Best way to get comprehensive baseline bloodwork/labs?

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DistinguishedHeathen
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Best way to get comprehensive baseline bloodwork/labs?

Post by DistinguishedHeathen »

Hi everyone! I'm a healthy soon-to-be 38 yo 3/4 whose mom is 71, 3/4, and already in the grips of early-stage Alzheimer's. I would love to get some baseline bloodwork done to check all the labs Dr. Bredesen recommends, but am not sure how best to go about this.

I've considered going through a functional medicine doctor, but many are much too woo-woo for my tastes (crystal healing? no thanks) or don't take insurance at all and so cost a ton on top of the labwork. I'm also concerned they might push back (as my primary care doc did) against the need for all the tests that Bredesen recommends, especially since I have no current health complaints.

So, how can I go about getting my baseline bloodwork? I've looked into Pre-CODE but feel that, since I've already had a genetic test via 23&Me and have my raw data, paying for a genetic test would be redundant. That said, if that's what I must do to get all the Bredesen-recommended labs, then I will. However, if there's another way that has worked for people here, I'd love to know. I'm also open to doctor recommendations in NYC, too.
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Re: Best way to get comprehensive baseline bloodwork/labs?

Post by HopefullyNotDoomed »

I don't live in the US, however, Dr. Richard Isaacson is based at Cornell in NYC (afaik) and is one of the top neurologists in the field of preventative Alzheimer's. He has been on the Drive with Peter Attia and I believe they are friends. He does extensive bloodwork testing based on what I have heard.

https://vivo.weill.cornell.edu/display/cwid-rii9004

If you are in NYC there is probably no one better than he is. I kind of envy you as no such doctors exist where I live. Good luck.
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Re: Best way to get comprehensive baseline bloodwork/labs?

Post by NF52 »

DistinguishedHeathen wrote:Hi everyone! I'm a healthy soon-to-be 38 yo 3/4 whose mom is 71, 3/4, and already in the grips of early-stage Alzheimer's. I would love to get some baseline bloodwork done to check all the labs Dr. Bredesen recommends, but am not sure how best to go about this. ... However, if there's another way that has worked for people here, I'd love to know. I'm also open to doctor recommendations in NYC, too.
One of the ways that many people use is this: Direct to Consumer Lab Testing Options. My experience has been that it's the insurance company that really drives what gets approved. Sometimes the doctor can provide a "prior justification" for a more in-depth test, but other times knows that Company X never approves Test Y [Ex. Lp (a)] without symptoms Z [acute symptoms of aortic valve stenosis], especially in a soon-to-be 38 year old.

Dr. Stavia's Primer offers suggestions on which biomarkers and tests might be good to start with here: Biomarkers.
What I've done is some over-the-counter tests (CVS and Walgreens, for example seen HbAiC test kits you can use yourself) and based on family history and/or concerns have ordered others online. Typically, I get an emailed lab requisition with 24 hours or less that is good for 6 months (in my case at a Lab Corp, which is 15 minutes from home). I can pick the time and day best for me and get results back in a report with range references within 1-3 days. I've taken those in to my doctor, who I trust, to discuss. Currently I have labs for NMR lipid profile (which includes LDL-P) and Lp(a) for about $100. and a basic blood chemistry panel (which my doc would cheerfully provide) for about $25. I don't test every 6 months, now that I know which numbers are stable. Life Extension offers major sales on blood labs every 6 months or so, and I assume other companies do also. You can save lots of money by waiting for those.

Dr. Isaacson's Center is amazing (and busy!) We also have this practitioner review from someone who at age 50 went to the Heart Health program also at Weill Cornell. Jessica Peña, MD / New York City, NY
You may also want to read Dr. Lisa Mosconi's The XX Brain: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women to Maximize Cognitive Health and Prevent Alzheimer's Disease She is the director of the Women's Brain Initiative at Weill Cornell Medical College and has a family history of AD. She also has TED talks and You Tube videos that are available. The more we know, the better we can advocate and chart our own future!
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Re: Best way to get comprehensive baseline bloodwork/labs?

Post by DistinguishedHeathen »

NF52 wrote:
DistinguishedHeathen wrote:Hi everyone! I'm a healthy soon-to-be 38 yo 3/4 whose mom is 71, 3/4, and already in the grips of early-stage Alzheimer's. I would love to get some baseline bloodwork done to check all the labs Dr. Bredesen recommends, but am not sure how best to go about this. ... However, if there's another way that has worked for people here, I'd love to know. I'm also open to doctor recommendations in NYC, too.
One of the ways that many people use is this: Direct to Consumer Lab Testing Options. My experience has been that it's the insurance company that really drives what gets approved. Sometimes the doctor can provide a "prior justification" for a more in-depth test, but other times knows that Company X never approves Test Y [Ex. Lp (a)] without symptoms Z [acute symptoms of aortic valve stenosis], especially in a soon-to-be 38 year old.

Dr. Stavia's Primer offers suggestions on which biomarkers and tests might be good to start with here: Biomarkers.
What I've done is some over-the-counter tests (CVS and Walgreens, for example seen HbAiC test kits you can use yourself) and based on family history and/or concerns have ordered others online. Typically, I get an emailed lab requisition with 24 hours or less that is good for 6 months (in my case at a Lab Corp, which is 15 minutes from home). I can pick the time and day best for me and get results back in a report with range references within 1-3 days. I've taken those in to my doctor, who I trust, to discuss. Currently I have labs for NMR lipid profile (which includes LDL-P) and Lp(a) for about $100. and a basic blood chemistry panel (which my doc would cheerfully provide) for about $25. I don't test every 6 months, now that I know which numbers are stable. Life Extension offers major sales on blood labs every 6 months or so, and I assume other companies do also. You can save lots of money by waiting for those.

Dr. Isaacson's Center is amazing (and busy!) We also have this practitioner review from someone who at age 50 went to the Heart Health program also at Weill Cornell. Jessica Peña, MD / New York City, NY
You may also want to read Dr. Lisa Mosconi's The XX Brain: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women to Maximize Cognitive Health and Prevent Alzheimer's Disease She is the director of the Women's Brain Initiative at Weill Cornell Medical College and has a family history of AD. She also has TED talks and You Tube videos that are available. The more we know, the better we can advocate and chart our own future!
Thank you! This is really helpful. As for Dr. Isaacson's center -- I've been trying to get into their prevention clinic for the last 6 months, but have gotten no response to my calls or emails, just an automated message saying the waitlist is over a year long. That said, I've trying to get into the Weill Cornell system for my healthcare now in hopes that I will have an easier time eventually getting onto the waitlist.

As for Dr. Pena, I'm going to book an appointment with her to follow up on my POTS and cholesterol (which was really out of whack last time it was tested in the 20s), and I'll see what other biomarkers she would be interested in running before I resort to paying out of pocket.

Thank you again for the wealth of links and info!
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Re: Best way to get comprehensive baseline bloodwork/labs?

Post by nerdymel23 »

DistinguishedHeathen wrote:
So, how can I go about getting my baseline bloodwork? I've looked into Pre-CODE but feel that, since I've already had a genetic test via 23&Me and have my raw data, paying for a genetic test would be redundant. That said, if that's what I must do to get all the Bredesen-recommended labs, then I will. However, if there's another way that has worked for people here, I'd love to know. I'm also open to doctor recommendations in NYC, too.
I ran most of bloodwork on my own and out of pocket. I had tried some Functional Medicine providers but it was a huge cost to see them and I still felt they dismissed my concerns for a brain centric approach because they felt I was too young at the time. There are provider websites that link to labs sites so you can just order them through there or some of the labs like Ulta have packages. I did an inflammation package at one point. Sign up for the labs email newsletters and follow their social media. They have Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals, along with other holiday discounts.
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Re: Best way to get comprehensive baseline bloodwork/labs?

Post by Julie G »

So, how can I go about getting my baseline bloodwork? I've looked into Pre-CODE but feel that, since I've already had a genetic test via 23&Me and have my raw data, paying for a genetic test would be redundant. That said, if that's what I must do to get all the Bredesen-recommended labs, then I will. However, if there's another way that has worked for people here, I'd love to know. I'm also open to doctor recommendations in NYC, too.
Apologies. i realize that I'm very late to respond to this but in case you're still looking around, Apollo Health will knock $110 off the lab price if you supply your own APOE status. This, and many other FAQs are covered here.
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