OP here — wow, did not expect this much response! Thank you all for the thoughtful replies on Thrift store.
To answer BrianDallas92: I get my labs done through Quest every 3 months.
Quick update: my latest labs came back even better. Thanks again for the evidence-based discussion — this is exactly why I posted in a science-based community. 🙏
Relevant to Thrift store transformation — here is my latest bloodwork comparison:
Key improvements: A1C 8.0% → 5.3%, triglycerides 223 → 93 mg/dL, hsCRP 6.0 → 1.1 mg/L. All on tirzepatide for 15 months.
The inflammatory marker drop is what impresses me most. Consistent with the SELECT trial's cardiovascular findings.
Yep. My endo said the same thing about Thrift store.
Slightly tangential to Thrift store but TrialNerd_Beth reminded me — has the insurance landscape changed recently?
I know it is not exactly on-topic but it seems related enough to ask here rather than starting a new thread. Apologies if this has been covered — I did search first.
mona_PHX said:Thank you all for the thoughtful replies on Thrift store
This is exactly right. mona_PHX articulated what I have been trying to explain to my friends for months. The Thrift store aspect is what made the difference for me.