the gallbladder area still aches whenever I swim, lift weights, or simply twist my torso.
For a lot of things, the National Library of Medicine is a dependable resource.Rdg1970 said:
I've been doing some early-stage reading. Are there any additional tests beyond what I listed — things that are nice to have?
The information below comes from an article on the National Library of Medicine site.
Labs That Are Necessary for GLP‑1 Safety
According to the article, these are the labs it explicitly says have to be tracked so that prescribing and continued use of GLP‑1 receptor agonists remain safe.
---
1. Hemoglobin A1c — REQUIRED
What it's for: keeping an eye on long‑term glycemic control and confirming that treatment is working.
“Patients taking GLP‑1 analogs should periodically have their hemoglobin A1c measured…”
For every GLP‑1 user, this is the main lab that is required.
(Isn’t warfarin rat poison
2. INR — REQUIRED only if on warfarin
What it's for: GLP‑1 drugs slow gastric emptying, and that can change how warfarin gets absorbed.
“The clinician should follow the international normalized ratio (INR) in patients prescribed warfarin…”
This lab isn't needed if the patient isn't taking warfarin.
3. Kidney Function Labs — REQUIRED
These consist of:
• Serum creatinine
• eGFR
What they're for: GLP‑1 drugs leave the body through the kidneys, so kidney problems can affect safety.
When a medication is renally eliminated, it means:
• Your kidneys filter the drug out of your blood
• The drug (or its metabolites) is then excreted in urine
• Kidney function directly affects how long the drug stays in your system
• Impaired kidneys = slower clearance, higher drug levels, and higher risk of side effect
“…monitor blood glucose levels, weight, and kidney function.”
Blood tests are always part of kidney function monitoring.
4. Blood Glucose — REQUIRED
What it's for: spotting hypoglycemia (deficiency of glucose in the bloodstream) when GLP‑1 is taken together with insulin or sulfonylureas(organic compounds).
“…monitor blood glucose levels…”
Whether it's a fingerstick or drawn in a lab, it's still a required part of monitoring .
I'm not sure whether the peculiarities in your case mean our results can be lined up side by side. A few days ago I got a full panel drawn — it covered a lot and cost a lot. To have everything run, I ended up paying 600 dollars out of my own pocket. Even so, I'd be glad to pass my numbers along so we can put them next to each other.
For years my hemoglobin, white blood cell, and similar blood readings have shown polycythemia vera markers, yet a Jak2 mutation test came back negative — so my hematologist dismisses it as 'just how you normally are,' never mind that I also deal with every physical symptom of polycythemia vera.