Type 1.5 diabetes (LADA) and GLP-1 — anyone have experience?

Dr.RaviCardio said:

My labs after 3 months on glycaemic control: A1C 5.9%, fasting glucose 79 mg/dL, fasting insulin 4 uIU/mL.

Complete metabolic panel trending on glycaemic control — sharing because comprehensive data helps everyone:

The insulin resistance improvement (HOMA-IR) is what my endo focuses on most. Going from 5.5 to near 1.0 is a metabolic transformation.

marcus_mpls said:

A1C went from 7.4 to 5.6 over nine months and my prescriber was more interested in the fasting insulin, which I did not expect.

Insulin sensitivity test (HOMA-IR) on glycaemic control — arguably the most important metabolic marker most people aren't tracking:

HOMA-IR = (fasting insulin × fasting glucose) ÷ 405

My numbers: Baseline HOMA-IR = 4.9 (insulin resistant) → Current = 1.5 (insulin sensitive)

Anything above 2.0 indicates insulin resistance. The goal is below 1.5. GLP-1 agonists address the root metabolic dysfunction, not just the symptoms. This is why they work so much better than calorie restriction alone.

Dr.NateNeph said:

Complete metabolic panel trending on glycaemic control — sharing because comprehensive data helps everyone: Test Baseline Month 3 Month 6 Month 12…

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.

One thing that is still open after MariaRD’s answer:

What would you measure differently if you were starting again?

Dr.RheumBOS said:

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

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: 26 → 14 → 7 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.